Known for the irascible, self-doubting persona he cultivated in American Splendor and his day-to-day existence, the frizzy-haired, wild-eyed Mr. Pekar, a writer whose comics were illustrated by other artists, was an improbable candidate for lasting glory. A major influence in the underground world but never a big seller, he was always waiting for his cult fame to recede each time it unexpectedly crested.

His obsessive drive combined with the sheer number of his collaborations produced a two-dimensional record of his shaggy life, rendered in varying styles by numerous illustrators. Now only his widow and the artists he worked with are left to narrate his final chapter, a tale of bruised feelings and allegations of opportunism, with nothing more at stake than the writer’s modest legacy. But no matter how it plays out, Mr. Pekar is bound to emerge as enigmatic as ever.

“Put it this way,” [Pekar coolaborator Dean Haspiel] added. “Nobody owns Harvey Pekar. Not even Harvey Pekar.”

The full article’s pretty fascinating and can be read in full here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Dean-o, listed as illustrator/artist of the sequence, shares the nomination with its director Tom Barham, lead animator Marci Ichimura, and compositor Mark Rubbo under Dakota Pictures, 3 Arts Entertainment /Fair Harbor Productions.  You can see a full listing of  the work they’re up against on The Emmys’ official site.

If you’re interested in Dean’s comic work, I highly recommend The Alcoholic (a graphic novel collaboration with B2D‘s writer/creator Jonathan Ames), and The Quitter (written by Harvey Pekar of American Splendor fame).

Everyone gets ‘the call’ at least once in a lifetime. You know, the one where your best friend is like, “you have to go on a blind date with this dude, and I have to live vicariously through you because I have a boyfriend  and who wouldn’t want to date a comic book store manager?”

That’s exactly what I did to our Art Director Allison Pauline when I set up her up with Jeff, manager of the famous ‘Forbidden Planet’ comic book store in Union Square.

Jeff is over an hour late on a rainy Sunday, to meet Allison at Brooklyn’s ‘Sweet Revenge’, a bar . Black-leather-clad, she sits waiting patiently. Every so often, she’ll look over at the door suspiciously, while I smile demurely and shrug my shoulders (I’m only there to document the event).

When he finally does arrive, he turns up also sporting a carcass, black leather too. Jeff is cuter than expected. They meet, they greet, they blinddate!

Click here to see how it went down.

Also be sure to eplore the rest of Ladygunn’s site while you’re at it.  The rest of the comic issue features Harvey Pekar, Alison Bechdel, and Joe Matt.  Pretty terrific company.

Besides Deadpool, I think my other comic obsession would have to be all things Harvey Pekar.  The fact that Smith Magazine has been doing a serialized Harvey Pekar web comic project for the past couple of weeks has been a wonderful thing to look forward to, but the Cleveland native came here to New York City.

Speaking at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Studies in February, Mr. Pekar was interviewed by Josh McCutchen (see above).

Jeff “Jahfurry” Newelt announced today that SMITH Magazine will be doing online, every-other-week Harvey Pekar comics, titled The Pekar Project.  I never thought I’d see the day that Pekar would even know how to access the Internet, but it looks like today is that day. From the announcement, courtesy of the good Sir Mr. Newelt:

We’re starting the series off with a single story illustrated by newcomer Tara Seibel. Tara is a new also-Cleveland-based collaborator of Harvey’s; she has a totally unique avant-garde design/color driven style that Harvey is having a ball writing stories for. This first one is an illustrated phone call between Harvey and his pal / collaborator underground comix legend  Robert Crumb! –Lots of imagery to play with there, so Tara goes to town. To get the site rolling we started off with the classic Pekar/Crumb teamup with a new twist (drawn by Tara) and the next installment will be four short stories, one illustrated by each of the four Pekar Project artists.

The Pekar Project is new comics every other week, and on the “non-comics” weeks we’re going to have heavy-duty blog features, like new interviews with Harvey, unseen behind-the-scenes art from Harvey’s collaborators, essays by Harvey himself, interviews with the artists, profiles / exclusive excerpts of upcoming Pekar books, etc.

Newelt goes on to mention that the  American Splendor creator will actually be on TWITTER. I think Hell has officially frozen over, because that is LITERALLY something I thought I’d never see happen.

The first webcomic hit the intertubes this morning. Drawn by Cleveland local Tara Seibel, this story chronicles Harvey and longtime Splendor collaborator Robert Crumb  talking art in general.  According to the comic, Harvey was contracted to write the Libretto for “Leave Me Alone!” the jazz opera by Dan Plonsey, and he didn’t know the first thing about it, so he talked to Crumb. The conversation between the two was recorded and played during the opera, and reproduced for us by Smith.

I have to say that my Pekar addiction can be fulfilled on a regular basis is just a fantastic way to start off the week.