So, today is… a day. A lot of folks—and I mean a lot of folks—are going to be having something of a rough time. I’ll admit, I’ve had more than one mental crisis over the past few days, and the surreal nightmares I’ve been experiencing have been whoppers.
Might be all the junk food.
I promised my friends, though, that I would be a rock for them over the next few years, I would be a bastion of positivity, a non-judgmental sounding board, a kind ear, a well-worn pair of traveling pants, an assurance that we’ll get through whatever comes our way even when it might seem like we will not. I will whistle past any graveyard on behalf of my team. And I intend to keep that promise to the bast of my abilities. I’m gonna tamp my own worries down and let them murder me in my sleep at some point 20 years down the line.
If, however, you are one of those sweet, witless jewels of pseudo-humanity who treats the world around you as a Wrestlemania pay-per-view games of gotcha oneupmanship… if you really take great joy in “owning” others who are having a difficult time… if you’re already lubing up for your next jerk-off fest of “cry MOAR”… if you think the state of our country and our world is best summed up in a really funny meme that hurts “fee-fees”… please keep in mind that you are being a ruptured blood blister on the ass of decency…
…fatback bacon’s less intelligent, less athletic little brother…
…a personified jellied loose-meat sandwich…
You really need to think hard about the concept of bread and circuses and what that means for you.
Also… unsubscribing to my newsletter?
Reaaaaaaaaaaal easy.
For everyone else… for my team… hang in there. Everyone faces their fears in their own way. There is no rulebook. There is no fucking spoon. Don’t let the human fart-whiffs get you down or get the better of you. Do not engage. Let them suffocate. They want to get a reaction from you, because they have no fiery soul of their own.
Remember, always…
…and…
…we’ve got this.
Today is the FINAL ORDER CUTOFF for JUMPSCARE #1!
Now, I’m not one to beg… but I’m begging you to call or stop by your local comic retailer and pre-order this book.
I mean it.
You don’t want to miss this.
In a world rife with crime, horror, and bloodshed, Jumpscare is the hero we deserve! Strong, fast, violent, and able to conjure any weapon from any horror movie she's seen (and she's seen a LOT of horror movies), Jumpscare hacks her way through ne'er-do-wells and monsters alike. Not only is she the bloodiest hero of Empire City--she is the most popular! No wonder her enemies want her dead.
JUMPSCARE has a lot of awesome in its DNA. It’s got a little Deadpool, Harley Quinn, and Tank Girl; a little bit of Fangoria and Gorezone and every horror movie you’ve ever loved; a little cosmic horror and slasher horror and comedy horror; a little street-level superhero action; lot of gorgeous Danny Luckert art; and a metric ton of Cullen Bunn’s love of all things comics, horror, and superhero.
Daily Dead just ran a piece on some of Danny early Jumpscare designs. Check it out HERE.
And Fangoria has posted a preview of the book HERE.
And, really, make with the pre-order.
Jumpscare is counting on you.
I didn’t get as much done this week as I wanted. The aforementioned mental crisis might have gotten the better of me. Still, I did knock quite a few projects off my list. Lots of edits. Lots of project and world overviews. Lots of plans and schemes. Lots of organizing. A few outlines. Even a short film script co-written with my pal Josh Roberts.
This week the focus shifts back to—gasp!—actual writing.
I’ve got a couple of scripts I’d like to finish and I’m starting edits on BONES OF OUR STARS, BLOOD OF OUR WORLD. I’m feeling pretty good about those edits. I have been thinking a lot about the novel, thinking about ways to improve it before it goes to print, and now is the time to get started!
Has it really been five years since the movie adaptation of THE EMPTY MAN came out?
I guess so.
That graveyard I’m whistling past seems to be my life.
Anyhow.
Bloody Disgusting just posted a look back on the movie. You can read it HERE.
You might be wondering what’s going on with Betty Boop Flops Santanico Pandemonium Food Gremlin Wicked Nightmare. Well, she’s doing just fine. She has another (undoubtedly expensive) vet visit this week, but that’s just for booster shots, really. She has free reign of the house at this point, and she is using said freedom to the full extent of her abilities. Every morning—just around six o’clock—she can be heard thundering (kitten thundering, anyhow) at full speed from room to room to room like she’s on some sort solo, feline of Ride of the Valkyrie.
I have been reading WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Grady Hendrix, and I’m really enjoying it. I’ll likely finish it a little later today. You’ll remember I was a little worried that the book would upset me as I went into edits on my own novel. It’s actually been kind of invigorating. I’ll be back next week with a little more non-spoiler thoughts on the book.
