Dawn of the Planet of the Apes #1 is the first issue in BOOM! Studios' six part series detailing the gap between the films Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Synopsis[]
With the birth of Ash, Caesar begins to think about ways to secure the future for his colony. He sends the aggressive militaristic chimp Pope on a mission into the ruins of San Francisco. Meanwhile, Malcolm finds he must leave his home to find a cure for the plague slowly killing his wife, Rita.
Plot[]
Apes’ perspective:
Two years have passed since the apes left the city and settled in the Muir Woods. As Caesar marvels Rocket and Tinker’s newborn Ash, he thinks of how far the apes have come to this point in their new home, how their evolution makes them different from regular apes, and the new perils awaiting them in the future. As Caesar returns Ash to Tinker, Maurice approaches, noticing Caesar’s distraction as all should cherish new life. He asks Caesar what troubles him, and Caesar leads him to a different part of the village to talk.
Caesar reminds Maurice of the next generation of apes being born now, and how the future of the apes is taking shape. Maurice inquires if Caesar wishes to shape it. Caesar mentions of their liberation from the human world, but what they now have isn’t enough. He wishes to find more for the apes. Maurice reminds Caesar of all that has transpired in the four years and the apes are now content with what they have. He also warns Caesar wanting more could be too much.
Caesar lists the dangers of non-vigilance: the apes can’t afford to settle with what they have now; the decisions they’ve made and will make will affect the future generations of apes. But Maurice retorts, stating to Caesar the apes only follow him for today. They can’t think about the future, which Caesar replies that leaders make hard decisions and plans to strengthen the apes and expand their home. Maurice shows concern for Caesar’s logic until he notices Caesar running.
Caesar heads to the trees and notices two chimps training hard. He orders them to stop. Trainer Pope approaches Caesar, apologizing for the incident. Caesar points out the danger to training aggressively to the reckless trainer. Pope extends his hand for forgiveness, and Caesar accepts, allowing them to resume their training. Caesar tells Maurice the apes must grow in order to find out what lies beyond.
At night, Caesar councils with Koba, who shows dislike and concern for Caesar’s plan to send an exploration team back to the humans’ city. Caesar assures Koba the humans are not all-powerful, to which the latter reminds Caesar of their cruelty. Caesar states freedom is just the beginning for the apes. Koba questions the exploration’s reason if to not look for humans. Caesar acknowledges the fact he doesn’t know and all the more reasons to look. Koba knows Caesar made up his mind and ponders on the nature of their council. Caesar admits the apes for the exploration must be swift in observation and strong for self-defense. Koba states it’s not like Caesar to behave like primal apes and knows Caesar needs Pope. He shows Caesar the group of apes Pope has trained and Pope’s method of pushing them to become better. Koba also explains Pope’s origin as a lab ape, like him, but maybe worse. Caesar calls for Pope, explaining him to act like a leader and to care for the apes that trust him. Pope acknowledges, and Caesar says Koba will give his exploration team their mission for the next day.
Before Pope’s team leaves for their mission, Caesar reminds Pope the world apes knew while in cages is gone, and without a future they will have nothing. The apes must be strong and takes risks for their future, fight for what they and their families want that future to be, and for the next generations to come. As Caesar, Maurice, Koba, and Rocket, with Tinker and Ash, watch Pope’s team leave for the city, Caesar narrates the dangers of the future, and the possibility of losing the world they have to fight for the one they want.
Humans' perspective:
In the two years of humanity’s downfall to the Simian Flu, society has been destroyed, leaving only remnants struggling for survival. Malcolm works diligently and carefully on some power generators at an abandoned plant, cutting a series of wires. He radios his wife Rita, who sits in the console room with their son Alexander. She marvels her son’s artistic creation, ignoring the radio until she notices her husband’s voice. She responds, stating there’s no sign of any marauders. Malcolm explains that once he opens the generator, the energy’s going to build immensely, and on his word he wants Rita to use the console to decompress the generator. He jumpstarts the generators, analyzing the buildup until it’s reaching critical. As he gives the word, Rita sneeze blood, dropping her radio comm. She coughs and struggles to reach the console until she hits the button, decompressing the generators.
Malcolm runs to the console room, wondering what happened. Rita comes up with a lie about the button sticking. Malcolm notices the blood, but Rita lies again and called it spilled paint. Rita asks the results of their effort to restore power, to which Malcolm stated it failed. The energy in this plat is too raw, and without a crew they can’t get the plant running. Malcolm turns to Alexander, saying they should return home. Rita asks what will happen next, and Malcolm states they need to think about the future.
At night, Malcolm drives his family to their home in near a cornfield. During the drive, Malcolm and Rita question their next move while Alex sleeps. Rita states they have food and water, while Malcolm points out the dying grid, their failing generator and basic power. Rita assures him they’ll find a way, but Malcolm states the reality: they’ve been living off crumbs of their former lives and consider leaving to find a new way to survive. This angers Rita, she states their home was built by Malcolm’s grandfather and passed down from generation to generation until Malcolm spots a dark figure near their house. The car’s headlight reveals the figure: a man wearing an ape’s face as a mask, and holding a machete. Malcolm turns the car around and stops it. A man approaches Malcolm with a shotgun, telling him and Rita to get out of the car. The man states him and his simian-masked partner looted the contents of their house and directs them to the back door, telling them to open it. The masked man asked his partner about the car, angering Malcolm who warns them to leave the car alone. The masked man thinks Malcolm’s bluffing, asking him what will happen if they search the car. The other man directs Rita to the back door. Rita doesn’t respond to the man’s demands until she turns around and sneezes on him. Horrified, the man asked Rita what she did until Malcolm lunges at him and take his gun. He shoots the masked man in the leg and tells them both to leave or die. Malcolm realizes Rita has the Simian Flu, and attempts to tell her he’ll save her, but she knows there isn’t and tells him to accept it.
In the morning, Malcolm realizes Rita left. He takes Alexander in the car and drives to look for her. Alexander questions his mother’s reason to not tell them where she’s going and Malcolm comes up with an excuse until he spots her on the road. He tells Alexander to stay in the car and runs after Rita. Malcolm begs her to come back but she denies, stating it’s not safe in their house anymore. Malcolm assures her he will never give up on her. He says they’ll go to Austin, to which Rita thinks they’ll be travelling across the country for nothing. Malcolm said he’ll take any risk for a chance to cure Rita, and he can’t lose her. With Rita in the back sleeping and Alexander by his side, Malcolm drives for Austin.
Characters[]
Apes[]
- Caesar - Leader of the Ape Colony
- Maurice - Orangutan advisor to Caesar
- Rocket - Senior chimpanzee in the Ape Colony
- Tinker - Mate of Rocket
- Ash - Newborn son of Rocket and Tinker
- Pope - Former lab chimpanzee, now trainer of the soldiers of the Ape Colony
- Koba - Bonobo advisor to Caesar
Humans[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- There is a mistake in regards to infant Ash. Unlike Ash's teenage appearance in Dawn, Ash's appearance as an infant doesn't seem to show his white mouth and shoulder markings.
- Due to the artist's drawing and the colorists' coloring, all the chimpanzees look exactly the same: mottled with brown, as opposed to the realistic black to dark grey skin.
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