Vicious Shivers (Cullen Bunn's Official Newsletter), Issue 136
Vicious Shivers is 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!
WELCOME TO ISSUE 136…
Before we dig into the meat and gristle of the newsletter, I wanted to let you all know that I’ll be doing a livestream on Tuesday (9/6) at 7pm CST. It will run about an hour, and I’ll be talking about upcoming projects and answering questions! I hope you’ll join me. It will be streaming on Youtube and Facebook!
Mark your calendars! Set your reminders! Bring your questions! I hope to see you all there!
I’m going to try to do more of these types of broadcasts. It’s something that came through loud and clear in the answers to my comic book marketing questions!
***
Years ago, long before I had broken in as a full-time writer, I attended a writing convention in Chicago. It was one of the first conventions of that sort for me. The convention had a short story and poetry contest, which I did not enter, but I remember it vividly.
For the wrong reasons.
On the first day of the convention, my friend (who had traveled to the convention with me) and I walked across the street to a little diner to get some lunch. Sitting at the table right behind us was a group of established authors, many of whom I recognized and really admired. I was a little starstruck, I admit, and I said nothing to them.
These authors were talking and laughing excitedly. It was impossible not to overhear them, and it quickly became apparent that they were reading and commenting on the short stories that had been submitted to the convention’s contest.
And they were vicious.
They were tearing these stories apart, ridiculing every choice the authors made along the way. Mocking them. Loudly. They didn’t give a damn who heard them, which was good for them, because everyone heard them.
I was super shy and quiet in those days. I never spoke up. So I just finished my sandwich and headed back to the convention. If the Cullen Bunn of 25 years later had heard them, he would have probably said something to them.
He wouldn’t have been nice.
I write this now because of something that came up this week. Another writer friend received some feedback on a project. The notes were vicious and cruel, poor attempts at jokes rather than actual feedback, and they smacked of someone bitter and dissatisfied with their own writing, if I’m being honest. It was feedback my friend wasn’t necessarily supposed to see or hear, but it came back to him anyway.
Because it always comes out.
Those cruel comments? They got sent right to my friend by someone else in the company. The genius who wrote them obviously hasn’t figured out the simple truth that those kind of things always make it back to the person you’re talking about.
And they always sting.
I had originally written at length about those notes and the person who made them, but I decided to scrap that little essay. It didn’t happen to me, so it’s not my story to tell. It did, however, remind me of those writers from 25 years ago maliciously mocking other creators who were just trying to make it.
How frightened they must have been.
***
SHOCK SHOP #1 comes out this week. You’ll see more about it below. I’m just going to come out and say it here, though. I’m really hoping for a sell-through on the first printing. So, please, if you are at your local comic shop, pick up a copy! Tell your friends! I really think you’re gonna love the book!
***
What an interesting week creatively! I didn’t get as much written as I would have liked, but a few cool things happened.
Following up on some proposals I submitted a few months ago, I learned that one of the ideas has been accepted and is moving forward! It’s a ways off, but still very exciting.
I started and continued discussions with a publisher I thought I’d never work with again. Again, the project we discussed is in very early stages. We’ll have to see where it goes.
Three different artists reached out to me to talk about working on projects together. One of them had already written a couple of pitches for something they wanted to do. They just didn’t want to write the books. After some discussion, I took those pitches to make some adjustments and added my own ideas. Both of those proposals are now out there in the world! Another artist sent me some amazing concept art for a character they want to draw, and I started developing a a pitch around the design. Such a fun project. The third artist wants to talk next week about working together!
Not a bad week!
***
Today, I’m going to spend a lot of time organizing my stock of books. The webstore(s) need the books, and conventions are on the horizon! So, I’ll be mixing up a pitcher of frozen margaritas and spending time with boxes of books in the garage!
Mar-garage-arita is in full effect!
As always when I go through books, I tend to find things that I want to give away, so keep an eye on my social media today!
***
Speaking of conventions, the next one I’ll be attending is less than a week away in Lawrence, Kansas! I haven’t been to this show before, but I hear great things! It is a show focused on creators and comic books. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll stop by and say hello!
***
Here’s my new favorite photo of my kid. This is from his first performance with the Missouri Philharmonic Orchestra.
***
And now… on to the news!
HARROW COUNTY AUDIO DRAMA...
Did you know that you will soon be able to enjoy Harrow County in a completely new way? Graphic Audio is putting together an amazing audio adaptation of the series. You can hear a little of it and read all about it here!
The Harrow County Observer: Harrow County Coming to GraphicAudio – Multiversity Comics — www.multiversitycomics.com The Harrow County Observer talks to the team behind GraphicAudio's audio drama adaptation of Harrow County
THE BUNNGALOW IS BACK, BABY…
Cindy and I have started recording the Bunngalow again. It’s been a while. Frankly, the last 18 months or so for us have been godawful. Neither of us really felt up to recording. Things are still… kinda rough, if we’re being honest… but we’re both excited to return to the podcast. We’ve already got time scheduled to record the next couple of episodes!
The Bunngalow Ep 27: SEASON 3 !! — nerdylegion.com Guess who is back and recording again from Snake Mountain? Cindy and Cullen have a brand new episode and they aren't coming alone!!! Listen in and find...
WHERE TO BUY MY NONSENSE ONLINE…
My good pal Josh is busily creating multiple venues for readers to find my work online! He has created two outlets you should really check out—The Shock Shop and the Vault!
The Shock Shop is focused on variant covers, hard-to-find items, autographed books, and more. This is the place to go if you want to get one of the exclusive variant covers that are only available directly from me!
