The Good
The first story comes to a close and J Michael Straczynski does a solid job of closing it all up while leading the reader into the next story. The shining moments, story wise, of this issue are during Johnny's flashbacks with his girl and how he was saved from killing himself. They're some pretty emotional moments for a character the reader isn't as familiar with, but they still hit home and do their job well.
There is one hell of an action sequence in this issue. Artist Guiu Vilanova crafts an incredibly exciting chase between the real Trevor and Johnny, who is now Trevor. The fight is riveting and very suspenseful, but Vilanova shines in the page set up in pie pieces with a gunshot in the center of it. He really gives the reader a sense of chaos and action just through the way he sets up the page.
There's one aspect of this book which I'm a bit down the middle on. The ending transitions into the next story. The television series, The Twilight Zone, didn't do this, so the television fan inside of me feels a tad betrayed, but the fan of comic book storytelling likes this idea that all these stories exist in the same world. It may be one of those things I won't be able to fully appreciate until the next arc gets into full gear.
The Bad
This is a book that will read 100% better in trade. Issue to issue, the pacing feels a bit off and what happens in issue #4 is that the reader is caught in a wall of dialogue. To be fair, it's to a much lesser extent than when I've used that term before, but this issue reads more like a Bond villain giving away all his secrets than anything else. In the grand scheme of things, this closing would work a lot better if it was combine with the rest of the story. TWILIGHT ZONE really feels like the story just needs to be read in one sitting, rather than month to month.
While there's a lot in the art department that works, there's also a lot that flounders a bit. Heavy inks distort the face a bit. These are situations where darker shades of colors would work a lot better, rather than a whole character's face covered in the shadows. During other times, closer shots on faces are a tad distorted and will really take the reader out of the scene.
The Verdict
This is a story that should be bought in trade. Issues #1 and #2 of this book were fantastic, but the last couple just don't hit the mark as well because it's a story that's meant to be read in one sitting. There's a few art problems here and there, but overall, the issue looks pretty nice and it's well written, even though there is a lot of expository dialogue here. This issue gets a mild recommendation, but the first story arc gets a big recommendation. Get this one in trade, for sure.
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