San Diego Comic-Con 2010 Photo Gallery

San Diego Comic-Con 2010 was a blast! Fun, productive, stimulating . . . and completely exhausting. For Mid-Ohio-Con business, it was a fantastic opportunity to recruit creative guests and exhibitors and to meet with prospective partners and sponsors for the show. More to come on all those fronts in the coming days and weeks. On a personal level, it was great fun, and I really enjoyed soaking in all the pop culture madness and indulging my inner fanboy. I snapped lots of photos along the way with my iPhone camera, so check out the gallery below or click here to view it directly on Picasa. Enjoy!

Special Guest: Sean McKeever

Sean McKeever is an acclaimed creator best known for the introspective, character-driven writing style debuted in his breakthrough teen-drama series The Waiting Place. The Eisner Award winner has written for indie and major publishers alike, with a body of fan-favorite work that includes Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, The Incredible Hulk, Sentinel, Mystique, Inhumans, Gravity, Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man, and X-Men Origins: Jean Grey for Marvel and Countdown to Final Crisis, Birds of Prey, Teen Titans and Terror Titans for DC Comics. Most recently, Sean has been delighting readers in the Marvel Universe with his work on Young Allies, which features the girl without a world known as Nomad, who's been kicking her way through her own mini series and backup stories in the monthly Captain America comics. The Young Allies lineup also includes Firestar, the spider-swinging superheroine Araña, McKeever's own young hero Gravity and a new player named Toro. Check out seanmckeever.com to learn more about the writer and his work.

Special Guest: Bryan J.L. Glass

Bryan Glass is the Harvey Award-winning writer best known as co-creator of the acclaimed comic series The Mice Templar alongside artist Michael Avon Oeming. Bryan’s creative, detailed and passionate writing on The Mice Templar has won him praise from critics, fans and fellow creators alike, leading to his 2009 Harvey Award as Best New Talent and subsequent nomination for the 2010 Harvey Awards in the category of Best Previously Published Graphic Album for Mice Templar: Volume 1 from Image Comics. 2010 promises to be a true breakout year for Bryan as he will make his Marvel Universe writing debut this September with Thor: First Thunder, a limited series from Marvel Comics re-exploring the origins of the God of Thunder ahead of the Thor film directed by Kenneth Branagh slated to hit theaters next year. In addition to his work on Thor, Bryan is writing a Valkyrie one-shot exploring the character's recent resurrection and return to the Marvel Universe. Check out Comic Book Resources for more on Bryan and his new projects.

Special Guest: Matt Wagner

Matt Wagner’s work on indie and mainstream characters alike has received critical acclaim and cultivated a huge fan base for the virtuoso creator during his 20+ year career in comics. Perhaps best known for his two indie creations, Grendel and Mage, Matt has also worked for DC and Vertigo on their flagship characters, including his ground-breaking treatment of the Batman villain, Two-Face, in the graphic novel, Faces, as well as a five-year stint on the fan-favorite Vertigo title, Sandman Mystery Theatre. Matt has written and drawn several other high profile projects for DC, including Trinity, a three-issue prestige series starring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, and Dark Moon Rising, a year-long, project that chronicled some of the earliest aspects of Batman’s career. Matt’s more recent work in comics includes writing the Dr. Mid-Nite mini-series for DC Comics and serving as the regular cover artist on the Kevin Smith-penned relaunch of Green Arrow. Visit Matt online at mattwagnercomics.com to learn more about the creator and his work.

