In a continued effort to get “Cerebus” back into the spotlight of modern day readers, IDW has announced that they will be releasing a physical edition of the digital “High Society” package.
Covering “Cerebus” #26-#50, the second volume of the monolithic series, “High Society” is where the actual plot in “Cerebus” really begins to kick-off. And in this special edition of “High Society,” IDW is releasing a multi-disc DVD set that features the “Digital Audio/Visual Experience” of the comic. It comes with ‘animated’ versions of the comic with music and voice acting by Dave Sim himself, and the package comes complete with lots of commentary to the series by Sim as well.
What’s interesting about this is that this is what the initial “Cerebus” Kickstarter funded now made into a physical product. As a backer of the “Cerebus” Kickstarter, I will note that I quite enjoyed both the high-res scans of the series and the one video that I watched (though I mainly backed the Kickstarter to get some of the physical rewards I wanted). To have it in a physical form like this is rather intriguing, and I suppose getting this form of artifact puts a good deal of added value to the entire product. I am sure, however, that some Kickstarter backers may not be a big fan of this. We’ll see.
It does look rather sharp, though. Honestly. It’ll be interesting to see what the physical item looks like in real life and not just in pictures.
For the full press release from IDW, please see below.
IDW Press Release
Dave Sim’s masterwork Cerebus ran for an impressive 300 issues between 1977 and 2004. Starting with issue #26, Cerebus got a taste of High Society, a storyline that concluded with issue #50, and which critics and readers alike recognize as the point at which Cerebus became a vehicle for political commentary. High Society is also widely considered a great starting point for first time Cerebus readers.
This August, IDW Publishing will release a multi-disc DVD set that presents the entire DIGITAL AUDIO/VISUAL EXPERIENCE of High Society in a unique multi-media format. The Cerebus: High Society Digital Audio/Visual Experience has Dave Sim reading every issue in character—complete with accompanying music and sound effects—while motion effects applied to the story art present the material like you’ve never seen it before. Each issue also includes a section of full Editorial Comments from Sim, giving fans a virtual guided tour of this masterpiece.
“With the restoration of the High Society graphic novel now dragging on into its 3rd year—and no end in sight—it’s Justin Eisinger and IDW to the rescue with Cerebus: High Society Digital Audio/Visual Experience DVD set! Thanks guys!” said Dave Sim.
“Cerebus means so many things to so many readers, it really is a monumental work of our times,” said Justin Eisinger, IDW’s Senior Editor Books. “Having the opportunity to work with Dave and his team to bring this High Society set to life—and in this form—is a special experience that we’ll never forget. The creator PERFORMING the story?! It’s a hell of a thing.”
Originally brought to life through the magic of Kickstarter, the HIGH SOCIETY DIGITAL AUDIO/VISUAL EXPERIENCE is a must-experience for all fans of Cerebus.
About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE and MY LITTLE PONY; Paramount’s Star Trek; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; 2000AD’s Judge Dredd; The Rocketeer; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; and the Eisner-Award winning Locke & Key series, created by best-selling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio, and the multiple award-winning Artist’s Edition imprint.
IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot; Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Warner Brothers are producing a film based on Ashley Wood’s Lore; Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film, Kurtzman/Orci are producing a movie based on Locke & Key at Universal.
