Harvey Pekar
Harvey Lawrence Pekar (/ˈpiːkɑːr/; October 8, 1939 – July 12, 2010) was an American underground comic book writer, music critic, and media personality, best known for his autobiographical American Splendor comic series. In 2003, the series inspired a well-received film adaptation of the same name.
Harvey Pekar | |
|---|---|
| Born | Harvey Lawrence Pekar October 8, 1939 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | July 12, 2010 (aged 70) Cleveland Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation |
|
| Genre | Underground comics Alternative comics |
| Subject | Autobiography |
| Years active | 1959–2010 |
| Notable works | American Splendor Our Cancer Year |
| Notable awards |
|
| Spouses | Karen Delaney
(m. 1960; div. 1972)Helen Lark Hall
(m. 1977; div. 1981) |
Frequently described as the "poet laureate of Cleveland", Pekar "helped change the appreciation for, and perceptions of, the graphic novel, the drawn memoir, the autobiographical comic narrative." Pekar described his work as "autobiography written as it's happening. The theme is about staying alive, getting a job, finding a mate, having a place to live, finding a creative outlet. Life is a war of attrition. You have to stay active on all fronts. It's one thing after another. I've tried to control a chaotic universe. And it's a losing battle. But I can't let go. I've tried, but I can't."
Among the awards given to Pekar for his work were the Inkpot Award, the American Book Award, a Harvey Award, and his posthumous induction into the Eisner Award Hall of Fame.