2010 Eisner Award Winners

Congratulations to all the professionals who won big at the Eisner Awards Ceremony at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 23rd! There was a diverse group of incredible professionals, publications, and projects nominated for this year's Eisner Awards, so the selection process for the winners must have been tough. Check out the full list of winners below:

Best Short Story: "Urgent Request," by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim, in The Eternal Smile (First Second)

Best Single Issue or One-Shot: Captain America #601: "Red, White, and Blue-Blood," by Ed Brubaker and Gene Colan (Marvel)

Best Continuing Series: The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard (Image)

Best Limited Series or Story Arc: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best New Series: Chew, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)

Best Publication for Kids: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz hc, by L. Frank Baum, Eric Shanower, and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best Publication for Teens: Beasts of Burden, by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)

Best Humor Publication: Scott Pilgrim vol. 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe, by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni)

Best Anthology: Popgun vol. 3, edited by Mark Andrew Smith, D. J. Kirkbride, and Joe Keatinge (Image)

Best Digital Comic: Sin Titulo, by Cameron Stewart, http://www.sintitulocomic.com/

Best Reality-Based Work: A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Adaptation from Another Work: Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

Best Graphic Album—New: Asterios Polyp, by David Mazzuccheilli (Pantheon)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint: Absolute Justice, by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithewaite (DC)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips: Bloom County: The Complete Library, vol. 1, by Berkeley Breathed, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books: The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures deluxe edition, by Dave Stevens, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material: The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia: A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Writer: Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Daredevil, Marvels Project (Marvel) Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon)

Best Writer/Artist: David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)

Best Writer/Artist–Nonfiction: Joe Sacco, Footnotes in Gaza (Metropolitan/Holt)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art): Jill Thompson, Beasts of Burden (Dark Horse); Magic Trixie and the Dragon (HarperCollins Children's Books)

Best Cover Artist: J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)

Best Coloring: Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien, BPRD, The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, Umbrella Academy, Zero Killer (Dark Horse); Detective Comics (DC); Luna Park (Vertigo)

Best Lettering: David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism: The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon (http://www.comicsreporter.com/)

Best Comics-Related Book: The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics, by Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle (Abrams ComicArts)

Best Publication Design: Absolute Justice, designed by Curtis King and Josh Beatman (DC)

Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award: Vault of Midnight, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Hall of Fame Inductees:
- Burne Hogarth
- Bob Montana
- Steve Gerber
- Dick Giordano
- Michael Kaluta
- Mort Weisinger

Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: Jeannie Schulz

Bill Finger Award for Achievement in Comic Book Writing: Otto Binder, Gary Friedrich

Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award: Marian Churchland (Beast)

Source: Comic-Con International

Special Guest: Chris Giarrusso

Chris Giarrusso is a comic book artist best known for the all-ages series G-Man at Image Comics and Mini Marvels at Marvel Comics. Chris created the Mini Marvels comic strips, featuring Marvel superheroes as children, which have appeared as back up features in many Marvel titles. The various strips were collected into Rock, Paper, Scissors and then featured in Mini Marvels: Secret Invasion. Giarrusso also created G-Man and an all-new cast of kid superhero characters in the Comic Bits comic strip first published by Image Comics in the pages of the Savage Dragon comic series. The first G-Man digest collection, G-Man Vol. 1: Learning to Fly, was released in May 2009 and the first full G-Man mini-series, G-Man: Cape Crisis, was a five-issue monthly mini series that began publication in August 2009. In addition to his fan-favorite work for Image and Marvel, Chris has put his amazing artistic and design skills to work for Mid-Ohio-Con over the past three years with online and print art with fantastic results! Visit Chris online at chrisgcomics.com to learn more about the creator and his work.

Special Guest: David Petersen

David Petersen is the Eisner and Russ Manning Award-winning creator of Mouse Guard, the hit series published by Archaia Studios Press that has been acclaimed by critics and fans alike. In the world of Mouse Guard, mice struggle to live safely and prosper among all the harsh conditions and fierce predators. The Mouse Guard was formed to serve all mice – patrolling borders, finding safe paths through dangerous territories, and fighting back natural enemies to keep the mouse territories free of predators. David’s work on Mouse Guard won him the 2007 Russ Manning Award for Most Promising Newcomer and in 2008, David won the Eisner Awards for Best Publication for Kids and Best Graphic Album – Reprint. In 2010, David has been nominated for a Harvey Award as in the Best Artist category. David credits his steady diet of cartoons, comics, and tree climbing as a child for his inspiring his imagination—the driving force behind his work today. Visit David online at davidpetersen.net to learn more about the creator and his work.

