Cerebus #11: Roaches check in

Issue #11 begins simply enough, with Cerebus meeting with a merchant to sell the Black Blossom Lotus he stole last issue. But, of course, things don’t stay simple for long. As he is leaving the merchant’s house Cerebus hears something strange and, though he knows better, he lets his curiosity get the better of him and he goes to investigate. What he sees is the merchant standing there wearing tights, a cape, and a mask with antennae. This is our introduction to the Cockroach, Dave Sim’s other great parody character.

Cerebus follows the Cockroach through the dark streets of Beduin as he assault first one, then another passerby, claiming that each is responsible for the death of his parents. He also sees the Cockroach taking some gold from his victims. Following him back home, Cerebus realizes that the merchant doesn’t know what he does as the Cockroach and doesn’t know that there is 30 years’ worth of gold stashed in his house.

Cerebus manipulates the merchant/Cockroach to try to get the gold out of the city. But like so many of his plans to date, the aardvark achieves little success. The merchant eventually comes to his “senses” and alerts the city guards, perhaps unaware that they are also hunting the Cockroach. Cerebus barely manages to get away, but at least this time he manages to hold on to a couple of pouches of gold for his troubles.

Dave will use the Cockroach to great effect in future issues to parody superheroes and comics in general. And not just Batman, as he does in this issue. Some that spring into memory are WolverRoach, PunisherRoach, Swoon, and I think I remember him in a giant spider costume as well. Oh, and I think he parodies The Tick at some point. There are probably others I’m not remembering and I’m guessing there are even more in the issues I hadn’t gotten to before I stopped reading.

We don’t learn a whole lot about the Cockroach in this issue other than the fact that he’s apparently being doing this for 30 years. We don’t even find out his name in this issue. I think we later learn that it’s Artemis. Is that right?

One significant thing we learn about Cerebus is that he just can’t help himself when his curiosity is aroused. When he first hears the strange noises in the merchant’s house he tells himself, “Cerebus is just going to walk away. What is going on is of no concern to Cerebus...Cerebus is going into the first tavern he comes to and...” And yet he can’t resist peeking in.

Even as he recognizes the foolishness of his actions — “There’s only one thing more idiotic than running around in a mask after dark in a snowstorm...and that’s following someone in a mask after dark...one flight up on an ice-covered ledge...” — Cerebus still continues to follow the Cockroach. He “doesn’t get it” when the Cockroach continues to act so crazily and has to keep following him. This eventually does lead to the discovery of the stash of gold, but Cerebus doesn’t know this at the time. The Cockroach’s behavior doesn’t make sense and Cerebus can’t let that go.

Such behavior is somewhat surprising from someone who is so self-centered and so concerned with his own skin — Cerebus dumps some of his gold in an attempt to slow down the pursuing soldiers, thinking, “there is no sacrifice too great for keeping one’s fur intact...” And yet he keeps letting his curiosity get the better of him. And I’m fairly confident that he’ll continue to let it get the better of him.

Like the first Elrod issue, this was a fun and quick read and I was surprised when I reached the ending. And, like Elrod, it’s good to know that the Cockroach will be back.