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Interview with
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JMH: At what age did you start drawing?
Eric: I'm really not sure when I first started drawing except that I remember my first finished drawing I did of Superman's rocket escaping from Krypton in crayon after seeing the first movie in theaters. So, at least five years old.
JMH: What was the first comic story that you drew? Tell the readers about the characters and plot...
Eric: When I was 12 or 13, I drew and wrote a total Camelot 3000 knock off. I loved the comic as well as the movie Excalibur, so while my King Arthur looked like the Camelot 3000 version, my Merlin was definitely Nicol Williamson's Merlin. I wish the comic was as good as either, but it was total rubbish and splash pages with the odd two panel pages tossed in.
JMH: Let's get into the swamp. What attracted you to draw the Heap?
Eric: The Heap is a character I first discovered as a teen when Chuck Dixon did his fantastic Airboy revival. I had earlier already been exposed to Swamp Thing as a kid through the original movie and the early comics but the Heap was fascinating because of clearly being the template so he held a special place in my mind and I've always wanted to dive into those original Air Fighters era characters. So, when Michael Waggoner asked if I wanted to come aboard for the first issue, I absolutely had to.
JMH: What artists have influenced your style or approach to the Heap?
Eric: There would be a few but they tie back to the fantastic artists that brought Swamp Thing to life at DC. First and foremost would be Bernie Wrightson although Bissette, Veitch, and Totleben would be on that swampy, stylistic Mt. Rushmore.
JMH: Did you go through any progressions drawing The Heap or was it "ink at first sight"?
Eric: I did a character sheet because I wanted to keep track of a uniform look to his vines and face. That allowed me to test out his crown of branches to see how it would look as he is the King of the swamp creatures in comics because he was the first. After that, it was full on into the comic and inking away to see how the character flowed.
JMH: What kind of stories do you want to see The Heap in? Places, settings, against certain other characters Lucky Comics or others...
Eric: Of course, any kind of horror setting will make for a great Heap comic but I would love to see him out of his element since this is The Heap I'm modern day and not only has the world itself moved past him but there will be technologies that could rival the power he has which was so unique in his days. It would be interesting to see how he interacts with the main woman of Lucky Comics herself, the outstanding, boisterous Beetle Girl as well as Flame Girl and the others. He might even have to team up with a couple of old friends before too long.
JMH: What other projects are you currently working on?
Eric: I continue to be the artist on Junior High Horrors at Keenspot Comics and there are usually a couple of special issues a year as well as the first collection due in bookstores, Targets, Wal Marts, etc months ago so hopefully that lands soon.
In January, I'll have a book called PsychoTron launching on IndieGoGo that I did the artwork for. Any fans of 80s sci-fi and Robocop should be on the look out for launch at:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/psychotron/coming_soon
JMH: I also like to fit in various issues of Beetle Girl, Crom the Barbarian for Lucky as well as the soon returning SPEAR and Doctor Titan.
Eric: And since I like to stay busy I've assembled a couple of writers to continue the WW II era of the Air Fighters that we'll bring to Lucky Comics next year so stay on the look out.
JMH: Where can fans purchase your comics and art?
Eric: A unified website will be coming soon but for now anyone can get Junior High Horrors in comic shops, my various Lucky Comics work at: https://www.drivethrucomics.com/
And as mentioned before the launch of PsychoTron in January of 2022 on IndieGoGo at:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/psychotron/coming_soon
JMH: How can fans get ahold of you?
Eric: Ericlkent at Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and also ericlkent@gmail.com
Discovery Eric's books here:
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/224255/Beetle-Girl-19a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/258604/Doctor-Titan-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/241462/Lucky-Comics-Free-Comic-Book-Day-2018b?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/258897/SPEAR-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/379157/The-Heap-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
Eric: I'm really not sure when I first started drawing except that I remember my first finished drawing I did of Superman's rocket escaping from Krypton in crayon after seeing the first movie in theaters. So, at least five years old.
JMH: What was the first comic story that you drew? Tell the readers about the characters and plot...
Eric: When I was 12 or 13, I drew and wrote a total Camelot 3000 knock off. I loved the comic as well as the movie Excalibur, so while my King Arthur looked like the Camelot 3000 version, my Merlin was definitely Nicol Williamson's Merlin. I wish the comic was as good as either, but it was total rubbish and splash pages with the odd two panel pages tossed in.
JMH: Let's get into the swamp. What attracted you to draw the Heap?
Eric: The Heap is a character I first discovered as a teen when Chuck Dixon did his fantastic Airboy revival. I had earlier already been exposed to Swamp Thing as a kid through the original movie and the early comics but the Heap was fascinating because of clearly being the template so he held a special place in my mind and I've always wanted to dive into those original Air Fighters era characters. So, when Michael Waggoner asked if I wanted to come aboard for the first issue, I absolutely had to.
JMH: What artists have influenced your style or approach to the Heap?
Eric: There would be a few but they tie back to the fantastic artists that brought Swamp Thing to life at DC. First and foremost would be Bernie Wrightson although Bissette, Veitch, and Totleben would be on that swampy, stylistic Mt. Rushmore.
JMH: Did you go through any progressions drawing The Heap or was it "ink at first sight"?
Eric: I did a character sheet because I wanted to keep track of a uniform look to his vines and face. That allowed me to test out his crown of branches to see how it would look as he is the King of the swamp creatures in comics because he was the first. After that, it was full on into the comic and inking away to see how the character flowed.
JMH: What kind of stories do you want to see The Heap in? Places, settings, against certain other characters Lucky Comics or others...
Eric: Of course, any kind of horror setting will make for a great Heap comic but I would love to see him out of his element since this is The Heap I'm modern day and not only has the world itself moved past him but there will be technologies that could rival the power he has which was so unique in his days. It would be interesting to see how he interacts with the main woman of Lucky Comics herself, the outstanding, boisterous Beetle Girl as well as Flame Girl and the others. He might even have to team up with a couple of old friends before too long.
JMH: What other projects are you currently working on?
Eric: I continue to be the artist on Junior High Horrors at Keenspot Comics and there are usually a couple of special issues a year as well as the first collection due in bookstores, Targets, Wal Marts, etc months ago so hopefully that lands soon.
In January, I'll have a book called PsychoTron launching on IndieGoGo that I did the artwork for. Any fans of 80s sci-fi and Robocop should be on the look out for launch at:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/psychotron/coming_soon
JMH: I also like to fit in various issues of Beetle Girl, Crom the Barbarian for Lucky as well as the soon returning SPEAR and Doctor Titan.
Eric: And since I like to stay busy I've assembled a couple of writers to continue the WW II era of the Air Fighters that we'll bring to Lucky Comics next year so stay on the look out.
JMH: Where can fans purchase your comics and art?
Eric: A unified website will be coming soon but for now anyone can get Junior High Horrors in comic shops, my various Lucky Comics work at: https://www.drivethrucomics.com/
And as mentioned before the launch of PsychoTron in January of 2022 on IndieGoGo at:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/psychotron/coming_soon
JMH: How can fans get ahold of you?
Eric: Ericlkent at Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and also ericlkent@gmail.com
Discovery Eric's books here:
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/224255/Beetle-Girl-19a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/258604/Doctor-Titan-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/241462/Lucky-Comics-Free-Comic-Book-Day-2018b?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/258897/SPEAR-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/379157/The-Heap-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
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