Average customer rating:
- KOLCHAK LIVES ON THANKS TO MOONSTONE!
- The Real Nightstalker
- Gotta Love Carl Kolchak!
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Kolchak: The Night Stalker Casebook
Christopher Golden ,
John Ostrander ,
Robert J. Randisi ,
Pierce Askegren ,
Mike Baron ,
Rachel Caine ,
Mark Dawidziak ,
Tom DeFalco ,
P.N. Elrod ,
John Everson ,
Joe Gentile ,
Elizabeth Massie ,
Gary Phillips ,
James Reasoner , and
Richard Dean Starr
Manufacturer: Moonstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Movie Tie-Ins | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Kolchak: The Night Stalker Chronicles (Kolchak the Nightstalker)
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Kolchak The Night Stalker: A Black & Evil Truth (Kolchak the Nightstalker)
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Kolchak The Night Stalker Volume 1
ASIN: 1933076178 |
Book Description
After the Stoker Award nominated success of the Kolchak Chronicles (and its various printings), we have a brand new collection of original creepy-thriller Kolchak prose short stories! Again, we have culled the best and the brightest among horror/mystery novelists and comic writers! So listen in as Kolchak relays some of his most spine-tingling cases about voodoo, myths, ghost towns, time conundrums, Vikings, haunted amusement parks, pirates, big fish and some startling revelations about Kolchak's past!
Customer Reviews:
KOLCHAK LIVES ON THANKS TO MOONSTONE!.......2007-08-07
When Kolchak: The Nightstalker premiered in 1974, I was firmly convinced it was the greatest show ever. Unfortunately not enough people thought the same way I did and the show lasted a single season...just 20 episodes in all. Despite that, the show has continued to have a strong cult following and re-runs were still turning up on the Sci-Fi channel just a couple of years ago. ABC even did a remake, which failed miserably. While the remake had the same character names, the show had no character, at least none of the character that the original did. Carl Kolchak, reporter for the Independent News Service, each week encountered the strange and horrific: werewolves, vampires, swamp creatures, Native American spirits, mummies, etc...Each week Kolchak would find a way to destroy the creature and each week no one would believe him.
While the remake failed to capture the spirit of the original show, Moonstone Books has been doing a marvelous job keeping Kolchak alive through a series of graphic novels and prose books. The latest is Kolchak: The Nightstalker Casebook, featuring 17 original stories by Tom DeFalco, P.N. Elrod, Elizabeth Massie, Joe Gentile, Mike Baron, Christopher Golden, John Ostrander, and James Reasoner, to name just a few. What is immediately obvious is that these writers were all fans of the show and understand the Kolchak character very well. Kolchak was an average guy. Unlike most central characters of TV shows, Kolchak was older, middle-aged in fact. Not especially handsome, nor athletic, and not particularly brave. His courage grew out of his need to always be able to get the story.
One unique characteristic of the TV show was that Kolchak (played remarkably by the late Darren McGavin) often voiced over certain scenes in the show in a first person perspective, usually a scene where a pretty girl was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Many of the stories in this book, and frankly my favorite ones, are told in first person point of view and it made me feel like I was sitting around my parent's living room on a Friday night watching the show again. They've not only captured Kolchak's character but also that of his irascible editor Tony Vincenzo, and fellow INS reporter the squeamish Ron Updyke.
While the TV show was set in Chicago, the stories in this book are set in California as Kolchak and Vincenzo have moved on to the Hollywood Dispatch. Allowing the writers some poetic license, they acknowledge the Chicago period yet these stories are set firmly in the present with mention of modern day technology such as computers and cell phones. Kolchak will encounter the spirit of a bloodthirsty Aztec priestess, a lake-dwelling creature, an inhuman grave robber, a ghostly diner, spectral pirates, and other denizens of the night.
One of the most poignant tales, Alternate Endings by John Ostrander, finds Kolchak back in Chicago and visiting the boarded up local tavern he frequented with an old flame named Cassie who was murdered by a serial killer. Walking through the door of the long closed bar, Kolchak is transported back in time with a chance to save his one time love from her terrible fate.
The series may have ended over thirty years ago but Kolchak lives on thanks to Moonstone books.
REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON
The Real Nightstalker.......2007-05-11
Another collection of fine stories. This is the character we all grew to know and love back in the seventies, not the one in the aborted new show(shudder). It's worth the price to lovers of the oddball character Darrin McGavin brought us way back when. Moonstone has a new novel on the way as well. Anyone who likes good adventure should check out The Spider anthology and The forthcoming Phantom anthology as well.
Gotta Love Carl Kolchak!.......2007-04-14
A wonderful collection of new adventures for our beloved Night Stalker, Carl Kolchak. Spooky, unnerving, supernatural, fun, funny, and thought-provoking, these tales stay true to the quirky character we came to love on television in the 1970's. Includes two gorgeous interior illos by Cortney Skinner for the Chris Golden/Rick Hautala and the Pierce Askegren stories. Absolutely worth the cover price.
Book Description
This massive bone-rattling tome contains the original Kolchak scripts from the classic comics Kolchak Tales of the Night Stalker, as well as the graphic novels Get of Belial, Lambs to the Slaughter and Eve of Terror! All in their original and unadulterated form! See how insane these writer guys really are!
Customer Reviews:
Very good book, with one significant flaw.......2007-06-28
This book was very good, but the two part story was messed up. The story was supposed to be Proximity Prt. 1 and Proximity Prt. 2 but they were both part two.
Item! Worthy of your attention.......2007-04-17
This book is terrific! It is a collection of comic book scripts that not only provides an inside view of how comic books are put together,but also perfectly captures the dialogue and spirit of the 1974 TV series. A couple of the stories are based on semi-completed scripts from that show. The supporting cast of Vincenzo, Updyke, and Miss. Emily are here, and the Kolchak charm and charisma shine through. Forget the pathetic remake that the network executives tried to foist on us. Those of us who remember the 2 telemovies and the Darren McGavin series can enjoy new Kolchak stories in this book.
Book Description
For the first time ever, a monster collection of 26 new original Kolchak short fiction stories by noted authors from comics, horror fiction, and film! With the advent of the new Kolchak ABC TV show, Moonstone proudly announces new contemporary prose adventures of the original Kolchak, TV's first and foremost paranormal investigator! Plus all kinds of other cool stuff, like tales from Kolchak's untold past, monster huntings, noir thrillers, and even horror stories of more cerebral type!
Customer Reviews:
Don't talk about this...to anyone.......2006-08-25
Chapter 1.
This is the review of one of the only Kolchak books available. You may have heard about it, probably on some web site or the back page of a comic book. However, what exists in this book between pages 1 and 329 is so diverse that the facts are in need of clarification. This will be the last time I'll review this bizarre book. So when you've finished, judge for yourself its worth and try to tell yourself, wherever you might be, would I want to read it here?
January 11, 1972
A young boy, age 8, tired, cranky, and just annoying enough to convince his parents to let him watch a minor made for TV movie called "The Night Stalker." ABC, that night, the boy was on route to his doom.
That boy was me, and even two days later I was still enthralled by one Carl Kolchak and his heroic battle with Janos Skorzeny. Already a fan of horror films (it was a time when Famous Monsters magazine was flying high), I had found a character so compelling, so fascinating, that it resounds in my mind even today. Little did I know then that I had watched a TV movie that went on to become the most watched made for TV movie of all time. As the years went by I equally loved the second movie (even though it wasn't as good) and the TV series. I even recorded the late night CBS showings on cassette tape and listened to them repeatedly. By high school I could recite the opening three scenes of the movie by heart. My brain was doomed to devote a considerable number of grey matter to housing the antics of Mr. Kolchak forever.
August, 2006
While determining what I could add to my Amazon order of an inner tube for my daughters bike in order to get free shipping, I ran across "Kolchak: The Night Stalker Chronicles." I had seen this before, of course (while surfing around the Amazon virtual store), but I was never sure if it was a group of actual stories or just a big comic book (graphic novel). I'm not into comic books so I always deferred on the side of caution. On this occasion it was just the right price to put me at the needed amount for free shipping.
