'An Almost All-Expense Paid Vacation' (American Splendor #24, 1997, art by Joe Zabel and Gary Dumm), depicting Harvey Pekar in David Letterman's 'Late Show'.
Harvey Pekar was a US file clerk with an additional career as jazz critic and comic writer, widely renowned for his autobiographical slice-of-life comic series 'American Splendor' (1976-2010). The books offered fresh inspiration to the emerging alternative comic scene by focusing on anecdotal short stories about ordinary people. Small, relatable moments of touching humanity and existential wonder, drawn by a variety of artists, 'American Splendor' often centered on or around Pekar himself, shown as a complex, opinionated man with his fair share of problems and vices. 'American Splendor' gained a cult following, which increased after Pekar's controversial appearances on the talk show 'Late Night with David Letterman', where he amused and later outraged the host with his non-conformist attitude and criticism of the network and their business partner General Electric. In 2003, 'American Splendor' was adapted into a Hollywood biopic. In addition, Pekar released several comics and graphic novels about a variety of topics like the Vietnam War ('Unsung Hero', 2003), Jewishness ('Yiddishkeit', 2011), Israel ('Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me', 2012), his hometown ('Harvey Pekar's Cleveland', 2012), and short biopics about jazz musicians and regular people who fascinated him.
American Splendor, first issue (May 1976). Cover artwork by Robert Crumb.
Early life and career
Herschel Pekar, nicknamed "Harvey", was born in 1939 in Cleveland, Ohio, into a Polish-Jewish family that ran a grocery store. His younger brother Allen later became a chemist in a pharmaceutical firm. Throughout his life, Pekar always sympathized with working class people. He was critical of US politics, consumer culture and the justice system, since social status and wealth never benefit the commoners who need it most. Politically to the left, Pekar advocated a gradual change in attitude and values, rather than violence. This attitude was motivated by his childhood, when he was frequently beaten up by neighborhood kids. To fend them off, he took on a combative stance and sometimes picked fights first. While earning respect among his peers, he later regretfully reflected it was basically a survivor's mentality. Later he would limit himself to just verbal sparring matches with people he disagreed with.
Harvey Pekar chronicled his childhood in 'Sheiboneh Beis Hamikdosh' (American Splendor #17, 1992), artwork by Jim Woodring.
After graduating from high school, Pekar briefly served in the US Navy, but left after only a month because he was too clumsy to properly wash his clothes. He went to Case Western Reserve University, but dropped out after a year. Due to having a stereotypical overbearing Jewish mother with high expectations, Pekar often felt things weren't worth doing if he couldn't reach high standards. He therefore often gave up before "things might turn out worse", or because he felt stuck in a rut. After many odd jobs, in 1966 he found a steady vocation as a file clerk at the Veterans Administration Hospital. While not the most exciting job, it offered him financial stability with work that wasn't too labor-intensive or required much responsibility. Pekar also enjoyed talking with his colleagues, as their interesting stories and opinions often provided suitable material for his 'American Splendor' stories. In 'Awaking to the Terror of the Same Old Day' (American Splendor #3, art by Greg Budgett & Gary Dumm), he stated that working kept him from "going nuts": "When you're alone all the time, like I am some weekends, you start concentrating on your problems and thinking you're the only person in the world. But working with people helps you put yourself and your problems in perspective."
Still, Pekar sometimes felt like an outcast. Contrary to many others, he didn't buy into the nonsense and scams politicians, religious leaders, media figures or advertisers tried to sell him. He also had a tendency to speak his mind and cause friction with others. His first marriage (1960-1972) ended after 12 years when his wife plundered his bank account and vanished without a trace. He remarried in 1977 with a very career-driven woman. As she tried to reach higher up in academia, Pekar again couldn't remain silent about all this elitarian "bullshit", resulting in another divorce by 1981. In 1984, he married writer Joyce Brabner, who had started a correspondence with him after reading 'American Splendor'. Although he was sterilized, she wanted to have a child and they eventually adopted nine-year old Danielle Batone as their foster daughter. Pekar and Brabner stayed together until his death in 2010.
Pekar found joy and refuge in many intellectual pursuits. His favorite authors were George Ade, Honoré de Balzac, Anton Chekhov, Stephen Crane, Fjodor Dostoyevsky, Eleanor Estes, Daniel Fuchs, the Goncourt Brothers, George Eliot, James Farrell, Daniel Fuchs, George Gissing, James Joyce, Ring Lardner, Herman Melville, Arthur Miller, George Orwell, Henry Roth and Emile Zola. Many were essentially writers of realistic stories, though he also liked writers of fiction, like Jules Verne and C.S. Lewis. For Review of Contemporary Fiction, he reviewed novels and short stories. Pekar also published opinionated articles in magazines like Tuesday (1969) and The Cleveland Plain Dealer (1978). In terms of comedy, Pekar enjoyed Lenny Bruce, Bob & Ray, Jonathan Winters and Woody Allen. Around 1960, he also was a stand-up comedian for a while, but limited to the corner of Kinsman and 154th street.
Pekar on stealing the records in 'How I Quit Collecting Records and Put Out a Comic Book with the Money I Saved', American Splendor #4 (1979), artwork by Robert Crumb.
However, Pekar's strongest passion was jazz. As a 16-year old, he had read a book about the lives of famous jazz musicians, which sparked his imagination so much that he started buying records and became an avid collector. He became an expert on the subject and, between 1959 and 1975, and again from 1989 on, wrote many articles and reviews for specialized music magazines like DownBeat, Jazz Review and JazzTimes, as well as alternative publications like the Austin Chronicle and the Village Voice. The only downside was that he went through obsessive lengths to buy any jazz record he didn't own yet. It cost him a lot of monthly rent until he got the seemingly bright idea to steal some vinyls from a local radio station. He hid several boxes in a toilet room, but later discovered he couldn't unlock the door. After calming down outside, he realized that his collection mania only cost him time, energy and money. He considered quitting and was surprised that, the next morning, he still felt it had been a good decision (this anecdote was later adapted into comic form by Robert Crumb in American Splendor #4).
