What do you think?
Rate this book
Peepshow #7-10
Fair Weather
For over ten years Joe Matt has been notorious in cult circles for the embarrassing frankness with which he reveals his distressing habits and predilections. Utterly shameless and completely self-absorbed, Joe Matt writes with an exhibitionist's enthusiasm for his favorite subject, himself.
In his new graphic novel, Fair Weather, Joe examines his 1970s suburban childhood. In a surprisingly tasteful and thoughtful memoir young Joe Matt is a selfish child who steals from stores, takes advantage of his friends, threatens to burn his mother's house down, teases those weaker than himself, and reveals himself to be a fairly normal child. Completely unsentimental and strangely kind of endearing, Fair Weather continues the American tradition of hilarious self-exhibitionism.
In his new graphic novel, Fair Weather, Joe examines his 1970s suburban childhood. In a surprisingly tasteful and thoughtful memoir young Joe Matt is a selfish child who steals from stores, takes advantage of his friends, threatens to burn his mother's house down, teases those weaker than himself, and reveals himself to be a fairly normal child. Completely unsentimental and strangely kind of endearing, Fair Weather continues the American tradition of hilarious self-exhibitionism.
116 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Joe Matt
57 books97 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 27, 2023
Joe Matt brings us back to his past! In Spent he admits much of this story was fabricated, he was actually a very happy young boy. He also admitted to stopping the story too soon to avoid having to draw the busy panels of the fair.
It's a pretty fascinating story. I read it about 10 years ago and still vividly remember some of the scenes. Like when young Matt gets excited about getting an issue of Action Comics #1 only to discover it's a facsimile edition.
Definitely the most crowd-pleasing Joe Matt story.
It's a pretty fascinating story. I read it about 10 years ago and still vividly remember some of the scenes. Like when young Matt gets excited about getting an issue of Action Comics #1 only to discover it's a facsimile edition.
Definitely the most crowd-pleasing Joe Matt story.
September 19, 2011
Joe Matt's autobiographical comics have never flinched from portraying himself as anything other than a flawed human being and "Fair Weather" is no different. The story takes place over a weekend when he's a pre-pubescent boy who is obsessed with comics. Over the course of the book he has an argument with his mother about mowing the lawn, leading to her throwing his comic book collection out, tries to finagle an "Action Comics #1" from an unknowing older boy, and tries to dodge an unhappy acquaintance who was swindled by Matt and wants revenge.
The Americana flavour is strong throughout. Balmy Saturday afternoons spent watching horror films and wrestling, going out for slurpees, digging hideouts in the yard, it's all chronicled throughout.
Matt himself is portrayed as spoilt, manipulative, greedy, unpleasant, and deceitful, and like in his other books, never makes him seem a nice person, all to the good as it makes for a more funny read.
I like Matt's drawing style and while it's not as polished as it was in "Spent" it is excellent in this book. His exaggerated facial expressions add to the pettiness of Matt's own obsessions such as collecting comic book slurpee cups.
A fantastic read and an excellent comic book from an artist who produces far too few books for a man of such talents. If you're interested in indie comics then Joe Matt is your man.
The Americana flavour is strong throughout. Balmy Saturday afternoons spent watching horror films and wrestling, going out for slurpees, digging hideouts in the yard, it's all chronicled throughout.
Matt himself is portrayed as spoilt, manipulative, greedy, unpleasant, and deceitful, and like in his other books, never makes him seem a nice person, all to the good as it makes for a more funny read.
I like Matt's drawing style and while it's not as polished as it was in "Spent" it is excellent in this book. His exaggerated facial expressions add to the pettiness of Matt's own obsessions such as collecting comic book slurpee cups.
A fantastic read and an excellent comic book from an artist who produces far too few books for a man of such talents. If you're interested in indie comics then Joe Matt is your man.