Special Guest: Kevin Cannon

Kevin Cannon is a cartoonist whose first graphic novel, Far Arden - a nautical adventure published by Top Shelf - has been nominated for a 2010 Eisner Award in the category Best Publication for Teens and Kevin himself has been named as a Harvey Award Nominee in the category of Best New Talent. By day Cannon runs Big Time Attic studio alongside not-brother Zander Cannon, where they produce nonfiction graphic novels. Recent books they've illustrated include The Stuff of Life, written by Mark Schultz, and T-Minus: The Race to the Moon, written by Jim Ottaviani. Graphic Novel Reporter has included Far Arden in its list of Core 25 graphic novels. The list is intended to help individuals who are building their personal or institutional libraries, and it's a huge honor to be among some truly fantastic titles! Also, Vietnam: A Graphic History - a book that Kevin lettered and helped design - is included in GNR's Core 100 list. Kevin is excited to be a guest at Mid-Ohio-Con's 30th birthday, especially since he and the convention are the same age. Visit kevincannon.org to learn more about Kevin and his work.

Harvey Awards Nominees Announced

The Harvey Awards Nominees have been announced with the release of the final ballot, presented by the Executive Committees of the Harvey Awards and the Baltimore Comic-Con. Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the industry's most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. They will be presented August 28, 2010 in Baltimore, MD, in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con.

Nominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators - those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, edit or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field. They are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. Thank you to all that have already participated by submitting a nomination ballot.

Final ballots are due to the Harvey Awards by Friday, August 7, 2010. Full details for submission of completed ballots can be found on the final ballot. Voting is open to anyone professionally involved in a creative capacity within the comics field. Final ballots are available for download atwww.harveyawards.org. Those without Internet access may request that paper ballots be sent to them via mail or fax by calling the Baltimore Comic-Con (410-526-7410) or e-mailingbaltimorecomicccon@yahoo.com.

This will be the fifth year for the Harvey Awards in Baltimore, MD. Our Master of Ceremonies this year for the second year in a row will be Scott Kurtz (www.pvponline.com). Look for more details soon on how you can attend the Harvey Awards dinner. This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 28-29, 2010. The ceremony and banquet for the 2009 Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, August 28.

Without further delay, the 2009 Harvey Award Nominees:

BEST WRITER

____ Jason Aaron, “SCALPED", Vertigo/DC Comics
____ Geoff Johns, "BLACKEST NIGHT", DC Comics
____ Robert Kirkman, "THE WALKING DEAD", Image Comics
____ Jeff Kinney, "DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW", Amulet Books
____ Mark Waid, "IRREDEEMABLE", BOOM! Studios


BEST ARTIST

____ Robert Crumb, "BOOK OF GENESIS", W.W. Norton
____ Guy Davis, "BPRD: BLACK GODDESS", Dark Horse Comics
____ Brian Fies, "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?", Abrams ComicArts
____ David Petersen, "MOUSE GUARD : WINTER 1152", Archaia Studios Press
____ Frank Quitely, "BATMAN AND ROBIN", DC Comics
____ JH Williams III, "DETECTIVE COMICS", DC Comics


BEST CARTOONIST

____ Darwyn Cooke, "RICHARD STARK’S PARKER: THE HUNTER", IDW
____ Jeff Kinney, "DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW", Amulet Books
____ Roger Langridge, "THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK", BOOM! Studios
____ David Mazzucchelli, "ASTERIOS POLYP", Pantheon
____ Seth, "GEORGE SPROTT (1894-1975)", Drawn and Quarterly


BEST LETTERER

____ Chris Eliopoulos, "FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS” stories, Marvel Comics
____ Brian Fies, "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?", Abrams ComicArts
____ Thomas Mauer, “RAPTURE", Dark Horse Comics
____ David Mazzucchelli, "ASTERIOS POLYP", Pantheon
____ Richard Starkings, "ELEPHANTMEN", Image Comics


