Indeed, some stories were clearly meant to take place in the real world. One portrayed the death of H. P. Lovecraft. Another, "American Squalor", pastiched the autobiographical comics series American Splendor by Harvey Pekar, with Don Simpson imitating the drawing style of Robert Crumb. This story portrayed a thinly guised version of Pekar in one of his acrimonious appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, in which Pekar had denounced General Electric. Late Night with David Letterman (July 31, 1987). The narrative was also influenced by a 1961 monologue by Close's comedian colleague Severn Darden. Typically, "American Squalor" both included political content in the story and also turned it into a fable about self-loathing and anxiety.Close, Del, writer (with an assist from John Ostrander); Simpson, Don, art. "American Squalor", Wasteland #3 (DC Comics, February 1988).
