Tag Archives: the twilight zone

Mini Reviews: Absolute Batman: Ark M Special #1, Street Sharks #4, and The Twilight Zone #3

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Street Sharks #4

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

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Absolute Batman Ark M Special #1 (DC) – Kind of a historical companion piece to Absolute Batman #15, Absolute Batman Ark M Special chronicles the transformation of Arkham Asylum into the grisly corporate, Absolute Joker-run nightmare that is Ark M. Scott Snyder and Frank Tieri riff off Amadeus Arkham journal entries that have popped up everywhere from comics to video games and create a generally uneasy feeling. I like that they make him a good man for his time, who is overwhelmed by the forces evil that have only intensified in the present day as evidenced in this issue’s epilogue. Ark M Special adds depth and context to Absolute Batman as a whole, and artists Joshua Hixson and Roman Stevens nail the period specific details while creating a throughline between the inmates of the 19th century and the foes Batman faces in the present day. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy

Street Sharks #4 (IDW Publishing) – A new burger restaurant opens up in the Street Sharks’ city, and it reminded me of when In N Out opened their first restaurant east of the Mississippi last month. However, Stephanie Williams and Ariel Medel take the fast food addiction, culinary and marine puns, and of course, the wrassling and butt kicking action to the limit in Street Sharks #4. This book is chaotic, but it’s also breezy and nostalgic, perfect for a lunch break read. Like a Saturday morning cartoon, the Street Sharks always defeat the immediate threat, but Williams wisely keeps the stakes high by having public opinion be another antagonist in the book. Dr. Paradigm also gets a little more panel time, and boy, is this guy blatant evil as he gaslights the whole city. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

The Twilight Zone #3 (IDW Publishing) – James Stokoe‘s art is exquisite as ever, especially in the violent fight scenes that pepper The Twilight Zone #3. But this comic’s story is just okay. It’s a commentary on how the greatness of human culture doesn’t last, but our junk and fast food will. However, it doesn’t go deeper beyond barbarian warriors chatting slogans as they die in battle. But, hey, it’s an excuse for Stokoe to draw cool stuff like dinosaurs knights with machine guns a la the cheat codes in Age of Empires: Age of Kings. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read

James Stokoe delivers a fun but familiar twist in The Twilight Zone #3

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The Twilight Zone #3

Somewhere, there is a war being fought. Two civilizations, each believing itself the summit of power, battle over a holy relic whose function and origin lie beyond their understanding. An army of dedicated knights who defend the item, a horde of zealous barbarians who covet it—neither side willing to cede an inch of ground to the other. But even to those fueled by faith, not all is as it seems…in the Twilight Zone! The Twilight Zone #3 is well done and a fun read to distract for a bit but overall feels a bit too familiar to really stand out.

Written by and with art by James Stokoe, The Twilight Zone #3 is a fun comic to take your minds off of things. It’s hard to completely review the issue without spoilers but the cover gives a hint as to what you can expect in the comic. Two factions battle it out with the world not being what you expected at first glance.

Stokoe delivers a fun, entertaining comic where the art stands out and delivers the excellence one would expect with his name on it. There’s an attention to detail and distinctive style of a James Stokoe comic and The Twilight Zone #3 delivers exactly that with beautiful artwork.

The story itself is good. It starts off as a standard fantasy-ish battle but when the “Twilight Zone twist” is revealed, it turns into a story that’s been done many times before. The time period isn’t what it seems and odd idols are being worshiped. It’s not bad, it just doesn’t feel as new, fresh, or as interesting as Stokoe’s art.

The Twilight Zone #3 is fun escapism that features fantastic art. It’s a nice entry in the series that allows Stokoe to show off a bit and gives us a new fantasy setting we want to see more of.

Story: James Stokoe Art: James Stokoe
Story: 7.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Comix Experience – Zeus Comics – Kindle

Preview: The Twilight Zone #3

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The Twilight Zone #3

(W) James Stokoe (A) James Stokoe

Somewhere, there is a war being fought. Two civilizations, each believing itself the summit of power, battle over a holy relic whose function and origin lie beyond their understanding. An army of dedicated knights who defend the item, a horde of zealous barbarians who covet it — neither side willing to cede an inch of ground to the other. But even to those fueled by faith, not all is as it seems… in the Twilight Zone! Dynamic writer/artist James Stokoe (Godzilla in Hell, Orphan and the Five Beasts) brings you the most action-packed Twilight Zone story yet!

