The Twilight Zone: Stories from the Fifth Dimension by Dan Watters, Morgan Beem, Tom Scioli, James Stokoe, L. Marlow Francavilla, Francesco Francavilla, and Nate Powell

The Twilight Zone book cover

Many thanks to IDW Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to journey to through a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind, with their entertaining new collection of stories from The Twilight Zone: Stories from the Fifth Dimension by Dan Watters, Morgan Beem, Tom Scioli, James Stokoe, L. Marlow Francavilla, Francesco Francavilla, and Nate Powell. I’m a fan of the original show The Twilight Zone, as well as many of the other iterations. I loved the ironic twists of the episodes and how many of the episodes encourage viewers to think deeply about their own behavior and actions. The stories in this collection feature many of the same kinds of selfish, greedy, and thoughtless characters who experience a kind of cosmic irony, and the authors are able to make the stories unique and different from the episodes. Not all of the stories were great or land with the same kind of impact of the dramatic irony, yet they still managed to resonate with me. The artwork is also good, rendered in black and white, which harkens back to the classic episodes from the 1960s. Furthermore, each story is framed by unique artwork with faceless people, creating a kind of connective transition among the different stories that replaces Rod Serling’s iconic introduction to each episode.

The first story is “Blanks”, is the kind of story that reminds me a little of “Time Enough At Last” and Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death”, where a rich man who is dying is seeking a scientific path to immortality on an exclusive and secluded island. “The World of Your Wildest Dreams” is a story about a group of astronaut explorers who discover a planet with an Earth-like atmosphere populated by creatures who seem to have an interest in Freudian psychoanalysis and are able to manifest the crew’s deepest, repressed memories. This story also featured a great surprise at the end, and the artwork is creative, especially the creatures that inhabit the land. “The Relic” has some of the best artwork in the book, although the story was a little hard to follow. It features two warring groups in a seemingly ancient world that are battling for control and dominance over one another. There are some surprising images that crop up that lead readers to question the setting. The ending was very surprising and also a little humorous. Nevertheless, the story does raise some questions about our own values, beliefs, and practices. “False Bottom” is a story with an unlikeable character whose vacation with his sister and brother-in-law is disrupted when they travel through their houseboat’s false bottom to another world. I liked the modern relevance of this story, and as a story where we see an unlikeable character receive some karma. “False Bottom” is an eerie and unsettling story that can appeal to those who question the bros and those partaking in the maxxing culture. “Silent Warning” is a kind of monster story about a group of scientists who discover a meteor at the bottom of the ocean. It’s emitting sounds, which is odd for a space rock. As a result, they enlist the expertise of Dr. Emily Sorenson, a scientist who studies sonic frequencies underwater. The group of male scientists and crew members seem to discount Dr. Sorenson’s ideas and suggestions, while she grows more attuned to the strange and haunting frequencies emitting from the meteor. I really liked the setting, artwork, and mutant fish that threaten the scientists as they explore the mysterious meteor.

The Twilight Zone: Stories from the Fifth Dimension collection is a nice addition to the Twilight Zone series. The stories are entertaining and contain ironic twists, with some hitting harder than others. The artwork, rendered in black and white, is good and adds to the classic, Twilight Zone feel of these stories. Recommended!