American Splendor is a series of autobiographical comic books and graphic novels written by Harvey Pekar and drawn by a variety of artists. It was adapted into a movie in 2003. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For music albums named Autobiography, see Greek eauton = self, bios = life and graphein = write) is a form of biography, the writing of a life story. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Graphic novel (sometimes abbreviated GN) is a term for a kind of book, usually telling an extended story with sequential art ( comics). ... Harvey Pekar on the cover of American Splendor: Portrait of the Author in his Declining Years Harvey Pekar (pronounced /ar-vay pea-kar/) (born October 8, 1939 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a U.S. underground comic book writer. ...

Overview

Pekar was one of the first writers to believe that everyday real life could be a viable topic for comic books, traditionally the province of fantasy-adventure and other genre stories. He began his series in 1976 while working as a file clerk at a Veteran's Administration hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. As Pekar was not an artist himself, and was incapable of "drawing a straight line," he recruited his friend, underground comics artist Robert Crumb, to help create a comics series based on Pekar's own life. For other meanings of this phrase (book and album titles etc. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for administering programs of veterans benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... The term underground comics or comix describes the self-published or small press comic books that sprang up in the US in the late 1960s. ... Robert Dennis Crumb, often credited simply as R. Crumb (born August 30, 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a U.S. artist and illustrator recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream. ...

A wide assortment of other artists have also illustrated his stories, which are realistic and mostly true narratives dealing with the mundane troubles and frustrations of the everyday world. Besides Crumb, other notable American Splendor illustrators include Alison Bechdel, Chester Brown, David Collier, Gary Dumm, Frank Stack, Drew Friedman, Dean Haspiel, Val Mayerik, Josh Neufeld, Brian Bram, Spain Rodriguez, Joe Sacco, Gerry Shamray, Jim Woodring, Joe Zabel,Ed Piskor, and even writer Alan Moore. Pekar tends to document difficult living conditions ("keeping an old car alive in a Cleveland winter") and other people in his life such as co-worker Toby Radloff, who fills a life (initially appearing rather empty) with a variety of projects including fandom, inexpensive computers, and the Revenge of the Nerds movie. The series gained him cult-fame and notoriety, especially after Pekar became a recurring guest on Late Night with David Letterman. Pekar's run on Letterman became more sporadic after a 1988 interview segment in which Pekar criticized Letterman for ducking criticism of GE, the parent company of NBC. The interview ended with name-calling, in which Pekar said Letterman looked like a G.E. "shill" and Letterman mocked Pekar's comic book and called him a "dork". Alison Bechdel (born September 10, 1960) is an American cartoonist. ... Chester Brown (born May 16, 1960) is a Canadian independent cartoonist. ... David Collier became the second chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) when he was appointed in October 2004, succeeding Tim Lamb. ... Gary Dumm is an Ohio-based comic artist known particularly for his work illustrating the comics of Harvey Pekar. ... Frank Stack (aka Foolbert Sturgeon) (b. ... Drew Friedman is a cartoonist known for his stippling-like style of caricature. ... Dean Haspiel (born 1967 in New York City) is a comic book artist living in Brooklyn, New York. ... Val Mayerik (born 1950, Youngstown, Ohio) is an American comic-book and commercial artist, best known as co-creator of Marvel Comics satiric character Howard the Duck. ... Josh Neufeld at his drawing table Josh Neufeld (b: 1967, New York City) is an alternative cartoonist known for his fact-based comics on subjects like international travel and finance, as well as his collaborations with writers like Harvey Pekar and David Greenberger. ... Brian Bram, born May 9, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, played a minor role in the underground comix movement with his contributions to American Splendor, the comic book series written and published by Harvey Pekar and, in 2003, made into an award-winning motion picture starring Paul Giamatti and Hope Davis. ... Manuel Spain Rodriguez (born 1940 in Buffalo, New York) is an underground cartoonist best known for his character Trashman. His experiences on the road with the biker gang the Road Vultures provided inspiration for his work as did his left-wing politics. ... Cover of Saccos Palestine (2001) Joe Sacco (born 1960) is a Maltese comics artist and journalist. ... Jim Woodring (born October 11, 1952) is a comic book author and artist. ... Joe Zabel is a comic book artist living in Cleveland Heights. ... Ed Piskor (born July 28, 1982 in Homestead, Pennsylvania) is an alternative comics artist operating out of Pittsburgh, Pa. ... Alan Moore (born November 18, 1953, in Northampton) is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. ... Toby Radloff is an actor and television personality who appeared on MTV throughout the 1980s as the Genuine Nerd. He shot to fame when he was featured as a himself in Harvey Pekars American Splendor comics. ... It has been suggested that Revenge of the Nerds (2007 film) be merged into this article or section. ... Late Night with David Letterman was a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC hosted by David Letterman. ... Ge may refer to: Gê, a group of indigenous Brazilian tribes and their Ge languages Ge (Cyrillic) (Г, г), a letter of the Cyrillic alphabet Ge with upturn (Ґ, ґ), a letter of the Ukrainian alphabet Nikolai Ge, a Russian painter Gē, an ancient Chinese dagger-axe Ge (genus), a genus of butterflies Also... NBC (a former acronym for National Broadcasting Company) is an American television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... A shill is an associate of a person selling goods or services who pretends no association to the seller and assumes the air of an enthusiastic customer. ... Look up Dork in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Pekar wrote 17 issues of the original American Splendor series from 1976 to 1993, which, except for the last few issues, he also self-published and self-distributed. By keeping back issues in print and available (contrary to the industry practice of the time), Pekar continued to receive income on previously-completed work, although at the time some of them were published, according to his Comics Journal interview, he was losing thousands of dollars per year on the books. The Comics Journal is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books and strips, renowned for its in-depth interviews, often scathing reviews, and an editorial ethos that views comics as a fine art deserving of broader cultural respect. ...

