Today in Comics History, January 20, 1893: You're traveling through another dimension

🎶 Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo 🎶...why, it's none other than 1963's favorite Friday Night Fear factory, The Twilight Zone! Yes, I shall watch it, and read the chilling comic book, but I will do so from behind the couch, much as i will later this year in November when that popular television premiere that influences a thousand fascinating science-fiction stories is aired for the very first time...The Kennedy Assassination.


cover of The Twilight Zone (1962 series) #4 (Western/Gold Key, August 1963), artist uncredited and unknown



Aw, c'mon, Rod Serling! I know you're hampered by the tiny space Alex Toth gave you to introduce the story, but this kick-off is scarcely worthy of the show's usual openings! How about something like "Picture a man...a man not unlike you or me. This man is named René Noir, which means Black Ressurection. How's about that for a character name, kiddies? Think you;'re going to be able to sleep tonight after this story? Because I'm going to show you nature's most terrible, deadly beast. TURNS OUT IT'S MAN!"


from "The Secret of the Key" in The Twilight Zone #4; pencils by Alex Toth, inks by Mike Peppe, letters by Ben Oda
René steals the magical (and big-ass) "Gold Key", which...I dunno, leads him into a world of whimsy and adventure. At least, it brings him into the house of the lovey Marie, smack-dab in the middle of her Dolly Parton cosplay.


But who is this mysterious Marie? And her René-clone husband Louis? (Hint: not bandleader Louis Prima). And why won't she offer him and cake to eat with his drugged wine? Les esprits curieux veulent savoir!


King o' France? Hoo boy, that's some great job placement!

You've probably sussed out the sneaky trick ending that Rod Serling has up his sleeve here, but I won't tell it to you until tomorrow. Until then...pleasant...dreams?

This post was suggested by faithful reader and frequent commenter Blam, who's provided a lot of date references in comics that I'll spotlight throughout 2023 in this series. Thanks, Blam!