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American Splendor
Ego and Hubris: The Michael Malice Story
“Michael Malice is one of the most puzzling twenty-first century Americans I have ever met.”
–Harvey Pekar
Who’s Michael Malice, and how did he become the subject of a graphic novel by Harvey Pekar, the curmudgeon from Cleveland?
First of all, Michael Malice is a real person. He’s 5’6” and weighs 130 pounds. Although on the cusp of thirty, he could easily pass for a scrawny teenager.
One day Michael, a guy with a patchwork employment record and dreams as big as his ego, meets Harvey and begins to relay all these wild stories about his life. Simple as that. Harvey thinks the guy is bright but a bit of a riddle–though not the kind wrapped in an enigma. It’s strange. He seems like the type of person you meet every day, rather ordinary, until you really get to know him. Then you realize he’s exceptional, unusual, and contradictory. Pleasant one minute, really nasty the next. But isn’t cruelty part of human nature? We digress. . . .
Harvey writes up and illustrates one of Michael Malice’s tales, “Fish Story,” which is part of American Splendor: Our Movie Year. It makes a splash and spawns this book, Harvey’s first hardcover, a graphic novel event about one guy’s life.
Ego & Hubris relates how, a year and a half after his birth in the Ukraine, Michael Malice moved with his parents to Brooklyn. He’s an intransigent kid, a hard-ass–both a demon to and demonized by the people who cross his path. His life is a constant struggle for validation in a world where the machine keeps trying to break him down. But Michael has a way with people . . . or rather, has a way of getting even with people. Hey, if you can’t live up to your parents’ expectations, at least you can live up to your name.
Michael had never come close to fulfilling his huge dreams–until now. And just as Harvey’s been the everyman for a certain generation of graphic-novel readers, Michael Malice will be the everyman for a new generation.
–Harvey Pekar
Who’s Michael Malice, and how did he become the subject of a graphic novel by Harvey Pekar, the curmudgeon from Cleveland?
First of all, Michael Malice is a real person. He’s 5’6” and weighs 130 pounds. Although on the cusp of thirty, he could easily pass for a scrawny teenager.
One day Michael, a guy with a patchwork employment record and dreams as big as his ego, meets Harvey and begins to relay all these wild stories about his life. Simple as that. Harvey thinks the guy is bright but a bit of a riddle–though not the kind wrapped in an enigma. It’s strange. He seems like the type of person you meet every day, rather ordinary, until you really get to know him. Then you realize he’s exceptional, unusual, and contradictory. Pleasant one minute, really nasty the next. But isn’t cruelty part of human nature? We digress. . . .
Harvey writes up and illustrates one of Michael Malice’s tales, “Fish Story,” which is part of American Splendor: Our Movie Year. It makes a splash and spawns this book, Harvey’s first hardcover, a graphic novel event about one guy’s life.
Ego & Hubris relates how, a year and a half after his birth in the Ukraine, Michael Malice moved with his parents to Brooklyn. He’s an intransigent kid, a hard-ass–both a demon to and demonized by the people who cross his path. His life is a constant struggle for validation in a world where the machine keeps trying to break him down. But Michael has a way with people . . . or rather, has a way of getting even with people. Hey, if you can’t live up to your parents’ expectations, at least you can live up to your name.
Michael had never come close to fulfilling his huge dreams–until now. And just as Harvey’s been the everyman for a certain generation of graphic-novel readers, Michael Malice will be the everyman for a new generation.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published April 11, 2006
11 people are currently reading
396 people want to read
About the author
Harvey Pekar
117 books256 followersHarvey Pekar was an American writer and comics creator whose groundbreaking autobiographical series American Splendor helped redefine the possibilities of graphic storytelling. Frequently called the poet laureate of Cleveland, he developed a body of work that approached everyday life with candor, humor, frustration, and philosophical reflection. Pekar’s voice became central to the evolution of comics into a medium capable of serious literary expression, and his influence extended to criticism, journalism, and popular culture through his essays, radio work, and memorable television appearances.
