Dave, Gerhard,
Recalling - as I have almost every month for the last few years - what you wrote about Neil and SANDMAN, then Alan and FROM HELL, and the resounding silence which greeted the completion of their respective works, I’m sincerely hoping that this reaches you around the point at which you finish CEREBUS.
I didn’t want you to think that no one was paying attention.
Class is still in.
“Congratulations” and “thank you” pretty much cover it.
Congratulations on the most extraordinary achievement this medium has ever witnessed, and on a level of stamina I’d describe as Herculean, if I could still remember my FABULAE FACILES. Which I can’t, but I’m reasonably sure he was tough.
I don’t think that constitutes gushing.
Thank yous, on the other hand, can’t be condensed quite so easily.
On a professional level, Mark and I cannot begin to express our gratitude for your inspiration, your encouragement, your trust, your endorsements, your time, your space, your money-to-mouth assignations, your very good will and, of course, your tolerance (#296). ;)
;) is a wink in modern communications. It implies impishness. It’s not a stray piece of punctuation, nor a chat-up line. ;)
As Mark and I have made clear - and continue to make clear - without the pair of you, there would be no Page 45, let alone the one whose weekly takings can now make Independents Day look like small fry. Page 45 was nine years old in October.
On a personal level, Dave, you’ve given me much to think about over the years - in person, in the back of the book, and within the work itself. You will anticipate that after a great deal of thought, there are ideas about which I still seriously disagree, but you might be surprised at how few they are.
And, you know, I’m ever so slightly fond of CEREBUS, so thanks for the entertainment too.
This has already breached our unwritten agreement that if one has nothing to say professionally, then there’s nothing worth saying. So I’m out of here.
Both of you know where we are, if you happen to be ambling by Nottingham. Eddie Campbell’s entire family has comfortably survived a stay, so...
Take care,
Stephen
P.S. Passport secret still intact, Ger. Not one single soul...
P.P.S. Our fax no longer works. Hasn’t for years. We do e-mail, you don’t. Sorry.
P.P.P.S. I now have a regular column in COMICS INTERNATIONAL, saying pretty much whatever I want to. Crazy, huh?
P.P.P.P.S. Sleep-tight, matey.
