The New American Splendor Anthology: From Off the Streets of Cleveland [Paperback]

Harvey Pekar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 22, 1993

American Splendor is the series that sparked a revolution in comics and brought graphic novels to the attention of post-adolescent readers everywhere. Here is the best of American Splendor and other comics by Harvey Pekar, including never-before-seen material.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Running Press; 1st edition (January 22, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941423646
• ISBN-13: 978-0941423649
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #332,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Off The Streets Of Cleveland Comes..., January 4, 2002

By 

Bob Cronin (Belmont, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New American Splendor Anthology: From Off the Streets of Cleveland (Paperback)

This comprehensive collection of American Splendor autobiographical comics by Harvey Pekar features the artwork of many prominent underground comic artists, including Jim Woodring, Joe Zabel, Gerry Shamray, Chester Brown, Spain, Drew Friedman, and R Crumb. But Pekar is truly the dominant force here. Whether he is trading records, arguing with people at work, getting sick, or losing the library's copy of "Confessions of Zeno," you'll get right inside his head as he muses, worries, broods and gets [angry] at the people in front of him in line. Strong stuff with a hard edge of realism.
Compiled from the American Splendor comic books published in the 70's and 80's (which are now largely unavailable), this is highly recommended for those who dig underground comics, new forms of biography or jazz (Pekar is also a renowned jazz reviewer and writer who sometimes talks about music in his comics).
This is not a psychedlic "head" comic, and it does not try to be hip. Harvey is no hippy, he's his own person. There is some social commentary in there too.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Please welcome back Harvey Pekar, January 28, 2004

By 

Johnny Heering "trivia buff" (Bethel, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The New American Splendor Anthology: From Off the Streets of Cleveland (Paperback)

This is the second American Splendor Anthology. It features material that was written after the first Anthology came out, plus some older stuff that was left out of the first book. If you like Harvey Pekar's stuff, you will love this book. For people who became interested in Harvey because of the movie based on his life, you will be interested to find the comics based on his David Letterman appearances here. Also, Toby and the "Revenge of the Nerds" story is featured here. For Harvey's hardcore fans, there are some rarities here, such as pre-American Splendor comics from the early '70s, and Harvey's Forwards to other people's books. Buy this book, Harvey can use the money.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting? No. Good plot? No. Good? Yes., February 23, 2000

By 

Peter Evans - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New American Splendor Anthology: From Off the Streets of Cleveland (Paperback)

I came across this book in a second hand book shop. Battered and dog-eared it set me back two pounds. Well worth six times that. Harvey narrates as if he is talking right to you, all the while probably wondering if your going to buy the records he's offering or if you'll leave in time for him to watch the game. His stories are rich with human insight, a special fave of mine being a single page story when a nerdy looking filing clerk hurts his finger and gets a plaster for it only to be unexpectedly hugged by a weeping black vietnam vet who had his life saved by him. Other gems are Harvey getting shortchanged for some grapes and his seemingly endless old book and record bulk buys. If it sounds boring, trust me, it's not. American Splendor is also drawn by a massive variety of top artists, Robert Crumb, Chester Brown and Jim Woodring to name a few.