Starting in 1994, Pekar wrote additional American Splendor comics to be published by Dark Horse Comics, although these issues are not numbered as part of Pekar's original series. They include the two-issue American Splendor: Windfall and several themed issues such as American Splendor: Transatlantic Comics and American Splendor: On the Job. Pekar's work has become increasingly biographical, such as his three-issue miniseries American Splendor: Unsung Hero, which chronicles the Vietnam experience of Pekar's African-American co-worker Robert McNeill. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ...

In addition to the 31 issues of American Splendor, Pekar has written two larger works which carry the American Splendor label, Our Movie Year (Ballantine Books, 2004), a collection of comics written about or at the time of the American Splendor film, and Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story (Ballantine, 2006). Pekar has also written two graphic novels which are not officially labeled American Splendor: Our Cancer Year (Four Walls Eight Windows, 1994), co-written with Pekar's wife Joyce Brabner and illustrated by Frank Stack, and The Quitter (DC Comics, 2005, illustrated by Dean Haspiel. Ballantine Books, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine, is a major book publisher and is currently owned by Random House. ... Our Cancer Year is a graphic novel written by Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner and illustrated by Frank Stack. ... Joyce Brabner (born 1952) is a writer of political comics and sometimes collaborator with her husband Harvey Pekar. ... Frank Stack (aka Foolbert Sturgeon) (b. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Dean Haspiel (born 1967 in New York City) is a comic book artist living in Brooklyn, New York. ...

In September 2006, Pekar released a four issue American Splendor mini-series through DC Comics imprint Vertigo, 30 years after his first issue in 1976. The mini-series was collected into a trade paperback in April 2007 [1]. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Vertigo logo Vertigo is an imprint of comic book and graphic novel publisher DC Comics. ... A trade paperback can refer to any book that is bound with a heavy paper cover that is generally cheaper than the hardcover but more expensive than the regular paperback version. ...

It is also worth noting that several American Splendor reprint anthologies exist from various publishers, their material not (for the most part) overlapping.

