Crossover of the Week

Winter 1977

THE LOVECRAFTIAN DAMNATION

            Marvin Richards, host of the television program Challenge of the Unknown, once again summons reporter Carl Kolchak, informing him that Dr. Randel Penes is still alive and still in possession of the Necronomicon. Among the names that cursed tome has been known by are the Kitah al-Azif, the Cultus Maleficarum, the Liber Logaeth, and the Necronomicon Ex Mortis. Assisting them in dealing with this threat are Dr. Kirsten Helms and Madame Sarna La Rainelle. Paddy Moran from Bullfinches told Kolchak about La Rainelle. She worked with John Legrasse more than once, helped Anton Zarnak escape from the Tindolosi, and knew Marc Thorner, Ravenwood, and Jules de Grandin. Dr. Penes has merged with the creature he previously summoned, the Nyogtha.

            A Kolchak: The Night Stalker one-shot by C.J. Henderson and Robert Hack, Moonstone Books, 2010. This story serves as a sequel to Henderson’s Kolchak story “What Every Coin Has,” which featured Dr. Penes’ previous use of the Necronomicon. In addition to the aforementioned tale, Richards also appeared in Henderson’s stories “All That Glitters” and “A Forty Share in Innsmouth” and the graphic novel Kolchak: The Night Stalker – The Lovecraftian Horror. The Cultus Maleficarum is from Fred L. Pelton’s “The Sussex Manuscript.” The Liber Logaeth is a real book of alleged Enochian magic that was read by Queen Elizabeth I’s astrologer John Dee, among others. The Necronomicon Ex Mortis is from Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead films. Leprechaun Paddy Moran and his bar Bullfinches (or rather Bulfinche’s) are from Patrick Thomas’ Murphy’s Lore series of books. John Legrasse is from Lovecraft’s classic story “The Call of Cthulhu,” while Anton Zarnak is an occult investigator in several stories by Lin Carter and other authors. La Rainelle (or La Raniella) aided both men in Henderson’s stories “To Cast Out Fear” and “Locked Room,” and also appeared alongside Legrasse in Henderson’s novel To Battle Beyond. The Tindolosi (or Tindlosi) are from Frank Belknap Long’s Cthulhu Mythos tale “The Hounds of Tindalos.” Mark Thorner is a policeman ally of Zarnak’s. Ravenwood, “the stepson of mystery,” was created by Frederick C. Davis and appeared in a backup feature in Secret Agent X. Occult investigator Dr. Jules de Grandin’s exploits were chronicled by Seabury Quinn. The Nyogtha is from Henry Kuttner’s Cthulhu Mythos story “The Salem Horror.” Two television sets in a video editing room are showing the TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000, which debuted in 1988. This detail must be ignored in order to maintain Kolchak’s adventures in their original time period.