Kolchak, the classic 1970’s investigative reporter that inspired Fox Mulder from The X-Files and countless other TV shows and movies based on the weird, is back and ready to face the creatures we grew up loving and fearing in a series of standalone comics titled Kolchak Meets The Classic Monsters, courtesy of Monstrous Books. The project will be vying for funding on Kickstarter and it continues nurturing this second life the license has recently gotten through a new line of books, graphic novels, and Blu-Ray remasters.
Here’s the official announcement:
“Throughout the course of the fan-favorite 1970s tv show, legendary reporter Carl Kolchak went toe-to-toe with all manner of otherworldly fiends. Now, he will take on his most fearsome foes yet — Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman! Monstrous Books presents a three-issue series of stand-alone comics as well as a deluxe hardcover collection from an all-star lineup of creators coming to Kickstarter this October.
Actor and Writer David Dastmalchian (Count Crowley) will re-unite with Count Crowley artist Lukas Ketner for a Kolchak/Count Crowley comic book crossover in “Kolchak Meets the Wolfman,” featuring a cover by superstar artist Matt Wagner (Grendel). Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia) will be writing a thriller titled “Kolchak Meets Dracula,” featuring a cover by Colton Worley (Jennifer Blood). And Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) will be collaborating with artist George Quadros (Avatar: The High Ground) on “Kolchak Meets Frankenstein,” with a cover from Russ Braun (The Boys). Monstrous Books will also publish a deluxe, hardcover edition of Kolchak Meets the Classic Monsters, featuring all three stories and an all-new cover by Dave Acosta (Elvira, Terrorwar).”
Kolchak is not necessarily new to these classic monsters in terms of character archetype. The very first Kolchak outing, The Night Stalker (1972), saw the reporter on the heels of a vampire that wreaked havok in the Las Vegas area. The movie hit on themes of journalistic integrity and societal fears concerning serial killers (who were still operating under what author Peter Vronsky calls “the golden age of serial killers,” which ran from 1970-2000). That said, this vampire was not Dracula. It was a bloodsucker that better reflected the times.
What’s unique with these comics is the focus on the classic monsters specifically. Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman are ripped straight out of the Universal movies that turned them into horror icons. This means that they carry their own brand of terror, their own history. This might complicate things for intrepid reporter.
The Beat corresponded with the founder and editor of Monstrous Books James Aquilone along with Rodney Barnes to discuss the new project and what makes Kolchak such an important character to still have around these days. It follows below.
RICARDO SERRANO: Kolchak has been making a resurgence in recent years via books and comic book projects. What makes our current climate the perfect time for a Kolchak comeback?
RODNEY BARNES: He just has so many layers. His investigative work lends itself to the realm of mystery. Yet, the antagonist is often of supernatural origins which brings us into the realm of horror. There’s something for everyone. Not to mention his sense of humor. Makes it all go down oh so smoothly.
JAMES AQUILONE: I think the character’s pursuit of the truth, especially as a reporter, is very much needed in this era of Fake News. We could really use Kolchak today.
SERRANO: You have both worked on either Kolchak or Kolchak-inspired stories (Killadelphia in particular, for Barnes, has a distinct 1970s horror feel that would make Kolchak want to move to Philadelphia). What aspects of the character do you enjoy writing the most?
BARNES: Love them both equally. Kolchak is classic horror storytelling. The cool thing is he adapts to whatever environment he’s in. The city becomes a character, as well as the monster he’s hunting. In Killadelphia it’s all so personal. Often times, it’s a cathartic experience where the city of Philadelphia and its vampires are, in actuality, my therapists.
AQUILONE: As a journalist, I love the old-school newspaper aspect of Kolchak.
SERRANO: Do you think Kickstarter opens the Kolchak universe up to a more diverse readership, or do you see an already built-in fanbase supporting the book on a more consistent basis?
BARNES: Both! Kickstarter opens the world up to a new era of fandom. Whereas, the character himself, iconic, has his own hardcore fanbase.
AQUILONE: There’s a robust fanbase for Kolchak that has been consistently following the character for the past 50 years, but there are definitely fans who are just now discovering Kolchak, from YouTube, MeTV and the Kickstarters. I’m all for opening the readership to as many fans as possible.
SERRANO: Is there something you hope to capture this time around with the character that hasn’t been explored as much before?
BARNES: My hope is selfish. I want to see two iconic characters meet, clash, and find some sense of resolution that moves the needle on both. No simple task!
AQUILONE: Though Kolchak has met many, many monsters over his career, he’s never come up against the biggest monsters of them all. This project rectifies that by having Kolchak “meet” the classic monsters Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman.
Here’s a sneak peek at Kolchak Meets Frankenstein:
English (US) · 