We're Going APE on the 50th Anniversary of the Planet of the Apes TV Series!

To Be More Accurate, Our "Brother" RetroBlog...
...Secret Sanctum of Captain Video, will be celebrating with a month-long look at never-reprinted British comics (there weren't any American comics) from the mid 1970s featuring the characters from the short-lived (only fourteen episodes) tv series starring Roddy McDowall, Ron Harper, James Naughton, and Mark Lenard!
The Saga Begins Friday, on the 50th Anniversary at
Secret Sanctum of Captain Video!

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Planet of the Apes

Omnibus 3

Reprinting the Prose Adaptations by Noted Sci-Fi Author George Alec Effinger of Eight TV Series Episodes

Originally-Published in Four Separate Volumes in 1974-75!

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Simian Reading Room: Before you see KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES...

...now in theatres...

......why not go back and read the original tale which inspired two different film series, a standalone film, and two TV series (live-action and animated)?

Note: none of the movie/TV series or the stand-alone film are continuity-linked to each other, but are considered part of an Apes multiverse much like the Marvel, DC, or Star Trek multiverses!

But the original five-film series and the current four-film series (including Kingdom) are internally-linked within their respective canons.)

Here it is in a graphic novel that most Americans have never seen...

Part 1

Part 2

Conclusion

Enjoy!

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Planet of the Apes

by Pierre Boulle

The novel (Monkey Planet) that the movie (and the graphic novel) were based upon!

There was never a prose novelization of the movie itself, though there have been several comic book/graphic novel versions!

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder MONKEY PLANET Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...

The diary of Ulysse Merou, journalist with an interstellar expedition from Earth, is found floating in space by other astronauts.

It recounts how the team landed on a planet in the Betelgeuse system discovering both primitive humans and a society of intelligent apes utilizing technology equal to late 20th Century Earth!

Captured by the simians, Merou manages to demonstrate his intelligence, becoming something of a curioisity and celebrity in Ape society...

Written and illustrated by Ernő Zórád, this 1981 Hungarian one-shot adaptation of the original French novel by Pierre Boule has never been officially-published in English.

But, thanks to the fine work of Kyriee (Scans), Swatura Od (translation) and Avoros (scripting), we're finally able to understand this tale in English.

In the 1966 first drafts (and pre-production) of the movie, the plan was to follow the book's premise closer...

 ...as seen in this 1966 promo reel with an early makeup test featuring Edward G Robinson as Zaius, James Brolin as Cornelius, and Linda Harrison (who played the mute Nova in the first two movies) as Zira!

The background music is John "Johnny" Williams' 1st season soundtrack from the Lost in Space TV series!
And, the makeup design from this test footage (slightly modified) was used on Lost in Space...

..."Fugitives in Space" (S3E20), shot around the same time as the revised makeup was being filmed for Planet of the Apes (1968)!
Talk about corporate (20th Century Fox) synergy!

Trivia: that's Michael Conrad (Sgt Phil "Let's be careful out there!" Esterhaus from Hill Street Blues) under the latex!

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Planet of the Apes

by Pierre Boulle

The novel (Monkey Planet) that the movie (and the graphic novel) were based upon!

There was never a novelization of the movie itself!

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder MONKEY PLANET Part 2

When Last We Left Our Stranded Protaganist...

Cover of 1st British hardcover edition

The diary of Ulysse Merou, journalist with an interstellar expedition from Earth, is found floating in space by other astronauts.

It recounts how the team landed on a planet in the Betelgeuse system discovering both primitive humans and a society of intelligent apes utilizing technology equal to late 20th Century Earth!

Captured by the simians, who don't realize he's not one of their primitive humans, Merou is taken to a major metropolis...

To be concluded...

...Next Wednesday!

Written and illustrated by Ernő Zórád, this 1981 Hungarian one-shot adaptation of the original French novel by Pierre Boule has never been officially-published in English.

But, thanks to the fine work of Kyriee (Scans), Swatura Od (translation) and Avoros (scripting), we're finally able to understand this tale in English.

Thanks, guys.

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Planet of the Apes

by Pierre Boulle

The novel (Monkey Planet) that the movie (and the graphic novel) were based upon!

There was never a novelization of the movie itself!

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder MONKEY PLANET Part 1

There have been numerous graphic adaptations of the Planet of the Apes movies...

