Overview
One of most ground-breaking shows in the history of television, The Twilight Zone has become a permanent fixture in pop culture. This new graphic novel series re-imagines the show’s most enduring episodes, in all their original uncut glory, originally written by Rod Serling himself, and now adapted for a new generation—a generation that has ridden Disney’s Twilight Zone Tower of TerrorTM ride, studied old episodes in school, watched the annual marathons, and paid homage to the show through the many random take-offs that show up in movies and TV shows everywhere. Destination: Homewood. Step off the beaten path as Martin Sloan takes the journey of a lifetime. Somewhere up the road he’s looking for redemption— but he’ll find something entirely different.
Synopsis
One of most ground-breaking shows in the history of television, The Twilight Zone has become a permanent fixture in pop culture. This new graphic novel series re-imagines the show’s most enduring episodes, in all their original uncut glory, originally written by Rod Serling himself, and now adapted for a new generation—a generation that has ridden Disney’s Twilight Zone Tower of TerrorTM ride, studied old episodes in school, watched the annual marathons, and paid homage to the show through the many random take-offs that show up in movies and TV shows everywhere.
Destination: Homewood. Step off the beaten path as Martin Sloan takes the journey of a lifetime. Somewhere up the road he’s looking for redemption— but he’ll find something entirely different.
Alan Review
In this adaptation of a classic The Twilight Zone screenplay, high-strung Martin Sloan is struggling to deal with everyday pressures and longs for days gone by. In a strange turn of events, he does, in fact, return to his past, desperately trying to warn the younger version of himself of what lies ahead. Will anyone believe that Sloan has actually traveled in time? How will he return to his own life? Will there be consequences? Clues in the graphic novel format let the reader in on a few details in advance of Sloan, himself! In addition to Walking Distance, other classic The Twilight Zone screenplays have been adapted, including The After Hours, The Odyssey of Flight 33, and The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. In this new adapted format, The Twilight Zone stories will find a new audience. Reviewer: Faith H. Wallace
Editorials
VOYA -
Adapted from Twilight Zone television show scripts, these new graphic novels recreate the historic series for the next generation of fans. In Walking Distance, while waiting for his car to be fixed, thirty-nine-year-old ad executive Martin finds himself back in his childhood town where everything is still the same. In The After Hours, Marsha White is shopping at a department store to purchase a thimble for her mother. After unusual circumstances involving a brusque attendant and damaged goods, Marsha goes to lodge a complaint, which leads to her being locked in the department store after hours. These graphic novels adequately tell the story. Walking Distance will have little interest to teen readers unless they are already fans of the Twilight Zone. The story line is suited more for adults with Martin searching for his lost childhood. The After Hours story line might have more appeal for teens because there is nothing to hinder teen interest. The colored artwork in both graphic novels is sufficient to add in the storytelling, but it is better executed in The After Hours, whose creepy feeling pervades the story. If your library is looking to add diversity to a graphic novel collection, then these titles, although not likely to be high-circulating items, will serve that need. For nostalgic purposes, they may fit better in an adult collection than a teen one. Reviewer: Kristin Fletcher-SpearChildren's Literature -
Can you believe it? Rod Sterling's original Twilight Zone has been adapted into a graphic novel. The shows that were once the most popular have been put into print in graphic form for the generation that never had the privilege of watching the original TV show. I know I am dating myself, but I remember them well. A man who is at the brink of a nervous breakdown from stress in his life decides to go away to another place and relax. He comes upon a sign saying Homewood is only one and one half miles ahead, so he decides to go back there where he grew up. Enter the Twilight Zone. Nothing has changed in Homewood. A triple scoop ice cream soda is still only ten cents. People he knew growing up have not changed. When he tells different individuals his name, they think he is just an odd person who may have escaped from the insane asylum. He soon realizes that time has not changed in Homewood and he is actually talking to his mother and father and even himself when he was a child. How could this be? Rod Sterling's masterful writings of the 50s and 60s still give a walloping punch for the reader. At the end of the book there are two pages written by Mack Kneece about how the book came into being. Those who remember the original TV show will have many memories to enjoy, and those who never saw the show will become fast fans of this series. I highly recommend this book. Reviewer: Kathie M. JosephsFaith H. Wallace
In this adaptation of a classic The Twilight Zone screenplay, high-strung Martin Sloan is struggling to deal with everyday pressures and longs for days gone by. In a strange turn of events, he does, in fact, return to his past, desperately trying to warn the younger version of himself of what lies ahead. Will anyone believe that Sloan has actually traveled in time? How will he return to his own life? Will there be consequences? Clues in the graphic novel format let the reader in on a few details in advance of Sloan, himself! In addition to Walking Distance, other classic The Twilight Zone screenplays have been adapted, including The After Hours, The Odyssey of Flight 33, and The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. In this new adapted format, The Twilight Zone stories will find a new audience. Reviewer: Faith H. WallaceSchool Library Journal
Gr 8 Up
For fans of the classic television program, Kneece's adaptations of two well-known episodes into comic format will be a delight. Both have the weird and creepy elements that the show was known for, using the supernatural to comment on the real world. After Hours is the story of a mannequin who has forgotten her identity and believes that she is a real woman; the scene in which she is locked in a department store after hours has all the eerie feel that it would have had on screen. Walking Distance features a man traveling back in time to witness his childhood and has the message that reclaiming your past is impossible. Because of this, the latter is more likely to appeal to adults than teens. In addition, the dated and mono-cultural nature of the stories and images, both designed to reflect the feel of the 1950s world of Twilight Zone , may be off-putting to students expecting the adaptations to have a more modern or diverse feel. The stories are exceptionally well told and are brilliantly adapted to a new medium, but their nostalgic feel is more likely to suit those familiar with the television show.-Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT