Kolchak: The Night Stalker Chronicles

On network television in the mid-1970s for just one season, Carl Kolchak (played by Darren McGavin) was an intrepid reporter for Chicago’s Independent News Service… and a magnet for trouble when it came to cases involving the supernatural. Kolchak contended with vampires, werewolves, zombies and even Jack the Ripper — but in the end he always failed to convince his skeptical editor, Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland), that the stories weren’t merely figments of his own overworked imagination.

The show, canceled partially due to poor ratings but mainly because its star wanted to move on, became a cult favorite in later years. The Sci-Fi Channel reran the episodes from time to time, and last fall a new network remake entitled The Night Stalker (starring Stuart Townsend) aired for six episodes before getting the ax. A DVD boxed set of the original 70s series came out to critical acclaim, and an anthology novel was released in October by Moonstone Books.

The richly illustrated book is called Kolchak: The Night Stalker Chronicles, and it features 26 stories by a wide variety of writers — there’s a little something for everyone here. The introduction, by Frank Spotnitz, the executive producer of the ill-fated Night Stalker 2005 series, is particularly interesting. He writes about Carl Kolchak’s appeal, and what’s made him such a memorable character… yet, if you’ve seen the show he produced, you’ll notice he didn’t incorporate any of that into his version. Still, it’s a well-written and entertaining intro.

Out of the 26 stories in Kolchak: The Night Stalker Chronicles, there are some definite misses — but more often than not it’s easy to tell that the authors have seen the original series and know how to speak in Kolchak’s irascible voice. If you’re looking for 70s stories, you’ll have to refer to your DVD; in honor of the rebirth of Kolchak, each story is set in present day. In most of the tales the reporter uses a computer, a digital camera, and a tic-tac sized digital recorder — but he’s still got his rumpled look, his porkpie hat, and his scuffed seersucker suit.

Some of the standout stories for me include (in order of their appearance):

What Every Coin Has, by C.J. Henderson — Kolchak graduates from print to broadcast, and stumbles across a dangerous case that’s anything but an open book.

Don’t Even Blink, by Fred Van Lente — Kolchak crackles in this sizzling tale about electricity being used as a conduit for a nefarious time-traveler.

The Way of the Matter, by P.N. Elrod — Kolchak meets up with an everyman who may or may not be a supernatural assassin.

Shadows from the Screen, by Richard Valley — When Kolchak is assigned to write the obit of a famous movie extra from Hollywood’s golden era, he finds out that even death can’t stop Rosie Blossom from stealing the spotlight.

Interview With the Vampire?, by Mark Dawidziak — Kolchak meets Barnabas Collins from the 60s soap, Dark Shadows! A truly inspired “what if” story.

It Came From Monkey Skull Creek, by Dave Ulanski — A poignant tale from Carl’s childhood. This is the mystical murder mystery that started it all.

Genius Loci, by Robert Weinberg — Vincenzo forces Kolchak to take his accrued vacation, and the stubborn reporter does anything but relax in his spare time when ghosts from the past take up residence in his new office space.

The Shrug of Atlas, by Joe Gentile — Kolchak meets an ancient telepath who wants his story told by the best reporter on the INS staff.

The book has a handsome full color front cover, plus an illustration on the back cover, and 26 illustrations inside that correspond to each story. If you’re a fan of Kolchak — or you simply enjoy supernatural mystery stories — you can’t go wrong with this anthology.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson