Interview: Brian Pulido Talks His Life, Career And Lady Death

Brian Pulido has been a staple of independent comics since the mid-eighties, and has been through the wringer when it comes to the business he has helped bring to the forefront with his creations like Evil Ernie and the goddess of Hell that still stands stronger today, Lady Death. From his company in the ’90’s, Chaos Comics, Pulido has felt the waves of success as well as as defeat. But he persevered, and always rose like a warrior from the ashes, always having an ever sworn legion of fans cheering him on to the next battle.

After having to deal with licenses and lawsuits, Brian and his loyal and equally important wife, Francisca, have once again formed a dynasty, a highly lucrative and successful company aptly named Coffin Comics. With their hardworking team, the king and queen of indie publishing continue to dominate through Kickstarter campaigns, word of mouth from fans, social interactions, as well as mass amounts of quality product. The latest campaign for the newest volume in the Lady Death line, entitled Apocalyptic Abyss, has amassed over $100,000 dollars in mere days, and that number continues to climb.

They have also built an office for Coffin Comics through their passion and drive, and the massive location, showcasing all that is the iconic character including a store, museum, as well as a grand opening festival, will be available to the public later this year.

Brian Pulido wears his love of horror, music, and comics on his sleeve, sometimes literally. His devotion to his partner in crime, crew, and the company’s many followers around the globe is unmatched. The legacy of everything that has been built continues to burn inside of him and Coffin Comics, and he is always nothing but grateful and humble in the ever growing success of a character who had to rest due to life and its countless tests. But the Pulido clan is back, and so is Lady Death, prepared to continue her epic tale of power, strength, and bloodshed throughout Hades.

I recently spoke to Pulido and I can tell you that this was a conversation I have wanted to have since I was about thirteen years old. It was definitely in many respects a bucket list one to one chat, as well as a dream come true, as we chatted about his childhood, horror, his career in comics and so much more. Check it out below, and enjoy!

Brian, I cannot tell you what an honor this is for me to finally speak to you. I know we talk from time to time, but the fact that we are here about your life, career, and Lady Death, thank you for taking time out.

Brian Pulido: I’m glad that we can finally get together and do this. Let’s rock and roll.

So, my first question is about your childhood. What type of kid were you, and were you already creating stories at this point?

Brian Pulido: Well, I guess, as far as back as I can remember I loved telling stories. Even before I could read I was attracted to, strangely I was attracted to pictures and words together. So, we’re going back to me being maybe four or five. I would go to flea markets, and even before I could read I would see how comics come together. I think they inspired me to come up with stuff. Let me think here. I can remember in fifth grade that I took a box and I cut the front out so it was like a TV, and I would make stories that would spool from let’s say one napkin holder to the other. I guess I was always interested in telling stories.

Wow, so it was that far back. I had read that the first time you were introduced to horror was witnessing the late George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead when you were young. Do you remember what that experience was like, were you immediately drawn to the genre, were you scared of it?

Brian Pulido: Probably my first experience with horror movies goes much further back than that. I have a distinct recollection that when I was four I was curled up between my mom’s knees watching a film called The Hideous Sun Demon. It was definitely a mixture of fear and excitement, and also a camaraderie with my mom and horror films. It really was a mix. So I always had that association with horror films of certain times in my life. A lot of the fifties giant creature movies, and the sci-fi horror of the time.

And then for sure, Night of the Living Dead was a new sensation of fear. Because at the time it was relentless. It featured a brother killing a sister, a completed holocaust. I saw it at a drive in with my best friend at the time, and I remember we left halfway through because it was too intense. Now, I was about eight years old at this particular point. After that I went to visit my aunt who had recently moved. The strange part of that story was that her house she had moved into a house that was freakishly like the house in Night of the Living Dead.

Oh no! (Laughs)

Brian Pulido: (Laughs) Yeah. You had to drive on a dirt road for at least one hundred yards to get there, it was as if the horror just continued. Years later, I got to see it in New Jersey on ABC, it played late at night. Once again, I was with my good friends at the time and over his house, which sort of looked like the farmhouse. It was separated from the main street and had a lot of windows. I finally saw it and it completely terrified me. But, I think there was an attraction and revulsion to all of it, and a connection for that type of storytelling.