Pekar grew up in Cleveland, where his parents operated a small grocery store, and his early experiences shaped much of the sensibility that later defined his writing. His deep love of jazz led him into criticism, and through that world he befriended artist Robert Crumb. Their shared interest in music eventually led him to try writing comics. Pekar wrote his first scripts in the early seventies, sketching out stories with simple figures before passing them to Crumb and other underground artists who encouraged him to continue. With the first issue of American Splendor in 1976, Pekar began chronicling the small battles, anxieties, and fleeting moments that made up his daily life in Cleveland. His day job as a file clerk, his marriages, conversations with coworkers, frustrations with bureaucracy, and the struggle to make ends meet all became material for a series that often blurred the line between observation and confession. Over the years, he worked with a wide range of artists who interpreted his scripts in styles that mirrored the emotional tone of each story.
The success of American Splendor brought Pekar national attention. Collections such as The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar received strong critical praise, and his unpredictable, often confrontational appearances on late-night television became a defining part of his public persona. The 2003 film adaptation of American Splendor, in which Paul Giamatti portrayed him, earned major festival awards and introduced Pekar’s work to a wider audience. He continued to write graphic memoirs, biographies, collaborations, and cultural commentary, expanding his range while maintaining the blunt honesty that characterized his voice. Pekar’s work remains central to the development of literary comics, influencing generations of writers and artists who followed his example.
Pekar grew up in Cleveland, where his parents operated a small grocery store, and his early experiences shaped much of the sensibility that later defined his writing. His deep love of jazz led him into criticism, and through that world he befriended artist Robert Crumb. Their shared interest in music eventually led him to try writing comics. Pekar wrote his first scripts in the early seventies, sketching out stories with simple figures before passing them to Crumb and other underground artists who encouraged him to continue. With the first issue of American Splendor in 1976, Pekar began chronicling the small battles, anxieties, and fleeting moments that made up his daily life in Cleveland. His day job as a file clerk, his marriages, conversations with coworkers, frustrations with bureaucracy, and the struggle to make ends meet all became material for a series that often blurred the line between observation and confession. Over the years, he worked with a wide range of artists who interpreted his scripts in styles that mirrored the emotional tone of each story.
The success of American Splendor brought Pekar national attention. Collections such as The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar received strong critical praise, and his unpredictable, often confrontational appearances on late-night television became a defining part of his public persona. The 2003 film adaptation of American Splendor, in which Paul Giamatti portrayed him, earned major festival awards and introduced Pekar’s work to a wider audience. He continued to write graphic memoirs, biographies, collaborations, and cultural commentary, expanding his range while maintaining the blunt honesty that characterized his voice. Pekar’s work remains central to the development of literary comics, influencing generations of writers and artists who followed his example.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
January 17, 2018
"YOUR WELCOME"
July 23, 2015
Harvey Pekar is a gifted writer, but Michael Malice is such an unrelenting douchebag that this book is almost impossible to appreciate. He's not nearly as smart as he thinks and his life and arguments are fundamentally boring.
April 27, 2010
I appreciate the artwork and the dedication by Harvey Pekar on this piece but Mike Malice is an utter piece of Randroid shit. Totally egotistical, anti-social, anti-collective and completely hostile.
There are Rand quotes galore in this piece. The funny thing is Mike describes himself as an "anarchist", he's not. He's a Libertarian. The term anarchist evolved from the left and was a collective philosophy, not a philosophy of individualism. Furthermore, Mike goes on to call Sacco and Vanzetti "criminal anarchists" to differentiate himself from them. Is he forgetting that Sacco and Vanzetti were innocent? That they were true heroes on a scale he could never reach? Probably not.
I don't have a problem with books about nasty people but throughout the book Mike Malice remains a nasty person. He never grows. His hope and dream is that more people can be like him.
What a chaotic world we'd live in if that were the case.
There are Rand quotes galore in this piece. The funny thing is Mike describes himself as an "anarchist", he's not. He's a Libertarian. The term anarchist evolved from the left and was a collective philosophy, not a philosophy of individualism. Furthermore, Mike goes on to call Sacco and Vanzetti "criminal anarchists" to differentiate himself from them. Is he forgetting that Sacco and Vanzetti were innocent? That they were true heroes on a scale he could never reach? Probably not.
I don't have a problem with books about nasty people but throughout the book Mike Malice remains a nasty person. He never grows. His hope and dream is that more people can be like him.
