Guys (comics)

Guys is the seventh novel in Canadian cartoonist Dave Sim's Cerebus comic book series. It is made up of issues #201-219 of Cerebus and was collected as Guys in one volume in September 1997.

Guys
Cover to the Guys collection (Aardvark-Vanaheim, 1997)
Series	Cerebus
Page count	408 pages
Publisher	Aardvark-Vanaheim
Creative team
Creators	Dave Sim Gerhard
Original publication
Published in	Cerebus
Issues	201-219
Language	English
ISBN	978-0-919-35917-8
Chronology
Preceded by	Mothers and Daughters
Followed by	Rick's Story

The book marks a return to a lighter and more humorous style, and takes place in a males-only bar.

Synopsis

After being shown the truth about the universe and himself, Cerebus is given the opportunity to choose to be anywhere he wants. He chooses a bar.[1] The tavern he is placed in is located by the Wall of T'si, with a host of Cerebus regulars, including Bear, Boobah and Mick & Keef; visits from the Margaret Thatcher caricature from Jaka's Story; and new characters, such as bartenders Richard George and Harrison Starkey (based on members of the Beatles), and caricatures of Norman Mailer and Marty Feldman's Igor from the film Young Frankenstein.[2]

Much of the story revolves around Cerebus' relation to Bear, who is seen as having achieved a certain level of manhood and contentment. Cerebus, in contrast, is selfish, childish and controlling. Cerebus is unable to connect with others, and gradually alienates those around him with his drunken, selfish behaviour.[2]

Publication

Sim says that the actual Cerebus story finished with issue #200, and that following would be 100 issues of dénouement.[3] The first printing was a limited edition signed (by both Dave Sim and Gerhard) and numbered (out of 1500) on the inside title page.

References

1. "Cerebus: Guys". Night-flight.com. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
2. Bari, Steven M. (2008-10-15). "Cerebus: Guys (Volume 11)". Comics Bulletin. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
3. Spurgeon, Tom. Dave Sim interview. The Comics Journal #184, February 1996. pages 68-106. "And it also has to do with Cerebus #1-200 being the completion of the story."

Sources

• Cerebus Fangirl
• Cerebus Wiki, set up by Cerebus Fangirl

Further reading

Guys page at Cerebus Wiki