Vicious Shivers (Cullen Bunn's Official Newsletter), Issue 101
This is the 101st issue of Vicious Shivers, a (mostly) weekly newsletter for fans of my work. Thank you for subscribing. Please share it with others if you think they might be interested!
Just like that, a new year is upon us.
I don't like it.
Not at all.
Time might be an illusion, but it is moving far, far too quickly for my tastes.
This illusion… this phantasm… is bitter.
If you celebrate Christmas, I hope yesterday was amazing for you. You know what? I hope the day was amazing for you whether you celebrated or not. The Bunns spent the day at home with ham, turkey, lots of snack food, lots of bourbon and rum, and a few vaccinated family members and friends. I made painkillers, which turned out pretty great. I was spoiled with amazing gifts. My son played Christmas tunes on his violin. All in all, pretty great.
If you’ve followed me at all, then you know that 2021 was tough for my family. The last several months in particular have been brutal. Somewhere in the mix, I experienced what I consider the absolute worst day of my life. The Bunns made it through, though, because that’s what the Bunns do.
We’re like Bunns of Steel.
Dammit. How come that joke just dawned on me after so many years? I coulda been using it for decades!
Anyhow, as I tend to point out frequently, you know who else is having a tough time? Everyone! And I know the holidays can be exceptionally difficult for folks. If you’re struggling, try to be kind to yourself and do some small things to bring you peace and joy. You deserve it because you matter… even if it feels like you don’t.
Besides, we’ve got next year to look forward to.
That was, most likely, met with some incredulous groans. I get it. But I’m really tired of having bad years. I’m worn thin by the constant negativity… from others and from myself… so I’m just not playing that game any longer. I’m going to do everything humanly possible to make 2022 a good one.
Which leads us to…
GOALS FOR 2022...
As promised, here’s a list of MOST of my goals for the coming year. I divided the list into a number of categories. I realize, of course, that I’m really challenging myself with this, but I need to strive for something!
WRITING
Complete the urban fantasy/horror novel I've been tinkering with for years.
Finish CROOKED HILLS 2. Update the first CROOKED HILLS.
Participate in NaNoWriMo in November, because why not? So, I guess, in theory, that's another novel. Sort of.
Complete the Christmas novella I've been tinkering with for years.
Pitch and sell at least 6 new creator-owned projects.
Complete at least 1 spec screenplay.
Complete pitch deck/pilot script for [top secret sit com project]
Twelve new short stories.
Create an active writers group.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Gallery of Whispers. (What is this? Can't tell you... yet!)
Far Shore Society (What is this? Can't tell you... yet!)
Deepest Catacombs... I have a second story ready to go. Just need to script it, assign pages to artists, and start posting!
PATREON
Post a minimum of 4 posts per week.
Refine/clarify offerings.
Reach [Cullen's secret goal] patrons.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Reach [Cullen's secret goal] followers on Twitter.
Create a schedule of regular video updates.
Return to the Bunngalow and Missouri Swagger.
Keep the e-newsletter coming out regularly.
Keep the website up-to-date.
Stop doom-scrolling.
BUSINESS
Revisit my business set-up and make sure all is working as it should.
Get online store up and running.
PERSONAL/FAMILY
Get a will written (hey... I want to be around for a while longer... but this needs to be done.
Re-connect with old friends.
Adulting… Do one of those annoying grown-up tasks every day.
Be a better husband, father, and friend (this is on every goal list every year).
HEALTH
Go to the gym 3 times per week.
Walk 4 times per week.
Meditation for 15 minutes a day.
HOME
Clean out and organize closets, garage, collections.
Throw out, recycle, donate 5 things I no longer need/want every day.
FINANCES
Tend to savings.
Pay off some debt/credit cards/medical bills.
Build an emergency fund.
Cut unnecessary expenses.
Watch impulse buys.
FOR FUN
Re-read THE DARK TOWER series.
Finish my X-MEN collection (I know, I know... This may go directly against the "Finances" goals).
Regular board game nights.
Regular meetings of the Dangerous Dilettantes.
Play 6 new board games.
Get back into art/sketching, once a day.
There may be a few more that will surface in the next few days, but I think this is a pretty good start.
INTERVIEWS...
Here we have a couple of new interviews, one about the return of MANOR BLACK and the other a new entry in the Comics and Cocktails video series!
DYNAMIC FORCES® - A Return to Manor Black — www.dynamicforces.com The powerful and ancient blood sorcerer Roman Black has taken a young fire mage under his wing after she has done the impossible – taken her magic house's totem spirit inside herself. But the totem is powerful, and may be impossible to control, especially when Roman's children begin to see the young mage as a threat.
Happy Hour- Comics and Cocktails #4: Werewolf Cocktails – COMICON — www.comicon.com As promised, Anton Kromoff, Cullen Bunn, and Brendan Allen revisit Werewolf themed cocktails in this month's episode. If you've been watching, you know these three can't stay on topic to save their lives, so there are a ton of rabbit trails, including Anton's adventure in downtown Branson, Brendan's trip to Uranus, cryptozoology, Purple Rain, and…
And… just in you’re interested… here are the recipes for the drinks I made for the video!
