The Rejection Collection

A short-lived but potent two-issue series from Simon and Schuster, The Rejection Collection (2006–2007) gathered cartoons that were deemed too edgy, strange, or offbeat for The New Yorker. Curated by cartoonist Matthew Diffee, the collection showcased a who's-who of the magazine's regulars—including Roz Chast, Jack Ziegler, and William Haefeli—letting their uncensored, weirder instincts run wild. It matters as a delightful, insider's peek behind the curtain of one of the most prestigious cartoon markets in the world, proving that even the best punchlines sometimes get cut.