RIP Harvey Pekar

Harvey Pekar, seemingly always frustrated and disappointed with everyday life in his long-running autobiographical series American Splendor, died today in his Cleveland Heights home at 70. Pekar had recently been struggling against prostate cancer. He had previously battled lymphoma, an experience he documented in his comic Our Cancer Year.

I can't say I'm a Pekar expert. I do, however, think he nailed the appeal of his own work quite well:

"It makes you feel good to know that there's other people afflicted like you."

Thanks to Pekar for helping us know that, and his undeniable influence, and the excitement he brought to the comic form.