Celebration of the Horrific: An Interview with Cullen Bunn

By Nicholas Osborn

on March 20, 2020

Coming hot off the announcement of a brand new SHADOWMAN series series with Valiant, we had the opportunity to catch up with Culllen Bunn to get some insight on what’s next for Jack Boniface and the supernatural side of Valiant, as well as what keeps pulling the master of horror back to the genre! See our full interview below…

Comic Watch: First off, thank you for taking the time to briefly speak with us at Comic Watch about the newly announced Shadowman series. What are some things you are most excited to explore in this new chapter with Jack Boniface?

Cullen Bunn: With this series, we’re staking a claim for the supernatural side of the Valiant Universe. We’re starting to build a new mythology, one that will be important for a long time to come. I think we’re really establishing Shadowman as a major player, and we’re introducing many new threats that can play in any of the Valiant titles. This is also a book that is unlike any other Valiant title… or any title I’ve worked on before. We’re trying so many new things in terms of the characters, the pacing, the horror of it all. I’m excited to see what readers think!

CW: We haven’t seen a whole lot of Shadowman since the previous run ended in 2019, so how do you plan to use this direction for your story while also bringing something new and fresh to the character?

CB: One of the big things that has changed for Shadowman is that he is more connected to his Shadow Loa than ever before. This brings a host of new powers… and new responsibilities. But in the time that has passed since the last series, the supernatural side of the Valiant Universe has started to change. The Deadside, the dark mirror flipside dimension where everything dead eventually ends up, is starting to “bleed through” into our world. This sets Shadowman on a new series of adventures to new places where he will face new foes.

CW: After completing the acclaimed Punk Mambo series and just coming off the first volume of Roku, we at Comic Watch have been wondering what your next work with Valiant would be. What is it about Valiant Comics specifically that keeps pulling you back for more stories?

CB: I have always really liked the Valiant Universe. I love the characters. And even though the new iteration of the Valiant Universe has been around for a minute, it still feels like the creators are building something from the ground up. There is a great deal of rich soil here, and it gives me the chance to build something that will impact the shared world as a whole and make a lasting impression.

CW: Speaking of Punk Mambo, now that you will likely be exploring the Deadside much more in-depth with Shadowman, have you had any thoughts about an eventual crossover between the two horror-inspired characters?

CB: Oh, yeah! Of course! I can’t help but imagine what an encounter between Shadowman and Punk might be like. For that matter, what would a showdown between Shadowman and the Minister of Blades (a supernatural assassin from ROKU) look like? There are little nods in Shadowman to Punk Mambo. I want to make sure readers know these stories take place in the same world. And you never know. You just… never know.

CW: You are often introduced as a Master of Horror in the comics genre so Shadowman feels like a perfect fit for your writing. What is it about horror that really keeps you interested and are there any specific influences from the genre you hope to bring to this project?

CB: I’ve long felt most comfortable writing horror stories. I like that the genre offers many different flavors. A book like SHADOWMAN gives me the chance to explore all those different horror variations in a cool, unified way. I’m channeling all the great horror comics, horror short stories, horror novels, and horror movies I’ve devoured over the years. This book is a celebration of the horrific.

CW: With Jon Davis-Hunt, Jordie Bellaire and Clayton Cowles as a creative team, this new series feels like a powerhouse of talent. Is there anything that you are excited most for fans to see from the team’s work? Without spoiling too much of course!

CB: This team is just a nightmare to work with—a nightmare in the best possible way! They are presenting a vision of the Deadside that is absolutely stunning and ghastly and beautiful. The characters you know (there’s at least one major player besides Shadowman that you might be familiar with) are redesigned in some awesome ways, spotlighting that this is something different, something new. And there are some new villains—including one MAJOR villain—that they have just pulled directly out of the Deadside itself!

There you have it! Shadowman is “a celebration of the horrific” and I personally couldn’t be more excited. Be sure to add Shadowman to your pull list and keep an eye out for the first issue when it hits shelves May 20th! If that isn’t enough to get you excited, check out these awesome upcoming covers!