Jaka's Story

"Jaka's Story" is a trade paperback written and drawn by Dave Sim, with background art by Gerhard. The fifth book in the "Cerebus the Aardvark" series, it is regarded by many as the series' highpoint and a classic of the medium, thanks to its subtle characterisation, expert pacing and innovative use of the comic-book medium.

The comic-style pages of the book are extremely cinematic, with many long wordless passages and 'pans' imitating the movement of a movie camera.

"Jaka's Story" collects issues 114-136 of the monthly "Cerebus" comic book.

Plot summary

The title character of the series is relegated to the sidelines in "Jaka's Story". Instead, the action focuses on Jaka, the love of Cerebus' life. Supporting characters include Rick Nash, her naive, enthusiastic husband; Pud Withers, the harmless-seeming, but emasculated and mother-worshipping landlord who lusts after her; and Oscar, a flamboyant poet based on Oscar Wilde who is friends with Rick. The plot of the book is almost entirely driven by the interactions of these characters until, at the end of the second act, the matriarchial Cirinists who rule the city-state of Iest arrest Rick, Jaka and Oscar and kill Pud. Jaka and Rick are freed due to Jaka's diplomatic connections, but not before Rick is told that his wife had an illegal abortion when she was carrying his son. A furious Rick vows never to see Jaka again. Jaka returns to Palnu, her home city. Cerebus himself spends much of the book lying in Jaka's spare bed mooning after her. In the third act he only appears in one double-page spread.

In addition to the main storyline, there are a number of text pages interspersed throughout "Jaka's Story", written in an accurate imitation of Wilde's flowery style. (Sim's fascination with Wilde would carry over into a subsequent graphic novel, "Melmoth".) They tell the story of Jaka's childhood, somewhat inaccurately, as it later transpires. These passages are meant to be excerpts of a novel "Jaka's Story", written by Oscar, and published in Iest under the title "Daughter of Palnu".