Writer/creator James McCulloch has been one of the most prolific producers of great indie comics in recent years and while he’s helped convert me into a horror fan with the likes of City of Lost Souls & Little Girl Black along the way……he’s got lots more still to release.
What was the first title you worked on?
The first title I worked on was City of Lost Souls. I’d written a few things before then that never came to anything but that was the first one to make it to the printing stage.
City of Lost Souls was originally a spin off of another title I was working on but it took over. I think that was mainly due to being a fixed storyline when the other title was more of an ongoing thing. That became Karyn Shade which is printed in comichaus.
How has your work changed since then?
I think it’s a bit darker. I know there’s an audience for it so I can push things a bit more than when I did the first issue of CoLS. Which is great for me cause I hate feeling like I need to put on a filter. Though there are definitely times when I probably should.
Who are your main influences?
I was brought up with 2000ad so I was a massive fan of Bad Company, Zenith and Judge Dredd. I didn’t really pick up American comics until I went to Haggerston Castle as a kid. They did comic packs and I ended up really getting into Blue Beetle and Blue Devil. Any time I went on holiday I went on a comics hunt. When I was a teenager I spent a lot of time at the public library. It was then I discovered most of the 2000ad guys
I was into had went across to the states.
My first comic box at Dead Heads in Edinburgh was Sandman, Swamp thing, Shade the Changing man, and Hellblazer.
That doesn’t really answering the question sorry. I think my main influences are Jamie Delano, Neil Gaiman, Chuck Dixon
Gail Simone, Garth Ennis, Peter Milligan, Charles Burns, Mike Allred, Grant Morrison, Mike Mignola, Judd Winick… I could fire names
out there all day. I just love comics.
What comics are you reading just now?
Most of the comics in my box just ended or were cancelled. I was getting Black, Sheriff of Babylon, Clean Room, and a few other vertigo titles for a while. I’ve always had a soft spot for them even though their output has been up and down the last few years. Currently, I’m just getting Jimmys bastards, Blue Beetle, the trades of The Walking Dead and Saga. I don’t really get the chance to go comic shopping these days so I usually just end up grabbing the trades of the stuff I’ve missed.
What’s the best thing about creating comics?
Getting my stories out there. Just that. Having the same people come back to get the next issue is the best feeling. They bring over their friends and get them to buy it all. The fan base for small press out there is phenomenal and they believe in the product.
What are you working on just now?
Issue 5 of CoLS recently got funded on Kickstarter. Once we finish off issue 6 that’ll be the end of that story. I’ve already started planning the next story line for it. Also a spin off with a Viking as the main protagonist. We have more Karyn Shade coming up on Comichaus. I have her next 3 storylines planned out. I’m really excited about those.
Kid Monkey: Unnarmed and Dangerous is in full flow. PJ has already finished off half the art for that one. So I’ll be running a kickstarter for that one soon too. I also have a new title which combines my love of Hammer Horror and the Three Musketeers. It’s called Transylvanian Knights and the art is being done by Johnny Cannon from the United. Other than that I’m doing some messed up horror shit but that’ll come out when it hits a certain level of depravity.
James has a campaign running just now for his latest issue which you can check out on the link below:
Kid Monkey: Unarmed and Dangerous #1 Kickstarter
Head over to James’ website for more on his titles. Check out his City Of Lost Souls Facebook page and check out ComicHaus to get your hands on his Kid Monkey title as well as his contributions to the ComicHaus anthology.
G-Man
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