DF Interview: Cullen Bunn spins off new limited series from cosmic horror OGN ‘Beyond Mortal’ with ‘Jumpscare’

By Byron Brewer

In a world rife with crime, horror and bloodshed, Jumpscare is the hero we deserve! Strong, fast, violent and able to conjure any weapon from any horror movie she's seen (and she's seen a lot of horror movies!), Jumpscare hacks her way through ne'er-do-wells and monsters alike. Not only is she the bloodiest hero of Empire City, she is the most popular! No wonder her enemies want her dead.

From the co-creator of The Sixth Gun and Harrow County comes Jumpscare, a new action horror superhero event that ties into the hit Beyond Mortal graphic novel. And you know if I see the name of Cullen Bunn, I am there. Here is what the prolific Sultan of the Supernatural told me.

Byron Brewer: Cullen, O Master of Comic Book Horror, before we deep dive into your coming limited series Jumpscare, talk a little about your Beyond Mortal universe and how this gave rise to Jumpscare.

Cullen Bunn: Beyond Mortal is an original graphic novel that came out from Dark Horse. It’s available now! It is the story of the world’s greatest superheroes (think the Avengers, think the Justice League) facing an invasion from terrifying elder gods called the Leviathan (think the Cthulhu Mythos). When Danny Luckert and I were working on the initial story, we both knew that we wanted to expand the world. We wanted it to be OUR Marvel Universe, our DC Universe. We have several ideas for future stories. One of the first, though, was Jumpscare. She sprang to mind as a Deadpool, Harley Quinn, Tank Girl hero who fully embraced the horror genre. With Beyond Mortal, our heroes are rocked, shocked, terrified. So we wanted to consider a hero who actually thought the supernatural horror of the apocalypse was kind of fun.

It’s important to note: Jumpscare stands alone. If you’ve never read Beyond Mortal (which you SHOULD, but whatever), you will be able to follow Jumpscare without any issues. It stands on its own.

Byron: This book Jumpscare looks like it is gonna be darn fun! We’ve discussed this before, but speak as a writer of horror how you go about blending in humor with the humas.

Cullen Bunn: This is one of the most fun characters, the most fun comics, I’ve ever written. For me, anyhow! Jumpscare is MY Deadpool, MY Harley Quinn, and she’s rooted in the genre I love so much. For this book, the humor comes solely from Jumpscare herself. Her narration. Her attitude. Her style. The horrors she faces, the world she lives in, that is all played straight. It’s a dark, terrible place. It just so happens that Jumpscare loves it.

Byron: Introduce readers to Jumpscare. What is her origin (to the point you can discuss without spoilers) and what is she capable of, powers-wise? Does she have a secret ID? Does she have super-friends?

Cullen Bunn: Jumpscare was, in her normal life, a huge fan of horror movies. When she walks down the wrong alleyway, she encounters an elder god who unlocks a strange power set in our horror-loving hero. She is strong, fast and at least a little invulnerable. She can teleport to any spot where someone isn’t looking. Her most interesting power, though, is that she can conjure any weapon from any horror movie she’s watched. With all these powers, what choice does she have? She becomes a super-vigilante!

Jumpscare doesn’t have a team, so to speak, but she IS the most popular hero in the world. She has a ton of fans. She is a viral sensation. Weird for a super-slasher, maybe, but the world is a weird place.

Byron: Cullen, with your knowledge of horror movies and thrillers, this book has the potential to be full of so many homages and Easter eggs, horror fans will probably want to buy at least two copies, because one is going to be well thumbed through. Can you give us some clues as to which venerable horror flick weapons may be making their appearances over the course of the limited series? Just a few?

Cullen Bunn: There are tons of horror movie Easter eggs in this series. Tons! The weapons, though, are created for this comic. At first, I didn’t want to struggle with any weird licensing issues. In the end, though, it makes for a more immersive experience, I think. I’ve created dozens of new weapons… and dozens of fictional movies to go with them. The way they are introduced in the comic are a lot of fun. That said, don’t worry. Horror movie fans will find plenty of nods and winks in the pages of this book!

Byron: Who/what is Grindhouse? What is the entity’s beef with Jumpscare?

Cullen Bunn: Jumpscare isn’t the only person who was “changed” by the elder gods at work in our world. Grindhouse was also changed, and he’s kind of a nightmare. As to his “beef” with Jumpscare, I’ll leave that for the series. I’ll say only that not all is as it seems… and Jumpscare has more than her fair share of enemies!

Byron: Just a fun thought but I was wondering if any horrific weapons, relics or talismans (talismen??) from past Cullen Bunn-written comics may appear during Jumpscare’s run?

Cullen Bunn: Now THAT is an interesting idea! For now, though, I’m creating only weapons that have appeared in the weird movies of the Beyond Mortal universe. I mean, Jumpscare carrying the Sixth Gun around might be interesting, but that would mean that The Sixth Gun exists as a movie in the Beyond Mortal universe. But, really, that SHOULD be the case, shouldn’t it?

Byron: Certainly! … Talk about the awesome artistry of Danny Luckert, discuss your collaboration on Beyond Mortal and now Jumpscare.

Cullen Bunn: Danny is, to put it lightly, a beast. He is a major talent as far as I’m concerned, and—even better—he’s a major talent interested in creating new characters and new stories. His designs on Jumpscare (and all the horrifying baddies she faces) are so amazing. His set pieces, his fight scenes, his character-building introspection, his quiet moments—all tip top. And I can’t wait to continue building this universe with him.

Byron: Cullen, what other ghosties and ghoulies and bumps in the night do you have headed our way soon… that you can tell us about, of course!

Cullen Bunn: Oh, man! I can’t say much! What I can tell you is that 2025 is a career-defining year for me! I’m shaking things up in a big way, so please stay tuned! Follow me at my newsletter and my Discord and on Social Media! You can find it all at https://linktr.ee/cullenbunn!

Dynamic Forces would like to thank Cullen Bunn for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Jumpscare #1 from Dark Horse Comics is slated to be on sale February 26, 2025!

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