The following is an interview with writer Josh Viola (co-founder, Bit Bot Media) regarding the recent BackerKit campaign launch for the officially licensed graphic novel, Thief: Pulse of Promise, in collaboration with Bit Bot Media. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Viola about his shared creative process in working with co-writer Sean Eads and artists Emanuele Ercolani and Gianluca Papi to bring the franchise to the sequential art medium, the exciting backer rewards available to supporters, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the BackerKit campaign launch for Thief: Pulse of Promise! How would you describe the premise of this new story, and where does it fall within the timeline of the Thief video games?
Josh Viola: Thank you. Our story is an all-new canonical adventure that takes place between Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age. Garrett finds himself pulled into a mystery involving forgotten Keeper secrets and a young boy whose fate may be tied to the future. It’s a story that expands the world while staying true to the tone and lore that made Thief such a classic.
BD: What can you tell us about your shared creative process in working with Eads, Ercolani, and Papi to bring this epic world to life on the page while honoring the franchise’s look and feel?
JV: Sean and I spent a lot of time talking through the story with Eidos-Montreal before a single page was scripted. We challenged each other’s ideas and constantly asked ourselves whether something felt like Thief. Once the script was in place, the artists elevated everything. They understood that Thief isn’t just about dark alleys and hooded figures, it’s about atmosphere and the feeling that every corner hides a secret. Seeing those pages come back was one of the most rewarding parts of the project.
BD: The Thief game was revolutionary within the stealth genre in its first-person infiltration, emergent gameplay, and immersive worldbuilding. What, if any, challenges did you experience in adapting this work in terms of its narrative and visual storytelling?
JV: The biggest challenge was translating an experience that’s so interactive into a static medium. In the games, the tension comes from the player’s decisions. In a graphic novel, you have to create that same feeling through composition and panel layout. Fortunately, our artists have a great understanding of visual storytelling, so those moments of suspense still come through in a really satisfying way.
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
JV: There are quite a few I’m excited about. The Mechanical Eye replica is probably my favorite because it’s such an iconic piece of Thief lore. We also have a premium Garrett statue, multiple hardcover editions with incredible cover art, an original soundtrack by Celldweller (with Stephen Russell returning to voice Garrett). We really wanted the campaign to celebrate the franchise beyond just the graphic novel itself.
BD: Are there any other Bit Bot Media projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
JV: We’re keeping pretty busy. We recently announced Final Boss, a four-player beat ’em up video game based on Tyler Kirkham’s Image Comics series, and we’re also developing another fighter, which we’ll be announcing soon. We just recently finished development on our video game adaptation of the Deathgasm film, and we’re nearly finished with our adaptation of the film, Frankie Freako. On the publishing side, we’re closing in on development of our Rocky Horror Show title, The Bride of Rocky Horror. And there are numerous merchandise projects in the works with the Jim Henson Company.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Thief: Pulse of Promise and to support the campaign?
JV: The best place is our BackerKit campaign page. You can also follow Bit Bot on social media and visit our website for updates leading up to launch.
