Harvey Pekar
American comic book writer, music critic and media personality / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Harvey Lawrence Pekar (/ˈpiːkɑːr/; October 8, 1939 – July 12, 2010)[1] 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 (1939-10-08)October 8, 1939 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
Died | July 12, 2010(2010-07-12) (aged 70) Cleveland Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
Occupation |
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Genre | Underground comics Alternative comics |
Subject | Autobiography |
Years active | 1959–2010 |
Notable works | American Splendor Our Cancer Year |
Notable awards |
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Spouses | Karen Delaney
(m. 1960; div. 1972)Helen Lark Hall
(m. 1977; div. 1981) |
Frequently described as the "poet laureate of Cleveland",[2][3] Pekar "helped change the appreciation for, and perceptions of, the graphic novel, the drawn memoir, the autobiographical comic narrative."[4] 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."[5]
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.