Cerebus: High Society

In this second story arc of Dave Sim’s landmark independent series, the barbarian aardvark Cerebus trades his sword for politics as he becomes entangled in the corrupt, absurd machinations of the city-state of Iest. Published by Aardvark-Vanaheim from 1990 to 1991 across 25 issues, High Society expands the world with key figures like Astoria, Lord Julius, and the Moon Roach, while Sim’s satirical script and artwork—often with contributions from Denise Loubert, John A. Wilcox, and Daniel Smith—skewer power, media, and celebrity. A foundational work of self-published comics, it cemented Cerebus as a complex, long-form narrative that defied superhero conventions.