Rob Ullman,
"Comic Cosmos,"
Eye (April/May '99)
Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld come together once again in the sixth issue
of Keyhole, their new Top Shelf collaboration. This is an interesting
book. Both cartoonists are extremely talented, but their styles are very
different; somehow they mesh perfectly into one cohesive package. Dino's
"Minding Millie," about a pathetic but irritating elderly neighbor, will
strike a chord in anyone with a conscience. Josh gives us the ins and
outs of life as a Far Eastern thespian in the sardonic, "How to Star in
a Singaporean Soap Opera." Nice work if you can get it.
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Benn Ray,
Top
O' The Stack,
Overstreet's Fan Universe (fall '98)
This comic by Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld boasts a collection of slice-of-life
stories. In this issue, the main stories concern Yankees abroad who find
spiritualism can ease the nerves of weary travellers, and a celebration
of the scars that mark the passage of our lives. The artwork is polished
and stylized, while the stories, even though they are not ground-breaking,
demand a level of interest.
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Elayne
Chaput-Wechsler,
Pen-Elayne Autumn Special (fall '97)
Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld make a nice team. They both excel at telling
short stories with varying subject matter and art styles, everything from
real-life adventures to superhero angst to one-page whammos — I gasped
at the first "Lionel's Lament," quite similar to Peter Kuper's "Eye of
the Beholder" stuff. At times Haspiel and Neufeld employ other writers
(including their significant others) to infuse their tales with new voices,
but their skills certainly don't need augmentation. Cool small-press stuff,
look for it.
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Bridget Evans,
Screw magazine (fall '97)
... Haspiel's art is wonderful at times, with bold inking and weird characters
adding a lot of charm. He's a very talented artist who is best when he
doesn't clutter up the page with unnecessary flourishes. I much prefer
the non-superhero work in his other title, Keyhole. He shares that
book with another artist, Josh Neufeld, whose style couldn't be further
from his own, being firmly grounded in reality. So far, all of Neufeld's
stories recount his far-reaching journeys into Asia with his girlfriend.
It's very reminiscent of Peter Kuper's style of writing and thinking.
I would recommend this as a book to check out. It's defintely one of the
better new titles out there.
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R. Seth Friedman,
Factsheet Five (fall '97)
Highly varied comic anthology that includes some autobio stuff, some
adrenaline-rich gunplay, and some dark modern violence. For sheer outrageous
fun, it was hard to beat Billy Dogma. He's a wild daydreamer that
would charge hell with a bucket of gasoline, except that he can't pay
the rent and his best adventures are only fantasies. Haspiel's stylish,
jagged cartoon style really goes perfectly with the mood of his storytelling.
Sari shares her story of female itch that lasted all the way from Malaysia
to Prague. She sampled each country's local remedies but nothing worked,
not shiatsu, not soaking in purple crystals, not Balinese yogurt, and
definately not treatment at the hands of Prague's Dr. "Little Bread."
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Bart Beaty,
Comix @List (Apr. '97)
What is most striking, at first, about Keyhole is the realization that no editor would ever have put these two cartoonists together -- they had to do it themselves. While there are points at which their works approach and complement each other, there are also moments of real disjunction (and let's be clear, that's not a bad thing necessarily). The first issue, for instance, begins with Neufeld's (who many here will recognize from his work with Harvey Pekar) "The Cave of Fear" (based on the journals of Sari Wilson), which is a travelogue story which is actually harrowing. The travelogue (and there are others in isues #2 and #3) is a comics form that I'm only beginning to find interesting for the first time recently, mostly I think through the work of Jano and Dodo & Ben-Radis. Josh pulls these stories off very nicely indeed, I think largely because they never read as Josh and Sari's great adventures, but rather as Josh and Sari's great adventure dreams and the somewhat disappointing reality behind them. This is most evident in "Mr Ong's Organic Farm," a story with a great deal of sadness and disappointment behind it which is told in a very spare and effective way.
