Boom! Studios 2018
Written by David F. Walker
Illustrated by Chris Mooneyham
Coloured by Jason Wordie
Once upon a time villains were just foibles set in front of the hero to give him, or her, a chance to shine. We’ve gotten to a point where our villains are much more complicated and intense and the reasons and motivations they have for being who they are make take a different look at them. They don’t see themselves as villains and for the first time neither should we. This issue and the last one as well demonstrate that while Ursus is a beast of an Ape it’s not because he’s a nasty individual but there are outlying circumstances that have shaped who he has become and the fact that Ursus has embraced the man he is.
This issue we get to see the first time Ursus meets Zaius and start what would become this life long frenemy rivalry/adversarial relationship that they’ve enjoyed. We have seen over the years how the two fight and bicker and how Ursus publicly acknowledges Zaius’ rule but then secretly goes behind his back and has his own order given to Apes he trusts. At the same time Zaius knows he’s doing this and so the dance always seems to continue. That we can so clearly see this and now we get to see how it all began well it’s a real treat.
I really like what David is doing here and how he’s structured the story. How he manages to weave in and out of the past and present is extremely well done. Along with Chris’ distinction in how he depicts the past and present the two are perfect distinguishable from each other. What I like about them however is the fact that they match each other, in that I mean that what happens in the present is rooted in what happened in the past and we see both here. So that David is able to say he look here is why he acts this way so don’t judge him too harshly. Also the fact that it works speaks volumes in his ability not only as a storyteller but in his ability to use characterisation and plot development/advancement in ways that demonstrate everything is never what it may appear to be. Remember objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
I fell in love with the work Chris does on Five Ghosts and since then he hasn’t disappointed me in the slightest. The way he uses page layouts so that we see the angles and perspective in the panels showcases his solid eye for storytelling. His ability to convey emotion and feeling through his faces, facial expressions and body language are some of the finest in the business. While I want more backgrounds to be utilised here I’ll settle with the sheer attention to detail that Chris brings in the present. While the past is more dream like and appropriate the present is sharp and dynamic by contrast and what a wow factor it is.
I do like or appreciate the timing of this story, by that I mean where in the timeline this story takes place. I mean let’s face it the franchise should never been remade as the classic is where it’s all at and that this is in the original timeline is smart. Also that one human prisoner has the ability of speech well we all know what that means. I think that by using him in this manner is something that shows us a lot about this civilisation the Apes have built and how far Zaius is willing to go to keep things running as they always have.
Next Ursus wants to find more of these talking humans and wipe them out. Will he succeed or will he face men who aren’t afraid to fight back and have the knowledge to make weapons to do just that.