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Josh Viola

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Joshua Viola
Born (1983-07-23) July 23, 1983 (age 41)
Pen nameJ.V. Kyle, Jay Vee and Trevor Jones
OccupationWriter, Artist, Producer
GenreScience fiction, horror and fantasy
Notable worksLegacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise
True Believers
Denver Moon
Cyber World
Nightmares Unhinged
Deathstalker (film)
Deathgasm
The Bane of Yoto
The Rocky Horror Show Video Game
Website
www.joshuaviola.com

Joshua "Josh" Viola (born July 23, 1983) is a science fiction/fantasy/horror writer, artist and film producer best known for Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise, True Believers, Denver Moon, The Bane of Yoto and his companies Hex Publishers and Bit Bot Media.[1] He is a 2021 Splatterpunk Award nominee (Psi-Wars: Classified Cases of Psychic Phenomena)[2] and a 2022 Colorado Book Awards winner (Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas).[3]

Background

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In 2012, Viola collaborated with Klayton and his music label/publisher, FiXT Music, where Viola is the author of the novels Blackstar[4] and The Bane of Yoto.[5] He directed the “Unshakeable”[6] animated music video for Celldweller.

Viola is owner of publishing house Hex Publishers.[7][8] He edited their Denver Post number one best selling[9] horror anthology, Nightmares Unhinged,[10] featuring Bram Stoker, Hugo and Nebula Award winners such as Jason Heller, Steve Rasnic Tem, Edward Bryant and Stephen Graham Jones.[11] He co-edited Cyber World, a cyberpunk anthology, with Jason Heller for Hex Publishers in 2016, which was a 2017 Colorado Book Award finalist[12][13] and named one of the best anthologies of 2016 by Barnes & Noble.[14] Blood Business, a paranormal crime anthology co-edited by Mario Acevedo, was a 2018 Colorado Book Award finalist.[15] In 2019, his comic book collection, Denver Moon: Metamorphosis, was included on the 2018 Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot for Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel.[16] He was nominated for his fourth Colorado Book Award in April 2020 for his Denver Moon sequel, The Saint of Mars,[17] a year after the first book, The Minds of Mars, was nominated for the 2019 award.[18] In 2021, he edited the StokerCon™ souvenir anthology for the Horror Writers Association's first online convention (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), which included the 2020 Bram Stoker Awards.[19] His 2020 anthology, Psi-Wars, was nominated for a 2021 Splatterpunk Award (award founded by Wrath James White and Brian Keene).[20] He won the 2022 Colorado Book Award in the Anthology category for Shadow Atlas, co-edited by Carina Bissett and Hillary Dodge.

In 2022, he became the Creative Director of Novelization and Comics for Random Games' Unioverse videogame franchise[21] launched by a team of gaming and entertainment industry veterans behind titles such as Grand Theft Auto, Donkey Kong Country, and Crackdown. He worked directly with writer Brent Friedman, whose previous credits include Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Halo 4, The Walking Dead, Call of Duty, and Star Trek: Enterprise.

In 2023, he co-wrote the slasher comic book series True Believers with Stephen Graham Jones, which features official cameos from Jamie Lee Curtis, R.L. Stine, and more.[22] He executive produced a reboot of Roger Corman's Deathstalker (film) franchise, directed by Steven Kostanski (The Void (2016 film), PG: Psycho Goreman), starring Daniel Bernhardt, and co-executive produced by Slash (musician) of Guns N' Roses,[23] as well as Jason Lei Howden's Deathgasm II: Goremaggedon. He is an executive producer on artist Skinner's Shrine of Abominations (featuring work by stop motion animator Phil Tippett[24]), and associate producer on films such as Chris Stuckmann's Shelby Oaks, and CreatorVC's Aliens Expanded, The Thing Expanded and TerrorBytes.