In stark contrast to Josh's understated autobio material is Dean's lengthiest work in the three issues: "Billy Dogma." Billy Dogma is an over-blown superhero/adventure parody of the type that's never been too difficult to find in the comics industry. In a letter printed in #2 Eric Reynolds says that Billy Dogma will probably make Dean rich, and he may be right (I also note that Billy is getting his own title — are those stories leaving Keyhole entirely?). Certainly Billy Dogma is a much better example of its genre than most, both funnier and better drawn. Dean's very bold page designs carry the story along nicely and there's some real wit in these pieces, particularly in "The Human Barcode" story from #2. I'm not a big superhero fan, nor a big fan of superhero parody, but these stories had enough going for them that I was carried along on sheer momentum in the case of the longer stories and by sheer non-sequitur logic in the better one-page pieces from #3. I will say that for me, "Billy Dogma," like Milk and Cheese, would work best in smaller doses. I would have spaced out the five pieces in #3, for example.
Regardless, the rest of Keyhole is much more to my taste and there are some real gems sprinkled throughout. Dean's "Waiting" one pagers (written by Linda Perkins) all highlight the strengths of his art very nicely, as do the more stylized pieces written by Chris Cliadakis (all of which have been funny so far). In these short pieces especially we see how good Dean will actually be. These are, for the most part, just talking head stories, but they leap right off the page with a very tangible energy.
Josh's shorter pieces include additional travel material (including tips on gynecology and how to squat. Josh does very utilitarian comics...). Josh also does the "Mrs. Banks" material, which strikes me as his least interesting contribution to the title so far (it strikes me as too close to Stan Mack's Real Life Funnies). Far better are his "Titans of Finance" stories (with R. Walker), which put a very deadpan narration and the cartoony stylizations of Josh's art to great use. I thought that the story of Al Dunlap was hilarious. The two combine on the disurbingly funny "Lionel's Lament," a couple of one pagers that seem intent on out Jimmy Corrigan-ing Chris Ware for humour through pure abject despair. Great stuff. There are other pieces worth noting as well (including a nice bit by Dean about his desire to work with Harvey Pekar), but I'm starting to go long here.
Anyway, I don't have any reservations about recommending Keyhole
to the lot of you. I think there's a lot in here of great worth already,
and certainly there's even greater promise for good things to come in
the future, which is always nice to see in any title. A good mix of insightfulness
and off-the-wall humour, with solid artwork throughout. How many American
comics can say that? Pick these up.
[ back to "Reviews & Interviews" ]
Tom Palmer,
"Palmer's Picks," Wizard (Feb.
'97)
Tired of anthologies that won't hold your attention for more than a two-page
story? A nice alternative would be Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld's Keyhole.
While not technically an anthology (it only features work by two people
and they don't accept submissions), Keyhole has such a wide variety
of short stories, from travel strips based on Neufeld's journey through
Asia to Haspiel's wacky superhero "Billy Dogma," that every issue feels
like an anthology. Haspiel's stylized black-and-white art contrasts nicely
with Neufeld's earthy cartooning to make for a consistently good-looking
comic.
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The Scoop: Quarterly anthology comic featuring stories ranging
from one page to ten, based on real-life events, as well as some thought-provoking
tales, and even some done just for fun.
The Upside: A much-needed change of pace from the usual comic fare.
More comics need to be this entertaining. Some highlights: "The Cave of
Fear" is an interesting look at how some people spend their vacations;
"Cabbage Patch Man" is a disturbing look at sex education; the Billy Dogma
tale is pure hysterics; and "Lionel's Lament" pulls hard on the heart
strings, using only six panels.
The Downside: It's quarterly!
[ back to "Reviews & Interviews" ]
Joe Zabel,
indy Magazine
(Feb. '97)
As artists, Josh Neufeld and Dean Haspiel have little in common. But their shared enthusiam for the comics medium makes Keyhole a solid, well-rounded anthology. Neufeld has the more realistic style, and he exploits it well in "Mr. Ong's Organic Farm." Backpacking in Malaysia, Josh and his girlfriend respond to a poster to volunteer help on an organic farm. When they reach the farm, they discover that they are the only volunteers. Mr. Ong's determination to teach Malaysians about organic farming seems futile given his isolation and sullen disposition, but Josh finds unexpected rewards in the childhood recollections and sense of perspective that the melancholy farm provides.
Haspiel's berserk drawing style and supercharged inks suit his "Billy
Dogma" series, a head on collision between Seinfeld and Thor the
Thunder God. Billy lurches off to buy his girl a carton of milk for her
coffee, grumbling about "tampering with the integrity of flavor," not
suspecting what awaits in the local deli. It's a kaleidoscope of time
travel, super-villians, and ill-advised temper tantrums as Billy's self-worth
is judged by The Human Bar-Code!
