Midnight Lantern is a small, heart-driven nonprofit initiative focused on bringing a little spooky, nerdy, imaginative wonder to kids and families who need it. The idea is simple: use the magic of horror, fantasy, sci-fi, comics, books, gaming, and geek culture to brighten the lives of those who could use a spark of joy. 

The project grows out of my career as a writer in comics, horror, and genre storytelling. I’ve spent years creating worlds full of monsters, superheroes, and impossible places. I’ve seen how stories help people connect, cope, imagine, and belong. 

A lot of this traces back to my own childhood. I grew up loving horror movies, sci-fi adventures, role-playing games, and reading stacks of comic books. Those stories shaped me, inspired me, got me through tough years, and helped me find my people. They made the world feel bigger and more magical. 

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from fandom over the years, it’s that fans love to share the things they’re passionate about. Whether it’s passing along a favorite comic, guiding someone into their first horror read, recommending a new game, or handing a kid their first 20-sided die, the act of sharing and building a shared community is a kind of magic in and of itself.  

Midnight Lantern is built on the idea that weird, wonderful stories can mean more than just a bit of fun escapism. They can be a lifeline. We want to use creativity and fandom not just to entertain, but to give back, by inviting passionate fans to pass along books, toys, games, and gifts that might spark a kid’s imagination the same way theirs was sparked.

 In its first year, Midnight Lantern will start small and personal. The initial goal is to gather a curated bundle of gifts (books, comics, games, toys, and other nerdy or horror-themed items) and deliver them to a handful of families during the 2026 holiday season. 

 This first project acts as both a proof of concept and a way to learn what works, what’s needed, and how best to grow so we can help more families in the future. 

 This project doesn’t aim to be huge out of the gate. It’s meant to build slowly, deliberately, and authentically, starting with a few kids, a few gifts, and a few volunteers. Over time, Midnight Lantern can become a unique, niche, heartfelt charity for young dreamers and for kids who love the weird and wonderful.

 A lantern in the dark to light someone’s way.

Cullen grew up in rural North Carolina, but now lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Cindy and his son Roman. 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.

Let’s be honest, if you’ve met Cullen and Cindy, you already know Josh. The well-known Nicest of the Dilettantes, if you aren’t Josh’s friend, you just haven’t met him yet. His encyclopedic knowledge of all thing’s comics and his notoriety in the Midwest comic’s scene has put him in the lives of so many of us and his care for those around him has kept him there.

Whether he is telling you a fantastical story or telling you ABOUT a fantastical story, Josh is there to keep those lanterns lit.

Greg Ward is from Phoenix, Arizona.

Greg Ward, a Phoenix native, has an exceptionally expansive knowledge of music, film, and pop culture so needless to say he fit right in with our nerd group. His brand of Arizonian curmudgeoning is thankfully offset by his kindness, willingness to help, ability to move pinball and arcade machines, his wife’s truck, and overall heart of gold.

Oh, he’s also from Phoenix, so if you have any questions about it, feel free to ask!

Tim is the general “computer man” of the group. His need to take extensive notes, send updates, put things into spreadsheets, and generally attempt to ensure everyone is aware of all of their various projects is either annoying or efficient. We aren’t sure which yet.