Keyhole (comics)

{{Short description|Comic book series}} {{Infobox comic book title  |title = Keyhole |image = Keyhole01.jpg |imagesize = |caption = ''Keyhole'' #1, art by Dean Haspiel. |schedule = irregular |ongoing = Y |publisher = Millennium Publications, Top Shelf Productions |date = June 1996–December 1998 Fall 2021 |issues = 7 | genre = Alternative comics |writers = |artists = |pencillers = |inkers = |letterers = |colorists = |editors = | main_char_team = Josh & Sari Billy Dogma Titans of Finance Lionel |creative_team_month = |creative_team_year = |creators = Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld |TPB = |ISBN = |TPB# = |ISBN# = |subcat = |altcat = |sort = Keyhole (comics) |addpubcat# = |nonUS = }}

'''''Keyhole''''' is a black-and-white alternative comic book published from 1996 to 1998. A two-man anthology by cartoonists Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld, ''Keyhole'' was published by two different publishers, starting with Millennium Publications and ending up at Top Shelf Productions. In 2021, Haspiel and Neufeld released a 25th-anniversary issue of ''Keyhole'', with new material from both creators.

== Publication history == ''Keyhole'' began as a self-published mini-comic by the long-time friends Haspiel and Neufeld.<ref name="Gilbert">Gilbert, Scott. "''Keyhole'' #5", ''The Comics Journal'' #210 (Jan. 1999)</ref> ''Keyhole Mini-Comics'' ran for four issues in 1995. Reviewed in ''Factsheet Five'', ''Comics Buyer's Guide'', and elsewhere, it was then picked up by Millennium,<ref>Bogad, Larry. [http://joshcomix.home.mindspring.com/press/interviews/larry_bogad.htm "A Peek at ''Keyhole''" (Haspiel/Neufeld interview), JoshComix.com (1996).]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}} Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.</ref> which published the first full-sized issue in June 1996. With its fourth issue, ''Keyhole'' was released under Millennium's new imprint, Modern Comics. Top Shelf picked up the comic for its fifth and sixth issues.<ref name=Beat />

In 2002, Haspiel, Neufeld, and Alternative Comics announced plans to publish ''Keyhole'' vol. II,<ref>Yarbrough, Beau. [https://web.archive.org/web/20081028002124/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=1285 "Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition: Dean Haspiel of ''Opposable Thumbs''", Comic Book Resources (July 23, 2002).] Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.</ref> but the comic never appeared, and the two cartoonists moved on to other projects.

In the fall of 2021, Haspiel and Neufeld self-published a seventh issue of ''Keyhole'' ("''Keyhole 25''"), a 36-page full-color flip comic with new material from both creators, as well as a center-spread article about the history of the comic, written by Whitney Matheson.<ref name=Beat>MacDonald, Heidi. [https://www.comicsbeat.com/looking-back-on-an-indie-comics-classic-keyhole-comics-25th-anniversary/ "Looking back on an indie comics classic: Keyhole Comics 25th Anniversary: ''Keyhole'' #7: 25th Anniversary Edition is debuting this weekend at Baltimore Comic Con"], ''The Beat'' (October 21, 2021).</ref>

== Form and content == Equally inspired by Harvey Pekar's ''American Splendor''<ref>[https://www.angelfire.com/yt/sfc/ms.html Neufeld, quoted in "Professional Quotables: M-S", Shadowfish Comics (1999).] Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.</ref> and Los Bros Hernandez' ''Love and Rockets'', a typical issue of ''Keyhole'' featured an autobiographical travel story by Neufeld, a Billy Dogma story by Haspiel, and short recurring features such as R. Walker and Neufeld's "Titans of Finance", Neufeld's one-page "Travel Tips" and the Haspiel/Neufeld collaborative feature "Lionel's Lament". Other stories appearing in ''Keyhole'' included short autobiographical pieces by Haspiel, and assorted collaborations with other writers (including one memorable piece with ''The Duplex Planet''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s David Greenberger).

