What Happened Between Issues Twenty & Twenty-One
From CerebusWiki
Art by Dave Sim and Gene Day, written by Dave Sim.
An 8 page story that describes how Cerebus got from Togith to Beduin when he was drugged after the events in issue 20.
Contents |
Summary
G'Evan of Togith, under the promise of a 4,000 crown bounty for the still-living aardvark from Mr. Strangis, kidnaps the unconscious Cerebus from Cirinist Mother Wenda's apartment. But G'Evan, considering selling Cerebus to someone else, is stabbed to death by Strangis. In the commotion, Cerebus stumbles in a daze into the Red Horn Tavern. Half a glass of ale only serves to activate the drug in his system more, and he staggers out of the back of the bar, avoiding Strangis, but passing out once again. He's found by a pair of men who sell him to a Freak Show. Two weeks later, the Freak Show ends up outside of Haprengate, where B'Ren Kael recognizes the comatose aardvark, and after two days of negotiations (and spending his entire life savings of 1,200 crowns), he buys Cerebus. With more than a half dozen "agents" looking for Cerebus, B'Ren races ahead of any of them, to the house of Sir Gerrick. B'Ren wants to help his cause, but requests half of the money he spent, and instead gets stabbed by Gerrick's bodyguard.
Later, aware Cerebus will soon awaken and not able to drug him further without risk of killing him, Sir Gerrick and Astoria are concerned that once he wakes, he'll rejoin Gudre and end up decimated by Lord Gorce. Astoria decides to take Cerebus to Beduin, use her forged papers to get him in, and utilize the city's temporary ban on travel to keep him from rejoining the T'Gitans before they're defeated. Gerrick warns Astoria not to cross him, she says she wouldn't any more than he would to her. As she departs, Gerrick wonders of all the masks he's seen her put on in the years he's known her, which one is the real Astoria.
Characters
- Cerebus (last seen in issue 20; next appearance in issue 21)
- G'Evan (only appearance; dies)
- Mr. Strangis (only appearance)
- B'Ren Kael (executive assistant to the Reeve of Harpengate; only appearance; dies)
- Sir Gerrick (first appearance; next appearance in issue 300)
- Astoria (first appearance; next appearance in issue 31)
Printings
First printed in Swords of Cerebus #3, Fall 1981.
Reprinted in the World Tour Book.
Annotations
- The Freak Show includes a "Houseplant that looks like a Man", which features DC Comics' Swamp Thing's head on a plant pot. He's beside "B'Erni! The Amputee with Two Heads", who is based on Berni Wrightson, co-creator of Swamp Thing. Issue 25 includes another parody of Swamp Thing.
