CAPTAIN KRONOS, VAMPIRE HUNTER

CAPTAIN KRONOS, VAMPIRE HUNTER (FILM)

Release Date: April 7, 1974 (Set in 1770)

Series: Captain Kronos

Horror Crosses: Carmilla

The Story: A Karnstein uses magic to become a vampire, and Captain Kronos comes to destroy the new supernatural menace.

Notes: Kronos himself is well established in the Horror Universe through other crossovers that you will read later on in the book. This film has been referenced in both Blade and The Blood Tide.

TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN VOLUME 3: DANSE MACABRE “THE HEART OF THE MOON” (SHORT STORY BY MATTHEW BAUGH)

Release Date: 2007 (Setting is 1790)

Series: Tales of the Shadowmen

Horror Crosses: Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter (film); Vampire City (Paul Feval); Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Nosferatu; The Vampyre

Non-Horror Crosses: Doctor Omega; Telzey Amberdon, Solomon Kane, Maciste (Silent Film Series); Maciste (Revival Sword and Sandal Film Series); Baron Munchhausen; Shadow Warriors; Doctor Who; Northwest Smth; Star or Psi Cassiopeia; The Black Stone

The Story: Doctor Omega and his companion Telzey Amberdon team up with Captain Kronos, Doctor Grost, Solomon Kane, and Maciste against an army of vampires in Selene, the infamous Vampire City.

Notes: Another great horror crossover tale from Black Coat’s Tales of the Shadowmen and author Matthew Baugh. Captain Kronos is from the cult classic 70s film. Vampire City is from author Paul Feval, a French novel reprinted and translated to English by Black Coat Press. Of course, the Lovecraft Mythos are the glue that binds the Horror Universe. Nosferatu is a classic film that was a very loose adaptation of Dracula (loose enough to be considered a separate story.) The Vampyre is one of the earliest vampire works in literature. Doctor Omega is a French novel that has been conflated in recent times in literature with the Doctor from Doctor Who. Since it’s been published, I consider the theory to be canon. Telzey Amberdon is from her own sci-fi series but here she is the Doctor’s companion. Solomon Kane is an immortal hero of literature, while Maciste is an immortal sword and sorcery hero from films. Originally he was featured in silent films, then decades later was revived in several Italian sword and sorcery films. Though separate series, the two versions are conflated here, so I consider both the same character. Shadow Warriors is a Japanese television series. All the horror crosses here are considered fully part of the Horror Universe, with all of their works as canon. As for the non-horror crosses, we can consider that their appearances listed in this book are canon, and perhaps their original appearances by their original authors or production companies, but that’s it. Non-horror crosses do not count as crossover connectors to expand the Horror Universe.

TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN VOLUME 5: THE VAMPIRES OF PARIS “ALL PREDATORS GREAT AND SMALL” (SHORT STORY BY RICK LAI)

Release Date: 2009 (Setting is October 31,1892 - April 30, 1895)

Series: Tales of the Shadowmen

Horror Crosses: Dracula (Bram Stoker); The Vampires (novel by Louis Feuillade); The Bloody Vampires (film series); Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter (film); Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Dracula (Peter Tremayne); The Vampire Countess (novel by Paul Feval); The Family of a Vourdalak (short story by Alexis Tolstoy); Black Sabbath (film); Carnacki the Ghost Finder; MONSTAAH

Non-Horror Crosses: Too numerous to list.

The Story: Dracula finds a mate, who then goes about finding three brides of her own.

Notes: Rick Lai does an excellent job of explaining why different vampire stories seem to have different rules regarding the abilities and weaknesses of vampires. He also shows how those who worship Dracula are part of the Cult of the Undead, which has its roots in the Lovecraft mythos. His inner circle is called “the Stepsons of the Dragon.” This title backs up my theory as to the origins of Dracula and its name, especially that each member of the inner circle uses the name of Dracula. Lai conflates the Dracula originally created by Stoker with the Dracula of the Tales of the Shadowmen books, which I accept. He also conflates him with Peter Tremayne’s Dracula. However, I can’t accept that since that Dracula was Egyptian. I still can accept a connection via the cult ties. Though the story brings in MONSTAAH, the creation of Chuck Loridans, which is actually a fictional group founded on a website, I only accept the fictional stories regarding MONSTAAH and its members to be in the Horror Universe, but not their essays and timelines, unless they work their way into a story.

DARKLOST (NOVEL BY MICK FARREN)

Release Date: 2000 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Victor Renquist

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Preacher; Dracula (novel); Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter

The Story: Rehnquist and his coven have migrated to Los Angeles where they stop a Cthulhu cult from destroying the world, because that would also kill all the vampires and their food supply.

Notes: There is a reference to the vampire Cassidy, who originated from the Preacher comic book series, and the events of the Cassidy: Blood & Whiskey one-shot. This story references Van Helsing as a real historical monster hunter, despite claiming Dracula to be fictional. However, with so many books and films about Dracula, its easy for people to assume he is fictional. But there are plenty of Dracula stories in which even Dracula acknowledges the novel by Stoker and the various films about him. Kronos is also referenced as a real historical monster hunter. Renquist, the Cthulhu Mythos, Dracula, and Captain Kronos are all already in the Horror Universe, but this story does bring in Preacher to the Horror Universe.