Poorly drawn, and the images are unnecessary to understanding, making this a failure as a comic. As much about the artist as the supposed subject. Could have been a short essay. The images are uninspiring and the pages too loose, with too little content on each one.

I was also put off by the all-male feel of it, valorizing the "group of white guys in Hollywood" past history. .

There is a lot of cool name-dropping for fans, but GEORGE'S RUN needed a much stronger editorial hand to tighten it up and sharpen its focus. It often repeats the same points and frequently interrupts its flow with personal digressions. However, if you are interested in George Clayton Johnson, it is pretty much the only game in town.

George's Run is a fascinating use of the comics/graphic novel medium to present the story of a pop culture figure. I enjoyed the use of visual narrative to explore the timeline and works shared about. Henry Chamberlain takes a creative and enjoyable take to the academic biographical examination.

As a fan of The Twilight Zone and graphic novels I was intrigued by the premise of this one. Henry Chamberlain's 'biography' on George Clayton Johnson, writer of TZ episodes, Logan's Run, Star Trek eps and more.
This one is a bit of a curio - the actual 'graphic novel' part of the 226 pages runs to about 150 pages. There are a couple of introductions, and a 'final interview' at the end of the book which appears to make up the basis for much of the text within the main part of the book: sometimes transcribed whole into the pages (When, for example, the question is: "George, your upbringing was in Wyoming. Could you share with us how Wyoming influenced your work, how it made its way into your work" The response is "They all want to know about Wyoming! Is is in the work but not explicitly'.". Summed up a little for me the approach to the book - short, sometimes vague, but playful. The fact every one of the author's questions is longer than the subject's answer shows both the author's enthusiasm (and occasional focus on himself and his own 'art') and the subject's casual attitude to the questions.
Author Chamberlain does position the book about the effect Clayton Johnson's work (or the wider series he contributed to) has had on him and his generation and, at times, a little too much for me, about himself.
The illustrations throughout are muted colours and have a suitable '60s vibe to them - working best when they're used with the Twilight Zone or other movie/tv backdrops being discussed.
The text is simplistic - deliberately so, but making it come across at times a bit like a children's introduction (ala Little People Big Dreams). So when a page panel has three speech bubbles with, 1. I owe so much to Ray Bradbury for being my mentor". 2. Look it's Ray. 3. Ray! we're talking in broad strokes here.
There's a page in the book with four writers talking. "I was just thinking about Sputnik. The Russians sending a satellite into space. There's a story there..." and another replying, "Sure. Sure. But enough with these fragments. We want more from you, George!". That, in a way, was how I felt about this book. It was fun, the art was quirky, and there was a ton of potential material in it. Whether the author didn't get the level of detail to take this further in the pages, or was never wanting to do more than a 'light touch', 'episodic' dance around time, events and detail (Which I'm taking from his introduction was very much his intention), it becomes, for me, a bit of a curate's egg: too niche for those not familiar with the subject matters but too broad in its treatment for those who do to get anything new from it other than a smile at the execution of it.
Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the chance to see this in return for an honest review.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Rutgers University Press for an advanced copy of this graphic novel that is both a biography of an writer more people should know about, but also a look at a magical time in science fiction, television, society.

George Clayton Johnson came to California with a dream. Well lots of weird, dark and strange dreams. And also an dream for a heist film, but that came first in his many successes in writing. Johnson was lucky enough to make friends with a group of writers who were at the forefront of both success, but also the odd, the strange again and the new. Writers who would go on to change science fiction, television, and horror in many ways, but that will come later. Johnson was a part of the wave of change that swept the country, from the arts, to science, outer space and the inner mind. And Johnson helped start the San Diego Comic Con. Artist, critic, blogger, writer and podcaster Henry Chamberlain was friends with Johnson, and tells Johnson's life in the best way possible, via graphic novel. George's Run: A Writer's Journey through the Twilight Zone is a biography of George Johnson, his works and friends, and legacy of his accomplishments.

George Clayton Johnson arrived in California after a long meander around the country doing odd jobs. Born in Wyoming, Johnson left school early, working odd jobs, until a stint in the army let him use the GI Bill to attend college. Johnson left, becoming a draftsman traveling around till meeting his wife and muse and heading west to California. A few short stories gave him a little bit of a name, which grew after Johnson helped co-write the film treatment that became the Rat Pack hit Ocean's 11. Frank Sinatra's pull gave him and the co-writer screen credits, and novelization rights, which helped both financially and in reputation. Soon Johnson began to meet other writers, Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson, probably the most popular, Charles Beaumont and through his new friends, Rod Sterling, who would use Johnson stories, and allow Johnson to write his own screenplays for the Twilight Zone, some of these being considered classic episodes. An episode of Star Trek followed, and later with William Nolan, Johnson wrote the book Logan's Run, which became both a movie and television series.

Henry Chamberlain began interviewing Johnson for a historical piece but became friendly with him, hosting him on podcasts, and continuing on with discussions about the time, other writers and much more. Chamberlain decided to honor his friend with this graphic novel, which is really well done, and very different. The art is at once amateur looking, but the skill and the information it conveys really show the skill of the creator. Chamberlain can use one large panel to tell so much, more than most creators can do with a number of issues. I love the hand lettering of the panels, the color choices, and the way the art can be straightforward, and suddenly veer off into a different time, and or place. Readers get a real feel for Johnson, a writer I knew, mostly from making of books on both Twilight Zone and Star Trek. The discussions about the times effecting the creativity, and the creativity effecting the times was well done. And thinking about all those authors, just discussing art, and writing, and ideas, and getting high, well some of them, and where these ideas might take them, is just amazing to think about.

A very good graphic novel about an author more should know about. Comics, television, movies, marihuana, a wide range of subjects are covered in a graphic novel that I was sad to see end. This was a really good introduction to the life of a real artist. And a wonderful gift from one friend, to another.

George's Run: A Writer's Journey Through the Twilight Zone by Henry Chamberlain will be released on May 12, 2023. Rutgers University Press provided an early galley for review.

The summer of 1976 was when I saw a film that would further solidify my lifelong love of sci-fi. No, not Star Wars (that was the next summer). I am talking Logan's Run. As wonky as that film was, eleven-year-old me was mesmerized. I was not, however, aware of the contributions to that story and the genre of George Clayton Johnson until now.

I think the graphic novel format is a solid way to go with this story. As the author notes, there is a "touch of strange" involved that is better conveyed in a visual medium. Older fans of classic sci-fi (both books and other mediums) will enjoy it. It will also appeal to a younger reading audience - those who might not know anything about sci-fi of the 50's and 60's.

Chamberlain's style is very clean and approachable. It is deceptive as well. It might come across as simple or cartoonish, but he includes a lot of detail on each page. I very much enjoyed comparing his artwork to pictures of classic locations that are referenced throughout. The coloring choices are also minimal, but when colors beyond black lines and white space are used it is often done so for shading and other effects. The lettering is also very clean. It reminds me of when I would work up my own comic strips in the back of the classroom during high school. Something about hand-done lettering feels more personal.