Harvey Pekar finally met someone who’s in a worse mood than he is: Michael Malice. As cocreator of the Web site Overheard in New York, Malice posts unflattering snippets of conversations submitted by eavesdroppers. ("Girl #1: ’You know what they say about Chinese clerks ...’ Girl #2: ’Shh, Jord, let’s not be racist in public.’")
Pekar, best known for his autobioégéraphical comic book series American Splendor, decided to figure out what makes Malice tick. The result: Ego & Hubris, a graphic novel illustrating Malice’s life from childhood to the present. Based on the gossipmonger’s own recollections, Ego is filled with odd, telling moments - like the time Malice was moved by a friend’s suicide to become a stand-up comedian. In classic Pekar fashion, the book (which could be alternately titled Michael Malice Is a Sociopathic Jerk) coaxes readers into identifying with a guy we all really want to hate but can’t.
- Michael Reilly
credit Nikola Tamindzic
Michael Malice
credit Harvey Pekar LLC. © 2006, Random House
Ego & Hubris: Harvey Pekar’s latest comic dishes about NYC gossip hound Michael Malice
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Actual Malice