In 2024, Viola and Klayton formed Bit Bot Media, a multimedia company focused on film, games, comics and licensed IP. Bit Bot announced a partnership with Canadian film studio Raven Banner Entertainment and London-based FreakZone Games to bring a number of projects to the public, including an official video game adaptation for The Rocky Horror Show.[25] Not long after, Bit Bot announced a partnership with the game studio known for the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider series, Crystal Dynamics, to revive the popular video game series Legacy of Kain, with Viola co-writing Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise, a prequel graphic novel to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver alongside writer Angie Hodapp and artists Juan Samu, Dave Rapoza, and Aaron Lovett.[26]

Filmography

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Films

  • Deathstalker (film) 2024 (Executive Producer)[27]
  • Deathgasm II: Goremageddon (Executive Producer)
  • Shrine of Abominations (Executive Producer)
  • Aliens Expanded (Associate Producer)
  • The Thing Expanded (Associate Producer)
  • Shelby Oaks (Associate Producer)
  • TerrorBytes (Associate Producer)

Video Games

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Video Games

Bibliography

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Novels

Novellas

  • Stolen Pallor with Sean Eads (Blood Bound Books, 2024)[30]
  • Denver Moon: The Minds of Mars with Warren Hammond (Hex Publishers, 2018)
  • Denver Moon: The Saint of Mars with Warren Hammond (Hex Publishers, 2019)
  • Denver Moon: The Thirteen of Mars with Warren Hammond (Hex Publishers, 2022)

Collections

  • Midnight Vintage with Sean Eads (Crystal Lake Entertainment, 2025)[31]

Anthologies edited

  • Nightmares Unhinged[32] (Hex Publishers, 2015)
  • Cyber World with Jason Heller[33] (Hex Publishers, 2016)
  • Georgetown Haunts and Mysteries with Jeanne Stein[34] (Hex Publishers & Ghost Town Writers Retreat, 2017)
  • Blood Business: Crime Stories from this World and Beyond with Mario Acevedo[35] (Hex Publishers, 2017)
  • Psi-Wars: Classified Cases of Psychic Phenomena[36] (Hex Publishers, 2020)
  • It Came From The Multiplex: 80s Midnight Chillers[37] (Hex Publishers & Colorado Festival of Horror, 2020)
  • StokerCon™ 2021 Souvenir Anthology: The Phantom Denver Edition[38] (Hex Publishers/Horror Writers Association, 2021)
  • Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas with Carina Bissett and Hillary Dodge[39] (Hex Publishers, 2021)
  • Unioverse: Stories of the Reconvergence with Angie Hodapp[40] (Hex Publishers/Random Games, 2023)

Comic books & Graphic Novels

  • Tooth and Claw with Angie Hodapp and Aaron Lovett[41] (Hex Publishers, 2017)
  • Denver Moon: Murder on Mars with Warren Hammond and Aaron Lovett (Hex Publishers, 2018)
  • Denver Moon: Rafe's Revenge with Warren Hammond and Aaron Lovett (Hex Publishers, 2018)
  • Denver Moon: Transformations with Warren Hammond and Aaron Lovett (Hex Publishers, 2018)
  • Denver Moon: Metamorphosis with Warren Hammond and Aaron Lovett (Hex Publishers, 2018)
  • Unioverse: Reyu with Angie Hodapp and Ben Matsuya (Hex Publishers/Random Games, 2023)[42]
  • Unioverse: Krishah with Angie Hodapp and Ben Matsuya (Hex Publishers/Random Games, 2023)
  • Unioverse: Tor Gret with Angie Hodapp and Ben Matsuya (Hex Publishers/Random Games, 2023)
  • Unioverse: Annill with Angie Hodapp and Ben Matsuya (Hex Publishers/Random Games, 2023)
  • Unioverse: Vella Janx with Angie Hodapp and Ben Matsuya (Hex Publishers/Random Games, 2023)
  • Unioverse: Silas with Angie Hodapp and Ben Matsuya (Hex Publishers/Random Games, 2023)
  • True Believers with Stephen Graham Jones and Ben Matsuya (Hex Publishers/Metal X Entertainment, 2023)
  • Shrapnel Volume One ("Game Over") with James Aquilone and Juan Samu (Metal X Entertainment, 2024)
  • Terror in the Corn: The Wells Twins with Sean Eads and Juan Samu (Metal X Entertainment/Anderson Farms, 2024)
  • Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise with Angie Hodapp and Juan Samu (Bit Bot Media/Crystal Dynamics, 2024)

Children's books

  • Boomer and Friends! with Lindsey Bell and Aaron Lovett[43] (JAM Publishers, 2017)

