From: sherman@oak.math.ucla.edu (The Ahkond of Swat)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: CEREBUS: Cerebus thoughts
Date: 15 Apr 92 20:23:38 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: UCLA Mathematics Department

In article <1992Apr15.184056.4399@spool.cs.wisc.edu> faber@loon.cs.wisc.edu 
(Ted Faber) writes:
>In <1992Apr12.174554.16893@yang.earlham.edu> douga@yang.earlham.edu 
>(Doug Atkinson) writes:

>>In the long run, it seems that subtlety isn't the way to _really_ grab 
>>power in Estarcion.  Weisshaupt was subtle, and look where he is now.  

I wouldn't call blackmailing Cerebus into the PMship subtle.  He put the
UFS together by putting his cards on the table with the Feldwar leaders: 
here's my economic plan, it'll triple your incomes, are you in or out?
It began falling apart when the profits didn't roll in (see "Appointments").
It was probably a reasonable gamble for Julius et al., because Weisshaupt
knew his stuff as an economist (or so we are led to believe).

Anyway, his methods were often steamroller-style.

>>If he'd had the balls to use the cannons more quickly... (well, if he had, 
>>reading 230 issues of blank pages would be dull).
>
>	At what point do you think he could have used the cannons to effect
>	control of Estarcion?  I don't see any obvious time when that would
>	have been useful.

Blowing up Cerebus would have certainly had some effect (in the "Ignore It,
It's Just Another Reality" part).  And we would have had 230 blank issues.
The only reason W. didn't do it was that he wanted the gold hoard intact
for the Final Ascension (his ultimate goal throughout).  That's my guess.

>>	K'cor: 
>	... Definitely in the Duke Duke
>	Duke Leonardi class - ahead because he's smarter than his subjects,
>	but of little consequence when the real powers of Estarcion are
>	considered.

If Leonardi's smarter than his subjects, there's not much hope for
New Sepra.  I suspect Leonardi's only in power by being born the Duke.
He's not really in control of the country; the bureaucracy is (or was, 
until the Seprans moved in (did they?)).  

>	I see Elrod as a profoundly unsuccessful entity, and actualy a
>	relatively good foil for Cerebus.

Yeah, but he's not just some bonehead off the street.  He's like the 
Roach: he seems to be comedy relief and then you realize ... hey, this
guy survived being killed.  There's more to these two than meets the 
eye, I'm convinced.  I'm not saying that they're devious evil geniuses,
but that they're wild cards - and supernatural ones at that.

My suspicions seem to be supported by Sim's answer (in Jim Ottaviani's
net.interview) to my question about Elrod.  Sim has something up his 
sleeve about Elrod.

>	Weisshaupt's fatal flaw, if you will, was an inability to perceive
>	Cerebus as a competent adversary.  

The same is true of Powers, who made Cerebus Pope in the mistaken assumption
that he'd be a good pawn.  Also, Cerebus became Prime Minister the first
time because the Iestan movers and shakers were under the same misapprehension 
... that's what the two drunken bishops told him in the Six Crises 
("ornches make me drowzee...").

Everybody underestimates him, and he ends up with all sorts of power.

--
 Bill Sherman     S^1 `--> S^(2n+1) -->> CP^n      sherman@math.ucla.edu
  "Taxes!  Taxes!  Beautiful, lovely taxes!  Ah-ha, ah-ha (forgive me a
      cruel chuckle), taxes!!"  -Prince John, Disney's "Robin Hood"
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