[ back to "Reviews & Interviews" ]
Vanessa Weiman,
Manhattan Mirror (Nov. '96)
Peek through Keyhole, a semi-autobiographical-style comic created
by artists Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld.... Very different drawing styles
and piercingly funny writing add up to one sharp book. Haspiel's character,
Billy Dogma, is a square-jawed, incorruptible, opionated 90s superhero.
His macabre series, "Children's Stories for the Adult in Question," will
leave you both energized and disturbed. Neufeld's stories of journeys
and "Travel Tips" are parables for the urban traveler.
[ back to "Reviews & Interviews" ]
Terry LaBan,
CUD (September '96)
Josh Neufeld and Dean Haspiel's comic is a full-sized, big production
number. The work runs for the most part to the autobiographical, but it's
still pretty good, particularly the first story, a tale of Neufeld and
his girlfriend's decidedly untouristy trip through a cave in Thailand.
They don't much like it, which is a pity, since Asia is teeming with backpack-schlepping,
adventurer wannabees who'd give their eyeteeth for this kind of "authentic"
experience. There's a lot more, too, including some strips by Haspiel
about being rejected by Harvey Pekar for American Splendor. I don't
know why — he's better than most of the people Pekar uses.
[ back to "Reviews & Interviews" ]
COMX-TV (fall '96)
These are some good stories. All based on not one topic except life itself.
Some of the tales are based on stories by Sari Wilson. One is from a cave
adventure in Thailand. There are a couple other one-page stories that
you read. Then you look at the pictures and read again. Look at the details
and they make you think, strike up an emotion. A good book. I like this.
It won't make any bestseller list, or be worth $50 in six months. But
you will enjoy reading the words and pictures. Keyhole is a hot
book from me today.
[ back to "Reviews & Interviews" ]
Tony Isabella, "Tony's Tips,"
Comics Buyer's Guide (July 6, '96)
Keyhole #1 features several stories of varying lengths. The best of the bunch is "Cave of Fear," a jungle adventure drawn from Neufeld's real-life vacation in northern Thailand, but there isn't a bad piece in the issue. Especially moving is the single-page "Lionel's Lament."
The "star" of Keyhole may turn out to be Haspiel's over-the-top
lunatic and slacker, Billy Dogma. The heavily-armed Dogma is supported
by his girlfriend, lives next door to a superhero, and sometimes wears
a T-shirt that reads, "The extreme violence in my head is a warning of
things to come." He's not a role model, but he is good for a laugh.
[ back to "Reviews & Interviews" ]
Cliff Biggers &
Brett Brooks
Comic Shop News (spring '96)
Biggers: Keyhole is a bizarre comic. Truly bizarre. And that's
the highest praise I can offer for this book...
Bizarre
isn't as easy as it seems. Try as they might, most writers can never truly
capture the essence of the offbeat that is essential Weird. But Dean Haspiel
and Josh Neufeld seem to slip into that groove very easily — deceptively
easily, in fact.
Keyhole is the comic book equivalent of "Saturday Night Live"
— back when people actually laughed at it. Stories of different lengths,
different styles with different purposes; some are puzzling, some are
satirical, some are insightful, but almost all are entertaining.
Brooks: Well, there are also those stories that make you go, "okay..."
They aren't really not entertaining, but they don't seem to have a purpose.
Biggers: You mean those dadaist sort of single-pagers? I dunno...
I've always had a soft spot for that sort of offbeat material; I guess
it goes back to my days as an an underground fan, back when there were
underground comics (why you whippersnapper, we hadn't heard of alternative
comics back then!)...
Brooks: I tend to think of them as creative housekeeping;
something that you've got to get out of your system, even if there is
nothing substantial present.
Biggers: Dean Haspiel I remember from a series he did called The
Verdict — but fans who recall Haspiel's Chaykin-influenced style
in that book would scarcely recognize his artwork here. He's loosened
up and has developed a powerful cartooning style of his own that seems
much more comfortable for him. He contributes a really clever, irreverent
superhero satire, "Billy Dogma: Situation Dichotomy," that offers a new
take on the old question of, "What's a superhero's life like when he isn't
being superheroic?"
Brooks: That was my favorite piece in this issue. I like well-down
superhero parody, and Haspiel has enough experience in the field to make
it work, without seeming clichéd or forced.
