Cullen Bunn's Blog, page 35

The Sixth Gun Almanac, Part Three

Tarot de Lamarliere

In the wrong hands, this deck of strange fortune-teller's cards might very well be one of the most dangerous artifacts in the west … and it originated in Revolutionary France of all places. These lavishly illustrated tarot cards (some, like The Lovers, so lavishly illustrated as to make a grown man blush like a choir boy) were created by an artist and mystic who was down on his luck. Someone who knows how to use the cards can work amazing feats. I'm not sure how it works—something to do with how the cards are positioned and the amount of space between the cards when they are placed on the table—but not only can the user divine the future, he or she can control fate and probability. There are stories of people using the cards to grow wealthy, find love, kill enemies … and, I'd suspect, start revolutions. The Tarot de Lamarliere was last seen in the possession of a fortune teller out of San Francisco. The man was recently found dead, though, and the cards were not found amongst his possessions. I shudder to think of who has the cards and what they might be doing with them.

                                                                                                                                                (Appears in The Sixth Gun #1)

Stay Tuned! Coming Your Way on Halloween!

I'm not saying too much about this, because I don't want to give away the fun! In the meantime, if you want to order the novel that MTV Geek claims might be the next great horror series for kids, you can do so HERE.

The Sixth Gun Almanac, Part Two

Entry 2: Screaming Crow

A few years back, I met a Navajo who claimed to be the grandson of Screaming Crow. I can't say for sure if he was telling the truth, but I don't see why he'd have reason to lie. Anyway, he told me that Screaming Crow, this great medicine man who had tamed the Thunderbirds, was still alive, only he was hiding on account of all the people who wanted to kill him and steal his power. Thing is, if Screaming Crow was alive, that would make him well over one-hundred and twenty-five years old. Most people—myself included—believe Screaming Crow was killed and beheaded by members of the McGentry gang, to whom he owed a gambling debt. Since his supposed death, no fewer than eight shrunken Screaming Crow heads have appeared among collectors and sideshows alike. It's said that when the head is rinsed in warm blood, the lips begin to twitch and the long-dead shaman will answer any one question. Of course, almost every head that's been found has been fake—usually a shriveled up apple with some hair glued on top. But who knows? Maybe one of those heads is real after all … or maybe Screaming Crow, old though he may be, is still alive and well.

                                                                                                                                                (Appears in The Sixth Gun #1)

The Sixth Gun Almanac, Part One

A while back, I started putting together a guide to the characters, objects, creatures, and places that have appeared in The Sixth Gun. I'm not sure what I originally intended to do with the guide, but I thought I'd start sharing it, bit by bit, here. Some of the entries (like this first one) reference more obscure aspects of the series. Others may flesh out some of the more easily recognizable story elements. The goal is to continue to build the world in which Becky, Drake, Gord, and Billjohn adventure.

Entry 1: The Fool's Lantern

Much blood has been spilled over the Fool's Lantern, and it's likely best that the damned thing stay hidden for all time. What appears to be a common hooded lantern is in actuality a powerful and dangerous oracle. It is said that when light is shown through the cracked glass of the lantern, the shadows upon the walls spell out secrets. Some say the lantern shows ghostly images of events past, present, and future. Others claim maps appear in the interplay of light and shadow. There have been stories aplenty, though, of those who stared too long and too deeply at the lantern's revelations. Many of those poor souls are driven mad by what they see … while others vanish altogether and are never heard from again. Who can say if one fate is more desirable than the other? The lantern is cold to the touch. When it is lit, the smoke it emits takes on oozing phantom shapes. The lantern vanished some fifteen years ago, and for that I say good riddance. Still, there are those who continue to seek it out. I only hope they never find the blasted thing.

                                                                                                           (Appears in The Sixth Gun #1)

Out Today! The Sixth Gun #16

The fifth issue in the "Bound" story arc hits the stands today. Within, Becky discovers that the Sixth Gun has an ability she did not expect, and Gord is faced with a terrible choice. Both characters explore their past in very different ways. And is that General Hume on the cover? Yes it is! And who is that shadowy figure behind him? I'm not telling, but I will say this is the second glimpse of her you've had in the series.

Fear Itself: The Fearless

Today saw the release of the first issue of my first major project for Marvel. I've done a few one shots here and there, a couple of tie-ins to Fear Itself, and a mini-series featuring the old school Defenders. But this is something a little different. Fear Itself: The Fearless is a pretty big undertaking–12 issues published twice a  month. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out, and I hope you will be, too. A few things to keep in mind about the series:

I'm working with two other writers–Matt Fraction and Chris Yost. We plotted the initial beats of this beast together, and now I'm scripting the series. As of this post, I've turned in scripts through issue 10, and I'll probably turn in issue 11 tomorrow.
Two artists–Mark Bagley and Paul Pellitier–are handling art chores on the series… and they're rocking on it.
Art Adams is doing the covers.
The protagonist of the story is Valkyrie, a character who is a lot of fun to write. She's seemed a little under-utilized to me, so my goal here is to make her a major player and give readers a better understanding of what makes her tick.
The bad guys are Sin and Crossbones, the new Red Skull and her Neo-Nazi boy toy. Yeah, they're a sweet couple. There are some other villains that show up in the third issue that I'm hoping get some more play once this series is finished.
There are more guest stars in the series than I can list here, but I'll name a few. Captain America, War Machine, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Thunderbolts, Namor, and a couple of surprises.
The story revolves around Valkyrie's quest to obtain the 8 hammers of the Serpent. Her reasons for collecting the hammers will be revealed over the course of the series. This, of course, puts her at odds with Sin… and everyone else in the Marvel Universe, hero and villain alike.
Even though this is a spin-off of Fear Itself, I don't think you have to read that series to enjoy this one. I think it might add to your enjoyment, but I tried to write this so someone could come into it without knowing any continuity and enjoy it.
There is, however, a 4-page epilogue at the end of Fear Itself that ties into The Fearless directly.
Valkyrie breaks a lot of stuff and beats up on a lot of people (and monsters… and robots… and vampires) in this series.

As you can imagine, I'm pretty anxious about the book. I'm definitely interested in what you think about it. I've heard reports from a few comic book shops that the book is selling well and selling out. That's good news! If your shop doesn't have it, they should be able to re-order it. Ask them to hold future copies for you. It's gonna be a wild ride.

NYCC Schedule

Tomorrow through Sunday, I'll be at New York Comic Con. If you're going to be at the show, I hope you'll stop by and say hello. Here's where you can find me!

Throughout the weekend, I'll be in Artist's Alley at Table H11.

Friday 6:00 – 6:45 Signing at the Oni Press booth (#1236)

Saturday 11:00 – 12:00 Avengers: Shattered Heroes Panel, Room 1A10

Saturday 12:00 – 12:45 Signing at the Oni Press booth (#1236)

Saturday 3:00 to 4:00  Signing @ Marvel booth (#654)

Saturday 6:00 – 6:45 Signing at the Oni Press booth (#1236)

Sunday 12:00 – 1:00 Oni Press Panel

Sunday 1:00 – 1:45 Signing at the Oni Press booth (#1236)

Hope to see you there!

"I Bury All Your Cows!" Welcome to Crooked Hills!

Just in time for the Halloween season, my middle reader horror novel, Crooked Hills, is now available! This is the first book in a series set deep in the Missouri Ozarks… in the most haunted town in America.

For Charlie and his brother Alex, an unexpected trip to visit their Aunt Mary in the haunted town of Crooked Hills turns into a life-changing adventure, forcing them to confront local bullies, hell hounds, dead witches, and girls with slingshots! A throwback to classic adventures like that of the Hardy Boys, mixed with the creepiness of GOOSEBUMPS and CIRQUE DU FREAK, Cullen Bunn's CROOKED HILLS blends mystery and adventure to weave a fun and unforgettable story of will, friendship and family bonds.

The book is now available in trade paperback, for the Kindle, and for the Nook! For a limited time, the Kindle and Nook versions are on sale for less than 3 bucks!

Early reviews of the book have been very positive, and you can check out what people are saying here:

Hellnotes Review of Crooked Hills

Spooky Summer Fun: The Denver Book Examiner Reviews Crooked Hills

Review: Crooked Hills Book 1 by Serial Distractions

Dread Central Review of Crooked Hills

The Occult Detective Reviews Crooked Hills

If you haven't purchased the book yet, there's no better time than the present! If you have read the book–thank you! I hope you'll take a few minutes to help spread the word. This book means a lot to me, and I want to point as many people to it as possible.

If you have a Twitter account, please let your followers know about the book. Include the #Crookedhills hashtag to help other tweeters find the book.

If you have a Facebook account, please got to the Crooked Hills page and LIKE it.

And please review the book on Amazon, Goodreads, iBookstore, BN, and wherever you can. If you run a blog, post about it.

If you have a favorite library, request that they order it. Crooked Hills is distributed to schools and libraries by Follett Library Resources.

Thanks, everyone! This book has been a long time coming, and I appreciate all the support.

In Stores This Week!

Head to your local comic book shop on Wednesday to pick up these books!

The Sixth Gun #15

Fear Itself: The Deep #4

Mark Worthen

In addition to being an amazing editor and author, Mark Worthen was a dear friend.

I met Mark at a point in my life when I wasn't sure if writing was for me. I knew I wanted to write, but I wasn't sure if I could put up with all the bullshit that (at that point) seemed to go along with it. Mark founded the Midwest Writers of Horror, though, and invited me to participate. It didn't take long for me to realize that Mark was more than a fellow writer. He was a brother who was encouraging and inspiring and unwilling to let me wallow in self-pity. He spoke in a soft, deep voice that might have been a little menacing if you couldn't hear the warmth, kindness, and love behind his every word.

Mark was one of the most talented writers I've ever met. His passion for the written word, for storytelling, and for the horror genre came through in every short story or novel he penned. His work appeared in Thicker Than Water, Thinner Than Mist, Open Graves, Horror Library, and Beneath the Stones. He edited the online magazine Blood Rose.

He was an active member of the Horror Writers Association.

Mark passed away earlier this week. I'll miss him terribly, and I consider myself lucky to have known him.

We really shook the pillars of Heaven, man.

Horrorfind Weekend (I wanna say 2005)