...and even the short-lived tv series, as we've shown HERE, but there had never been a graphic novel version of the original novel, which is quite different from any of the live or animated adventures in English!

To Be Continued
...Next Wednesday!

Written and illustrated by Ernő Zórád, this 1981 Hungarian one-shot adaptation of the original French novel by Pierre Boule has never been officially-published in English.

But, thanks to the fine work of Kyriee (Scans), Swatura Od (translation) and Avoros (scripting), we're finally able to understand this tale in English.

Thanks, guys.

BTW, both the 1970s animated TV series and the 2001 remake utilized more elements from the book than the 1960s-70s films and TV series or the recent reboot movie series.

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Planet of the Apes

by Pierre Boulle

The novel (Monkey Planet) that the movie (and the graphic novel) were based upon!

There was never a novelization of the movie itself!

Apes vs Aliens...or is that Aliens vs Apes?

Apes vs humans is so 1970s!

Why did no one think of doing this sooner?

And why did no one think of putting it on t-shirts, mugs, and other goodies until now?

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

"Theatre THREE is Transformers? Not Theatre TWO? Damn dirty multiplexes!"

As you may have guessed, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opens today.
There's been a goodly amount of 'Net chat about how this variation of the concept works (and doesn't work), and if this reboot will do for Apes what the "soft reboot" (which deliberately made the new version an "alternate timeline" from the original) of Star Trek did for that equally-long running property.
(Actually, Trek is a couple of years older! "The Cage" was shot in 1964 as opposed to 1967 for the first Apes film. Oh, let my geek flag fly!)
Personally, I'm willing to see where it goes.

Before the Dawn...there was the Battle!

Looking over the trailers for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes...

...I was struck by how similar a lot of the concepts were to the classic series' final entry...

...so we're re-presenting the never-reprinted color comics adaptation of Battle of the Planet of the Apes at our brother RetroBlog, Secret Sanctum of Captain Video!

The ORIGINAL Planet of the Apes Tale...MONKEY PLANET by Pierre Boule

You've seen the seven films and both tv series...

...but did you ever read the book that started it all?

Here's the only graphic novel adaptation of the original story...

Part 1

Part 2

Conclusion

Read it before you see the movie this weekend!

Go Ape!

"Theatre THREE is 'Cowboys and Aliens'? Not Theatre TWO? Damn dirty multiplexes!"

As you may have guessed, Rise of the Planet of the Apes opens today.
There's been a goodly amount of 'Net chat about the changes wrought to the storylines of the film franchise, and if this reboot will do for Apes what the "soft reboot" (which deliberately made the new version an "alternate timeline" from the original) of Star Trek did for that equally-long running property.
(Actually, Trek is a couple of years older! "The Cage" was shot in 1964 as opposed to 1967 for the first Apes film. Oh, let my geek flag fly!)
Like the revamp of BattleStar Galactica, which made the Cylons our own creations rather than homicidal alien robots, the new Apes puts the blame for our downfall on human arrogance and greed, rather than time-traveling simians!
Personally, I'm willing to see where it goes.

YouTube Wednesday: Go APE!

The Apes return with a vengeance...

After a failed attempt in 2001 by Tim Burton to revive the franchise, a new take on the premise is due this summer.

Before that, the last attempt was a one-season animated tv series that hewed closer to the concepts of the original novel than any other version.

The live action tv series that preceded it was limited in being able to show adult themes or violent action by being a "family hour" show.
Yeah, it was dull!
So here's a clip from the Japanese tv movie Time of the Apes, also done in 1973, which was a helluva lot more fun! Condensed from the 26-episode tv series Saru no Gundan (Army of the Apes) which lasted longer then the actual Apes series (which was canceled after only 14 episodes).

We'll end this entry with the promo reel for the first (1968) Planet of the Apes, featuring great concept art and a primitive makeup test starring Edward G Robinson as Dr Zaius, James Brolin as Cornelius and Linda Harrison (Nova in Planet and Beneath) as Zira!

Fantastic Femmes--Estella Warren

Best-known as a swimsuit (Sports Illustrated) and lingere model (Victoria's Secret), former Olympic swimmer Estella Warren has demonstrated a natural acting talent as well as an ability for doing all but the most demanding stunts!

Genre appearances include...

Ghost Whisperer (Alexis Fogarty)

Law & Order / L&O: Special Victims Unit (April Troost)

Planet of the Apes [2001] (Daena)

Check out...
Estella Warren Info (FanSite)