Cerebus the Aardvark No. 29 is an issue of Cerebus published by Aardvark-Vanaheim.
Stories[]
"Repercussions"[]
Cerebus wakes up in his room in the Regency Hotel after staging his own kidnapping (in Issue 27). A messenger tells him that the prime minister expects Cerebus to reimburse the government for his ransom. Cerebus relays a return message, saying he doesn't have the twelve thousand crowns. He prepares for a bath and meets the Regency Elf. She tells him the McGrew Brothers have been arrested for the kidnapping and locked up in Hobbsgate Prison. She proceeds to drink an entire bottle of whiskey, but she disappears before Cerebus can show her to the room clerk.
That night Cerebus breaks into the prison. He asks Dirty Fleagle and Dirty Drew where they hid the ransom. Fleagle tells him the ransom was only a "duck" statue, which he sold to Big Garn. The next morning a Cabinet minister arrives with another demand for reimbursement of the ransom. After throwing him out, Cerebus begins writing a letter to Ned Greely (of Greely, Bleeker, and Spleen) to ask for money. The Elf wonders aloud why Greely regularly brings his secretary to the hotel. Cerebus begins writing a new letter, this one a politely worded demand for blackmail.
The next morning, while playing wickets with the Elf, Cerebus hears from the prime minister again. Greely visited the prime minister the night before and "spoke most persuasively and at some length" on Cerebus's behalf. Accordingly, Cerebus receives an invitation to go hunting with the prime minister in two days. The Elf reappears and asks why Cerebus tells people about her when they can't see her. He explains that he has learned one of Lord Julius's lessons: "Insanity is a virtually impregnable gambit, but you have to lay the groundwork early in the game."
Additional[]
Characters[]
- Cerebus (last seen in Cerebus No. 28; next appearance in Cerebus No. 30)
- Regency Elf (first appearance; next appearance in Cerebus No. 30)
- McGrew Brothers (last seen in Cerebus No. 27; next appearance in Cerebus No. 39)
- Harmon Blakely (first appearance; next appearance in Cerebus No. 37)
- Elwyn Salice, prison guard
- Prime Minister of Iest (mentioned only)
- unnamed messenger
- unnamed room clerk
- unnamed steward
- Big Garn (mentioned only)
Locations[]
Story Notes[]
- (page 1) When Cerebus wakes up, he refuses to open his eyes. He tells the messenger, "Cerebus just wanted to be sure it wasn't a public bench in Beduin." He is referring to the opening of Cerebus No. 21, which followed the first Mind Game.
- (page 11) One of the McGrew Brothers tells Cerebus, "Sit on yer thumb an' rotate!" Apparently, it is an Onliu's rather colorful way of saying "go f*** yourself."
- (page 13) Cerebus is apparently unaware that "a little table next to the bed" is called a nightstand, or he is using sarcasm.
- (page 14) The Cabinet minister is almost certainly Harmon Blakely, although he is not identified. His message refers to "your letter of this morning," although Cerebus's trip to the prison (which obviously takes place at night) happens in the interim. He may mean that the prime minister received or answered the letter that morning, or the discrepancy may be an oversight.
- (page 18) Wickets is the British name for a game that Americans call croquet.
- Draught is a British/Canadian spelling, short for bank draft or check.
- It is interesting that, with all the finagling by the Iestan prime minister to get the twelve thousand crowns mentioned in Cerebus No. 27, that it was not actually put on the ship. Considering his financial troubles (see next issue), though, he may have seen it as a cost-cutting measure.
- The letters page includes a sketch of Conan and Cerebus by Alfredo Alcala.
Quotes[]
Publication Notes[]
- Reprinted in Cerebus: High Society No. 4. Cerebus story reprinted in the High Society phonebook.