Several days later the package arrived. First stop, the garage to install my daughters new inner tube for her bike. She blew the new tube out in half an hour. Next stop, a sit down to peruse this new book. To my pleasant surprise, it was not a comic book but 300 plus pages of words!
August, Again
I finished the first story and was reminded of a line from Mr. Kolchak himself that seemed to apply to the author of this story; "I got in early and banged out my story before all the other idiots arrived..." After reading this first short story I almost threw the book away. It had little to do with the character of Carl Kolchak and was written in 3rd person of all things! How could anyone write Kolchak in third person? But, I persisted...
Something of a pattern was beginning to form...the stories got better and were much more like Kolchak. Richard Valley's story is the best of the lot but they almost all suffer from a fatal blow; they are short. When the cover says 26 short stories it wasn't kidding. These stories are very short and end up being a let down. The typical Kolchak series episode went something like: introduction, research, fight cops, kill monster. These stories are mostly: introduction, kill monster. I suppose in order to cram as many stories as possible into the book they decided to cut out a major part of each work (much like a Vincenzo editing session). Either that or the authors spent as little time as possible writing their copy.
Item:
Interview with a Vampire has Kolchak meeting Barnabas Collins. The "intro" drolls on for a couple of pages, and then the two meet, talk, and Kolchak leaves. That is the whole story. There isn't even that much conversation that we read about. A few lines and then the author tells us they talked until 2am.
Item:
In almost all the stories Kolchak is portrayed as a celebrity for writing about all those monsters. Fact, In the movies his stories were never published as written. Fact, In most of the episodes he ends by saying something to the effect that the story would never be published. In these stories though they have so there are several where someone comes to Kolchak because of his reputation.
Item:
Taking a cue, I suppose, from the movies Kolchak is a heavy drinker in these stories. Fact, in the series Kolchak, Carl tells a bartender he never drinks while on duty. So, this is a personal choice that I would have rather seen Kolchak drink less in these stories.
So there you have it. All the stories have been bound into a book bought by guess who? I haven't had a decent nights sleep since reading these stories but that may be cause to medical problems rather than anything in the stories. I must warn you, in order to verify these facts you'll have to purchase the book. So, in the quiet of your home and the safety of your bed, just try to tell yourself would I want this book here?
Third continuity/B-Level writing.......2006-08-04
This book represents a third continuity of Kolchak. First is the TV movies-TV series, and then you have the short-lived NuKolchak (2005). This seems to be an unhappy compromise between the two: the 1970's Kolchak is popped down into the 21 Century. The problem is that part of Kolchak-1970 was that he was thirty years behind the times. Putting him and his seersucker and porkpie hat into the '00s decade with digital cameras, Internet and email, makes him sixty years behind the times. This is to jarring, too weird.
The books strength is that it keeps the legend alive for new readers, and serves a dual purpose of converting the uninitiated, and affirming the converted. The down side is that the stories are mediocre. Most of the authors wrote comic strips, so what we are reading is usually a mid- or par-level episode of the series. They are definitely not "glorified fan fiction," but they do have a "pulp mill" feel to them; they are good Saturday afternoon reading, but the stories (except "The Why Of The Matter") never go much beyond that.
Another drawback has to do with the premise itself. Kolchak was a "Monster of the Week" affair with stand-alone stories, as opposed to story-arcs and cohesive and coordinated villains. Consequently the stories are meaninglessly weird. Contrast this with "The Divine Comedy" or "Paradise Lost" where the devil has an intelligently organized opposition, with a command structure, jockeying lieutenants, and a cohesive strategy. Kolchack's boogeymen are just mindless boogeyman.
In this regard, Buffy, X-Files, and NuKolchak (ie X-Files: Los Angeles) had a marked advantage. Of course "The Twilight Zone" was an anthology, but the cohesive principle was Serling's philosophy. Kolchak lacks both.
The last problem is over-saturation. After two-seasons-too-many of the X-files, plus seven of "Buffy" and five of "Angel," plus countless revivals of "The Twilight Zone" and "The Outer Limits," this genre needs a rest for about a decade. After that, it needs another decade to rethink itself in light of the post-Cold War, post-9/11 world. After all, no eerie TV program can compare to what we see day in/day out on the news.
