Dave Sim
Zabbah
Posts: 8
What happened to Dave Sim? Why'd he quit coming onto the show? I did a search on the forums and can't find any reason. I really enjoyed his podcast appearances.
Comments
He was promptly pilloried by several folks who seemed to have been lying in wait just to pummel him with the "M-word".
He pretty much went back into seclusion after that.
However those of us who contributed to the "do something, digitize maybe?, High Society Kickstarter project" have been getting frequent, rambling e-mails from him ever since.
That's what killed further appearances. While I may not agree with the loudest criticisms leveled on Dave Sim, I also didn't feel I had enough knowledge to make ANY decision. I didn't want to sign the petition just to insure further appearances without really truly understanding everything that went with it. That's not fair to Dave, that's not fair to the show. Perhaps some of the other guys may have felt differently at the time - we never really gave it much discussion. In any event, it was out of our hands by that point. Bryan even invited him to one of the past Super Shows but obviously he declined in a friendly manner.
Did I feel disappointed? You bet. Because of Dave's podcast appearances, I firmly believe a new audience was brought to Cerebus and his work. There was some talk of continuing the Cerebus Book of the Month Encores with Gerhard - Sim's on again off again collaborator - but I wasn't comfortable with that either. I didn't want Sim to think we were doing it just because we could no longer get Dave on the show.
Those were mad fun eps though. Dave was amazing with his time and his spirit. And I still think Cerebus is a benchmark in comics that all wannabe comic creators need to look at at some point.
Yeah.
That was... uncomfortable.
Has Glamourpuss ever been traded, and if not will it be? That's a title I bought for a while and thoroughly enjoyed, but then I lost my job, and had to give up comics for a few months, and by the time I was in a position to buy comics again, it was one of those series that I just decided to pick up the trade. I agree with your praise for Dave and his work, but I also agree with your decision not to sign his petition. That's kind of an odd thing to ask of anyone, and in doing so he essentially sets the stage for one-sided interviews. Now, I've read the piece in Cerebus no. 186 that spawned this whole controversy. In fact, Dave and Gehrard both autographed my copy. Of course they did so long before the shit hit the fan - so to speak, for I doubt Dave would be willing to sign that issue today. Dave wrote commentary in that issue that I don't agree with and I can certainly relate to why they would be construed as misogynistic. However, the word "misogynistic" implies a hatred of women, and in his defense I'm not sure it's fair to classify Dave's views as outright "hatred". The bottom line is he wrote what he did, and the words he wrote outraged a large number of people. If Dave doesn't feel his words impart a hatred toward women, then he either needs to defend those words or be willing to accept the fact that they pissed off a lot of people. Asking those who seek an audience with him to formerly declare their allegiance and giving Dave permission to then post that declaration for everyone to see effectively taints the interview, and it certainly won't change how his writings were already interpreted. I would hope Dave is capable of realizing that not everyone who wishes to hear his thoughts are doing so because all they are interested in is his views on women (or his defending of such views). I think the CGS Cerebus review he partook in is a prime example. I would love for the CGS Cerebus review series to continue, but I wholeheartedly back CGS's decision to decline signing Dave's petition.
In my experience, the manner in which someone responds to their accusers can be instrumental in quelling the controversy, or conversely perpetuating it. By requesting people formally declare their allegiance to him, Dave is fueling the very fire he's trying to flee from.
Always good to see some Dave Sim talk. Cerebus ties with Love and Rockets as my all time favourite comic. Mr Sim has been busy of late, producing alternative covers for IDW on such diverse titles as Popye, Dr Who, and Judge Dredd(!!!). http://www.momentofcerebus.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/IDW Covers
The only beef I ever had with Willingham was his inability to finish a story he started, so I am unaware of any batshit statement he made, but if you read Cerebus, issue 186 marks when the book started a massive downward slide from brilliant must-read to "dave is still pissed about his divorce.":
That's an AWESOME cover - makes me want to get the comic.
BTW: "Dave's pissed about his divorce" is a gross oversimplification. He had a spiritual crisis as much a result of his behavior after his divorce as the divorce (and the weird, ugly marriage/relationship that preceded it) itself. He was comics' first real rock star creator, and he has put that aside to essentially become a monk.
I find that Willingham's modification of the N-word is in the same spirit. Now the way my brother-in-law uses the N-word -- that's offensive.
I KEED, I KEED!!