Just three weeks shy of his 50th birthday, longtime Kitchener resident Dave Sim — known for his pioneering self-published 300-issue comic-book series Cerebus — belted out the song My Way in front of a crowd of about 75 guests, fans and fellow creators and received a standing ovation for both his singing prowess and his lifetime of work. “It was my only chance to ever do that,” Sim laughed after the ceremony.

“Of course, that song is always associated with Frank Sinatra and it was nice for me to be able to remind everybody that it was by one of our guys — Paul Anka.”

Sim then presented the 2006 Outstanding Canadian Cartoonist Award to Halifax’s Bryan Lee Malley in a symbolic passing of the torch.