Beware The Planet Of The Apes #4 - Marvel Comics

BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES No. 4, June 2024

Whilst Marc Guggenheim has publicly stated that “this [mini] series was a pleasure from start to finish”, it’s probably a bit doubtful that all that many of the title’s readers took much delight out of the American author’s twenty-page long storyline themselves. For despite depicting a somewhat action-packed clash between the newly conceived Hominidae Empire and its neighbouring human mutant colony, Hope’s Point, Issue Four of “Beware The Planet Of The Apes” relies upon far too many manufactured moments to arguably prove even slightly convincing a comic.

In fact, whether it be Cornelius miraculously finding an entire army of never-before-seen Gibbon slave workers, and convincing them to join in the fray so as to unsurprisingly turn the tide of battle against the antagonistic Gorillas. Or Ivana, mentally taking control of the entire population of great apes in order to calmly walk the mighty civilization straight into captivity, the book’s narrative debatably lurches almost unashamedly from one contrivance directly into another; “But then the guards left to join the battle.”

However, perhaps this publication’s most disappointing scene comes towards its end in the desperate conflict’s aftermath, when the television producer realises that all the knowledge acquired by Doctor Zira and her chimpanzee fiancé will make a complete mockery of Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 movie, if the pair, along with nephew Lucius, don’t conveniently have their memories of their adventures in the Forbidden Zone completely wiped. To be perfectly honest, ever since it was established that the human’s leader was capable of such a feat it was clear just such a ploy would be played. Yet even here Guggenheim appears incapable of leaving the original film entirely alone by first claiming that his mind-manipulating character is behind the veterinarian’s willingness to later help astronaut Colonel Taylor, and that Doctor Zaius actually witnesses the Icarus entering the Earth’s atmosphere.

Similarly as unconvincing as this periodical’s plot is sadly Alvaro Lopez’s layouts. The Vitoria-Gasteiz born artist is a proficient enough penciller. But so many of his panels lack any sort of background whatsoever, which makes many a sketched figure, especially the Hominidae Empire gorillas, appear rather awkward-looking and unrealistic. Having said that though, the Spanish illustrator does quite wonderfully capture the essence of late great actor Roddy McDowall when he draws Cornelius rallying the aforementioned Gibbons to his cause.

The regular cover art of "BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES" #4 by Taurin Clarke

Beware The Planet Of The Apes #3 - Marvel Comics

BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES No. 3, May 2024

Desperately trying to depict the shock of Cornelius and Zira discovering they are no longer “alone in this world [as] the only sentient creatures left”, Marc Guggenheim’s penmanship for Issue Three of “Beware The Planet Of The Apes” disappointingly falls frustratingly flat on account of the Long Island-born novelist employing a number of contrivances to keep his story moving. Indeed, the entire twenty-page periodical’s central plot appears to incorporate so many manufactured moments, not least of which is Nova mentally wandering down the Yellow Brick Road of Oz, that many a bibliophile will be scratching their heads in wonderment as to just how this prequel's final instalment will neatly tie in with astronaut George Taylor’s imminent arrival.

One such unsatisfactory set-up is surely Zira’s ability to convince the leader of Hope’s Point that the Hominidae Empire will launch an attack against the mutant human settlement at some point in the future - so their best course of action is to actually attack the gorilla-only civilisation first. This sedentary, dialogue-driven discussion is soon unsurprisingly revealed to have simply been a blatant lie by the chimpanzee psychologist so as to bring much-needed aid to her imprisoned nephew. However, considering that Mistress Ivana can and does read the veterinarian’s mind, it seems rather unbelievable that she didn’t sense the ruse; “I think you’ll say anything to save Lucius.”

Even more bizarrely based though has to be the American author’s belief that his readers will accept a single person can mentally prevent an entire metropolis from seeing a large(ish) mounted army riding straight into the centre of their settlement. Lyla’s mind power is clearly potent. But considering the woman is later shown to be unable to shield just Cornelius from a beating before being butchered herself, it’s difficult to imagine how she is able to control so many minds – unless perhaps Guggenheim considers her to implausibly wield psionic abilities similar to that of the X-Men’s Jean Grey..?

Perhaps this publication’s most significant shortcoming though, can be seen in Ivana’s highly dubious plan of attack. Despite the plot clearly suggesting she has a sizeable force at her back, humanity is still clearly heavily outnumbered by the well-armoured gorilla soldiers. So just why the mind-reader believes chopping down a few apes with axes will defeat them debatably makes little to no sense; especially when the side-scheme to free Lucius consists of her just sending his unarmed relatives frantically searching the huge hostile community for him.

