Kolchak The Night Stalker Volume 1 [Paperback]

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.

It's hard to believe, but Carl Kolchak was a character that was created during the Vietnam War, and he personified all of the skepticism and cynicism that the American people felt about all of those in authority, while his boss Vincenzo represented the unthinking, just-follow-the-agenda establishment. Kolchak was always stumbling onto truths that that those in power never wanted exposed.

Kolchak was also the egotistical muckraker, the perennial loser who could never pick his battles, an iconoclast who questioned everything, and who always put the truth above all. He was also dedicated to his craft, was nobody's toady, and was always willing to put his life and/or career in jeopardy. So, after books, tv movies, a tv series, he has become a pop culture icon. So, in 2002 he finally got his own comic book series, and, "Kolchak: The Night Stalker: Volume One" is the first omnibus collection of his first three graphic novels, along with some new material.

In "Volume One", the best are the first and last stories. The first story 'The Night Stalker' is a re-imaging of Carl's first adventure, the basis for both the original novel, and its subsequent television series. Like the original novel, this foundation story is written by Kolchak's creator, Jeff Rice. This is a re-write of the story that started it all, and Rice condenses the movie successfully into a tighter and more enjoyable story, and, along with the art by Gordon Purcell and Terry Pallot manages to capture the squalor, sleaziness and cynicism of the first movie, even if the artwork is a bit more bright than is should have been. See customer images for two examples of the artwork for this story by Gordon Purcell & Terry Pallot.

The last story in this anthology, and the lone new story, 'Mask Of Moment' by Stefan Petrucha, is the perfect bookend as it gives us another type of serial vampire killer, and manages to make some scathing comments on the quest for notoriety. The only problem is that the artwork by Andy Bennett & Dave Aikins is a little too amateurish and muddy, which tries to stop us from taking the story seriously.

'Fever Pitch' by Stuart Kaminsky, Christopher Jones & Barbara Schulz is the perfect "X-File". People are exploding, and when they do, the witnesses see demons, and then die themselves. Gory, fantastic and melodramatic, the artwork, by Jones & Schulz, gives this story a dark, stark feel. This may also be the only story in which Carl comes out ahead, and gets his story published. Other than Vincenzo, this is also the only story printed in this omnibus that uses some of the tv series' supporting characters, as both Ron Updike and Jane Plumm have cameos here. This story also publishes, on page 148, the quintessential Kolchak portrait. For other examples of Jones & Schulz' artwork for this story, check out user images.

Unfortunately "Volume One" also gives us 'Get of Belial' a story that is so incompetent that one can only cringe. I don't know if it was the story by the prolific television writer Donn Millally, who wrote for such shows as "Mannix", "Ironside", and "Bonanza", or by Joe Gentile, the screenplay's adaptor. A woman can heal merely by her touch, but because of this her son is turned, by God (?) into a rampaging werewolf (!) as a punishment (!?!) for healing people. The story doesn't make a lick of sense and the artwork goes from barely adequate to mediocre. Check out the reader's images for an example.

The charm of Kolchak is that he was an animal of the seventies, so he doesn't quite fit into the new millennium. So, transplanting Carl into the nineties is jarring. Considering that while there is a nod here and there to modern technology and culture, most times modern culture and technology it is just shunted aside, and ignored.

"Volume One" also has a good article by Mark Dawidziak that chronicles the trials of getting the Kolchak character into the commix. If you already have the first three graphic novels, then the last story isn't worth the price tag . On the other hand, if you are thinking of trying the new adventures of Carl then "Volume One" is a good place to start.

It is mentioned by somebody here that Kolchak is not as good a journalist as he thinks that he is, when in fact he is actually a better, and more honest, reporter than most would give him credit for. If you're jonesing for new Kolchak adventures then this collection is for you. One last thing, the back cover states that Kolchak was the first paranormal investigator on television, when in fact he was preceeded by "Colonel March Of Scotland Yard" (1954-56), which was based on John Dickson Carr's "The Department Of Queer Complaints" series of short stories, and who was portrayed by Boris Karloff. There was also Dr. Michael Rhodes who was portrayed by Gary Collins on the series "The Sixth Sense" (1972)

I gave this comic collection to my Dad because he was a true fan of the series, and I know that he read it, and that he liked it. He liked this book and the tv series so much that he had me buy many other of the graphic novels in this series. This is one of a series of reviews of some of the books that I found in his effects after he died. An earlier version of this review originally appeared in Cemetery Dance Magazine and was edited by Bob. Thanx Bob. This review is also for George Baumgart (1930-2010).

I have also reviewed for this site the following graphic works of interest:

Batman: The Sunday Classics 1943-1946
The Complete Saga of the Victims
Creepy Creatures (Goosebumps Graphix)
Green Candles (1 of 3)
Green Candles Volume 2
Green Candles Volume 3: Don't Forget Me
Ju-On Volume 2
The Secret of the Swamp Thing

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.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews  4.3 out of 5 stars