The apes rule the world, long live the apes! Discover stories from the continuity of both the original Planet of the Apes movies, as well as the new reboots in this collection Planet of the Apes: The Time of Man, a one-shot out from BOOM Studios.

PLANET OF THE APES: THE TIME OF MAN #1 REVIEW

Writer: Dan Abnett, David Walker, Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Art: Carlos Magno, George Schall, Morgan Beem
Cover: Faye Dalton
Publisher:  BOOM! Studios
Release Date: October 31st, 2018
Cover Price:  $7.99

Previously in POTA: THE TIME OF MAN: Based on the 1963 novel by French author Pierre Boulle entitled La Planète des singes, the Planet of the Apes is a film franchise which consists of nine films, two television series, three video games, and multiple comics from a variety of publishers. BOOM! Studios currently publishes stories in both the original continuity as well as the reboot continuity, and have even adapted the original book to comic form.

GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME…

In the 1970’s, decades before the simian revolution, a pair of travelers named Zira and Cornelius entrusted their newborn child to the only man who could have kept his unique nature hidden. “Armando’s Tale” by David F. Walker (Power Man and Iron Fist, Superb) and George Schall (The Legend of Luther Strode, Inkshot) tells the story of what happened after it was reported that the talking apes had been killed by authorities, and of what trial the man known as Armando took to keep his adopted son save from a world which would wish to kill him.

In “Man’s Best Friend”, a rising star lawyer brings home a pet to his wife and children, and learns what a benefit owning a young human could bring to an orangutan home. The story of Lucien’s pet, a human they call Bolo, is brought to us by Dan Abnett (2000 AD, Aquaman) and Carlos Magno (Planet of the Apes, Deathmatch), and shows that there is less difference between ourselves and the talking ape than we may think.

Finally, Phillip Kennedy Johnson (The Power of the Dark Crystal, Smoketown) and Morgan Beem (The Family Trade, Horizon Anthology) bring “Mountain”, a story of surviving set in the continuity of the recent movies. A small enclave of humans tries to carve out a meager existence in the mountains far away from the dangers of the world. When they discover an ape in their midst, conflict rages over the best way to handle its presence, causing secrets to be revealed and natures to be challenged.

UNTOLD TALES FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES

Although they have been licensed by a multitude of publishers, BOOM! Studios seems to be the publisher who is willing to step out of the shadow of not only the original series but the reboot continuity and to create stories that expand on the original concepts which were displayed to the movie-going audiences. Besides having published books in both continuities, they introduced the original novel to a whole new generation with their adaptation. The stories contained herein may not break a ton of new ground, but they give you different views to look at a diverse timeline.

When I read “Armando’s Tale” I could hear the voice of Ricardo Montalban in the words of Armando. The story of what happened to Caesar in those early days after his parent’s death, and the fate of his adopted father, have never been fully explored. This tale give s you a peek into what Armando was feeling as he struggled with the fear of exposure, balanced against the desire to do right by his son. As a fan of the original series, this feels almost as if it could have been shot and made into a short film to accompany Escape from the Planet of the Apes. It is a wonderful story of a father’s love for his son and his fear of what may happen to his child when he is gone. David F. Walker enthralled me with his writing, and George Schall brought Armando to life on the page without going the photo-realistic route.

“Man’s Best Friend” was one of those stories that seems to go one place, then surprises you by being just what it is. I kept expecting a twist in the story, a swerve to go off in a particular direction, and was pleasantly surprised when it did not, instead going another way. Abnett is a masterful storyteller and he takes a simple tale and enthralls you with it. I do find it funny that Carlos Magno managed to bring back a childhood memory in his depiction of the apes, as I remembered thinking that they all, besides the main ape characters, seemed so angry looking all the time!

“Mountain” was the tale I had the least connection with, as it is solidly set in the continuity of the new movies. That did not matter, as the characters give you all the knowledge you need as the story unfolds. Phillip Kennedy Johnson weaves that movie continuity into this story to make something special, and I cannot say enough about Morgan Beem and her artwork. I am a fan of watercolor work and the like, and she added a beauty to this story which solidly sold me on it.

BOTTOM LINE: A GOOD SERIES OF VIGNETTES THAT EXPAND ON AN ALREADY RICH STORY

Planet of the Apes aficionados, of both the original series and the latest movies, will want to pick this title up. It gives three unexpected stories set in that universe and they all three take the reader to a different place. It is good work, and I could definably deal with getting more like it on the shelves.

PLANET OF THE APES: THE TIME OF MAN, is not groundbreaking and does not change the landscape of the current or past PotA universes, but instead add a richness to them that sometimes seems lacking in the effort to capitalize on the latest blockbuster.