Thursday, October 22, 2009

Magazine Review Dark Discoveries #14 (Twilight Zone issue)


Dark Discoveries #14 (special Twilight Zone issue)

This magazine gets better all the time. While the content of Dark Discoveries has always been pretty good, some of the early issues had wonky lay-out and alot wasted space. There are only three Horror magazines I think are must reads that come out consistantly. The Book of Dark Wisdom, Cemetery Dance and Dark Discoveries. I used to believe Cemetery Dance was the best, but Dark Discoveries is heading to the top with a bullet. It reminds more and more of the 1980's wonderful Twilight zone magazine and has become a must read. It became the first to get a full on subscription from me.

The Twilight Zone issue is a must have for fans of the greatest Sci-fi show of all time. Co-editor of DD Jason V. Brock is in a unique position to be all over this issue. He recently finished a film with his wife Sunni about the short life of Twilight Zone writer Chuck Beaumont. He interviewed several members of “the group” an elite force of fantasists living and working closely together in LA. Part of Brock's interview with George Clayton Johnson(Co-author of Logan's run / the kick the can episode of TZ) is in this issue and it is fantastic.

Richard Matheson(I am Legend)'s classic short story that formed the basis of the classic episode nightmare at 20,000 feet. Jason Brock also delivers a great Matheson Approved sequel to the classic story called Black Box. William F. Nolan (Logan's run/ Dark Universe) delivers a teleplay for a lost TZ episode based on a Charles Beaumont short story called “Free Dirt.” Apex press editor Jason Sizemore has a very short tale called City Hall and lots of TZ articles.

This is a great issue for any horror fans but essential for fans of the Twilight Zone. What is best about this issue is how little of a focus is put on TZ creator Rod Serling. We already have mountains of information about him. Up next Dark Discoveries #15 is the Lovecraft special issue. What's great for me is this magazine is produced by Vegetarian horror fans from just across the river in Washington. So I get to think horrifically, read locally.

1 comment:

Jason's Psyche said...

Excellent review David. I look forward to reading some of your fiction.