What a chaotic world we'd live in if that were the case.
February 27, 2024
Loved it. I’ve followed Michael Malice’s stuff since I heard him on the Tom Woods Show. Don’t listen to the other reviewers on here. They don’t get it. What they want from people is false humility and that’s not Malice. He’s not perfect, but he’s also validated in taking down those who lord their positions of power over others. The jerk security guard, the horrible project manager, and the incompetent professor all deserved to be taken down a peg or two. Furthermore, he admits when he’s wrong and he listens to the advice of his friends.
For those who know him now, this book was published before Malice’a book, Dear Reader (also excellent), as well as long before “Your Welcome.”
Maybe what I like best about this is how it’s made me reflect on my own life, reevaluating my thought processes and beliefs. Plus, Michael Malice is hella’ interesting.
For those who know him now, this book was published before Malice’a book, Dear Reader (also excellent), as well as long before “Your Welcome.”
Maybe what I like best about this is how it’s made me reflect on my own life, reevaluating my thought processes and beliefs. Plus, Michael Malice is hella’ interesting.
January 5, 2020
Synopsis: Ego and Hubris: The Michael Malice Story is a Harvey Pekar biography about the life and times of the titular subject.
My Thoughts: I do concur with the complaints regarding the main subject of this story. Michael Malice is an arrogant, self-centered, objectivist, anarchist douchebag who truly is chock full of "Ego and Hubris" (pun fully intended). However, I must give this book credit for introducing me to and piquing my interest in Harvey Pekar's work, for as insufferable as Michael's compartment and philosophy (which I wholly disagreed with) was, I found myself relating to his somewhat dysfunctional family to a slightly surprising extent. Even though Malice often took his biting criticism too far, there were some individuals throughout the story who really deserved it such as that ignoramus Business Class professor. Plus, Pekar's writing was captivating and took an elegantly neutral stance to the point the reader completely forgets the role he plays until the end. While many people here don't seem to like Gary Dunn's art, I found it sufficiently expressive though the body proportions could be improved upon.
Final Thoughts: Though I probably won't recommend this to a new reader as a starting point to Pekar's opus (that prize goes to American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar which I also reviewed), it makes for a decent addition for a fan of his work.
My Thoughts: I do concur with the complaints regarding the main subject of this story. Michael Malice is an arrogant, self-centered, objectivist, anarchist douchebag who truly is chock full of "Ego and Hubris" (pun fully intended). However, I must give this book credit for introducing me to and piquing my interest in Harvey Pekar's work, for as insufferable as Michael's compartment and philosophy (which I wholly disagreed with) was, I found myself relating to his somewhat dysfunctional family to a slightly surprising extent. Even though Malice often took his biting criticism too far, there were some individuals throughout the story who really deserved it such as that ignoramus Business Class professor. Plus, Pekar's writing was captivating and took an elegantly neutral stance to the point the reader completely forgets the role he plays until the end. While many people here don't seem to like Gary Dunn's art, I found it sufficiently expressive though the body proportions could be improved upon.
Final Thoughts: Though I probably won't recommend this to a new reader as a starting point to Pekar's opus (that prize goes to American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar which I also reviewed), it makes for a decent addition for a fan of his work.
September 1, 2011
Is it possible to enjoy a book yet hate its protagonist? Such was my situation with Ego and Hubris. This nicely-drawn, well-presented graphic novel presents the biography of the world’s biggest dickhead. No opportunity for petty cruelty is wasted with this guy, and he’s proud of it.
Because I am around the same age as Mr. Malice, I appreciated the period detail of his childhood. I, too, loved the TV show “Small Wonder” and collected and obsessively rearranged Safari Cards.
If you’re like me and don’t especially like libertarians, expect to like them even less after meeting Michael Malice. He is pretty much a living embodiment of all of the worst stereotypes about their personalities and values. I did, however, enjoy his brief foray into the world of misfit politicos…he introduces us to pro-choice Republicans, gay Republicans, and Republicans who support socialized medicine. I’m married to a liberal who adores guns, so there you go.
Ego and Hubris is a well-done comic, if you can tolerate the star’s mistreatment of all other members of the human race.
Because I am around the same age as Mr. Malice, I appreciated the period detail of his childhood. I, too, loved the TV show “Small Wonder” and collected and obsessively rearranged Safari Cards.
