Harvey Pekar, author of the American Splendor comic books, was found dead in his Ohio home

Comic book fans everywhere suffered a loss this morning when it was announced that Harvey Pekar, author of the American Splendor series, had been found dead in his Ohio home – but the mourning won’t be restricted to comic readers.

Harvey Pekar had a lasting influence on contemporary literature, art, and cinema, and it’s fair to say that he was one of a kind. We all owe a debt to his self-mythologizing stories of everyday suffering and heroism.

Harvey Pekar was born on October 8, 1939, in Cleveland, Ohio, where he lived for the majority of his adult life. His death comes at the end of many years spent struggling with prostate cancer, asthma, high blood pressure and depression, and while cause of death has yet to be determined there is no suggestion of foul play.

The most striking thing about Harvey Pekar’s books was their refusal to adhere to genres or conventions, drawing upon his own life for their stories, their characters, and their personality. Pekar became friends with legendary comic book artist Robert Crumb, and it was Crumb who encouraged him to start the comic American Splendor in 1976, and illustrated the first issue. American Splendor provided a witty and unconventional glimpse into Harvey Pekar’s world, tackling such subjects as his marriage, and his struggle with cancer, with candor and honesty.

The comic book series was loosely adapted into an American Splendor movie in 2003, staring Paul Giamatti as Pekar. Harvey Pekar also appeared in the film as himself, as the movie broke down our ideas of genre and convention in a similar way to Pekar’s comic book stories. The film won a Best Film award from the National Society of Film Critics, and from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

Harvey Pekar will undoubtedly be remembered for his cynical outlook on life, but it’s his optimism and humanity that truly stand out in American Splendor. Let’s hope that a whole new generation might now open its covers, and discover that heroes come many different forms.

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