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Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel

Created by James Aquilone

Comic book anthology from Moonstone Publishing with stories by Steve Niles, Gabriel Hardman, Rodney Barnes, Kim Newman, Nancy Collins, David Avallone, Jonathan Maberry, Peter David, James Chamber, and James Aquilone. Artists include J.K. Woodward, Julius Ohta, Colton Worley, Jonathan Marks Barravecchia, Paul McCaffrey, Clara Meath, Warwick Johnson Cadwell, Marco Finnegan, and Tom Rogers. Covers by Dan Brereton, Jerry Ordway, Colton Worley, and J.K. Woodward.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

One-Shots, Posters & Prints Are Here! Plus, We've Added a Very Special Intro! And Orders Will Be Locked in 48 Hours!
over 1 year ago – Fri, Sep 02, 2022 at 01:01:24 PM

Just as I was writing this update the first 50 copies of the 48-page Kolchak 50 one-shot arrived — a week early! They came out better than I expected. The rest of the shipment should be here in about 5 weeks. If you ordered only the one-shot, they'll start going out when I receive them. If you also got the paperback and/or the hardcover, you'll have to wait until those are in. They should be sent to the printer next week.

Kolchak 50 one-shot back cover
Kolchak 50 interior page

Oh, and remember when we said the main anthology would be 100 pages, and then we said it would be 120 pages? Well, we were off by a bit. The softcover anthology will be 188 pages! And the hardcovers come in at a whopping 248 pages.


SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

I wasn't sure this was going to happen but it did and it's great. James Rice, the son of the late Kolchak creator Jeff Rice, has written an 1100-word introduction. It's really a fantastic piece that talks about his father and Kolchak,  and I can't wait until you all get to read it. That's in addition to the introduction by Richard Christian Matheson, the son of Richard Matheson, who wrote The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler — which is also an amazing essay.


LOCKED ORDERS

In the next 48 hours I will lock your orders on BackerKit, which means you won't be able to change it, except for your address. So get your add-ons in now. 

The first rewards will start shipping in October as planned. The paperbacks and hardcovers probably won't be in until after October, though, unless we get lucky again with the shipping and they arrive early. I'll keep you posted.


POSTERS ARE HERE — AND THEY LOOK AMAZING!

I've received all the 11X17 posters and wow! Mine is already framed and on the wall.

Mine is already framed and on the wall

6"x9" PRINTS ARE ALSO AMAZING

I also got the prints and they're beautiful.

PAPERBACK AND HARDCOVERS

We're still working on the paperbacks and hardcovers, but hope to be done next week, when we'll send the files to the printer.  All digital books will be ready by October and will be delivered then. Here's a look at the back cover.

Surveys Going Out! Graphic Novel Story List Revealed!
over 1 year ago – Fri, Aug 05, 2022 at 05:47:21 AM

Finally, I was able to get the surveys approved by BackerKit. The process was much more complicated than I expected. But after an hour-and-a-half call with BackerKit customer support, we got it done. Surveys have gone out to 5% of the backers, and after that, they'll go out to the rest of you.

With the survey, you'll be able to pick up T-shirts and prints and extra books.

The one-shot comic is being put together now and I hope to send it to the printer soon. We're still waiting on a few more pages of art for the softcover and hardcover.

We've decided on all the prose stories. The last responses will go in the next few days. I'll announce the lineup later this month. 

Slash page for "The Nest" by (w) Tim Waggoner, (a) Clara Meath, (c) Zac Atkinson

Here's the comic story list for the softcover and hardcover...

Lineup for Kolchak: The Night Stalker 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel

  • The Funny Place (1939) Writer David Avallone, artist Julius Ohta, colorist Zac Atkinson
  • The White Lady (1940) Writer Jonathan Maberry, artist Marco Finnegan
  • Enemy Within (1954) Writer Peter David, artist JK Woodward
  • Wandering Souls (1969) Writer Richard Christian Matheson, artist JK Woodward
  • Interview With Night Stalker (1972) Writer Kim Newman, artist Paul McCaffrey, colorist Zac Atkinson
  • The Primitives (1973) Writer/artist Gabriel Hardman
  • The Package (1974) Writer Steve Niles, artist Szymon Kudranski 
  • Voodoo Child (1976) Writer Rodney Barnes, artist Jonathan Marks Barravecchia
  • The Nest (1978) Writer Tim Waggoner, artist Clara Meath, colorist Zac Atkinson
  • Satanic Panic ’88 (1988) Writer James Aquilone, artist Colton Worley
  • The Sin Feeder (1996) Writer Nancy Collins, artist Warwick Cadwell Johnson
  • The Last Byline (2006) Writer James Chambers, artist Paul McCaffrey, colorist Zac Atkinson

All lettering done by Tom Napolitano.