Early comics writing
During his childhood, Pekar read comics, but recalled reading a 'Captain Marvel' comic one day and being able to predict its ending pages beforehand. This made him lose interest in the medium until his first marriage (1960). His wife's little brother was a comic reader, which reignited his interest. Pekar liked how comics could communicate dialogue directly and economically, while all the descriptive narration could be told through background art. He revalued great storytellers like Gene Ahern, Jack Cole, Will Eisner, Walt Kelly, Frank King, E.C. Segar and Frank Willard. Later in his career, he also expressed admiration for Mark Beyer, Chester Brown, Daniel Clowes, Robert Crumb, Dennis P. Eichhorn, Jules Feiffer, Drew Friedman, the Hernandez Brothers, Terry LaBan, Joe Matt, Joe Sacco, J.R. Williams and Jim Woodring.
First meeting of Harvey Pekar and Robert Crumb in 'The Young Crumb Story' (American Splendor #4, 1979). Artwork by Robert Crumb.
Pekar actually knew Robert Crumb long before he became famous. In 1962, they met in Cleveland, Ohio, as part of a circle of fellow record collectors. Pekar and the 20-year old Crumb bonded over their musical tastes and intellectual interests. Working as a designer for American Greetings, Crumb drew comics after hours to vent personal thoughts, frustrations and sex fantasies. Pekar liked Crumb's 'Big Yum Yum Book', but felt his private comics were more interesting and had genuine potential. He became one of his earliest supporters. By 1967, Crumb moved to San Francisco, where his self-published comic book Zap Comix (1968) launched a market for mature comics, the so-called underground comix. Pekar liked this subgenre as a welcome alternative to the bland, family friendly mainstream newspaper strips and superhero comic books. Artists could now publish their uncensored ideas through their own independent distribution channels.
However, it disappointed Pekar that most underground comix were still immature porn fantasies or incoherent drug-induced scribblings. By 1973, new U.S. laws stated that individual states were allowed to choose which works they could ban for "obscenity". Several stores now no longer could or wanted to sell underground comix. Some underground artists evolved to stories with more autobiographical, sometimes psychological analytical content, like the comics of Robert Crumb and Aline Kominsky, Justin Green's 'Binky Brown vs. the Virgin Mary' (1972), Art Spiegelman's 'Prisoner on the Hell Planet' (1972) and Trina Robbins' Wimmen's Comix'. Mainstream comics about slice-of-life moments had existed before, most notably Frank King's 'Gasoline Alley', but were gentle and idealized. The autobiographical comics offered by underground artists and alternative cartoonists like Jules Feiffer ('Feiffer') and Stan Mack ('Real-Life Funnies') were more interesting to Pekar, but often very heavy-handed, dealing with politics, social action and psychological issues. What he sought were stories set in more everyday reality. Tales about ordinary people and their day-to-day lives, without sugarcoating their genuine desires, worries and problems, like bills, sex, work, health and temporary annoyances. In literature, these had been recurring topics for decades. But in the early 1970s, most comics, even alternative ones, had no interest in it.
Harvey Pekar reflecting on the beginning of his writing career in 'The Quitter', 2005. Artwork by Dean Haspiel.
Pekar saw tremendous potential in the medium. In an editorial for Comics Journal #123 (July 1988), he observed: "Comic book writing is very similar to writing drama: you write dialogue and directions to the actors and director in one case, to the illustrator in another. You can write any way you want in comics and you can draw any way you want, using any style you like. Here's a paradox: haiku, a Japanese poetry form in which the writer is allowed only 17 syllables, is thought of as a fine art, but comics is regarded as intrinsically limited, even though it allows for far greater expressive freedom (...) I think it's because haiku has traditionally attracted gifted and serious writers, while comics aimed at a lowest common denominator audience have, for the most part, been done by commercial hacks." Pekar observed that since the 1930s, most comic books aimed at "juveniles or those with juvenile taste". Since they were more influenced by pulp novelists than literary giants, he wasn't surprised that the stigma attached to comics as an inferior artistic medium, or "kid's stuff", remained stuck.
While Pekar had a strong vision and many ideas, he couldn't draw. Therefore he asked Robert Crumb and Robert Armstrong to illustrate his stories. Crumb was a deliberate choice, since his fame would attract more publishers, readers and, above all, additional artists. Pekar and Crumb's first collaboration, 'Crazy Ed' ran in The People's Comics (Golden Gate Publishing Company, 1972). 'A Mexican Tale' appeared in Flaming Baloney X (Propaganda Ink, 1975), drawn by Greg Budgett and Munan. Three stories illustrated by Willy Murphy ran in Flamed-Out Funnies (Keith Green, August 1975). Greg Budgett and Gary Dumm illustrated 'The Kinsman Cowboys' in Bizarre Sex issue #4 (Kitchen Sink Press, October 1975), while Robert Armstrong drew 'Famous Street Fights: The Champ' in Comix Book issue #4 (Kitchen Sink Press, February 1976) and 'Don't Rain On My Parade' in Snarf issue #6 (Kitchen Sink Press, February 1976).
Pekar used himself as the protagonist, but in some early stories the character is addressed with his ethnic name "Herschel" to create some distance. Two examples are 'How'd Ya Get Inta This Bizniss Ennyway' and 'Love Story', printed in Bizarre Sex, issue #4, where Pekar's alter ego Herschel visits prostitutes. These two odd stories are more sexually explicit than Pekar's later work, because they were originally intended for an aborted project about prostitution by George DiCaprio, editor of Greaser Comics.
American Splendor issues #4 (cover art by Robert Crumb, 1979) and #7 (cover art by Greg Budgett, 1982).
American Splendor
Although Harvey Pekar's earliest comics had run in several adult comic books, he couldn't find a publisher willing to give him his own series. Instead, Pekar decided to pay all expenses out of his own pocket. By no longer buying jazz records and living on mostly hot dogs and potato chips for months, he had saved enough money by May 1976 to publish the first issue of 'American Splendor'. He kept boxes with unsold copies in a spare bedroom in his apartment. Every year, a new title was released, with 60 pages worth of stories, without ads. The 16th issue of 'American Splendor' in 1991 was co-published by Tundra Publishing. Between 1993 and 2003, Dark Horse Comics took over. In 2006, the DC Comics imprint Vertigo released 'American Splendor' (2006) as a four-issue miniseries, also made available in paperback format as 'American Splendor: Another Day'. In 2008, DC/Vertigo released a second four-issue "season" of American Splendor, later included in a 'American Splendor: Another Day' paperback too.
