The Twilight Zone: Shadow and Substance #1 & #2 Stumbling Distance

The Twilight Zone: Shadow and Substance #1 Stumbling Distance (part one) (see below for preview images)

The Twilight Zone: Shadow and Substance #2 Stumbling Distance (part 2) (see below for preview images)

Credits:
Written: Mark Rahner
Illustrated: Edu Menna
Colors: Thiago Ribeiro/Impacto Studios
Letters: Rob Steen
 
Covers:
Issue 1:
Cover A by Guiu Vilanova/Vinicius Andrade (shown above)
Cover B by Francesco Francavilla
Cover C by Jay Shaw
Cover D by Jonathan Lau/Ivan Nunes
Issue2:
Cover A by Guiu Vilanova/Vinicius Andrade (shown above)
Cover B by Francesco Francavilla
Cover C by Jonathan Lau/Ivan Nunes
 
People often say that they wish they could go back in time and talk some sense into their younger self. Many wish they could go back to a point in their past and change various things, affecting the outcome of their life as they currently know it.  And many also say that they wouldn’t change a thing, as their experiences and interactions through life have made them who they are.
 
In this story, we follow a middle-aged man, William (Billy), who has been granted the opportunity to do just that.  He’s on a flight that takes him back in time to his teenage years.  He’s transported back with no explanation, as is so common in The Twilight Zone, and has to figure out his purpose in this past world. The whole pretext for the flight was that he was flying back to his home town to do a book signing.
 
He soon finds himself as a boy, a young teenager.  Living his depressed and downtrodden existence, constantly scolded and insulted by his alcoholic, loose-lipped mother.  Her anger is only bolstered by the fact that her father lives with her and her son, not to mention that she seemingly has different men in and out of the house on a regular basis…and it seems they are rarely repeat visitors.
 
Billy has the chance to change his life, to alter the past and have a new future.  This is EXACTLY what Doc warned Marty about in Back to the Future.  And while Marty intelligently heeded the warning…our man William, does not.
 
He quickly intervenes, revealing himself not only to his younger self but, also his mother, although she doesn’t really catch on and he doesn’t go into explanation…it’s more like a slip of the tongue kind of thing.  Meanwhile, he tries to convince his younger version to not do something stupid, which is kill himself.  (Yes, I know…the guy is still alive 25 years later so obviously, the attempt wasn’t successful.  
 
Older Billy has been repeatedly reminded throughout both issues not to miss his flight home.  He’s warned by his girlfriend (who has a really bad attitude and doesn’t seem very pleasant, kind of like what we see Billy’s mother act like) and he’s warned by the car rental guy (which is just strange). He reassures everyone that he is going to be fine.
 
But he doesn’t make the flight home.  Instead, he chooses to take young Billy from his hellish and abusive homelife and raise himself, himself.  (Now, if that doesn’t sound weird, I don’t know what does.)
 
THE END
 
After reading the first issue, I was really stoked to read the second.  And I liked the whole thing, all the way up until the end.  I have to say I felt let down.  It’s not that it was bad, it just wasn’t what I call a Twilight Zone ending.  That seems almost more like a Disney ending to me.  I wasn’t thrilled with it.
 
I did like the whole “mysteriously being sent back in time and confronting yourself” idea.  I personally would talk some serious smack to my younger self.  I don’t know that I would be good at raising ME though.  I know what my folks went through…seems like a tough undertaking to me.
 
Also, I thought the artwork was pretty good.  Some of the variant covers are incredible.  
 
The only other complaint I have is that the younger Billy does not look like the older Billy, in my opinion AND that the dialogue isn’t always clear as to who is speaking. 
 
I’m not going to say don’t read this but, I wouldn’t go out of my way to get ahold of it, if that makes any sense.
 
RATINGS
Overall 3/5
Story 3/5
Artwork 3/5