Cullen Bunn

Cullen Bunn was born in 1971 in the United States. He grew up reading horror and fantasy literature, which later influenced his writing style. Before breaking into comics, Bunn worked in the insurance industry and wrote short stories in his spare time. His first professional comic work came in 2003 with the self-published mini-series Damned, co-created with artist Brian Hurtt. The series, a supernatural western, was later picked up by Oni Press and became the foundation for his reputation as a writer of genre-blending stories.¹

Bunn gained wider recognition through his work for Marvel Comics, where he wrote extended runs on Wolverine, Deadpool, and Venom, often infusing these mainstream titles with horror elements. His Deadpool run (2013–2014) was noted for its dark humor and action. At DC Comics, he wrote Sinestro and Harley Quinn, and contributed to the Batman family of titles. His ability to handle both corporate-owned characters and creator-owned projects has made him a versatile figure in the industry.

Bunn is perhaps best known for his creator-owned series, which often blend horror with historical or rural settings. The Sixth Gun (2010–2016), set in the post-Civil War era, follows six supernatural revolvers and was adapted into a TV pilot. Harrow County (2015–2018), illustrated by Tyler Crook, is a southern gothic tale about a young woman connected to a witch's spirit. Both series received critical acclaim and were published by Oni Press and Dark Horse, respectively. Bunn has also written Regression, Bone Parish, and Basilisk, further cementing his niche in horror comics.²

Beyond comics, Bunn has written novels and short stories. His novel The Midnight Court (2019) is a dark fantasy based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft. He has also contributed to anthologies and written for role-playing games, including Deadlands. Bunn has expressed interest in adapting his creator-owned properties for film and television, and several have been optioned.³

Bunn has a background in martial arts and has incorporated that into his writing, particularly in fight scenes. He is also known for his collaborative process, often working with the same artists repeatedly, such as Brian Hurtt and Tyler Crook. In addition to mainstream comics, Bunn has written for licensed properties like Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian. He has also taught writing workshops and participated in comics education panels. A lesser-known fact is that Bunn wrote a series of short stories for the Weird Western Tales anthology, a genre he frequently returns to.⁴

Creator-owned

Comics in which the creator retains ownership and control of the characters and stories, as opposed to work-for-hire for major publishers.

Southern gothic

A subgenre of gothic fiction set in the American South, often featuring decaying settings, supernatural elements, and themes of decay and isolation.

Supernatural western

A genre blending Western tropes with supernatural or horror elements, often involving ghosts, magic, or monsters.