The all-new PREQUEL to the original simian sci-fi classic from 1968 continues.
We start with more than 3 pages of badly reprinted and horribly coloured vintage pages by Doug Moench, Alfredo Alcala and George Roussos.
Clairvoyant mutant Ivana wakes up from this Alcala dream, which is the future of Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970).
Ivana and Lyla telepathically feel that sniper Kennard is about to kill our heroes. Ivana stops him and recognizes Nova from her dream.
Cornelius approaches the ruins of the Yankee Stadium, last seen in 1975 in the UK exclusive ApeSlayer comic (a redrawn Killraven comic: Amazing Adventures #21 in Marvel UK's Planet of the Apes #30) and gets shot in the shoulder.
Ivana puts Zira to sleep. The mutants bring our three heroes to their colony, Hope's Point.
Ivana and Nova converse telepathically. We get even more vintage art by the late, great, Filipino artist Alfredo Alcala. Ivana asks about Mendez, the mutant leader living beneath the radioactive ruins of New York City. Naturally Nova doesn't know anything about her future.
Cornelius (now with fixed shoulder) and Zira learn that an advanced human settlement is thriving inside the Stadium, that a nuclear disaster occurred, that Lucius was taken by the Hominidae empire, a colony of Gorillas who keep Gibbons as slaves and that binoculars are a thing.
We finally get to see the Hominidae empire. Sergeant Audhild tells Colonel Jarl that Doctor Aund was unsuccessful with his interrogation of our favourite hippie chimpanzee Lucius.
What I did like:
A rare female gorilla soldier appears!
Art and colouring are both fine.
Fantastic covers by Javier Garrón + Morry J. Hollowell, Alan Quah and Taurin Clarke.
What I did not like:
We get excerpts from Adventures on the Planet of the Apes instead of getting multiple NEW PAGES OF ART from Álvaro López. Shame on you, Marvel!
No Kuato!? Open your mind!
I wanted to see the statue of the Lawgiver.
Needed more Minister Sabian, cigar-chomping Julius, General Ursus and Dr. Zaius. A lot more.
No smart aleck giant brains in jars aka The Inheritors. Very disappointing.
No letters page! Editors: Lindsey Cohick and Sarah Brunstad still can't be bothered.
No Easter eggs for long-time fans.
I give it a 4/10. Boring, slow and uninspired.
