“I was influenced by autobiographical writers like Henry Miller, and I had actually done some autobiographical prose. But I just thought that comics were like virgin territory. There was so much to be done. It excited me. I couldn't draw very well. I could write scripts and storyboard style using stick figures and balloons and captions.”

American underground comic book writer, music critic, and media personality

Harvey Lawrence Pekar was an American underground comic book writer, music critic, and media personality. He is best known for his autobiographical comic series American Splendor. Pekar wrote about his own life in a plain, direct style that helped define the feel of American Splendor. The series later inspired a 2003 film of the same name, and his work also reflected his interests as a critic and public personality.