Joyce Brabner (1952–2024)

Joyce Brabner and Harvey Pekar (with artist Tom Stack's surrealistically wonderful art) have made one of the most touching and affecting works I've read in years, maybe ever. And this is something as Pekar's work is naturally that anyway, but here it goes beyond that. Going through this story I felt I was a member of their household and witness to their moment in history. Told in sparse unadorned dialogue the story cuts through all the unnecessaries of alternative comics and creates show more something with the deepest pathos but at once is also a testament to the every day joys of the insanity of day to day life, ups and downs, profound and meaningless. show less

I don't completely agree with the core premise of the work that there is a group of specific individuals orchestrating a grand plot that is responsible for every ill deed, killed JFK, and all the rest - that would mean that if you got rid of these people the US government and corporations would suddenly start being nice to everyone and do you really believe that?

The work sidetracks itself fixating on and exaggerating the reach and scope of the shady dealings of a few individuals, an show more informal 'friends network' of intelligence personnel and military officers (that even called themselves the 'Secret Team'), who were able to influence government policy for their own financial gain. Their biggest concern were things like setting up shell companies that could bid for government sweetheart contracts that they could milk for all it was worth, and maybe use it for some off the books intelligence or covert operations on the side to justify it, not world domination.

But it is an interesting read.

An unfortunate postscript to this comic is that allowing itself to get sidetracked and unable to back its claims of an all encompassing conspiracy is why the Christic Institutes case was thrown out. show less

Our Cancer Year chronicles Harvey's battle with Lymphoma. Not only is it an unflinching look at chemotherapy, illness, radiation and the relationship between he and his wife, but it's an amazing documentation of what happens when life suddenly has to accommodate cancer. Because that's what life does - accommodate. It does not slow down, people do not pause and it most certainly does not come to some slow-mo inspiring stop where the unpleasant parts are mere blips on the way to beating the show more disease in spectacular fashion.

Much of this is just Harvey fitting Cancer into his life while he buys a new house. It's dealing with the everyday problems of life and trying to work while taking chemo. It's seeing cancer up close and far too personally, because it's not just the few nice shots of hair running down the drain - cancer is shingles and drug-induced paranoia. It's seeing a husband and wife pushing themselves too far before deciding to get help and finding out that even help has an unpleasant life outside of cancer.

In this complete and utter depth of detail, there is comfort in seeing that someone's willing to put out their cancer year warts and all. show less

I have read many books about how families and patients deal with a cancer diagnosis and treatment, including many on graphic form. I found this one remarkable because it was told in both Joyce and Harvey's voices in a very integrated way. I was very moved by Joyce's struggle with maintaining her own career, health and identity while still wanting to be there to support her husband and his quirks. Harvey's own struggles with his OCD and his inability to maintain the control he wanted,his show more desire not to burden Joyce unnecessarily and his struggle with the side effects of his chemo regimen.

This book captured the pain (both physical and emotional) and love that both a cancer diagnosis and treatment create in a true, warts and all way. I think that anyone who is facing a diagnosis for themselves or a person that they love should read this as a primer for the difficulties ahead. It may be frightening, but I think will help people prepare themselves for the challenges ahead. show less