AiZ: Alice in Zombieland Interview - Part One

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Josh Cook about his latest project, AiZ: Alice in Zombieland. This is what he had to say.

Josh the Zombie

1. AiZ: Alice in Zombieland certainly sounds like an interesting project. Tell me a little bit more about it.

AiZ: Alice in Zombieland is an eBook that will be released in October, along with a five issue mini-series comic based upon that eBook, and is the first Zombie A.C.R.E.S. universe event. The Zombie A.C.R.E.S. universe is much like our own world, with one small difference – Roslun Global. This is the largest pharmaceutical company in the world, and the one responsible for the creation of the gated zombie community known as Zombie A.C.R.E.S. (Animated Corpses Reintegration Experimental Subdivision). This compound is used to perfect Roslun Global’s death-curing drug. Unfortunately, once one of their ‘experiments’ escaped and went public, the secret was out, as well as some of the research they have done. This causes a wave of basement scientists to try their own experiments, and ultimately to small outbreaks throughout the world. AiZ: Alice in Zombieland features three people whose lives have been affected by one of these outbreaks – Georgia ‘Gee’ Marie, her younger sister Alice, and Sam Ashe. When Alice is taken, it is up to Gee and Sam to find her before it’s too late. Without revealing too much, that is really all I can say. Just make sure you visit ZombieACRES.com to keep up with all the twists and turns of this tale of horror.

2. Where did the inspiration for this story come from? Does it have any association with Lewis Carroll's tale?

The actual inspiration for AiZ : Alice in Zombieland came from the characters and actions within the Zombie A.C.R.E.S. universe. Alice in Wonderland was not even in my head when I began creating what would become AiZ: Alice in Zombieland. Fans of the classic may see some slight nods towards it, but AiZ: Alice in Zombieland has no association with or to the Lewis Carroll books and stories. That has already been done, and I did not want to tread on a beaten down path already.

AiZ: Alice in Zombieland is an original event and is not based in a wondrous world of talking animals and crazy cards, but a world we all know and deal with everyday. Alice in Wonderland is an amazing book and Lewis Carroll created one of the most magical stories I have ever read, but AiZ: Alice in Zombieland is something completely different.

3.  Can we expect any of the classic Alice in Wonderland characters to make an appearance in AiZ?

Again, there may be some slight nods towards the classic, but AiZ: Alice in Zombieland will be its own undead beast, with its own mysteries craziness.

4. It is fantastic that backers have helped you exceed the $1200 goal on the AiZ Kickstarter page. Did you think you would get this level of support? Is there anything you would like to say to those individuals who made a pledge?

It is awesome that I have been able to surpass my goal on Kickstarter. I never thought I would even get near that goal. I was prepping a new fund raising plan the day before the AiZ: Alice in Zombieland campaign was over. Thanks to many people really pushing it, I was able to meet my goal with twenty hours left. When I woke up the next morning and saw people were still pledging donations, I cried. When I think of all the support I have received from the indie community, and especially the indie horror community, I almost always well up a little.

The only thing I can think of to say at this point is thank you. Thank you more than I can even say or express. I also ask that everyone who reads this interview please visit the AiZ: Alice in Zombieland page and visit the sites of all of the backers that have put their hard earned cash on the line for my dream.