Acclaimed comic book writer Cullen Bunn is returning to his horror anthology series Harrow County this July, joined by co-creator Tyler Crook and artist Emily Schnall for the four-issue miniseries Tales from Harrow County: Fair Folk. After losing her friend to a mysterious portal, returning protagonist Bernice settles into her role as the midwestern town's protector from supernatural forces only to face a plot by the fair folk.
In an exclusive interview with CBR, Bunn and Schnall spoke about collaborating together on the return to Harrow County, the storytelling sensibilities that come within the world that Bunn and Crook first created and teased a new set of creatures set to make their debut in the story.
CBR: Harrow County is back! Cullen how does it feel to get back to this horror-tinged look at small town Americana?
Cullen Bunn: It feels like coming home! Harrow County, as anyone who knows me can easily surmise, is near and dear to me. I love the setting, I love the characters and I love the haints. It’s been so great to work on the Tales from Harrow County series, because each story is so different than what came before. Fair Folk goes in directions I don’t think anyone will expect. Dare I say the next series will be even crazier?
As someone that's written plenty of horror comics outside of Harrow County, what makes for a good Harrow County story rather than its own standalone thing?
Bunn: Harrow County has a mood and feel that’s different from other horror settings. There’s this...acceptance of the horrors...this innocence and sense of wonder about them. I’ve always described Harrow County as a southern gothic fairy tale, and I think that cuts to the core of what makes it different. And this series embraces that aesthetic more than any of the previous books, I think.
This time around you're working with Emily Schnall. What made her the perfect artist for the job to continue Bernice's story?
Bunn: Choosing artists for anything associated with Harrow County is difficult because Tyler Crook set the bar so very high. Emily’s style is so charming and inviting and beautiful, it just works so well with the look and feel of the book. She’s designing a whole new group of creatures in this arc, too, which has been fun to see! Her work belongs in Harrow, and that makes her part of the family!
Emily, how has it been working with Cullen and Tyler on this project?
Emily Schnall: Cullen and Tyler are such talented storytellers and it was a total thrill getting the chance to collaborate with them. One of my favorite things about Cullen’s writing is the emotional core that’s always present, even in small little beats; I’m always able to feel what a character feels when I draw them. And of course the visual world Tyler established for Harrow is a dark, beautiful space to work in. Both of them have been so helpful and positive; I couldn’t have asked for a better project to step into!
As someone that's done a lot of projects delving into life sciences, how is it catching the midwestern splendor and menace that comes with the more sweeping visuals in this comic?
Schnall: My science side definitely informs my creature designs. It’s a useful exercise to think of what features a creature might have if it’s living under certain conditions, as well as being intentional when choosing features that "break the rules." It’s fun to mix the more grounded, speculative biology with unrestrained fantasy and whimsy. Harrow, in general, is a place where the natural world coexists with magic, and I find that just a blast to work with.
What are you both excited about bringing to fans and new readers alike with the return of Harrow County this July?
Schnall: Harrow is a world that’s so easy to get sucked into, and in this story readers will get to delve even deeper into its history. We’re going to see Bernice grapple with her own past, as well as her different responsibilities. Everyone can look forward to joining up with their favorite hedge witch for an adventure filled with horror, haints and fair folk!
Bunn: This is a continuation of Bernice’s story. We see what happened to Priscilla. We really dig deep into how Bernice felt when Emmy left Harrow County. And this is just such a different direction for the story. It’s still Harrow County, but it definitely sheds light on some darkness we haven’t explored just yet!
Written by Cullen Bunn and illustrated by Emily Schnall, Tales from Harrow County: Fair Folk #1 goes on sale July 21 from Dark Horse Comics.