Marvel Apes is a four-issue limited series by comics publisher Marvel Comics which started publication in October 2008. The series is written by Karl Kesel with art by Ramon Bachs and covers by John Watson.
The Marvel Apes reality is designated as Earth-8101.
Premise
Marvel Apes was first suggested as a successor to Marvel Zombies by artist and fan Mark Walsh during a convention Q&A session with Joe Quesada. As with Marvel Zombies before it, Marvel Apes takes place in an alternate universe, in this case a simian-dominated counterpart to Earth-616 that hosts anthropoid versions of popular Marvel Superheroes.
As with the introduction of Marvel Zombies> in the pages of Ultimate Fantastic Four, the Marvel Apes universe is visited by an existing Marvel character, in this case Martin Blank a.k.a. Gibbon. He is accompanied by a female scientist named Fiona Fitzhugh in what has been described by Kesel as a "Lord of the Rings-style sprawling epic".
Plot
The Gibbon, apparently restored to his simian appearance with the related abilities, is left with his personal life in shambles. His attempts to side with the heroes are frustrated by his ineptitude, and even Princess Python, previously a caring and deeply devoted wife, is now fed up with the meek loser that Gibbon has become. Out of boredom and depression, he replies to an ad posted in the Daily Bugle by Fiona Fitzhugh, a spunky and cheery young scientist hoping to study the nature of super-powered individuals. Upon hearing that Gibbon had his powers since birth, as opposed to the majority of mutants who gain their first mutation during puberty, and analyzing his aura, she supposes that Gibbon may hail from another reality in the Multiverse. Attempting to contact such a reality, she's sucked into a portal along with Gibbon, and both of them end in a world populated by simian versions of the Marvel Heroes.
There, Gibbon manages to help Spider-Monkey and the Ape-Vengers, simian versions of the Avengers, into subduing Doc Ooktavius, and he's inducted into the Ape-Vengers, while Fiona is sent to ask for Reed Richards' help.
While Fiona tells the simian version of the Fantastic Four about Earth-616, she discovers that in the Marvel Apes reality the cosmic storm that gave the Fantastic Four their powers also gave a human appearance to Susan Storm. Gibbon is acquainted with the roster of the Ape-Vengers, a formation composed of a large roster of heroes and reformed villains, in which Captain America himself offers Gibbon a spot on the team. After witnessing the brutal lynching of Doctor Ooktapus upon refusing to reform, Gibbon discovers how savage and bestial the Ape-Vengers really are.
Pursued by Captain America, the Gibbon finally discovers the truth: Captain America is really the simian counterpart of the vampire Baron Blood, who in this reality was able, by sampling Captain America's blood in the forties, to take over his appearance and powers, subsequently using the brutal lynchings by the Ape-Vengers as a means to feed. With the help of a cadre of dissident heroes, the Gibbon finds the real Captain America, still frozen in ice, and thaws him to lead the last free heroes against their vampiric foe.
Characters
Heroes
- Ape-X - A small monkey that becomes a large gorilla upon donning a magic Mexican wrestling mask.
- Ape-Vengers - This reality's version of the Avengers.
- Captain America - A gorilla version of Captain America. He was actually Baron Blood in disguise. Gibbon managed to free the real one who helps to fight Baron Blood.
- Boomerangutan - An orangutan version of Boomerang.
- Gro-Rilla - A gorilla version of Hank Pym.
- Hawkape - A primate version of Hawkeye.
- Iron Mandrill - A mandrill version of Iron Man.
- Juggermonk - A monkey version of Juggernaut.
- Monkey-C -
- Ms. Marvape - An ape version of Ms. Marvel.
- Magneto - A primate version of Magneto.
- Quicksilver - A monkey version of Quicksilver.
- Sandmonk - A monkey version of Sandman.
- Scarlet Witch - A primate version of Scarlet Witch.
- Shang-Chimp - A chimpanzee version of Shang-Chi.
- Speedball - A chimpanzee version of Speedball.
- Spider-Monkey - A spider monkey version of Spider-Man.
- Thorangutan - An orangutan version of Thor.
- Vision - A primate version of Vision.
- Wasp - A primate version of Wasp.
- Wonder Monk - A primate version of Wonder Man.
- Beyonder - A chimpanzee version of Beyonder.
- Black Wido-rangutan - An orangutan version of Black Widow.
- Cleook - A primate version of Clea.
- Dagger - A primate version of Dagger.
