Having set the standard for contemporary chick-lit adaptations, "The Devil Wears Prada" is a tough act to follow. The clothes, the attitude, the scene-stealing, Oscar-nominated work from Meryl Streep _ anything would pale by comparison.But "The Nanny Diaries" especially does, and it might have seemed...

In the following essay, Witek traces the history of Harvey Pekar's American Splendor series, asserting that Pekar's work represents a unique contribution to the comic book format—due to its focus on everyday life—and reverses the traditionally escapist tendencies of American graphic narratives.