Brabner launches Kickstarter campaign for Harvey Pekar library statue

Harvey Pekar Library Statue: Comics as Art & Literature Desk by Harvey Pekar Estate — Kickstarter
Since his death last summer, there’s been much talk about honoring the late Harvey Pekar in his native Cleveland with a statue.

Pekar’s widow Joyce Brabner, was uncomfortable with the idea of a heroic monument, so in conjuction with some local artists they’ve come up with a more populist memorial: a statue at the Cleveland Heights library that would also serve as a place where people can read and make comics.

A way to celebrate comics as art and literature at a Cleveland Heights public library. A literary landmark, a desk that’s always filled with paper and pencils for people to sit and write or draw comics at the same place where Harvey Pekar liked to work.

Mounted on the desk, a sculpted bronze comic book “page.” Stepping out from a panel, Harvey– using his semi celebrity to focus on the creative possibilities of the art form he opened up to so many people. On the reverse, gridded into bronze ruled “panels,” a giant slate storyboard that looks very much the way Harvey always started his own scripts.  (He wrote and drew stick figures, just like Paul Giamatti in that movie.) Plenty of chalk and plenty of encouragement from a library that cherishes comics. At different times each year, a librarian can unlock the middle drawer of the desk and pull out copies of books that Harvey read as a kid that inspired him to write, AMERICAN SPLENDOR scripts, memorabilia and anything else that could inspire library patrons to be creative with comics.

Rewards include thanks you on the website, posters, copies of CLEVELAND, copies of Pekar’s comics and your own phone call or coffee date with one of the stars of the AMERICAN SPLENDOR movie.