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Interview with...
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CBI: Tell the readers a little about yourself…
KEN: I grew up in open fields of Northeast Connecticut. For most of my life I worked in management roles for the manufacturing and shipping operations world, caught up in that soul sucking, unfulfilling, corporate rat race. That ended abruptly in 2018 when I experienced heart failure. As the saying goes, one door closes and another opens. Only after I almost kicked the bucket, was I suddenly able to spend time with my family. When my kids opened up to me that they were glad they saw me every day, I knew I was where I was supposed to be. My wife and I now operate a successful AirBnB. With a little push (more like a kick) from my wife, my creative side woke up and I began drawing, painting and writing. Creating comic books had been a dream since I was a kid, and I published my first one with the help of Lucky Comic’s publisher, John Michael Helmer one year after my heart failure. I created my Zindagi Comix imprint and have worked to publish other creators the same way John helped me. I’m about as fulfilled as I can get now (got my soul back).
CBI: At what age did you start drawing?
KEN: Probably 3 or 4 years old. I distinctly remember drawing and painting Clifford the Big Red Dog on some pine wood. My parents had that WTF look on their faces and I never forgot it. I was the ‘kid that draws’ in school for years, but gave it up after high school to focus on my professional career.
CBI: Which artists have influenced your style or approach?
KEN: I have to say not just artists, but STORYTELLERS of all sorts influenced me heavily:
TV/Movies - Speilberg, JM Straczynski, Steven J. Cannel.
Books – Vaughn Heppner, Jean M. Auel, Patrick Robinson, Jack Higgins, Clive Cussler.
Comics – So, so many, but mostly Frank Miller, Chris Claremont, Jim Starlin and John Byrne.
CBI: What characters/titles have you worked on previously?
KEN: I completed my first Graphic Novel, Zindagi, in 2021. I’ve worked with Jim Gullett on his second volume of Robolords and also published an Omnibus of Jim’s work in 2020. I continue to publish, co-write and letter Ed Stover’s The Harvest series. In the interim, I’ve done a bunch of covers and Inking duties for Lucky Comics (Aquarius Defense Force, Red Rocket #1, Red Flame #1), and collaborated with great creators like James Hachey and Jatinder Ghataora on projects they were working on. I’m proud to have a Zindagi story included in James Hachey’s upcoming Manga Ganda series which will be published in print by Markosia in the UK.
CBI: You wear many hats for Lucky Comics’ property “Beringia” What is that creative process like?
KEN: Step one was to drive John Michael Helmer bananas by insisting I get to do everything on the book. Normally I wouldn’t be so insistent, but there was something about this story by John that really grabbed me by the creative nuggets. Not since I worked on Zindagi have I had an entire picture in my head of how I wanted to tell a story. I just think it’s a fantastic concept, one of John’s best.
CBI: Are you continuing from the previous storylines or is this a reboot of the series?
This is a reboot.
CBI: When drawing the characters, what influences or research did you use to bring this lost world to life?
KEN: For the historical stuff that is in the story, I certainly do research for reference material. (Plane designs, uniforms, historical perspective of the person, etc). For Sgt. Ambrose Cyr, the main character in the book, I’ve been influenced heavily by the 90s television show, Due South. I loved that show, and it made me love the RCMP even more than I did as a child watching Dudley Do-rite. Just the sheer decency of the character makes me to want to tell the story. My color palette choices are a bit more bold than most modern comic books (which rely more on soft, almost pastel color schemes). Luckily, for my Zindagi book, I had painted a lot of jungle backgrounds in deep colors. Those paintings have served me well in creating and enhancing the backgrounds of panels in Beringia.
CBI: What is in store for Beringia going forward?
KEN: The initial plot line of the search for a Mountie who was lost in 1942 is wrapped up by the second issue. After that we’ll delve more into the time travel aspect of the storyline, with more historical characters popping up. The readers will learn what is causing the time imbalance, and climate impact, in an area that is supposed to have arctic conditions. This is likely going to be the craziest, most serialized, Lucky Comics story ever published.
CBI: What non-Lucky Comics projects are you currently working on?
KEN: I continue to do abstract painting commissions, and have one in the works now for a new grandmother who wants something for her new grandbaby. I will continue to publish Ed Stover’s The Harvest under my Zindagi Comix imprint until Ed completes the story. That may be a while, as he is currently working on three books at the same time. (The Harvest, The Harvest Chronicles and his collaboration with Jim Gullett on their crossover book, The Harvest of the Robolords.) For those who are interested in any Zindagi Comix stuff, it can be found digitally on Drivethrucomics.com, and print-on-demand on Amazon.
CBI: Any advice for new artists?
KEN: Nope. Just general advice for anyone – Love what you do. It will show, and it will inspire others.
CBI: Ken, CBI appreciates your time. All the best!
KEN: Thanks, and the same to you.