If you’re like me and don’t especially like libertarians, expect to like them even less after meeting Michael Malice. He is pretty much a living embodiment of all of the worst stereotypes about their personalities and values. I did, however, enjoy his brief foray into the world of misfit politicos…he introduces us to pro-choice Republicans, gay Republicans, and Republicans who support socialized medicine. I’m married to a liberal who adores guns, so there you go.
Ego and Hubris is a well-done comic, if you can tolerate the star’s mistreatment of all other members of the human race.
March 25, 2008
I enjoy the writings and musings of Harvey Pekar - I own a few of his collected volumes - have read more than that - have met an Editor that worked with him - did a report on him in my Graphic Novel as Lit class - own and have watched "American Splendor" the docu-drama multiple times...but this was probably my least favorite thing Pekar has done. And that has everything to do with the subject.
Michael Malice is a total jerk-off. I hate self-proclaimed "geniuses" who spend their life treating other people like shit. The worst part - is how little accolade or credit he gives to anyone else for shaping the person he is today. Most especially his parents and grandparents get spat upon.
Autobiographies tend to be whiney, parent-bashing things...and this was no better. It was worse actually, because the main character was SO unlikeable. It was compelling, because the character was so terrible, I was hoping to get to the end of find some measure of humanity or emotional depth.
No such thing emerged. I love Pekar's ability to humanize and deepen the most trivial of human interactions. Unfortunately, this dude Michael Malice - seems to be comprised of nary a human bone in his body. Therefore - his ticks and personality quirks were grating, and not ingratiating. He is the kind of person you want to spend your life trying to avoid if at all possible.
I would not suggest this book as a first foray into the Pekar or Graphic Novel world.
Much Love, Mindy C
Michael Malice is a total jerk-off. I hate self-proclaimed "geniuses" who spend their life treating other people like shit. The worst part - is how little accolade or credit he gives to anyone else for shaping the person he is today. Most especially his parents and grandparents get spat upon.
Autobiographies tend to be whiney, parent-bashing things...and this was no better. It was worse actually, because the main character was SO unlikeable. It was compelling, because the character was so terrible, I was hoping to get to the end of find some measure of humanity or emotional depth.
No such thing emerged. I love Pekar's ability to humanize and deepen the most trivial of human interactions. Unfortunately, this dude Michael Malice - seems to be comprised of nary a human bone in his body. Therefore - his ticks and personality quirks were grating, and not ingratiating. He is the kind of person you want to spend your life trying to avoid if at all possible.
I would not suggest this book as a first foray into the Pekar or Graphic Novel world.
Much Love, Mindy C
July 7, 2009
This guy is such a prick and his life is pretty boring. I really like Harvey Pekar but Michael Malice is a snore. I would hate this guy in real life and I can even empathize a lot with where he is coming from. He comes across as unpleasant and self-righteous. Yes, he is unapologetic as the title suggests and it is slightly thrilling to see him lay into inept bosses but I bet he would be a terrible person to work with. Of all the people Harvey Pekar must have met in his life I can't really understand why he would chose this guy to do such a long piece on.
October 1, 2009
I love Harvey Pekar, but I just couldn't get into this book. The subject is a giant prick who is convinced Ayn Rand is the answer to all the worlds problems. It wouldn't be so bad if the guy wasn't constantly treating every other human being alive like they were mentally handicapped trash dwellers. I couldn't finish this book, even from the perspective of it being a portrait of a douchebag. The art is nice enough, and Pekar's writing is solid as always, but gah. Reading about this guy just made me angry.
November 17, 2024
Do I need to get inside the mind of a right wing douchebag? Probably yes, but this is still a curious thing for Pekar. Michael Malice is a self-righteous libertarian asshole, a stunted manchild who credits his feckless existence to his Ayn-Randian "integrity" instead of his abysmal emotional intelligence and wanton cruelty. There is a long section on researching a feckless band for a screenplay that comes close to explaining Pekar's investment in Malice, but if you aren't constantly saying "fuck this guy, Harvey" you may not be looking for authorial intent in the Rubber Rodeo sidequest.
