2011: The Year of the Aardvark

JAKA’S STORY was really well done.  It started (intentionally) slow, in a claustrophobic sort of boredom, but ended up with a bang.  Sim introduced us to several characters that ended up far from what we expected - I kept waiting for Pud to break, to assault or coerce Jaka into something sexual, or at least to make the attempt. 

Rick was a difficult character for me.  He starts off as a likeable dope, turns into a completely spineless dimwit, then back to likeable dope… and then when he finds out that Jaka had an abortion, he is consumed by rage and hate… the scene set in Mrs. Thatcher’s office is one of the best in comic books - the perfect contrast of cheery office (after they’ve been imprisoned) and the dark events still resonate with me. 

MELMOTH was surprisingly good.  I had heard that it was a source of division - some seeing it as Sim’s best work and many others seeing it as a pointless side trip.  I’m not sure I think it was his best, but it was far from pointless. 

Now, Sebastien Melmoth cannot be the same Oscar from Jaka’s Story - unless Cerebus was gone for years looking for the paint?  Or is there a large period of time where he wandered in a stupor before coming back to Iest?  I rather suspect that this Oscar is another tribute to Oscar Wilde. (I’ve come across arguments for both interpretations online.)  Large parts of the story were done as narrative, using the letters of Robbie Ross, friend of Oscar Wilde. 

It was well done and I enjoyed it, as well as some cameos - Princes Keef and Mick, Archbishop Posey, normalroach. 

Tomorrow, we start Mothers and Daughters!

(sorry about the error, had set the queue incorrectly.  this should have posted yesterday.)

Robbie and Reggie set about taking care of the post-death arrangements – death in Iest is a very expensive and problematic occurrence for a foreigner, especially one renting a room under an assumed name.

However, all is taken care of and the funeral is held, and though not advertised, attended by a large crowd.

Cerebus is briefly seen sitting at the cafe.

Cerebus comes out of his stupor, sitting on the front of the cafe, when he hears two Cirinist prison guards talking. One of them is the one who abused Jaka in prison, and is bragging about it to her companion.

Cerebus kills them both in his rage.

We then have a flashback to Cerebus and Bear, in the woods at a campfire, talking. Bear is relating a tale of how one of his mates, watchyoucallit, punched a Cirinist, thinking it was a man, and suddenly, there was a swarm of others chasing the guy, hounding him like dogs, cutting him only to hurt him until their fun was over.

Cerebus suddenly finds that Bear’s tale was no exaggeration, but he chooses to run instead, still clutching Missy (Jaka’s doll.)

Tomorrow – the month in review tackles JAKA’S STORY and MELMOTH.

Sebastien Melmoth passes away in this issue. The entire issue is a narrative by Robbie (who finally returned to Iest), with one scene (the blessing and performing of Last Rites by a priest that Robbie brought in.

Powerfully done, the art and framing and pacing of this issue could not have been done any better.

Cerebus is seen in one panel, still sitting at the cafe, still shock-weary. Doris is standing next to him, holding his hand.

Dino’s plans to be open in two days are scuttled as much of the work has not been done, the Sepran workers have started a four day holy holiday, some of the supplies are tied up in customs, and others are being resized or replaced.

Doris tells Cerebus about a relationship gone wrong, that in part reminds him of Jaka, so he tells her “aye” if he can understand what she means when she talks about loving someone the way she does. This, of course, only seems to strengthen the crush she’s developing on the Earth-Pig.

Reggie writes Robbie another letter; Melmoth has shown some sign of improvement, but hopes are still low for a recovery.

Cerebus seems to be coming out of his stupor. We see him eating nuts (to date, he’s only eaten raw potatoes and boiled noodles), and when he says good morning to a salty-dog type who ignores (or more likely, didn’t notice him), he yells at the old man.

Reggie writes more letters to Robbie, detailing Melmoth’s worsening condition.

Archbishop Posey is caught in the streets by Cirinists and sentenced to five years hard labour. Reggie witnesses this from his window.

We start off with a great sequence, a long shot of Iest, with a distant banging sound. We get closer and closer to find Dino supervising two strong guys with hammers, as they begin the renovations on the cafe (and it looks like possibly an expasion.) Dino discovers that his best customer has a drop cloth over him, like the outside tables, and chides the workers. They apologise – turns out that they thought he was a statue.

Melmoth’s condition continues to worsen, and Reggie writes Robbie, asking him who should be contacted.

