Emmy and Ringo Award-winning cartoonist Dean Haspiel, best known for creating The Red Hook and Billy Dogma is back with his latest Kickstarter project, Chest Face, the latest addition to his Deep Cut Universe.
Dean took some time to discuss the project and his contribution to the Lights Out graphic novel currently running on Backerkit as well as his influences and upcoming projects.
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FOG!: Over twenty five years ago you created Billy Dogma, which certainly helped establish your name in the Indie Comics Community. Now your latest creation, Chest Face, is currently several days away from the ending of its Kickstarter campaign. Can you give us some background on both the story and character of Chest Face?
Dean Haspiel: Holy cow! 2025 will be the 30th anniversary of Billy Dogma. I might have to do something special for that.
Chest Face was originally born as a satire. An homage to my favorite superhero, The Thing from The Fantastic Four, coupled with Captain America nemesis, Arnim Zola, and Looney Tunes’ Gossamer from Bugs Bunny. Throw in some Junji Ito and John Carpenter-inspired body horror and you have a good sense for the concept.
Chester Faccia aka Chest Face is a stand-up comedian who got kidnapped and mutated by an evil corporation for nefarious reasons and now they’re trying to erase their botched mistake. Having escaped death, Chest Face is on the run, dodging bazooka blasts from hired mercenaries while dipping into night clubs to perform quick sets; testing out his upcoming comedy special. That is, until he meets Meridian Prime, a mysterious woman who needs his help.
Chest Face is the fourth installment of your Deep Cut Universe, which appears to be an offshoot of your New Brooklyn Universe. Considering how you play with different genres, was it always your intent to create a shared universe and which characters do you consider to be a part of it?
There used to be distinct borderlines between Marvel and DC until they started to produce crossovers like Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man, Batman vs The Incredible Hulk, etc./etc.
Then independent comix creators started to blur the borderlines between their characters and cities, and the fans acknowledged that it was okay to play a game of comix twister once in awhile.
We did it recently with my guy, The Red Hook, Dave Kelly and Brett Hobson’s Luna, and Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon. Don Simpson is currently assembling Megaton Man Multimensions. And Dave Ryan and Allan Goldman’s War of the Independents”#6, featuring a Who’s Who of independent superheroes is humming along.
Anyway, with the spirit of that in mind, I feel that my various characters share secret corners and cul de sacs that intersect any and all universes. Where Chest Face can one day find himself telling jokes at Munden’s Bar or hassle hecklers in the Mos Eisley Cantina.
With this campaign can you share some of the stretch goals that are available?
I haven’t launched any stretch goals yet but I’m considering offering a digital version of the super rare Keyhole Comics #7, the 25th anniversary issue of Keyhole Comics, a two-man anthology I co-produced with my good friend/cartoonist, Josh Neufeld in the mid-90s. I’m also considering producing a flexible Chest Face magnet.
You’re also contributing to The Lights Out Graphic Novel. What is the Lights Out anthology, and can you share some information about your participation?
The Lights Out anthology is a graphic novel revival of the legendary radio play program from the 1930s, produced by Rocketship Entertainment and Black Eye Entertainment. It’s got a great line up of talent.
My contribution is a violent, supernatural tale of antiquated ideals, stifled dreams, reinvention, and the balance of sacrifice. Something you’ve never seen from me before. It’s brutal.
Who and what have been the biggest influences on your work?
Some of my greatest influences are the likes of Jack Kirby, Frank Miller, Howard Chaykin, Chester Brown, Sergio Leone, Irwin Allen, Quentin Tarantino, William Friedkin, John Carpenter, Bea Arthur, Mary Tyler Moore, Run-DMC, Prince, Al Green, Daft Punk, The Butthole Surfers, Throbbing Gristle, Edward Albee, Raymond Carver, Richard S. Prather, and Joe R. Lansdale.
One of Dean’s inspirations, former mentor Howard Victor Chaykin with his former sidekick.
You seem to always have several irons in the fire. What else do you have coming up?
I’ve already written my next Covid Cop script with a third story plotted. I contributed a new Fantastic Four story to Amazing Adventures: Marvel Super Stories Book #2 published by Abrams Fanfare and Marvel. And I’ve written a new play I would like to possibly direct.
Subscribe to my free newsletter to stay tuned: https://deanhaspiel.substack.com
To pledge the Chest Face Kickstarter, Click HERE!
To pledge the Lights Out BackerKit, Click HERE!
