I’ve finally read the new issue of the newly redesigned Haunted Attraction Magazine. Actually, that’s a lie. I finished it a week ago, and frankly I’ve been a bit stumped as to what to say about it. Overall I like the new look, though I prefer less reds and oranges to greens and purples, but I do feel that if I have to read one more article or see one more television show featuring Eastern State Penitentiary I might barf. Not that they’re aren’t awesome. They are completely deserving of any accolades that come their way; however they are indeed on the verge of being overexposed in my tiny, insignificant opinion. Otherwise it looks pretty good, but you can see that for yourself by getting the mag or at the very least heading over to the new site – www.hauntedattraction.com. What really has me stumped is . . . well, here’s the email I wrote back to John Kennedy, the new owner, when he checked in to see if I got my mag after the USPS decided to wipe their butts with it.
John,
Sorry I didn’t get back to you. I should have, but the holiday weekend sort of threw off my rhythm. Read it cover-to-cover and am still trying to distill the deeper meaning of it all – really. I couldn’t help but notice several conflicting things about it – Hauntcon AND Eastern Haunters Gathering together, IAHA AND HHA together. Then there’s this 13th Hour Mag you ran an ad for – I know very little about their pretty little mag other than it’s prohibitively expensive for that average haunter, but running a competitor’s ad is . . . intriguing. For years I’ve watched as groups tend to polarize themselves in the Halloween and Haunt industry. Put ten haunters in a room and 3 will be Pro-Larry, 3 will be Pro-Leonard, 2 will think they’re both nuts and start their own forum, and 2 will hide in a corner and pretend the other 8 no longer exist because they don’t want the drama. It would be nice to see some bridges built that could trancend all that sillyness that innevitably happens.
I’m hoping the best for you and HA Mag in that department. Personally I like giant animatronic demons as well as pumkin bags filled with leaves. It’s all good. Though, drama, I can do without. You have your work cut out for you if what I percieve is true – that you’re hoping to build some bridges and include instead of exclude like some have done in the past.
This week I was planning on writing a bit to that effect on my blog. Not that I’m any more than a little ant in the scheme of things, but I’ll keep you posted.
Beastly Wishes,
Patrick Nottingham
That pretty much sums it up. Indeed, a great deal of this issue – appropriately so – dealt with the transition of ownership – the “why” of it all. I believe that Leonard Pickel – still the editor by the way – has a beef, justified or not, with the folks from Eastern Haunters Gathering because of a perceived slight when they picked the dates – dates right near his con, Hauntcon – the first year. I also believe, though my actually knowledge of this may be faulty also, that the Haunted House Assocation – the HHA – was formed to give an alternative to the IAHA, though the articles from both organizations – one from Deanna Roberts-Morton with a letter from Patrick Konopelski President of the IAHA and owner of Shocktoberfest and the other from Scott Simmons, HHA Vice_president and owner of Scarehouse (both Pennsylvania haunts BTW – booyah!), had benevolent and informing tones to them that made me actually go and check out both organizations again.
Polarization – and drama. I hate it. We should all be working together, but, as people seem to always do, we’ve found a way to subdivide in a group with common interests. It’s all so exhausting.
Personally I believe Mr Kennedy has his work cut out for him trying to bridge those gaps. The ads and articles from opposing forces are a great start though. And even an opinion piece from Rich Hanf, a constant contributor to Hauntworld Magazine – you mean Rich Hanf has an opinion? – was a nice touch as well.
Now, if you haven’t got one already, might just be the right time to start subscribing to HA Magazine again. I have high hopes for it – especially since Home Haunters like myself still have a place in it – and look forward to the next issue.
