Reviews

I put off reading this for a while because I was afraid I'd be disappointed. I was wrong. Its fascinating to see the differences and similarities between Serling's original script and the finished film.

mattpr_co's review

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5.0

I don't know the movie other than from Simpson's references. I can tell this veers from the movie's culturally entrenched beats, but Dana Could working with Rod Serling's script makes for a great alternate vision. Now I'll go find the movie.

lucha_kaiju's review

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5.0

This book is a masterpiece. The 'Behind the Planet of the Apes' documentary alluded to Rod Serling's involvement in adapting the Pierre Boulle novel into a film script. The original scripts were ultimately jettisoned and reworked to create something more commercially viable. Recently, a feature length discussion of those scripts shed much more light on them, and piqued my interest in the original scripts. A link to that audio, for reference, is http://thetwilightzonepodcast.com/rod-serlings-planet-of-the-apes/.

Dana Gould and Chad Lewis have provided a beautiful graphic adaptation of these, reworking both scripts into one hardback graphic novel. The ape city is dazzling, and the material much more thought provoking than the eventual original film. This medium allows for presentation and depth that could not have been presented on screen. Fans of the new Apes series, which deserves all the accolades it has received, will find much to love here. This is a masterpiece and deserves to be widely read and celebrated.

Bonus content is included at the conclusion of the story. These features present a glimpse into the 'making of' the book, adapting the stories, designing the character art, and crafting the world presented, an excellent bonus.

I find the crux of the story resonates perfectly on this day in 2018. In this climate of hate, sexism- racism, superstition, bigotry, and fear, the words: "Man preceded you then he died. Cause of death, suicide" are prescient.

rlgunt2001's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

4.0

As a fan of the Planet of the Apes films (the originals and the more recent), I found this graphic novel to be a wonderful read.

pestocks's review

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4.0

Fun quick read. Rod Serlings original script turned into a graphic novel. Much the same as the original movie except the apes have a modern city and the main characters name is changed. You also get the surprise ending which now makes sense knowing it came from Rod Serling.

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