The Twilight Zone #3

Tom Scioli brings some Indie Comic Style to The Twilight Zone #2

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The Twilight Zone #2

At the farthest reaches of the galaxy, beyond the horizon of humanity and the hopes for salvation, a spaceship of slumbering astronauts journeys in search of intelligent alien life. They’ve left behind their families, their planet, their pasts, and all the trauma and comforts those things contained. But our crew of adventurers will find their pasts are never that far behind them and intelligent alien life has its own plans for their future…in the Twilight Zone! The Twilight Zone #2 has Tom Scioli stepping in for a story that’ll keep you guessing until all is revealed and clear.

For me, The Twilight Zone is all about that ending. The story might go on way too long, it might meander and seem confusing, but if it sticks the landing, that’s what matters to me. The Twilight Zone #2 sticks the landing though it’s a weird journey to get there.

Scioli brings a trippy indie comic style to the story which has explorers landing on a planet and being confronted with ever crazier concepts and images.

It’s a story that goes into the crazy and weird, like a fever dream that’ll leave you guessing as to what is actually going on until all is revealed at the end. And generally, it works. It’s the final bit that really nails it down and delivers what The Twilight Zone is known for, endings that have some sort of twist or lesson.

Visually, The Twilight Zone #2 features Scioli’s style and the story allows him to throw out whatever he’d like. It’s a comic that visually is a splash of varied aliens and worlds, allowing Scioli to just cut loose with whatever works at the time.

The Twilight Zone #2 is an intriguing second issue that delivers an unexpected style to both the story and art. It feels like an entry to an indie anthology more than anything. One Scioli fans will appreciate and should check out.

Story: Tom Scioli Art: Tom Scioli Letterer: Tom Scioli
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Preview: The Twilight Zone #2

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The Twilight Zone #2

(W) Tom Scioli (A) Tom Scioli

At the farthest reaches of the galaxy, beyond the horizon of humanity and the hopes for salvation, a spaceship of slumbering astronauts journeys in search of intelligent alien life. They’ve left behind their families, their planet, their pasts, and all the trauma and comforts those things contained. But our crew of adventurers will find their pasts are never that far behind them and intelligent alien life has its own plans for their future… in the Twilight Zone!

From the surreal mind of Tom Scioli, the cartoonist who brought you Jack Kirby, Fantastic Four: Grand Design (Marvel), the Transformers vs G.I. Joe crossover, and Godzilla Monsterpiece Theatre (IDW).

The Twilight Zone #2

Preview: The Twilight Zone #1

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The Twilight Zone #1

(W) Dan Watters (A) Morgan Beem

Return to the Twilight Zone in this all-new anthology series featuring stories by some of the best creators in comics today! Each issue is a new tale in the vein of the iconic original television series that’s captivated audiences for over 60 years. And like the show, these stories will be revealed in terrifying black and white!

THIS ISSUE: Writer Dan Watters (Batman: Dark Patterns, Home Sick Pilots) and artist Morgan Beam (Swamp Thing: Twin Branches) present “Blank.” A terrified citizen regales a detective with a story about people suddenly frozen like statues. A once-bustling metropolis becomes quieter by the minute as people are replaced by featureless versions of themselves. Where one would have found hopes, laughter, tears, and struggles, one can now only find BLANKS… here in The Twilight Zone.

The Twilight Zone #1

The Twilight Zone #1 Returns the Wonderfully Weird World of Horror and Delight

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The Twilight Zone #1

A terrified citizen regales a detective with a story about people suddenly frozen like statues. A once-bustling metropolis becomes quieter by the minute as people are replaced by featureless versions of themselves. Where one would have found hopes, laughter, tears, and struggles, one can now only find BLANKS…here in The Twilight Zone. The Twilight Zone #1 revives the classic property for more tales of horror, dread, sci-fi, and weirdness, all with some moral lessons underneath.