Doris drones on about a pair of shoes she wanted; when Cerebus answers “aye” to her question, she seems to have a crush on him. Dino chases her in to tend to the customers inside, and she gives him a little lip, but nothing like Janice.

Cerebus engages in very little conversation, generally speaking in “aye” and “nay”, except for when he thanks the worker who dusted him off.

Cerebus sits on the front patio, and has visions of Astoria, when she was chained at her trial. He then sees her as the Aardvark figure from the flashbacks, and himself as the female Pontiff from said flashbacks. He meets Doris, who has replaced Janice, as waitress at the cafe. Doris is very shy and polite, a definitely improvement from Janice, to be sure.

Melmoth’s condition worsens and Reggie writers to Robbie, who is in Beduin.

At night, Cerebus has nightmares of being the Pope, and the Tower.

This issue focuses almost entirely on a meeting between Melmoth, Reggie and Robbie. Melmoth is (somewhat) in the process of finalising things. When Robbie goes to depart, Melmoth asks Reggie to step outside, giving them some privacy. Melmoth breaks down, pleading for Robbie not to go, that some change has overtaken him. He speaks at length, in words Robbie does not pass on, but ones that startle him.

Robbie places it all as part of Sebastien’s melodramatic ways, and leaves, not knowing that was the last conversation he would have with Melmoth.

Cerebus is briefly (not) seen (being off “camera”), eating a lot of food, at the cafe. Dino is upset at Janice for (obviously) ignoring Cerebus’ requests for food prior. Janice cops an atittude.

Melmoth confides in Robbie that he doesn’t want to know the doctor’s prognosis, but he gets Robbie to promise to finda way to cover his debts after his death. Reggie, another associate, shows up to sit with Melmoth, while Robbie goes out to do just that.

In a complete cameo, apparently, Boobah walks by Cerebus’ station at the patio of the cafe (he’s still sitting there holding Missy, Jaka’s dolly.) Boobah is too busy eating (of course) to notice Cerebus and Cerebus is still too out of it to notice him.

Prince Mick and Keef show up, and bring Cerebus up to date on their hijinx since their paths last crossed. Janice, the rude waitress at the cafe chases the princes off with a threat of calling for a guard, and stomps back in, ignoring Cerebus’ attempt to ask for a menu.

Cerebus shows up and gives Dino, the owner of Dino’s Cafe (the location where normalroach was ignored), a gold coin in exchange for room and board for the rest of his life. Cerebus is pretty much near-catatonic, only speaks in “aye” and “nay” that we see, and clings to Missy, Jaka’s old dolly. (He’s obviously shook up at the burning down of Pud’s tavern and uncertainty of Jaka’s fate.)

Dino begins making renovations to the cafe, based on the gold coin. Interestingly, we see Mrs. Henrot-Gutch (Sophia’s mother) walk by at one point.

Melmoth is bed-ridden, though that doesn’t stop him from entertaining guests, drinking. Robbie speaks to several doctors, all whom agree that Melmoth will not live long if he keeps drinking.

We meet Sebastien Melmoth, another variant of Oscar Wilde. He is the title character of this story, and is not well, though we do not know the nature of his illness or injury (at least not as of yet.) The bulk of the issue is a conversation between Melmoth and Robbie, and they discuss the nature of the Cirinists’ concern about authors and their stories.

I rather suspect I’m not going to be terribly thrilled with the rest of this month. “Melmoth” is the next storyline, and apparently is considered by many to be “a needless distraction from Sim’s master epic” Fortunately, it’s only 12 issues long.

On a positive note, we start off with normalroach (a parody of normalman), the newest incarnation/personality of the Roach, so I’m kinda pleased for that. He’s at a cafe in Iest, trying to get the waitress to serve him; she won’t, and is rather rude. He uses the ‘c’ word a lot (never to her face), and keeps having to shut up because of the presence of a (couple?) Cirinists.

So, um, yeah.

There are dozens (not just the several we saw in the previous issue) of Like-a-Looks, and Fleagle McGrew is helping weed them out. Baskin reveals that the one with the fishing pole is the real Lord Julius, who’d gone away on a couple days fishing trip, apparently.

In the true epilogue to Jaka’s story, we find out, through conversation between two servants, that Jaka has returned and is residing in the suite she had before she left. It’s postulated by the servants’ gossip that LJ knew where she was, and what she was up to, the entire time.

