The war between Humans and apes has smashed into theaters, but what happened just before that?
Creative Staff:
Writer: David F. Walker
Art: Jonas Scharf
Color: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
What They Say:
San Francisco lies in ruin, as the war for survival between man and ape rests on the shoulders of one solitary soul. Prequel to the upcoming Fox film!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
War for the Planet of the Apes has roared into theaters, giving viewers large battles between Ape and Man, but how did things get there? That’s the question and the concept behind Boom Studios comic. As we start, San Francisco is already in shambles, The apes having complete dominance of the area. The comic does great in setting up just how in control the primates are, with humans only moving in groups and roving gangs of apes attacking any they can find. The apes are preparing for battle, and they know war is coming. There are some apes who see things a bit differently. We do get the sense that not all apes believe violence and war are needed here.
The book presents both races and sides of the conflict very well. Humans aren’t portrayed totally innocent either, as we see when a group of apes begin making towards Atlanta after finding an ad asking for apes to test on. The war hasn’t yet begun in earnest, but when Caesar gets notified the army is nearby, thing will soon escalate. The concept of showing how the war gets started in on full blast here, and we really get a sense of escalation. This is helped by the scenes of ape gangs going after any humans they come across and the state they’ve left San Francisco in.
In Summary:
Prequel comics can be something of a mixed bag. They can either add to the overall story or make things worse. This comic seems to add to the story, fleshing out just how we started heading towards this war. The atmosphere is constantly tense. Humans can never tell when they’ll run into the apes. The apes have started their ascent in earnest, though that fighting between Koba and Caesar may be a setback. The dialogue serves only to help the atmosphere of the book, showing us desperate humans and both more and less violent apes. The orangutan in the issue shows a stark contrast to the more warlike apes. He wants nonviolent means and looking out for the wounded.
It’s interesting to see things begin to move towards war so quickly, but Caesar may see a threat others don’t. The big question this leaves us with is: Who will strike first? Will humans be the aggressors or will apes initiate the conflict? The writing and art are great, both lending themselves to the story well. The acts of attrition and the emotions displayed here are shown off well, and it feels like there really are stakes here. The characters feel like real people, and that can be a hard thing to portray. I’d recommend picking this up if you see it, it’s worth the money, especially if you’re a fan of the property. It’s just an opening shot, but it makes promises for what’s to come very well.
Grade: B
Age Rating: N/A
Released By: Boom! Studios
Release Date: July 12, 2017
MSRP: $3.99