BEST INKER

____ Oclair Albert, "BLACKEST NIGHT", DC Comics
____ Steve Ellis, "HIGH MOON", Zuda/DC Comics
____ Klaus Janson, "AMAZING SPIDER-MAN", Marvel Comics
____ Jeff Kinney, "DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW", Amulet Books
____ Mark Morales, "THOR", Marvel Comics


BEST COLORIST

____ Brian Fies, "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?", Abrams ComicArts
____ Steve Hamaker, "BONE: CROWN OF HORNS”, Graphix
____ Laura Martin, "THE ROCKETEER: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES", IDW
____ David Mazzucchelli, "ASTERIOS POLYP", Pantheon
____ Dave Stewart, "BPRD: BLACK GODDESS", Dark Horse Comics


BEST COVER ARTIST

____ Jenny Frison, "THE DREAMER", IDW
____ Mike Mignola, "HELLBOY: THE BRIDE OF HELL", Dark Horse Comics
____ Michael Avon Oeming, "MICE TEMPLAR: DESTINY, PART I", Image Comics
____ Frank Quitely, "BATMAN AND ROBIN", DC Comics
____ JH Williams III, "DETECTIVE COMICS", DC Comics


BEST NEW TALENT

____ Kevin Cannon, "FAR ARDEN", Top Shelf
____ Rob Guillory, "CHEW", Image Comics
____ Reinhard Kleist,"JOHNNY CASH: I SEE A DARKNESS", Abrams ComicArts
____ Nathan Schreiber, "ACT-I-VATE: POWER OUT", http://act-i-vate.com
____ Matthew Weldon, "NEW BRIGHTON ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY", Image Comics


BEST NEW SERIES

____ "BATMAN AND ROBIN", DC Comics
____ "CHEW", Image Comics
____ "IRREDEEMABLE", BOOM! Studios
____ "SWEET TOOTH", Vertigo/DC Comics
____ "UNWRITTEN", Vertigo/DC Comics


BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES

____ "BEASTS OF BURDEN", Dark Horse Comics
____ "DIARY OF A WIMPY KID", Amulet Books
____ "GANGES", Fantagraphics Books
____ "INVINCIBLE", Image Comics
____ "SCALPED", Vertigo/DC Comics
____ "THE WALKING DEAD", Image Comics


BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC PUBLICATION FOR YOUNGER READERS

____ "AMULET: THE STONEKEEPER'S CURSE", Graphix
____ "DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW", Amulet Books
____ "GROWN-UPS ARE DUMB", Hyperion Books
____ "THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK", BOOM! Studios
____ "NEW BRIGHTON ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY", Image Comics
____ "3-2-3 DETECTIVE AGENCY", Amulet Books


BEST ANTHOLOGY

____ "ACT-I-VATE", http://act-i-vate.com
____ "FLIGHT # 6", Villard
____ "POPGUN # 3", Image Comics
____ "STRANGE TALES", Marvel Comics
____ "WEDNESDAY COMICS", DC Comics


BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC ALBUM

____ "ASTERIOS POLYP", by David Mazucchelli, Pantheon
____ "BOOK OF GENESIS", by Robert Crumb, W.W. Norton
____ "GEORGE SPROTT (1894-1975)", by Seth, Drawn and Quarterly
____ “FOOTNOTES IN GAZA”, by Joe Sacco, Metropolitan Books
____ "STITCHES", by David Small, W.W. Norton
____ "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?", by Brian Fies, Abrams ComicArts


BEST PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED GRAPHIC ALBUM

____ "A.D.: NEW ORLEANS AFTER THE DELUGE”, by Josh Neufeld, Pantheon
____ "COLLECTED ESSEX COUNTY”, by Jeff Lemire, Top Shelf
____ "GRAVESLINGER", by Shannon Denton, Jeff Mariotte, John Cboins & Nina Sorat, IDW
____ "MASTERPIECE COMICS", by R. Sikoryak, Drawn and Quarterly
____ "MICE TEMPLAR VOLUME 1", by Bryan J.L. Glass and Michael Avon Oeming, Image Comics