Discovery Ken Bouthillier's comics here:
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/372899/Red-Flame-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/372572/Red-Rocket-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/379787/Beringea-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/363885/The-Harvest-6
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/340970/The-Harvest-4
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/333046/The-Harvest-3
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/328057/The-Jim-Gullett-Omnibus
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/321207/The-Harvest-2
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/316590/The-Harvest-1
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/361071/Zindagi-The-Complete-Series
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/353627/Zindagi-10-CARETAKERS
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/300129/Zindagi-7-HINDI-VERSION
www.amazon.com/Zindagi-Complete-Ken-Bouthillier/dp/B09GQDJYQ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3IUGB930LNLJJ&keywords=zindagi+comic&qid=1642365637&sprefix=zindagi+comic%2Caps%2C56&sr=8-1
KEN: I grew up in open fields of Northeast Connecticut. For most of my life I worked in management roles for the manufacturing and shipping operations world, caught up in that soul sucking, unfulfilling, corporate rat race. That ended abruptly in 2018 when I experienced heart failure. As the saying goes, one door closes and another opens. Only after I almost kicked the bucket, was I suddenly able to spend time with my family. When my kids opened up to me that they were glad they saw me every day, I knew I was where I was supposed to be. My wife and I now operate a successful AirBnB. With a little push (more like a kick) from my wife, my creative side woke up and I began drawing, painting and writing. Creating comic books had been a dream since I was a kid, and I published my first one with the help of Lucky Comic’s publisher, John Michael Helmer one year after my heart failure. I created my Zindagi Comix imprint and have worked to publish other creators the same way John helped me. I’m about as fulfilled as I can get now (got my soul back).
CBI: At what age did you start drawing?
KEN: Probably 3 or 4 years old. I distinctly remember drawing and painting Clifford the Big Red Dog on some pine wood. My parents had that WTF look on their faces and I never forgot it. I was the ‘kid that draws’ in school for years, but gave it up after high school to focus on my professional career.
CBI: Which artists have influenced your style or approach?
KEN: I have to say not just artists, but STORYTELLERS of all sorts influenced me heavily:
TV/Movies - Speilberg, JM Straczynski, Steven J. Cannel.
Books – Vaughn Heppner, Jean M. Auel, Patrick Robinson, Jack Higgins, Clive Cussler.
Comics – So, so many, but mostly Frank Miller, Chris Claremont, Jim Starlin and John Byrne.
CBI: What characters/titles have you worked on previously?
KEN: I completed my first Graphic Novel, Zindagi, in 2021. I’ve worked with Jim Gullett on his second volume of Robolords and also published an Omnibus of Jim’s work in 2020. I continue to publish, co-write and letter Ed Stover’s The Harvest series. In the interim, I’ve done a bunch of covers and Inking duties for Lucky Comics (Aquarius Defense Force, Red Rocket #1, Red Flame #1), and collaborated with great creators like James Hachey and Jatinder Ghataora on projects they were working on. I’m proud to have a Zindagi story included in James Hachey’s upcoming Manga Ganda series which will be published in print by Markosia in the UK.
CBI: You wear many hats for Lucky Comics’ property “Beringia” What is that creative process like?
KEN: Step one was to drive John Michael Helmer bananas by insisting I get to do everything on the book. Normally I wouldn’t be so insistent, but there was something about this story by John that really grabbed me by the creative nuggets. Not since I worked on Zindagi have I had an entire picture in my head of how I wanted to tell a story. I just think it’s a fantastic concept, one of John’s best.
CBI: Are you continuing from the previous storylines or is this a reboot of the series?
This is a reboot.
CBI: When drawing the characters, what influences or research did you use to bring this lost world to life?
KEN: For the historical stuff that is in the story, I certainly do research for reference material. (Plane designs, uniforms, historical perspective of the person, etc). For Sgt. Ambrose Cyr, the main character in the book, I’ve been influenced heavily by the 90s television show, Due South. I loved that show, and it made me love the RCMP even more than I did as a child watching Dudley Do-rite. Just the sheer decency of the character makes me to want to tell the story. My color palette choices are a bit more bold than most modern comic books (which rely more on soft, almost pastel color schemes). Luckily, for my Zindagi book, I had painted a lot of jungle backgrounds in deep colors. Those paintings have served me well in creating and enhancing the backgrounds of panels in Beringia.
CBI: What is in store for Beringia going forward?
KEN: The initial plot line of the search for a Mountie who was lost in 1942 is wrapped up by the second issue. After that we’ll delve more into the time travel aspect of the storyline, with more historical characters popping up. The readers will learn what is causing the time imbalance, and climate impact, in an area that is supposed to have arctic conditions. This is likely going to be the craziest, most serialized, Lucky Comics story ever published.
CBI: What non-Lucky Comics projects are you currently working on?
KEN: I continue to do abstract painting commissions, and have one in the works now for a new grandmother who wants something for her new grandbaby. I will continue to publish Ed Stover’s The Harvest under my Zindagi Comix imprint until Ed completes the story. That may be a while, as he is currently working on three books at the same time. (The Harvest, The Harvest Chronicles and his collaboration with Jim Gullett on their crossover book, The Harvest of the Robolords.) For those who are interested in any Zindagi Comix stuff, it can be found digitally on Drivethrucomics.com, and print-on-demand on Amazon.
CBI: Any advice for new artists?
KEN: Nope. Just general advice for anyone – Love what you do. It will show, and it will inspire others.
CBI: Ken, CBI appreciates your time. All the best!
KEN: Thanks, and the same to you.
Discovery Ken Bouthillier's comics here:
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/372899/Red-Flame-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/372572/Red-Rocket-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/379787/Beringea-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/363885/The-Harvest-6
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/340970/The-Harvest-4
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/333046/The-Harvest-3
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/328057/The-Jim-Gullett-Omnibus
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/321207/The-Harvest-2
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/316590/The-Harvest-1
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/361071/Zindagi-The-Complete-Series
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/353627/Zindagi-10-CARETAKERS
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/300129/Zindagi-7-HINDI-VERSION
www.amazon.com/Zindagi-Complete-Ken-Bouthillier/dp/B09GQDJYQ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3IUGB930LNLJJ&keywords=zindagi+comic&qid=1642365637&sprefix=zindagi+comic%2Caps%2C56&sr=8-1
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