Angel & The Ape v2 01

[terrykun]

Today I bring you one of DC's rarely considered gems from the early 90's.

A dramatic tale of romance! Science fiction! Crime-fighting!

One of them is a detective. The other one is a cartoonist. Together... THEY FIGHT CRIME!

Oh, did I mention that one of them is a gorilla? Cuz that's kind of important.

Yes, it's Angel & The Ape, by Phil Foglio. Originally a pure humor comic by E. Nelson Bridwell and Bob Oksner, the series was given a reboot by DC to bring it into their standard continuity, and our beloved creator of Girl Genius (then just a distant twinkle of gears and gals in his eye), was tapped for the job. (:

8 more pages (out of 24) below the cut. The cover totally lies about what this series is like.






Angel runs off to get her father for help. After clarifying she really means "gorilla" and not "guerilla", her father comments that it's probably one of his ex-wife's friends, and they head off to investigate.



Where does the 800 pound gorilla not go? Nowhere he doesn't want to.




Private Investigations and Fine Art. Gotta love it. (: Sam is a cartoonist for DZ Comics. I think J'onn J'onnz met him one time and asked him to autograph a copy of "Jungle Girl", his favorite comic.
Also, please note the conveniently placed mustache, to let you know it's 1991. (Published anyway, a sign later in the issue says 1989.)

This fellow here here gets expectedly shocked at seeing a gorilla. Angel punches Sam in the head to express her displeasure, which he defends by the fact that he did just land on it (his head). The man seems disoriented momentarily, then it seems that whatever he was surprised about "just popped right out of my head". He's from an insurance company, and arrives to let Angel and Sam know that they're not being held liable for some grenades that destroyed a building they were investigating.

He presents them with the check for their services, stating he wanted to thank them personally for restoring his collection of steam-powered origami animals. Sam just comments that the giant bandicoot gave him enough paper-cuts to last a lifetime.

Also, their office has a movie poster for "Kabuki Odd-Couple" ('Ferix, you bring great dishonor on this house!') which has nothing to do with the overall plot of the issue, but is too awesome not to mention.

Angel's sister Athena, better known as Dumb Bunny of Inferior Five, shows up for her weekly lunch-date with Sam, accidently breaking the glass on their door. She asks if she could have lunch with Angel instead. After some prodding by Sam, Angel accepts and the two head off. Sam makes a note of her unusual behavior and states that he'll have to consult Myron "Merryman" Victor, one of her teammates, before heading off to deposit the check at the bank.

At lunch, Athena asks if Sam really likes her, which Angel says he does, what of it? (The three of them grew up together.)
"I want to ask Sam... to be my boyfriend."
*beat* "..What?"
"He doesn't already HAVE a girlfriend, does he?"
"No- but you CAN'T!"
"Is he... gay?"
"HE'S A GORILLA!"

Athena says that because of her super-strength she's never been able to have a relationship. She hurts normal guys, and superhero types that she wouldn't hurt all think she's stupid. Angel points out she woudln't be able to have sex, which Athena counters by pointing out that she already isn't getting that, so why not just ask Sam to be her boyfriend? Angel states that Sam really is a great guy, so she can't think of a reason not. She gives Athena her blessing.

Meanwhile, Sam is striding into the bank when the unexpected happens. He finds that he's turned into a human, while all the humans in the bank have turned into gorillas. The change seems to only happen for a minute, before panic breaks out when everyone sees him as a gorilla. Sam panicks and flees, apparently too rattled to concentrate, and thinking to himself that keeping a tight control on his mind is the only thing that lets him operate in human society. He scales the building back to the office, where he informs Angel that he just turned into a human.

"Oh? Then you've turned into one who desperately needs a haircut."

Sam Simeon, master of disguise, sneaks back into the bank as a video repairman, borrowing their security tape to confirm his story. Reviewing it, he and Angel see that everyone in the bank did indeed transform. However, the tape shows it only lasting one second, while he remembers it being one minute.

Three men in suits and headgear show up, demanding Sam come with them, and shoving Angel aside. Sam charges, only to be layed flat. Angel recovers and levels a kick at one of their heads, which her training says should be correct, but the man doesn't seem affected.




The head of security from the bank shows up, letting Angel know that there were sightings of a gorilla in the bank earlier today, and when the security tapes were checked, it was revealed to have been replaced with a copy of "Jungle Bimbos vs The Leather King." Just then, Sam removes the headgear from one of the attackers and freaks out.



:D Do you folks want more? I've got more if you want it.
 

Comments

[brilliantnova]

Someone posted excerpts from this series a year ago?? Like of Angel's personal backstory. Anyway I enjoyed the post and I totally approve of this one.
Give us more please ^_^
I gotta remind myself to track this down. It's kinda sweet like how Young Justice was.

may I have some more, please?

[pervymax]

sire

Re: may I have some more, please?

[brilliantnova]

sire???

Re: may I have some more, please?

[psychopathicus_rex]

'Sure', most likely.

[halloweenjack]

This may be the only critical thing I'll ever say about Foglio's art: Young Angel looks like a boy with a wig, and Ziebarth's mustache is more 1891. Otherwise, this is fiiiine (especially Angel's grown-up outfits).

[nezchan]

Not to mention, Angels thick white eyebrows make her look about 90.

[venatosapiens]

She's just very well preserved, that's all. ;)
I'm not overly enamored with how he draws Sam, but this is till just too adorable.

[nezchan]

Definitely. I used to have this, and read it over and over. Same with Stanley and His Monster. I always wished they'd have Foglio do more DC work, but I guess he's a more "creator-owned" kinda guy in the end.

[cleome45]

...Young Angel looks like a boy with a wig...

???

She looks just fine to me. What's the problem, exactly?

[halloweenjack]

Arms and legs are disproportionately muscular.

[cainofdreaming]

That's probably because she grew up with Dumb Bunny. Who had her powers all along, so Angel overcompensated by trying to become as strong and athletic as she could. IIRC at least, it's been a while since I read this.

[fredneil.livejournal.com]

Normally, I think the Silver Age should be left alone and that it's nearly impossible for a revival to get it right, but this (combined with Stanley and His Monster) is one of my four favorite runs in comics ever.

The others are Stan Lee on Spider-Man, Marston's Wonder Woman, and Patsy Walker romance comics. Don't judge me, ok.

[shanejayell]

I have this book. VERY very cute. :)

[psychopathicus_rex]

I like how Sam is always shown as the hapless underdog, despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that he's a friggin' GORILLA who could beat the crap out of just about anyone. I also like the fact that he's the underdog, not the dummy - his partnership with Angel could easily turn into a 'brains and brawn' scenario with him as the brawn. Instead, they're pretty much equally intelligent, and the humor comes from their differing personalities rather than brain VS brawn or beauty VS beast. It's a tricky balance to pull off, and Foglio does a good job of it. Glad this is being reposted.

Foglio art is pretty

[jogadoresesquecidos.blogspot.com]

Is it ok to find every "Foglio girl" hot (specially grown-up Angel)?

(Okay, I know it isn't, but bear with me, will you?)

Also, why is Angel like a Don Martin drawing in that first pannel?

Re: Foglio art is pretty

[terrykun]

There is a standing policy of Phil's loving to draw curvy women, but it's Kaja that actually has the addiction to rendering them in silly underthings. X3

[lieut_kettch]

Didn't Sam inherit telepathic powers from his uncle/grandfather/whatever Grodd? Which he uses to maintain the illusion of human form when living outside of Gorilla City?

[crinos]

I thought that they did some sort of mental thing on Sam so that if he does try and tell anyone about the Gorilla City they instantly forget ALA Maxwell Lord.