Chris Arrant conducted a nice interview with Dean Haspiel about his upcoming graphic novel, BEEF WITH TOMATO, at Newsarama.

Excerpts:

“As far as I’m concerned, autobio and semi-autobio is the same thing. Besides, what is truly autobiographical? Isn’t it really just synonymous with “point of view”? When two or more people share the same space you’re liable to get different versions of the same story and they’re all (mostly) true! I try to ignore traditional navel-gazing because that’s awfully boring. Alas, I didn’t have anything too tragic happen to me, thus far (fingers crossed), so my book doesn’t have that immediate “Headless Body in Topless Bar” hook. Instead, it’s a meditation on transition, transformation and misunderstanding.

When I went full time freelance 15+ years ago and worked at home alone, I sparked a blog. It was a way to keep track of my days and fulfill a desire to matter despite the fact that the internet can be a vacuum of too much information. I discovered I was addicted to conflict and wrote about the stuff that charged me. That got me in trouble. And, as an author, you have the power to exploit your own narrative and I elected to show and tell stories that mean something to me in hopes that they mean something to you, too.”

“I long ago abandoned the notion of being sanctioned by editors and publishers and taste-makers. Don’t get me wrong, they certainly help but I walk the dog and put my time in despite all odds. I work eight hard days a week developing pitches and making deadlines and being communal. I even flex the occasional altruism; sometimes mentor, champion causes, etc. But, I will never be the next hot Batman artist and I will never make a Bea Arthur-sized dent in the pop culture zeitgeist. At least, not by design. Like I did with Keyhole, Billy Dogma, Act-I-Vate.com, Deep6 Studios, TripCity.net, Hang Dai Studios/Editions, I’ll always put my money where my mouth is.”

“I miss Seth Kushner twenty times a day. He kept me sane. There are so many things I want to tell him and show him. His death killed a part of me. Luckily, we kept Seth busy and he did more in a hospital gown than some people achieve their entire lives. And, with that, we’ll publish some of his posthumous works, including Schmuck the graphic novel and other things I’m setting up. Meanwhile, we honor Seth by moving forward; Do and Dai – Hang Dai! There is a painting that Gregory Benton bought in the park of a lion-headed Superman that hangs where Seth’s seat is. It was hung there to celebrate Seth’s lion-hearted spirit while he battled cancer. As long as we have a studio, that Super-Lion will be there to represent Seth and his life.”

Read the entire interview here: http://www.newsarama.com/25415-dean-haspiel-homages-bukowski-brooklyn-his-favorite-restaurant-in-beef-with-tomato.html