Sunday 8 July 2012

Favourite Comic Book Hero Polls

Empire Magazine's 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters: Cerebus #38:
Canadian artist Dave Sim, an outspoken proponent for the creative rights of comic book creators, a frequent marijuana (and occasional LSD) user and the man responsible for creating the longest-running, single-creative-team-driven series in comic-book history, is the person to thank for giving us one of pop culture’s strangest and most complex characters: a misanthropic, anthropomorphic three-foot tall gray aardvark with a chequered history that has seen him playing the roles of pope, prime minister, mercenary and unwanted houseguest. The saga of Cerebus is made even more compelling by the fact that he’s a borderline alcoholic hermaphrodite with (according to his creator) a voice like George C. Scott and a general dislike for everything and everyone he comes into contact with. A character born of bizarre brilliance.

IGN Entertainment's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes: Cerebus #91:
Few names hold as much sway in the independent comics scene as Cerebus. This Aardvark debuted in the late '70s as a spoof of barbarian heroes like Conan. But creator Dave Sim was far more ambitious than that; through his hero, Sim worked to push the boundaries of the medium as far as they could go. Cerebus embarked on a long, multi-decade odyssey that spoofed and satirized much of pop culture while also making bold statements about art, religion, and life itself. Often controversial but always revered, Cerebus' mark on the industry will be everlasting.

Superman was #1 in both polls, in case you were curious.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I've seen the Empire one but not the IGN one. Both those lists should have had him higher given who was ahead of him. Granted, I'm biased but even still, I thought he should have been higher, 'specially on the IGN one (#91?!).