Pekar gave his contributing artists scripts with the layouts sketched out with stick figures. He didn't mind how they drew everything, as long as the artwork was realistic, because a cartoony or idealized style didn't match the atmosphere he wanted to convey. He also stipulated that the backgrounds of his hometown Cleveland had to look as recognizable as possible. For a while, Robert Crumb was the most famous 'American Splendor' artist. His contributions ran in the first nine volumes (1976-1984, with the exception of issue #6) and then started appearing more irregularly in issues #12 (1987) and #16 (November 1991). Since Crumb was already evolving to more autobiographical stories himself, he instinctively knew how Pekar's reflections ought to be visualized. He regarded the project as a favor to a good friend. Pekar praised Crumb's observational skills, being able to pay attention to people's unique, distinctive characteristics. At the same time, though, Crumb felt Pekar could be very demanding. He constantly asked him to draw new stories and felt it would be more beneficial to Crumb's career if he just remained his house artist. But by the 1980s, Crumb wanted to spend more time on his own comics, and thus ended their collaboration. All the Pekar-Crumb comics have been collected in 'American Splendor Presents: Bob & Harvey's Comics' (Four Walls Eight Windows, 1996).
American Splendor issues #16 (cover art by Gary Dumm, 1990) and #27 (cover art by Frank Stack, 2000).
Besides Crumb, other prominent and longtime artists for the 'American Splendor' series were Gary Dumm, Greg Budgett, Dean Haspiel, Josh Neufeld, Spain Rodriguez, Joe Sacco, Gerry Shamray, Frank Stack,Joe Zabel and Mark Zingarelli. For other stories, Pekar worked with notable and established cartoonists like Ho Che Anderson, Alison Bechdel, Chester Brown, Eddie Campbell, David Collier, Richard Corben, Hunt Emerson, Bob Fingerman, Drew Friedman, Rick Geary, Gilbert Hernandez, Ed Piskor,and Jim Woodring. Among the further artists who illustrated Pekar's stories have been Robert Armstrong (sometimes using the pseudonym "L.B."), Zachary Baldus, Hilary Barta, Nick Bertozzi, Philip Bond, Brian Bram, Kevin Brown, Paul Buhle, Pablo G. Callejo, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Sean Carroll, Sue Cavey, John Cebollero, Gilbert Clark, Darwyn Cooke, Bill Crook, Rick Dahl, Stephen DeStefano, Glen Fabry, Mary Fleener, William Fogg, Philip Fried, Michael T. Gilbert, Scott Gilbert, Peter Gullerud, Mike Hawthorne, Barry Hoffman, Rebecca Huntington, Sam Hurt, Lora Innes, Ryan Inzana, Matt Kindt, Bill Knapp, Peter Kuper, Terry LaBan, David Lapham, David Lasky, José Marzan, Paul Mavrides, Val Mayerik, Summer McClinton, Mark McGovern, May Midwest, Jack Milie, Tony Millionaire, Dylan A.T. Miner, Wes Modes, Alan Moore, Pat Moriarity, Sean Murphy, Willy Murphy, Emily Nemens, Rich Parker, Warren Pleece, Sean Pryor, Joan Reilly, Joseph Remnant, Darick Robertson, Sara Rosenbaum, Chris Samnee, Tara Seibel, James Sherman, Don Simpson, Carole Sobocinski, Mitch Sonoda, Robert Stack, J.R. Stats (sometimes credited as John Stats), Richard G. Taylor, Ty Templeton, Nick Thorkelson, Anne Timmons, Lance Tooks, Colin Upton, Steve Vance, Alex Wald, J.T. Waldman, Colin Warneford, Ed Wesolowski and Chris Weston.
While some already were established names in the underground scene, others owed their careers to Pekar. In his opinion, the stylistic variety made his stories more interesting than the standardized "on model" look of most mainstream comics.
'One Good Turn Deserves Another' (American Splendor #7, 1982). Art by Gerry Shamray.
American Splendor: style
'American Splendor' is a slice-of-life series, usually starring or at least involving Harvey Pekar. While in earlier stories he sometimes used his Jewish name Herschel, to present himself as a "different" person, he soon decided to exclusively portray himself under his real name and identity. Interviewed by Gary Groth in Comics Journal issue #97 (April 1985), he explained: "(...) The main reason I write autobiographically is because I find it hard enough to understand why I myself do things, let alone why others do them. I want my writing to be as accurate and plausible as possible. I find that when others write fiction, they protect their own ideas, impressions, sensations and experiences on their fictional characters. Sometimes, of course, with magnificent results. For my purposes, though, I figured that I'd cut out the middle man, the fictional people, and write about me, the person I know best. Not that everything (...) is completely true, but an awful lot is."
Despite the title, 'American Splendor' doesn't deal with examples of patriotic greatness. In his youth, Pekar always felt that bombastic-sounding comic books like "All-American Comics" or "Star-Spangled Comics" just had an absurdly funny ring to them. The real splendor in Pekar's comics comes from ordinary people going about in everyday situations. He portrayed them or himself in little anecdotes. Some humorous in nature, since Pekar felt "truth is often funnier than fiction." In 'One Good Turn Deserves Another' (art by Gerry Shamray, American Splendor #7), for example, Pekar talked about how he always gets up early to pick up his neighbor's newspaper in his apartment, read it and put it back afterwards. He explains it's a way to save money. One time, though, he just picks it up and closes his door when he hears his neighbor stumbling in the hallway, obviously looking for it. Getting anxious, Pekar waits until he assumes the coast is clear, puts the paper back, but then slams his door a bit too loud, making him worry that his neighbor would know he was the one who "borrowed" it.
'I'll Be Forty-Three on Friday (How I'm Living Now)' (American Splendor #8, 1983). Art by Gerry Shamray.
