Welcome to my first newsletter. Not sure how regular this will be (what with my Instagram and occasional Facebook posts) but I see more and more creators doing the newsletter thing, probably because no one can fight the algorithms, surveillance, and toxicity of social media. So, why not shoot personal flairs into the ether to friends, family and peers? I get yours. Now, you can get mine.

HAPPENINGS: My latest graphic novel, The Red Hook vol.2 WAR CRY, just came out last week and I'm doing a signing at JHU Comics (481 3rd Ave, NYC 10016) on Weds., October 16th from 6-8pm. Special Give Away for the first 10 Attendees!

Come October 18-20th, I will be a guest at my favorite comics show of the year, Baltimore Comicon 2019! I drew a BLACKSAD pin-up for their annual yearbook celebrating a featured independent creator.

SHHHH: I finished writing The Red Hook season 4 (not yet officially announced) while at Yaddo, a spectacular artists/writers retreat in Saratoga Springs, NY. I wrote a 120pp graphic novel in 30-days! And, today, I put the final touches on my new play. Details when I can share 'em.

Awhile ago, I secured a Patreon account but hardly do anything with it. I won't feel comfortable officially launching it until I have a special project and/or dedicated content for it. It's possible this newsletter will transition to Patreon but let's see if this thing has legs.

UNSOLICITED OPINION (with potential spoilers): I saw JOKER. Lynne Ramsay's adaptation of Jonathan Ames' YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE is the better "Joker" movie. Alas, Todd Phillips' JOKER was under-cooked and not smart enough -- as if they were work shopping an elaborate joke. A shame, because the pitch in the room sounded brilliant, "Taxi Driver meets The King Of Comedy." I suppose on celluloid you could say "They did that, Dean," but it lacked gravitas. And, even if you wanted to argue "but that wasn't really THE Joker, Dean," the biggest crime of the movie, for me, is that I didn't care about the protagonist. Sorry.

Okay. Keeping it simple. I'll get back atcha soon and I look forward to YOUR mini-missives.

--Dino

Listen to SCENE BY SCENE WITH JOSH & DEAN, the podcast that breaks down American Splendor the movie, Josh Neufeld & Dean Haspiel's relationship with the late/great Harvey Pekar, and growing up in NYC learning to make comix.

Read THE RED HOOK saga for free at Webtoon:
Season 1:  THE RED HOOK
Season 2:  WAR CRY
Season 3: STARCROSS

THE RED HOOK vol.1 New Brooklyn is also available at ComiXology
THE RED HOOK series published by Image Comics

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