INTERVIEW: Cullen Bunn welcomes you to his ‘Shock Shop’
Image courtesy of Dark Horse / Provided with permission.
Dark Horse is ready to get into the Shock Shop business. The new horror anthology — from the mind of Cullen Bunn — will be released Sept. 7. Bunn is credited as the writer, while Danny Luckert and Leila Leiz are the artists.
In issue #1, readers can expect two stories. Familiars follows Trevor and his new adventures in an old haunted house, while Something in the Woods, In the Dark involves a married couple being stalked in the woods. Haunted houses? Camping trips gone awry? Welcome to Shock Shop horror-land.
Bunn, perhaps best known for Harrow County, recently exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox about the new series. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What inspired you to create Shock Shop?
Shock Shop comes from a general love of horror. I was toying with about a dozen horror concepts, and I shared them with my editor, Daniel Chabon. I think it was his idea to maybe tackle more than one of the stories at a time and to try to present them in a flipbook format. I got really excited about the idea of diving into multiple stories and presenting them at the same time, especially when the stories — Something in the Woods, In the Dark and Familiars — tread similar thematic waters. And then, for sure, there’s some inspiration drawn from the horror anthology comics of my youth. I loved how those comics would start with a horror host in a strange setting, introducing the stories amidst bloody puns and creeping creatures. So, you’ll be seeing quite a bit of that in this book.
What can fans expect from the inaugural issue?
Our first issue is a lot of fun! I mean, every issue is a lot of fun! The stories are very different, but they have similar themes. They are horror tales through and through, full of chills and thrills. Each story is also introduced, though, by our host Desdaemona, who owns a haunted comic book store which presents numerous stories all on its own. The artists are providing an absolute feast for the eyes! There’s so much to see! So much to experience!
Do you like the format of telling multiple stories rather than one story with recurring characters?
Shock Shop presents an interesting challenge. We’re serializing two very different horror tales over the initial four issues. So, I’m focused on telling the very best story possible while making every chapter the very best it can be. And these stories have characters I want readers to connect to and care about, so I’m focused on building those connections before the blood starts to flow. All in all, I love it. It’s a different kind of storytelling, and it’s so much fun! I’m always up for longer-form stories with recurring characters, but I feel like I can accomplish the same kind of emotional connections you might expect from an ongoing tale.
That said, do you think there’s a chance of revisiting these characters in future stories?
Besides our host, Desdaemona? I’m not so sure! You’ll have to wait and see if any of the characters we introduce in these first two stories survive!
Would you say the characters in each story inhabit the same universe / world, or they’re in completely different settings?
Hmm. That’s an interesting question. It’s something I hadn’t really considered at this point. Looking at both of the stories, I think it’s possible they could exist in the same world. Does that mean a crossover is in the cards? Probably not, but never say never. Now, future Shock Shop stories will definitely be set in different worlds, worlds that couldn’t possibly co-exist with the others! That’s one of the things I love about the Shock Shop concept. We could do any kind of horror tale!
When did you first fall in love with horror?
I’ve been a horror fan since I was very, very young — pre-kindergarten. I think I loved horror before I fell in love with superheroes or fantasy or science fiction. I blame growing up in the ’70s. I blame the Headless Horseman. I blame old DC horror comics and late, late shows and Hammer Films. I started as a horror fan, then maybe fell out of it for a while. But during high school I tumbled back into horror, and I was back for good.
What was it like working with Danny Luckert, Leila Leiz and company?
Danny and Leila are amazing. I’ve worked with them both before, and I’ve always been in complete awe of their talent and creativity. I knew that they would be absolute amazing collaborators for this first Shock Shop outing! They are so incredibly easy to work with, and they elevate every story they work on!
What are the plans for the series moving forward?
Well, as with any comic, it all depends on fan reaction. If pre-orders are strong, if reader response is solid, we’ll get the opportunity to do more of these books. I have plans, of course — plans that involve black magic and cursed objects and chainsaws and the absolute worst monsters you can imagine. I could tell stories in the Shock Shop format for the rest of my days, and I hope I get the chance!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Shock Shop, written by Cullen Bunn, hits comic book stores Sept. 7. Click here for more information.
