I always intended to read American Splendor, but for one reason or the other (e.g. work, travel, reading other books) I always put it off. Finally, after several years, I picked up a copy of Pekar's Ego and Hubris, a work that is not related to American Splendor but which I simply loved. This book inspired me to go to my local library where I picked up Another Day, which contains a series of short-stories, sometimes only 2-3 pages long, that are illustrated by different animators.
This collection of stories revolve around ordinary events in the life of Harvey Pekar in the aftermath of the release of the film American Splendour. Whether it is performing simple errands like going to the post office, listening to friends discuss their jobs, or driving through a snow storm to pick up his foster daughter Danielle, this book is an honest, unvarnished view of daily blue-collar life in Cleveland. What makes this comic so interesting, however, is how simple (some may even say mundane) events are transformed into high drama.
With that in mind, if I had one complaint with this book is that some of the stories were too short. Instead of letting the characters and situations breath, too often I felt like I was reading whimsical thoughts by Pekar that quickly disappeared into the air. On the other hand, reading this collection of stories made me realize why Pekar became an underground comics star so many years ago, and why he has received so much critical praise. It also convinced me to finally go and read the American Splendour series cover-to-cover.
3 out of 5 stars
