Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor

Harlan Ellison wrote short stories, screenplays and comic books.

He was an outspoken advocate and critic of comics back in the 1970s and ’80s when few middle-aged adults would even think of confessing to reading comic books. Let alone, a relatively well-known person such as Ellison.

But Ellison was seemingly outspoken about all of his likes and dislikes. Even comics.

So, it only made sense in the mid-1990s, when Dark Horse Comics published “Harlan Ellison’s Dream Corridor.”

For a limited series, various writers and artists adapted Ellison’s short stories into comic book form. It was nothing new. Comic books had been adapting Ellison works sporadically for years. Ellison occasionally penned a comic book.

But “Dream Corridor” created a comic similar to his short story collections. Artists drew Ellison caricatures to appear between stories. Ellison wrote words of introduction for each story and each creative comics team. A vehicle similar to his penchant for writing an introduction for each short story published in his regular books.

The comic book series opened with a “Dream Corridor” special. Ellison and crew bring to illustrated life stories about a man who goes back to a specific era of time to escape pursuers, a Western lawman who’s outlived his era and his usefulness to the town he protected for years, a man seeking revenge for a past wrong, a funny story about rampant consumerism and a powerful story about humanity’s discovery of a fallen giant. 

The comic includes a pull-out painting mini-poster and the first part of a short story written by Ellison specifically for “Dream Corridor.”

The comic is not the best introduction to Ellison’s work. His short story collections are the best representatives of Ellison who died in 2018. 

But “Dream Corridor” issues are colorful reflections of Ellison and his stories. And a treat for Ellison fans.