== Receoption and legacy == ''Wizard'' magazine characterized ''Keyhole'' as featuring "such a wide range of short stories, from travel strips based on Neufeld's journey through Asia to Haspiel’s wonky superhero 'Billy Dogma,' that every issue feels like an anthology," finishing its review with the assessment, "Haspiel’s stylized black-find-while art contrasts nicely with Neufeld’s earthy cartooning to make for a consistently good-looking comic."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Tom |last=Palmer, Jr. |magazine=Wizard|number=66|department=Palmer's Picks|title=Recommended Reading|date=February 1997|via=PalmersPicks.com|url=https://www.palmerspicks.com/wizard-66-joe-chiappetta/|page=97}}</ref> Similarly, ''The Comics Journal'' reviewed ''Keyhole'' this way: "Brought together in a single, independent magazine, these artists' strong, disparate talents create a broad reading experience, and a blending of artistic intentions and personal expression like very few others available today in American comix".<ref name="Gilbert" />

Although ''Keyhole'' originally only ran six issues, it was a critically acclaimed project that proved to be a launching pad for both Haspiel and Neufeld's careers.<ref name=Sequart>{{cite web|title=Dino of Two Worlds: Dean Haspiel's Action Autobiography|first=Rob|last=Clough|date=16 October 2005|work=Sequart Organization|url=http://sequart.org/magazine/23994/dino-of-two-worlds-dean-haspiels-action-autobiography/}}</ref> Haspiel debuted his existential antihero,<ref>{{cite web|first=Geoff|last=Boucher|title=Dean Haspiel and Billy Dogma's broken heart|website=Los Angeles Times "Hero Complex" blog|date=Aug 17, 2009|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/hero-complex-blog/story/2009-08-17/dean-haspiel-and-billy-dogmas-broken-heart}}</ref> Billy Dogma, in ''Keyhole'', a character whose adventures have since been published by Modern Comics, Top Shelf,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-891830-07-5|title=Daydream Lullabies Billy Dogma Experience|magazine=Publishers Weekly}}</ref> Alternative Comics,<ref>{{cite web|title=Covers Album: David Robertson – Spotlighting Three Favourite Comics Covers from Dean Haspiel, Peter Bagge and Adam Hughes|author=Broken Frontier Staff|date=March 15, 2017|website=Broken Frontier|url=https://www.brokenfrontier.com/covers-album-david-robertson-jack-kirby-hate-peter-bagge-dean-haspiel-aim-dazzle/}}</ref> Z2 Comics,<ref>{{cite news|title=SMALL PRESS EXPO: Dean Haspiel's 'Fear, My Dear' is a hard-boiled dish, best served bold|first=Michael|last= Cavna|date=September 11, 2014|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2014/09/11/small-press-expo-dean-haspiels-fear-my-dear-is-a-hard-boiled-dish-best-served-bold/}}</ref> and Image Comics. In addition, Haspiel collected many of the autobiographical stories from ''Keyhole'' in ''Opposable Thumbs'' (2001), published by Alternative Comics, and used those stories as a jumping-off point for the ''Street Code'' stories he later told on DC Comics' webcomics imprint Zuda Comics.<ref name=Sequart /> Neufeld, in turn, collected the "Titans of Finance" stories in a self-titled comic published by Alternative in 2001. In 2004, he collected his ''Keyhole'' travel stories (as well as subsequent ones) in the Xeric Award-winning graphic novel ''A Few Perfect Hours''.

In addition, both cartoonists became regular illustrators for Harvey Pekar and his ''American Splendor'' projects.

== Notes == {{reflist}}

== References == * {{gcdb series|id=40094|title=Keyhole}} (Millennium) * {{gcdb series|id=44305|title=Keyhole}} (Top Shelf) * {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=20079|title=''Keyhole''}} (Millennium) * {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=20082|title=''Keyhole''}} (Top Shelf) * Boyd, Robert. [http://www.tcj.com/2_archives/r_Ke2La.html "Hit List: ''Keyhole'' to ''Last Gasp Comix & Stories''", ''The Comics Journal'' #189 (Fall 1997).] * VerBeek, Todd. [http://rzero.com/books/Keyhole.html Review of ''Keyhole'' #1-3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220161804/http://rzero.com/books/Keyhole.html |date=2009-02-20 }}

== External links == * [http://www.joshcomix.com/work/other-work/ ''Keyhole'' page at Josh Neufeld's website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keyhole (comics)}} Category:1996 comics debuts Category:Comics anthologies Category:Comics publications Category:Top Shelf Productions titles