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Peepshow
Presenting the complete collection of Joe Matt’s legendary autobiographical comic book series ― a masterpiece of modern humor.
Few comic book series can claim to have influenced a generation of cartoonists, comics fans, and comedians the way Joe Matt’s Peepshow did during its fourteen issues from 1992 to 2006. With an often alarming and always hilarious compulsion to confess, Matt found no aspect of his life that wasn’t more grist for the humor his dysfunctional (and sometimes abusive) relationships, his Catholic repression, his horrible social skills, his addiction to pornography, his masturbation habits, etc. Yes, the character Joe Matt was usually an insufferable outsider, but in the hands of Joe Matt the writer/artist, his life was depicted with an eye and ear for human folly that rivalled R. Crumb, as well as an entertainer’s instinct and sense of comedic timing to rival Larry David, and it made Peepshow one of the most essential reads of its era. This book collects for the first time the entire original fourteen-issue series in one hardcover volume, as well as the posthumously-published fifteenth issue from 2024 (detailing Matt’s move to Los Angeles in 2003 to pursue an ill-fated HBO adaptation of his work), each presented as painstakingly-restored facsimiles of the original issues. This definitive Joe Matt collection also includes other art and ephemera from the artist’s personal archives, including a hand-written introduction to a complete Peepshow collection that at the time was purely hypothetical and was only discovered after his death in 2023. Peepshow is rounded out with an insightful afterword by Diana Schutz, the Will Eisner Hall of Fame comics writer and editor, and longtime friend of Matt’s (and sister of Trish, Matt’s ex-girlfriend and key player in Peepshow’s cast).
Black-and-white with some color
Few comic book series can claim to have influenced a generation of cartoonists, comics fans, and comedians the way Joe Matt’s Peepshow did during its fourteen issues from 1992 to 2006. With an often alarming and always hilarious compulsion to confess, Matt found no aspect of his life that wasn’t more grist for the humor his dysfunctional (and sometimes abusive) relationships, his Catholic repression, his horrible social skills, his addiction to pornography, his masturbation habits, etc. Yes, the character Joe Matt was usually an insufferable outsider, but in the hands of Joe Matt the writer/artist, his life was depicted with an eye and ear for human folly that rivalled R. Crumb, as well as an entertainer’s instinct and sense of comedic timing to rival Larry David, and it made Peepshow one of the most essential reads of its era. This book collects for the first time the entire original fourteen-issue series in one hardcover volume, as well as the posthumously-published fifteenth issue from 2024 (detailing Matt’s move to Los Angeles in 2003 to pursue an ill-fated HBO adaptation of his work), each presented as painstakingly-restored facsimiles of the original issues. This definitive Joe Matt collection also includes other art and ephemera from the artist’s personal archives, including a hand-written introduction to a complete Peepshow collection that at the time was purely hypothetical and was only discovered after his death in 2023. Peepshow is rounded out with an insightful afterword by Diana Schutz, the Will Eisner Hall of Fame comics writer and editor, and longtime friend of Matt’s (and sister of Trish, Matt’s ex-girlfriend and key player in Peepshow’s cast).
Black-and-white with some color
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
464 pages, Hardcover
Published September 29, 2026
About the author
Joe Matt
61 books107 followersJoe Matt was an American cartoonist.
Matt grew up in Lansdale, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and started drawing comics in 1987. He is best known for his autobiographical series Peepshow, exploring themes of social awkwardness, abusive relationships and addiction to pornography.
Besides his cartooning career, Matt was known for his large collection of vintage Gasoline Alley comic strips.
Matt lived (illegally) in Canada from 1988 to 2002. He then moved to Los Angeles, California, where he died of heart attack in 2023, at age 60.
Matt grew up in Lansdale, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and started drawing comics in 1987. He is best known for his autobiographical series Peepshow, exploring themes of social awkwardness, abusive relationships and addiction to pornography.
Besides his cartooning career, Matt was known for his large collection of vintage Gasoline Alley comic strips.
Matt lived (illegally) in Canada from 1988 to 2002. He then moved to Los Angeles, California, where he died of heart attack in 2023, at age 60.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 29, 2026
Not sure how to rate this one. I devoured it in a few days. Truly could not put it down. Joe Matt lays all the worst, most vulnerable, confidential, sad, pathetic, abusive, delusional, and gross parts of himself on these pages and then dials them up or down. It’s all here: the good (his cartooning), the bad (his behavior and outlook), and the ugly (the sad trajectory of his life). He left a trail of panels in the wake of his life, for us to learn about him? ourselves? life? I dunno.
A lot of folks read this and probably feel way better about themselves, but I don’t think that should be the point. I can identify with aspects of him (I think most folks can if they’re honest with themselves), and it feels important to reflect what that looks like and learn from him. I love this book the same way I love Crumb (1994). It leaves me with a sadness and empathy that I cherish because it shows humanity and all its flaws. However, I also don’t think being a piece of shit and drawing it well with a “well at least I’m honest’” mentality is that admirable though I do appreciate it. We see him try to change or at least think about changing but we also see him on the hamster wheel of addiction and self-isolation. He really is some version of Crumb that found less success and ultimately lost the drive to pursue his work.
I don’t know what to rate this. It feels important. He is repulsive and he admits to it by literally drawing it out, but I don’t think that is necessarily a virtue. But I don’t think I should judge this based on his character? More on its literary merits? How I do so…? I have no idea.
A lot of folks read this and probably feel way better about themselves, but I don’t think that should be the point. I can identify with aspects of him (I think most folks can if they’re honest with themselves), and it feels important to reflect what that looks like and learn from him. I love this book the same way I love Crumb (1994). It leaves me with a sadness and empathy that I cherish because it shows humanity and all its flaws. However, I also don’t think being a piece of shit and drawing it well with a “well at least I’m honest’” mentality is that admirable though I do appreciate it. We see him try to change or at least think about changing but we also see him on the hamster wheel of addiction and self-isolation. He really is some version of Crumb that found less success and ultimately lost the drive to pursue his work.
I don’t know what to rate this. It feels important. He is repulsive and he admits to it by literally drawing it out, but I don’t think that is necessarily a virtue. But I don’t think I should judge this based on his character? More on its literary merits? How I do so…? I have no idea.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Peak auto-bio comix.
October 28, 2026
RIP Joe Matt, you'll always be famous 🫙
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews