Profile: Comic Book Artist & Writer Ben Templesmith

				By Jimmy Aquino, Pop Culture Contributing Editor Ben Templesmith’s origins are clouded in mystery. Some say he came out of Africa, from the stars, or even “his own arse”, but it’s been narrowed down to Perth, Australia. While he mentally never knows where he is, he currently bides his time between New York City and Chicago, constantly claiming one’s pizza is better than the other. He has worked steadily in comics for the past ten years though he also worked stints as a janitor and in a video store. (The years as an Australian mail-order bride are not to be discussed.) He is furiously working on Batman for DC Comics’ digital line, available some time in June, a bunch of stuff he can’t talk about, and The Squid. Always with the squid… Do check out his website for announcements of all of his projects coming soon!
	BEING AN ARTIST IS…?			Hard work, despite being the most natural thing in the world.
	WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON TODAY?			So far, my email inbox. See above for the “hard work” bit.
				(Signing at Australia’s All Star Comics)
	WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR WORK?			Everything and nothing. From offhand remarks, drunken conversations, beautiful nature, other artist’s work, and the dark recesses of my own brain. Also, paying my rent.
	OF WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD?			Impossible to say as it changes all the time. I would say, my creator owned sequential work, which I never took a dime to do and only ever made a living off if people would buy them. And they did. This I consider my greatest accomplishment. And possibly, within that, Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, because when people tell me they laughed out loud at something I wrote on a piece of paper, I feel warm and fuzzy. Like I have Malaria.
				(Trailer for Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse)
	WHAT’S YOUR DREAM PROJECT?			Since all my ambitions have basically been accomplished, I have to make up new ones every time someone asks… so, to write, art direct, and control my own major animated dark humour / horror TV show on Adult Swim or someplace.
	TO WHOM DO YOU LOOK FOR INSPIRATION?			Thinkers, fighters, those passionate with something to say. On the whole, Warren Ellis has probably inspired me more than most.
	IS THERE ANYONE FAMOUS YOU’D LIKE TO WORK WITH AND WHY?			Well, now that Christopher Hitchens is dead…Ralph Steadman. Just because it’s Ralph Steadman and I love his work. We’d probably go skinny-dipping or something. That qualifies as “work with,” yes? I don’t know what we’d do otherwise. Draw together maybe. If you don’t know who he is, check out Gonzo art. And Hunter S. Thompson, obviously. Otherwise I seek to work with no one except good people with something new to add. (Or I get paid really well), since I’d rather do things all myself.
	IF YOU COULD LIVE/WORK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE ?			Well, one day I plan on living in a quaint English seaside village just an hour or two from London. (So I can live the quiet, reserved artist life and still go on mad drunken benders in the big city when required so I don’t go mad). Otherwise, living and working in two of the best cities in America, NYC and Chicago, are pretty much it.
				(Welcome to Hoxford, fan film adaptation of Ben’s comic)
	WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST NON-ART JOB?			My first job *was* an art job (cartoonist for a local paper), so I guess it went downhill after that. I cleaned toilets and workshops as I went through university as a janitor.
	WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT?			Deadlines.
	WHAT GETS YOU UP IN THE MORNING ?			Nothing. I prefer to sleep, doing most of my work the later it gets. Morning people scare me.
	DESCRIBE YOUR WORK IN THREE WORDS.			Splattered, dark, colourful.
	IF THERE WERE A MOVIE OF YOUR LIFE, WHO WOULD WRITE, DIRECT, AND STAR IN IT ?			Directed and written by David Michôd (he did Animal Kingdom), starring some unknown Australian actor who looks like me. Or that guy from My Name is Earl if he could ever do an actual Perth Australian accent.
				Visit Ben… www.templesmith.com Facebook.com/bentemplesmith @templesmith