So the stories themselves:
My favorite story is "The Why Of The Matter," partly because it is optimistic, and it also breaks the stereotype of the run-amok boogeyman.
"Man or Monster", "Genus Loci", and "The Shadow That Shapes The Light" are close to the TV series. In fact the last one, "TSTSTL", I think sets the pattern for what a good Kolchak short storey should be. It includes italicized narrations that mirror the voiceovers that are mock-"Dragnet" and half Sam Spade. Remember that Kolchak is not a reporter, but a detective at heart--and Darren McGavin did play Mike Hammer.
I think "The Abominable Ice Man" is the most transferable into a movie, or a two part series. It needs tweaking to push it over the top, but the essential elements are all there.
"The Shrug of Atlas" left me wondering two things: first, is this Jesus a time traveler? And second, if it is Jesus, why the connection to atheist Ayn Rand? Like I said, there is no cohesion, and therefore not broad application to a reader's life--unlike "The Why of the Matter.". So the art has let us down.
Fans have a dilemma: if we don't buy this book, then Moonstone has no incentive to publish more. However, if we do buy the book, then Moonstone may be tempted to produce more of the same, at the same level of quality. I think that wisdom would dictate that we buy the book: it's not horrid, but they are B-level stories.
stories about one of my favorite characters.......2006-07-05
I enjoyed them all. I would really like to see more of the same, possibly even novels based on the original character, not the insipid updated version.
TERRIFIC ANTHOLOGY.......2006-03-25
What a great collection of Kolchak stories, but a group of talented writers. Most deliver hands, making each story seem like episodes from the old series. The less said about the new one, the better.
I strong recommend this anthology to anyone who enjoys good, macabre tales of the supernatural.
Kolchak Book.......2006-03-10
I like this new book of short stories of the continued adventures of Kolchak. The stories are great. They are almost better than the TV series. I also like the number of stories included 26 I believe.
Product Description
The Night Stalker Series Continues! Kolchak's back! He's working for the 'Los Angeles Dispatch and on the trail of whatever killed land baron Glen Gilmore in his Bel-Air mansion.
Customer Reviews:
This is news, Vincenzo, neeewwwws!.......2007-08-08
Before the X-Files came Kolchak, The Night Stalker. Over the course of two books, two TV movies and twenty-plus television episodes, Carl Kolchak investigated and dispatched a variety of evil entities (including two vampires, a werewolf, a renegade android and a muck monster suspiciously similar to Marvel's Man-Thing), simultaneously fencing with secretive public officials and his irascible editor, Tony Vincenzo. Kolchak, memorably portrayed by Darren McGavin, was my hero--for a long time, I wanted to be a reporter simply because he was.
Well, I grew up (yes, I know that's a matter of opinion) and forgot my dreams of becoming a journalist, but I never forgot good old Carl. CBS reran the series on late night TV a few years back, and the two movies, entitled The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler (both screenplays written by Richard Matheson!) popped up on a regular basis, so I wasn't without a Kolchak fix for long. The series was then collected and released on VHS, then DVD--like any good fanboy, I spent money on both versions, but I always pined for some new stories.
In the early nineties, FBI agents Mulder and Scully filled the void left by Kolchak's absence. In 1994, however, a new glimmer of hope appeared in a local bookshop: Grave Secrets, the first in a planned series known as The Kolchak Papers.
Author Dawidziak does an admirable job of catching Kolchak's voice--I actually could almost hear McGavin's scratchy rumble as I read. He knows the supporting characters well, and injects a good dose of humor amidst the grim goings on, as Carl investigates the grisly murders of four participants in a shady real estate deal. Although the denouement was not quite as action-oriented as I would have liked, I enjoyed the book and looked forward to future installments.
I don't know if any sequels ever appeared (I recall that one, titled Grand Inquisitor, was planned), but I do know that this book kept the idea of The Night Stalker alive during a slow period in the early nineties. Since that time, we've been "blessed" with a so-so comic book series, the failed update of the television show a couple of seasons ago, and the recent Kolchak: The Night Stalker Casebook anthology. My fondness for the character continues unabated, and so does my hope that someone will take another stab at reviving the franchise on film or television.
