On Tuesday, January 11, 1972, Kolchak: The Night Stalker terrified and delighted audiences on ABC. The TV movie — written by horror legend Richard Matheson (I Am Legend) and based on an unpublished novel by Jeff Rice — was the highest-rated TV movie in U.S. history. It subsequently spawned both a second TV movie, The Night Strangler, and a cult TV series that ran for just one season, but inspired a generation of storytellers, notably including X-Files creator Chris Carter.
In 2022, Moonstone Books will celebrate this pop culture milestone with a Kickstarter campaign for Kolchak: The Night Stalker 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel, edited by James Aquilone (Classic Monsters Unleashed).
“I will not make any deals with you. I’ve resigned. I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own. I resign.”
Prototypes of No. 6 and 2 from “Free foe All” – (c) Wandering Planet Toys
… and ready to show how Patrick McGoohan can be imprisoned (well, his character of No 6 actually) is with Wandering Planet’s Kickstarter campaign to fund the first-ever officially licensed action figure line based on ThePrisoner! This cult classic television show starring and created by this actor/producer still continues to influence to this day. The campaign will run from Monday April 19th until Wednesday, May 26th at 6:06 PM PT.
In 1967 the cult classic TV series, ThePrisoner burst onto the screen. The series, about an unnamed British intelligence agent who awakes to find himself trapped in an idyllic seaside village, was not only an instant hit with viewers at the time, it went on to be watched and re-watched obsessively by fans, quickly gaining cult status. And while there have been several collectables released over the decades, ThePrisoner has never received a line of officially licensed action figures… until now. Wandering Planet Toys, appointed by ITV Studios, will bring to life 4-inch retro style action figures that celebrate Patrick McGoohan’s brilliant series.
CLOVER PRESS To back this project, please visit the Kickstarter page.
No matter which publication and or interpretation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula readers love, to have the vision of Ricardo Delgado adding to the lore will no doubt add to the appeal! This storyboard artist and character designer is well known for his work in films like Apollo 13, The Incredibles, and Men in Black. His Age of Reptiles graphic novels are acclaimed for their stunning depiction of dinosaurs and prehistory. But Delgado’s latest creative endeavour may well be his most ambitious to date: a fresh and unsettling take that reimagines Bram Stoker’s classic ghost story.
“Dracula of Transylvania supports and builds upon Stoker’s classic, haunting original story, but this is not your parents’ Dracula or your grandparents’ Dracula,” says Delgado. “This personification of the Nosferatu king is dark and powerful, a malevolent antagonist who suffers no fools, accepts no failure and crushes anyone in his path. This Dracula is not a romantic. He’s a complete horror. Just the way I always wanted him to be.”
Available to viewers in Southern California (excluding San Diego County) from October 1, 2020 at 12pm PT to October 31, 2020 at 11:59pm PT. Click here to watch the film on Eventive.
If Studio Laika ever feels they’re stuck on what to make next, they should talk to Kevin McTurk and give him the chance to realize The Haunted Swordsman as a full length film. His work may not be mainstream, but the Japanese folklore about the spirit world he’s borrowing from certainly is! His Kickstarter page reveals how the spooky narrative would develop, and his use of Bunraku Puppet Theater must be seen to be believed. It’s nearly photo-realistic, and the puppeteers are hidden from view to move scale figures in alluring detail. The spook factor is something even The Addams Family would approve of.
Laika made a name for themselves with their equally haunting works, Coraline and Kubo & the Two Strings. Their ability to generate box office hits is very hit or miss. Certain groups will love puppet theatre, but for the masses, CGI has sadly tainted the spectrum. McTurk’s previous short won him accolades. The Mill at Calder’s End earned 14 awards and Guillermo del Toro purchased Grimshaw for his traveling museum exhibition At Home With Monsters.
Card game creators Janelle Jones and Sanji Moore ‘wich you can help by contributing to the Kickstarter here. Okay, now that bad pun is out of my system, I can say this sandwich making card game is on its last week to sailing to success. It’s always fun to unlock the stretch goals in these crowdfunding campaigns, and what’s offered are thank you’s to everyone who contributed to this party card game. The idea is certainly perfect for moms and creative types looking for new ideas to craft up for their kids next meal (or themselves). I’m sure they’ve heard enough whines of not peanut butter and jelly again. The question I have is if jellyfish is a valid condiment? As an Asian, some of us do love this treat!
In addition to the staple ingredients, there’s impossible to eat stuff like glass (unless it’s made of candy) that you have to include in your final product which you have to convince players is the best. Gordon Ramsey, look out!
There’s no magical djinni to transform the weird to the fantastic, and nor is there Wesley, the farm hand from Princess Bride to take on every request from the lovely Buttercup. I can’t help but wonder if Fezzik the giant would eat anything presented to him, but this game isn’t about a certain Life brand cereal. Mikey wouldn’t eat the ideas made up here.
Our goal is to follow the pop culture scene of the Pacific Northwest (Victoria, B.C. especially). This can range from the arts to books to cinema to television. Our content also includes peeks into what's coming out of Asia–but even more importantly, in what we love to populate our book and video shelves with!
All textual and watermark content produced on Otaku no Culture are copyrighted to their respective rights holders. Permission may be granted for republication elsewhere, in print or for promotional use. Please contact us at otakunoculture at gmail dot com for further information.
On Tuesday, January 11, 1972, Kolchak: The Night Stalker terrified and delighted audiences on ABC. The TV movie — written by horror legend Richard Matheson (I Am Legend) and based on an unpublished novel by Jeff Rice — was the highest-rated TV movie in U.S. history. It subsequently spawned both a second TV movie, The Night Strangler, and a cult TV series that ran for just one season, but inspired a generation of storytellers, notably including X-Files creator Chris Carter.
By Ed Sum
Otaku no Culture 