Ho Ho Ho

Happy Holidays!

Ho Ho Ho

Thanks to everyone who support me and my endeavors — and indulge my occasional newsletter. Deciding to “Lean Into Dean” and self-publish in 2023 has been a super challenging yet rewarding experience, thus far. I publish less material but it’s stronger work. And I couldn’t do it without you and the people close to me (you know who you are).

ComicArtFans.com just announced the Jack & Roz Kirby Award categories, Advisory Board, and Voting Committee -- of which I’m proudly participating in. The Kirby Awards will be debuting at Original Arts Expo in Orlando, Florida, February 20 - 22, 2026. You can read more about it HERE.

Come 2026, I’ll continue to edit the “Comix Block” for The Red Hook Star-Revue and produce monthly episodes of The Red Hook comix strip. And, fingers crossed, there’s a good possibility that I’ll be teaching comix at one of the most prestigious and historic art institutions in the world.

I’m more than halfway done finishing the line art on “Covid Cop Insurrection.” And I’m also concocting a fun encounter between Billy Dogma, Jane Legit and Chest Face! That, plus more for ANTIMATTER #1, my one-man comix anthology (which you can still support/make a pledge for if you haven’t already).

There are two more episodes of the VITO x DINO podcast:

In episode 48: Vito Delsante talks about his decision to learn to draw comics. We also talk about the Humanoids bankruptcy, One Battle After Another vs Eddington, Netflix vs Paramount for the hand of Warner Brothers, and much more!

In episode 49: we discuss Vito’s first art assignment, the proliferation of artificial intelligence and how it is creeping up on all of us, and what comics in the 1980s taught us about being “grim and gritty.”

We will be doing a LIVE VITO x DINO podcast for episode 50 on Monday, December 29th @ 8pm EST. Join us!

Despite hardships, the madness and uncertainty of 2025, I pushed myself as a creator — but I spent too much time alone. I mentored and imparted the wisdom I can offer while doing better to listen and observe. Absorb the sights and situations. I managed to experience joy but I hope to spend more time with people than screens.

Animals elevate human lives. Big Ups to Kima & Iris.

Cheers to a lovely 2026.

love, Dean

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