I got the first issue of STARDAZE 80 from D.B. Whitney and Friends. This magazine is a look back at the toys, games, tv shows, and movies of the 80s. It reads like an old Sears Wishbook, full of pictures and memories. There are some preview pages on their site, but I highly recommend it if you want a trip down memory lane.
Cindy and I finally got around to finishing the last few episodes of WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, and it was so bittersweet to see it come to an end. Loved that show.
Cindy, Roman, and I are all caught up on SQUID GAMES 2. I’m very interested in seeing where the series goes next. I think I liked the first couple of episodes of this season more than the rest, but I enjoyed the whole thing.
I watched THE THICKET this week, and I really enjoyed it. It is based on one of the few Joe R. Lansdale books I have read yet, but I’ve got the novel ready to go next. It’s a (non-supernatural) weird western, and Lansdale’s fingerprints are all over it. And, as you know, I love a good weird western. In fact, here are a few (JUST a few) of my favorites (not counting, of course, THE SIXTH GUN).
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DEAD IN THE WEST by Joe R. Lansdale - I re-read this zombie western novella every couple of years.
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THE MAGIC WAGON by Joe R. Lansdale - Another non-supernatural weird western… but, man, is it WEIRD.
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JONAH HEX - The original comic series is pretty terrific, embracing the weird without leaning into supernatural.
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JONAH HEX: TWO GUN MOJO - Of course, Joe Lansdale (who pops up here a lot, I know) and Tim Truman took Jonah Hex in a much more freaky direction in this series (and the two series that followed it)
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“Hell Creek” by Karl Edward Wagner - This short story is grim tale of ghostly horror and revenge.
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DEAD MAN - Jim Jarmusch‘s western is surreal and bizarre and wonderful with its all-star cast.
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BONE TOMAHAWK - This movie can be a bit of a bitter pill to swallow. Make sure you’ve steeled yourself.
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DEAD BIRDS - In this movie, bank robbers hide out in a (very) haunted house.
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THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King - As much a fantasy as a western, I still think the first book in the DARK TOWER series is near-perfect.
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NEAR DARK - Yes, I’m talking about the vampire movie. You may say, “But… But… But…” BUT this is a western through-and-through, I promise.
THE HEXILES #3
Sometimes, it's hard to learn the truth about your parents — especially when your father is a sorcerer working for the legions of Hell. The Hexiles, though, must delve into the dark and bloody past of Jamison Kreel if they hope to break the curse that he has placed upon them.
GATCHAMAN #6
While browsing in an antique shop, Jinpei stumbles upon an ancient map. Excited by the discovery, he brings it to the rest of the Science Ninja Team, which sparks a thrilling treasure hunt. The map leads them through ancient ruins and dangerous terrains as they follow its clues... but are they able to make it out alive with the treasure intact? A civilian-clothes interlude for the Science Ninja Team in the vein of The Goonies!
EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS #7
SOMETIMES... NIGHTMARES DO COME TRUE! IN THE NEW YEAR, EC COMICS DARES YOU LOOK EVEN DEEPER INTO THE UNEXPLORED RECESSES OF YOUR IMAGINATION AS THE TOP-SELLING HORROR SERIES OF 2024 ENTERS ITS UNRELENTING SECOND ACT!
This month: Our beloved hosts-the Grave-Digger, the Tormentor, and the Grim Inquisitor-usher you forth into three velvet-lined tales of darkness and deceit... and then seal you inside! Relax and embrace the decomposition yet to come as storytellers and fellow victims Cullen Bunn (The Sixth Gun), Chris Condon (Night People), and Matthew Rosenberg (DC vs. Vampires) gulp their last remaining breaths alongside grisly artists Tyler Crook (Harrow County), Dustin Weaver (Avengers), and more! STAY CALM, THAT RELENTLESS BANGING WILL ONLY WEAR YOU OUT MORE QUICKLY!
Here’s a quick rundown of convention appearances, signings, and other events. Keep in mind, all appearances are subject to changes and cancellations.
February 20 - 22 - ComicsPro Comic Book Industry Meeting, Los Angeles CA
March 6 - 9 - Emerald City Comic Con, Seattle WA
March 21 - 23 - Planet Comicon, Kansas City MO
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.
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.
MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE - Listen. You should always shop at your local comic and bookstore first, but if they don’t carry the books you want, you might be able to get them here. And, if nothing else, leave some reviews of the books you love!