Monday, July 12, 2010

Harvey Pekar




































October 8, 1939 ––– July 12, 2010

Jay Lynch introduced me to Harvey sometime in the early '90s and suggested we work on a story together. I borrowed Jay's VHS copies of Harvey's appearances on Letterman for reference. We didn't meet in person until at least a year or more after the stories were published. I would fax Harvey the layouts and the inks and then we'd discuss them over the phone. One time Joyce called instead of Harvey and took issue with me for making Harvey look too wild and playing his expressions too broadly. I listened but protested---exaggeration is fundamental to a cartoonist's job. After an exhausting session I hung up in frustration. The phone rang again within seconds---Harvey had been listening in from another room. "Never mind, man. You're doin' just fine." What a guy!

I posted Harvey's story, "Holding On," here,   here, and here.