The Twilight Zone: Stories from the Fifth Dimension, Graphic Novel

When this classic franchise premiered on television over sixty years ago, it spawned its own genre. Some of its stories had elements of horror or science fiction, but in nearly every installment, fate played an active and ironic role in characters’ lives and fates. We know what a “Twilight Zone” story means, but writing a good one is no easy task. Yet, the example of the original series has inspired three follow-up TV series, a theatrical film, and multiple runs of comic books. Real series fans have to give the latest comic incarnation props for printing the stories in glorious black-and-white. Consequently, fans will experience some of those good old eerie vibes when they read IDW’s The Twilight Zone: Stories from the Fifth Dimension, a bind-up of issues #1-5, which goes on-sale tomorrow.

These stories never have an “on-screen” presenter, which is maybe a missed opportunity, but it is maybe more respectful of the late, great Rod Serling that way. However, the covers often visually allude to classic episodes, as well as the art of the title sequences. Fittingly, the first story, “Blanks,” written by Dan Watters and featuring Morgan Beem’s art, is by far the most Twilight Zone-ish of the collection.

A cutting-edge medical researcher has been summoned to a remote island laboratory and treatment center, with the goal of literally curing death. The billionaire funding the research has only a few months to live, so he insists on serving as the first test subject. However, when he wakes, he finds the serum has been successful, but has also caused some highly ironic (a word you have to over-use when writing about the Twilight Zone) unintended side effects. Cue that famous music. This is a particularly good “issue” because Watters’ narrative allows Beem to create images that are reminiscent of classic episodes, but the particulars are entirely specific to this story.

“World of Your Wildest Dreams” written and drawn by Tom Scioli, also starts with very Zone-worthy premise, as a crew of astronauts approach a mysterious planet to explore. What happens on the surface initially feels somewhat familiar (in fact, Star Trek fans might notice similarities to one of that series’ classic episodes). However, Scioli gives it another half-twist at the end, which gives it an ironically sad tone. It also represents a bit of a ringer in the collection, because Scioli uses color tints. Ordinarily, that would not be an issue, but it sort of feels like cheating, when compared to the other stories.

Frankly, writer-artist James Stokoe’s “The Relic” might be the weakest link, even though his post-apocalyptic art is often stunning. However, the heavy-handed treatment of its themes (particularly the legacy of American “commercialism”) often feels like a finger-wagging lecture.

Writer-artist Nate Powell’s “False Bottom” is the smallest in scale, but it might hit closest to home for some readers. A woman and her husband have hired a boat to throw a party for her deadbeat brother, but the advertised “glass bottom” is actually a portal. It should be a portal to fun, but some people just can’t enjoy a good time when it is offered to them. In some ways, this installment uses the most contemporary language, but the underlying themes and conflicts are timeless.

“Silent Warning” written by L. Marlow Francavilla & Francesco Francavilla, featuring Francesco Francavilla’s art, might be the coolest looking. It follows a too-advanced-for-her-colleagues acoustic scientist, as she joins an undersea military mission to investigate a meteor emitting bizarre sounds. Francavilla’s illustrations capture a sense of nautical, borderline Lovecraftian dread. However, the big twist is fairly predictable. It is a solid contribution, but it lacks a sense of surprise.

Still, it is clear all the contributors have a keen affinity for the franchise and its illustrious history. It is remarkable how well those original episodes hold up, despite advances in technology. Time will tell whether that is also true for these five tales, but the prognosis is probably pretty good for three of them. Regardless, the art will always please collectors and fans. Highly recommended for fans of “Twilight Zone stories,” The Twilight Zone: Stories from the Fifth Dimension goes on-sale at book and comic retailers tomorrow (9/1).