Planet of the Apes [comic]
Entry updated 19 February 2024. Tagged: Comics, Publication.
US letter-size saddle-stapled Comics-format magazine printed on newsprint. Published by Marvel Comics under their Curtis Magazines subsidiary imprint. Editor: Roy Thomas. 29 monthly issues, 1974 to 1977.
Licensed to Marvel Comics in 1974, this Tie may have been the company's most successful black-and-white comics-format SF Magazine of the 1970s. Adapting Planet of the Apes (1968) in issues #1-#6, the monthly continued with all five of the original series films: plus original stories set in the same universe. The storyline of Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) was serialized in issues #7-#11, Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) in #12-#16, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) in #17-#21 and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) in #23-#28; #29 consisted entirely of original material. The new stories were scripted by comics author Doug Moench (1948- ), with input from Gerard F Conway and others. Additional features included Interviews with cast members from the films and the 1974 live-action Television series. One spinoff was a standard-format colour comic, Adventures on the Planet of the Apes, which ran for eleven issues 1974-1975, reprinting the first two film adaptions.
Though popular, the magazine was cancelled suddenly in 1977 – with various original storylines left unresolved – when 20th Century Fox demanded a substantial increase in the licence fee. The title is regarded as collectible, thanks largely to the often glowing cover artwork by such artists as Ken Barr, Bob Larkin, Earl Norem (1924-2015) and Malcolm McNeill. Interior artists included Mike Ploog and Tom Sutton (1937-2002). The adaptions of the first three films, plus one original Moench story, were eventually reprinted in Graphic Novel format by Malibu Graphics, 1990-1991. [GSt/DRL]
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