Joe Galaxy (Paperback or Softback)

The outrageous sci-fi parody comic series by Italian underground cartoonist Massimo Mattioli, collected in English for the very first time.

In a galaxy far, far away, swashbuckling space adventurer Joe Galaxy is out raising hell. Whether smuggling contraband alien porn, cheating at interstellar poker with bug-eyed monsters, or contending with the wicked lizards of Calisto IV, our wisecracking antihero always finds himself embroiled in one outrageous scenario after another.

Launched in the late-’70s, this satirical space opera showcases the twisted genius of its creator, Italian underground cartoonist Massimo Mattioli. Gleefully unhinged, Joe Galaxy swirls together pop culture parody, fourth wall breaks, formal inventiveness, and oodles of over-the-top sex and violence into a crazy comic cosmic gumbo. This complete collection includes every episode in the 14-year run of the Joe Galaxy universe, plus a bonus short penned by Mattioli in 2018, as well as a spirited intro by Coconino Press editor Oscar Glioti.

Full-color illustrations throughout

Massimo Mattioli (1943-2019) was an Italian cartoonist known for his humorous children's work and adult comics series. Along with several contemporary artists, he co-founded the groundbreaking underground comics magazines Cannibale and Frigidaire. He was awarded the Phénix award in 1971, the Yellow Kid in 1975, and the Romics d'Oro in 2009.

Oscar Glioti is a journalist, writer and screenwriter. He published a biography on Andrea Pazienza, one of the most important Italian comics authors. Since 2017, he has worked as Senior editor at Coconino Press – Fandango.

Jamie Richards is an Italian-to-English translator from Southern California currently based in Milan, Italy. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Oregon and an MFA in Literary Translation from the University of Iowa.

Adrian Nathan West is an author and an award-winning translator of dozens of books from Spanish, Catalan, and German. His essays and literary criticism have appeared in numerous publications in print and online, including The New York Review of Books, The London Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, and The Baffler. He lives in Spain and the United States.