Warning! Spoilers ahead for DC’s Ape-Ril Special #1!The DC Universe gets down to monkey business in its hilarious and fun-filled one-shot DC’s Ape-Ril Special #1. The moment the publisher revealed that it would be releasing a monkey-themed anthology comic, fans went absolutely ape over the idea of the Jungle League.
Well, the day for DC’s new super-team has finally come and fans will be pleased to hear that this new one-shot has more fun than one can shake a banana at. Between action, intrigue, and humor, there’s something for everybody in the captivating monkeyshines found in this hilarious and bold publication.
Who Are Ape-Ril Special’s Top Bananas?
When DC Comics revealed it would be publishing this comedic one-off tale, it hinted at two brand-new all-ape teams: The Legion of D(oo-oo-ah-ah)m formed and led by the iconic Doom Patrol villain Monsieur Mallah and the Jungle League of America. Obviously, the names were inspired by two classic DC teams, but some readers might not have been familiar with the characters included on the various covers, including Apr-Ril Special’s Monkey Prince-led spoof of Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. But for fans in the know, these teams were a dream come true.
As mentioned earlier, the Legion of D(oo-oo-ah-ah)m is led by the hyper-intelligent ape, Monsieur Mallah, who most recently appeared in Unstoppable Doom Patrol. In his bid for world domination, he recruited Titano, an ape that reached Kong-size proportions after being experimented on with kryptonite. There’s also the powerful psychic Ultra-Humanite, one of Superman’s first villains. Not to mention Jackanapes, the Joker’s primate henchmen he raised to be a loyal and lethal assistant. Rounding out Mallah’s group is the mechanized ape menace Silverback.
On the Jungle League of America’s side, there are a few more notable stars in this bunch. Arguably the most famous in the crew is Detective Chimp, Justice League Dark’s greatest sleuth. But Bobo’s not the only gumshoe in the crew as he’s joined by Sam Simeon, one half of the PI duo Angel and the Ape. This League also has some powerful primates like Gleek, the Wonder Twin’s monkey pal and Superman’s former super-pet Beppo. And bringing a bit of magic to the team is the junior DC hero, Monkey Prince.
Yes, Ape-Ril Special #1 is More Fun Than a Barrel of Monkeys
Ape-Ril Special is divided up into three stories, the first of which is “Plan of the Apes” by John Layman and Karl Mostert. With Gorilla Grodd behind bars, Mallah assembled his team of apes to take over Bludhaven in a show of strength. Sam Simeon and Detective Chimp work together to track the Legion’s steps, teaming up with the rest of the Jungle League along the way. But the villainous apes turn out to be a bigger challenge thanks to a wish on a literal monkey’s paw.
The second story, “Detour” by Joshua Hal Fialkov and Phil Hester, focuses on Detective Chimp, who hitches a ride with a man named Doug. Doug has just killed a man and is paranoid that Bobo knows. During the duo’s long and intense car ride, Doug contemplates killing Detective Chimp, who manages to assuage Doug by talking with him about the nature of humanity and animals. Thankfully, Detective Chimp’s words get to Doug, who is convinced to turn himself into the police.
The final story, “Call to Arms” reunites Monkey Prince’s creative team of Gene Luen Yang and Bernard Chang. It builds on the events of the first story and sees Marcus Sun confronting his grandfather, the Ultra-Humanite after he cloned Monkey Prince’s severed arm to create an entire ‘armory’ of mystical paws. Thankfully, Marcus’ mastery over his detached limbs proves to be the villain’s undoing. But with Ultra-Humanite threatening to activate the nanobots he’d injected into Marcus, the two call a truce and promise to have dinner together soon.
Ape-Ril Special #1 Doesn’t Just Monkey Around
Ape-Ril Special #1 is a very self-aware anthology that embraces the utter silliness of its premise and has a hell of a lot of fun with it. “Plan of the Apes” is filled with tons of cheeky jokes and references that will have fans cracking up on every page. It also touches on current DC events, such as Grodd’s imprisonment in The Flash or Mallah’s breakup with the Brain in Unstoppable Doom Patrol, making it feel like an authentic, but rarely seen, side of the DC Universe.
Fialkov and Hester’s “Detour”, on the other hand, doesn’t go for the lighthearted monkey puns and instead gives readers a captivating story. The creative team presents Detective Chimp as the wise and surprisingly solemn hero he really is. Hester’s artwork is quite amazing in this story and helps craft a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere. This story is far from humorous, but it serves to make the overall product more well-rounded and show that even more outlandish concepts like Detective Chimp can be used to great effect in the right context.
Fans who loved Monkey Prince and were heartbroken at its sudden conclusion last year owe it to themselves to check out this book if only for “Call to Arms”. Yang and Chang haven’t missed a step when it comes to Marcus. This story is humorous, has plenty of action, and still has the heart of what made Monkey Prince such a fun and engaging series. While there’s no guarantee DC’s mystical primate is going to return to anchor a book, this story builds a strong case for a continuation of Yang and Chang’s tale.
Ape-Ril Special #1 is a Perfect Silver Age Throwback with a Modern Twist
Monkey-based stories were a cornerstone of Silver Age stories to the point where simply including primates on the cover could provide a serious boost in sales. Ape-Ril Special #1’s creators are keenly aware of how important monkey antics are to comic book history and wind up creating a comic that is fun, hilarious, action-packed, and surprisingly deep at moments. Heroes like Detective Chimp and Monkey Prince don’t often get the spotlight, but this one-shot proves that they deserve more attention than they get.
Ape-Ril Special #1 might just be a one-off, but it’s got all the spirit and wackiness that makes comic books a truly fun experience. Sure, comics can be serious and mature, but as this one-shot proves, there’s plenty of room for stories that are just plain ridiculous. For fans who want a story that isn’t afraid to get weird and that is guaranteed to provide plenty of laughs should seek out the monkeyshines found in DC’s Ape-Ril Special #1.
DC’s Ape-Ril Special #1 is available now from DC Comics.
DC’s Ape-Ril Special #1 (2024) | |
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