Dave Sim Exhibit
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University is pleased to announce an upcoming exhibition of over seventy original pages from the groundbreaking independent comic book series, Cerebus. ‘Ye Bookes of Cerebus: the Comic Art of Dave Sim and Gerhard’ will open on Friday, September 23, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. and will remain on display through January 29, 2006. An artist’s talk and gallery reception will be held on Saturday, October 1st, 2005 at 1 p.m. At the event, Dave Sim will discuss the Cerebus project, his massive 26-year long, 300-issue publishing history, and the religious themes that make up the core of the exhibition.
Cerebus was the longest running independent comic ever published. At six thousand pages in length, it is the single longest graphic novel in the comic book medium, and, arguably, the longest sustained narrative in human history. Over seventy pages from this remarkable, and sometimes controversial, work will be on display, focusing on many of the religious themes that highlighted the later years of the book and culminating with a dramatic and unique retelling of the Story of Creation.
The series began in December of 1977 as a parody of the popular Conan the Barbarian comic. Sim quickly evolved as a writer and storyteller and began to tackle larger themes such as politics, religion, gender relations, and creator’s rights. At the same time, the artwork of Sim and background artist Gerhard was consistently some of the best in the medium and garnered numerous awards. Most recently, Sim and Gerhard won the 2005 Shuster Award (named after Superman co-creator Joe Shuster) for Best Canadian Achievement in Comics for the Cerebus project.
By the time the series ended in March 2004, Sim and Gerhard had worked together for over two hundred issues of Cerebus, an unprecedented achievement that more than doubled the one hundred issues of The Fantastic Four created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the 1960s.
“The Cerebus series is the most stunning achievement in the comics medium, and it is quite a thrill for me to be able to work with Dave and Gerhard,” says curator Jason Trimmer. “It is also gratifying to be mounting a comic art exhibition here, since St. Bonaventure University has a history of interest and support for cartoon and comic book artists,” Trimmer continued, noting that the collection of the University includes original drawings by Milt Caniff, the creator of Steve Canyon, and Fred McCarthy, creator of the Brother Juniper cartoon strip.
This exhibition will feature work from three of the sixteen books that make up the entirety of the Cerebus series – Rick’s Story, Latter Days, and The Last Day. All of these pages showcase one of the most unique properties of the comic medium, which is its equal emphasis on words and pictures working together. As writers and artists began to explore more mature subject matter in comic books, starting in the mid-seventies, they also began to explore the dynamics between how the words and pictures on a page interact and affect the reader. For more than twenty years, Sim and Gerhard have been among the preeminent innovators of this dynamic in the comic book medium and the pages on display reflect several different approaches they have taken.
Combining stylistic innovation, humor, and the revelations offered by one man’s intensely personal spiritual journey, ‘Ye Bookes of Cerebus: The Comic Art of Dave Sim and Gerhard’ promises to be a unique and thought-provoking experience.
Admission to the Quick Center galleries is free and open to the public, Tuesdays through Fridays 10 am to 5pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from noon until 5 pm. For more information, call 716-375-2494, or visit
Regina A. Quick Centre
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