Contrary to other slice-of-life comics, though, 'American Splendor' has a much wider scope than just thriving on relatable whimsical anecdotes. Some tales are more dramatic, like being unable to locate one's glasses when desperately needing them, or accidentally bumping into somebody else's car and hoping the police won't get involved. Pekar also included a story where his cat has to be put to sleep ('Inky Dies', drawn by Frank Stack, American Splendor #13, 1988), which made him marvel that his pet "was his own man, not sucking up to people". He also devoted pages to his divorce, problems trying to pay the rent and depression. In 'I'll Be Forty-Three on Friday (How I'm Living Now)' (art by Gerry Shamray, American Splendor #8, 1983), Pekar reflects on aging and what he made of his life so far. Pekar felt it would be a great disservice to his readers and the general believability if he would portray himself as a self-described "paragon of virtue." In many stories, he comes across as an itchy, often pushy, neurotic non-conformist.
In 'May 4-5, 1970' (art by Brian Bram, American Splendor #2, 1977), Pekar argues with an Italian-American co-worker, Mr. Lucarelli, about the 1970 anti-war student protests at Kent State University, where the National Guard shot several unarmed students dead. Lucarelli felt the Guard's actions were justified, while Pekar argued the opposite view. Pekar takes time to show the point of view of Lucarelli, an aging immigrant who also had it tough in life. And it is also Lucarelli who, after a furious argument, suggests they forget their harsh words and focus on less heated talks again. But Pekar's disgusted body language and Lucarelli's saddened look reveal that their friendship will likely never recover, making Lucarelli a more three-dimensional pitiful character and Pekar's stubborn principles equally tragic. Interviewed by Gary Groth in Comics Journal issue #97 (April 1985), Pekar explained: "(...) People are always telling me how inflexible I am, so lately I've been a little more conscious of my appearance and manners, just so people 'd leave me alone. But sometimes I wonder who's the inflexible one, because they're not bending an inch toward me." Pekar often made regrettable decisions and got worked up about things that are, at best, quite trivial. By not sugarcoating himself, he occasionally burned bridges or potential platforms to get his work more noticed. Pekar also wondered whether he really wants stardom if he has to "sell out." He often went back and forth in his mind, worrying what might go wrong and sometimes quit while he's ahead to avoid failure or see things turning into a rot.
'May 4-5, 1970' (American Splendor #2, 1977). Artwork by Brian Bram.
Although the subject matter in 'American Splendor' can be bleak, Pekar underplays sentimentality by presenting everything matter-of-fact. Sometimes, he even poked fun at it, like his ironic taglines: 'Stories about Sickness and Old People' (American Splendor #5, 1980) or 'Big Divorce Issue' (American Splendor #8, 1983). Most stories are actually quite relieving, since he always tried to find the plus side or at least a meaning to the unpleasant experiences that befell him or others. In 'Awaking to the Terror of the New Day' (art by Greg Budgett, American Splendor #3, 1978), Pekar lacks the motivation to get up from bed and decides to take a bath, wondering what makes it all worth it. In the follow-up tale, 'Awaking to the Terror of Another Day', he still feels bad and hates having to go to work. But once at his job, his colleagues offer him distraction, helping him to put things into perspective and feel far better afterwards. In other tales, Pekar discovers that a certain problem that bothered him for pages, either ended up fine, or not as horrible as he feared. Sometimes it ended with a twist in his advantage. In 'Lost and Found' (drawn by Joe Zabel, American Splendor #14, 1989), for instance, Pekar lost a book he needed for an essay he was writing. No matter how hard he looks, he can't find it. Turning more and more frustrated, he eventually just buys a new copy, so he can at least finish his essay. While this might seem like a waste of money, he now has two copies. If the "lost" one turns up again, he could even sell it. In 'Jack Dickens' Comic Kingdom' (art by Frank Stack, American Splendor #12, 1987), Pekar went to a book signing in a San Diego comic store, but by lack of promotion only two people actually bought a signed comic from him. At the end of the day, the owner apologized and offered financial compensation, but Pekar didn't blame him: after all, he was not that well-known in the city. Also, he actually had a long and engaging conversation with one of the buyers, making the entire day worthwhile.
Interviewed by Gary Groth in Comics Journal issue #97 (April 1985), Pekar felt that many average people exhibit a far greater deal of heroism than fictional comic characters. They have to face getting through life every single day, sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding. But most of us take it all for granted. It's these little moments, these small triumphs, that are often more moving than the "big" victories. Pekar couldn't always explain why certain anecdotes appealed to him. Some of his 'American Splendor' stories lack a clear "moral", "punchline" or even a proper conclusion. People engage in an everyday, almost mundane activity or conversation that doesn't appear to have much narrative relevance. In 'Hypothetical Quandary' (art by Robert Crumb, American Splendor #9, 1984), Pekar walks the streets after a visit to the baker, thinking about breaking through as a successful writer. The short tale concludes with him sniffing the loaf in his bag and smiling: "Ah, fresh bread!" Such randomly ending scenes leave some readers to wonder what the "point" of it all was. A prime example is 'Transatlantic Comics' (American Splendor #25, 1998), where Pekar had a minor car accident (artwork by Frank Stack) and then starts reading a letter by British comic artist Colin Warneford about his autism (all drawn by Warneford himself). Afterwards, the plot simply goes back to the car accident narrative, without mentioning anything else about the letter.
Pekar was a good storyteller who could even make mundane stories like these engaging and feel "real". As he observed, in real life things just happen without a clear reason, logic or solution. Most are the result of random circumstances, coincidences and interactions, a phenomenon Pekar was endlessly fascinated with. In 'Prelude, Party & Post-Party' (art by Gary Dumm, American Splendor #7, 1982), for instance, Pekar talks about a high school student named Jane Levy with whom he only had casual contact, but happened to cross paths with several times throughout his life, each time learning more and more surprising things about her and the way she viewed him. In other stories, he strikes up a conversation with people whom he only knew vaguely before, or met by chance. Suddenly they unfold as fascinating personalities with equally intriguing backgrounds. Above all, Pekar wanted to make his readers ponder how strange all these random moments are.
'Jack the Bellboy and Mr. Boats' from American Splendor #3 (artwork by Robert Crumb, 1978).
