For the sake of anyone who reads this, I will refrain from all Planet of the Apes, 2001: A Space Oddessey, and Curious George references.

That being said, this issue was chest-beating good! It was hokey in all the right places and came with a twist that I did not see coming. Halfway between a light-hearted, carefree romp and a weighty story, Marvel Apes #1 did not disapoint, mainly because I had no expectations.

The art is crisp and clear as Ramon Bachs proves to be an under-used penciler. Karl Kesel spins a great yarn with just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek ape jokes and over-the-top puns. Like it or not, it is just fun to see your favorite Marvel A-listers (or Speedball) as a monkey/ape/baboon.

More so than just being a great concept, Marvel Apes is a great first issue. It clearly tells the story, give you a good footing in the world it creates and then rips the rug out from under you and makes you want to come back for more.

It’s simply good times and “The Official History of the Marvel Apes Universe” back up story is clever and shows the good amount of humor that produced this book. I can’t wait for issue two!