Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor
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My introduction to the writings of Harlan Ellison was
circuitous, beginning in the virtual wasteland of
television. It was September 27th, 1985. I was
in high school, and as a lifelong science fiction addict,
had long been anticipating the premiere of The New
Twilight Zone series on CBS. The debut episode was
killer: "Shatterday," starring Bruce Willis.
For weeks afterward I was telling all of my friends and
family the story about this guy who accidentally dialed
his own phone number from a bar, and how his life took a
terrifying turn when he heard his own voice answer the
call. It wasn’t until months later when, perusing the offerings in the latest Science Fiction Book Club bulletin, I came across a book entitled Shatterday. It was a collection of short stories by some author named Harlan Ellison. Impressed by Alan Brennert’s teleplay adaptation that had aired on The New Twilight Zone, I decided to order the book and check out the original story. |
As is the case with all written word to film transitions, the original piece was superior. Since then, I have never sighted any work by Harlan Ellison on a bookstore shelf that I didn’t automatically, on good faith, take home with me. Never have I been disappointed.
Mefisto In Onyx is an excellent example. I discovered it in a comic shop in Texas. Originally published as a short story in Omni magazine, this hardcover novella probably had a better than average chance of being stocked by comics retailers, thanks to its striking cover by Frank Miller. The cover is wrap-around black and white artwork that is unmistakably Miller. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine, upon spotting Mefisto In Onyx propped up on my bookshelf, asked if it was a present gift-wrapped in Sin City wrapping paper.
This compelling thriller by Ellison also contains an insightful Introduction by Frank Miller, who gives a frightening account of his experience addressing the inmates in a prison in Delaware. Concerned Parent groups should enlist Miller’s aid for some sort of Scared Straight program to keep kids from turning to crime. It would have worked on me.
Readers who keep track of the creative personnel responsible for navigating TV’s science fiction offerings may be aware of Ellison’s consultant credit on Babylon 5. I mention this because of a story I once read stating the possibility of a Babylon 5/ Outer Limits crossover. You see, one of the best episodes of The Outer Limits was "Demon With A Glass Hand" by Harlan Ellison. It starred Robert Culp (Agent Maxwell from The Greatest American Hero, a series now airing on the F/X network that has not aged at all well) as Trent, a lonely android fated to roam the earth for thousands of years, awaiting the opportunity to save all of humanity. Rumor had it that an episode of Babylon 5 written by Ellison and guest-starring Culp would revive the character of Trent, who would no doubt have some ominous purpose for visiting the most important space station in the galaxy.
I once had the honor of hearing Harlan Ellison present a speech at a conference in Atlanta. It was a touching commentary on how comics fans and retailers seem to have lost touch with the rich history of the comic book medium. Too many kids, to paraphrase Ellison, think of Jim when we say that Lee created The X-Men. The tone of the speech was set in part by the lack of recognition the late Harvey Kurtzman, creator of Mad magazine and numerous comic series, received for his contributions to the art form.
| Anyone interested in a transcript of the speech should seek out a copy of Calliope Comics’ Musings #1. It appears within those pages under the title "Say It Ain’t So." Although it’s a moving piece, reading it still doesn’t compare to witnessing Harlan Ellison break up near the end of his presentation of it. Ellison, in addition to being a famed writer, is a powerful public speaker. When I was a comics retailer, I often succumbed to the weary, jaded cynicism that results from trying to push quality comic books on customers, only to have my words fall on the deaf ears of "fanboys" interested exclusively in what was "hot" at the moment. It is difficult for me to express what Harlan Ellison’s sincerity meant to me, or how much of a "recharge" I received from his speech. |  |
Living as I do in a society where imitating the Beavis and Butthead laugh is a viable form of self-expression, I take much comfort in the existence of such a crusader for the intellectual and the literate.
It is a relief to know that whenever I’ve burned out (as I often do) on the proliferation of bad entertainment promulgated by the mass media, I can take refuge in a piece of work either created or recommended by Harlan Ellison and experience a mental renewal. Which brings me to my recommended reading for this month. In a market under siege by a publisher hell-bent on making theirs the dominant crap on the shelves, it is refreshing to be able to sing the praises of a comic series worthy of the designation "literature":
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Harlan Ellison’s Dream Corridor. In case you are skeptical, rest assured that this is not one of those projects where a popular author lends his name to the title and has nothing more to do with it. Or, as is the case with Tekno-Comix, where a big name creator comes up with a concept for a series, and then others are hired to actually write and draw it. The stories in Dream Corridor are adaptations from the seemingly inexhaustible Ellison short story treasury, and he is involved in every facet of the editorial process. |
Reading Harlan Ellison’s Dream Corridor Special was a delight, and it has me eagerly anticipating the first regular issue, which should be out by the time you read this. The Special boasts the talents of such comic professionals as Len Wein, Pat Broderick, the late Doug Wildey, Faye Perozich, Matt Howarth, Gary Gianni, and one of my all-time favorite cartoonists, Phil Foglio. Additionally, the back cover is by movie poster artist Overton Loyd, and there is a centerfold spread by hardcover and paperback artist Jill Bauman.
The front cover is part of one of the most special aspects of Dream Corridor. Each issue is set to contain an all-new, never-before-published short story by Harlan Ellison (which alone is worth the price of admission), centered around a front-cover painting by such giants as Steve Hickman (who provides the cover for the Special), Michael Whelan, Leo and Diane Dillon, and Ken Steacy, among others.
Nowhere else in comics are you going to find this mega-gathering of talent. Only the genius of Ellison fiction could assemble such a cast. Do yourself a tremendous favor. Let the tumultuous upheaval of the comics industry pass you by unacknowledged and seek out Dark Horse’s most ambitious offering to date: Harlan Ellison’s Dream Corridor.
While I am on the topic of Harlan Ellison, I would like to comment on a most pathetic footnote to the fame of this eminent author: the Enemies of Ellison (now known, I believe, as the Victims of Ellison). This is a little hate club of people with nothing better to do than share their rants and raves about how they were so mistreated by Ellison, one of the most stand-up writers in the business. It’s membership includes such individuals as Comics Journal publisher Gary Groth, whose character I shall not comment upon, lest he launch one of his customary diatribes against me or Vantage magazine as a whole.
If it were not for the pejorative effects this groups antics have had on Mr. Ellison’s already poor health, I would classify their existence as "amusing." Like the Flash, Ellison now has his own Rogue’s Gallery of small-time "enemies" who’ve banded together for a supposed strength in numbers. Although, on second thought, even that analogy is giving the Victims of Ellison way too much credit.
However, always one to enjoy leaping into a good fray, I nevertheless joined Peter David’s counter-VOE strike force, the Friends of Ellison (or FOE) as soon as I heard about it. Perhaps the VOE and the FOE should all show up at the San Diego Comic Con in spandex costumes one year and battle it out. Or perhaps not.
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Why did I join the FOE? Certainly not to receive Harlan Ellison’s appreciation. He’s always eschewed bothersome compliments and meaningless gushing, and despises the concept of a fan club. I simply believe in supporting those who are eloquently outspoken, especially those championing the cause of quality art and entertainment over mediocrity. And who knows? If it turns out that Harlan Ellison actually is God, then perhaps I’ll be spared on Judgment Day after all. |