Although 'American Splendor' aimed for relatable realism, Pekar sometimes compressed the time in which certain events happened. If people objected to being portrayed in his stories, he changed names, physical traits or their occupations. Sometimes he broke the fourth wall by holding a monologue. A classic example is 'The Harvey Pekar Name Story' (art by Robert Crumb, American Splendor #2, 1977), in which Pekar reflected on the unusual situation that there were, at one point, two other people with the exact name living in his home city. He found their names in a phone book, by receiving a wrong dialed number and by reading a newspaper obituary. Despite having never met any of them, he still felt unexplainably sad when reading that one of them died and his similarly named son passed away six months later. The story got even stranger when, two years later, a new, unrelated Harvey Pekar turned up in the phone book. Only a few stories in 'American Splendor' are truly fictional, like the strange parody of Art Spiegelman's 'Maus' (art by Carole Sobocinski, American Splendor #15, 1990).
In the same way, not all 'American Splendor' stories focused solely on unknown people. Robert Crumb is the most obvious example, but in 'Ridin' the Dog' (American Splendor #4, 1979), Pekar also depicts a conversation he had with cult jazz musician Sun Ra. Some of Pekar's relatives and colleagues also became familiar to longtime readers, like his third wife Joyce Brabner, the older African-American Mr. Boats and the eccentric, self-described "genuine nerd" Toby Radloff. Radloff, in fact, became a minor TV celebrity from 1987 on, appearing in several vignettes on MTV. As 'American Splendor' gained more notability, Pekar was invited to more book signings, magazine interviews and talk shows. This changed the dynamic of the series considerably, since he now became a minor celebrity. From the mid-1980s on, more stories depicted his encounters with fans, fellow cartoonists and media celebrities.
Pekar in a discussion with Toby Radloff about the Hollywood movie 'Revenge of the Nerds' in American Splendor #10 (1985). Artwork by Bill Knapp.
Pekar also faced another dilemma: his stories also became a chronicle of his health issues, further shifting away from everyday mundanity to more dramatic problems. In 'An Everyday Horror Story' (American Splendor #5, 1980, art by Gerry Shamray) and 'Hysteria' (American Splendor #12, 1987, art by Val Mayerik), Pekar noticed that he was losing his voice. After a few medical visits, it turned out his vocal cord nodules were damaged from always arguing and losing his temper. Pekar blamed himself and eventually noticed he regained his voice slightly by remaining calm for longer periods of time. In November 1990, he was diagnosed with lymphoma. He had a lump in his groin for three years, but hadn't consulted a doctor about it. Chemotherapy made Pekar lose weight and hair, while shingles on his back were so painful that he had to sleep on his hands and knees. High blood pressure, hallucinations and exhausting medication requirements made him lose hope and wonder whether living is really worth it. Eventually, after 17 months of this ordeal, Pekar recovered. The entire problem became the subject of one complete story: 'Our Cancer Year' (1994), co-written by his wife and drawn by Frank Stack who deliberately took a sabbatical to draw it. In hindsight, Pekar said that he never doubted that even his cancer treatment would be subject to one of his comics.
'Our Cancer Year' (1994), artwork by Frank Stack.
American Splendor: success
From the start, 'American Splendor' was a cult series. Since each volume featured different kinds of stories without a uniform graphic style, potential customers couldn't pigeonhole it. The artwork ranged from crude and amateurish to highly skilled, requiring an effort from readers to get into it. The only recognizable character was Pekar himself, but he didn't present himself as an idealized figure. All these elements made regular comic fans prefer the usual escapist fantasy stories by other authors instead of his "unexciting" tales about everyday mundanity. Pekar also lacked the means to properly advertise and distribute 'American Splendor'. He also admitted being surprised which of his stories actually struck a chord with readers.
In 1981, Pekar was contacted by Hollywood actor Wallace Shawn, who had just finished filming 'My Dinner with André'. As a fan of 'American Splendor', he invited the comic author to lunch and an early screening of the movie. Pekar went to the appointment, liked the film and found out Shawn's father was head editor of The New Yorker. At first, he thought Shawn could help him expand his connections, but eventually he realized that the actor really wasn't that much wealthier than him. Being in a situation where he couldn't talk to the actor in private, Pekar eventually got so disillusioned that he left home early. This encounter was adapted in American Splendor issue #8 (1983), drawn by Kevin Brown.
In 1985, Conrad Bishop staged a theatrical adaptation of 'American Splendor'. Its success prompted Peker to compile the most memorable stories of his comic series into an anthology, 'American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar' (1986), which went on to win the American Book Award. A new stage adaptation of 'American Splendor' premiered in 1987, directed by James C. Nicola and Lloyd Rose. In 1990, Vincent Waldron directed a third stage adaptation, starring Dan Castellaneta as Harvey Pekar (who around the same time gained fame as the voice of Homer Simpson in Matt Groening's 'The Simpsons').
Harvey Pekar on his appearance on 'Late Night with David Letterman' in American Splendor #13 (1987). Artwork by Joe Zabel and Gary Dumm.
Between 1986 and 1994, most US audiences got to know Pekar when he was a recurring guest on the NBC talk show 'Late Night with David Letterman'. The head writer, Steve O'Donnell, himself from Cleveland, liked Pekar's work and arranged an appearance. Pekar had only seen a few episodes of Letterman's show and dismissed it as "simple-minded". However, contrary to other talk shows that once tried to invite him (like 'Oprah'), he would at least be paid for his appearance. Letterman's show was also known for frequently inviting people who weren't the typical overexposed media stars, but instead enjoyed a certain fame within a specific niche. This often led to far more interesting conversations that increased these niche celebrities' fame among the general public. First appearing on the 15 October 1986 show, Pekar made no qualms that he was basically in Letterman's chair to sell his books. Having no prior TV experience and wary of Letterman's ironic stance, the comic author took up a defensive attitude. He went straight against the host's attempts to mock him or deviate to more trivial topics. Likewise, Pekar couldn't be humored about the shallowness of "being on live television". His brutal honesty amused both Letterman and audiences and he was asked back five times, respectively on 6 January, 31 July, 15 October and 17 November 1987 and 31 August 1988.
