Harvey Pekar (1939-2010)

Cleveland.com / Cleveland Plain Dealer ^ | 2010.07.12 | Joanna Connors

[B-Chan]

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Harvey Pekar's life was not an open book. It was an open comic book.

Pekar chronicled his life and times in the acclaimed autobiographical comic book series, "American Splendor," portraying himself as a rumpled, depressed, obsessive-compulsive "flunky file clerk" engaged in a constant battle with loneliness and anxiety.

Pekar, 70, was found dead shortly before 1 a.m. Monday by his wife, Joyce Brabner, in their Cleveland Heights home, said Powell Caesar, spokesman for Cuyahoga County Coroner Frank Miller. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

Pekar and Brabner wrote "Our Cancer Year," a book-length comic, after Pekar was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in 1990 and underwent a grueling treatment. He was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, and also suffered high blood pressure, asthma and clinical depression, which fueled his art but often made his life painful.

[B-Chan]

Most readers will remember Harvey Pekar from the film American Splendor and from his legendary appearances on NBC's Late Night with David Letterman.

I met the late Mr. Pekar once; we were in the same business at the time (comic books). He struck me as a friendly but somewhat gruff and painfully honest man. I corresponded with Joyce Brabner, his wife and collaborator, for a short period in the early 1990s.

He was an American original, a man of a type seldom seen any more. Requiescat in pace.

[hinckley buzzard]

Harvey was well known as a file clerk at the Wade Park VA Hospital. A local celebrity you might say, although always self-deprecating and humble. An original copy of 'American Splendor' (the comic book)is one of my treasured keepsakes. He will be missed.

[radiohead]

I’m often home in the morning and sometimes run into strange little movies on TV. ‘Everything’s Illuminated’ was one, ‘American Splendor’ was another. I’d never heard of Pekar before, but the movie mesmerized me and I couldn’t turn it off.

I’m fortunate to work for a large university with a huge library and found 2 of Pekar’s books that same afternoon. I’m not sure I’d call myself a fan, but I certainly developed an appreciation for his work.

RIP, Harvey.

[dljordan]

“Everything’s Illuminated”

I loved that movie. I really liked the dog.

[q_an_a]

I liked that movie because it gave paul Giamanti (sp) a chance to play the lead...he is a good actor. The story was interesting because above all it has a little bit of the American Dream for “everyman”. RIP Harvey

[driftless2]

I have a number of copies of "American Splendor." And while I enjoyed them, I never really got to like Pekar. In fact, he came off as very unlikable in many issues. I remember one issue where he had a dj for a friend. His friend invited Pekar to the station one day, and Pekar used it as a chance to try to steal some records. If the losses were found, undoubtedly his friend could have gotten fired.

Pekar didn't care. He was unable to steal the records because a door to the record room that he thought was unlocked turned out to be locked. He never gave a second thought about what might happen to his friend. And his last appearance on Letterman, where he decided to rip the host, only made him look like a fool. Nevertheless, his comics were very interesting.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[WeatherGuy]

Bad week for Cleveland.