Cullen Bunn's Shock Shop — cullenbunn.bigcartel.com
The place to shop for limited editions, rarities, variant covers, signed comics, and more. Some of the items you’ll find here are ONLY available from Cullen!
If you’re looking for books from my archive—single issues and books to help fill holes in your collection—we’ve also launched an eBay store that is going to be packed with books from throughout my career!
The Vault of Cullen Bunn | eBay Stores — www.ebay.com Finally, Cullen Bunn has opened his personal archives!! This store is chock full of single issues, variant covers, graphic novels, hardcovers, and prose novels of Cullen's work, spanning his entire career. New items will be added almost daily, so check back often, save us as a favorite seller, and keep your want lists handy!!
INTERVIEWS…
In addition to the interview about the upcoming Harrow County audio drama, a couple of Shock Shop related interviews dropped this week!
INTERVIEW: Cullen Bunn welcomes you to his 'Shock Shop' - Hollywood Soapbox — www.hollywoodsoapbox.com Hollywood Soapbox interviews comic book writer Cullen Bunn about his new horror anthology, Shock Shop, coming Sept. 7 from Dark Horse.
Cullen Bunn Talks About the Horrors Awaiting Readers in Dark Horse's Shock Shop | Geek Network | #1 Geek entertainment news — geek-network.com Cullen Bunn Talks About the Horrors Awaiting Readers in Dark Horse's Shock Shop
NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK...
Two new comics come out this week! I hope you’ll check ‘em out! As noted above, I’m really hoping for a sell-through on Shock Shop! You can get these books from your favorite comic book store!
SHOCK SHOP #1
Cullen Bunn (Harrow County), Danny Luckert (Regression), and Leila Leiz (The Last Book You'll Ever Read) present a brand-new horror anthology flip comic taking place in a haunted comic book shop with a twisted retailer filled with tales of terror sure to leave you with the lights on. In Familiars: After a painful divorce, Trevor rents a house and tries to rebuild his life. Soon, he discovers that his house appears to be 'haunted' by more than one spirit and the creatures begin feeding on Trevor's feelings of anger and guilt. In Something in the Woods, In the Dark: A husband and wife going through a tough time go on a camping trip with a few friends. As they trek further into the forest, they realize that they are being stalked. Something in the woods starts killing the camper and it may have ties to the camper's more than any of them realize.
BASILISK #11
Deep in the earth, the Five witnessed something truly awful that they'll never forget, something connected to their equally fearsome abilities.
In the present, Hannah is brought to the commune, while Vanessa's madness and bloodlust take on a whole new level, threatening everyone around her...
WEEKLY OBSESSIONS…
Here are some of the new things I’ve been obsessed with this week.
I’ve still been so focused on work that I haven’t had the chance to really dig in to a lot of reading, viewing, or listening for pleasure, but I’ve tried to make a little time.
I watched the first episode of Rings of Power, and I enjoyed it. I like the tone of the show. I’ve seen a few people saying the pacing is a little slow, and I get that, but it feels right to me. I’m looking forward to the next episode.
After listening to the latest episode of Colors of the Dark, I felt compelled to watch The Orphan: First Kill. It was a fun movie that definitely takes a familiar set-up and does something unusual with it.
In terms of reading, I was looking for some short horror stories to help inspire me for a project I’m working on. So, I dug out my collection of Flinch comics. I think I read the whole series in one sitting. I love that short-lived crime/horror series so much.
EVENTS…
Keep in mind, these days, "finalized" doesn't mean as much as it once did. All events are subject to change.
SEPTEMBER 10, 2022 - Free State Comicon, Lawrence, KS
SEPTEMBER 24 - 25, 2022 - Memphis Comic Expo, Memphis TN
FEBRUARY 4, 2023 - ArtCon, Neosho, MO
MARCH 17 - 19, 2023 - Planet Comicon, Kansas City MO
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.
September - SHOCK SHOP, A new series that will allow me to spin many, many horror stories.
A LEGACY OF VIOLENCE - A horror maxi-series about a mysterious town and mysterious experiments that have played out there.
THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SALEM - A one shot following Sabrina’s mischievous cat on a wild adventure.
DOOR TO DOOR, NIGHT BY NIGHT - A horror/comedy series about a door-to-door sales team that moonlights as monster hunters.
A FOULNESS IN THE WALLS - A horror one-shot about loss and grief and guilt.
A sequel to a story of robotic mischief.
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 new licensed horror comic series
Another new licensed horror comic series
A horror maxi-series exploring a side of horror you might not expect
A horror/thriller I’m co-writing
A horror limited series I’m working on with one of my best friends and long-standing collaborator
An action/horror story of destiny and demonic blood
A horror prose anthology I’m editing
A survival horror series that sets up a whole world of apocalyptic nightmares
WORK UPDATE…
So far this year, I wrote:
1275 pages of comic book scripts (938 in 2021)
0 feature length screenplay (1 in 2021)
1 half-hour comedy pilot (0 in 2021)
1 short film script (0 in 2021)
6 short stories (13 in 2021)
0 novellas (0 in 2021)
27 new comic book series proposals (25 in 2021)
0 podcast proposals (5 in 2021)
1 essay (0 in 2021)
1 foreword for upcoming graphic novels (0 in 2021)
1 television series proposal (0 in 2021)
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
TIKTOK - A fun spot for quick videos about writing, comics, and collecting
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.
THE BUNNGALOW - Cindy and I talk about life, hot button topics, pop culture, being married to a comic book writer and EVERYTHING in between.