Koren Shadmi

Reviewer Lizzy Walker had the opportunity to Koren Shadmi, creator of Twilight Man: Rod Serling and the Birth of Television,  which we reviewed earlier this year. Thanks to both Lizzy and Koren!

Lizzy: Tell Monster Librarian readers a little about yourself.

Koren: I’m an illustrator and cartoonist originally from Israel. I came to the US in 2002 to study in The School of Visual Arts where I now teach illustration. I split my time between doing illustrations for magazines and papers such as the NYTimes, and working on my comics. I live in Brooklyn with my wife and 1-year-old boy.

Lizzy: What made you want to write this graphic biography of Rod Serling?

Koren:I discovered the Twilight Zone very late in life, when it first became available to stream on Netflix (I grew up in Israel where the show never aired).

When I watched the episodes, I felt a strong connection to the material and visuals and felt the show was way ahead of its time. I was also curious about the enigmatic host and creator of the show, who would sometimes introduce the show with an eternally lit cigarette in hand. Once I started reading about Serling’s life I realized that there’s a lot of potential here, and it would make for good material for a nonfiction Biography.

Lizzy:How did you prepare to create The Twilight Man?

Koren:I read most books that were out there about Rod Serling, as well as books about The Twilight Zone. I also watched an extensive amount of Serling’s work pre- and post- Twilight Zone. He created an immense body of work.

Lizzy: How much research did you need to do in writing this book?

Koren: As I mentioned, there was a lot of reading, but I didn’t go as far as to dig through his archives and read old letters. There was already a ton of information out there. I did have to do a lot of additional visual research when I drew the book. The scenes from WW2 were the toughest to draw because I had to find out how things like the equipment, planes, and jeeps looked.

Lizzy: You treat the history of Serling’s life and career with respect and honesty. Were there any parts of his life where it was difficult for you to confront?

Koren: Not really. I don’t think he was as unbalanced as some other Hollywood legends, but he did have his fair share of drama. I tried to be balanced and put a lot of the good, and maybe a bit of the bad, in there. There are some books out there that focused very much on his flaws and problems, and I really wanted it to be a mostly positive portrait.

Lizzy: What discoveries did you make about Serling through your process of creating the graphic biography?

Koren: Many, I knew very little about him. I especially enjoyed finding out his war story and how it affected his writing on The Twilight Zone.

Lizzy:Was there anything you left out that you wish you would have included?

Koren: I wish I could have put in some more of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes but it just didn’t fit into the story. I also did not include Serling’s stint as a public speaker.

Lizzy: What challenges did you experience with this book?

Koren: As I mentioned, it was tough to draw, since there was so much reference involved. It’s set in the 40s and up till the 70s. Each period comes with its specific dress code, cars, and settings. I wanted the book to feel authentic, so I tried to base everything on timely reference imagery.

Lizzy: If Rod were still alive, what is the one burning question you would have for him?

Koren: Wow, I’m not sure. I know a lot about his life at this point, I might want to hear his production stories on my favorite Twilight Zone episodes. But I would mostly want to hang out, maybe get a drink with him, and just be able to say: I spent an hour with the great Rod Serling!

Lizzy: What are your top three favourite Twilight Zone episodes?

Koren: ‘Eye Of The Beholder,’ ‘Time Enough At Last,’ and ‘The Hitchhiker.’

Lizzy: I noticed an advertisement on social media about the “Masks, Mannequins, and Monsters” event on Facebook. It sounded like so much fun! Can you talk a little bit about that event?

Koren: It was fun! I brought Arlen Schumer and Nick Parisi—both respected Twilight Zone and Serling—to speak. We each picked an episode and had a little audiovisual presentation to give the audience context and our interpretations.

Lizzy: Why should librarians consider purchasing The Twilight Man for their collections?

Koren: It’s a very accessible way of discovering the story of Rod Serling. It’s also a good intro to the history of television and would be great for any kind of media studies.

Lizzy: Do you have any upcoming projects that you want to mention?

Koren: I have a book coming out next year with author David Kushner; it’s the story of Anonymous – the hacker collective. It’s very different than The Twilight Man, in that it’s not about one person but about a whole movement and several individuals who were at its center.