However, Pekar gradually felt exploited as a mere clown. During his fifth appearance (31 August 1988), he became very critical of NBC's close association with General Electric. The multinational had been convicted numerous times of violating antitrust laws and was a notorious arms manufacturer, therefore having an obvious conflict of interest with NBC's reputation as a neutral news service. Biting the hand that fed him, Pekar refused to be silenced by Letterman, who tried to keep the tone jovial. It turned into a heated argument, with Pekar calling him "a shill for General Electric", whereupon Letterman lost his temper, calling 'American Splendor' "a little Mickey Mouse magazine" and vowed that he wouldn't "come back". After the commercial break, Pekar was gone and effectively didn't reappear for four years. Contrary to popular thought, he wasn't really banned, as he was asked back a few times, but couldn't make it due to other commitments and his cancer treatment. On 20 April 1993 and 16 May 1994, Pekar returned to Letterman two final times. Pekar adapted his personal recollections of his Letterman appearances in several 'American Splendor' volumes, for readers who hadn't seen the now much talked about broadcasts. He wasn't really angry with Letterman, but felt sorry for him. Interviewed on Howard Stern's radio show (16 August 2017), David Letterman reflected: "Pekar (...) was great. He was tremendous. (...) He would go after me (...) after the network (...) after everything, in a very committed way. It wasn't a gag, it wasn't an act, he would really go to work on you. He was anti-establishment in a way that you don't see guys like that anymore. And that used to really upset me, because I just thought: "Come on, Harvey, don't do this to use, just play the game, blah blah blah blah." Now, jeez, I wish I could have Harvey on every night."
Harvey Pekar with David Letterman on the covers of American Splendor issues #12 (1986) and #14 (1988). Artwork by Gary Dumm.
For decades, Pekar tried to get 'American Splendor' adapted into a Hollywood film, even though it wasn't a very commercial concept. At one point, Jonathan Demme (of 'Silence of the Lambs' fame) showed interest, but eventually the film adaptation was released in 2003 by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, starring Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar, Hope Davis as Joyce Brabner, Judah Friedlander as Toby Radloff and James Urbaniak as Robert Crumb. Comic artist Gary Dumm had a cameo as the man who asks Pekar for his autograph during a book signing session. A few animated scenes were done by Gary Leib. The 'American Splendor' film focused on key moments from Pekar's life and career, while also visualizing a few better known stories from his books. Halfway through the picture, things get very metafictional, when the real-life Pekar, Brabner and Radloff are shown backstage and Pekar memorably starts complaining that Giamatti "doesn't even resemble me!"
Poster for the 2003 'American Splendor' film.
The 2003 'American Splendor' film was well-received and won various awards, including the "Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Film" at the Sundance Film Festival, the FIPRESCI Critics Award in Cannes, the Guardian New Directors Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and "Best Adapted Screenplay" from the Writers Guild of America. It was nominated for an Academy Award for "Best Adapted Screenplay", but lost to 'Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King'. More than any other attempt by Pekar and Brabner to increase his sales, the movie achieved this goal triumphantly. The author was interviewed more frequently and discussed in TV shows and magazines outside of the comic niche. From 2003, new 'American Splendor' comics were prepublished in the magazines Empire and Entertainment Weekly. Pekar reflected on his movie experience in 'American Splendor: Our Movie Year' (2004), featuring artwork by Gregory Budgett, Robert Crumb, Gary Dumm, Dean Haspiel, Josh Neufeld, Ed Piskor, Gerry Shamray, Frank Stack, Joe Zabel and Mark Zingarelli.
Comic about jazz musician Slim Gaillard, drawn by Joe Sacco.
Jazz-themed comics
Between 1959 and 1976, Harvey Pekar had been a jazz writer, but once 'American Splendor' was launched, he concentrated on his comics. In 1989, The Village Voice asked him to write jazz articles for them, but when he offered his texts, it was clear that they really preferred them in comic strip format. Pekar was offended that his editors apparently could only digest his writings "if it had pictures in it". He retaliated by letting artist Joe Sacco illustrate his reflections about Slim Gaillard, Jabbo Smith and John Zorn into short comics, while keeping his sophisticated prose with a lot of jargon about melody, harmony and rhythm intact. Also with Sacco, Pekar made similar jazz-themed comics printed in The Austin Chronicle and with artist Gary Dumm had made another one for Gambit Weekly, an alternative newspaper in New Orleans. A collection of these jazz-themed comics appeared in American Splendor #17.
Post-retirement projects (2001-2010)
Throughout his day job as file clerk, Pekar always rejected promotions, because he was content with his daily tasks. When he retired in 2001, he discovered that this attitude had left his pension income at the bottom of the pay-scale. This forced him to keep writing in order to bring in much-needed finances. It also gave his life more direction, as he missed the contact with his co-workers and was subjected to new depressions. Interviewed by Random House, Pekar reflected: "(...) When I had a job at the VA hospital, I didn't have to be concerned that much about whether the stuff would sell. As long as it was good, and people thought it was good, that was fine. But now it's all got to sell, and I'm scared. I'm always scared." When the 'American Splendor' film came about in 2003, there was an increase in interest and sales in his work. Some of his later books were released by Vertigo and Ballantine/Random House. Interviewed by Alex Dueben (CBR, 14 January 2010), Pekar revealed that Vertigo gave him the best royalties, but after 2008, they still decided to no longer release new books by him. In an interview Frank M. Young did with Pekar on 24 May 2010, only two weeks before his death, the aging comic writer reflected that while he was constantly writing to keep his head above water, he also wanted to retain a certain quality without starting to repeat himself.
'Unsung Hero' (American Splendor #30, 2002). Artwork by David Collier.
American Splendor: Unsung Hero
With the full-blown graphic novel 'Unsung Hero' (Dark Horse Comics, 2003), Pekar released his first and only continuous comic story spread over three 'American Splendor' volumes (respectively issues #29, #30 and #31). The book, drawn by David Collier, followed the military career of Robert McNeill, one of Pekar's African-American co-workers, who served during the Vietnam War. 'Unsung Hero' is a raw, harrowing portrait of McNeill's stressful and traumatic experiences in combat. At the same time, he was also quite honest about the fact that he basically tried to survive and make the best of it, through drugs and local loose women.
