George’s Run: A Writer’s Journey Through the Twilight Zone

Screenwriter Chamberlain’s nostalgic hagiography of 1960s-era sci-fi actor and author George Clayton Johnson sprints through its subject’s life, work, and philosophy. Based on personal interviews between the two, Chamberlain’s breezy survey of Johnson’s career covers his stints as cowriter of the original Logan’s Run novel and screenwriter for Sinatra’s Ocean’s Eleven, the first aired episode of Star Trek, and many scripts for The Twilight Zone. Johnson was part of the “Rat Pack of science fiction,” and peppered throughout are anecdotes that name-drop mentors, friends, and collaborators such as Charles Beaumont, Ray Bradbury, and Rod Serling. The extensive sections on Serling often drift into episode summaries and skimp on more in-depth analysis. Chamberlain’s visual presentation fits the clipped pace of the narrative: most pages are filled with one or two large drawings, occasionally resembling a children’s picture book. The art is simple and appealing, sporting an exaggerated cartoonish style with fluid lines. It’s all tinted with evocative gold, pink, and blue pastels, and there’s a chummy mood of mutual admiration throughout. This will appeal to fans and aficionados of ’60s pop culture, but less so to readers looking for critical insights. (May)