Sneak Peeks at More Stories...Rodney Barnes, Nancy Collins, James Chambers
over 1 year ago – Sun, Jul 17, 2022 at 09:07:57 PM

We are so close to finishing the book. I'm waiting on only a few more pages. 

I've also created half of the surveys. When I'm done we'll get your addresses and sizes and all that info.

More good news... When we said there would be about 120 pages of comic book stories, we were way off. There are well over 150 pages.

As far as submissions for the prose anthologies, the rest of the responses should go out in the next few days. 


SNEAK PEEKS

First page (uncolored and unlettered) of Rodney Barnes' story "Voodoo Child," set in the '70s. Art by Jonathan Marks Barravecchia.

First page (unlettered) of Nancy Collins' story "The Sin Feeder," set in the '90s. Art by Warwick Johnson Cadwell.

Third page (unlettered and uncolored) of James Chambers' story "The Last Byline," set in the '00s. Art by Paul McCaffrey. You may recognize the nod to the show's opening.

SHAKESPEARE UNLEASHED

By the way, my current campaign, SHAKESPEARE UNLEASHED, is ending next week.

We have nearly 600 backers and are already the fourth highest-funded (prose) horror anthology in Kickstarter history.

We are offering a prose anthology as well as a stand-alone comic book. Both books have covers by Kolchak artist J.K. Woodward. The comic book has a story by Kolchak contributor David Avallone, and I wrote a couple, too. 

Below is a 3-page story I based on Shakespeare's infamous stage direction "Exit, Pursued by a Bear." Kolchak colorist Zac Atkinson did the art and Tom Napolitano handled the lettering. 

Back Shakespeare Unleashed Now

Announcing the Shakespeare Unleashed Comic Book!
over 1 year ago – Thu, Jun 23, 2022 at 03:22:15 AM

My Shakespeare Unleashed campaign has launched and is already funded. And I wanted you all to know Early-Bird Discounts end tonight, so jump on that.  I extended them deals until midnight PST.

If you didn't know — the project includes a black-and-white manga-sized Shakespeare Unleashed comic book with stories by writer David Avallone and artist Helena Masellis as well as writer James Aquilone with artists J.K. Woodward and Zac Atkinson. All with lettering by Tom Napolitano.

Below is the cover and some pages.

Cover of Shakespeare Unleashed comic book

ROMEO AND JULIET: AFTERLIFE

Page 1 of Romeo and Juliet: Afterlife
Page 2 of Romeo and Juliet: Afterlife

CHECK OUT SHAKESPEARE UNLEASHED NOW!

Kolchak Surveys Coming Soon; Status Report
over 1 year ago – Wed, Jun 22, 2022 at 08:06:22 PM

Most of the art has been finished and, boy, do the pages it look good.  We're about 75% done with the book!

I'm working on the surveys now and they should be sent to you very soon. (For newbies, the surveys are how we get your info like addresses and shirt sizes.)

Also, I'll be responding to the rest of the submissions this week. What made it tough is that most of the stories you all sent in we're really good.  Unfortunately, we have only a few slots, so don't be discouraged if you get a rejection. Competition was fierce.


SNEAK PEEKS

Page for "The Funny Place" by David Avallone, Julius Ohta & Zac Atkinson.

Uncolored panel from "The White Lady" by Jonathan Maberry & Marco Finnegan. 

Uncolored panel from "The Primitives" by Gabriel Hardman. 

Page from "Satanic Panic '88" by James Aquilone and Colton Worley. 

SHAKESPEARE UNLEASHED

My next Kickstarter, SHAKESPEARE UNLEASHED, is hitting Kickstarter very soon. The book features prose horror stories based on the Bard's plays by Joe Lansdale, Cullen Bunn, Seanan McGuire, Jonathan Maberry, Ian Doescher and many others.

The book will also have sonnets and illustrations — and there will be a few surprises you won't want to miss.


Sign up for the email alert here:  bit.ly/ShakespeareAntho


SUBMISSIONS FOR SHAKESPEARE UNLEASHED

We open to submissions for both stories and sonnets on July 22. Guidelines are here: https://monstrousbooks.com/submissions