The Twilight Zone #1 kicks off with “Blanks,” written by Dan Watters and focused on a rich individual looking for immortality and a short time to find it. Like all stories of this variety, there’s things we look for, like a lesson underneath or an exploration of our current world. The Twilight Zone #1 delivers that teasing the horrors that will be unleashed upon the world by the rich and powerful who think what’s know what’s best and act out in their own self interest. The Fountain of Youth is a focus of so many in the tech industry, so the debut hits upon a reality and obsession that exists and it’s an obsession when you learn the details, you want to shake your head in disgust.

The black and white art by Morgan Beem is good. There’s some solid horror as what is unleashed is revealed. With lettering by Sandy Tanaka, it comes off as a weird dream that turns into a nightmare using visuals we’ve seen before but have a lot of meaning behind them. The art plays off of reveals and beats that have been done so many times before but it’s done well and the overall pace and key moments of the comic hit well visually. Like the story itself, the combo with the visuals create a fun sit back and enjoy it vibe of a story that feels like it’d be weekly television to tune in to.

The flaw of The Twilight Zone #1 is that it feels like a short read. Like it should be part of an anthology or a comic that features at least another story It’s not that it’s bad, it’s that we want more of it. This could work great as a graphic novel or manga-ish digest type release. As single comic issues, it becomes a bit dicey of feeling if you get the value to it. “Blanks” goes by quickly, but it’s really solid. Wanting more overall isn’t a bad thing right?

Story: Dan Watters Art: Morgan Beem Letterer: Sandy Tanaka
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Read

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Enter The Twilight Zone with a New Anthology Comic Series from IDW Publishing

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One of the greatest television shows of all-time is returning as an all-new anthology comic book series this September from the IDW Publishing horror imprint IDW DARK. Featuring stories by some of the comic book industry’s most innovative and praised storytellers, each issue is a new tale in the vein of the iconic series that’s captivated audiences for over 60 years. And, just like the beloved show, these comics will be episodic. Every issue can be read on its own for a complete story which transports readers into the comic creators’ unique visions of The Twilight Zone. Plus, every issue will be presented in terrifying black and white, just like the original television series!

You are traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. Your next stop, THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

The first mind-bending issue arrives this September from Dan Watters and Morgan Beem. Following issues will feature acclaimed creators Tom Scioli, James Stokoe, Nate Powell, and Francesco Francavilla.

The Twilight Zone #1 (of 5 issues) is on sale Wednesday, September 24 with a pre-order deadline of August 18. The series will also feature a jaw-dropping set of connecting covers by Francesco Francavilla. To pre-order, you don’t need to travel to another dimension… just your local comic shop!

NYCC 2024: IDW Publishing reveals horror imprint IDW Dark featuring Paramount Movie and TV Franchises, IDW Legacy Sequels, and new original stories

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IDW Dark

 Everyone has different nightmares, but they always happen in the dark…

For more than two decades, IDW Publishing has established itself as a trusted destination for compelling and chilling horror stories. Now, the award-winning publisher is thrilled to announce the next evolution of nightmares: IDW Dark.

As comic book readers crave more terror, IDW Dark’s ambitious lineup of unique and carefully crafted comics will have a fright for every type of reader. Joining forces with Paramount Consumer Products, IDW Dark will let loose terrifying tales from beloved horror movie and TV franchises including A Quiet Place, Smile, The Twilight Zone, Sleepy Hollow, and Event Horizon.

IDW Dark will also proudly celebrate some of the biggest original horror hits in the publisher’s acclaimed library, including sequels to 30 Days of Night and Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees. The imprint will also launch new original horror titles, bringing captivating horror stories from celebrated and fresh writers and artists.

Entertainment Earth Spotlight: The Twilight Zone Pin Mate Set of 6 – Convention Exclusive

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Fill their stocking with something from another dimension! This unique Pin Mate set celebrating iconic characters Mystic Seer, Gremlin, Kanamit, Uncle Simon Robot, Talky Tina, and Invader from The Twilight Zone features retro-styled miniature wooden figures numbered 1 through 6. Order now!

the-twilight-zone-pin-mate-set-of-6-convention-exclusive

 

 

 

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