DJ Hupp’s The Patsy: A Darkly Comic Twist on JFK’s Assassination

NATIONWIDE - NOVEMBER 2025 - (USAnews.com) DJ Hupp’s debut novel, The Patsy, blends time travel, dark humor, and high-stakes science fiction in an unexpected reimagining of the JFK assassination. The story follows Wayne Bronson, a time-traveling agent who inhabits Lee Harvey Oswald’s body in 1963. His mission? To assassinate JFK and prevent a catastrophic future, including nuclear war, triggered by Kennedy’s second term. Released on November 22, 2025, The Patsy challenges the boundaries of alternate history with its mix of comedy and sci-fi.

A Unique Take on History

Hupp, known for his satirical work, takes a bold approach to one of America’s most infamous events. Rather than retelling or glorifying the past, he presents a world where Oswald becomes a reluctant hero tasked with preventing global disaster. “I wanted to flip the script,” says Hupp. “What if the world’s most famous assassin wasn’t a villain at all, but a man caught in a cosmic struggle to save the world?”

Blending Humor with High Stakes

What sets The Patsy apart from typical time travel stories is its blend of dark humor with genuine stakes. There are no resets or convenient fixes here. Bronson’s mission is a one-way ticket—he must live Oswald’s life and die to reset the timeline, a sobering reality in a story filled with biting humor. Hupp’s writing tackles tough questions about fate, identity, and the price of rewriting history.

The Power of Satire and Sci-Fi

While Hupp is known for his comedic shorts, The Patsy marks a shift to a more complex, layered narrative. The novel is an exploration of historical revisionism, with time travel serving as a backdrop for the deeper story of sacrifice and self-discovery. “It’s about the choices we make and how history can be rewritten, sometimes in the most unexpected ways,” Hupp explains.

The book also stands out for its irreverent take on history, challenging readers to reconsider their understanding of Oswald’s role in one of the most pivotal moments in American history. Through Bronson’s journey, The Patsy presents a story of resilience, humanity, and the absurdity of life itself.

The Breakthrough Moment

For Hupp, The Patsy represents more than just a novel, it’s the culmination of years of experimentation with satire, time travel, and historical revisionism. While his earlier work focused primarily on comedic shorts, The Patsy offers a mature, layered narrative that is both thought-provoking and wildly entertaining. The breakthrough came when Hupp realized the power of combining two seemingly disparate elements: historical fact and speculative fiction.

“I’ve always loved the idea of combining humor with high-stakes drama,” Hupp explains. “And time travel is such a great vehicle for exploring what happens when we try to control history. But rather than making it a simple ‘what if’ scenario, I wanted to dig deeper into the consequences of that control. What if, instead of glorifying the past, we had to confront its darkest moments and try to change them?”

That combination of dark humor and intense science fiction is what gives The Patsy its unique flavor. Readers who might expect a straightforward historical novel are in for a surprising ride, filled with twists, turns, and plenty of biting wit.

What Makes The Patsy Unique

Ultimately, The Patsy is a thrilling ride that combines humor, history, and sci-fi in a way that hasn’t been done before. Hupp’s portrayal of Bronson as a reluctant hero, forced to confront his fate and make impossible decisions, adds emotional depth to the high-concept premise. With its blend of irreverence, dark comedy, and suspense, The Patsy is sure to capture readers’ imaginations when it’s released in November 2025.

For more information, visit Symmetrical Press or DJ Hupp’s Official Website.