Harvey Pekar People Quotations

Cleveland has a very bad reputation, but there's a lot of stuff that's left over from when there were very wealthy people - the Art Museum and a world class symphony that's still world class.

I don't want to play myself up as a hero, because it would make me unbelievable. I'd rather settle for people thinking that I'm a bum, but digging my stories, than liking me and not being able to believe in my stories. That's one reason I've been hard on myself, because I want my stuff to be believable.

There's no limitation on comics, nothing. From a logical standpoint, how can there be a limitation on comics? You can use any word in the dictionary. You can put them in any order you want to. You can use a vast variety of illustrating styles. People could do all sorts of things.

It makes you feel good to know that there's other people afflicted like you.

I came up with American Splendor. Some people think it's American Squalor.

People writing about me have said that I've influenced a lot of people, and there are some artists who have credited me with influencing them.

Some of the most valuable stuff I do has to do with my dissenting from the general opinion about people in movements.

It didn't take long to establish myself, as far as people thinking my work was good. They liked it from the start.

I worry about getting work, and then when I get it, I worry about doing it well. I don't want to just go through the motions and give people stuff. This stuff is really important to me.

Sometimes I want to convey something complex philosophically, and sometimes I just want to portray myself in a situation that I think other people have been in many times, but it hasn't been written about much.

American Splendor... that's a satirical name. People who would look at it wouldn't think my life was splendid at all. They'd think it was kind of funky.

I'm just tired of people saying I'm a self-hating Jew because I'm critical of Israel or make fun of old Jewish ladies. I do not hate myself. And Jews who criticize Israel aren't necessarily mentally ill.

I'm kind of concerned about 'Ego & Hubris' because I'm thinking that people will read it and maybe even be entertained by it, but at the end of it, you know, they'll wonder, 'Why did this guy write this? What was the point of it?'

I like to go back over history and check out what people have written and whether I agree with it or not.

I always wanted praise, and I always wanted attention; I won't lie to you. I was a jazz critic, and that wasn't good enough for me. I wanted people to write about me, not me about them. So I thought, 'What could I do? I can't sing, I can't dance, I can't act or anything like that. OK, I can write.'

People who are readers of fiction aren't particularly interested in comic books.

I wanted to write literature that pushed people into their lives rather than helping people escape from them.

It didnt take long to establish myself, as far as people thinking my work was good. They liked it from the start.

I continue to be disappointed that people don't try and diversify the kind of work they are doing in comics.

I think the people who would be the least interested in my work would be people who read lots of comic books.

My parents' work ethic amazed me. How could they put in such long hours, day after day? Part of the reason was to keep the family going - to keep me going. I realized that, although we had different values derived from different cultures and wouldn't agree on certain issues, they were good people, incredible people, and I loved and respected them.

I think comics have far more potential than a lot of people realize.

I really don't have a lot in common with the people who attend the Comic Con. It's like assuming that all people who write prose are the same.

I try and write the way things happen. I don't try and fulfill people's wishes

People will believe absurd things - in the 19th century and now.

I always wanted praise and I always wanted attention; I won't lie to you. I was a jazz critic and that wasn't good enough for me. I wanted people to write about me, not me about them. So I thought, What could I do? I can't sing, I can't dance, I can't act or anything like that. OK, I can write.