Fans of the original 11-issue Marvel run of Planet of the Apes who want to save a good chunk of change should pick up Planet of the Apes Adventures: Epic Collection out now. A good $60 cheaper than the omnibus released in April, yet collecting the same eleven issues, it’s certainly a better deal. A kind of movie-to-comic adaptation, the story takes some liberties from what was put on screen but also is an adequate portrayal of the classic films Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes.
The first six issues of this series, told in the classic Marvel style of the 1970s, are a great deal of fun, thanks to the classic art. George Tuska draws the first six issues with a story by Doug Moench, and together, they capture the amazing adventure of spacemen landing on a foreign planet and trying to make sense of its strangeness. They, of course, discover its Earth, but this series draws that revelation out a bit, making it a kind of alien world adventure at the start.
If you’ve seen the films, you know the basic beats of the story. Astronauts try to find drinkable water and resources, only to discover apes herding humans who can’t talk. Soon, they’re captured or dead, and it’s a race for the main astronaut, Taylor, to prove he’s not mute or just an animal. This all culminates in the iconic twist ending of the first film, which takes place in the sixth issue.
Some of these covers do not miss.
Credit: Marvel
The last five issues of this collection retell the Beneath the Planet of the Apes story. A bit weirder, especially when it comes to long-lost humans with superpowers, this portion of the story has the main character on the run and looking to escape.
There is no disrespect to artist Alfredo Alcala, but when he takes over on art with issue #7, it’s a fairly obvious style change that takes you out of the book. The visuals get far darker, with heavier use of inks, creating an almost horror movie vibe. They’re a little less finished looking, with expressions not quite as on point and environments a bit muddier. Alcala’s covers do hold up, though, and are as dynamic and zany as any of the previous covers by Rich Buckler.
There’s no denying the historical value of these comics, even if they’re licensed retellings of the movies. That includes the ending of this collection, which is dramatic, to say the least. As a metaphor for life-ending war and misunderstanding our enemies, among other things, there’s great value in these tales. There’s also a bit of age visible like an ape agreeing that hitting his wife was the right choice, but maybe that’s more of a knock on Dr. Zaus than anything else.
Reading Planet of the Apes Adventures: Epic Collection is like going into a time capsule and experiencing the Planet of the Apes uniquely, even for its time. The visuals are at times stunning, the story as compelling as the movies, and it’s an important part of the series’ history.
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