Most, if not all, of us, have seen the original feature film version of "Planet of The Apes", loosely based on Pierre Boulle's novel, which was adapted for the screen by no less than Rod Serling.
Since acquiring a new license for the franchise, Marvel, through its 20th Century Studios imprint, has already released a successful miniseries, set closer to the more recent films. This time, though, it's time to go back to the beginning, or, actually, prior to it. Beware The Planet of The Apes is not only a prequel, but an old school love letter to Marvel's first go-round with the franchise in the 70's. By this, I mean, they've gone back to the all-caps lettering of those halcyon days. Artist Alvaro Lopez also applies a more old school approach to his work, interpreting the script of veteran comics & TV writer-producer Marc Guggenheim. If you ever wanted to have an idea of just what led those astronauts to find the Apeworld in the first place, here you are.
Rating: A+.
When Archie Comics revived the Mighty Crusaders in the 80's, they gave the team more of a feminine touch with the sorceress known as Darkling, who was curiously absent from recent reboots of the Crusaders.
As writer Sarah Kuhn sees it in the 21st century, Darkling is being repackaged as a human college student named Darla Lang (she'd previously been from another dimension), whose cape is part of her everyday wardrobe (don't ask). To make a long story short, she has to help her fellow students against a few demons.
Better than recent 1-offs that, unlike Darkling, were under the Archie Horror imprint (Darkling is not).
Rating: B+.
Mike W. Barr must've been a fan of the 80's series, Moonlighting. He had to use the series as one of his inspirations, along with the likes of Mr. & Mrs. North, Remington Steele, etc., to develop The Maze Agency back in the day, first for Comico, then Innovation.
Fast forward to December 2023. Jennifer Mays and her partner/boyfriend, Gabe Webb, are back in an all-new adventure from Scout Comics. What isn't clear is if this will be an ongoing series again, or a series of 1-offs. As a fan of the original series, I'm happy it's back, and as good as ever.
The plot here is a send-up not just of the "Scream" series of movies, but slasher films in general, and the Hollywood tropes & attitudes that go with it. Just go with the flow, kids, although Barr could've gotten a better artist, like, say for example, Adam Hughes or Alan Davis, though Silvano Beltrano does his best to honor the legacy. More please!!
Rating: A.
The current Titans series has spawned a spin-off miniseries, Beast World, with some attendant miniseries accompanying it. Long story short, Beast Boy morphs into Starro to stop an alien threat, with some major consequences (natch). You may never look at the Titans the same way again, and, predictably, DC has to include Amanda Waller, now their all purpose big bad, into the mix. Events like this have me reaching for some Listerine, because it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If you're not into the current series, avoid this like the plague.
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