The Creators – Ryan Ferrier – Writer, Carlos Magno – Artist, Alex Guimarães – Colours, Ed Dukeshire – Letters

The Players – Doctor Zaius, Ursus, Cornelius, Zira, Kong

The Story – Soon after the events of the first Planet of the Apes film and not long after Taylor has left them, the apes and their community are in turmoil as their ideals and beliefs have been challenged. Adding a new wrinkle to the current commotion is the body of a Kong washing up on shore, something Doctor Zaius thinks he can use to his advantage.

The Take – As far as crossovers go, bringing the Kong mythos and the Planet of the Apes franchise together was a no-brainer and a stroke of genius. Making it happen is Ryan Ferrier and artist-extraordinaire Carlos Magno and it reads very much like the feature films they are based on. Perfectly capturing the hostility of Ursus, Zaius’ conniving, Cornelius and Zira’s worries and the general atmosphere of the apes is Ferrier who understands the properties he has taken on and the personalities of its characters. The story is an intriguing one, especially as it does not miss a beat in the slightest, carrying forward the plot from the original movie that finds unrest in the community – courtesy of Cornelius and Zira and their dealings with humans. While their fates hang in the balance, the body that washes up – that of a Kong, provides them a chance at redemption, at least if things turn out for the better. Ferrier sends the group – consisting of Cornelius, Zira, Ursus and Zaius, beyond the Forbidden Zone to discover if there is an origin story for the apes, something that will unite them once again before civil war takes over. From beginning to end, Ferrier takes the reader on a journey and he packs it full of political intrigue and an equal share of action, the reader hating Zaius as they should, but rooting for the party to succeed in whatever they intend to do once they reach their end-goal. Illustrating it all is Magno who is no stranger to either franchise and if there is one thing that can be said, it is that the man’s artwork has only gotten stronger over time. It is just as detailed and just as thrilling, but perhaps even cleaner on the page than previously seen before and it is hard not to become enamoured of it, lingering over the pages like they were paintings in a gallery. If wondering how the two properties would come together, if or ever, wonder no more as one could not ask for anything better.

Worth It? – Yes