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This article is intended to provide a history of The Twilight Zone in comics.

History[]

Recovering from the strict editorial grip of the Comics Code Authority on American horror comics in the 1950's[1], the 1960's and 1970's saw a new wave of horror comics published. This coincided with a relative boom of suspense, Fortean and science fiction[2] television series around the same time, so it might have been only natural that the genres in both mediums would begin to overlap. Boris Karloff's Tales of Mystery, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, and The Outer Limits all gained illustrated counterparts.[3]

Serlingiconbw

Rod Serling depicted in illustrated form

In 1961, Western Publishing helped bring The Twilight Zone to the graphic medium, initially releasing the series through Dell, then restarting it in their Gold Key imprint after four issues.[3] Under Gold Key, the series was printed for 91 issues[4] before being traded to the company's Whitman line for a final issue, continuing the numbering to end at issue #92 in 1982.[5] In its 16 years of publication, a number of notable comics talents worked on the series[4], including Len Wein, Alex Toth, George Evans, Joe Certa (who designed the Martian Manhunter for DC Comics)[6], and the series gave Frank Miller (of Batman: The Dark Knight, 300, and Sin City fame) his first professional job in the comics industry.[7]

Several stories were later collected and reprinted in comic digests.[3]

NOW Comics started in late 1985 and produced nearly 1,000 publications in its existence, including titles for licensed properties such as Ghostbusters, Fright Night and Speed Racer.[8] In 1991, they began to publish The Twilight Zone comics, premiering with an issue written by Harlan Ellison and illustrated by Neal Adams.[9] The series continued for three volumes and numerous specials before ending in 1993.[10]

Beginning in 2008, Walker Books began publishing graphic novel editions of some of the classic Twilight Zone stories, adapted from Rod Serling's scripts by Mark Kneece.[11]

Publications[]

Comics (Pamphlets)[]

Dell[12]

Gold Key[12]

NOW Comics[12]

  • (1991) The Twilight Zone (1 issue)
  • (1991) The Twilight Zone (NOW Prestige Edition) (1 issue)
  • (1991) The Twilight Zone (NOW Gold Edition (1 issue)
  • (1991) The Twilight Zone (11 issues)
  • (1991) The Twilight Zone (4 issues)
  • (1991) The Twilight Zone Anniversary Special (1 issue)
  • (1991) The Twilight Zone 3-D Winter Special (1 issue)
  • (1991) The Twilight Zone 1993 Annual (1 issue)
  • (1991) The Twilight Zone Science Fiction Special (1 issue)

Western Publishing[12]

  • (1974) Dan Curtis Giveaways: The Twilight Zone (1 issue)
  • (1976) The Twilight Zone (1 issue)

Whitman[12]

Reprints[]

  • (1972) Mystery Comics Digest (7 issues)

Graphic Novels[]

Walker Books[11]

Other[]

Personality Comics[13]

  • (1992) Comic Chronicles: The Twilight Zone Episode Guide (1 issue)

References[]

  1. Wikipedia. "Horror comics in the United States,"
  2. [1]
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Timeshredder. Everything2.com. "The Twilight Zone." 2008-05-24. Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Grand Comic Database. "Twilight Zone (1962 Series)." Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  5. Grand Comic Database. "Twilight Zone (1982 Series)." Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  6. Wikipedia. "Martian Manhunter," Revision: 2009-04-29. Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  7. Enjolrasworld.com. "Frank Miller Bibliography," 2009-01-06. Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  8. NOW Comics. "The History of Now." Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  9. Sequential Ellison. "Adaptations." Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  10. Grand Comic Database. "Twilight Zone (1993 Series)." Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Walker Books for Young Readers. Catalog. Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Grand Comics Database. Retrieved: 2009-04-30.
  13. Tim Stroup. Bailsprojects.com: The Who's Who of American Comic Books. Personality Comics." 2006. Retrieved: 2009-05-01.
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