You may have noticed that today's reviews are a little...um...different to normal. This is because I've received a few submissions from our reviewers that don't really fit anywhere else on the site, yet have all come in in the space of two days and deserve to be run.
Hence this weird day.
Maybe it helps that here in the UK it's Guy Fawke's Day, Bonfire Night, call it what you will - "remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder treason and plot, I see no reason why something something should ever be forgot".
The British take today to remember the foiling of Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators attempt to blow up the English Parliament - the gaffe was blown in part by one member of the conspiracy not wanting his friend to be killed, so he told him to stay away...whoops.
This event is commemorated by copious numbers of fireworks being released at all hours of the night - it helps that this time of year total darkness starts around 5pm - scaring the shit out of pets and babies for six straight hours.
What does this have to do with Comics ActiviSim I hear the three of you still reading ask? Simple. In March 2004 issue #300 of the comic Cerebus is released. This is the last issue, and the series carries the unique feat of being written and lettered by the same man since #1...Dave Sim. Sim also drew the first 100 or so on his own, then was joined by the mysterious Gerhard who did backgrounds (leaving the characters to Sim) for the remaining issues.
Once issue #300 is released Sim is expected to do one of three things: (a) kill himself cos he won't know what to do once his life's work is complete; (b) retire and disappear for good; (c) get hooked up to the internet, download copious amounts of porn, and spam message boards for the rest of eternity.
However, this Comics ActiviSim (did you see what I did there?) piece is a plea to you. This issue is released in March 2004, so should be solicited in December's Previews. I want you to place an advance order with your retailer. Please. It will set you back just US$2.25 or UK£1.50, that's all. That's nothing. If you've never seen this book before, and maybe were scared of jumping onboard due to its intricate continuity or Sim's reputation, then it doesn't matter. This is the last issue. Order just this last issue. You may hate it and want to rip it to shreds. In which case you can email me a review and vent your spleen on SBC, and I promise to run your comments uneditted. Or you may just find one of the best books of the last twenty years has passed you by, and you've found a new obsession. Or you may just get a kick from helping Sim buck the Diamond charts and cause a bit of a stir.
Wanna shake Diamond up? Wanna give a surprise to Marvel and DC? Pre-order this book (don't rely on your retailer ordering it, you MUST specifically ask him to reserve it for you). Get all of your friends to pre-order it too - even if they don't read comics. Tell them it will change their lives. Tell them it will make them attractive to the opposite sex. Tell them any old crap, just join the ActiviSim and get this book as high up the sales charts as we can.
Then email me, tell me the retailer and how many people you got to order it, and I might send you a prize. If you're lucky. If you're convincing. And if your retailer backs your story up.
Don't think. Just do it.
Cheers.
-- Craig.
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