DF Interview: Cullen Bunn howls about potential of Wolf Moon

By Byron Brewer

Halloween has been over for a week or more, but in December something monstrously horrific is coming our way. (No, not Christmas shopping!) Courtesy of writer Cullen Bunn, artist Jeremy Haun and Vertigo, readers will be experiencing the blood bath known as Wolf Moon!

A concept Bunn has been working on for some time now, this violent, action-packed story is a different take on the werewolf mythos. To get the 411, Dynamic Forces met Bunn during a full moon-lit night in a tavern near the stables. What he told us made the hair on our necks stand up.

Dynamic Forces: Cullen, you have to be the busiest writer in comicdom. Is there any publisher you are NOT doing a book for? (laughs)

Cullen Bunn: There are a few publishers I haven't cracked yet, but I'm working on them!

It is a busy time for me, but it can be a little misleading for the outsider. Wolf Moon, for example, has been completely written for some time, so I'm not under pressure to have issues written so Jeremy has something to draw! It's a nice change of pace to be working that far ahead of the artist!

As for other publishers, soon enough I'll worm my way into their hearts. I'm a little like the Wolf spirit from Wolf Moon that way. You never know when or where I'm going to strike!

DF: In December, your new book Wolf Moon comes out. Now this is a Vertigo title, but just to be sure we do not have a dyslexic editor this book has nothing to do with J. Jonah Jameson’s astronaut son, right?

Cullen Bunn: No, this series has nothing to do with Man-Wolf (I think that's his name) although I'd love to take a crack at that character! There's this image that pops into my head... Man-Wolf wearing green chain mail and carrying a sword and bow... that is so awesome! I can't imagine why a book about a space-traveling sword-fighting wolf-man wouldn't do well! 

That said, Man-Wolf and the creature in Wolf Moon couldn't be more different.

Wolf Moon is a bloody horror story, and the werewolf featured in its pages is a scary monster.

DF: You certainly have put your own spin on werewolves in this mini-series. Tell us about your reimagining of lycanthropic lore.

Cullen Bunn: It all started with this idea I had that the "werewolf curse" might "jump" from person to person with every full moon. If the werewolf moved in that fashion, not only would it be nearly impossible to hunt, but it would also ruin the lives of everyone it touched. From there, I started looking at folklore surrounding werewolves and other legends, and I uncovered some things that just seemed to fit into my idea perfectly.  By fusing a few (somewhat related) legends together, I was able to create a completely new take on werewolves.

DF: Tell us about Dillon Chase.

Cullen Bunn: Dillon is a man haunted by guilt. Some time ago, he was the "host" of the Wolf spirit. During that time, the werewolf killed Dillon's family. He's lost everything, and he's dedicated himself to stopping the Wolf. He's found a few like-minded people among those who have either been afflicted with the Wolf or those who were hurt by the creature in some way. In the end, though, he is alone, facing what looks like a hopeless task. And he knows that when he catches the werewolf, the only way to kill it is to kill the innocent person who has been infected at that moment.

DF: The challenges Chase faces are like none other I have ever encountered in horror. How does this vengeful man keep his sanity as he seeks his family’s killer?

Cullen Bunn: The hunt is Dillon's guiding light. That's what keeps him sane. He knows, though, that when it is over, he'll have nothing left to live for, but he's willing to make that sacrifice. His sanity has been pushed to the limits. He is hunting the werewolf because it slaughtered his family. But Dillon was the creature at that time. The guilt he feels is crushing.

DF: Is there a certain piece of literature or other media that inspired this tale of Dillon Chase?

Cullen Bunn: I don't know that there is any one thing that inspired Dillon's story. I've wanted to tell a werewolf story for a long while, and I was probably inspired by books like Animals by Skipp and Spector, Cycle of the Werewolf by King, and Wolf’s House by McCammon. Also movies like An American Werewolf in London, Dog Soldiers and The Howling helped to fuel that fire. 

DF: What is it like working on this book with artist Jeremy Haun?

Cullen Bunn: Jeremy and I have known each other for a long time, and it's a pleasure to work with him on this book. He really brings the brute savagery and stark personal horror of Wolf Moon to life.

DF: Cullen, what scares YOU most about the content of Wolf Moon?

Cullen Bunn: In some ways, I consider the werewolf in Wolf Moon to be a kind of supernatural disaster, an act of God that can strike out of nowhere. What scares me about something like that is it can come out of left field and, within a very short amount of time, turn your life upside down. Lives can be altered. Families can be destroyed. All in the blink of an eye. That scares the hell out of me.

Dynamic Forces would like to thank Cullen Bunn for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Wolf Moon hits store shelves in December!

Don't forget to buy your copy of Empty Man #1 signed by Cullen Bunn right here! 

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