Comic Review: Star Trek & Planet Of The Apes: The Primate Directive #1
This article is more than 2 years old
2014 was arguably The Year of the Crossover Event, with mash-ups happening all over the small screen with superheroes and animated comedies, as well as in the comic book world. And now we have the first issue of Star Trek/Planet of the Apes: The Primate Directive, the new series from the pop culture loving folks at IDW Publishing and BOOM! Studios. The best way that someone could describe this comic is “Planet of the Apes meets Star Trek…” and then just shrug and smile as if you’re the only one in the room.
But really, this is a Star Trek comic — a delightful one, mind you — that has some damned dirty apes right at the beginning and right at the end, in true Issue #1 fashion. That’s my only problem with this particular release, that it didn’t come out as either a double issue or that this story wasn’t told in graphic novel form. But considering my reasoning behind this is to get a lot more of this story, I guess I can’t fault it. I’m beamed up and whatnot.
For all the lack of Apes in this issue — their presence is the driving force for the story, written by David and Scott Tipton — the Enterprise crew is of the Nimoy-Shatner era, and the story couldn’t be more intriguing from a basic level. It’s discovered that the Klingons are messing with otherworldly things, and the thrust is finding out what’s happening. If we’re thinking of this as an episode of something, it’s just right. Because who doesn’t like watching discoveries happen, while danger and possible death are at stake?
Rachel Stott’s art and Charlie Kirchoff’s coloring are spot on. Everyone is recognizable, and the conflicts are exciting. Here’s a good idea of what it looks like, without getting too deep into the story.
I can’t wait to find out where this series is going, because it can only get more interesting. Which isn’t a knock on this, because the level of discovery happening here within the crew is spot-on, and many of the characters are given their due diligence. Especially Spock and Kirk. This is good space drama, and it definitely deserves a good made-for-web-series adaptation that puts good use to prosthetic masks and special effects and millions of dollars. I understand that this isn’t going to happen, but I’m perfectly fine having my wishes.
Find this first issue of the hopefully enormous Star Trek/Planet of the Apes saga at IDW Publishing or your local comic shop.
