Cullen Bunn Talks About the Horrors Awaiting Readers in Dark Horse’s Shock Shop

Cullen Bunn Talks About the Horrors Awaiting Readers in Dark Horse’s Shock Shop

Dark Horse Comics‘ upcoming series Shock Shop looks to present readers with a horrifying series that will share two tales within its pages. The anthology series is hosted by Desdaemona from within the walls of a haunted comic book shop that houses these haunting tales. The series is penned by Cullen Bunn with art by Danny Luckert & Leila Leiz, and colors by Luckert & Bill Crabtree.

The premiere issue will kick off Familiars which tells the story of a divorced father who rents a home and discovers the home to be haunted by spirits and creatures who feed on his anger and guilt. The second story featured will be Something in the Woods, In the Dark which tells the story of a couple going through a hardship who go on a camping trip with their friends. Tensions and emotions are high but all will seem minuscule when they discover they are not alone in those woods.

Bunn divulged some information about the upcoming horror series. Check it out below:

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GN: You are delivering a mixed bag of horror stories. Did you have anything influence the stories featured in the series?

Bunn: To some degree, these stories in this series are inspired by a general love for the horror genre. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to write SHOCK SHOP. It’s the kind of vehicle I could use to tell any kind of horror tale, any tone, any style, any sub-genre. There are, though, some thematic connections between the two stories. I think that comes down to what inspires every horror story I tackle—my own personal fears.

GN: You are teamed up with different artists for these stories. Does your process change when working with multiple artists? What can you share about the talents of Danny Luckert & Leila Leiz?

Bunn: I don’t tend to write differently for different artists. Danny and Leila were the artists I wanted to work with most for the first two stories. I’ve worked with both of them a few times, and I know how amazingly talented an creative they both are. So, I might’ve considered which artist I wanted on a particular story before launching the series, but I don’t write differently.

I write my scripts the way I write them and trust the real talent to do something amazing with it. I’ve been asked if I do shorthand scripts for artists I work with over and over again, like Tyler Crook (HARROW COUNTY) and Brian Hurtt (THE DAMNED, THE SIXTH GUN). I still write full scripts for those folks, too.

GN: You’re kicking the series off with a double feature. Will these stories see us through the entire limited series, or is there more in store for readers?

Bunn: Yes, SOMETHING IN THE WOODS, IN THE DARK and FAMILIARS will be the two stories that run throughout the first 4-issue SHOCK SHOP series. Both of those stories need the room to breathe. There are, however, many, many more stories to tell. Hopefully, SHOCK SHOP will continue, because there are dozens of tales to tell.

GN: Looking into the future, can we expect Desdaemona to return to host more stories? Any stories or teasers you can give readers of what they might see if the series returns?

Bunn: Desdaemona isn’t going anywhere. There are dozens of more stories she wants to share with you. Hints? I dunno. The great thing about this series is that the stories can be so very, very different. We have stories of demonically-possessed chainsaws and death metal magic and hideous ghosts and ungodly transformations and even more. There’s really no end to the horror tales we could be telling. I really hope we have the chance, but it all depends on how well the first series sells. Desdaemona is ready.

Shock Shop #1 kicks off the anthology series and will be available at your favorite local comic shop and digitally on September 7th, 2022.