Joseph D. Matt

September 3, 1963 - September 17, 2023 Joe Matt, autobiographical cartoonist, comic book creator, and graphic novelist, died Sunday, September 17th in his Los Feliz home. He was best known for his honest, unfiltered autobiographical books, "Peepshow: The Cartoon Diary of Joe Matt," "The Poor Bastard," "Fair Weather," and "Spent."
The outpouring of tributes, portraits, and personal posts, from friends and fans around the world, was a testament to how many people genuinely loved Joe and his work.
Joseph David Matt III was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, on September 3, 1963. He attended the Philadelphia College of Art, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Illustration in 1985. After art school, Joe lived in Toronto for 15 years, where he worked with his close friends and fellow comic artists. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he had lived since 2003.
Joe genuinely bonded with people everywhere he went. He was one of the rare few who walked among us who was authentically himself all the time. There were no masks, there was no agenda. Ask anyone who has ever met him, and you will find he was always himself. Joe deeply respected the comic medium and made every creative choice for a reason.
After moving to Los Angeles in 2003, Joe mainly lived in Los Feliz on the same block for 20 years. He found relief in the drier, warmer climate of Southern California and could be found walking or riding his bicycle throughout the Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, and Echo Park neighborhoods on a daily basis.
Joe had friends and fans all over the world. His heart and mind, though, were always in these three places, as he was a nostalgic soul. Toronto, Canada - where his two closest friends and fellow comic artists still reside, and where Joe launched his career as an autobiographical cartoonist. Philadelphia and Lansdale, Pennsylvania - where Joe grew up, went to college, and where his family members still reside. And Los Angeles, California - where he developed many close friendships over the last 20 years.
Joe left us at a young 60 years old and is survived by mother Judith, sister Monica, and brothers Christopher and Peter. He was a beloved uncle to his nieces Jia, Emily, and Marigold. A private memorial will be held in Philadelphia with his family. A public memorial will be held in L.A. at a later date to be determined.