American Splendor is a series of autobiographical comic books written by Harvey Pekar and drawn by a variety of artists. The first issue was published in 1976 and the last one in September 2008, with publication occurring at irregular intervals. Publishers were, at various times, Harvey Pekar himself, Dark Horse Comics, and DC Comics.
The comics have been adapted into a film of the same name and a number of theatrical productions.
Origins
Despite comic books in the United States being traditionally the province of fantasy-adventure and other genre stories, Pekar felt that the medium could be put to wider use:
Pekar's philosophy of the potential of comics is also expressed in his often repeated statement that "comics are words and pictures. You can do anything with words and pictures". In an interview with Walrus Comix, Pekar described how the idea of producing his own comic book developed. In 1972 when Crumb was visiting him in Cleveland, Pekar showed him his story ideas. Not only did Crumb agree to draw some of them but also offered to show them to other artists to draw. By 1975, Pekar decided to produce and publish his own comic book.
Recurring character Toby Radloff first appeared in American Splendor #9 (1984), as did Joyce Brabner. Pekar and Brabner's adopted daughter, Danielle, was first introduced in American Splendor: Bedtime Stories (1999).
Themes
The stories in American Splendor concern the everyday life of Pekar in Cleveland, Ohio, told in a brutally frank style akin to the writing of Henry Miller. Pekar's stories eschew traditional narrative structure, focusing on small moments and observations. As Robert Pulcini, co-writer and co-director of the American Splendor film, said: "The whole point of the American Splendor comics is that life doesn't really organize itself well".
Situations covered include Pekar's job as a file clerk at a Veteran's Affairs hospital and his relations with colleagues and patients there. There are also stories about Pekar and his relations with friends and family, including his second wife, Lark (issues #5, #7), his third wife, Joyce Brabner (issue #9 onward), and their adopted daughter, Danielle. Other stories concern everyday situations such as Pekar's troubles with his car, money, his health, and his concerns and anxieties in general. so he recruited his friend, underground comics artist Robert Crumb, to help launch American Splendor. As Crumb described it:
As The Complete Crumb Comics co-editor Robert Fiore wrote about the Pekar/Crumb collaborations:
As things evolved, however, Crumb explained: