Planet of the Apes #1: A Pandemic of Ape-Like Proportions

Marvel made a brilliant decision when having this series open with an all too real depiction of worldwide hysteria following a disease outbreak. It’s clear that David F Walker and their editorial saw the ties between the ALZ-113 Simian Flu and the Covid-19 pandemic, with the timeless tale of Planet of The Apes now feeling somewhat realistic in the global zeitgeist. This origin story for this world isn’t anything new, having been used in all of the film adaptations thus far. Yet, the familiar impact here gives it a new context, creating a relatability that will make this story resonate better than ever.

The Exercitus Viri are the villains here, a quasi-extremist political group that has fallen for the lies surrounding the origin of the Simian Flu. Another similarity to the Covid -19 pandemic is that this group blames the Apes for the virus even though they were not at fault. The social commentary here is poignant and visceral, with Exercitus Viri’s genocidal attitude mirroring reality in a gross but accurate way. This issue even goes as far as showing this group mentions the World Health Organization by name, further comparing them to the Covid deniers. This is an excellent direction for this series, with this criminal group being more realistic than the mustache-twirling villains that many are used to in comic books. The realism within this book takes this classic story to a whole new level, hopefully allowing audiences new to this franchise to understand it on a deeper, personal level.

The issue concludes on an ominous note, with our protagonist attempting to calm a small group of apes that have given up on humanity, proclaiming that only apes can protect the apes. This is another connection to the real world, with Apes only being able to see the horrors of man. The Exercitus Viri only represent a tiny subsection of man, but their horrendous actions make it hard for the Apes to look at man in any other way. This is yet another example of the visceral realism that makes this issue feel so impactful.

Dave Wachter’s art here is beautiful. His art helps reflect the realism behind the narrative. The apes look lifelike, with authentic facial expressions that look just as good as the Planet of the Apes films that have come before. The anger within their faces and bodies comes off just as strongly as it does with humans, making them as relatable as the characters the narrative follows. The war and action pages are also drawn with a realistic style, highlighting the impact and horror the Apes feel while their race is being systematically destroyed. This kind of art is not often displayed in Marvel books, so seeing it here is a breath of fresh air. Wachter’s facial expressions sell this narrative in a subdued but poignant manner, with some characters exuding disgust without dialogue. This is just another example of how Wachter’s art serves the narrative in a concise and symbiotic way.

Bryan Valenza’s colors build on this realism, with the images coming to life in an authentic manner. Joe Caramagna is no stranger to the industry and clearly understands Wachter’s pencils’ power. His letters give the art room to breathe and fill the pages in a minimalist fashion, further highlighting the art’s ability to sell the story. Together, this art team goes the extra mile to sell a recycled narrative in a delightful yet horrific manner that will bring in new readers.