Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Star Trek Planet Of The Apes #1Star Trek Planet of the Apes: The Primate Directive #1 of 5
IDW Comics & Boom! Studios
Tipton, Tipton, Stott & Kirchoff

During a week where there are not too many new comics shipping, this one is an absolute gem. Who would’ve thought Star Trek and Planet of the Apes could crossover so seamlessly? I’m not sure if this is because I am fan of both genres and I found this comic book to hit all the necessary notes or if this book is just that much fun. Either way, this is one book to pick up this week regardless of whether you follow both genres, one or none. I liked what I saw in the opening issue and recommend tracking it down and picking it up.

The setup is swift, but effective. The crew of the Enterprise is on a top secret mission into Klingon space to determine the validity of some intelligence they have with regards to the Klingon’s secret plans to expand their empire. Eventually they find themselves tracking a pair of Klingon battle cruisers. One disappears into some kind of portal. Their intelligence gathering leads them to believe it is some kind of alternate universe. You can probably guess the rest.

The book works at its best because of the pace. Things move quickly, but they move in a logical fashion. There isn’t a ton of exposition and yet a lot happens. The book even manages to squeeze in a small space battle. This is all great stuff to showcase the characters, introduce the plot and keep the reader engaged.

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle ReviewsThe book also excels because it captures the voices and attitude of the Enterprise crew extremely well. This is set during the 1960s show but the dialog could easily be found in the Shatner films as well. All of the characters sound like they should saying lines that are within their range. A Star Trek fan should find themselves right at home with this book.

The artwork is very good, if not great. The panels are detailed and have a brighter color palette. The book definitely captures the characters well as they were depicted in the series. The only issue I might bring up about the art is the lack of background characters on the Enterprise. It just seems like the ship is empty at times. Overall the art enhances the story.

This looks to be a great crossover. Two franchises that have a large appeal colliding in a believable way. The issue is a great start. If you come across this issue you might want to pick this up. I definitely recommend it.

4.5 out of 5 Geek Goggles