Review Fix chats with James Aquilone, who discusses his imprint’s recently released Kolchak: The Night Stalker series and what looks like a super busy 2023.
Review Fix: What inspired this comic?
James Aquilone: I was looking for an idea for my first comic book project, and when I realized that the 50th anniversary of Kolchak: The Night Stalker was coming up, I knew I had something. So I contacted Moonstone Books with my idea for an anthology, they gave me the go-ahead, and we launched the Kickstarter last January, on the 50th anniversary. In the end, we topped $100,000 and we’re still selling a ton of comics.
Review Fix: What did it take for this to be realized? What was the journey like?
Aquilone: Several things. Moonstone Books had to say yes. Then the artists and writers had to say yes. Of course the Kickstarter backers had to show up. And then the real work of putting together the comics began. It was a ton of work and stress and problems, but amazingly it all worked out and we have a bunch of gorgeous books.
Review Fix: What makes this comic special?
Aquilone: Well, it’s Kolchak! For those not familiar, The Night Stalker, starring Darren McGavin, aired on ABC in 1972 and became the highest-rated TV movie of all time. A year later, a sequel, The Night Strangler,aired and it was a ratings hit, too. Both movies were written by horror legend Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, Stir of Echoes, The Incredible Shrinking Man). In 1973, a TV series launched but it lasted only 20 episodes. Still, the show was incredibly influential and inspired The X-Files. McGavin even appeared on the series.
The 50th anniversary books feature some of the biggest comic book writers and artists — Steve Niles, Rodney Barnes, Jerry Ordway, Nancy A. Collins, J.K. Woodward, Gabriel Hardman, Kim Newman, Peter David, Juius Ohta, Colton Worley, Jonathan Maberry, and Tom Napolitano. Plus introductions by R.C. Matheson, the son of Richard Matheson, and James Rice, the son of Kolchak creator Jeff Rice.
We have several editions…a 48-page one-shot with a cover by Dan Brereton…a 188-page paperback with covers by Colton Worley, Jerry Ordway and J.K. Woodward…and a 248-page deluxe hardcover that adds 10 prose stories.
Review Fix: Who do you think will dig it the most?
Aquilone: Kolchak fans will love it. But if you’re into Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Supernatural or The X-Files, you’ll love it, too. Do yourself a favor and watch Kolchak — and then you’re going to want to grab these comics.
Review Fix: What are your goals for it?
Aquilone: Well, we’ve already made well over $100,000 with the books, so now I want to see some awards and sequels!
Review Fix: What makes this property such a special one for you?
Aquilone: I’ve been a Kolchak fan for many years. It was extremely cool to be able to put these books together and get to write a Kolchak story as well. Like Carl Kolchak, I’m a journalist, so it was great to bring my dayjob and comics work together.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Aquilone: 2023 is going to be extremely busy. My Shakespeare Unleashed prose anthology and comic book will come out in a few months. The two books consist of horror stories based on Shakespeare’s plays and are the follow-ups to my Classic Monsters Unleashed anthology.
I was recently named the head of Crystal Lake Publishing’s new comic book division, so with that and my own publishing company, Monstrous Books, I have several prose and comic book projects coming out this year. But I can’t talk about most of them right now.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Aquilone: Thanks for the interview, Patrick. I’m a big fan of your work!
Review Fix: Where can people get more of you?
Aquilone: You can pick up my books through Monstrousbooks.com
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