[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 14, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1312]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN HONOR OF THE LIFE AND WORKS OF HARVEY PEKAR

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                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 14, 2010

  Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and works 
of Harvey Pekar. Best known for his work as an underground comic book 
writer, Mr. Pekar was an artist and critic of many talents. His 
brilliance touched the lives of many in his native Cleveland home and 
throughout the world.
  In 1976, Mr. Pekar self-published the first issue of what went on to 
become his most famous comic series: American Splendor. In this series, 
he depicted the trials and tribulations of a mundane working class life 
in Cleveland. This raw depiction of the modern human condition slowly 
attracted a readership within the underground comic book scene and 
peaked with a circulation of 10,000 in the early 1990s. In 2003, his 
American Splendor series was adapted for film, receiving wide critical 
acclaim.
  His artistic and critical talents were reflected in far more than 
just his defining series. Harvey Pekar was a distinguished essayist, 
jazz critic, and he collaborated on musical theatre productions.
  Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring the life of 
the artist Harvey Pekar. Pekar's talent and works are unparalleled in 
his field. The world has lost a great treasure in his passing. He will 
be missed by those who knew him and knew of his work, especially his 
wife Joyce Brabner and his adopted daughter Danielle.

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