Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Planet Of The Apes #5
Boom! Studios
Gregory & Magno
The second arc begins, seamlessly, where the first arc of Planet of the Apes left off. This issue starts off with some acts of war peppered here and there but the issue ends in a shocking way as the apes show their way of dealing with the humans. It’s a very good issue and when you factor in that the first arc’s trade is available the same day as this issue and that this issue is only a buck, you’d be hard pressed to not give this issue a shot.
This issue begins with an excellent sequence where the human character, Wyn, infiltrates the ape’s infrastructure and ends up getting caught. The beauty of these pages is that the narration unwinds the weaknesses of the apes and walks through how the humans plan to fight the apes and win. The narrative hits a snag not only because Wyn gets captured but also because having seen the films you ultimately know who wins. However, the sequence is very convincing that the humans can and will win the war.
The issue then begins to run parallel stories as both camps plot out their next moves. Sullivan (the human) is still trying to protect her people from capture and find a way to let diplomacy resume and win out. While Sullivan tries to keep order, many of the humans in her camp are getting impatient and are moving towards extreme measures. The apes, meanwhile, led by Voice Alaya, continue to find ways to move troops into positions to control the humans. By the end of the issue we learn that Voice Alaya has another option to deal with the humans while not losing the labor that they provide.
The issue is very good and builds up the drama very well. Each issue has a level of escalation that the previous issue didn’t quite reach making the series very engaging. The aspect of this issue that is unforgettable is how extreme the humans are willing to be just to get their point across to the apes. It’s really difficult to connect the dots to see how the humans end up losing this war which also makes this series very intriguing.
The artwork is superb. There are two parts to the book that really stand. First, the aforementioned opening pages when Wyn gets behind enemy lines. The art really presents a dramatic and suspenseful scene while mapping out how the apes have their area spread out. Secondly, the sacrifice by the group of humans and the lead up is particularly chilling and this is definitely a credit to the artwork. Overall, the visuals play this story up perfectly.
This is a very good series and this issue continues the war build-up. The issue may not be the most reader friendly issue (which is why you can purchase the first trade on the same day) which would have made this issue a complete no-brainer. However, it’s hard to argue the price point of a buck coupled with the high entertainment value of the book’s contents. No matter how you look at this I definitely recommend this book.
4 out of 5 Geek Goggles
