It's been awhile since we heard the whistling of Kolchak the Night Stalker. Writer Christopher Mills takes him to Nebraska for a foray in zombie territory.

Mills' purple prose narration evokes Darren McGavin's voice and gives the book the verisimilitude necessary to contrast the premise as well as serve as a catalyst for comedy. Kolchak is narrating his tale to his tape recorder on a plane, and one by one the passengers become enthralled in his words.

Kolchak faced a zombie in a particularly memorable, not to mention terrifying, episode of the original series, but this was a traditional zombie motivated by supernatural forces. The zombies seen here appear to follow a science fiction motif exploited by Jean Rollin in the quiet French classic Grapes of Death.

Mills knows the premise is old. So he wisely enlivens the deceased dog with inventive, well constructed characters such as a sheriff of the female persuasion who Carl attempts to woo. Mills even deepens the characterization of some of the victims that are briefly seen. Kolchak of course is pitch perfect, and I like how Mills does not forget his experience in dealing with matters of the outré.

The art by Tim Hamilton and Ian Sokoliwski is suitably dark but neither dreary nor murky. Instead, it creates atmosphere without going too over the top. There's a blue sky in Nebraska, almost as blue as the Sheriff's blouse, and the colors at the fair are bright in contrast to the inky shadows.

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