Nightmare Fuel, Issue 229

ISSUE 229: THERE’S A SECRET MESSAGE IN THIS NEWSLETTER

This week, San Diego Comic Con takes place. Once again, I will not be there. There’s just no way I could make it happen this year, not while I’m knee deep in BONES OF OUR STARS, BLOOD OF OUR WORLD, not while money and time are both so tight. My big projects for 2024 are still underway, but many of them will not fully manifest until next year, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a return to San Diego in 365 days or so. 

Writing has been going fairly well. I think I mentioned that I joined a small cadre of writers who keep each other updated on progress, obstacles, and successes. It’s done wonders for my motivation. 

I’ve been working on the novel, as I mentioned above, and I’ve also been scripting some comics. 

This week, I also sent outlines in for four exciting new projects, and I’m working on a couple of others, too. These are all licensed projects, all properties I haven’t worked with… except for one… which is for a character I’ve written a pool of stories about. 

Oh… and Hurtt and I really started hashing out the next series of THE SIXTH GUN… and it is crazy and exciting and a lot of fun, just like I knew it would be. 

I delayed releasing this issue because I thought there might be a new series announcement dropping yesterday. That, it seems, didn’t happen. Suffice it to say, tHerE’s an eXciting new horror serIes comIng you’re way and you’lL lovE it, I Swear!

Still, there’s some cool new projects and news that DID get announced in the last few days, so let’s get to it!

So, you say you like evil cats, do you? Well, you’re in luck! As announced on MacabreDaily, I am returning to the dark corners of the Archie Universe with THE NINE LIVES OF SALEM, a one-shot featuring Sabrina’s favorite cat.

Salem was once a powerful warlock whose misuse of powers led him to live the rest of his life in servitude, acting as a cat familiar to a family of witches. But even in feline form, he can’t escape the sins of his past. And when some familiar faces return seeking revenge, he might just use up all of his nine lives trying to save himself from their wrath.

With this book (and the previously published CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SALEM), we’re setting our fiendish feline up as an occult investigator of sorts, the John Constantine of the Archie Universe. And, make no mistake, even with a cat as the protagonist, these stand-alone stories are dark and horror-filled. You can grab a copy and delight in the terror we’re unleashing in these pages.

The book comes out in October!

Having already taken the world of board games by storm with HARROW COUNTY, I’m proud to say THE SIXTH GUN board game is on its way! As recently announced on comicbook.com, Oni Press is partnering with Maestro Media to create board games of some of their biggest titles. THE SIXTH GUN is one of the first on the list. I can’t say a lot about the game just yet, but this one has been a long time coming!

GATCHAMAN #1 is officially Mad Cave’s bestselling launch title! 

With copies selling out at the distributor level, the first issue is going into a Second Printing, featuring a gorgeous new cover by Chris Batista (above)!

I’m so happy to learn that retailers and readers have connected with Gatchaman! I knew the brand had a following, but I never would have imagined just how many people wanted a story about awesome science ninjas. Chris and I are cooking up something really special, something that will appeal to longtime fans and new fans, young and old alike! And, as even more fans discover this world, we’re going to be unleashing bigger and more wild stories!

Tyler Crook and I sat down with the folks from Smash Pages a bit ago for a fun video interview about HARROW COUNTY (and a bunch of other stuff). 

In case you missed them, I wrote teo short horror movies, and you can watch them both online.

First up is THE BLEED…

…and the other is WATCHING…

I’m working on some more short horror flicks right now!

BEYOND MORTAL

Cullen Bunn (Harrow County) and Danny Luckert (Shock Shop) present an original graphic novel where the heroes of a new comic book universe will collide with a new pantheon of alien deities from beyond our understanding of reality.

Comic book readers are familiar with the world of Bronze and Modern Era comics… stories of gleaming steel metropolises populated by daring superheroes battling for truth and justice… facing down power-mad masterminds and would-be world conquerors.

But unknown to the league of heroes who protect the innocent, this world has a cancer growing at its heart. A pantheon of elder gods is starting to awaken. These timeless forces of super-nature once claimed dominion over a primordial Earth… and they have returned to reclaim what is theirs.

Super-powered heroes — and villains — find themselves struggling against unimaginable horror to save the planet. It is a hopeless battle.

The unstoppable force of the Leviathan will collide with the immovable object of the world's most powerful superheroes in an unflinching tale of ultimate horror and ultimate sacrifice.

This book, this gloriously crazy book, is what I would consider my biggest release of 2024. For me, at least, it is the most important book that’ll hit stands. I’m putting a lot of eggs in this basket, and I really hope folks support this one. 

GODZILLA VS. THE MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS II #4

With the help of some of the greatest giant monsters in history, the Kaiju Power Rangers areborn! New powers! New weapons! New Zords! The next evolution of Mighty Morphin PowerRangers—and the next mutation of Godzilla’s friends and foes—is upon us! And if you miss thisbook, you’re missing history in the making!

This series continues to rocket toward its epic conclusion! Now, the Kaiju Rangers are unleashed into the worlds of both the Power Rangers and Godzilla!

I have managed to carve out a little time for movies, books, gaming, and such.

In terms of TV, I have been watching LOVE ISLAND (and I SWEAR it’s because Cindy is forcing me), OUTER BANKS (which is not the show I expected when my son told me to give it a look), and COBRA KAI (I almost forgot the new season had started).

Movie-wise, I watched LONGLEGS, and I really enjoyed it. It felt like a sequel to THE BLACKCOAT’S DAUGHTER, and I approve. I understand both the love and the criticism the movie is getting. Nothing will change, though, that it is one of the creepiest movies I’ve seen in a good long while. My son and I watched DEADPOOL to prepare for the new movie this weekend. We’ll probably watch DEADPOOL 2 in the next day or so. 

For video games, I got my little retro gaming emulator working again and then spent several hours cursing at the controllers, as the games themselves, but never—NEVER—at my own lack of patience and skill. These games were a lot easier in the 80s, let me tell you!

I played some D&D with my friends. A new player has joined the campaign, making two of the players guys I was rolling dice with in elementary and middle school. 

I got a wild hair to re-read some nostalgic John Saul books from the 90s, so I’ve been reading CREATURE. I thought I read it when it came out. I definitely remember the cover! But I do not remember this novel at all. 

All events are subject to change at a moment’s notice, but here is where I’ll be appearing in the next several months!I 

August 1, 2024 - Whiskey and Words, Best of Luck Beer Hall, Springfield, Missouri

September 7, 2024 - Cursed City Con, San Antonio, Texas

October 4 - 6, 2024 - AuthorCon 4, St. Louis, Missouri

October 26 - 27, 2024 - Cowtown Comic Convention, Fort Worth, Texas

All Year Long - KICKING ASS AND TAKING NAMES, Worldwide

THE SHOCK SHOP - My online store, where you can find exclusive covers you can only get directly from me!

PATREON - Here, I post a serialized novel, a serialized comic book, short stories, and other cool materials.

CULLEN'S AMAZON STORE - Listen! If you have a local comic shop or bookshop, PLEASE visit them and order your books from them. If you don't have a shop, though, or if you can't get my books from your local bookseller for some reason, this Amazon shop has tons of options.