BEST SYNDICATED STRIP OR PANEL

____ "CUL-DE-SAC", by Richard Thompson, Universal Press Syndicate
____ "FOXTROT", by Bill Amend, Universal Press Syndicate
____ "GET FUZZY", by Darby Conley, United Feature Syndicate
____ "MUTTS", by Patrick McDonnell, King Features Syndicate
____ "PEARLS BEFORE SWINE", by Stephan Pastis, United Feature Syndicate


BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT

____ "THE BEST OF SIMON AND KIRBY", by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby; edited by Steve Saffel, Titan Books
____ "HUMBUG", conceived and edited by Harvey Kurtzman and created by Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Davis, Will Elder, Al Jaffee and Arnold Roth; edited by Gary Groth, Fantagraphics Books
____ "RIP KIRBY", by Alex Raymond; edited by Dean Mullaney, IDW
____ "THE ROCKETEER: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES”, by Dave Stevens; edited by Scott Dunbier, IDW
____ "THE TOON TREASURY OF CLASSIC CHILDREN'S COMICS", edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly, Abrams ComicsArt


BEST AMERICAN EDITION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL

____ "THE ART OF OSAMU TEZUKA: GOD OF MANGA", by Helen McCarthy, Abrams ComicArts
____ "MANGA KAMISHIBAI", by Eric P. Nash, Abrams ComicArts
____ “THE PHOTOGRAPHER”, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier LeFevre and Frederic Lemercier, First Second
____ "PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA", by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki, Viz Media
____ “20TH CENTURY BOYS”, by Naoki Urasawa, Viz Media


BEST ONLINE COMICS WORK

____ "HARK! A VAGRANT", by Kate Beaton, http://harkavagrant.com
____ "HIGH MOON", by Steve Ellis, David Gallaher and Scott O. Brown, http://www.zudacomics.com/high moon
____ "POWER OUT", by Nathan Schreiber, http://act-i-vate.com
____ "PVP", by Scott Kurtz, http://www.pvponline.com
____ "SIN TITULO", by Cameron Stewart, http://www.sintitulocomic.com


SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS

____ Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson, “BEASTS OF BURDEN”, Dark Horse Books
____ Jeff Kinney, "DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW", Amulet Books
____ Roger Landridge, "THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK", BOOM! Studios
____ Bryan Lee O'Malley, "SCOTT PILGRIM #5", Oni Press
____ Andrew Pepoy, "THE ADVENTURES OF SIMONE & AJAX: A CHRISTMAS CAPER", ComicMix


SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION

____ "ART OF HARVEY KURTZMAN: THE MAD GENIUS OF COMICS", by Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle, Abrams ComicArts
____ "THE BRINKLEY GIRLS: THE BEST OF NELL BRINKLEY’S CARTOONS FROM 1913-1940", edited by Trina Robbins, Fantagraphics Books
____ "GEORGE SPROTT (1894-1975)", by Seth, Drawn and Quarterly
____ "THE ROCKETEER: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES", by Dave Stevens, edited by Scott Dunbier, IDW
____ "SECRET IDENTITY: THE FETISH ART OF SUPERMAN’S CO-CREATOR JOE SHUSTER", edited by Craig Yoe, Abrams ComicArts
____ "WEDNESDAY COMICS", edited by Mark Chiarello, DC Comics


BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL OR JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION

____ "ALTER-EGO", edited by Roy Thomas, TwoMorrows
____ "ART OF HARVEY KURTZMAN: THE MAD GENIUS OF COMICS", by Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle, Abrams ComicArts
____ "THE BEST OF SIMON AND KIRBY", by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby; edited by Steve Saffel, Titan Books
____ "THE COMICS JOURNAL", edited by Gary Groth, Michael Dean and Kristy Valenti, Fantagraphics Books
____ "UNDERGROUND CLASSICS", by James Danky and Denis Kitchen, Abrams ComicArts


BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY

____ “ALEC: THE YEARS HAVE PANTS”, by Eddie Campbell, Top Shelf
____ "ASTERIOS POLYP", by David Mazucchelli, Pantheon
____ "GANGES #3", by Kevin Huizenga, Fantagraphics Books
____ "GEORGE SPROTT (1894-1975)", by Seth, Drawn and Quarterly
____ "JONAH HEX #50", written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, artwork by Darwyn Cooke, DC Comics
____ "RICHARD STARK’S PARKER: THE HUNTER", by Darwyn Cooke, IDW
____ "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?", by Brian Fies, Abrams ComicArts


Congratulations to all of the 2010 Harvey Award Nominees!

Source: The Harvey Awards (Baltimore, MD - July 11, 2010)

Comic Book Writer Harvey Pekar Dies at 70

By THOMAS J. SHEERAN and JAKE COYLE, Associated Press Writers Thomas J. Sheeran And Jake Coyle, Associated Press Writers – Mon July 12, 2:28 pm ET

CLEVELAND – Harvey Pekar, whose autobiographical comic book series "American Splendor" portrayed his unglamorous life with bone-dry honesty and wit, was found dead at home early Monday, authorities said. He was 70.

The cause of death was unclear, and an autopsy was planned, officials said. Pekar had prostate cancer, asthma, high blood pressure and depression, said Michael Cannon, a police captain in suburban Cleveland Heights.

Officers were called to Pekar's home by his wife about 1 a.m., Cannon said. His body was found on the floor between a bed and dresser. He had gone to bed around 4:30 p.m. Sunday in good spirits, his wife told police.

Pekar took a radically different track from the superhero-laden comics that had dominated the industry. He instead specialized in the lives of ordinary people, chronicling his life as a file clerk in Cleveland and his relationship with his third wife, Joyce Brabner. His 1994 graphic novel, "Our Cancer Year," detailed his battle with lymphoma.

The dreary cover scene shows him sprawled beside his wife on a snowy curbside with shopping bags on the ground. "Harvey, forget about the groceries, honey. Let's get you inside first," she says.

Pekar never drew himself but depended on collaborations with artists, most notably his friend R. Crumb, who helped illustrate the first issue of the ironically titled "American Splendor," published in 1976. It was made into an acclaimed 2003 film starring Paul Giamatti as Pekar. The most recent "American Splendor" was released in 2008.

"Harvey was one of the most compassionate and empathetic human beings I've ever met," Giamatti said in a statement. "He had a huge brain and an even bigger soul. And he was hilarious. He was a great artist, a true American poet, and there is no one to replace him."

Pekar's quirky commentary developed a following, and his insights and humor were often a bit on the dark side.

Lucy Shelton Caswell, curator of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at Ohio State University, said it was inaccurate to describe Pekar's work as "cult."

"His work was accepted by the mainstream," Caswell said. "It was bought by public libraries and read widely." The cartoon library has all of Pekar's works in its collection, she said.

"He will be remembered as an innovator who wrote stories about ordinary things that were then illustrated by some of the most notable cartoonists of the late 20th century," Caswell said. "People identified with what he was writing about and the stories that these people were drawing because it was so ordinary."

In 2003, the New York Film Critics Circle honored "American Splendor" as best first film for the directing-writing team of Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. Part feature and part documentary, and with occasional animated elements, the film's tearing down of the fourth wall — with Giamatti, as Pekar, often appearing alongside the real Pekar — paralleled his comic's realism.

Pekar, himself, introduces the film and the character based on him: "This guy here, he's our man, all grown up and going nowhere. Although he's a pretty scholarly cat, he never got much of a formal education. For the most part, he's lived in ... neighborhoods, held ... jobs and he's now knee-deep into a disastrous second marriage. So if you're the kind of person looking for romance or escapism or some fantasy figure to save the day, guess what? You've got the wrong movie."

