Editorials
Stephen King Books Only the Richest Fans Can Afford
With some of Stephen King’s most popular books hitting the big and small screen including The Dark Tower, IT, Gerald’s Game, Mr. Mercedes and 1922, to name only a few, it’s hard to imagine ever having to actually read anything the man’s written again. Of course, there are still rabid King fans out there eagerly awaiting his next book. And while the argument about what makes someone more of a King fan than someone else might rage on, there is no argument that some fans just have deeper pockets than others.
Here we look at some of the rarest editions of King’s books and just how pricey it can get to get your hands on a copy of your favorite King collectible.
Firestarter (Asbestos Bound Edition)
Considered the holiest of grails for some King collectors, this very rare asbestos-bound edition of Stephen King’s “Firestarter” can be found online selling for as much as $23,867.50!
The edition was published by Phantasia Press in 1980 and is the first “special edition” of a Stephen King novel. It is rumored that only 25 lettered copies were printed and signed by the Stephen King.
The Plant
“The Plant” is an unfinished serial novel published by Stephen King in 1982–85. It was written privately, not for a publisher, King playfully distributing some of the story to friends as Christmas cards.
King’s Philtrum Press produced the above three installments before the story was ultimately shelved, but these original editions are incredibly sought-after collector’s items now, the set currently going for $14,000 USD.
The Stand (Coffin Box Edition)
Doubleday published this wonderfully macabre leather-bound edition of “The Stand” in 1990. Titled The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition it was limited to 1,250 numbered copies and 52 lettered copies. The edition has famously been referred to as the “coffin edition” as it comes housed in an ominous black wooden case.
If you’re lucky enough to find copies in good condition, they can run anywhere between $2,000 to 13,000 USD.
The Gunslinger (Limited First Print)
It took Stephen King more than twelve years to finish his first novel in what’s become known as The Dark Tower series. The book was first published by Donald M. Grant Publishers as a limited edition book in 1982 where only 10,000 copies of it were published. As you can imagine the book quickly sold out. When the novel Pet Sematary listed “The Dark Tower” in the front flap as a previous work, fans reportedly started calling Doubleday wondering where on earth the book was available.
This flash demand is what led to another print run and the increase in popularity. But this first edition version is very sought after and very rare with copies in good condition usually selling for $10,000 USD.
The Talisman (Clothbound Collection)
If you’ve got a few thousand dollars lying around you could throw them at a copy of this clothbound beauty, one of only 1200 printed and lettered by King himself. Something about The Talisman seems to make every alternative version I see pricey, but this one seems to be truly coveted by King fans out there.
Creepshow (Shooting Script)
I stumbled upon this pretty incredible item for sale and decided to include it in this list. While not a novel, this original Creepshow screenplay dated 1979 is no less rare.
Signed by Stephen King, it comes in a leather-bound folder and is available from one seller for a mere $2,000 starting bid.
Editorials
‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel
The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.
The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.
Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.
With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).
It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.
The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.
The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.
Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.
Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.
Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.
The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.
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