August 22, 2015
There's a "rule" in autobiographical comics that states: when you feel conflicted about whether or not something is too personal to share, share it. I think Joe Matt may have taken that to heart more than any other comics artist, maybe ever (although I'm not convinced he is ever conflicted about anything). I used to think that David Heatley was the most brutally honest creator in comics but clearly the title belongs to Joe Matt. "Fair Weather" is an unflinching - flawed but worthwhile - memoir of what a shitty kid he once was.
Yelling at his mom, being selfish and narcissistic, stealing from his so-called friends, lying, picking on the mentally disabled... There's no way around it: young Joe Matt is not a protagonist you feel much sympathy for. There are a few hints that, like most geeky kids, he was bullied and suffered with low self-esteem, but Matt doesn't apologize for, nor does he revel in, his misdeeds. Instead, "Fair Weather" is a raw, beautifully-drawn document about the difficulties (some self-made) of growing up and the shifting alliances of childhood. I found myself wanting Matt to get his act together but I also wanted to punch him in the face.
At the very least, I respect anyone that can be so vulnerable and forthright about their flaws. "Fair Weather" is not a pleasant read but it's a story worth telling.
Yelling at his mom, being selfish and narcissistic, stealing from his so-called friends, lying, picking on the mentally disabled... There's no way around it: young Joe Matt is not a protagonist you feel much sympathy for. There are a few hints that, like most geeky kids, he was bullied and suffered with low self-esteem, but Matt doesn't apologize for, nor does he revel in, his misdeeds. Instead, "Fair Weather" is a raw, beautifully-drawn document about the difficulties (some self-made) of growing up and the shifting alliances of childhood. I found myself wanting Matt to get his act together but I also wanted to punch him in the face.
At the very least, I respect anyone that can be so vulnerable and forthright about their flaws. "Fair Weather" is not a pleasant read but it's a story worth telling.
September 29, 2017
E' una storia piccola piccola. Due giorni, che scivolano via con insospettabile grazia. L'età della spensieratezza, vissuta dal protagonista per quello che è: non ci sono conseguenze davvero devastanti per le proprie azioni, sicchè il piccolo Joe Matt è libero di comportarsi come gli piace. Joe Matt è un bimbo insopportabile: avido, cattivo, non vuole avere amici, forse non ne sente il bisogno, non si impegna in niente e all'occasione scappa di fronte a qualsiasi minaccia. Al di là della natura autobiografica della storia, colpisce la precisione con cui Matt tratteggia, in poche pagine, un bambino. Un bambino come tanti. I disegni, come al solito, ricordano le comic strip dei quotidiani, con le loro fisionomie stilizzate e i contorni netti, ma sanno essere estremamente precisi ed espressivi. Sfogliare un lavoro di Matt è sempre una gioia per gli occhi. E' una storia piccola piccola, ma è un grande fumetto.
November 11, 2010
If have ANY interest in this guy, start with "Fair Weather." It's a cool, autobiographical glimpse into his life. A real set-up to his books "Spent" and "The Poor Bastard" (which are kind of sad, neurotic tales of hoarding and chronic masturbating). With "Fair Weather," you really appreciate the innocence he had as a kid. And if you grew up collecting comics, it's a pretty interesting tale of a lonely fanboy. It's a world of bicycles, 7-11 Slurpees and late night horror movie hosts. My favorite work of his so far.
July 18, 2010
A well drawn teenage confessional from Joe Matt - with his usual blunt and guilty insecure honesty. Very good of its type, and Matt's drawing skill is beyond question, but really this kind of suburban adolescent coming of age saga is now a hopelessly overworked cliche in comics.
January 5, 2011
Beautifully drawn, well-told tale of one summer weekend in the life of the author-cartoonist's childhood in 70's suburbia. I am now an officially reconfirmed Joe Matt fan and eagerly await his next book, whatever and whenever that may be.
