RIP Harvey Pekar

[cryptique]

 

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Harvey Pekar Dead: 'American Splendor' Comic Book Author Dies At 70

 

THOMAS J. SHEERAN | 07/12/10 12:10 PM | AP

 

CLEVELAND — Comic book writer Harvey Pekar, whose "American Splendor" was made into a 2003 film starring Paul Giamatti, was found dead in his home early Monday, authorities said. He was 70.

 

Officers were called to Pekar's suburban home by his wife about 1 a.m., Cleveland Heights police Capt. Michael Cannon said. His body was found between a bed and dresser.

 

Pekar had been suffering from prostate cancer, asthma, high blood pressure and depression, according to Cannon. Pekar had gone to bed about 4:30 p.m. Sunday in good spirits, his wife told police.

 

An autopsy was planned, said Powell Caesar, a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County coroner's office in Cleveland. He had no information on the cause of death.

 

Pekar's "American Splendor" comics, which he began publishing in 1976, chronicle his grousing about work, money and the monotony of life.

 

His quirky commentary developed a cult following and his insights and humor were often a bit on the dark side.

 

In 2003, the New York Film Critics Circle honored "American Splendor" as best first film for the directing-writing team of Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. Part feature and part documentary, with animated elements added, the film starred Giamatti as the disgruntled Pekar.

 

Pekar told The Associated Press in a 1997 interview that he was determined to keep writing his "American Splendor" series.

 

"There's no end in sight for me. I want to continue to do it," Pekar said. "It's a continuing autobiography, a life's work."

[LouieB]

This is very sad. Now Cleveland has no celebs. I was lucky enough to meet Harvey a few years ago and have sign a comic book for a friend. We talked a short while about this and that. He lived a couple blocks from my sister in Cleveland Heights. He had been very sick I guess and his cancer had returned. Life is entirely too short.

 

LouieB

[Magnetized]

Awww, very sad to hear this. I also was lucky enough to have met Harvey Pekar in person, when he spoke before a small audience at Old Dominion University. He was very plainspoken and unguarded, exactly the way he comes across in the American Splendor comics, but he spoke with passion and eloquence. I owned well-thumbed copies of both American Splendor books and he generously signed them for me--he seemed flattered that someone there had actually read his books and he spoke with me for a few minutes after the Q&A session. He was a very modest, genuine guy who made real art out of chronicling the minutia of daily life. RIP, Harvey.

[Oil Can Boyd]

Sad news. His appearances on Letterman were always fantastic.

[Sir Stewart]

Sad news. His appearances on Letterman were always fantastic.

 

Yeah, no bullshit.

American Splendor the film was a great tribute to his unique POV.

 

It's cool at least that Hank Azaria is apparently playing him in the Smurfs movie.

[Oil Can Boyd]

This is one of his great Letterman appearances:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0akXKxbflM&feature=player_embedded

[Magnetized]

His final appearance on Letterman skewed more toward the really uncomfortable side:

 

 

Unfortunately, I don't think Letterman is live tonight. If he were, I suspect he would have some comment to make.

[Winston Legthigh]

His final appearance on Letterman skewed more toward the really uncomfortable side:

 

Wow - what was up Letterman's ass? He really came across as a bully in that one.

[LouieB]

For all his kvetching, Harvey was actually a pretty lucky guy. He got the recognition he deserved and had a great movie made about him. (My sister has a 10 second extra take in the movie too.) His comics were picked up by major publishers and he got to be on national (and international) TV.

 

That he was one of Letterman's quirky people was a bit of a disserve to his talent and intellect. He was a great jazz critic as well. His passing is sad; Cleveland now has zero celebs.

 

LouieB

[Magnetized]

I agree. His appearances on Letterman weren't really indicative of what he was really all about. I think he was encouraged to play the provocateur and, in true Harvey fashion, he didn't put on the brakes when it would have been prudent to do so. He was a real original, and--I agree--a lucky man.He found love, success and a family.

[Sir Stewart]

Couldn't agree less - his Letterman appearances were an encouraging revelation to my 13 year-old self: a kid with irreverent tendencies who was beginning to suspect that everything mainstream was bullshit.

[Magnetized]

Maybe one's reaction to Harvey Pekar's anarchic attitude has something to do with the age you are when you discover him, as well as the medium through which you are first exposed. I'm not much younger than he was and I didn't know about the Letterman appearances until after the fact. I first read the comics, then saw the movie, then Letterman. So for me, the Letterman stuff seemed kind of high concept--like he was brought on to be outrageous. He was that, yes, but it always seemed borderline stunt-like to me. I definitely found those appearances amusing and a blast of fresh air on formulaic television, but on the other hand it sort of had a dog-and-pony show feel to it.

 

Still, whatever gets you into Harvey Pekar is a good thing!

[LouieB]

Maybe one's reaction to Harvey Pekar's anarchic attitude has something to do with the age you are when you discover him, as well as the medium through which you are first exposed. I'm not much younger than he was and I didn't know about the Letterman appearances until after the fact. I first read the comics, then saw the movie, then Letterman. So for me, the Letterman stuff seemed kind of high concept--like he was brought on to be outrageous. He was that, yes, but it always seemed borderline stunt-like to me. I definitely found those appearances amusing and a blast of fresh air on formulaic television, but on the other hand it sort of had a dog-and-pony show feel to it.

 

Still, whatever gets you into Harvey Pekar is a good thing!

wow, someone else of my generation here....

 

I would agree....it was a stunt and old Harv fell for it every time it looks like to me. Admittedly I didn't see him on Letterman either, but I did read the comics. I think the comics best represent what Harvey was about. Letterman paraded (and continues to parade) a whole army of quirky characters on his show over the years and mostly it was to point out what fools they were, not how brilliant they were or are. Letterman is no dummy. He does it for laughs and mostly to show how cool he is. Yes, Harvey got in a few good ones now and again, but mostly he came across as someone who was something of a nut job. Letterman is not now, nor has he ever been Dick Cavett or one of the more sophisticated of the late night talk show hosts. If he can't take advantage of his guests and get a cheap laugh, he really hasn't succeeded. His show is never about the exchange of ideas or to try and probe the big questions of the day, it is always about the humor, sometimes at the expense of the person on. Oh yea, he does the fawning over guests pretty well too...which is not every enlightening either. At those times he is trying ingraciate himself, not really find out something new and interesting about the guest.

 

As far as his comics; seeing various places in Cleveland/Cleveland Heights in the books was always a thrill (Coventry, Irv's Deli, etc.) was part of the kick of reading him.

 

LouieB