Rod Serling's THE TWILIGHT ZONE was one of the most ground-breaking programs to air on television. Through its wonderful storytelling, it was able to explore and discuss prominent issues that are just as relevant today as they were in the 1950s and 1960s. Many shows and serieses have been inspired by THE TWILIGHT ZONE with varying degrees of success. The show is just as powerful and thought-provoking as it was when it first aired. Yet, there are many teenagers and youth who have never seen the show because "it's so old it's in black and white". Many of the episodes could have a huge impact upon younger people if they would only give it a chance.
Therefore, I was very excited when I learned about the series of graphic novels from Walker & Company written by Mark Kneece and illustrated by Dove McHargue. Selected episodes from the original tv series that were written by Serling himself have been selected to be adapted into a series of graphic novels. Graphic novels and trade paperbacks of comics are a huge market nowadays and, unfortunately, are some of the only material that many people read. Therefore, the graphic novels of THE TWILIGHT ZONE might be able to reach a key audience and introduce them to the series.
WALKING DISTANCE is one of the first titles in the series. In this story, Martin Sloan is an executive of an ad agency living life in the fast lane. He's become highly successful and seems destined for more, but he's very unhappy. He's nostalgic for his past and wants to go home again. After blowing up a tire on the highway, Sloan realizes he's only a short "walking distance" from his hometown. While his car is being worked on, he takes a jaunt into town to clear his head. As he begins his journey he crosses over into the Twilight Zone eventually learning an important lesson from someone in his past.
The illustrations are well done and the overall structure and tone of the graphic novel stay true to the spirit of the original episode. The text is written in a font a bit larger than most graphic novels and comics. "Walking Distance" wasn't one of my favorite episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, but it is a good story to use as an introduction to the series. The book includes introductory and concluding essays as well as a page that gives many details about the original episode, including cast, crew, and trivia. For instance, I learned that "Walking Distance" is considered to be Serling's most personal because the memories that Sloan has of Homewood are based upon Serling's life growing up in Binghamton, NY.
Overall, this is a wonderful graphic novel that I really enjoyed and I look forward to reading more titles in the series. Recommened for fans of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, for people who enjoy graphic novels with good stories. Also recommended as a tool to introduce younger people to this classic television series. The Twilight Zone: Walking Distance (Rod Serling's the Twilight Zone)
The seminal "Twilight Zone" TV series gets an interesting face lift of sorts with a new Graphic Novel series that retells some of the series most well regarded episodes in comic-book form. These adaptations certainly earn kudos for going the full mile in presentation with its hard-bound binding and glossy, thick stock paper but falls just a tad short with decent (but not spectacular) artwork.
Also at issue is the fact that the original source material (The TV episode - "Walking Distance") clocked in at approximately 21 minutes so there is a sense within this book that the story is being stretched to its limits to finish at 72 pages. Not to say that the story is weak, far from it - seeing this episode in comic form makes for an entertaining and engaging read, flaws and all. Value is of question though. Perhaps this series would have been better served as a 240 pages compilation featuring 8 episodes or so.
"You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind....."
If you are familiar with those words, then you must be a fan of Rod Sterling's The Twilight Zone series. I must say that I have watched many re-runs of the show and was delighted to see Sterling's scripts become the basis of several graphic novels.
In WALKING DISTANCE, Martin Sloan lives a fast-paced life. Being VP of an ad agency has made him extremely wealthy, but happiness has not come with the package. After almost getting into a car accident, Martin realizes that he is very close to his hometown. Martin remembers a simpler, happier time -- and that's where the Twilight Zone takes over.
The illustrations in this novel are exceptionally drawn. Lines are very clear and the coloring is vibrant. Text bubbles are easy to read and follow, a plus since they can become problematic if there are too many of them.
This is an excellent addition to the world of graphic novels!
Reviewed by: LadyJay - Grief - Gayle Forman - Death - Emotional'
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