July 8, 2017
While the subject of this comic book was too far up his own ass to really be considered interesting, the book itself serves a wide variety of purposes rather well. Even if more than a few of these purposes go well outside the author's original intent. While it did not come as a shock that the rather prickly Pekar would find Malice worth an entire volume of his time, my own personal experience renders this special snowflake of a Randian Libertarian the absolutely worst kind of person. But since Pekar obviously likes him, it is an interesting exercise in how everything can be basically true and above board and two people can have wildly different perspectives on it - something I think a lot of us likely miss in the modern world lol.
The ending, in particular, seemed rather contrived by either Pekar or Malice to show that Malice's ego/hubris had finally paid off. He finally gets to prove himself! But while I can appreciate that real life stories are a lot messier than fiction, I still really don't buy it. I'm sure he's being paid a lot more than me, but working in casting for a reality tv show (along with the other things listed on his Wikipedia page) don't actually strike me as things I perceive (even in my most capitalist moments) to be all that successful, and I don't feel like the Malice I got to know would really be all that excited about. Except of course that apparently these bosses finally really appreciate him, which I can see going a long way for anyone.
I was also pretty interested in all the ways that I could, in fact, sympathise with Malice, especially in his earlier years. A lot of the problems he sees in larger society and with bosses, in particular, are actual problems - at least in my humble opinion - but the striking difference between us is our reaction to these problems. While it certainly takes more energy to care about other people, there really is nothing particularly inspiring about how selfish Malice proves himself throughout this book. Rather than strive to actually solve the problems he faces, Malice's short-sighted focus barely manages to improve his own life let alone anyone else's.
I would also like to note that Malice seems to go out of his way to be particularly harsh to women.
The artwork in this book is good and overall the writing is also extremely well done. This is the first Pekar I have read in a while and it certainly proved thought provoking.
The ending, in particular, seemed rather contrived by either Pekar or Malice to show that Malice's ego/hubris had finally paid off. He finally gets to prove himself! But while I can appreciate that real life stories are a lot messier than fiction, I still really don't buy it. I'm sure he's being paid a lot more than me, but working in casting for a reality tv show (along with the other things listed on his Wikipedia page) don't actually strike me as things I perceive (even in my most capitalist moments) to be all that successful, and I don't feel like the Malice I got to know would really be all that excited about. Except of course that apparently these bosses finally really appreciate him, which I can see going a long way for anyone.
I was also pretty interested in all the ways that I could, in fact, sympathise with Malice, especially in his earlier years. A lot of the problems he sees in larger society and with bosses, in particular, are actual problems - at least in my humble opinion - but the striking difference between us is our reaction to these problems. While it certainly takes more energy to care about other people, there really is nothing particularly inspiring about how selfish Malice proves himself throughout this book. Rather than strive to actually solve the problems he faces, Malice's short-sighted focus barely manages to improve his own life let alone anyone else's.
I would also like to note that Malice seems to go out of his way to be particularly harsh to women.
The artwork in this book is good and overall the writing is also extremely well done. This is the first Pekar I have read in a while and it certainly proved thought provoking.
May 3, 2008
Man it's easy to really hate Michael Malice. While reading this book I forgot that Pekar wrote it. He writes so convincingly from the point of view of the ego-maniacal Malice that I wonder if much of the narration is pulled directly from interviews Pekar may have had with Malice. Not that this makes Pekar's book any less interesting or artful. It's impressive for how vividly Pekar gets into the mind of such a man.
Gary Dumm's art is kind of goofy. I've read a bunch of other American Splendor stories that he's illustrated and I've always found his art a good match for Pekar's stories of the everyday and mundane. However, I find his illustrations of children rather disturbing. Their facial features are always the same as their adult counterparts and their bodies are not at all proportional. They look more like midgets than children. Anyway, this is not too distracting and his otherwise plain realism helps leave plenty of room for Pekar's great storytelling.
Anyway, Pekar has Malice narrate his life story - from the time he is a child studying at a Yeshiva in Flatbush to his days as a consultant in Manhattan. The thread running through all the little anecdotes Malice tells is that he is some kind of uber-mensch, far above reproach. He points out the faults of all around him, in a cold-hearted way. He mentions Ayn Rand as an early influence of his, and you can definitely see that whole Objectivist bullshit running through every decision he makes and every comment he cares to share.
