He wrote about a strange world of online school and isolation. And then it came true

When author and former Lawrence resident Mathew Klickstein published his first comic book in September, he created a spooky dystopia slightly removed from reality.

And then came COVID-19.

Now Klickstein’s “You Are Obsolete” reads like a Nostradamus-esque manifesto. It’s both unnervingly accurate and profoundly disturbing.

“We are genuinely dealing with the issues of ‘You Are Obsolete’ right at this moment,” Klickstein says.

“Zoom fatigue. Media fatigue. Being in constant communication. Just imagine how this is affecting our sense of self, our identity, our fears and our anxieties.”

Inspired by the sci-fi/horror of the 1960s and ’70s, “You Are Obsolete” delivers a kind of “Children of the Corn” with a topical twist. A young, troubled journalist named Lyla Wilton tumbles into an eerie tale of adolescents terrorizing a small Eastern European village, all the while experiencing the darkest side of society’s ever-growing dependence on screens, mobile devices and social media.

Klickstein returns to KC for a trio of store appearances that coincide with the June publication of his graphic novel collection of “You Are Obsolete.” He appears 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at B-Bop Comics and Games North on Barry Road; 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at Chops Comics in Lawrence; and 1 to 4 p.m. June 25 at B-Bop Comics and Games in Prairie Village.

“The most direct prediction happens when the two main characters are wandering around an abandoned schoolhouse,” he says. “It’s discussed how the children in the village have taken to online learning only. The idea of online schooling for younger people was fairly uncommon a few months ago. Now it’s the only way it’s being done.”

The 38-year-old writer recalls reading a quote from Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, that resonated when he was crafting this tale: “Netflix’s real competition is sleep.”

“From the context of the interview, it didn’t seem like Hastings was being ironic or facetious,” Klickstein says. “To me, that’s a frightening idea. Now here we are, and everybody is fixated on their screens, watching and learning and reading and interacting through them.”

The series takes a deep dive into the problem of our culture’s dependence on displays and devices — especially among youth — and how we’re being pushed into this through the guise of efficiency.

“A lot of these devices were made to be addictive and made to be appendages that we would need to keep with us at all times,” he says. “I wanted to question certain institutions that I think could use a bit more investigating today: the proliferation of new technology; questions about public life versus privacy; the sense of constantly being surveilled.”

The concept of isolation also plays heavily within the story. That’s yet another aspect everybody in the coronavirus world is used to.

Going to Kansas City

So it’s a markedly bold move for Klickstein (who is now based in Ohio) to attempt a six-state tour to support the book. For most of the participating comics shops, this will be their first such live event since reopening. The industry was hit particularly hard by the shutdown, with many shops closing permanently. The shutdown also led to the breakup of the monopoly of Diamond Comic Distributors (for better or worse) that held exclusive distribution arrangements with most major publishers.

“Certainly with the pandemic, the political situation and the cultural upheaval that’s happening, it’s a challenging time to go on tour,” he says.

“I’m not saying this to be lofty or saccharine, but I really do hope the tour will help rejuvenate some modicum of confidence in people coming out to local businesses again. Comics are a very unique media. And I feel that I’m helping somewhat by going to these stores and reminding people, ‘Hey, don’t forget to support your local comic book store.’”

It will be the first post-lockdown event held at B-Bop Comics locations.

“Matt’s ‘You Are Obsolete’ is a fascinating commentary about our digital culture and the way it divides and isolates segments of our society,” says owner Frank Mangiaracina, who opened the original B-Bop in 1997.

“His filmmaking background — this is his first comic — gives it an interesting rhythm, and (artist) Evgeniy Bornyakov supplies quite a few striking images. Both are talents to watch.”

A California native, Klickstein honed his writing while earning a degree in screenwriting from the University of Southern California. He penned the 2009 Steven Seagal vampire movie “Against the Dark” for Sony Pictures before launching a prolific career as an author.

His books include: “Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies From a Lifetime Writing for ‘The Simpsons,’” (co-written with Mike Reiss, who worked on the series), “Slimed!: An Oral History of Nickelodeon’s Golden Age,” “Selling Nostalgia: A Neurotic Novel” and his upcoming “The Kids of Widney Junior High Take Over the World!”

Living in Lawrence

In 2014, while working remotely as a casting producer for the Food Network’s “Restaurant: Impossible,” Klickstein moved to Lawrence, though he didn’t know anyone in Kansas.

“I spent so much of my life in Southern California and New York, I wanted to see the rest of the country. I felt that was important in a ‘Travels With Charley’ way,” he says, citing the John Steinbeck book.

He spent 2014 to 2016 in Lawrence, becoming an active part of its literary, academic and film scene, before relocating to Baltimore to take a newspaper job.

“Lawrence, like a lot of small, artistically minded, vibrant college towns that I’ve lived in over the last few years, really opened my eyes to an area of the country I hadn’t spent much time in or knew much about,” Klickstein says. “Everybody who I met there had a profound impact on the person I am today and the work I’m doing. The best example of that is I met my wife, Becky, at the Bottleneck, and we’ve been together four years.”

With movies, TV shows, novels and plays in Klickstein’s creative arsenal, how difficult is making a comic book by comparison?

“I’m not much of a linguist, but I’ve heard that once you speak one Romance language, it’s a lot easier to learn the others. It was similar to that. Comics are obviously a very visual medium, and it was really comparable to the way I would write a film. The difference is, I was also adding the material I would be using for storyboards,” he says.

At the in-store appearances, Klickstein will be signing copies of his graphic novel, which compiles the first five issues of the series.

Interestingly, the original title of the book was “Generation.” But his editor at AfterShock Comics, Christina Harrington, suggested “You Are Obsolete” instead.

“It’s a fantastic title. It’s provocative. It’s slightly accusatory. I like the second-person element of it,” Klickstein says.

“That phrase is extremely pertinent to our current time — people are always pointing out how someone is obsolete. It’s a very potent insult or talking point.”

Jon Niccum is a filmmaker, freelance writer and author of “The Worst Gig: From Psycho Fans to Stage Riots, Famous Musicians Tell All.”

This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 5:00 AM.