Yes, Harlan Ellison’s a crusty, angry old man, but he’s a brilliant writer, and that can’t be disputed either. Now 79, he not only did a hilarious guest spot on The Simpsons, but his work has also been adapted into several graphic novels, which Ellison has embraced whole heartedly.
The next Ellison graphic novel will have an interesting twist because it’s going to be an adaptation of his teleplay for the Star Trek episode City on the Edge of Forever. As IDW Publishing, the company that will be putting out this graphic novel, points out, many considered this one of the best Star Trek episodes in the show’s history.
This episode won a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, and the Writer’s Guild of America Award for Most Outstanding Teleplay. But this graphic novel will go back to Ellison’s original teleplay, which is different than the version that made it to the small screen.
Much like the Dark Horse Star Wars comic that went directly back to Lucas’s original 1974 screenplay, it should be fascinating to see what Ellison’s original vision for the Trek episode was. Again, graphic novels are a great way to show people a different vision of a classic story, as well as provide further stories for a movie franchise, either in sequel or prequel form. Look for the City on the Edge of Forever graphic novel in June from IDW Publishing.