Nonetheless Ego and Hubris is a compelling read, if only to find out how Malice will piss someone off next. The problem is, everything works out in the end for this bastard. I guess that happens in the real world all the time.
Gary Dumm's art is kind of goofy. I've read a bunch of other American Splendor stories that he's illustrated and I've always found his art a good match for Pekar's stories of the everyday and mundane. However, I find his illustrations of children rather disturbing. Their facial features are always the same as their adult counterparts and their bodies are not at all proportional. They look more like midgets than children. Anyway, this is not too distracting and his otherwise plain realism helps leave plenty of room for Pekar's great storytelling.
Anyway, Pekar has Malice narrate his life story - from the time he is a child studying at a Yeshiva in Flatbush to his days as a consultant in Manhattan. The thread running through all the little anecdotes Malice tells is that he is some kind of uber-mensch, far above reproach. He points out the faults of all around him, in a cold-hearted way. He mentions Ayn Rand as an early influence of his, and you can definitely see that whole Objectivist bullshit running through every decision he makes and every comment he cares to share.
Nonetheless Ego and Hubris is a compelling read, if only to find out how Malice will piss someone off next. The problem is, everything works out in the end for this bastard. I guess that happens in the real world all the time.
January 11, 2019
If you are reading this, then you are either a fan of Pekar or Malice already. I come from the Malice wing of the Malice party. His lifestory is equal parts fascinating and repetitive but I believe that's the point. Much of his life story is spent in the soul crushing and monotonous systems of school and Corporate America. His titular ego is frustrating at times, but that is, I think, because he bucks traditional American views of authority and work ethic. We watch has he throws away opportunities few have because he doesn't want them. Opportunities that we are taught to seize on and never let go. Its not because he is ungrateful, but because he realizes that his own happiness is more important. Truly a wonderful story that is maddening and insightful.
May 18, 2021
Incredibly interesting narrative of what life looks like of you try to have morals and principles and live by them. Life doesn't get easier, you don't always get what you want, but at the end of it all, it seems like a life worth living. That's good enough for me, and then there's more. Gallows humor, a ridiculously witty mind, and another quality that is shared with Machiavelli; metacognition. We are all faced with choices, let us not confine ourselves to be faceless men, but aspire to truly live the life we imagine and dream of. Even though it does not guarantee success, I truly believe that if you do not howl, you will not find your pack.
July 3, 2008
This the first graphic novel I've ever read and I loved it. I've been meaning to check out Harvey Pekar's work for a long time (he writes the American Splendor series that was turned into a really great movie). This was a lot of fun to read. It felt like "cheating" because a grapic novel is like a comic book. But there was a lot of depth to this story. I can't wait to read more!
January 5, 2022
What a fucking terrible book. I can’t believe I finished this thing. The entire time I just couldn’t wait for it to be over. Giant waste of time. Do not read. Misogyny, libertarianism, and Ayn Rand advocacy. This book is meant for proud boys. If I could give this book zero stars I would.
Michael and Harvey are two shitheads that deserve to worship one another.
Michael and Harvey are two shitheads that deserve to worship one another.
May 28, 2018
Snapshot of Michael Malice from his early years to his late twenties. Quite an interesting trajectory of a successful intellectual.
September 3, 2018
Michael Malice is one of the most interesting people on the planet, this book is brilliant, very enjoyable.
December 6, 2020
Most reviewers don't "GET" Malice...he gets you.
March 22, 2018
I usually like Pekar because of his ability to humanize his characters - no matter how stupid or shallow a person behaves, Pekar has a way of recognizing their point of view and sympathizing. Writing the story of Michael Malice, Pekar has done the exact opposite - reduced everybody to a cliche. Nobody understands Michael, they're so unfair to him. I can't imagine how Malice has survived in a world that simply can't understand his genius.
Unfortunately, not only is Malice a petty and annoying jerk, but Pekar's delivery of the material is very dry, and Dumm's art is (as usual, but you don't mind so much when the story is stronger) stiff and awkward. I still haven't finished the book, and I'm not sure that I'm going to. If you're looking for a book with an intentionally challenging protagonist, this might be for you. I had a hard time with it though.
