‘The Twilight Zone: 61st Anniversary Retrospective’ Webinar

“The place is here…the time is now…and the journey into the shadows that we’re about to watch could be our journey.”

Those are the first words spoken by Rod Serling — the creator, narrator, and head writer of the television series The Twilight Zone at the very beginning of its first episode, which aired exactly 61 years ago. Over the course of the next five years and five TV seasons, Serling and company’s 23-minute meditations on a wide spectrum of philosophic concerns — from the political to the metaphysical, and core concepts to and pop philosophies — would usher in an unsuspecting American TV audience into what would become “The Sixties,” a question of identity for America itself.

Join New York Adventure Club as we embark on a journey through The Twilight Zone on its 61st Anniversary — by tracing the show’s roots in early 20th Century surrealist art and ideas, we’ll unravel its profound influence on psychedelia, movies, television, modern art, and popular culture throughout the decades.

Led by esteemed Twilight Zone scholar and author Arlen Schumer, this verbal and visual overview of the TV series he considers “The Father of American Popular Culture” will include:

• Why Rod Serling stayed in television to do The Twilight Zone, while his “TV playwright” peers like Reginald Rose and Paddy Chayefsky left for the movies
• A survey of all the great actors and actresses who were on the series, a “Who’s Who” of future Hollywood stars
• Insight into the contributions of the other main writers of the series, Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont
• A full screening of the series debut episode “Where is Everybody?” in honor of its 61st Anniversary

Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Arlen — any and all questions about The Twilight Zone are welcomed and encouraged!

Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week!

See you there, virtually!

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you’re using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week

About Arlen

Arlen Schumer, MFA is one of the foremost historians of comic book art, named by Comic Book Artist magazine in 1998 as “one of the more articulate and enthusiastic advocates of comic book art in America.” His coffee table book, The Silver Age of Comic Book Art, won the Independent Publishers Book Award for best Popular Culture book.

Schumer is also one of comic book art’s most idiosyncratic practitioners, creating award-winning illustrations for the advertising and editorial markets.

Arlen Schumer is also an esteemed Twilight Zone scholar, and an author/designer of the only coffee table art book about the series, Visions from The Twilight Zone.

“One of the country’s pre-eminent authorities on comics and culture.” —Jon Meyerson, Producer, ABC News’ 20/20

“Nobody speaks about comics with more authority, understanding and love than Arlen does. He is to comics what Pauline Kael was to movies.” —Clem Robins, letterer for DC and Marvel Comics