We kick off True Stories, a series on autobiographical and nonfiction comics, with a look at Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor!
While not the first comics work to chronicle the real-life exploits of its creator, American Splendor broke ground as an ongoing series that told an impressively diverse range of stories within the confines of an autobiographical, slice-of-life title. Along the way, it also made him a minor celebrity—first through a series of appearances on Late Night With David Letterman and later via a 2003 feature film starring Paul Giamatti as Harvey.
From observational musings about everyday moments to warts-and-all depictions of Pekar’s obsessions, grudges and personal foibles, American Splendor helped to redefine what comics could be and do. But is that enough to help it survive on those mean streets known as … The Comics Canon?
In This Episode!
- “You’re doing a bit!”
- “This guy’s a huge JERK!”
- What can Wallace Shawn do for ME?!!
- American Splendor, Crumb and Ghost World
- Our Cancer Year
Join us in two weeks as True Stories continues with Lynda Barry’s emphatically punctuated One! Hundred! Demons!
Until then:
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And as always, thanks for listening!