A fan of science-fiction and espionage fiction spy-fiction TV shows in his youth, he went on to a bachelor's degree in philosophy from The University of Tennessee[1] in 1985.
[3] Following college, Cunningham worked for nearly three years in the circulation department of the Knox County Library in Knoxville, Tennessee.
[4] After his 1990 comic-book series The Men in Black from Aircel Comics finished its run, Cunningham worked as a factory security guard.
[1] When his comic became the basis for the 1997 film Men in Black, Cunningham earned what he said in an interview that year was an initial "six-figure sum.
Cunningham went on to co-write four Star Wars parody short films with director John E. Hudgens, released from 2000 to 2005, and in 2012 returned to comics with About Comics' Jack Ooze, starring a district attorney turned semi-liquid superhero.