When you stay as busy as Josh Viola, the founder of Bit Bot Media, you often find yourself promoting various projects. This is why we have had the pleasure of speaking with him multiple times over the last few years. His work spans from graphic novels to video games and various other creative endeavors. Currently, Viola’s Bit Bot Media is collaborating with Jason Howden, the creator of “Deathgasm,” to produce a prelude graphic novel for the movie’s sequel titled “Deathgasm II: Goremageddon.” Additionally, they are developing a retro video game based on the film.
To bring this to fruition, Josh and the creative team are bringing both of these exciting projects to Kickstarter. The graphic novel, written by Peter Bune and Jason Howden, includes the talents of artist Industrias Lamonicana (Fierro), colorist Zac Atkinson (Farscape, Star Trek), and letterer Jeremiah Lambert (Masters of the Universe, Transformers). The video game is a collaboration of Bit Bot Media, Howden’s Metalheads Inc., and Bit Bot’s most recent acquisition, FreakZone Games.
Before the launch of their campaign, we had the opportunity to speak with Josh about this thrilling double feature, appealing to both fans of the film and newcomers alike. Therefore, we are pleased to welcome Josh Viola back to GVN Talking Comics.
Not our First Visit
GVN: I want to thank you, Josh, for talking to us again about another exciting project. We first caught up with you back in September of 2023 and April of 2024 about your Kickstarter campaign for True Believers and True Believers 2. We followed up later in August about your graphic novel Legacy of Kain: The Dead Shall Rise. We’re big fans of your work, and you’ve continued to be creative and busy.
JOSH: Thanks so much. I’ve loved getting to chat with you over the past year!
A Graphic Novel and Video Game
GVN: This time, Bit Bot Media is collaborating with Deathgasm Creator Jason Howden for not one, but two exciting projects. Both are tied to Jason’s upcoming film sequel: Deathgasm II: Goremageddon. First, you will be creating an all-new graphic novel, Deathgasm 1.5: Director’s Cut, which will serve as a prelude to the highly anticipated film. But perhaps, even more exciting, you are also working on a Deathgasm video game. How did these ideas come to fruition, and which came first, the graphic novel or the game?
JOSH: This all came together through my role as an executive producer on Deathgasm 2, which is how I first connected with Jason. After getting to know him, I secured the rights to work with the IP—starting with the graphic novel. He and Pete Bune had already been developing it, but they’d hit some publishing roadblocks, so I stepped in to help bring it across the finish line and also licensed some merchandise rights. Not long after, Jason reached out about the idea of a video game and introduced me to FreakZone Games—best known for the Angry Video Game Nerd series, which Jason loved. As luck would have it, FreakZone’s owner, Sam Beddoes, is a massive Deathgasm fan. So the pieces just fell into place, and together, we’ve been expanding the Deathgasm universe ever since.
The Creative Team Behind the Graphic Novel
GVN: Speaking of the Graphic Novel, you have gathered a talented set of creators to tell this story, including writer Peter Bune, artist Industrias Lamonicana, colorist Zac Atkinson, and letterer Jeremiah Lambert. How did this team come together, and how closely did they work with Jason on its creation?
JOSH: As I mentioned, Pete and Jason had already been developing the project before I came on board. From what I understand, it was Pete’s pitch to Jason that kicked off the comic, and he brought in artist Industrias Lamonicana to help bring it to life. I later brought in Zac and Jeremiah, both of whom I’ve collaborated with on several past projects, as well as Michael Schwartz, who worked with me on a recap of the first film that appears at the start of the graphic novel. Jason stayed closely involved throughout the process, especially when it came to the dialogue. He really made sure the characters sounded authentic—true to their Kiwi roots—and that the humor hit just right.
The Death Video Game
GVN: The other part of this exciting film tie-in is the Deathgasm Video Game, created in collaboration with Bit Bot, Howden’s Metalheads Inc., and your latest acquisition, FreakZone Games. How did this partnership with FreakZone come about, and what were the benefits of bringing them into the Bit Bot fold (especially for this particular game)?
JOSH: Jason was the one who introduced me to FreakZone—he was already a fan of their work and wanted to bring Deathgasm into the game space, which I was completely on board with. As it turns out, Sam Beddoes, the creator behind FreakZone, had actually pitched a Deathgasm idea to Jason before, so in a way, it all felt meant to be. Bit Bot has been steadily growing its video game division—most of which we haven’t even announced yet. We kicked things off with our Rocky Horror Show game, followed by Terror in the Corn, and now Deathgasm is next. We also recently announced a game adaptation of Frankie Freako. And we’ve got two or three major announcements coming later this year, so definitely stay tuned.
Coming to Kickstarter
GVN: You will be bringing both of these projects to a Kickstarter campaign. What will fans find when they visit the campaign, and will fans who might not be familiar with the Deathgasm film find an entry point to the franchise?
JOSH: We’ve packed the Kickstarter with a ton of awesome stuff beyond just the graphic novel and game—think variant covers, original art, high-end latex masks, a custom guitar, apparel, a soundtrack, signed memorabilia, and more. If you’re not familiar with Deathgasm, do yourself a favor and go watch the movie—you won’t be disappointed. It’s streaming for free on Tubi in the U.S. This campaign is made for fans of heavy metal, horror and gore, offensive humor, comics, video games, and high-quality indie projects.
Future Bit Bot Projects
GVN: Thank you again, Josh. Before we wrap up, please share with our followers once more about the exciting Deathgasm graphic novel and video game combo, as well as any other upcoming projects from you and Bit Bot.
JOSH: Thanks again for having me! The Deathgasm graphic novel and game bring that heavy metal spirit and irreverent tone you’d expect from the franchise. You won’t be disappointed. Bit Bot’s got a few big surprises dropping later this year. Stay tuned!
This exciting Deathgasm Kickstarter campaign is now open. You can check out all the details here.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
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