Dave Sim, born May 17, 1956 in Hamilton, Ontario, is the author of the longest solo run in comics history: three hundred issues of Cerebus, published without interruption from December 1977 to March 2004, totaling approximately six thousand pages. This twenty-six-year creative marathon is a record that will in all likelihood never be matched, and makes Sim one of the most radical pioneers of self-publishing.
Cerebus begins as a parody of Conan the Barbarian, featuring an anthropomorphic aardvark in a sword-and-sorcery world. The early issues, published under the Aardvark-Vanaheim imprint, are drawn in a still-rough style that quickly sharpens. By issue 14, Sim begins developing broader narrative ambitions, and the series transforms into a political, philosophical, and satirical saga of ever-growing complexity.
The arcs High Society (#26–50) and Church and State (#52–111) are generally regarded as the high points of the series, blending political satire, comedy, and drama with impressive narrative command. Starting with issue 65, Sim is joined by Gerhard as background artist, whose hyper-detailed environments contrast beautifully with the cartoonish style of the main character. This collaboration lasts through the final issue.
Sim is a pioneer of self-publishing and the creator's rights movement. His 1986 manifesto, co-signed by other creators, laid the groundwork for the movement that would lead to the founding of Image Comics. He proved that a creator could own, publish, and distribute their work without going through major publishers. However, his increasingly controversial views from the late 1990s onward — expressed notably in essays appended to Cerebus — deeply divided his readership and damaged his reputation.
For collectors, Cerebus #1 is a rare and highly sought-after book, with an estimated initial print run of around two thousand copies. Early issues in good condition are hard to find and steadily increasing in value. The so-called phonebooks — thick collected editions compiling each arc into a single massive volume — are the recommended reading format. Sim remains a complex figure whose artistic legacy is inseparable from controversy.
A pioneer of self-publishing in comics with 300 issues of Cerebus. His model inspired an entire generation of independent creators.
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