Film

Main article: American Splendor (film)

In 2003 a movie adaptation featuring Paul Giamatti playing Pekar (as well as appearances by Pekar himself) and Hope Davis as his wife was released to critical acclaim and first honors at the Sundance Film Festival in addition to the award for best adapted screenplay from the Writer's Guild of America. It was written and directed by documentarists Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. It was filmed entirely on location in Cleveland and Lakewood in Ohio. It was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2003 Academy Awards (it lost to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King). American Splendor is a film adaptation of the comic book series of the same name by Harvey Pekar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... American Splendor is a film adaptation of the comic book series of the same name by Harvey Pekar. ... Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti (born June 6, 1967) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor. ... Hope Davis (born March 23, 1964 in Englewood, New Jersey) is an American actress. ... The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival in the United States, and ranks alongside the Cannes, France, Venice, Italy, Berlin, Germany, and Toronto, Canada festivals as one of the most prestigious in the world. ... The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is the collective bargaining representative, or labor union, for writers in the motion picture and television industries. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Stage

Theatrical productions based on American Splendor have been mounted over the years. The first of these was produced by The Independent Eye in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1985, adapted and directed by Conrad Bishop. The second, produced in 1987 at Washington, DC's Arena Stage, was adapted by Lloyd Rose and directed by James C. Nicola. The third, which is represented in fictionalized form in the American Splendor movie, ran from September 1990 through September 1991 at Hollywood's Theatre/Theater in Los Angeles, California; it was adapted and directed by Vince Waldron, and starred Dan Castellaneta as Harvey. The Independent Eye is an American theatre company currently based in Sebastopol, California. ... Nickname: Location of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania Location of Lancaster in Lancaster County Country United States State Pennsylvania County Lancaster Founded 1730 Incorporated March 10, 1818 Government  - Mayor Rick Gray (D) Area  - City  7. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... The following is taken from the Arena Stage website: Arena Stage today stands as a flagship American theater. ... Lloyd Rose is an American writer most associated with her work for on various Doctor Who spin-offs, although she has also written for the American television series Homicide: Life on the Street and Kingpin. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , State California County Los Angeles County Settled 1781 Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government  - Type Mayor-Council  - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa  - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo  - Governing body City Council Area  - City  498. ... Daniel Louis Castellaneta (born September 10, 1958) is an Emmy award winning American voice actor and comedian best known for providing the voice of Homer Simpson and other characters on the animated series The Simpsons. ...

Trivia

• Drew Carey's character on the sitcom The Drew Carey Show is often seen reading American Splendor.^{[citation needed]}

Drew Allison Carey (born May 23, 1958) is an American actor and comedian recognizable by his crew cut and black-rimmed glasses. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... The Drew Carey Show was a long-running American sitcom (set in Cleveland, Ohio) that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004 and was known for its everyman characters and themes. ...

Trade paperbacks available

• Pekar, Harvey (1991). The New American Splendor Anthology. Four Walls Eight Windows. ISBN 0-941423-64-6. 
• Pekar, Harvey (1994). Our Cancer Year. Four Walls Eight Windows. ISBN 1-56858-011-8. 
• Pekar, Harvey (1996). American Splendor Presents: Bob & Harv's Comics. Four Walls Eight Windows. ISBN 1-56858-101-7. 
• Pekar, Harvey (2003). American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-46830-9. 
• Pekar, Harvey (2003). American Splendor: Unsung Hero. Dark Horse. ISBN 1-59307-040-3. 
• Pekar, Harvey (2004). American Splendor Our Movie Year. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-47937-8. 
• Pekar, Harvey (2005). Best of American Splendor. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-47938-6. 
• Pekar, Harvey (2005). The Quitter. Vertigo. ISBN 1-4012-0399-X. 

Our Cancer Year is a graphic novel written by Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner and illustrated by Frank Stack. ...

External links

• 100 Greatest Comics of the 20th Century: American Splendor #1
• Harvey Pekar's Artists - Exhaustive list of artists having drawn Pekar's stories.
• Review of American Splendor: Another Day
• [2] some radio interviews with Pekar