Pekar, who was a repeat TV guest of David Letterman, told The Associated Press in a 1997 interview that he was determined to keep writing his "American Splendor" series.

"There's no end in sight for me. I want to continue to do it," Pekar said. "It's a continuing autobiography, a life's work."

Coyle reported from New York. Associated Press writer Doug Whiteman in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.

Special Guest:Craig Rousseau

Craig Rousseau is an acclaimed artist who has worked for every major publisher in comics while also cultivating a strong body of independent work. Craig started his career at DC Comics with regular penciling stints on Impulse and Batman Beyond and has done work on many of the publisher’s other titles, including Catwoman, Detective Comics, Flash, Gotham Adventures, Harley Quinn, JLA Adventures, Superman Adventures, and Young Justice. In independent comics, Craig has worked on a number of projects for Beckett Comics, including Kiss and Tell, The Cobbler's Monster, and Ronin Hood and the 47 Samurai, and The Perhapanauts, an Image Comics series created by Craig and Todd Dezago, which follows a team of supernatural investigators working for a top-secret government agency. Craig has recently been doing all ages books for Marvel, including Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane: Season 2, Iron Man and the Armor Wars, X-Men: First Class, and most recently Marvel Her-oes. Visit Craig online at craigrousseau.com to learn more the artist and his work.

Special Guest: Todd Dezago

Todd Dezago is a writer best known for his runs on Marvel’s Sensational Spider-Man, Spectacular Spider-Man, and Marvel Adventures Spider-Man. For DC Comics, Todd co-created Young Justice with artist Todd Nauck in the 1998 one-shot Young Justice: The Secret. His other Young Justice work includes the 1998 miniseries JLA: World Without Grown-Ups and from 1999 to 2002 Todd wrote Impulse nos. 50-89. In addition to his work for the comic industry’s largest publishers, Todd is well known for his creator-owned books, which include Tellos, an Image Comics fantasy series created by Todd and the late Mike Wieringo, and The Perhapanauts, an Image Comics series created by Todd and Craig Rousseau, which follows a team of supernatural investigators - they investigate the supernatural, and they are supernatural beings who investigate - working for a top-secret government agency. Todd is currently injecting Marvel's Super Hero Squad! with superhero silliness each month, so check it out! Visit Todd online at http://www.perhapanauts.com/ to learn more about the writer and his work.

Independence Day: Bicentennial Battles

No comic book character says “Independence Day” to me more clearly than does Captain America and no single issue says it more eloquently than Jack Kirby’s masterpiece Captain America’s Bicentennial Battles. Originally published as an oversize Marvel Treasury Edition, Bicentennial Battles was released during the summer of 1976 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of America’s declaration of Independence. The story was written and penciled by Jack Kirby and features an all-star cast of inkers, including Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 special guest Herb Trimpe along with John Romita, Sr. and Barry Windsor Smith.

Bicentennial Battles takes Captain America on a journey though time and space to visit key moments and poignant vignettes in America’s history. From the dawn of the American Revolution though two world wars and far into an uncertain future, Captain America experiences America at its best and worst and comes away with a renewed conviction in the American Dream. “Two hundred years of old thoughts in young minds—two hundred years of seeing it through. It is the way of a great country and a great people, who stand together against the slings and arrows of a threatening tomorrow,” Kirby concludes.

This story is particularly special for me as one of the first comics I remember from my childhood. I was five years old when it was first published, and I can imagine being entranced when my older brother Bill first showed it to me. That original copy of the Marvel Treasury Edition didn’t survive our childhood, but Bicentennial Battles was one of the first things I bought after I discovered the miracle of eBay way back in 2001. The story was re-released in 2008 by Marvel as a trade paperback along with Captain America issues 201–205, but it’s truly impossible to beat the Marvel Treasury Special-size original edition if you can find it.