"The Numbers Game" in issue #69? Yeah, I'm sure that's a coincidence.

So I found several more Twilight Zone's in a box, and I can't remember if I didn't blog them before because I didn't want to do a bunch at once, or if they were terrible. I have no recollection of this particular issue, so I guess we'll see now! From 1976, The Twilight Zone #69, cover and lead story by Jack Sparling.

Back in the day, before my time even, I think people were worried about Social Security numbers, being reduced from a person with hopes and dreams and needs to mere information. Some of those people are probably still around now, all their info is probably on the dark web or just Facebook; I wonder if they even remember their concerns? "The Numbers Game" is a future story, where an amnesiac in a totalitarian society is chased by state security and rebels, and doesn't know why, just that he doesn't have a "life number." Given the temp name "Alan Ladox" he's chased around the city by both sides, with only one clue in his head: the number 15285. It's not a life number, what is it? 

Despite the future society being run by computer, it's not completely awful, as the state police on two occasions don't open fire on children or unarmed civilians. That feels more fantastic than anything I've seen in these to date! But Alan puts together several pieces: the government had been trying to hide the number of people that were against it (most arrested rebels were classified as "shoplifters" and such) and he had destroyed "SUMBAR," the head computer...with a grenade, model number 15285. The revolution wasn't completely won yet, but was rolling along.

"A Trip to Limbo" features cruel scientist Evans taking in another delivery of experimental animals to kill, but he blows up most of his lab when he fails to uncork a chemical on a burner. He finds himself trapped, but is dug out in the far-future, by green-skinned men, who throw him in with other humans. They're a rather fatalistic lot, who explain they were mostly extinct, replaced by a "higher order" hundreds of years ago. Evans takes up the task of proving his smarts to the new men, imitating their voices with a crude kazoo. This impresses them so much, they dissect him to see how his brain worked. Like many classic Zone's, bad guys only get to learn lessons too late. (Art by Amador.)

Ed Smith is so average and bland, he's "The Man Who Didn't Exist," seemingly forgotten by everyone. He finally decides to put that to use, robbing banks, surmising he was unrecognizable. But, when he decides to rob his own bank, he pushes too far. Ed ends up taken away quietly, I think so we could hear how he got got; because I kind of figured he'd have to be dragged off screaming "WITNESS ME!" The moral might be that it's a real fine line between confidence and arrogance, and Ed plowed right past it. (Story by Paul S. Newman, art by Frank Bolle.)

Not bad, but not great. Also this issue though; a Hostess Twinkies ad, with the Road Runner...Road Runners? With lines? Wile E. Coyote catches them, but they're saved by...Daffy Duck and Twinkies? And the title of this one is "Helter Skelter"? Feels like six things off-model here.