The Sacred Scrolls

Book excerpt: Since the 1970s, the Planet of the Apes franchise has frequently delved into the world of comic books. Some stories have made the Lawgiver proud, while others have brought shame to Ape City. In the comics arena, not all apes are created equal - but for fans, that's half the fun of reading them. More than 150 POTA comics have been published during the past four decades, from Gold Key, Marvel Comics, Power Records, Brown Watson Books, Editorial Mo.Pa.Sa., Malibu Graphics, Dark Horse, Mr. Comics, and BOOM! Studios. Writers have explored the settings, concepts and characters from the films (and occasionally the TV series), while introducing an array of new characters and scenarios. Back stories have been revealed, plot holes filled in and histories extrapolated upon. The comics have employed multiple genres and styles, taking readers to distant villages, ruined cities and oceanic civilizations - and have even seen the apes battle alien invaders from War of the Worlds and Alien Nation. It's been quite the madhouse, to be sure. But by and large, the Apes comics have remained true to novelist Pierre Boulle's simian spirit. Sacred Scrolls: Comics on the Planet of the Apes will examine the entire history of POTA comic books, from Gold Key to BOOM! and everything in between. This anthology will feature insightful, analytical essays about the franchise's four-color continuation, from popular comic historians, novelists, bloggers and subject-matter experts. If you're eager to learn more about Apes lore, then you'll need to get your stinkin' paws on this volume.