Comic book writer Harvey Pekar, whose autobiographical comic series American Splendor was made into a 2003 Oscar nominated film starring Paul Giamatti and Hope Davis, has been found dead in his Ohio home. He was 70.

Cleveland Heights, OH police Capt. Michael Cannon said officers were called to Pekar’s home by his wife Joyce Brabner about 1 A.M. Monday. Cannon said Pekar had been suffering from prostate cancer, asthma, high blood pressure and depression. Coroner’s spokesman Powell Caesar said an autopsy will be performed to determine final cause of death, although foul play was not suspected.

Pekar’s American Splendor comics, which he began publishing in 1976, chronicle his observations on work, love, money and life’s daily grind. The comic was done with stories from dozens of artists over the years in a wide variety of styles and was first illustrated by renonwed underground artist R. Crumb.

However, with each successive style, the voice remained the same: that of a witty, wry, observant man who’s study of human nature and the minutia of life through his own shortcomings never ceased to entertain and enlighten.

In addition to his writing, he was known for his appearances on Late Night With David Letterman. Check out his last appearance on the show after the break.

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Just weeks before his latest show Treme debuts on HBO, TV writer and producer David Mills has died of a reported brain aneurysm in New Orleans at the age of 49. Mills was head writer and producer on the show, which is about how a group of people of New Orleans rebuild their lives after Hurricane Katrina.

In additon to Treme, Mills was an accomplished and award winning writer for such shows as the HBO miniseries The Corner, ER, Homicide: Life on the Street, Kingpin, NYPD Blue and was a story editor on the CBS drama Picket Fences.

Mills also worked closely for years with David Simon, creator of one of the best shows ever to grace television screens The Wire and who is also the creator of Treme. He also wrote for several newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

Mills was a talented man who provided a destinctive voice for characters and stories through his writing. His work will be sorely missed.

Treme premieres April 11 on HBO. I’ll be watching and so should you.

Corey Haim, star of the ’80s favorites The Lost Boys, License to Drive, and Dream a Little Dream (all three also starring his friend and frequent collaborator Corey Feldman), was pronounced dead at 3:30 this morning at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, of what is believed to be an accidental drug overdose.

Born in Toronto, Canada, Haim rose to prominence with the 1986 film Lucas, also starring Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder. From there, he won a role on the 1987 television series Roomies before going on to be in cast in perhaps his best-known role in Joel Schumacher’s teenage vampire horror/comedy The Lost Boys.

Throughout the ’90s he starred in a number of direct-to-video releases including the sequel to Dream a Little Dream, Dream a Little Dream 2. He also starred in the independent action/comedy Fast Getaway, as well as its sequel Fast Getaway II.

In the ’00s he reunited with Feldman to create the reality television show The Two Coreys, which ran on A&E for two seasons before a rift between the two, resulting from Haim’s addiction to Valium soured their relationship, and the network deciding against pursuing a third season.