Bastty
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A New Chapter in the Franchise
Have you heard the news? The iconic sci-fi franchise Planet of the Apes is making a comeback in the world of comics, and it's returning to where it all began - Marvel Comics!With multiple comic book series, collections, and reprints of previous comics in the works, fans of the franchise have much to look forward to in the upcoming year. The first project in this new line of comics is a collection of the 1970s comic book adaptation of the first two films, which will be available in March 2023.
At its core, Planet of the Apes is a story about the downfall of human society and the rise of evolved apes in a near-future sci-fi world. The franchise began with the 1963 novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle and the subsequent 1968 film adaptation starring Charlton Heston. The film was a critical and commercial success, spawning an entire film franchise, a spin-off cartoon, toys, and even comics.
While Akita Shoten was the first to create Planet of the Apes comics, Marvel Comics published a number of them in the mid-70s, adapting all of the films released at the time as well as publishing original material and magazines. The franchise was so popular that in the UK, Marvel adapted some of its Killraven comics into Planet of the Apes stories under the name 'Apeslayer.'
After BOOM! Studios held the Planet of the Apes comic book license from 2011 to 2019, it was recently announced that Marvel Comics would be taking on the franchise once again. As the license is owned by 20th Century Fox, and following Fox's acquisition by Walt Disney Studios, it's no surprise that deals such as these would be reconsidered given that both Planet of the Apes and Marvel Comics are now under the same Disney umbrella.
"We're thrilled to welcome Planet of the Apes back to the House of Ideas!" said Marvel Comics' editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski in the announcement. "The new saga in the pipeline is going explore the limits of what this beloved franchise has to offer through bold comics storytelling, and we look forward to setting foot on this new adventure!"
Marvel Comics has yet to announce any specific new comics for the franchise, but they have released a pin-up by long-time company artist Salvador Larroca. This strategy is similar to what they used previously when they acquired the comics publishing rights for Conan the Barbarian, Aliens, and Predator. It's possible that Marvel will focus on stories set in the original film series' continuity, as the pin-up depicts the Planet of the Apes franchise as it appeared in the original '60s film franchise.
The first announced project from this new Planet of the Apes line at Marvel Comics is a huge collection of '70s comics that adapted the first two movies. The Planet of the Apes Adventures: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus will collect Adventures on the Planet of the Apes #1 - #11, a 1975-1976 run by writer Doug Moench and artists George Tuska and Aldredo Alcala. This new collection - the first time it's ever been collected - will hit stands in March 2023.
As a fan of the Planet of the Apes franchise, I'm excited to see what Marvel Comics has in store for this beloved sci-fi world. With the promise of new comics and collections, it's clear that the franchise still has much to offer audiences, and I can't wait to see how Marvel Comics brings it to life on the page.