December 28, 2024
after reviewing Spent and The Poor Bastard, it was with excitement that I was reading Joe Matt’s last remaining work; as reminder from the previous critics, Joe Matt usually depicts himself as a looser, a greedy, lazy and unhealthy character throughout his daily life; in Fair Weather, we find again this depiction of the author himself but this time as a child across different stories with his friend (which does’t like him because he has bad values, his bullies (which are after him for being a stealer), and his parents (which he continually disrespects); I kinda enjoy reading this anti-hero stories, but as it is auto-biographical I don’t understand how one person can be this despicable; I feel the 70’s suburban childhood mood can speak to anyone who like the work on these thematics; finally in terms of drawing it is similar as as his previous works, playing a lot with the black dead space, cartoon-style and funny looking characters while depicting detailed and good-looking backgrounds, I wish there was more to read from him.
June 2, 2014
Portraying Joe Matt in a more innocent and simpler time than the porn/masturbation-obsessed Spent. Here's brief glimpse into the early 70's suburban childhood. Joe Matt doesn't exactly try to make himself look like a kid who's very nice and sweet. Instead he comes across as a mean, ungrateful, lying kid, a bed-wetting coward who even threatens to burn down his mothers house if she hides his comics again. Gotta love that honesty. It only covers 2 days, one weekend, from his childhood and feels a little too short to leave any bigger impression. But if you liked any of Joe Matt's other stuff, you'll enjoy this one too.
September 30, 2023
Both this and Chester Brown’s “I never liked you”, which I read back to back, suffer a bit from this particular style of childhood outsider autobiographical comic becoming such a cliche of the genre at this point in time, but still - he’s a very talented cartoonist, the story and dialogue flows and is always a pleasure to read even if the content is unflattering as usual.
July 22, 2021
A couple days in the life of a teenage comicbook obsessive with somewhat questionable morals. In typical Joe Matt's confessional style, he clearly doesn't mind making the characters that he shares a name with come out looking good. Very relatable feel for teenage years.
July 28, 2025
Not as good as The Poor Bastard. A little too short. Wish some things had been developed more. The pace is a little too fast. Still love Joe Matt. Want to read Spent.
Sad that this is long out of print, basically impossible to find, and that Joe Matt is largely unknown.
Sad that this is long out of print, basically impossible to find, and that Joe Matt is largely unknown.
January 27, 2024
this right here is a funny guy
January 10, 2026
3.25 stars rounded down.
I was dragged to this book by the heavy gravity of the Drawn & Quarterly/Chester Brown/Seth galaxy. From what I have gathered so far, Chester Brown's work is a bit weirder than this and Seth's is a bit more high brow. Common themes and drawing styles prevail across all three artists: warts and all biographical depictions, an uncommonly clear-headed perspective on the passive cruelty of youth and adolescence, small minimally colored panels with engaging and cleanly drawn images. While each of these things can be refreshing in small doses, my extended dive into their work over the past 18 months or so has left me somewhat numbed to their eccentricities, of which there are plenty.
A critique of this book that I would understand but do not entirely share would be a general feeling of "Yeah, and so what?" after finishing what could be a fairly perfunctory story about an annoying kid that almost everyone who grew up in an American neighborhood sometime in the last century can understand or, at the very least, relate to. I would argue that the point is the feeling you're left with, that distant memory you've buried where you were once a bad friend to someone a long time ago, back before adulthood crept in and soured the stew on us all.
I picked up FAIR WEATHER and its sequel, SPENT because my favorite local library had them immediately available. From what I understand, they are the latter parts of Matt's larger book PEEPSHOW. While this first collection didn't move me to seek out that full version, it did not turn me off from moving on to the next book. Maybe it's the cleanliness of the art, but it makes for a brief distracting read with a few laughs and cringes in equal parts.
Read in a hardcover collected edition.