The Quitter
One of Pekar's most productive artists in his later years was Dean Haspiel, whom he considered one of his finest collaborators. As a favor, Pekar once asked him if he could write a comic especially for him. Haspiel suggested a more ambitious graphic novel, which became 'The Quitter' (DC/Vertigo, 2005), a more thorough account of Pekar's childhood and early years of struggle. Some anecdotes had already been adapted into comic form in 'American Splendor', but always as fragmentary standalone tales. In 'The Quitter', Pekar reconstructs his youth chronologically with more explanation about his parents' immigrant background, his Jewish roots, parental pressure and his wandering years as a young adult who often gave up promising perspectives out of fear of failure or boredom, hence the title. The book is also an interesting reflection on the post-World War II generation, who rejected a conventional lifestyle and wanted to find something beyond the norm.
Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story
In 2006, Pekar surprised longtime fans with an unlikely choice for a new biographical graphic novel, namely Michael Malice, founding editor of the humorous blog 'Overheard in New York', where slice-of-life conversations heard in New York City could be read. Malice gained notoriety as a cocky, libertarian, self-described anarchist, whose tough childhood hardened him. Critics described him as basically a troll online and in real life. Interviewed by Random House, Pekar felt Malice was "similar to me in some respects and way different in others (...) although I like him, I haven't been able to categorize him. (...) He's motivated by things that are different from what motivates other people, and he has a pretty different set of values." In 'Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story' (Ballantine/Random House, 2006), drawn by Gary Dumm, Pekar presented Malice as an enigmatic figure but lets readers judge what they make of his personality, world view and life.
'Ego & Hubris. The Michael Malice Story' (art by Gary Dumm, 2006) and 'Macedonia' (art by Ed Piskor, 2006).
Macedonia, The Beats, Students for a Democratic Society
Harvey Pekar's 'Macedonia' (art by Ed Piskor, Villard Books, 2007) is based on a thesis by a female student about the geopolitical destabilization of the Balkan region. With Piskor, Pekar also made 'The Beats: A Graphic History' (Souvenir Press, 2009), documenting the history of the Beat Poets through the eyes of a couple of teenagers in the 1950s. With Gary Dumm and Paul Buhle, Pekar chronicles the Students for a Democratic Society movement in the 1960s and 1970s in 'Students for a Democratic Society: A Graphic History' (Hill & Wang, 2008). The latter book also offers interviews with former students about their memories and experiences.
Studs Terkel's Working
In May 2009, Pekar adapted Studs Terkel's book 'Working' into a graphic novel, edited by historian Paul Buhle, drawn by Pablo G. Callejo, Gary Dumm, Peter Gullerud, Terry LaBan, Sharon Rudahl and Lance Tooks, and released under the title 'Studs Terkel's Working: A Graphic Adaptation' (2009). Interviewed by Alex Dueben (CBR, 14 January 2010), Pekar admitted that he only discovered Terkel's work at a later age, but was struck by the fact that, thematically, they were doing the same things. 'Working' is a series of interviews with people about their professions: mailmen, craftsmen, labor organizers, garbagemen, barbers, saxophonists, teachers, farmers, grave diggers and prostitutes. His book is a fascinating reflection on ordinary people talking about their jobs, some of which have changed significantly due to increasing machination and digitalization. Many are underappreciated by society, even though they all play their important part to keep it running. Pekar felt the book was so well-written that he didn't change one word in his adaptation.
Artwork by Tara Seibel for 'The Pekar Project'.
The Pekar Project
In August 2009, Pekar launched his weekly webcomic 'The Pekar Project', published online by Smith Magazine. Made in the same slice-of-life style as 'American Splendor', it featured graphic contributions by Sean Pryor, Rich Parker, Joseph Remnant and Tara Seibel. One Pryor-drawn story, 'Jungle Music', stood out for being a fictional tale about Pekar's supposed visit to South America. The editors of Smith Magazine regarded Pekar as a prototypical blogger and felt his work and unfiltered opinions would be perfect for this medium. The only obstacle was that he wasn't a technical whizz and couldn't work with a computer. While they tried to find a way to launch a blog with him, Pekar unexpectedly died in 2010, terminating these plans. Random House considered compiling all the comics of 'The Pekar Project' in a book, but his widow Joyce Brabner opposed it, out of hatred for Tara Seibel, the only female artist and the only one with whom Pekar worked directly instead of just by letter. Artist Rich Parker reflected: "A part of him was enjoying the attention he was getting from this very good-looking young woman and naturally, Joyce, how could she enjoy that? You don't have to be a psychologist to see that one's not going to be good." Although Seibel tried to talk the matter out with Brabner, she refused all contact and threatened legal action, making 'The Pekar Project' unreleased to this day.
Written contributions and other media appearances
In 1987, Pekar wrote an essay about 'Superman' creators Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, titled 'The Man Who Changed Comics', with artwork by Robert Crumb and inks by Gary Dumm, published in 'Superman At 50' (Octavia Press, 1987) and 'What Superman Means to Me' (Snarf, 12 June 1989). Pekar made a contribution to 'Strip Aids USA' (Last Gasp, 1988), to collect money for AIDS research. In 1995, he wrote the foreword to a reprint of Robert Crumb's 'The Big Yum Yum Book'. He also appeared in 'Vinyl' (2000), a documentary about record collectors. In issue #446 (October 2004) of Mad Magazine, Pekar was photographed in the series 'Mad Celebrity Snapshots', posing with an issue of Mad. In August 2007, he also featured in an episode of the travel cooking show 'Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations', when Bourdain visited Cleveland. He was additionally interviewed in 'The Cartoonist' (2009), a documentary about 'Bone' cartoonist Jeff Smith.
In 2009, Pekar wrote the jazz opera 'Leave Me Alone!', with music by Dan Plonsey, co-produced by Real Time Opera and Oberlin College. He actually went on stage playing a jazz critic trying to reach a wider audience for experimental art. The same year, Pekar also penned a foreword to Jim Tully's book 'Circus Parade' (Kent State University Press, 2009).
