io9
According to reports from out of NYCC, the suspicions of comic fans across the internet have finally, officially, been confirmed: Marvel have admitted that they're just monkeying around with their characters. Or, at least, they will when new series Marvel Apes debuts, bringing a new level of banana worship to the heroes of the House of Ideas. Is the world ready for the first appearance of Spider-Monkey?
The series - long mentioned by Marvel head Joe Quesada and assumed to be a joke - will be written by former Superman writer Karl Kesel, who was the first to admit that the project doesn't exactly sound real:
Of course, the first things that come to your mind are the jokes and bad puns— Spider-MONKEY is a hero in MONKhattan in the United SIMIANS of America. It's a Cocktail Party Idea— one you can toss around funny one-liners about with your friends as you sip drinks (in this case: banana daiquiris). But to have a STORY you need more than jokes. You need conflict, you need characters readers can admire and root for, and you need something real at stake. That's when you start looking past the banana peels and asking yourself: Okay, how does this society really work? What's important to these characters? For all its similarity to the mainstream Marvel Universe, how is it different? Once you figure that out, the story almost writes itself.Yes, despite what you think, this really is a story where all the familiar characters get a monkey makeover, and it's one where there's a more serious subtext:
The thing about monkeys and apes is that they look like us, but they're not us. So you put them in clothes and they look funny. But it's more than that because monkeys-in-clothes (or apes-in-capes, in this case) allow people to laugh at themselves without really laughing at themselves. You don't laugh at a monkey dressed as George W. Bush because he's doing the same stupid things the real Bush does— no no no. You're laughing at him because a monkey dressed as George W. Bush looks FUNNY! (At least, that's what we tell ourselves.) And there's a touch of that "court jester" comedy/commentary in this story, too. You almost can't avoid it.Watch for, as Quasi would sing, apeself remaining in us towards the end of this year.
Marvel Apes [Newsarama]
Comments
Wow... does this sound craptastic to anyone else?
I think the "House of Ideas" officially ran out of ideas.
I am assuming this is leading to Marvel Apes vs. Marvel Zombies.
I'm not a hundred percent sure what he's saying. Is it that the point of dressing monkeys up in people clothes is that they don't have to be funny in any intelligent, satirical way?
Whatever. I feel sorry for the bastard. He's a writer, he needs to work, Marvel gives him this. Now, he's got to answer questions about it, and explain it in a way that doesn't make him sound retarded.
God, what the hell is wrong with Marvel?
@beelzebuddha: It sounds craptastic to EVERYONE else. The only people that don't think this is idiotic work at Marvel, and I don't know what the hell is wrong with them!
This idea seems to be based on the idea that if you fling enough poo at the wall that some of it will actually stick.
Who are the villains going to be?
Chronic masturbater Monkey
The Feecees Flinger
Red Ass the Baboon
How are they planning to work in pulchritudinous human females? Or is this for 5 year olds?
I think everyone with just a little sense of humor thinks it sounds great, how can you look at that image and not think its fun?
I think you're all missing something fundamentally irreverent about this idea...a certain exercise in intellectual disassociation that makes this a truly breakthrough concept. These Chimpians of Justice have the potential to show us a new side of the superhero dilemma, taking us out of the comfort zone into...
Nope, couldn't do it with a straight face.
But really, if they just came out and said, "we thought it would be a blast to poke some fun at our own work...'cause comics is serious business," this could be really funny. At least Grape Ape thinks so.
Oh, I get it, Karl! It's like that episode of Star Trek where the Riddler is a Black & White cookie!
If only these characters weren't already tools to examine the human condition, this concept might have held water.
Then there's the cross-over potential. "get your paws off of me you damn stinking ape" indeed.
Marvel apes/monkeys vs. Zombies even.
In my opinion, marvel has been slinging poo for quite a while now.
Actually this might work for a three comic ark....
Oh wait robot chicken already tried that with camp 60's batman and even that wasn't funny.
@Oasx: Yes, looking at a picture of the Marvel characters that are all monkeys, that's kind of funny.
But really, a whole comic book about it?
@ManchuCandidate: Those would even be kind of funny. Bet the villains will be...I don't know Monkey Doctor Doom, or something.
(I tried to think of a good monkey pun, but can't.)
I'm really not sure WHAT to make of this. I could see one or two comics about it being amusing for a bit, but the schtick would wear thin pretty quickly I'd imagine. Once you get past the chuckles at Spider-Monkey, Iron Ape, Captain Silverback, etc. a lot of the luster is gone.
@Oasx: VERY. EASILY.
This looks really, really stupid.
Peter Porker the Spectacular Spider-Ham approves .
DC has done this with the Justice League half a dozen times already.
I think we are supposed to envision a world where Marvel Plots are produced by say 1 million monkey typing on typewriters...
And how they would do a much better job than this...
Well it worked. Kudos Marvel writers.
Or should I say here have a Banana.
Personally, I laugh at a monkey dressed like Bush because it looks exactly the same as the real thing, and is possibly a little smarter.
It's kind of an ironic, self-pitying, god-I-wish-I-were-Canadian laugh.
This is so ridiculously stupid it puts a bad taste in my mouth.
To think of how far comics have come in mainstream, where there are more titles than ever that aren't relegated to just hardcore nerdery and they're actually getting some respect in a critical and literary sense. Not only that, but in the past couple of years, mainstream news has even been giving these titles some attention...
And then marvel just takes about 4 steps back.
I can't even articulate right now how fucking stupid this seems to be.
