Ben Stenbeck is an established illustrator from New Zealand who first starting working with Dark Horse on President Mike Richardson’s series ‘Living with the Dead’. Since then, Stenbeck has gone on to work with ‘Hellboy’ creator Mike Mignola on ‘B.P.R.D.’ and the series ‘Witchfinder’. This fall he teams up with Mignola again, and novelist Christopher Golden, on ‘Baltimore’.

How did you get started working in the industry?

Ben: My first break came with Dark Horse’s online competition ‘Stripsearch’. I did this goofy thing called “Alcoholisim Spaceman” that people liked; It got me noticed and lead to other work.

What are you doing instead of going to Comic-Con this year?

Ben: Working! I’ll be finishing off the last issue of Baltimore the Plague Ships.

What’s the most important aspect of the industry that you feel goes unnoticed in the mainstream coverage of comics?

Ben: The zombie shortage. But, I guess this being a recession and all, that’s to be expected. I hear Dark Horse is thinking of rationing zombies soon, two per comic. And Marvel is doing their bit by bringing in vampires, but is this too little, too late? Even Robert Kirkman has had to space them out recently. Who knows where it’s going to end? I mean, a few years down the track we might be talking about one zombie comic, industry wide – with only one zombie in it! Mainstream media refuses to cover it. Just because the Mayans predicted a zombie drought in 2012, the attitude is, “Oh that’s just superstitious hooey”. But let me tell you, it’s happening.

What is your favorite Dark Horse comic?

Ben: At the moment my favorite is Age of Reptiles: The Journey. It’s beautiful.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Ben: The almighty power of making deadlines!

Interview by Aaron Colter