Marvel’s First Family Crosses Over with Planet of the Apes

An exciting new crossover, Planet of the Apes Vs. Fantastic Four, is set to launch this February from Marvel Comics.

What’s Happening:

• The four-issue limited series sees the Fantastic Four (Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben) find themselves stranded on the Planet of the Apes. There, they will cross paths with familiar faces from Ape City, including the intellectual chimpanzees Cornelius and Zira, the military gorilla Ursus, and the skeptical orangutan Dr. Zaius.
• The series will be written by Josh Trujillo (What If…? Galactus) and drawn by Andrea di Vito (Emma Frost: The White Queen), pitting Marvel’s First Family against the iconic simian society.
• Marvel’s history with Planet of the Apes dates back to the original comic adaptations of the classic films and continues today with new comic sagas like last year’s critically acclaimed Beware the Planet of the Apes.
• Now, for the very first time, the two worlds will officially collide.
• The chaos of the Super Heroes’ arrival will unleash daring new questions upon the simian society, whose hierarchy is already challenged by the existence of talking humans.
• Further complicating matters, familiar villains from the Marvel Universe have set their sights on Ape City, setting the stage for an epic pop culture showdown.
• Planet of the Apes Vs. Fantastic Four #1 (of 4) goes on sale February 4. It is written by Josh Trujillo with art by Andrea di Vito, colors by Erick Arciniega, and features a main cover by Greg Land. Fans can preorder the series at their local comic shop today.

What They're Saying:

• Josh Trujillo, Writer: “I grew up watching Planet of the Apes marathons on Saturday afternoons, so it's a huge thrill to write for these iconic characters! Having Marvel's First Family butt heads with Cornelius, Zira, and Dr. Zaius is just too much fun, and I can't believe I'm the one who gets to tell this epic tale. It's a mash-up decades in the making, and I hope you come along for the ride!"
• Andrea di Vito, Artist: "It sounds like a weird meeting at first, but then you realize that both these franchises were meant to meet sooner or later. Exploration has always been the Fantastic Four's main drive. Ending up on the Planet of the Apes is absolutely perfect for a classic FF adventure, set in the immortal tone created by Stan & Jack. I am honored to be the one to illustrate this ‘first official meeting’ between the Marvel Universe and Planet of the Apes."

The Shared Sci-Fi DNA of Apes and Marvel

• The pairing of Planet of the Apes and the Fantastic Four might seem out-of-the-blue but both tie back to mid-20th-century science fiction.
• The original Planet of the Apes film (1968) and the Fantastic Four’s debut comic (Fantastic Four #1, 1961) emerged from a post-Sputnik era defined by space exploration, Cold War anxieties, and a growing fascination with deep-time paradoxes and alternate evolutionary paths.
• The Fantastic Four's origin, involving a rocket ship journey through cosmic rays, and the Planet of the Apes' central premise of an astronaut crew crash-landing on a strange, future Earth both involve the unintended consequences of venturing into the unknown.
• Another common thread is the theme of societal prejudice and the persecution of the 'other', from the apes' subjugation of primitive humans to the Fantastic Four’s initial struggle for acceptance from a fearful public.

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