Who or what is Joe the Circle?
Joe the Circle is a science fiction comic about a disgruntled and sarcastic circle who travels around the universe with a triangle, a Boobian, and a flying fish who is subject to frequent hallucinations but can occasionally hear the future. Joe thinks little beyond his immediate self-gratification, but sometimes manages to do some good - usually as a side-effect of entirely unrelated self-serving plans.

Fig. a: A typical interlude in the adventures of Joe the Circle

Where did this comic come from?
Joe the Circle evolved from crude scribbles on a notebook divider to crude scribbles on the pages of the campus newspaper at Carnegie Mellon University. Finally, it migrated to the web where it enjoyed a publication that could with some imagination be described as “weekly”. Over the years it’s amassed a loyal underground of readers. They kind of scare us and we wish they’d stop mentioning our names in public.

What does Joe do?
Joe has adventures with an assortment of companions, who strive vainly to undo the damage Joe causes during said adventures. The typical Joe adventures follows the pattern: crisis, call-to-action, horrible-screwups, departure-from-planet-in-a-hurry.

Who reads Joe the Circle? Computer geeks with no life?
Of course not. Joe’s readers also include engineering geeks with no life, graphic design geeks with no life, Mike’s parents, people Mike has held at gunpoint, and many others.

Why is the comic drawn in such a crude style? This is a bit like asking why people in the third world live in mud huts. It’s not so much a stylistic decision as a reflection of the amount of artistic ability Mike has at his disposal. On the positive side, this does add a certain spontaneity to the comic, as Mike will frequently change a strip in progress to accommodate whatever he happened to accidentally draw.

Should I start reading from series one?
Honestly, the later series are better-plotted and generally regarded as funnier. You could try starting with Series 8, which starts an extended storyline, or jump in at random. Since Joe as a character doesn’t really grow or mature, pretty much anywhere in the continuity is going to have the same feel.

How does Joe carry things? He’s got no arms.
Joe’s race has a limited form of telekinesis that allows him to pick up objects in proximity. (Joe would look stupid with arms.)

What the hell is Bob supposed to be?
This is a difficult question to answer, on account of nobody here having a very clear idea.

Why isn’t there a Joe the Circle theme song? Isn’t Mike a professional composer?
Mike is asked this frequently, in response to which he typically starts muttering incoherently about free time and human dignity. Perhaps if enough Joe fans request it, Mike will be goaded into writing one.

How can I get in touch with Team Joe?
Drop us a line via this page. We appreciate candor, provided that it’s laudatory.

Should I fervidly tell all my friends about this site? Yes, please. To the exclusion of all other activity in your life, if necessary.