DEAD DETECTIVES SOCIETY anthology adds Jennings, Mason, & Avallone to creator lineup

Editor James Aquilone has created several highly-successful Kickstarter anthologies over the past few years, including the 50th anniversary graphic novel for Kolchak: The Night Stalker and a horror collection of stories based on the work of William Shakespeare. The prelaunch page for Aquilone’s latest anthology project, Dead Detectives Society, is live now, described as a collection “13 new stories featuring supernatural private investigators” from creators including Kevin J. Anderson and Steve Niles. Today The Beat is pleased to reveal a few more of the creators contributing to the anthology: John Jennings, Rena Mason, and David Avallone.

Here’s info on the trio of stories these creators will be contributing to Dead Detectives Society:

• • Saul When: Halloween Detective by John Jennings
  • Jin G. Fox, Death Investigator by Rena Mason, based on a character from her story in the award-winning anthology Black Cranes
  • A reanimated Nick Carter by David Avallone, based on the character who appeared in the Nick Carter-Killmaster novels written by his father, Michael Avallone.

“I’m very excited about Saul When, Jin G. Fox, and the reanimated Nick Carter,” editor Aquilone told The Beat. “Along with the established characters like Kevin J. Anderson’s Dan Shamble and Steve Niles’ Cal McDonald, I wanted Dead Detectives Society to include new characters or new twists on old characters that could be further explored in future anthologies and hopefully spawn their own franchises. Saul When, Jin G. Fox, and Carter blew away my expectations. I’m very fortunate to have their debuts in this book, and I look forward to their next chapters.”

Avallone also expressed enthusiasm to The Beat at bringing Nick Carter back for the new anthology. “This anthology gave me a chance to write a character my father rebooted in 1964,” he said, “and bridge together two pieces of detective genre history that have been begging to be connected ever since…in a short story that should, if I’m successful, remind readers of the particular pulp fiction genius and madness of Michael Angelo Avallone.”

Check out artwork of Nick Carter by artist Zack Atkinson below, and keep an eye out for the launch of the Kickstarter campaign for Dead Detectives Society. You can sign up for notifications on their prelaunch page now.