That said - just watch, it'll come out and everyone will love it. It'll have that same American Idol voodoo or something.
Blech
And this is why Dem's are pinheads. B/c when they have a president they don't like they use it as an opportunity to show revulsion for a great country. If you love Canada so much go. No one is holding you back. Enjoy your socialized medicine (just pray that the bureaucrat who dictates what procedures they will do, will agree with what you want to do), huge taxes and being told by the Govt what you can or can't do. As bad as Clinton was, the republican's didn't run around saying this country sucks. However Dems show their true colors about how they feel about their country when the topic of President Bush comes up.
bringing a new level of banana worship to the heroes
Thanks for giving me a spit-take. Anyone know how to clean Diet-Coke off and LCD monitor?
@coolkiwilivin: Ok simmer down there.....
Here have a banana...
There are 2 reasons I stopped reading Marvel. Really dumb story lines (I'm looking at you Quesada) and the 1.21 gazillion x-men titles.
@coolkiwilivin: No one here hates America. But thinking that President Bush is a retarded monkey has no impact on my essential patriotism.
@comicnerd-com:
Yes, this is a total detriment to comics as art!
Did people not learn from the whole "Dogs Playing Poker" fiasco? Or the "Velvet Elvis" affair? I mean, how many years did those alone set back the medium of painting!
When will artists learn that there is no room for creativity in this business?
Not making me regret selling all my comics at 18.
@coolkiwilivin: So, Marvel Apes is or isn't Bush's fault?
@Dunny0: Yeah, that's what this is. Creativity.
@braak:
I'm not so cynical as to call it a "cash grab", and judging by the reaction so far it'd be a pretty piss-poor one at that.
I'm not saying it's a good idea - it sounds really stupid - but at least it's not a whole seven issue arc devoted to LOLCats or a year long digression in rectonning.
@Dunny0: I am, though, hitting submit too soon because I'm stupid.
It's not a good idea, nor is it a cash grab: But it's something different, and different in a way that won't require any more reboots, retcons or the other craziness that really does detract from the actual narrative of - lets face it - modern mainstream sci-fi.
What does this say about how intelligent Marvel thinks we are? They've shoveled out garbage for years, but this is a new low. I'm going to love seeing how they spin this garbage at San Diego Comic-Con.
Was this revealed during Cup o Joe? There was a lot of drama going on before the panel and I wasn't able to get in. Was very pissed about that.
@Dunny0: Yeah, but the publishing house has a responsibility to their intellectual properties, and every piece of crap they publish detracts from the value of those properties.
It's pretty easy to know you're going down the wrong track when the most an idea has to recommend it is, "at least it isn't another retcon."
That is a very low bar you've set for them.
@V.I.N.CENT: Hah, I loved Peter Porker. My fave was the Punfisher.
this can't be any worse than that damn Zombie run.
@Garrison Dean, King Awesome: Ten bucks says, "Yes, it can."
Save the trees, stop the nonsense.
By the way, I'll bet the rent that "Marvel Clowns" is now only months away
@braak:
I'm just setting the bar where I found it. At this point, that's all I expect from the majority of Marvel/DC - retcons and backtracking. Anything that marks a "change" is only temporary.
At least with this there are cheap laughs and, possibly, some fun.
Also, I did kind of like Marvel Zombies, but I'm really partial to zombies so that opinion shouldn't count for much.
Huh... Does this mean that I am the Lowest Common Denominator?
@Dunny0: Hmmm. That depends. On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being "enjoy the least", 5 being "enjoy the most", how would you rate your feelings on the following subjects:
1) Explosions
2) Wolverine
3) Boobs
Does no one here have appreciation for stuff that's so bad it's good? This looks like that.
"What's important to these characters?"
well, they're apes, so my guess is they care about social hierarchy and food. not much story there, tho i'm looking forward to Wolverine-ape getting tired of being the beta male, ripping off Cyclops-ape's genitals and raping the nearest female. should be ape-tastic.
@braak:
1) Explosions: Eh. Nothing irks me more than a totally out of place explosion -Planet of the Ood comes to mind- but I do like a good action scene. 3
2) Wolverine: A strong 2. Entertaining in small doses; the upcoming movie will be a "watch while not thinking" kind of movie.
3) Boobs: I quite enjoy them for what they are, but they do not define my life or add any value to the majority of entertainment media. 3.
How'd I do?
@Dunny0: Yeah, you're right, converting characters to simian = creativity in comics.
@DeepFriar: I was also thinking Marvel Pirates or Marvel Hoboes, because both of those are kind of trendy.
@Dunny0: You will be pleased to know that you are not the lowest common denominator, on the grounds that you are not in the "High Probability for Purchase" market of the Marvel Test Cover, "A topless woman in front of an explosion, and also there's Wolverine."
@braak:
Awesome.
Although the idea of a "Topless Exploding Female Simian Wolverine" does have a certain appeal to it.
@braak: Where is this comic for sale?
Wow, they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel here, huh?
I read Marvel Zombies and was left feeling clammy and empty inside, so I don't hold high expectations for monkeys.
@DeepFriar: @edosan: I'm pretty sure "Marvel Dinosaurs" is in the works too. It's all so depressing. Anyone got a banana?
This is all building up for The Secret Invasion of the Amazing Marvel Zombie Monkey Ultimates.
@c0dek: vs. Mortal Kombat
I have it...
The Ultimate what if all the marvel heroes were....
well developed characters, with thoughtful intelligent story lines that didn't treat their readers like idiots....