Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Here’s where I get to go full-out fanboy.  Since I was a child, Planet of the Apes has been my favorite movie franchise.  Sure, the first of the Star Wars movies is okay, and I guess there’s something to be said for four or five of those Star Trek films, but Planet of the Apes will forever be where my beating SF heart lies.  Heck, I even like the Tim Burton one, and I’m not at ALL jealous that another writer at BOOM STUDIOS is creating a new POTA comic book.

Last night, I saw the trailer for the new movie, and I messed my pants…. I mean in a good way.

Oh, this movie can put its stinking paws ALL over me.

As readers of this blog may know, I edited, art-directed, and co-wrote a POTA miniseries called REVOLUTION ON THE PLANET OF THE APES in 2006 for Mr. Comics, chronicling the rise of the apes after the events of the 4th film of the original series, CONQUEST.

The cover art to Revolution #1, layout by your humble blogger - masterfully painted by Denis Rodier

I’ve read all the books and novelizations, I own every movie, every TV episode (live action and animated), a heck of a lot of the toys and collectibles, and I’ve even been made into a minor character from the franchise retroactively (see below, or go here).

But that trailer made me jump up and down like a giddy schoolboy.

I have too much work to do, but I’m sitting here playing it over and over, and clapping my hands every time.  Everything is just right.  Well, except for the fact that that robotic-wax-figure-Oscar-host James Franco was accidentally cast in it, but everything has to have at least one flaw, or it would offend the gods.

Is it wrong of me to be this happy?

Ty the Guy.  Busy grooming the nits out of my neighbor’s hair.

Here now, your POTA bonus moment, from Lexicon of the Planet of the Apes by Rich Handley: (Available from Hasslein Books)

Ty Templeton on the Planet of the Apes

I’ve got piles stuff on the drawing board to work on, and OH, so little time to play Art-Land this week  –  but I cannot let this moment go un-blogged!

I’ve been made into a character in the Planet of the Apes.

Look! It's like photoshop, only crappy!

I’ve been a Planet of the Apes fanatic since birth.  The first film I ever saw in a real theater was Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and the poster hung on my bedroom wall for my entire childhood – the first image I awoke to every morning:

Good morning, Ty. The world is filled with armed gorillas, and perhaps, a half-naked girlfriend.

After that, I could go deal with school.

I was lucky enough to work on an Apes comic a few years back –  writing/editing a six issue mini series called Revolution on the Planet of the Apes.

 

The original, unseen cover for Revolution #1, rejected because Fox didn't want a burning American flag anywhere near their properties and logos in 2007. Painted by Dennis Rodier.

As a result of my participation in Apes comic book, I got to know Rich Handley, our planet’s No.#1 expert on the Apes’ Planet, and Rich has recently written a delightful Apes book called:

Available from Hasslein Books (www.hassleinbooks.com)

It’s an exhaustive and very entertaining encyclopedia of EVERY character, location, institution, and scroll ever mentioned in a movie, comic, novel, or back of a toy box.  Apes fans must own it.

I was surprised to see a listing for Templeton on page 319, because the book only lists the fictional stuff, not the writers, actors, artists and such…

Apparently , Templeton is the name of the narrator of the ANSA Space Program promotional film included in the recent Blu-Ray versions of the original movie.  It’s a DVD extra, and a minor one at that, but the character shares my name.  How cute.   BUT WAIT…!

He’s going to be in an upcoming Planet of the Apes novel, and his name isn’t a co-incidence.  He’s named after me!

Now, I know, this is a teeny nothing of a throwaway character, not even a trivia question in the Apes World –  but if I could go back in time to the the thirteen year old kid who woke up every morning to a Planet of the Apes poster and told him that one day he’d be a teeny nothing throwaway character in that world, he’d have fallen over dead.

If you at all care, you can see the ANSA film here on Youtube.

Sometimes, it all works out in this grown up fanboy’s life.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your comic book Planet of the Apes moment of Zen:

Why was this my favorite Kirby comic ever?