Silver Bullet Martini
2 oz Casamigos Blanco Tequila
3/4 of an oz. vermouth
¼ oz. lemon juice
1 dash orange bitters (2 or 3 if you're me)
Lemon twist
Add tequila, vermouth, lemon juice, and bitters into a shaker with ice.
Shake.
Strain into chilled glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist.
An American Werewolf in London
1 ounce kentucky bourbon
1 ounce London dry gin
1/2 ounce lime juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters (4 or 6 if you're Cullen)
Ginger beer on top
Luxardo cherry syrup
Add bourbon, gin, lime juice, and bitters into a shaker with ice.
Shake.
Strain into a glass with fresh ice.
Top with ginger beer.
Drizzle cherry syrup on top to make it bloody.
THE FEAST...
In case you missed it last week, here's a brand new 8-page horror comic for you to enjoy!
Here's the link to the PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UG61nTbGlV44bAlwC9RjTTSvQFFVaXRl/view?usp=sharing
EVENTS…
Here are the events I have finalized for the coming days. Keep in mind, these days, "finalized" doesn't mean as much as it once did. All events are subject to change.
APRIL 22 - 24, 2022 - Planet Comicon, Kansas City
THIS WEEK’S OBSESSIONS...
This week, my son and I continued watching GAME OF THRONES. It’s been slow-going, mainly because everyone’s busy.
I also watched PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, which has of movies that have eluded me for one reason or another. I thought it was great, but it was also really upsetting in more ways than one. Some parts of that movie have haunted me since I watched it.
In terms of Christmas movies and shows, I watched CHRISTMAS VACATION, A CHRISTMAS STORY, all the Christmas episodes of THE OFFICE, and 8-BIT CHRISTMAS. 8-BIT CHRISTMAS was new, and I enjoyed it. I had a big emotional reaction at the end.
My son and I started playing the SHADOWS OF MORDOR video game, and we’ve been digging violently chopping up orcs.
OTHER NEWSLETTERS AND BLOGS...
I've become a big fan of e-newsletters again. These days, the content in some of these publications is just top notch. Every newsletter, I'll share a couple of my favorites with you. There are a few blogs thrown in the mix, too, just to keep things spicy! Check 'em out!
LETTERS FROM THE LABYRINTH (Brian Keene Newsletter) - A terrific newsletter with tons of updates on Brian’s work, but also lots of horror industry insight and personal stories about life as a writer. Lately, there’s been more than a few tales of kittens. Oh so many kittens!
HOUSE OF FEAR (James Powell Newsletter) - You’ll get insight into the House of Fear comics, which are cool horror comics created for younger readers. You’ll also get free digital copies just for signing up!
KYLE’S BLOG: MAKE COMICS (Kyle Strahm’s Blog) - Pretty much what the title suggests. Kyle takes you through his process and thoughts on making great comic books.
THINGS TO COME...
Here is a quick and dirty list of upcoming projects. In most cases, I'm only listing projects that are definitely on the schedule with a published. Oftentimes, I will not be able to share much information, but I can at least tease the future! Everything here is, of course, subject to change.
February 2, 2022 - MANOR BLACK: FIRE IN THE BLOOD, a return to the world of magicians and wild magic.
March 2022 - GODZILLA VS. THE MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS, a big crossover comic that no one will be expecting but that makes complete sense.
A sequel to a story about dreams and loss and adventure.
A sequel to a story of robotic mischief.
A sequel to THE GHOUL NEXT DOOR.
A horror maxi-series about a mysterious town and mysterious experiments that have played out there.
A horror OGN where reality and surreality clash in a murderous way.
An action/comedy thrill-ride. unlike anything else I've ever written.
An apocalyptic horror/fantasy maxi-series.
A horror one-shot about loss and grief and guilt.
A new action/horror series I can’t tell you much about just yet.
WORK UPDATE...
This year, I wrote--
926 pages of comic book scripts (1468 in 2020)
1 feature length screenplay (0 in 2020)
13 short stories (15 in 2020)
0 novellas (2 in 2020)
25 new comic book series proposals (13 in 2020)
5 podcast proposals (0 in 2020)
0 forewords for upcoming graphic novels (2 in 2020)
0 television series proposals (5 in 2020)
FINAL THOUGHTS…
Thanks again for joining me. I hoped you enjoyed this issue. I’m wishing you the very best holiday season (no matter what you celebrate) and a Happy New Year!
WHERE TO FIND ME ONLINE...
WEBSITE - If you haven’t been there lately, you should check it out. I’ve started posting a lot more content and news on the site.
TWITTER - This is the best place to interact with me online. My handle is @cullenbunn
PATREON - Here, I post a serialized novel, a serialized comic book, short stories, and other cool materials.
THE CULLEN BUNN DISCORD SERVER - A place for fans to hang out and talk about comics, books, movies, games, collecting, and whatever else strikes their fancy.