Biggers: My favorite piece in here is Josh Neufeld's "Cave of Fear,"
a revelatory piece about the essence of fear and the sense of adventure,
and how the two don't always work together the way we'd like. "Our '4-5-hour
adventure' had been no Disneyland thrill-ride," Neufeld says at one point
— and that obvious insight is something that all too many of us have
forgotten as we experience fake earthquakes at studio amusement parks
and watch artificial rainstorms and walk through concrete forests and
ride pressure-regulated rivers in amusement parks. Neufeld is dealing
with very mundane, no-big-thrills adventures here, and he makes it come
to life in a powerful way.
Keyhole is a head-on collision between American Splendor
and Hate — but rest assured that its eccentric appeal is no
accident!
[ back to "Reviews & Interviews" ]
"Publisher's Picks,"
Comics Buyer's Guide #1172 (May 3, '96)
Tom Lawton: ... A less controversial issue, but one of no less
importance in day-to-day life, is covered in the one-page instructional
story, "How to Squat," which appears in Keyhole #1, along with
such other stellar bits as "Situation Dichotomy," which strikes me as
an R-rated version of The Tick; "The History of Health Insurance,"
and the moving "Lionel's Lament," Fans of alternative comics such as Acme
Novelty Library or Zero Zero should check out this very mixed
but highly entertaining bag.
Carol Denbow: There's an independent anthology soon to hit the
stands which is well worth looking for -- Keyhole, co-created by
Josh Neufeld (American Splendor, Duplex Planet Illustrated) and
Dean Haspiel (The Verdict, Negative Burn). Together and individually,
they give us six vignettes, ranging from the satirical superhero parody
"Billy Dogma," to the interesting exploration of personal fears in Neufeld's
"The Cave of Fear." These two cartoonists have produced a fine anthology
that they should be proud of. Their art, pacing and characterization are
right on target, which is not an easy task, given just a two- or three-page
story. I would easily recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed the work
of Adrian Tomine or the various creators who contribute to DC's Paradox
Press Big Books.
Phil Mateer: From Millennium, we have Keyhole #1, mostly
by Josh Neufeld and Dean Haspiel. Neufeld has done work for American
Splendor and Duplex Planet Illustrated, and this title is very
much like them: "real" stories following the artists' experiences, acquaintances,
etc., with the odd superhero parody thrown in for contrast. Two creators
give twice the fodder for stories, and many of these fit into the easy
surreal rhythms of everyday life and conversation that writers like Harvey
Pekar mine to such good effect. This comic book is an acquired taste,
and Image fans will consider it a total waste of paper, but for grown-ups
it's worth a look....
Steve Ginsburg: "Noise is a testament to life," says Lamont "Keyloid"
Lablatt — who has "been know to fix a leaky faucet and occasionally
organize the trash." Fans of Dub-Skank (?) and post-pseudo-neo art will
dig this philosophical janitorial opus, while Billy Dogma pulls in the
anti-superhero crowd.
The
poignant "History of Health Insurance" is something we can all understand,
and if you've ever been spelunking, "The Cave of Fear" revisits all the
angst and emotions involved in facing death.
If
that's not enough entertainment value for your buck, "West Town Story"
caps off this enthology with an existential summation of Being, where
words would only clutter the reality of the message. This is worth checking
out for fans of Optic Nerve, Post-Modern Angst, and other alternative
entertainments.
[ back to "Reviews & Interviews" ]
Bevvy, "Comix,"
Lumpen (Feb. '96)
Josh Neufeld and Dean Haspiel are two up-and-comers who split the duties
on this entertaining new comix. I think they're both pretty talented artists,
but Josh seems to have more of a handle on the writing side of the job.
I mean, I hate to pick sides, but Dean's stories either go nowhere ("Waiting")
or go somewhere I'd rather not go ("Billy Dogma"). Josh's frightening
trip through a deep cave in Thailand is the strongest piece in here, and
it's great. His shorter pieces, like "West Town Story" and "Formal Wear,"
are at least funny. Truth be told, this would have been better if it was
a solo gig for Josh.
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Poopsheet (Feb. '96)
Hilarious, touching, twisted, autobio, disturbing. This one comes with
my highest recommendation. If your local shop owner refuses to order it,
bust his chops until he's driven mad and sent to live with the Happy People.
That'll teach 'im.
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to "Reviews & Interviews" ]