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Rating: 
Summary: I'm a Big Crumb Fan, but wound up returning this
Review: Even though this book is loaded with Crumb art, it is very obvious that R. Crumb was arm-twisted into doing this book, and he even admits this several times throughout it. Forgive me but, this book was flat-out awful. It's all about Harvey Pekar - who is every bit as self-obsessed as Crumb but with none of his friend's redeeming neurotic quirky charm. His writing is depressing and oppressive without substantive relief of any kind. Even Crumb's drawings can't save it. For the obsessive collector only, I would not recommend it to the average R. Crumb fan.
Rating:
Summary: I'm a Big Crumb Fan, but wound up returning this
Review: Even though this book is loaded with Crumb art, it is very obvious that R. Crumb was arm-twisted into doing this book, and he even admits this several times throughout it. Forgive me but, this book was flat-out awful. It's all about Harvey Pekar - who is every bit as self-obsessed as Crumb but with none of his friend's redeeming neurotic quirky charm. His writing is depressing and oppressive without substantive relief of any kind. Even Crumb's drawings can't save it. For the obsessive collector only, I would not recommend it to the average R. Crumb fan.
Rating: 
Summary: It's true ...
Review: Harvey Pekar's writing is depressing and oppressive, which is a substantial relief in every way.
Rating: 
Summary: Great collection
Review: This is a terrific collection of Harvey Pekar and Bob Crumb's collaborations throughout the years. In my opinion, Crumb did some of his best work with Pekar. The only note of caution, most of these comics are in the other Harvey Pekar AMERICAN SPLENDOR collections. So, there really isn't anything new here, other than the introductions and a few covers.
Rating:
Summary: Two Titans of Comics
Review: Two of the geniuses of comics, combining forces to tell the tales of everyday life in Cleveland! We can only be thankful they are using their considerable talents for good (very good) instead of evil.
Rating:
Summary: American Splendor, Crumb style
Review: While Harvey Pekar's work on his autobiographical comic "American Spendor" is always interesting, it's at it's best when he is working with his friend and collaborator Robert Crumb. The two met in Cleveland in the 1960's and have been working together and trading records ever since. American Splendor generally features multiple comic artists, but this collection is comprised entirely of stories illustrated by Crumb. The stories are almost entirely about Pekar's everyday life, his trial and tribulations in Cleveland. He writes about eating dinner, losing a book, exchanges at work or at the market, freeloading friends... in fact, one of the most entertaining segments in this book is a series concerning Freddy, Harv's freeloading pal. The anger he provokes in the admitted cheapskate Pekar is hilarious. There are also several stories where Crumb himself figures as a main character. For those with an interest in Crumb's life and background, there is much to learn in these Harv and Bob stories. Pekar is an important comic writer and "American Splendor" is definitely worth checking out. For the uninitiated, this book is a good place to start. Crumb has an excellent approach to the material and really brings it to life, giving us a real sense of the people and personalities at work here. His AS covers are also notable. American Splendor fans should realize that much, if not all, of this material appears elsewhere in The Complete Crumb Comics and in the now out-of-print American Splendor Anthologies. Of course, it all originally appeared in the American Splendor comic books, which Pekar self published annually since 1976 and can be difficult to find.
Rating:
Summary: Great collection
Review: While Harvey Pekar's work on his autobiographical comic "American Spendor" is always interesting, it's at it's best when he is working with his friend and collaborator Robert Crumb. The two met in Cleveland in the 1960's and have been working together and trading records ever since. American Splendor generally features multiple comic artists, but this collection is comprised entirely of stories illustrated by Crumb. The stories are almost entirely about Pekar's everyday life, his trial and tribulations in Cleveland. He writes about eating dinner, losing a book, exchanges at work or at the market, freeloading friends... in fact, one of the most entertaining segments in this book is a series concerning Freddy, Harv's freeloading pal. The anger he provokes in the admitted cheapskate Pekar is hilarious. There are also several stories where Crumb himself figures as a main character. For those with an interest in Crumb's life and background, there is much to learn in these Harv and Bob stories. Pekar is an important comic writer and "American Splendor" is definitely worth checking out. For the uninitiated, this book is a good place to start. Crumb has an excellent approach to the material and really brings it to life, giving us a real sense of the people and personalities at work here. His AS covers are also notable. American Splendor fans should realize that much, if not all, of this material appears elsewhere in The Complete Crumb Comics and in the now out-of-print American Splendor Anthologies. Of course, it all originally appeared in the American Splendor comic books, which Pekar self published annually since 1976 and can be difficult to find.
Rating:
Summary: American Splendor, Crumb style
Review: While Harvey Pekar's work on his autobiographical comic "American Spendor" is always interesting, it's at it's best when he is working with his friend and collaborator Robert Crumb. The two met in Cleveland in the 1960's and have been working together and trading records ever since. American Splendor generally features multiple comic artists, but this collection is comprised entirely of stories illustrated by Crumb. The stories are almost entirely about Pekar's everyday life, his trial and tribulations in Cleveland. He writes about eating dinner, losing a book, exchanges at work or at the market, freeloading friends... in fact, one of the most entertaining segments in this book is a series concerning Freddy, Harv's freeloading pal. The anger he provokes in the admitted cheapskate Pekar is hilarious. There are also several stories where Crumb himself figures as a main character. For those with an interest in Crumb's life and background, there is much to learn in these Harv and Bob stories. Pekar is an important comic writer and "American Splendor" is definitely worth checking out. For the uninitiated, this book is a good place to start. Crumb has an excellent approach to the material and really brings it to life, giving us a real sense of the people and personalities at work here. His AS covers are also notable. American Splendor fans should realize that much, if not all, of this material appears elsewhere in The Complete Crumb Comics and in the now out-of-print American Splendor Anthologies. Of course, it all originally appeared in the American Splendor comic books, which Pekar self published annually since 1976 and can be difficult to find.
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