“Tour de force sounds a bit blurby, but we’re in that territory.”
-Critical review
Joe is Dead is a 608-page absurdist epic that transforms a biblical story of the founding of Traitor Joe’s Groceratorium into a metaphysical rise-and-fall saga. Combining existential humor with unique visual storytelling, the book pushes boundaries in narrative, design, and concept. It’s a project that redefines what a printed book can be, expanding into interactive and musical adaptations for a fully immersive experience.
This case study explores the process behind creating Joe is Dead, from its conceptual beginnings to its execution as a multifaceted creative project. Every element—from writing to design and production—was conscientiously considered to deliver a cohesive, impactful, one of a kind reading experience.
The Concept
Joe is Dead began with a simple, if unorthodox, question: What would Joe do? Specifically, what would Joe—a corporate deity and eldritch horror hellbent on union-busting—sacrifice do to keep his power? This idea ballooned into a satirical, postmodern narrative blending biblical tones, absurdist humor, and sharp corporate critique. Initially conceived as The Book of Joe, a King James-style religious text found at the heart of the musical adaptation, the project spiraled into something larger: a multimedia exploration of power, storytelling, and print-forward design.
The Breakdown
Year Completed
2024 / Ongoing
My Roles
1 × Creative Director
1 × Writer
1 × Designer
1 × Illustrator
1 × Web Developer
1 × Music Composer
1 × Project Manager
1 × Crew Member
Writing and Concept Development: Crafted the satirical narrative, blending humor, critique, and storytelling across 600+ pages.
Design and Visuals: Led all aspects of book design, integrating experimental layouts with original artwork.
Interactive Digital Extension: Designed and developed a companion standalone website experience, adding depth and interactivity to the universe.
Musical Adaptation: Wrote and produced over 25 original songs inspired by the book’s themes, transforming the narrative into a truly absurd theatrical experience.
The Plot
At its core, Joe is Dead centers around The Book of Joe, a 110-chapter "bible" chronicling Joe’s origins, the rise and trials of his crew, and a final showdown between Joe and his followers. Layers of detailed marginalia and footnotes inject absurdity and break the fourth wall, while a full-color, 100+ page graphic novel found deep within the text brings the story’s descent into hell vividly to life. Beyond the main narrative, the book includes an employee handbook, recovered emails, legal documents, and other ephemera that expand the world and connect directly to the online experience, as well as endless easter eggs.
The Book
The print design of Joe is Dead is as much a part of the narrative as the story itself. The book’s weight and layout evoke the seriousness of a bible, while full-color illustrations and experimental typography push it deep into postmodern territory. Readers interact with the printed page in ways inaccessible digitally, from subtle color cues reminiscent of House of Leaves to embedded NFC chips guiding them to digital extensions. A standalone edition of The Book of Joe offers a stripped-down version, further emphasizing its "sacred text" aesthetic.
Print format notes
Joe is Dead. is Currently Available in 3 Print Editions
Joe is dead: Hardcover
Full Color, 608 Pages
Royal (6.14” x 9.21“), 60# White, Green Linen Cover w/ Gold Emboss, Matte Jacket
Joe is dead: Paperback
Full Color, 608 Pages
Royal (6.14” x 9.21“), 60# White, Matte Jacket
The Book of Joe: Paperback
Full Color, 270 Pages
Novella (5” x 8”), 60# White, Matte Jacket
*Use the contact form to request an exclusive print edition of the book
The Site
The digital component of Joe is Dead pulls readers deeper into its universe, spanning hundreds of meticulously crafted pages, interactive elements, and hidden layers of content. Built using Twine and HTML components, the website is an experimental, cobbled-together mix of features that shouldn’t work—but absolutely do—creating an immersive, uncanny, and oddly believable experience.
Accessed through NFC chips or QR codes embedded in the book, the main site mimics a late-90s cult homepage, complete with glitchy aesthetics, bizarre onboarding sequences, hidden puzzles, and archival ephemera that feel as if they could vanish at any moment. Visitors can explore the musical adaptation, unlock buried secrets, and even shop for the book—all while the site subtly reinforces the eerie world-building that defines Joe is Dead.
The Musical
The success of Joe is Dead takes center stage in its theatrical adaptation—an absurdist black comedy musical that twists corporate control and consumerism into a dystopian fever dream of fluorescent lights, existential ballads, and unsettlingly catchy show tunes. Through the warped lens of a struggling supermarket and its crew, the musical transforms workplace mundanity into something far stranger, funnier, and far more sinister.
Currently in development, Joe is Dead: The Musical is an evolving project open to collaboration, with 25+ early demo tracks already bringing its chaotic world to life.
P.L.U. (Because Joe Loves You)The Road to Hell (Reprise) More in Store (Reprise) / The Man Can Work For Me
Joe Is Dead.
Joe Remains Dead.
And We Have killed him.
Joe is Dead began as a book and became something far greater. Blending print, digital, and theatrical storytelling, it challenges what a creative project can be—not by design, but by necessity.
The world of Joe is Dead has grown into an intricately layered experience, one that’s left readers saying, “If I didn't know you, I'd be a bit worried about the author” and “Amazing doesn’t cover it.”
And it’s still evolving. Some pieces are out in the open. Many more are waiting to be found. The deeper you fall, the more you’ll start to wonder: what’s real, what’s fiction, and what exactly have you gotten yourself into?