The regular cover art of "BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES" #3 by Taurin Clarke

Beware The Planet Of The Apes #2 - Marvel Comics

BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES No. 2, April 2024

Introducing both a new mutant human settlement which inhabits “the ruins of the old Yankee Stadium”, as well as an enormous gorilla-only civilisation in the Forbidden Zone, Marc Guggenheim’s narrative for Issue Two of “Beware The Planet Of The Apes” probably perplexed those readers who were eagerly anticipating the American author returning them to the science-fiction franchise’s earliest days. True, these “never-before-seen dangers” definitely provide the twenty-page periodical with plenty of mystery. But arguably many a bibliophile will still wonder just why scientists Cornelius and Zira, or even “their human guide Nova”, never mention such evident threats when they later encounter astronaut George Taylor in Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 original movie.

Indeed, whilst the Long Island-born television producer at least attempts to tie Mistress Ivana’s gun-toting tribe of telepathic survivors in with Mendez XXVI’s silver screen worshippers of the Alpha-Omega Bomb, plenty within this comic’s audience will probably still feel that the writer’s storyline contains some frustratingly self-indulgent elements of fan fiction; “With our mutation comes certain… psychic abilities. Mine are more attuned than others. Sometimes, with the right stimulus… I can see ahead of things.”

Perhaps the biggest of these inconsistencies lies with Cornelius actually being shot by the facially-disfigured Kennard because the trigger-happy sharpshooter thought “the ape was charging”. This injury immediately fells the hapless chimpanzee archaeologist, and leads to Zira witnessing another human carry out surgery on her beloved’s wounded shoulder – knowledge which the veterinarian would surely carry with her when it later comes to Doctor Galen operating on Taylor later at the Animal Hospital. Furthermore, the sheer size of the Hominidae Empire apparently dwarves that of Ape City, so just how is its formidable presence kept from the likes of Doctor Zaius and the Ministry of Science in the near future..?

Just as bemusing as this publication’s penmanship though are debatably the book’s layouts, which feature a mish-mash of “excerpts from Adventures On The Planet Of The Apes” sketched by the late Alfredo Alcala, and panels drawn by modern-day artist Alvaro Lopez. Perhaps understandably, the two illustrators’ styles contrast with one another quite dramatically. However, due to the dialogue-heavy nature of the script a lot of the current contributor’s side-on illustrations arguably appear rather flat-looking and one-dimensional, especially when compared to the various ‘camera angles’ employed approximately fifty years ago.

The regular cover art of "BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES" #2 by Taurin Clarke

Beware The Planet Of The Apes #1 - Marvel Comics

BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES No. 1, March 2024

Whilst attempting to take “readers back to the ground-breaking original film saga” certainly appears to have been a dream job for writer Marc Guggenheim, who has “been entertained and intrigued by Planet of the Apes ever since I got a Mego Doctor Zaius doll as a birthday present”, it does arguably cause this four-part mini-series’ opening instalment to be rather dialogue driven. Indeed, apart from a brief flurry of activity at its very start when General Ursus launches a raid against Nova’s tribe, the thirty-page periodical doesn’t contain much in the way of adrenalin-fuelled action.

Happily however, that matters not a jot, as the Television Producer pens both a fascinating insight into the lives of Cornelius and Zira in the East Coast Ape City just before astronaut George Taylor’s spaceship catastrophically crash-lands in the Forbidden Zone, as well as an intriguing mystery concerning the disappearance of their young nephew Lucius. These ‘hooks’ do a nice job of allowing the audience to ‘bump into’ the likes of Doctor Zaius and the aforementioned ape military commander, in addition to exploring the surrounding countryside for archaeological artefacts – such as a Twentieth Century underground sanitation outflow system.

In fact, debatably one of the highlights of this publication is how the American author introduces various remnants of our current civilisation into novelist Pierre Boulle’s post-apocalyptic world. Much of this groundwork is probably established with a stunning double-splash map of the Earth as the science-fiction franchise’s fans know it. Yet this story soon begins to add to it as well, courtesy of New York City’s (luckily) empty drainage tunnels and a glimpse at the derelict, Bronx-based Yankee Stadium.

Equally as enticing though is the inclusion of Doug Moench, George Tuska, and Alfredo Alcala’s original artwork on the Seventies “Marvel Comics” title “Adventures On The Planet Of The Apes”. These classic layouts do admittedly jar somewhat in style with the much more detailed panels of artists Alvaro Lopez and Alex Guimaraes. But the ‘flashbacks into the future’ also help pull any perusing bibliophile right back to the source of Guggenheim’s latest escapade, and serve as a welcome reminder as to just what lies around the corner for all this comic’s considerable cast members; “Yeah,,, Me Tarzan, you Jane.”

The regular cover art of "BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES" #1 by Taurin Clarke