Cerebus the Aardvark

Real Name: Cerebus

Identity/Class: Normal being for his species (they aren't really aardvarks, but are often called such)

Occupation: formerly barbarian and mercenary; then Prime Minister; later Pope

Affiliations: Roach, Elrod, Lord Julius, Sentius Po, Jaka, Red Sophia

Enemies: Cirin

Known Relatives: Red Sophia (wife), Henrot (father in law)

Aliases: Unknown

Base of Operations: Active across most of his world, in particular Palnu.

First Appearance: Cerebus the Aardvark (Aardvark Vanaheim, December 1977)

Powers/Abilities: Cerebus is both a deadly fighter and a truely devious individual with a razor sharp mind.

History: Cerebus the Aardvark is a barbarian and an aardvark (or earth-pig if you prefer). He is a being of great ambition, who would like to score big and settle into a quiet life of luxury, but somehow things never quite work out for him. Oh, sure, he keeps making his big score, using his fighting skill and extreme guile, but then something always comes along to take it all away from him. Over the years he has been elected to high office and become Pope, and he has gained a number of bizarre acquaintances (friends is definitely not the correct word) such as the scheming Lord Julius (think Groucho Marx with political ambitions), the Roach (think any superhero you like, because at some point the insane schizo Roach has been a pastiche of them), and Elrod the Albino (looks like Elric, speaks and acts, ah say acts like Foghorn Leghorn. You listening boy?).

Cerebus keeps his origins private, but over time details about him have gradually emerged. His species are very rare (only three are known to exist, the other two being Cirin, Cerebus' enemy, and Sentius Po, his would-be mentor), and hemaphroditic, with sexual organs of both genders (though in Cerebus' case an incident with a kitchen knife during his youth has rendered him unable to impregnate himself). A magical species, his kind serve as a natural focus for major events, having them constantly unfold around them. Cerebus wants to eventually ascend to meet his god, a being called either Terim or Tarim (and it is the race to do this that brings him into opposition with the similarly-goaled Cirin), and he is prophesied to die unloved, unmourned and alone.

Cerebus spent his old age trapped within a fortress of his own making, after having defeated Cirinism and established a male-dominated regime. He did die alone, unmourned and unloved - worse, it has been theorised that upon death he was sent to Hell.

Comments: Created by Dave Sim. Depending on your point of view it's either Canada's longest running comic, or possibly the longest running mini-series (exactly 300 issues are planned) in comics.

Thanks to Charles Ellis for information regarding Cerebus' final fate.

Cerebus is one of the participants in War of the Independents.

CLARIFICATIONS: None

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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