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| Issue 3 of 4 from Blue Water Comics |
There are as many different genres as there are writers and the format in which one can present their work.
Amongst those is comic books, and within that group is a dear friend of mine by the name of Ken Janssens.
I had the honor of first meeting Ken in person at the 2011 Pulp Ark Convention, and while he was unable to make the journey again this year, we have maintained our friendship over the medium in which we first met: the Internet.
Recently Ken was nice enough to answer a few questions about what he's been up to lately.
Ken Janssens: I have two projects at the moment I'm very excited about. The first is an eight page
preview story running in the Free Comic Book Day anthology by Prometheus Comics
(http://www.prometheuscomics.com) named “Technophobe”. The other
is my Sherlock Holmes mini-series from Bluewater Productions entitled “Sherlock Holmes: Victorian Knights”.
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| "Technophobe" appears within |
Lee Houston, Junior: There has been much produced about the original consulting detective since the days of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. How did this work come about?
Ken: It's a
start of a new mystery that takes place in the English countryside. The
Sherlock Holmes mini-series came out of my running collaborations with Bernie
Lee. The two of us have worked on multiple projects together and the Sherlock
Holmes story was originally supposed to be a one-shot at his TwilightPop
company. After several conversations with Darren Davis, the project moved to
Bluewater Comics and was made into two mysteries and a four-part mini-series penciled by Matt Martin. I'd like
to thank Darren. He has been quite good to me.
Lee: You've also worked in the New Pulp field, creating and writing The Cerebus Clan, Aloha McCoy and, my personal favorite: Sherringford Bell, amongst your straight prose work.
What is New Pulp to you?
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| The writer, either mugging for the camera or lost in thought |
Ken: New Pulp is a great
balance of the adventure of the first half of the twentieth century and the aspects
and format of the new millennium. The best thing about it is that New Pulp has
no limits, yet somehow the writers in the New Pulp community all know what the
boundaries are. It's a very odd animal unto itself.
Lee: Why do you write what you do?
Ken: It's because of my father.
Whether it be the old movies and other media he exposed me to or just what he
passed down in his genes, I have loved the written word and stories (especially
of the “noir” variety) my entire life. I would be lost without this outlet.
Lee: What inspires you to write?
Ken: You name it. Everything I take in can
trigger something in me.
Lee: What has influenced your style and technique?
Ken: Many things. A lot of my style comes from
reading or watching what I deemed as the great detectives growing up. Sherlock
Holmes, Charlie Chan, Jupiter Jones, Batman, and even Scooby Doo shaped me to
what I am today. Of course, I`ve had other influences in the last quarter
century, but the above are my building blocks.
Lee: Scooby Doo, huh? Okay then. Velma or Daphne?
Ken: Daphne.
Lee: I've always been a Velma fan. Anyway, what would be your dream project?
Ken: Writing some of the down-to-Earth characters
from DC comics like Green Arrow, the Question, etc. But most of all, I would
love to work on the characters from Batman and the Outsiders. The first issue
of Batman and the Outsider by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo was the first comic book I ever picked out.
Lee: Where do you foresee yourself within the next
few years?
Ken: Hopefully working in
television, writing on a series. Also, I hope to have my hand in a few comic
book series too.
Lee: Has there ever been an interview question you
have not been asked but would love to answer, and if so, what is it and your
response?
Ken: Hmm, that`s one of those
“Ì`ll know it when I see it” scenarios and except for this, I haven’t seen one
yet.
Lee: Before we go, any other projects you would like to promote?
Ken: I`ve got many irons in the fire, so to
speak. I`ll let you know when I can talk about them. :-D
Lee: Well, it's been great talking to you again Ken.
Ken: My pleasure.
The work of Ken Janssens can be found either through your local comic book store or via Amazon.com
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