132 Interview with Dean Haspiel (Baltimore Comic-Con 2009)

My second way-too-late interview from Baltimore Comic-Con!

I was largely unfamiliar with Dean Haspiel’s work before stumbling upon his Zuda webcomic Street Code. Besides his bold, dynamic drawing style I think what struck me most was the comic’s honesty. That might sound like a stupid thing to say– it is, after all, an autobiographical comic– but the style of the story and the way it was told gave off a really comfortable feeling; as if Dean was sitting with you, explaining the events in earnest. It’s a style that’s echoed in the grandiose Billy Dogma comics he writes and draws for Act-i-vate, the webcomics collective he helped found.

Though I’ve previously posted the Brian Wood interview, my interview with Haspiel was actually the first I’d done in Baltimore (and, if we’re counting, the first in-person interview I’d ever done– hence the nervousness and constant index card checking) and despite having only met the man once or twice previously that sincerity mixed with his unbridled enthusiasm made for a pretty nice chat.

At the time of the interview the Act-i-vate Primer was just coming out and while I’m a little late with the advertisement the book looks great, and if you haven’t already you should pick it up. And hey, look, you can do that right here.

My thanks to Dean Haspiel for sitting down with me, as well as Matt Occhuizzo for shooting the interview and Alex Gitlin for editing it.

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