Short stories

  • "Luna One" (Hex Publishers, 2014)
  • "The Camera" (Hex Publishers, 2015)
  • "The Librarian" (Hex Publishers, 2015)[44]
  • "Needles" with Dean Wyant (Hex Publishers, 2015)
  • "Scarecrows" (Hex Publishers, 2015)[45]
  • "Fangs" as J.V. Kyle (Hex Publishers, 2015)
  • "Bathroom Break" as J.V. Kyle (Hex Publishers, 2015)
  • "Finder's Fee" (RMFW Press, 2016)[46]
  • "Outsorcery" (The Literary Hatchet, 2016)[47]
  • "Notches" with Sean Eads (Blood Bound Books, 2017)[48]
  • "Straight to the Top" as Trevor Jones (Hex Publishers, 2017)[49]
  • "Denver Moon: Metamorphosis" with Warren Hammond (Hex Publishers, 2018)
  • "For the Road is Heaven" with Sean Eads (Hex Publishers, 2018)[50]
  • "Our Hero" with Sean Eads (RMFW Press, 2018)[51]
  • "Many Carvings" with Sean Eads (Corpus Press, 2018)[52]
  • "Eunuch's Code" with Sean Eads (Blood Bound Books, 2019)[53]
  • "Grave Mistake" with Carter Wilson (Denver Horror Collective, 2019)[54]
  • "BFG" with Sean Eads (Birdy Magazine, 2020)[55]
  • "The Sommelier" with Sean Eads (Birdy Magazine, 2020)[56]
  • "Bright Rain" with Sean Eads (Birdy Magazine, 2020)[57]
  • "The Jarheads" with Sean Eads (Hex Publishers, 2020)[58]
  • "The Devil's Reel" with Sean Eads (Hex Publishers, 2020)[59]
  • "The Recall" (Bloodshot Books, 2020)[60]
  • "When the Trumpet Sounds" (Birdy Magazine, 2020)[61]
  • "Flashpoints" with Keith Ferrell (Birdy Magazine, 2021)[62]
  • "The Disciple of Many Faces" (Birdy Magazine, 2021)[63]
  • "Diminished Seventh" with Sean Eads (Black Spot Books/Crystal Lake Publishing, July 2022)[64]
  • "Ballad of the Overeager Gun" with Sean Eads (Brigids Gate Press, August 2022)[65]
  • "The Climb Up to Hell" with Sean Eads (Hellbound Books Publishing, October 2023)[66]