Recognition
In 1986, Harvey Pekar won an Inkpot Award. The book 'American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar' received the American Book Award (1987), while 'Our Cancer Year' won the Harvey Award (1995) for Best Graphic Album or Original Work. His essay 'What's In A Name' received the PRDNI (Public Radio News Directors Incorporated) prize (2000), and his essay 'Father's Day' was honored with a 2001 award by the RTNDA (Radio-Television News Directors Association). In 2011, Pekar was posthumously inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame. On 10 October 2012, a statue of Harvey Pekar was erected at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Library, a place he visited almost daily. His wife Joyce Brabner said that she dropped their wedding ring into the melting metals that became Pekar's statue. On 23 July 2015, the corner of Northwest Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was named Harvey Pekar Park.
From: 'Yiddishkeit' (art by Nick Thorkelstein).
Final years, death and posthumous releases
While Pekar was cured from his cancer in 1991, the disease returned two more times years later. Apart from new chemotherapy, he even underwent electroshock treatment. By the third time, the 70-year old comic legend took anti-depressives to cope with it and accidentally died from an overdose in 2010. His headstone gives fans a witty one-liner: "Life is about women, gigs an' bein' creative."
In the wake of Pekar's death, several posthumous books have been released. The first in line was 'Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular and the New Land' (Abrams Comicarts, 2011), a graphic novel co-edited with Paul Buhle about various aspects of Yiddish culture and language. Although Pekar was a secular Jew who no longer spoke Yiddish after his grandfather died, he was very interested in Yiddish literature (with exception of Isaac Singer, whose work was too romanticized in his eyes). The book delves into Yiddish history, with some contributions being devoted to adaptations of short stories and novels by Jewish-American writers. Among the contributing artists were Dan Archer, Barry Deutsch, Gary Dumm, Marvin Friedman, Peter Gullerud, Sabrina Jones, Neil Kleid, Peter Kuper, David Lasky, Sam Marlow, Spain Rodriguez, Micky Rose, Ellis Rosen, Sara I. Rosenbaum, Sharon Rudahl, Nick Thorkelson and Joe Zabel. 'Huntington, West Virginia on the Fly' (Villard, 2011), drawn by Summer McClinton, was a series of biographical comics about friends and acquaintances of Pekar, told from his point of view. Despite the title, only one tale directly relates to the town of Huntington. Interviewed by Alex Dueben (CBR, 14 January 2010), Pekar felt this work was one of the best things he ever made.
'Not The Israel My Parents Promised Me', artwork by J.T. Waldman, 2014.
Pekar delved even deeper into his Jewish roots with arguably his most controversial release, 'Not The Israel My Parents Promised Me' (Hill & Want, 2012), a reflection on the state of Israel and its seemingly never-ending reputation as a tinderbox. As a child, he often heard his Zionist relatives marvel about the country, but, growing older, Pekar became more and more disillusioned about Israel's politics. The book is a partial historical account and conversation between him and the book's illustrator, J.T. Waldman, a Jewish artist who once lived in Israel. Added to the book was a reprint of a 1978 column Pekar wrote for the Cleveland Plain Dealer stating Jewish nationalism encouraged a cycle of violence, along with an editor's reply to it. In 2012, 'Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me' was remarkably reviewed by Kent State University professor William Kist in comic strip form, drawn by students Alex and Nathan Ward.
'Harvey Pekar's Cleveland', artwork by Joseph Remnant.
'Havey Pekar's Cleveland' (Zip Comics & Top Shelf Productions, 2012) was Pekar's bittersweet ode to his home town. The first half of the book chronicles the place from the precolonial era to the present, with specific attention to the ethnic tensions, class divides and economic decline of the industrial areas. The second half consists of Pekar's autobiographical memories of living in Cleveland Heights. As much as he had to complain about the city, he still felt endeared to it. The book was illustrated by Joseph Remnant, with a foreword by Alan Moore.
Some of Pekar's comic projects still haven't been published, for instance due to a dispute between his widow Joyce Brabner and Louis Proyect. Proyect was subject of the unreleased graphic novel 'The Unrepentant Marxist', drawn by Summer McClinton, about his past as a member of a Trotskyist organization, which Pekar, interviewed by Alex Dueben (CBR, 14 January 2010), regarded as one of his finest works. As previously mentioned, Brabner also opposed a book release of 'The Pekar Project', out of jealousy over the involvement of Tara Seibel. Joyce Brabner passed away in 2024.
Legacy and influence
Harvey Pekar can be regarded as the godfather of slice-of-life alternative comics. He proved that some of the most interesting stories don't need to be fictional or be about sensational real-life events. Sometimes, the most relatable and unusual tales can be found among common people. They are a veritable treasure trove of inspiration, particularly since most people never get to hear them otherwise. Since Pekar was a true bookworm, he approached comics from a more literary perspective, enriching it with the sensibility of an erudite short story writer. At the same time, he never betrayed his working class roots. Pekar remained an individualist who was interested in people and topics regardless what their background might be. Part of his strength and ongoing appeal is that he refused to be assimilated by the establishment into something that went against his principles. And, despite his cult fame, he never really emerged from his existence as an ordinary person working a regular job. While his public image gave many the impression that he was an unpleasable curmudgeon, the real Pekar was a simple man with his ups and downs who could still see the roses between life's thorns. It's this sense of wonder that shines through all his comics.
In the United States, Harvey Pekar has been an influence on Jonathan Baylis, Chad Bilyeu, Daniel Clowes, Robert Crumb, Sophie Crumb, Kim Deitch, Dennis P. Eichhorn, Neil Gaiman, Matt Groening, Joe Matt and Ed Piskor. Outside of his home country, Canadian comic artist Seth and British comic authors Alan Moore and Colin Warneford are also huge admirers. Anne Elizabeth Moore wrote 'Harvey & Me' (2016), a memoir about Pekar, drawn by Melissa Mendes. A similar creator who has made autobiographical comics about the dread of life is the Russian Nikolai Maslov.
Cover of 'American Splendor: Portrait of the Author in His Declining Years' (Dark Horse, 2001).