The Flash and Monkeyman & O'Brien

 

Apes and comic books have been intertwined for as long as I can remember.  For my money, nobody illustrates primate action better than Art Adams.  That's just one reason that his Monkeyman & O'Brien stories are such a fun read.

Batman and Monkeyman & O'Brien

 

These guys never hit the big time like Batman did, but I always got a kick out of their stories.  Creator Art Adams put whatever he loved to draw into those tales - apes, beautiful women, freaky aliens, exotic locales and of course, monsters.  Each issue they appeared in was definitely a feast for the eyes.

Spider-Man and Monkeyman & O'Brien

I remember the first time I saw Art Adams artwork, on a Marvel Team-Up cover featuring that title's first appearance of the black costume.  It made an instant impression on me, and when I saw his highly detailed and energetic interiors shortly after in the Longshot mini-series and elsewhere I became an instant fan.  Monkeyman and O'Brien really shows off his talents well, with stories that feature beautiful women, gorillas, monsters, aliens and a true sense of fun.

Monkeyman & O'Brien and Angel & The Ape

Ever since 1933 folks have been intrigued by the pairing of an oversized ape with a beautiful woman.  Maybe its a statement on the male/female dynamic by focusing on extreme versions of each, or maybe it's just for the cool visual it provides.  Or maybe King Kong made such an impact that future generations of creators were inspired to follow suit.  Probably a combination of the three, and I have to admit, I usually enjoy tales with the set-up.