Anecdotes

  • "Introduction: Reclaim Your Fears" (Hex Publishers, 2015)[67]
  • "Cyber Punks" (Locus Magazine, 2016)[68]
  • "Introduction: Metamorphosis" (Hex Publishers, 2016)[69]
  • "The Holy Appendix" as Jay Vee (Birdy Magazine, Issue 083, 2020)[70]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Book Review: 'The Bane of Yoto' by Joshua Viola", Burkart, Gregory, for FEARnet, 15 August 2012, retrieved 14 March 2013
  2. ^ "2021 Splatterpunk Awards Winners", Locus Magazine, 23 August 2021, retrieved 10 October 2022
  3. ^ "2022 Colorado Book Award Winners", Locus Magazine, 27 June 2022, retrieved 10 October 2022
  4. ^ Barkan, Jonathan. "Celldweller Plans New Music, Book Series, And More", Bloody Disgusting, 27 February 2013. Retrieved on 14 October 2015.
  5. ^ Johnston, Rich. "Could The Bane Of Yoto Herald In A New Look For Digital Comics?", Bleeding Cool, 5 March 2012. Retrieved on 14 October 2015.
  6. ^ Crane, Matt. "Celldweller Releases Music Video for Unshakeable", Alternative Press, 10 December 2013. Retrieved on 14 October 2015.
  7. ^ Wenzel, John. "Erie-based Horror publisher uses unlikely way to bankroll, empower writers", The Denver Post, 4 September 2015. Retrieved on 14 October 2015.
  8. ^ Siebrase, Jamie. "Hex Publishers, a New Local Press, Plans to Release a Dark, Twisted Anthology", Westword, 9 February 2015. Retrieved on 14 October 2015.
  9. ^ The Denver Post. "Books: Denver best sellers, 9/20/2015", The Denver Post, 20 September 2015. Retrieved on 14 October 2015.
  10. ^ Jules, Damnetha. "Nightmares Unhinged (Book Review)", Horror Palace, 5 September 2015. Retrieved on 14 October 2015.
  11. ^ Barkan, Jonathan. "Witness The Unveiling Of Nightmares Unhinged (Exclusive)", Bloody Disgusting, 9 July 2015. Retrieved on 16 July 2015.
  12. ^ Wenzel, John. "“Cyber World” anthology brings darkly alluring sci-fi back to the future", The Denver Post, 26 October 2016. Retrieved on 16 July 2015.
  13. ^ Colorado Humanities. "“2017 Colorado Book Award Finalists", Colorado Humanities. Retrieved on 12 September 2017.
  14. ^ Cunningham, Joel. "The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Collections and Anthologies of 2016", Barnes & Noble, 21 December 2016. Retrieved on 25 February 2019.
  15. ^ Colorado Humanities. “2018 Colorado Book Award Finalists", Colorado Humanities. Retrieved on 25 February 2019.
  16. ^ Locus Magazine. "2018 Stoker Awards Preliminary Ballot", Locus Magazine, 21 January 2019. Retrieved on 25 February 2019.
  17. ^ Locus Magazine. "2020 Colorado Book Awards Finalists", Locus Magazine, 7 April 2020. Retrieved on 16 April 2020.
  18. ^ Westword. "Colorado Book Awards Finalists Announced", Westword, 21 March 2019. Retrieved on 16 April 2020.
  19. ^ StokerCon™. "Souvenir Book - StokerCon™ 2020"
  20. ^ 2021 Splatterpunk Award Nominees
  21. ^ https://random.games/team.php Random Games Team
  22. ^ Schedeen, Jesse. "Jamie Lee Curtis to Guest Star in Horror Comic True Believers", IGN, 2 April 2024. Retrieved on 15 July 2024.
  23. ^ Ramachandran, Naman. "Roger Corman Reboot ‘Deathstalker,’ Exec Produced by Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, Unveils First Look, Raven Banner Launches Sales at Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)", Variety (magazine), 18 May 2024. Retrieved on 2 June 2024.
  24. ^ Hammond, Chris. "SHRINE OF ABOMINATIONS – A STOP-MOTION KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN THAT’S OUT OF THIS WORLD!", Rue Morgue (magazine), 7 March 2023. Retrieved on 2 June 2024.
  25. ^ Jonathan, James. "Exclusive: Klayton (Celldweller) and Joshua Viola Form Bit Bot Media and Announce Strategic Partnerships with Raven Banner Entertainment and FreakZone Games", Daily Dead, 6 June 2024. Retrieved on 15 July 2024.
  26. ^ Schedeen, Jesse. "Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Returns In New Prequel Graphic Novel", IGN, 30 June 2024. Retrieved on 15 July 2024.
  27. ^ Ramachandran, Naman. "Roger Corman Reboot ‘Deathstalker,’ Exec Produced by Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, Unveils First Look, Raven Banner Launches Sales at Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)", Variety (magazine), 18 May 2024. Retrieved on 2 June 2024.
  28. ^ Roe, Mike. "‘Rocky Horror’ Returns in New Video Game | Exclusive Trailer", The Wrap, 26 September 2024. Retrieved on 22 October 2024.
  29. ^ James, Jonathan. "Exclusive: “Can You Survive the Night?” — Watch the Trailer for the TERROR IN THE CORN Video Game, Daily Dead, 7 October 2024. Retrieved on 22 October 2024.
  30. ^ Blood Bound Books. "Stolen Pallor", Blood Bound Books, 2024. Retrieved on 2 June 2024.
  31. ^ Crystal Lake Publishing. "First project signed for 2025!", Crystal Lake Publishing, 2024. Retrieved on 2 June 2024.
  32. ^ Froyd, Susan. "Nightmares Unhinged Launch Party", Westword, 9 September 2015. Retrieved on 16 July 2015.
  33. ^ Wheeler, Isaac. "Cyber World Demonstrates the Future of the Cyberpunk Genre", Neon Dystopia, 11 November 2016. Retrieved on 19 December 2016.
  34. ^ Kirkus Reviews. "Georgetown Haunts and Mysteries", Kirkus Reviews, 9 August 2017. Retrieved on 12 September 2017.
  35. ^ Kirkus Reviews. "Blood Business", Kirkus Reviews, 26 September 2017. Retrieved on 28 November 2017.
  36. ^ Kirkus Reviews. ", Kirkus Reviews, 13 April 2020. Retrieved on 16 April 2020.
  37. ^ Facebook. ", Facebook, 17 January 2020. Retrieved on 16 April 2020.
  38. ^ StokerCon. [1], StokerCon, 2021. Retrieved on 31 May 2021.
  39. ^ Hex Publishers. [2], Hex Publishers, 2021. Retrieved on 31 May 2021.
  40. ^ Glyfe. [3], Glyfe,19 October 2022. Retrieved on 24 October 2022.
  41. ^ Hex Publishers. "Tooth and Claw", Hex Publishers. Retrieved on 12 September 2017.
  42. ^ Hex Publishers. [4], Hex Publishers, 2022. Retrieved on 24 October 2022.
  43. ^ Wenzel, John. "The Secret Ingredients to a Great Children's Book", Denver Post, 4 August 2017. Retrieved on 12 September 2017.
  44. ^ HorrorNews.net. "Paul Campion's 'The Librarian' Optioned Short Horror Story To Screen", Horror News, 30 October 2015. Retrieved on 12 September 2017.
  45. ^ Anderson, Derek. "Exclusive: Read a Short Story from NIGHTMARES UNHINGED: TWENTY TALES OF TERROR", Daily Dead, 28 August 2015. Retrieved on 14 October 2015.
  46. ^ Siebrase, Jamie. "Get Lost at a Celebration of Found, a Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Anthology", Westword, 4 October 2016. Retrieved on 19 December 2016.
  47. ^ GoodReads. "The Literary Hatchet #15", GoodReads. Retrieved on 12 September 2017.
  48. ^ Blood Bound Books. "DOA III", Blood Bound Books. Retrieved on 12 September 2017.
  49. ^ Hex Publishers. "Blood Business", Hex Publishers. Retrieved on 28 November 2017.
  50. ^ Kirkus Reviews. "Blood and Gasoline". Retrieved on 25 February 2019.
  51. ^ RMFW. "2018 Anthology", RMFW. Retrieved on 25 February 2019.
  52. ^ Horror After Dark. "Doorbells At Dusk". Retrieved on 25 February 2019.
  53. ^ Blood Guts and Story. "Crash Code". Retrieved on 25 February 2019.
  54. ^ Westword. "Westword". Retrieved on 26 September 2020.
  55. ^ Birdy. "Birdy Magazine". Retrieved on 16 April 2020.
  56. ^ Birdy. "Birdy Magazine". Retrieved on 16 April 2020.
  57. ^ Birdy. "Birdy Magazine". Retrieved on 26 September 2020.
  58. ^ Hex Publishers. "Hex Publishers". Retrieved on 26 September 2020.
  59. ^ Hex Publishers. "Hex Publishers". Retrieved on 26 September 2020.
  60. ^ Facebook. "Facebook". Retrieved on 26 September 2020.
  61. ^ Birdy Magazine. "Birdy Magazine". Retrieved on 31 May 2021.
  62. ^ Birdy Magazine. "Birdy Magazine". Retrieved on 31 May 2021.
  63. ^ Birdy Magazine. "Birdy Magazine". Retrieved on 17 June 2021.
  64. ^ Monstrous Books. "Monstrous Books". Retrieved on 24 October 2022.
  65. ^ Brigids Gate Press. "Brigid Gates Press". Retrieved on 24 October 2022.
  66. ^ Hellbound Books Publishing. "Hellbound Books Publishing". Retrieved on 2 June 2024.
  67. ^ Hex Publishers. "Nightmares Unhinged", Hex Publishers. Retrieved on 19 October 2020.
  68. ^ Zinos-Amaro, Alvaro. "Josh Viola Guest Post–“Cyber Punks”", Locus Magazine, 15 June 2016. Retrieved on 19 October 2020.
  69. ^ Hex Publishers. "Cyber World", Hex Publishers. Retrieved on 19 October 2020.
  70. ^ Birdy Magazine. "The Holy Appendix", Birdy Magazine. Retrieved on 19 October 2020.
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