The 1972 TV movie Kolchak the Night Stalker quickly became a cult favorite and even spawned a TV series starring actor Darren McGavin. Horror legend Richard Matheson wrote the film’s screenplay based on Jeff Rice’s then-unpublished novel, and the film, released the following year, is still beloved by horror fans around the world. Now, fans can pick up a special edition hardcover from Monstrous Books, featuring art by Russ Brown and a host of unique extras from this modern horror master.
The campaign, which launches today on Kickstarter, allows fans to back a limited edition (1,973 copies) hardcover edition of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, which will feature a new foreword by David Dastmalchian, a new afterword by Rodney Barnes, an essay on Rice by Kolchak expert Mark Dawidziak, and cover and spot illustrations by Braun. Each book will also have painted edges and a sewn-in bookmark. Backers will also receive a Kolchak Fan Club membership card that flips over to reveal a story-inspired Kolchak press badge.
Kolchak: The Night Stalker tells the story of eponymous paranormal investigator Carl Kolchak as he attempts to find the culprit behind the deaths of several young women working the night shift, all of whose bodies were found drained of blood and with unusual stab wounds in their necks, suggesting the presence of a familiar, yet no less terrifying, monster.
“Reporter Carl Kolchak was television’s first paranormal investigator, and his dogged search for the truth directly influenced a generation of seminal television shows such as Twin Peaks, The X-Files, Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” said Aquilone, editor of the 50th anniversary edition of the award-winning graphic novel Kolchak: The Night Stalker. “Jeff Rice is a Las Vegas-based journalist by day and novelist by night, and his original novel is set in the country’s gambling mecca. A thrilling, popular read, we hope this new edition of the original novel will usher in a new era of Kolchak books.”
Take a first look at Brown’s spot-on illustration for the Kolchak: The Night Stalker hardcover below.
(Monster Book) (Monster Book) (Monster Book)
“Kolchak and the world that Jeff Rice created have been such an inspiration to me as I have grown as a person and a storyteller,” said Dastmalchian. “From my comics, Count Crowley, to the characters, films and series I love to create, the ghost of our beloved prickly reporter is ever-present. I’m grateful to James and the team at Monstrous Books for doing such an incredible job bringing this incredible story to a global audience.”
“Kolchak: The Night Stalker was one of the early inspirations of my career as a writer,” said Burns. “To be a part of Kolchak’s 50th anniversary celebration is a true honor, and James Aquilone’s beautiful collection of stories is the perfect way to pay tribute to this iconic character.”
The limited edition hardcover of Kolchak: The Night Stalker is available now on Kickstarter , and only 1,973 copies will be made, so if you want a copy, back the campaign as soon as possible.
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