Halloween Haunts

By Shandrea Hardeman and Mackenzie Morgan / VOX Staff

	Photo Courtesy of Netherworld

Too old for trick or treating? Don't know anyone having a Halloween party? If you’re looking for something fun — and truly scary — to do this Halloween, you could visit one of Atlanta’s many haunted houses. We’ve  found some of the best in the area.

At the top of our list is Netherworld, a mega-plex of horror located just outside the perimeter in Norcross. VOX scared up a quick interview with Billy Messina, Netherworld’s co-creator, to find out why it’s considered to be not only one of the best haunted houses in Atlanta, but also in the United States — it’s ranked No. 2 by HauntWorld Magazine.
 
VOX: How did Netherworld come to exist 10 years ago?

BILLY MESSINA: Netherworld was started by a group of us who had been working for other haunted houses in Atlanta. When the haunt we were working for didn’t open one season, we decided to create our own. It was a long, expensive and frightening road, but somehow we made it.
 
VOX: What makes Netherworld so scary and successful today? Why does it rank as one of the top haunted houses in the United States?

MESSINA: We have always looked to myth and legend and literary sources like the work of H.P. Lovecraft for inspiration. Although we follow horror trends in
movies for the feel of what teens and other haunted house fans want, we use original characters rather than ones straight from the screen. Our focus on originality and deep themes has worked out well. It also keeps us busy coming up with new stuff.
 
VOX: What are some new haunts visitors can expect from Netherworld this year?

MESSINA: We have some new major effects that will blow your socks off and plenty of new scares — such as Dr. Bile’s Freak Pit, Cursed and Shock-O-Rama — that will keep you guessing. This year will also see the return of some of our classic characters, and the addition of some new beasts that are totally wild. It is always a challenge to roll out even more new stuff than the year before, but I think we have done it in a big way … you won’t be disappointed!
 
VOX: Who dreams up all the scare tactics for Netherworld?

MESSINA: We recruit a small group of special effects and artistic wizards with backgrounds in TV and film. To this day we still focus on creating and acquiring custom props and effects for the show to make it a very unique and detailed experience. We recruit people from everywhere. We generally have a pool of about 200 actors each year, and we use up to 75 or 80 a night.
 
VOX: How long does it take to put Netherworld together each year? When do you start getting it ready?

MESSINA: The entire process of producing the event is a year-round activity. We have a few slow months, but we make up for those in October. Creating themes and building props and effects begin the moment the show closes in early November. But construction usually starts back up again in April.

VOX: If Atlanta-area teenagers were
going to pick only one haunted house to go to this Halloween season, why should they pick Netherworld?

MESSINA: Our stories always focus on the Netherworld, another dimension full of hideous monsters and evil spirits lurking just outside the mundane world. Each tale revolves around doorways that open and invasions by evil things from beyond. From year to year some of the same characters return, but there is always a different twist.
 
Netherworld is located at 6624 Dawson Blvd., Norcross. Admission  is $15 to $25. For more information, call (404) 608-2484 or visit online at www.fearworld.com.