I was dragged to this book by the heavy gravity of the Drawn & Quarterly/Chester Brown/Seth galaxy. From what I have gathered so far, Chester Brown's work is a bit weirder than this and Seth's is a bit more high brow. Common themes and drawing styles prevail across all three artists: warts and all biographical depictions, an uncommonly clear-headed perspective on the passive cruelty of youth and adolescence, small minimally colored panels with engaging and cleanly drawn images. While each of these things can be refreshing in small doses, my extended dive into their work over the past 18 months or so has left me somewhat numbed to their eccentricities, of which there are plenty.
A critique of this book that I would understand but do not entirely share would be a general feeling of "Yeah, and so what?" after finishing what could be a fairly perfunctory story about an annoying kid that almost everyone who grew up in an American neighborhood sometime in the last century can understand or, at the very least, relate to. I would argue that the point is the feeling you're left with, that distant memory you've buried where you were once a bad friend to someone a long time ago, back before adulthood crept in and soured the stew on us all.
I picked up FAIR WEATHER and its sequel, SPENT because my favorite local library had them immediately available. From what I understand, they are the latter parts of Matt's larger book PEEPSHOW. While this first collection didn't move me to seek out that full version, it did not turn me off from moving on to the next book. Maybe it's the cleanliness of the art, but it makes for a brief distracting read with a few laughs and cringes in equal parts.
Read in a hardcover collected edition.
November 29, 2022
The next batch of Peepshow issues (#7-10) delve into a period of Joe Matt's adolescence where he's no less selfish than he depicts himself in "The Poor Bastard" issues. Joe is a petulant and abrasive child, with all of his relationships coming off as transactional. His best friend Dave only serves Joe as a protector against bullies, and Joe's interactions with his family are similarly self-serving. The main narrative is centered on Joe seeking out means of making money and recovering his recently confiscated comic collection. He tries his best to negotiate a one-sided deal for a copy of an Action Comics #1 while also ripping off another friend using a copy of an Overstreet Price Guide.
But just as with "The Poor Bastard", Joe Matt's depiction of himself is inherently voyeuristic and helps to enlighten our own selfish tendencies. There's a bit of Joe Matt in all of us, and while I don't think Joe is trying to be instructive in any way, I do feel like there is something interesting in the introspective approach here. The cartooning is splendid too. It's very clean looking stuff and Joe Matt's attention towards panel layout and flow is masterful.
If you have a chance to read this in single issues, I highly recommend it just for the letters pages alone. Reading letter after letter of readers roasting Joe Matt never gets old.
But just as with "The Poor Bastard", Joe Matt's depiction of himself is inherently voyeuristic and helps to enlighten our own selfish tendencies. There's a bit of Joe Matt in all of us, and while I don't think Joe is trying to be instructive in any way, I do feel like there is something interesting in the introspective approach here. The cartooning is splendid too. It's very clean looking stuff and Joe Matt's attention towards panel layout and flow is masterful.
If you have a chance to read this in single issues, I highly recommend it just for the letters pages alone. Reading letter after letter of readers roasting Joe Matt never gets old.
June 24, 2024
A mostly fictional biography - Joe Matt himself admitted this - of the author's childhood. It is filled with Joe Matt's characteristic angst, weird obsessions, and near-manic at times self loathing. The art is fantastic and the story flows very well. It's a pity the author never published so few works.
July 9, 2023
Some nice cartooning on display here, but all in the service of what? By this point, we get that Joe Matt’s self-representation at any age is unsympathetic but this is a dead horse that just keeps getting beaten.
January 24, 2021
Just as unflinching a memoir as his grown-up comics.
April 26, 2022
Peepshow proving to be a favorite.
Read
November 18, 2023muy chulo!! curioso cómo el autor glorifica la infancia y a la vez se dibuja como un niño insoportable
Read
January 29, 2024Genial, una historieta breve que leída en orden con sus obras, permite profundizar mucho más en el autor.
March 17, 2025
One of the most honest portrayals of childhood without the impediment of retroactive adult insight. A true pleasure.
March 3, 2017
En pitänyt Joe Mattin "Fair Weatherista" ihan niin paljon kuin aikaisemmin lukemastani "Poor Bastardista", mutta siitä huolimatta tämä Peepshow'n numerot 7-10 sisältänyt albumi oli ihan positiivinen lukukokemus.
Fair Weather on omaelämäkerrallinen kuvaus 70-luvulla eletystä varhaisnuoruudesta, johon liittyivät oleellisena osana sarjakuvalehtien keräily, yläosattomissa aurinkoa ottavien naisten tirkistely ja kulmakunnan kovimman kundin vältteleminen. Matt ei tälläkään kertaa säästele itseään, vaan kuvaa itsensä kavereitaan huijaavana, pelkurimaisena, ahneena ja jatkuvasti valittavana pikku paskiaisena. Lukijan on siis vähäsen vaikea samaistua päähenkilöön, mutta toisaalta on vaiheeksi ihan virkistävää lukea omaelämäkerrallista sarjakuvaa, jossa tekijä ei kuvaa itseään sympaattisena heppuna tai väärinymmärrettynä taiteilijana.
Fair Weather on omaelämäkerrallinen kuvaus 70-luvulla eletystä varhaisnuoruudesta, johon liittyivät oleellisena osana sarjakuvalehtien keräily, yläosattomissa aurinkoa ottavien naisten tirkistely ja kulmakunnan kovimman kundin vältteleminen. Matt ei tälläkään kertaa säästele itseään, vaan kuvaa itsensä kavereitaan huijaavana, pelkurimaisena, ahneena ja jatkuvasti valittavana pikku paskiaisena. Lukijan on siis vähäsen vaikea samaistua päähenkilöön, mutta toisaalta on vaiheeksi ihan virkistävää lukea omaelämäkerrallista sarjakuvaa, jossa tekijä ei kuvaa itseään sympaattisena heppuna tai väärinymmärrettynä taiteilijana.
June 21, 2007
Joe Matt's work puts me in a terrific mood. Unless he can somehow benefit from being friendly or helpful, he is always exemplifying the exact opposite of those traits, and pre-teen Matt, brought to vivid, unforgettable life in "Fair Weather", is pure, hilarious, wonderful human evil. He's a lying, baiting, snivelling coward, interested in nothing more than getting his way, and God help the woeful parent who obstructs him. In short, this brisk account of a mildly turbulent weekend in 70's-era suburbia perfectly encapsulates everything that rules and sucks about being a rotten little American kid. I can't wait to read it again.
July 4, 2011
When it comes to unflinching, autobiographic vignettes (in comic form) on the depravity of one man's day to day mini dramas - no one does it better than Joe Matt. So when said artist captures a weekend during his adolescence that captures all the hopes, fears and desires that defines your typical suburban teen during the 70's you know you're in for a treat.
July 4, 2012
a well-written, thoroughly honest, occasionally painful memoir of life as a young geek. extra points for avoiding the paint-by-numbers "dork as victim" thing, young joe tortures plenty of helpless victims himself - his mother, a retarded kid, the family cat, yet still somehow manages to be a sympathetic character. recommended.
September 9, 2012
This wasn't bad, but I didn't like it. About Joe Matt's bratty youth of yelling at his mom, being a cheapskate and a bad friend, and loving/hoarding comic books. It was actually totally well illustrated and well imagined characters, but well, Joe Matt was always a twerp, and how much fun is that? Not that much.
Wooo.
Wooo.
November 10, 2022
Друга частина автобіографічної трилогії канадійського невдахи - про дитинство. Не менш жалюгідне, ніж його доросле життя. Я ненавидила автора коли читала і до сих пір відчуваю відразу від його малюнку. Слава Богу, деталі цього опусу вже забулися.
March 26, 2008
I sometimes wish that Mr. Matt would write and draw something oustide of his direct experience, but what he does within his hermetic environment isn't exactly drek.
November 27, 2020
I guess I'd rather hear about adult Joe Matt being a dick and masturbating, then hear about the young Joe Matt being a dick and a pansy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews