Spent
August 7, 2007 | Trades
Spent
Joe Matt
Drawn & Quarterly
$22.95/$19.95 US (Hardcover)
**** (out of five)
Joe Matt is one of the most pathetic, disgusting and brutally honest creators in comics.
The American, who proudly lived illegally in Canada for 14 years until 2002, spends much of his time obsessing over his pornography collection, acquiring all of the toys he had when he was a boy and pinching every penny to the point that he can’t even enjoy a meal out with his friends.
Then he creates a comic book about all of this behaviour. You know, something like “confessions of a self-indulgent, porn-addicted cheapskate”.
As strange as it sounds, it does make for a compelling read. Matt’s no-holds-barred honesty is a rare glimpse into the mind of a late 30s single man (though hopefully not the average one) who alternately revels in his behaviour and is ashamed of it.
Of particular interest is Matt’s depiction of his longtime friendship with two Canadian comic luminaries: Chester Brown (Louis Riel) and Seth (It’s A Good Life If You Don’t Weaken). The interaction between these three talented creators, or at least Matt’s version of such, is by far the highlight of an otherwise sordid tale.
* Joe Matt will be taking part in the Toronto Comics Arts Festival on Aug. 19-20. For more information, check www.torontocomics.com. *
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