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KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER
Neutral (4/10)
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Moonstone Books
Writer: Jeff Rice
Pencils: Gordon Purcell
Inks: Terry Pallot
Colors: Ken Wolak & Dawn Groszewski
Letters: Chuck Maly
Editors: Mark Dawidziak & Joe Gentile
Price: $6.50 US |
Given the subject matter and the publisher, I had assumed that Kolchak was another White Wolf/Vampire the Masquerade property that Moonstone was giving the comic-book treatment. Not so, apparently. I hadn't heard of Jeff Rice's novel, or the television incarnations it inspired. Rice's concepts certainly seem to serve as a solid foundation for comics storytelling, but his execution of the art form leaves something to be desired.
Las Vegas reporter/photographer Kolchak finds himself on the trail of an unbelievable story. Young women are found dead all over the city, their blood drained through a distinct bite mark in the neck. The authorities and higher-ups in the media are burying the real story, but Kolchak is on mission... not just to get the story, but to put an end to a killer's rampage through his town.
Purcell's work here reminds me a great deal of the style of Dick Giordano. He tells the story clearly, and the colors reinforce the supernatural tone of the book. The art is a little rushed at times (a corresponding quality with the script), but the real visual problem with the book is the actual production. The pages are cut too low and it's too tightly bound, so some key information is lost to the reader.
Adapting an entire novel in a single one-shot comic book is not an easy thing to pull off, and unfortunately, Rice doesn't succeed. There are hints that there's a greater complexity and nuance to the story, but in the end, the reader gets a frantic script that's trying to include too many plot elements that the space will allow. The story comes off as oversimplified and even derivative as a result.
I'm a sucker for comics that take a look at journalism, but Rice's script doesn't allow for a realistic portrayal of the profession. Kolchak is way too involved in the vampire case, and he's way too lucky when it comes to being on the scene for key events. Mind you, he's a likeable figure, and I appreciated the fact that he's not a square-jawed, all-American hero stereotype. He's a little old and a little fat; it's nice to see some grounding in the protagonist.
Note: This title was not among this week's new releases.
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