The cult monster-hunting reporter returns for Moonstone Books’ upcoming Kickstarter campaign

Moonstone Books will publish a graphic novel anthology for the 50th anniversary of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, which began in 1972 as a TV movie starring Darren McGavin as the title monster-hunting reporter and later a TV series that became a cult classic that famously inspired X-Files creator Chris Carter.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel will contain 10 all-new contributions from master storytellers such as Jonathan Maberry (V-Wars), Peter David (The Incredible Hulk), Kim Newman (Anno Dracula), and more, with an introduction by Richard Christian Matheson, the bestselling horror writer and son of Richard Matheson, who penned the original TV movie and its TV movie sequel The Night Strangler. An essay on the 50th anniversary from Mark Dawidziak, the author of The Nightstalker Companion, will be included, along with a retrospective of Moonstone Book’s massive Kolchak publication history from publisher Joe Gentile.

The all-new, 100+ page, full-color graphic novel will feature art by J.K. Woodward (Star Trek), Paul McCaffrey (Anno Dracula), and more with a cover and interiors by Colton Worley, as well a cover by Jerry Ordway (The Power of Shazam!).

James Aquilone, creator and editor of the highly anticipated upcoming Classic Monsters Unleashed prose anthology, will edit the new graphic novel anthology, which will be available in limited-edition softcover and hardcover editions, both with variant covers. He’ll also run the Kickstarter for the project, which will offer up several reward levels, including a special 40-page standalone comic book, featuring the story “Satanic Panic ’88,” written by Aquilone and illustrated by Colton Worley (The Shadow), with a cover by Dan Brereton.

“Carl Kolchak is one of the great horror genre characters of the 1970s,” said Kim Newman, while of the anthology Aquilone said that he “wanted to create something very special for the anniversary: a look at the life of my favorite monster hunter, from his childhood to his last case…the ultimate Kolchak story, full of creatures, frights, and the reporter’s iconic wit.”

Aquilone revealed to us exclusively that there will also be an accompanying prose anthology of Kolchak short stories, all of which will come from an open submissions period that will start right after the Kickstarter launch. The prose anthology will be available as a Kickstarter reward in both ebook and paperback. The editor, who is also the author of the Dead Jack novel series, has previously put together very successful Kickstarters, with his upcoming Classic Monsters Unleashed becoming the highest funded horror anthology in the platform’s history.

To get a notification when the Kickstarter launches, visit the project’s Kickstarter prelaunch page and click on the “Notify me on launch” button.

More contributors to the project will be announced in the coming months, but here is the list so far:

There will be 10 all-new original stories by Kim Newman (Anno Dracula), Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia), Richard Christian Matheson (Classic Monsters Unleashed), Jonathan Maberry (V-Wars, Classic Monsters Unleashed), Peter David (The Incredible Hulk, Aquaman, Young Justice, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man), Tim Waggoner (Halloween Kills, Classic Monsters Unleashed), Nancy Collins (Swamp Thing, Vampirella, Army of Darkness: Furious Road), Jim Beard (X-Files: Secret Agendas, Planet of the Apes: Tales from the Forbidden Zone, Spider-Man: Enemies Closer) and James Chambers (Kolchak: the Night Stalker: The Forgotten Lore of Edgar Allan Poe).

Artists include Jerry Ordway (Superman, Crisis on Infinite Earths, The Power of Shazam!), Colton Worley (Classic Monsters Unleashed), Paul McCaffrey (Anno Dracula), J.K. Woodward (Fallen Angel, Star Trek), Warwick Johnson-Cadwell (Samurai Jack, Tank Girl) and Tom Rogers (Herald: Lovecraft & Tesla).

Covers

Cover by Colton Worley:

Cover by Jerry Ordway:

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