Famed Comic Book Author Harvey Pekar Dies

Famed comic book author Harvey Pekar has died at the age of 70.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that Pekar was found dead just before 1 a.m. on July 12 at his home in Cleveland Heights.

According to BBC.com, the cause of death is unknown but Pekar suffered from asthma, cancer, depression and high blood pressure.

Pekar created an autobiographical series called American Splendor, which was made into a 2003 film. American Splendor gave America a real insight into Pekar’s life.

According to nydailynews.com, Pekar’s relationship with his wife, adoption of his foster daughter, and battle with cancer were all things he expressed in his work.

Pekar was known for speaking his mind. The comic book author made headlines during his career for aggravating David Letterman while making an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Jonathan Vankin, an editor at Vertigo Comics, commented to the NY Daily News about Pekar.

"Beneath the well-known gruff exterior, Harvey was a deeply compassionate person and of course, a brilliant mind," Vankin said. "He created, almost single handedly, an entirely new kind of comics and his commitment to what he did was absolute and uncompromising. We've all suffered a huge loss today, in comics of course, but also in American culture."