Wandering Planet Toys co-founders Chris “Doc” Wyatt and Gavin Hignight have created action figures based on Nancy Drew, The Prisoner, and even Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy, but they may have outdone themselves this time with the very first Kolchak: The Night Stalker figures!
Carl Kolchak and his nemesis the vampire Janos Skorzeny get their very own 1/12 scale action figures for Wandering Planet Toys latest Kickstarter campaign.
We spoke to the guys from Wandering Planets once again about Kolchak’s legacy, the process they used in creating the figures, and what extras Kolchak fans can expect from the upcoming Kickstarter campaign in this exclusive interview.
You’ve done many TV and film favorites, but never one from the world of horror. Why was Kolchak an obvious choice for your next Kickstarter project?
Gavin Hignight: Really what it comes down to is that we are Kolchak fans… that’s what led us here. We love Kolchak. We really try to make figures of what we are passionate about, so the enthusiasm can lead us through the hard work and the not so fun parts of doing all this. It’s a lot of work, and it’s good fun work and often creative, but yeah… we really have to believe in it, be fans of it, and commit to it.
Also, as fans, this was a figure we’ve always wanted. He’s actually been on our short list since we started Wandering Planet. And YEAH HORROR! I’m a big monster movie and horror movie fan, so I’m excited Kolchak is helping us kick down the horror door! More to come! We’re just getting started in that realm and excited to play there.
Chris “Doc” Wyatt: Carl Kolchak is half Film Noir grit, and half monster-hunting savvy. Frankly it was a crime that these kinds of figures hadn’t already been produced. We’re here to FIGHT THAT CRIME.
Darren McGavin is synonymous with Kolchak, so how did you go about capturing his visage for the sculpt for the figure?
Hignight: We LOVE Darren McGavin!! But this figure is actually of Carl Kolchak based on the original novel and publishing, so it’s a more evergreen version.
Wyatt: This figure has the original Jeff Rice swagger.
You also have a figure for the vampire Janos Skorzeny. What aspects were important to get right for Skorzeny?
Hignight: Skorzeny feels like a really original take on the vampire to us. Especially in the book, so when designing him, we wanted to make a vampire figure that would look and feel different than other vampire toys you might have on your shelf… but we also wanted him to feel undead, inhuman, and scary. He’s the first monster figure we’ve had the pleasure of making, so we wanted him spooky. He’s really spooky in the book, and in the TV movie. Like, if you saw him across the room, you’d think, did I just see something unnatural, and then you look again and he’s gone. We tried to capture some of those vibes. We did too sets of hands, the outstretched pointed fingertip attacking hands are my favorite.
Wyatt: People forget, Skorzeny is “the Night Stalker” from the title. Because he was never in the show, people think Carl was the Night Stalker, but he’s not, Skorzeny is! We knew we couldn’t do Kolchak figures without doing the Night Stalker himself!
The Kolchak figure comes with a lot of accessories. Which one do you feel was the most important to include?
Hignight: Kolchak himself would probably tell you the most important accessories are the hammer, stake and crucifix. But I must say, I really love his tape recorder and microphone. It’s cool to make a badass hero who is armed with a typewriter, camera, and tape recorder.
Wyatt: That figure also comes with, at no added cost, pressure from his editor for being late on his deadlines. But that accessory is more intangible.
You are also producing a lunch box for the Kickstarter campaign. How was the process of designing/producing a vintage-style Kolchak lunchbox?
Hignight: For properties that have a retro vibe, The Prisoner, Nancy Drew, now Kolchak, it just felt like the right add on, to offer for the campaign. Not unlike the figure, it’s something cool we never got. How cool as a kid would have been to have a Kolchak lunchbox?! Because we are working with Monstrous on this license, we had access to some really incredible art they produced for the comics and graphic novels… so we just knew… this is the way to go for an add on. Plus, what a great place to store your figures, extra accessories, or display behind your figures on a shelf. The art for the retro tin lunchbox is really cool.
Wyatt: But please note that there is no lunch included. You’ll have to supply your own lunch.
Any favorite premiums for the Kickstarter besides the lunchbox?
Hignight: There is a pledge tier for a set of figures that are packaged on cardbacks that have 70s vibes black light-style art, and I am super excited about those. They look incredible.
Any chance for more Kolchak figures in the future?
Hignight: Who knows! Right now, we are hyper focused on this release, on getting everyone the best possible 1/12 scale Kolchak: The Night Stalker figure, for the best price possible. He’s a niche hero, a cult hero, but luckily with crowdfunding and other fans we can come together and make a Kolchak figure happen. As for the future… that’s as mysterious as the cases Kolchak solves!
Wyatt: It took over 50 years to get these figures, but yes, if there’s fan demand… who knows what could be next.
The Kolchak figures and add-ons are available to back until April 9 through the official Kickstarter campaign.