- Daregorilla - A gorilla version of Daredevil.
- Doctor Druid - A primate version of Doctor Druid.
- Doctor Strange - A gorilla version of Doctor Strange.
- Elektra - A primate version of Elektra.
- Eternals - This reality's version of the Eternals.
- Thena - A monkey version of Thena.
- Fantastic Four - This reality's version of the Fantastic Four.
- Mister Fantastic - A baboon version of Mister Fantastic.
- Invisible Simian - Unlike the rest of the Fantastic Four, Invisible Simian not only gained her powers the same way, it also caused her to resemble a human.
- Simian Torch - A primate version of Human Torch.
- Thing - A gorilla version of Thing.
- Ghost Rider - A gorilla version of Ghost Rider.
- Hulk - A gorilla version of Hulk.
- Insimians - This reality's version of the Inhumans.
- Black Bolt - A primate version of Black Bolt who is the King of the Insimians.
- Medusa - A primate version of Medusa who is the Queen of the Insimians.
- Gorgon - A primate version of Gorgon.
- Karnak - A primate version of Karnak.
- Triton - A primate version of Triton.
- Iron Fist - A monkey version of Iron Fist.
- MACH IV - A primate version of MACH IV.
- Power Simian - A gorilla version of Luke Cage.
- Punisher - A baboon version of Punisher.
- Silver Simian - A gorilla version of Silver Surfer.
- Wolfsbape - An ape version of Wolfsbane.
- X-Apes - This reality's version of the X-Men.
- Professor X - An ape version of Professor X.
- Angel - A primate version of Angel.
- Beast - A primate version of Beast.
- Cannonball - A primate version of Cannonball.
- Colossus - A gorilla version of Colossus.
- Cyclops - A primate version of Cyclops.
- Icemonk - A primate version of Iceman.
- Marvel Chimp - A chimpanzee version of Jean Grey.
- Nightcrawler - A primate version of Nightcrawler.
- Rogue - A primate version of Rogue.
- Shadowcat - A primate version of Shadowcat.
- Warlock - A primate version of Warlock.
- Wolverine - A primate version of Wolverine.
Villains
- Baron Blood - In this reality, Baron Blood retains his appearance and posed as Captain America while sampling his blood.
- Baron Heinrich Zemook - A primate version of Baron Heinrich Zemo.
- Doctor Doom - A primate version of Doctor Doom.
- Doctor Ooktapus - An orangutan version of Doctor Octopus.
- Enchantress - An orangutan version of Enchantress.
- Invaders - This reality's version of the Invaders were infected by Baron Blood and turned into vampires.
- Winter Soldier - A primate version of the Winter Soldier.
- Namor - A primate version of Namor.
- Red Raven - A monkey version of Red Raven.
- Toro - A primate version of Toro.
- Lizard - The Marvel Apes version of Lizard.
- L-ook-i - A primate version of Loki.
- Master Brotherhood of Evil Apes - A group of primate villains. The name is a combination of the Masters of Evil and the Brotherhood of Mutants.
- Absorbing Mandrill - A mandrill version of Absorbing Man.
- Batrook - A primate version of Batroc the Leaper.
- Shang Chi-Chi - A chimpanzee version of Shang-Chi.
- Tigorilla - A gorilla version of Tiger Shark.
- Titanape - An ape version of Titania.
- Wrencher - A wrench-wielding gorilla version of Wrecker.
- Mole Monk - A monkey version of Mole Man.
- Ooktron - A robot monkey version of Ultron.
Other characters
- Aunt May - A monkey version of Aunt May Parker.
- Edwin Jarvis - A chimpanzee version of Edwin Jarvis who is Iron Mandrill's butler.
- F-ool-killer - A primate version of Foolkiller.
- Uatu - A gorilla version of Uatu the Watcher.
- Uncle Ben - A monkey version of Uncle Ben Parker.
Sequel
A sequel to the above, which pits Earth 2149's Marvel Zombies against their alternate metasimian equivalents, entitled Marvel Zombies: Evil Evolution has been released, as well as 4 other one-shot issues: Speed Ball Special, Amazing Spider-Monkey, Grunt Line, and Prime Eight.
See also
- JLApe: Gorilla Warfare!
- Spider-Ham
- Gorillas in comics
References
External links
- Monkey Business: Karl Kesel on Marvel Apes, Comics Bulletin, April 20, 2008
- Review of Marvel Apes #1, Comics Bulletin
