Adventures in Poor Taste: First of all, it’s a pleasure to be able to talk to you. We met briefly at Rhode Island Comic Con and thought it would be great to find out a little more about you and your art. Most of your artwork is of Batman and his supporting cast, a dark and diverse group of characters. What drew you to this set of characters in particular?
Ken Hunt: That’s a good question. And a simple one to answer: Public demand. My Joker is what really started it. I created the piece to give him a more terrifying look. A true “scary clown” as it were. Once it went on the internet, I received a huge number of commission requests for more of the Batman family of characters. That was almost four years ago, and it hasn’t slowed down yet.
AiPT: Speaking of a “true scary clown” I wanted to talk a little bit about the intensity of your pieces. The heavy inks in your artwork give it a very edgy, dark feel. Where do you draw the line between nicely terrifying and too dark?
Ken: That’s a tough one for me. I guess it depends on the overall tone I’m trying to convey in the image. The line between “nicely terrifying and too dark” is blurry, and often crossed without knowing. At least by me. I’m often guilty of “over inking”. Adding detail when it’s completely unnecessary for the image. I’m a fanatic of high detail artwork. However, even the brightest of characters can come across in a dark tone if one is not cautious.
AiPT: You’ve been drawing covers for Talon and some variants for the main Batman title. Where can we expect to see your work next? Do you plan to stay with DC for the time being?
Ken: Actually, I’m not doing the variant on Batman. There was a mix-up on that. Currently my next with DC Comics will be the cover for Talon #13. I am also doing covers for About Time Comics’ spearhead book Godsend. The #1 issue is already in print with the #2 issue going to press very soon. Though Godsend is not available in stores, you can order it directly from the publisher. I’m always working with independent companies and other commercial art/design venues. Some of which you may not even know I did, because my name won’t appear on it. Most of which are logo designs and packaging designs.
AiPT: When you’re sitting down to draw, what do you focus on improving, if anything?
Ken: Everything. I believe that you never stop learning, and should always strive to be better. But if there is one thing that stands out from everything, for me, it’s speed.
AiPT: When you get commissions, be it at con or by mail, what character do you feel you don’t get asked to draw enough, but would like to draw?
Ken: That’s a real tough question. There are so many characters out there, and more that I haven’t attempted than what I have. I guess it would have to be a character that I’ve never tried. It presents new challenges and keeps things from becoming monotonous. But if there’s a personal favorite for me to draw, it would be the X-Men’s Colossus.
AiPT: If you could have full artistic rights to a series, which series would you choose and who would you have as the author?
Ken: I’ve never thought about that. At least not a series that already existed. I do have a book that I want to produce myself, but I can’t give any details yet. As to an author, I have a couple that I really like, but not sure if they would be a good fit for my book.
AiPT: If people heard music every time they saw your artwork, what music would it be?
Ken: Hopefully a catchy tune that they can’t get out of their head. Or at least one they’ll remember.
AiPT: Okay, I think that about wraps it up! Thanks again, it’s been a pleasure.
Ken: The pleasure was mine, Sam.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
