Adventures on the Planet of the Apes – A Marvel Sci-Fi Rarity!

Relive the thrilling dystopian saga of Planet of the Apes like never before with Adventures on the Planet of the Apes, Marvel Comics’ rare, full-color adaptation of the legendary sci-fi films! Running from 1975 to 1976, this 11-issue series reprinted the official movie adaptations of Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes, originally featured in Marvel’s Planet of the Apes Magazine. To appeal to comic book fans reluctant to spend $1 on the black-and-white magazine, Marvel repackaged these iconic stories in a traditional 32-page format for just 25 cents, complete with vibrant four-color artwork retouched by George Roussos and brand-new, striking cover illustrations.

Adventures on the Planet of the Apes – Marvel’s 1975 Color Reprints

Adventures on the Planet of the Apes was a color comic book series published by Marvel Comics from October 1975 to December 1976, comprising 11 issues. This series offered colorized reprints of the movie adaptations originally featured in Marvel’s Planet of the Apes Magazine, which had been published in black-and-white. The decision to reprint these stories in color aimed to make them more accessible and appealing to a broader audience.

Content and Structure:

• Movie Adaptations: The series adapted the first two Planet of the Apes films:

  • Planet of the Apes (1968) – Issues #1–6

  • Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) – Issues #7–11

• Artistic Contributions: The series featured artwork from notable artists, including Mike Ploog, George Tuska, Gil Kane, and Rich Buckler, among others.

Significance:

While Adventures on the Planet of the Apes provided a colorized version of the original black-and-white stories, it did not achieve the same level of success as its predecessor. The series was discontinued after 11 issues due to poor sales.

Collectibility:

For collectors, the series represents a unique attempt to reintroduce classic Planet of the Apes stories in color. Issues from this series are considered valuable, especially in higher grades, due to their limited print run and the nostalgia they evoke for fans of the franchise.

Adventures on the Planet of the Apes stands as a notable part of the Planet of the Apes comic book history, offering a colorized experience of the original movie adaptations and contributing to the broader legacy of the franchise in comic form.

Despite its short-lived run, Adventures on the Planet of the Apes remains a must-have for Apes enthusiasts and collectors, offering a unique take on the franchise’s powerful storytelling and unforgettable visuals. Now, you can experience this hard-to-find classic in its full digital archive, with free tools and readers for CBR, CBZ, and PDF files, so you can enjoy Adventures on the Planet of the Apes anywhere, on any device. Ape shall never kill ape—but true fans will never let this series be forgotten!