My first autobio comic? Thank-you Joe Matt.

As I discussed in a previous post, whilst recently digging through my collection of old 'zines to talk about to promote the 'Zine Storage Box Kickstarter I've currently got running, I came across a vintage DIY minicomic of mine called The Chamber. I'd completely forgotten about this self-published effort, a not-very-nice-of-me standalone comic essentially all about how I thought my college housemates were a bunch of stoned jerks. This was a central part of my Senior Thesis in Art School, and I feel bad about it now... but not bad enough to not revisit that material and see if I can make it into something new, fun, and funny. (Spoiler, I think I'm succeeding, and I'm excited to mail my newest issue out to Monthly Minicomic Club members.)

Published in the back of that same 'zine I found what I think might have been my first autobio comic, a dense one-pager, appropriately all about my all-time favorite cartoonist of that genre, the late Joe Matt. I first discovered his series Peepshow in the late-90s while roadtripping through New England with my girlfriend at the time. I loved this comic book, and rapidly tracked down every issue, and as you'll see in this strip developed an obsession that some might describe as annoying.

I redrew the piece for my newest mini. The first two rows are below, the full 24 panel piece is behind the Paywall. Sorry to do that, but I'd like paid members to get some exclusives, and also would love to tempt a few of the many free members I've recently acquired to consider throwing a few pennies my way. Just the $1 Tip Jar level will get you access...

Along with the full cartoon, I'm also posting the original letter that I'd mailed to Joe Matt. I find that much more cringe and embarrassing to re-read than I do the autobio comic. I'm shocked that the cartoon is as strong as it is! I guess maybe I'd found my calling...

The letter that caused all the problems was published by Joe Matt in issue 11 of Peepshow. As I said, it's far more embarrassing to me to look at now than the cartoon that emerged from it is.

Ugh! It makes my skin crawl to look at now, but maybe it shouldn't. I love writing and reading autobio cartoons, and I give a lot credit to Joe Matt for awakening my interest in them at a time when I was just getting "turned on" to alternative comics.

There's a secondary level of embarrassment to me out of this whole exchange, which is that it's not hard to read between the lines and surmise that Joe Matt didn't exactly think much of the comic I'd sent him, but I can't hold that against him. It's actually extremely cool and kind that he wrote me back at all. Not all writers would, and as I've established, it really meant a lot to me at the time. I was just thrilled to be in communication with somebody I found so inspiring.