I’m going to reserve the “Jaka’s Story” write-up for the end of the month.

A humourous side-step, not much of an epilogue to Jaka’s Story, other than the Lord Julius Like-a-Look that Oscar met (and thought was the Nash’s secret guest) is in it. The estate of Lord Julius is over-run by Like-a-Looks, and Dirty Drew McGrew is weeding them out.

Not much else to say about it. Entertaining and amusing.

Whoa.

This comic has moments of power and brilliance. Ones that make the faults (poor pacing, meandering plot, pointless issues) more bearable.

This issue is one of those moments. Rick and Jaka are reunited in Mrs. Thatcher’s office. Mrs. Thatcher praises Rick – apparently everyone they interviewed about him had nothing but the highest of compliments to say about him. His file is filled with nothing but positive reports.

As I figured back in last issue, Thatcher is up to something. She has Jaka restrained, while she asks Rick about an address. An address that has Jaka struggling against the Cirinist’s hand clamped over her mouth. Rick is clueless about the address, and Thatcher informs him that the person there is an abortionist, and Jaka went and visited her in the sixth month of her pregnancy.

It takes a second, and then Rick realises what he’s being told. And, as Rick has wanted nothing more in his life to have a son, he flips out. He is enraged, and strikes Jaka.

Thatcher then asks if Rick will consent to accompanying Jaka back to Palnu; Rick says he wants nothing more to do with her. Rick is escorted to a carriage that will take him to his mother, but not before his thumb is broken, punishment for striking a woman.

“Miss Tavers” (Jaka) is informed that the Palnuans are ready to take her home.

Meanwhile, we see Cerebus finally returned with the paint (I’m confused to how much time has gone by – perhaps it was only a couple days, but if so, Jaka’s a total wuss if only a few days of incarceration broke her down so much.) He is shocked to find that Wither’s pub/store has been burned down.

I’m really amazed at this issue, it was a real kick in the nuts as far as powerful story-telling. I really enjoyed the contrast between Thatcher’s office, so bright and pleasing, and the atmosphere was all happy/positive, and in such a setting, such horrible news came about, and Rick’s basest instinct took over.

Powerful fucking stuff, I say. Bravo, Mister Sim.

Young Jaka finally gets prepared for the gala and goes… only to find that it’s to celebrate Astoria’s 18^th birthday!

Jaka, after much verbal berating, and the reading of Pud’s journal (including some salacious lines about his feelings and desires for Jaka), signs the admission of guilt. It turns out that she was well aware that dancing, or at least employing a dancer, is punishable by death.

Mrs. Thatcher then tells her Rick is alive and on the next day, they’re going to talk and if everyone is agreeable, she and Rick will be sent to Palnu.

You cannot help but think SOMETHING is going to go awry, or Thatcher is not being truthful.

(We’ll find out Monday!)

Mrs. Thatcher and Jaka argue over whether dancing is wrong or just illegal. Thatcher is, of course, a Cirinist, and, as such, has a very poor view of dancing and men. Nothing is accomplished, and she leaves Jaka in the nice(r than her cell) room.

Young Jaka is delighted to discover that, on her twelveth birthday, a gala is being held in her honour.

In flashbacks, Young Jaka, having moved into her new suite is thrilled with things (despite being unhappy at having to leave the Hidden Rooms behind). She writes a letter to the Dept of Don’t-Tell-Astoria, only to have the missive returned, stating that there was no such dept. She re-sends the letter to her uncle under more formal means and gets a response she doesn’t fathom.

Nurse is taken away to be executed, and some time later, Jaka is taken to a very nice room where she meets Mrs. Thatcher. Yes, he’s riffing on political leaders some more, it seems.

Life, such that it is, continues on in the prison. Jaka gets panicked about Rick when Nurse informs her that he’s not protected by her immunity, and Nurse sings to Jaka, the same song that she sang when Jaka was young, the same song that she sang to Jaka when Jaka had hit her head and was vegetable-like in bed.

Young Jaka learns to play the game and fabricates her monthly reports to the Dept for Women’s Affairs. One day, she gets a letter from someone, which includes a key and the designation “From the Department of Don’t-Tell-Astoria”. She goes to the suite and unlocks it, finding a much larger suite than she had before.

Jaka hasn’t eaten or used her bucket to vacate her bodily wastes and is scolded for it by her jailer.

