Kolchak: The Night Stalker – Doc Wyatt & Gavin Hignight Interview

Long before the likes of Mulder and Scully or the Winchester brothers, there was Carl Kolchak. Armed with little more than a camera, a portable tape recorder and an unwavering commitment to the truth, the rumpled reporter in the seersucker suit became a blueprint for the modern supernatural investigator. Now, the creators at Wandering Planet are bringing Kolchak to the world of high-end collectibles via an ambitious new 1/12 scale action figure line. We sat down with Doc and Gavin to discuss the legacy of the character, the challenges of modern manufacturing and why the world still needs a hero who fights the darkness without ever seeking the limelight

1. Kolchak has inspired generations of creators across TV, film, prose and comics. What does Carl Kolchak represent to each of you personally, and why was he a character you were determined to bring into the world of collectible figures?

DOC: One of the first times Gavin and I ever talked about his idea of starting up an indie toy company, he said to me “and maybe we could do Kolchak.” Now, five or six years later, we’ve finally made it happen. We’re excited!

GAVIN: I really like the everyman of Kolchak. A hero who is down on his luck but still does the right thing. A hero that saves the day but doesn’t necessarily get the credit. That just seems more real to me, more relatable. And truly heroic, as Kolchak is the type of character that will keep doing the right thing, keep fighting these evil forces and trying to protect people… even without the glory or headline article.

Doc Wyatt

2. This is the first-ever officially licensed 1/12 scale Kolchak action figure. What were the biggest creative or technical challenges in translating such an iconic, grounded character into a modern deluxe figure format?

DOC: The challenge was having too many ideas. There’s only so much we can fit into an affordable first offering.

GAVIN: We’ve wanted to do this for so long, and we love Kolchak so much, it didn’t really feel challenging from a technical standpoint. We’ve had a vision for some time of what Kolchak would look and feel like. I’d say the real challenges are those we face every day on any of our lines, and especially right now in 2026 with all the tariffs, chaos and financial instability. We navigated all that with our previous release of Laurel and Hardy, and I think it paved the way for Kolchak. He benefited from a lot of the work we did getting those 1/12 scale figures into the world and into collectors’ hands.

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3. Fans will notice the incredible attention to detail — from the typewriter and tape recorder to the crucifix and variant heads. How did you decide which accessories and visual elements were essential to capturing Kolchak’s essence?

DOC: Process of elimination. Gavin and I would just talk ideas, and then it was about deciding what was most iconic, what was most practical, etc.

GAVIN: I got really excited just thinking about the tools of his trade. He’s fighting supernatural forces, monsters and things that go bump in the night with a pen, paper, typewriter, tape recorder, camera and the truth. So it was fun and unique to load him up.

Gavin Hignight

4. The two-figure “Blood-Splattered Kolchak vs. The Night Stalker” pack recreates one of the most memorable confrontations in horror TV history. What was your approach to designing Janos Skorzeny, and how did you balance authenticity with modern figure expectations?

DOC: There was a lot of pressure to get it right. Skorzeny is Kolchak’s first nemesis and the actual “Night Stalker” from the title. We needed to give him his due.

GAVIN: And since these figures are based on the original Jeff Rice novel, the confrontation feels even more bloody and gruesome on the page. We always pay attention to details when making figures as the little details are really what drives it from “want to have” to “must have”. It really is a source of joy for those who understand the details you get right; we know that as fans and collectors ourselves. Also, Kolchak’s light colour suit was just asking for blood splatter in that final chapter, wasn’t it?

5. Wandering Planet has built a reputation for thoughtful, fan-driven lines like The Prisoner, Nancy Drew and Laurel & Hardy. Where does Kolchak fit into your broader mission as a company, and what makes this project special for you as creators?

DOC: Kolchak fits perfectly into our mission. Our Prisoner and Nancy Drew lines were both the first time that those characters had received officially licensed action figures, and the same is true of Kolchak. These are characters with huge fandoms that deserve to be celebrated as toys. Laurel and Hardy have, of course, had merchandise made since before it was normal to sell merchandise, but they’d never gotten modern 1/12 scale figures. We like filling in some of the holes we see in the action figure world. Plus, these are all toys we want on our shelves, and we’re just hoping backers will want them too!

GAVIN: Yeah, everything Doc said. I’ll add, we are truly making toys we ourselves want too. So we work hard to get them right. I think what’s cool and different about Kolchak from our other releases is that he’s cracking the door open on horror. We love horror films and monster movies, and Kolchak is the beginning of our descent into madness and horror. More cool horror stuff to follow in the years ahead. Working hard on that now.

6. Kolchak is experiencing a renaissance through comics, prose and now collectibles. How do you see today’s fandom responding to the character, and what do you hope this figure line contributes to his ongoing legacy?

DOC: I think the fans participating in the Kolchak renaissance are all longtime fans that are finally getting a chance to celebrate that fandom. It’s less that we think these figures will contribute to Carl’s legacy, and more that it helps celebrate that legacy.

GAVIN: Great characters and great storytelling stand the test of time. Our work on The Prisoner figures has really taught me that. It’s really cool when a character or series has a multi-generational fandom. And yeah, thanks to the publishing and streaming, Kolchak is being seen by new audiences and legacy fans.

7. For collectors eager to support the Kickstarter, what can you tease about stretch goals, campaign exclusives or the overall vision for expanding the Kolchak universe in figure form?

DOC: In terms of “expanding the Kolchak universe in figure form” we just have to see how this campaign goes and evaluate.

GAVIN: We are very aware of just how things are going for everyone right now. Times can be lean and money can be tight, so we really focused on a minimal approach this time. No unlocks, no stretch goals, just the most affordable and complete Kolchak: The Night Stalker figure we can make for fans. There are some fun add-ons like the retro metal lunchbox and some really cool Black Light Edition Cardbacks, but nothing so outrageous in price or scale. We want people to be able to support this crowdfund, help us make the figure that will sit on their shelf and feel good about their support and the fact they have an action figure we’ve all been waiting decades to finally get.