(P.S.: Just wanted to recommend Dawidziak's excellent tribute to the series, called Night Stalking: A 25th Anniversary Kolchak Companion before I sign off. Filled with inside information, it's an excellent introduction for newcomers and a welcome trip down memory lane for long time fans.)
Book Description
Kolchak has three times the usual trouble in store for him! Stay with him as he discovers that there is more than one way terror can strike from within.
Customer Reviews:
Good Buy if You Missed The Single Printings.......2006-04-22
I bought this because i missed "Devil In The Details" and "Pain Most human"
I'm glad I bought it even though i have the other stories printed in this TPB.
Pain most Human is the best Kolchak story I've ever read. Hands Down.
So if your a fan of Kolchak and you missed a few of these Graphic Novels go ahead and get it.
You Won't be disapointed.
Book Description
Kolchak the Night Stalker: Get of Belial: A much-rumored lost TV episode script has been found! When the show was over, there were a couple of scripts left lying around unfilmed. Few people have ever laid eyes on these puppies, but we got them now! Never before seen in any offical form! Kolchak heads down to Winship County, West Virginia to get the lowdown on a heated miner's strike. When the mine's bossman is violently torn to shreds the ovious answer is one of the hard-hats just couldn't take it anymore. The M.E. rules a pick axe did him in. A miner's tool. And when a striker gets it in the exact same manner? Must be retribution. Sure, Carl buys that one-and Kris Kringle flies around in a black helicopter on Christmas Eve!
Customer Reviews:
A glimpse of the season that was not to be........2004-02-10
Moonstone's second Kolchak: The Night Stalker graphic novel is based on an unproduced script for the show's never to be second season. When the series was cancelled the scripts were shelved. Now fans can get an idea of the shows that might have been if Kolchak: The Night Stalker had been allowed a second season.
Carl is sent to West Virginia (Winship County to be exact) to cover a tension filled strike at a local mine. When the mine owner is savagely murdered the Sheriff thinks that it might be a few strike frustrated miners working out their differences in a more brutal fashion. But the type of wounds don't hint at a beating, it's more like a mauling. When two more people are murdered, Kolchak begins to dig a bit deeper and what he uncovers is an evil far older than that of mere mankind.
Again Moonstone shows a clear understanding of the tone, character, and stories that have made Kolchak: The Night Stalker such a cult favorite. The visuals are almost photographic in capturing the look of the series and thedialog rings true. These adaptations and original stories are essential for any Kolchak fan. Highly recommended.
Comic adaptation of a lost episode of Kolchak.......2004-01-29
After Moonstone's initial KOLCHAK graphic novel(an adaptation of the NIGHTSTALKER TV movie) they tackled a lost episode of the classic tv show. One wonders why this episode never aired, probably something to do with the Union element, the art and coloring are solid but the story really makes this book kick. You can almost hear Darrin McGavin's voice, the dialogue is so dead on. Nicely square bound and free of advertising the Kolchak graphic novel's from Moonstone are shaping up as a nice replacement to the now unavailable television show. My only complaint is a couple of typos (Kolcac?) Recommended
Book Description
After 30 years, it's finally time for the first meeting between Carl Kolchak, the Nightstalker, and the black and evil horror which is the Cthulhu Mythos, H.P. Lovecraft's enduring world of gods and monsters! Kolchak has seen it all, from vampires and zombies to witches, ghosts and even the minions of Hell, itself. By rights, nothing should shake this indomitable reporter anymore. But, when he starts to follow the trail begun by the photographing of a strange sea creature, one more reminiscent of the creature from the black lagoon than a shark or tuna, he suddenly finds himself being drawn into a nightmare world so fantastic, so utterly alien and frighteningly dark that even his massive psychic defenses begin to crumble. For once, Kolchak isn't just following a story. This time, he's crossing the threshold into another reality. One which could possibly destroy both his mind, and the entire world!
Customer Reviews:
Well worth investigating (um, er....).......2007-07-11
Wow, Kolchak's The Lovecraftian Horror is finally available. I ordered this book back in November 2006. Well, as we all know, publication dates for small presses can be rather fluid. From the outset I'll let you know my biases: I've never been a Kolchak fan at all except for the old TV series from a decade or so ago. I am, however, a CJ Henderson fan all the way, and a bigger fan of mythos fiction, which is why I ordered the book.