Jaka is taken to prison and locked up. She begins a conversation with the person in the next cell over and begins to discover how horrible life in a cell is going to be.

We flashback to Young Jaka, who is infuriated with Astoria and her Department for Women’s Affairs and the establishment of a cap to Jaka’s allowance.

Jaka and her fellow prisoner talk at length… and make introductions at the end, wherein they discover who each other is. The other prisoner is Jaka’s former Nurse.

Lovely art, wonderful capturing despair. Great issue. Best in a long, long while (and yesterday’s was pretty awesome, too.)

Whoa. Things just got turned topsy-turvy.

First, though, Young Jaka’s world gets turned upside down, as Lord Julius brings home his 17 year old bride. Yep, Astoria.

Then in the present day, while Oscar is out fetching his story, Jaka attempts to interrogate Rick on what else he told Oscar, but Rick is too drunk. Suddenly, the door is burst down (though it was unlocked) by Cirinists. The Veteran smashes a bottle and attacks, but is killed for his trouble. The Cirinists (who apparently have the power of judge, jury and executioner) pass sentence on Pud and kill him. (Not sure what the crime was, they didn’t bother.)

Then, as they intend to do the same to Jaka and Rick, she informs them who she is and calls for diplomatic immunity for her and Rick; the Cirinists argue, but eventually agree on taking them in for questioning.

Oscar, unfortunately, returns just in time to be arrested and sentenced to two years hard labour for writing without a license. “No artistic license”. That’s funny.

Wow. Man, just wow. I didn’t expect any of that!

(Sim starts off the introduction with a perfectly uninteresting diatribe about trying to kick marijuana.  I can’t imagine anyone really cared.  I know I didn’t.) 

Oscar and Jaka exchange letters (via delivery boy Rick) that result in Oscar, Rick, the old Veteran (and Pud, of course, it’s his tavern) watching Jaka dance. Oscar spends big money on champagne, winning everyone over, and softening them up for his story. He leaves to fetch the story, dropping the bombshell of it’s name, and Jaka gets furious at Rick for telling the story of Nurse and her twelveth birthday to Oscar.

Cerebus is apparently still out, fetching paint.

Young Jaka starts working her way up the seating hierarchy of the dining room, her intent to work her way closer to Uncle Julius. 

Cerebus (who doesn’t actually appear this issue, other than an imagined image of him) has left a note saying he’s gone to fetch the white paint he heard Rick and Jaka arguing about earlier. Left to their own, the couple ends up spending hours making love and sorting some things out on a relationship level. (Funny how hours of sex will do that for a couple.)

Oscar is having difficulty writing the end of Jaka’s Story, or fleshing out the dancing scene, so Rick recommends that he go watch her dance. He does, through the window of the tavern, and apparently is beyond impressed. He rushes home, writes a letter for Rick to give Jaka and then sends Rick away so he might finish the book.

We discover that Oscar is the one writing “Jaka’s Story”, as this issue involves several letters he sends to his publisher, demanding the money he is owed if they want to see the next installment. (Since he’s holding out, we don’t get any further installments of it this issue, either.)

The veteran leaves, and Jaka is ecstatic that they had their first customer and claims that within weeks, they’ll be busy. Excited, she leaves, and Pud sits down and thinks out his fantasy, this one different, where he guilt-trips Jaka for helping him spend much of his money on her costumes and the like, when she bursts back in to give him the money the Veteran gave her for dancing – which Pud had noticed and thought she was keeping it for herself. She tells Pud she knows that they owe him money, that the food he sells her each morning costs more than the 3 copper bits she pays him each time, and that all her tips will go to him to pay the defecit. She leaves and, ashamed, Pud prays to Tarim for forgiveness over his dark fantasies.

Very interesting twists. Me likey.

Young Jaka, with her newly discovered sense of entitlement, realises that the hidden rooms are HERS. She revels in this and spends time dancing in the rooms.

Adult Jaka argues with Rick (who has found a spine, somewhere) whether he’s going to go fetch more pain for Oscar tomorrow, or work on the closets as he promised Jaka weeks ago.Jaka goes to work and is pouting in Pud’s tavern, when Pud begins to act out the scene he’s been rehearsing in his mind, where he tells her that there will be changes.

When he’s gotten to that line, and Jaka asks “what changes”, an old veteran (the one from the double issue) shows up to commend Pud on his “guts” for having a guffin outside the tavern, and then he asks Jaka to dance for him, much to his pleasure.