Unfortunately, not only is Malice a petty and annoying jerk, but Pekar's delivery of the material is very dry, and Dumm's art is (as usual, but you don't mind so much when the story is stronger) stiff and awkward. I still haven't finished the book, and I'm not sure that I'm going to. If you're looking for a book with an intentionally challenging protagonist, this might be for you. I had a hard time with it though.
November 18, 2023
I went into this knowing nothing about it, or about Michael Malice. It was an interesting read. Kind of an autobiography from a possibly unreliable narrator, filtered through Pekar and Dumm, who might also have twisted things around a bit in the telling.
Since reading this, I looked up Malice online, and I now like him even less than I did just from reading the book. Still, it's an interesting story, and it (to some extent) let me get inside the head of someone whose worldview is very different from my own. And I think that might have been Pekar's point here.
Pekar and Dumm are very straightforward in their storytelling here. If you've read Pekar before, you know what to expect. Dumm is also fairly straightforward here, but with a few interesting flourishes here and there. Overall, I enjoyed reading this.
Since reading this, I looked up Malice online, and I now like him even less than I did just from reading the book. Still, it's an interesting story, and it (to some extent) let me get inside the head of someone whose worldview is very different from my own. And I think that might have been Pekar's point here.
Pekar and Dumm are very straightforward in their storytelling here. If you've read Pekar before, you know what to expect. Dumm is also fairly straightforward here, but with a few interesting flourishes here and there. Overall, I enjoyed reading this.
May 13, 2018
Michael Malice is a deeply unlikeable character, yet I've now read this short graphic biography twice. I have little idea why Harvey Pekar found him so interesting. Harvey's a left-leaning liberal, Michael Malice is a far-right libertarian (who has the gall to call himself an Anarchist). Maybe its the clash of the two personalities that makes the book work, but Harvey doesn't show up until the last 1/4 of the book. That's probably why I like this book less than Harvey Pekar's other work. In nearly all of Harvey's oeuvre, our man is front and center. It's Harvey's world we're interested in, not Michael Malice. Yet, here this book is.
August 22, 2017
Hard to write a bad review about Pekar, one of my favorite writers and people, but what makes Pekar great, is that underneath the curmudgeonly exterior, there's a real human warmth. This is something that Michael Malice lacks completely. In addition to that, every anecdote is about how he's smarter and more moral and better than everyone around him. I honestly kept reading because I though there would be some fundamental change, but there wasn't. The end is a quote from Ayn Rand. The book was insufferable.
August 13, 2022
Loved it. Michael Malice lives up to his name and as far as I could tell he only spits his poison at those who deserve it. What I took from the story is that if you are an arrogant midwit then maybe, hopefully, an arrogant troll will come along and knock you down a peg or two giving you your just deserts.
May 7, 2017
In general I'm opposed to biographies and memoirs by people early in their life. And, I don't really understand what made Mr. Malice so interesting to Mr. Pekar.
But, it was a good read, and I enjoyed it.
But, it was a good read, and I enjoyed it.
November 6, 2025
Còmic horriblement dibuixat (tots els nens semblen adults baixets) sobre una persona horrible, fan de l’Ayn Rand i minarquista (neoliberal, capitalista "llibertari", vaja). Ignoro els motius perquè Harvey Pekar ha escrit aquesta gasòfia…
July 6, 2020
3 stars - 1 for Harvey Pekar, 1 for the illustrator Gary Dumm, and 1 reluctant star for our protagonist. I liked the end of the book, the last 5-10 pages, when MM finally gets his dream job and with it a sort of attitude adjustment. This guy remembers ever slight from every classmate, teacher, relative, co-worker, and even a security guard that he went out of his way to have fired for asking for his ID in a Manhattan office building in the months after 9/11. The ending of the book sort of justifies suffering through his entire toxic, type-A life story in order to, finally, reach the uplifting Randian message of being true to yourself. I Googled an Ayn Rand quote to conclude this review,
"Learn to value yourself, which means: to fight for your happiness"
"Learn to value yourself, which means: to fight for your happiness"
August 23, 2020
Michael Malice is pretty insufferable but this graphic novel is really fun.
July 17, 2021
Life changing
November 13, 2021
Is this the guy from cash cab?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_h9d...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_h9d...
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