Some housekeeping: The puplisher is Moonstone. List price was $12.95 (I wonder if it was a limited print run; apparently you can no longer order direct from Amazon like I did). Fortunately the Amazon page has links to vendors who are selling copies. Total page count was 96, all text and pictures. And what art work! The illustrations are by Jaime Calderon and he did a terrific job. I never read a Kolchak book before; it isn't quite a graphic novel (code word for comic book), more a profusely illustrated novella/novellette/longish short story. Each page has a full color large illustration. The Deep Ones on page 73 were very good but pride of place goes to the magnificent rampaging Cthulhu on page 71. There was one notable typographical error. The text was duplicated on p24/25. This was easy enough to spot and didn't interfere with my enjoyment at all. Some might also notice that there is a character who is a major in Naval Intelligence, when he should have been a lieutenant commander.
CJ Henderson has impeccable Lovecraftian credentials. His forte is occult noire detectives, for example his Tales of Inspector Legrasse from Mythos Books. No surprise, Kolchak and Henderson are a perfect match. I do not know if he has written any other Kolchak books. Briefly, Kolchak gets involved when police are called to investigate a corpse found washed up on a California beach, and it turns out to be more icthyoid than human (great picture on page 15, Mr. Calderon!). Nosing around where he shouldn't, Kolchak uncovers more about the Lovecraftian mythos and the Cthulhu cult than is good for anyone's sanity. Mr. Henderson's truly in his literary element here. Hardboiled dialogue is second nature to him and he can pen an action sequence as well as anyone. The prose sparkles and the plot rushes along effortlessly, with a conclusion that will satisfy Lovecraftians and Kolchakians alike. CJ Henderson aficianados will note the tie in of the plot to events in The Tales Of Inspector Legrasse and to the Teddy London novel, The Things That Are Not There.
I found this book to be very entertaining, a diversion well worth seeking out if you can find a copy. You can pleasantly while away a few hours with it. There is nothing not to like! After all, you need something to read while we wait for High Seas Cthulhu!
Book Description
Carl Kolchak was just your average reporter until the day he put two and two together and came up with evil. A reluctant paranormal investigator, Kolchak couldn't stop tripping over the unusual even if he wanted to. And for all of his efforts of seeking the truth... unemployment and ridicule have followed him like the plague. Someone, or something, is tearing people up into little pieces in small town West Virginia. It's up to Kolchak to wade through the bloody-science jigsaw puzzle, while watching his back against an unseen foe! It's a cat and mouse game, as he battles a maelstrom of terror that everyone around him gets sucked into.
Customer Reviews:
The Return Of Karl Kolchak.......2007-08-31
A Black and Evil Truth is the first Night Stalker novel in over a decade. Worth the wait. Karl gets assigned the case of a killer who rips his victims into as many pieces as he can. Quickly and without a trace of coming or going. In pursuit of the truth of the title, Karl learns a few disturbing things about himself. At least this time, the police are with him. An exciting addition to the series of novels and anthologies! Well worth the price to any Night Stalker fan!
Book Description
This volume contains 4 stories of TV's first paranormal investigator Carl Kolchak! Thrill again to the story of a vampire in Las Vegas, based on the TV movie that still has one of the highest ratings of all time! (This story was adapted from the screen by Kolchak's creator, writer Jeff Rice.) Then, experience the terror of a small mining town that has unexplained murders. (Adapted from an unfilmed episode of the TV show.) Third, get the chills from horror/mystery novelist extraordinaire Stuart Kaminsky's original Kolchak tale of experiencing your worst fears! Last, but not least, there is an all-new Kolchak tale from X-Files scribe Stefan Petrucha!
Customer Reviews:
Kolchak Pretty Good.......2006-03-10
These Kolchak comics are good, if you are a fan of the television series. These are some of the stories of the TV series that never have been aired in this book.
A fistful of Kolchak.......2005-03-10
Moonstone Comics first trade paperback collection of its Kolchak: The Night Stalker run gathers together three previously published tales and one brand new one. The original story, adapted by the original author, is told once again. Following that is an adaptation of an unfilmed script, The Get of Belial, from the second season of Kolchak: The Night Stalker that never was. The third, and final, reprinted story is Stuart Kaminsky's Fever Pitch. A mystery about exploding people and the necessity of facing, and not turning away from, your deepest fears. Closing out this anthology is a short yarn by Stefan Petrucha, wherein the intrepid reporter explains what horror means to him. Kolchak chronicler Mark Dawdidziak, author of The Night Stalker Companion and an original Night Stalker sequel entitled Grave Secrets, writes an introduction about how nice it is for the Kolchak universe to begin expanding and Kolchak fan and website caretaker Steve Crow closes with some thoughts about what makes Carl Kolchak so very special to his fans. This collection is a wonderful way to introduce people to Carl Kolchak and no fan will want to be without a copy on their bookshelf. Highly recommended.
Book Description
Kolchak the Night Stalker: Fever Pitch: Moonstone's first all-original Kolchak story! Guts-Mayhem-KOLCHAK! For three nights straight, some poor innocent spontaneously combusts in front of a horrified witness. Like chain links, the previous night's witness is the following evening's victim. But who's behind these deaths? The Wolfman? An Anaconda? A Giant Spider? According to police reports, these three monsters were spotted at the scene. Kolchak, hot with the flu, makes a little report of his own that adds up to some life saving advice-NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON FEAR! Written by award-winning mystery novelist Stuart M. Kaminisky!
Customer Reviews:
Kolchalk fans will adore it........2004-01-21
This entry in the reborn Kolchak: The Night Stalker starts off with a bang, literally. An old woman steps into an ice cream shop and promptly explodes in front of the owner, who turns away because he then sees a werewolf leaping out of the woman. No surprise that that little tidbit snatches the attention of reporter Carl Kolchak, who happens upon the scene. The mystery becomes more gruesome when the ice cream shop owner explodes in front of someone a day or so later. Obviously something very odd is happening around Los Angeles.
Fever Pitch does a credible job of capturing the flavor of the cult TV show (and it follows the contemporizing that Mark Dawdiziak did in his Kolchak novel Grave Secrets - placing the series characters in Los Angeles). Kolchak still has a hard time making those around him believe the outlandish stories he runs across with regularity and the humor of the show is retained. My only complaint is that the monster is poorly thought out and the explanation given (while certainly unique) is nowhere near clear enough to satisfy. Nonetheless, the characters still look and act the way they did on the show and fans will certainly want this in their collections. I know I did. Kolchak lives!
Captures the spirit of the series.......2003-11-02
A gory story of exploding bodies with the witness of the phenomena becoming the next victim has Kolchak on the case. This graphic novel (basically a comic book with professional graphics and high quality paper) recaptures the spirit of the original series, including its humor. The running gag has Carl with a cold receiving advice from everyone he encounters about the best treatment. The main story is well told and paced with the ending being just a bit loose. Fans should know that this issue, and I believe the others in the Moonstone series, do place Carl in a contemporary setting. So while Carl and the rest of the cast look like they did in the 1970s TV show, the 21st century Carl writes his reports on a computer not his familiar typewriter from the series. Overall, I believe fans of the show, and even those unfamiliar with it, will enjoy this read.
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- No Humans Involved (Women of the Otherworld, Book 7)
- Old Guns and Whispering Ghosts
- Photoshop LAB Color: The Canyon Conundrum and Other Adventures in the Most Powerful Colorspace
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Laurence Olivier: A Biography
- Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse
- Pueblo Architecture and Modern Adobes: The Residential Designs of William Lumpkins
- The Moon Over Lake Elmo
- The Pocket Stylist: Behind-the-Scenes Expertise from a Fashion Pro on Creating Your Own Look
- Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones
- When Trumpets Call: Theodore Roosevelt After the White House
- The Humanistic Tradition, Book 6: The Global Village Of The Twentieth Century
- Talkin' About Poker: Straight Talk for Parents and their Players
- The Confederacy's Fighting Chaplain: Father John B. Bannon
