Harvey Pekar, award-winning writer of American Splendor, has signed a three-graphic novel deal for original material with Ballantine Books.  The publisher will also release an anthology of the best of Pekar's previously published works from American Splendor.

 

Thanks to the success of Fine Line Feature's American Splendor film last year, when it won numerous awards and was nominated for an Academy Award (see 'American Splendor Top Picture Award!' and 'American Splendor Takes LA Critics Award'), Pekar has expanded his audience beyond its prior cult status level.

 

The first original graphic novel of the three, currently scheduled for Fall release this year (as is the anthology) and considered by the publisher to be a 'sequel of sorts to American Splendor,' will focus on Pekar and his family's extraordinary experiences making the film.

 

The latter two, tentatively set for Fall 2005 and Fall 2006 releases, will be biographical rather than his usual autobiographical stories, this time based on the lives of two fascinating people Pekar met during his film experience.