In the ever-expanding comic book world, which for decades put a premium on the work of the people who drew them, Ira Hunter's lack of skills as an illustrator isn't a hindrance. He's a writer and publisher of his own comics, which to plenty of readers is just as important as the role of artist.

"If my dreams were to come true I'd be a director," said Hunter, who has written and self-published 35 comics since 2000. "Currently, I'm just a writer-publisher."

Hunter, 34, who was raised in Nanaimo, is known around the comic book industry as the brains behind the self-published Champions of Hell. His passion project -- for which illustrator Robin Thompson drafts the artwork -- came out of a horror movie screenplay of the same name, which Hunter started writing when he was in Grade 10.

He still hopes to have the script transferred to the screen one day, though he's realistic about the difficulty in doing so. "I will make it myself if I have to, but I have gone down to L.A. a few times to shop it around."

Tinseltown can wait. Hunter has more than a few options to pursue at the moment, one of which is about to become more of a priority than ever: Absolute Underground, a free bi-monthly music magazine he has published since 2004.

To celebrate its fifth anniversary, Hunter is unveiling the first episode of Absolute Underground TV, a 30-minute web episode he hopes will lead him further into the vast plains of new media -- or at least help him pay down some of his debt.

"I'm the editor-in-chief and publisher of Absolute Underground, which means I get the bills on my credit card," he said with a laugh.

Absolute Underground TV is the latest chapter in what has been a huge source of pride for Hunter and his team. At its inception, the magazine was 16 pages and printed in black and white. Current editions of the magazine (which can be found at more than 200 locations in both Victoria and Vancouver) are 52 pages, 20 of which are in full colour.

Hunter expanded Absolute Underground into Alberta in 2006; the next year, he secured distribution that reached all the way to Quebec. He has between 30 and 50 regular contributors, at least one in each city, who shoot photos, supply artwork and write stories for each issue, which caters primarily to metal and punk fans.

"Most of the advertisers believe you aren't going to be around that long, because they see so many people come and go. But we have grown into a pretty respectable magazine."

Of the 10,000 copies printed each run, roughly half are designated for distribution in B.C. The focus of his content remains on Victoria and Vancouver, but in order to keep it afloat, Absolute Underground has to report on artistic communities across Canada.

"We will never lose the focus of why we started this magazine, which was to give local bands the exposure they need to make it," he said. "But it has become a national publication, so it's not just a Victoria magazine anymore."

To coincide with the magazine's 30th issue, which is currently on newsstands, Hunter is hosting a party on Friday at Lucky Bar. He will screen the magazine's inaugural web episode, which will later be accessible through www.absoluteunderground.tv. That the event (which features local bands Alcoholic White Trash, Start With the Cobra, and the Keg Killers) will occur on Friday the 13th isn't a coincidence: Hunter's Zombie Jesus T-shirts, which are based on a short film he wrote, directed and produced, are among his biggest income generators.

Hunter moved to Victoria at 19 and took a job at Esquimalt's Papa Geppetto's Toys, which created the popular "skwish" toy for babies. After starting in the back shop, he moved to sales and marketing, which took him to toy fairs and conventions several times a year. His on-the-job travelling eventually opened his eyes to the possibilities of conventions, which lit the fire under his comic career.

Once he and Thompson had some comics under their belts, Hunter headed for Comic-Con, the high-profile comic industry event held each year in San Diego. In 1999, he arrived with 100 comic books and some T-shirts in a backpack. His only hope of selling Champions of Hell products in the hugely competitive environment was to find people he thought would be interested in futuristic tales populated by demons and zombies.

"I basically looked for people in heavy metal T-shirts to sell them to," he said.

He's still catering to that crowd. Absolute Underground content ranges from tattoos and skateboarding to comedy duo Cheech and Chong and Can-metal legend Thor. "I like a little humour in my punk rock and metal," he said.

His fondness for funny things occasionally stretches to the stage as well. Every so often Hunter rallies his bandmates in the Champions of Hell band, which he calls "the local GWAR." Gigs by the group usually occur on Halloween, as the show features characters from his comic book dressed in outlandish costumes.

"He's got his finger in every pop-culture pie," artist Gareth Gaudin, co-owner of Legends Comics, said of Hunter, whose work he stocks in his Johnson Street store. "He makes me feel like I'm totally letting the world down by not being a full-time go-getter."

Hunter said he is going about it the only way he knows. "I strongly believe in getting your work out there, even if you have to give your stuff away. Get the exposure until it falls into the right hands."

mdevlin@tc.canwest.com