The following is an interview with writer Josh Viola (co-founder, Bit Bot Media) regarding the adaptation of Anderson Farms’ Colorado-based haunted attraction, Terror in the Corn, to the video game (now on Steam) and comics mediums in collaboration with FreakZone Games and Bit Bot Media’s Metal X Entertainment. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Viola about what makes the haunted attraction such appealing source material, his shared creative process of working with writing partner Sean Eads to bring the comic book adaptation to life, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Bit Bot Media’s Metal X Entertainment will soon partner with FreakZone Games to bring the Colorado-based Terror in the Corn haunted attraction to the video game and sequential art mediums. What can you share with us about the genesis of this expansive adaptation of Anderson Farms’ haunted attraction?
Josh Viola: I live about 25 minutes from the attraction and usually go 2-3 times a year. I always make the haunted attraction rounds in September/October—it’s a tradition—but Terror in the Corn is my favorite. It’s just better than the rest. The sets are incredible, both indoors and out, and the main attraction takes about 45 minutes to get through. They also offer zombie paintball, a big corn maze, a pumpkin patch, campfire sites, and more. It’s a Halloween lover’s dream. I got to know the team behind the haunt at the Colorado Festival of Horror, where we’re both sponsors and vendors. They saw my comic series True Believers (co-written by Stephen Graham Jones and featuring Jamie Lee Curtis), and we hit it off, eventually deciding to collaborate on a comic and, later, a video game. And here we are!
BD: How will the forthcoming video game and comic book tie into the attraction, and will both serve as a solid jumping-on point, both for new gamers and readers?
JV: The comic delves into the backstory of the Wells Twins–two seriously twisted characters you can meet at the haunt. If the comic does well, we plan to release more annually, each focusing on different characters from the haunt.
The video game takes a different approach. You play as a miner navigating the haunted cornfields at night, searching for items and clues to escape while avoiding all sorts of evil. It’s more of an immersive experience than a linear story, but it’s true to the haunt’s lore. Players will uncover journal entries that reveal details about the witch hunting you and her minions. FreakZone Games did an amazing job making it genuinely creepy.
BD: Adapting an existing concept to a new medium can be a daunting process. What, if any, challenges did you experience in adapting Terror in the Corn in terms of its narrative and visual storytelling?
JV: It wasn’t too challenging. I’ve been working on multimedia projects for over a decade, so it’s a natural process for me. Being passionate about the project is key, and since I’m so familiar with Terror in the Corn, it was easy to translate it into different experiences. That said, it takes a great team to make it happen, and we’re lucky to have so many talented people involved.
BD: What can you tell us about your shared creative process in bringing the comic book, The Wells Twins, to life alongside co-writer Sean Eads?
JV: My regular writing partner, Sean Eads, and I have written plenty of short stories together, so the process was pretty natural. While Sean had never written a comic before, I’ve done plenty, so it worked out well. The Terror in the Corn crew gave us a private tour, diving deep into the lore of their world. Sean and I processed everything, pitched an idea, and they loved it. After a few notes, we ended up with a beautifully illustrated comic by Juan Samu.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Terror in the Corn, The Wells Twins, and your other work with Bit Bot Media?
JV: You can check out the official Terror in the Corn site here, and see everything we’re working on at Bit Bot here.
