Beyond Mortal

by Cullen Bunn, Danny Luckert (Illustrator)

Cullen Bunn (Harrow County) and Danny Luckert (Shock Shop) present an original graphic novel where the heroes of a new comic book universe will collide with a new pantheon of alien deities from beyond our understanding of reality.

Comic book readers are familiar with the world of Bronze and Modern Era comics… stories of gleaming steel metropolises populated by daring superheroes battling for truth and justice… facing down power-mad masterminds and would-be world conquerors. 

But unknown to the league of heroes who protect the innocent, this world has a cancer growing at its heart. A pantheon of elder gods is starting to awaken. These timeless forces of super-nature once claimed dominion over a primordial Earth… and they have returned to reclaim what is theirs. 

Super-powered heroes—and villains—find themselves struggling against unimaginable horror to save the planet. It is a hopeless battle.

The unstoppable force of the Leviathan will collide with the immovable object of the world's most powerful superheroes in an unflinching tale of ultimate horror and ultimate sacrifice.

Originally a successful Kickstarter campaign, this edition feartures a new cover, newly designed pages, and a bonus sketchbook section!

Genres: Horror, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comics, Death, Science Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published July 23, 2024

About the author

Cullen grew up in rural North Carolina, but now lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Cindy and his son Jackson. His noir/horror comic (and first collaboration with Brian Hurtt), The Damned, was published in 2007 by Oni Press. The follow-up, The Damned: Prodigal Sons, was released in 2008. In addition to The Sixth Gun, his current projects include Crooked Hills, a middle reader horror prose series from Evileye Books; The Tooth, an original graphic novel from Oni Press; and various work for Marvel and DC. Somewhere along the way, Cullen founded Undaunted Press and edited the critically acclaimed small press horror magazine, Whispers from the Shattered Forum.

All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.

And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.

Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.

Reviews

[Riley Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good concepts a little rushed and muddled

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting concept -- superheroes meet cosmic horror! And a decent execution of the cosmic horror and the battle between the forces of good and evil, with a fun twist.

But I also didn't find myself hugely invested in the characters. That's partly a side effect of the format; there just isn't much time for characterization when you're trying to establish a new universe fully populated with heroes and villains while also telling a big, exciting story. This isn't to say that there weren't great moments showing the personality of the characters, because there were. I just felt like they didn't really have room to grow because the plot took up so much space. But then, as I type this, I remember how the story ends and I wonder if that was intentional.

Either way, a decent read. No more, no less.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest at the start I supported the first issue of this TPB on Kickstarter and Bunn went outside of his box here (well out of his box out of his work I have read).

That's not knocking Bunn. I think of him as a horror writer, part of the new wave of comic horror writers that I'm catching up on. So, yes new to me. This tale begins as a standard super hero story, morphs into some of the better aspects of DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths (yes after all these years I still fanboy over that series), and then Bunn adds elder gods elements in at least one manner I did not expect.

Lots of fun, and a few things to even think about.

Especially when necessity forces heroes and villains to work together.

[Pedro Gomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve like Cullen Bunn’s other work, then expect a hero story with some cosmic horror elements. Nothing earth shatteringly new, but a fun romp as you see super powered folk unite and slowly fail as they co time to fight. Luckert’s art is really stunning and space Cthulu beasts look pretty amazing. The art and coloring is crisp and clean. Sometimes things get a little busy, but resolves pretty well by the next panel or two.

[Mariano · Rating 2 out of 5]

El refrito del refrito del megarefrito. Versión "paralela" de personajes mainstream en evento cósmico con cero originalidad. Entiendo las ganas de querer armar un universo propio para eventualmente tener la posibilidad de vender la IP pero si venís leyendo comics hace un tiempo esto ya lo leiste siete mil veces.

[Jordan Whitlock · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a rushed, sloppy mess. Too many superheroes, and none of them memorable. Bored throughout the entire read. Artwork was so sloppy I didn't even know what it was oftentimes. The only saving grace to this comic was the artwork improved in the last chapter and there were a few cool monsters to look at.

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does originality even matter anymore? What is an original idea anyway? Have they ever actually existed?

Anyways batman Shazam aqua woman the flash etc fight some space monsters that are attacking New York 🥸🙂‍↕️

Solid C- for not completely plagiarizing
2.9⭐️

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This world's version of the Justice League fights some Elder Gods as they begin to destroy the Earth. Nothing new here but well done. Luckert is an underrated artist.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cosmic horror/body horror apocalypse with a DC analog league of justicers.

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

DCeased-and-desist

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Justice League vs Lovecraft.
I’m a big fan of stories where villains turn good so this was my cup of tea.