#super apes

Not to impugn on your intelligence, Ghost.

But you're shouting at a bunch of apes.

The depowered Fantastic Four (consisting of Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm) and the Fantastic Apes (Dr Zaius, Dr Zira and Cornelius) are watching the smoke coming from Ape City. They figured that General Ursus with Human Torch's power had something to do with this so they must act fast. Reed Richards comes up with a plan which involves in getting their powers back by touching the superpowered evolved ape with a special glove. Meanwhile in Ape City, General Ursus managed to overthrow the Orangutan President and conquer the city thanks to the Human Torch powers. Up in the tower of the Ape City, the two supervillains - Doctor Doom and Red Ghost are watching the uprising. Just as Red Ghost could gloat about their success, they are interrupted by a loud explosion from a distance.

It turns out that the Fantastic Four (mainly Reed Richards, Susan Storm and Ben Grimm) got their powers back and they are kicking the apes' asses. Somewhere in the back alley of the Ape City, the three apes - Zira, Cornelius and Zaius are searching for Gaius the Orangutan President when they are interrupted by Red Ghost who holds them at gunpoint. Fortunately for the evolved apes, Red Ghost's (primitive but superpowered) Super Apes turn on their master as they sided with Doctor Zaius. Outside the Ape City, General Ursus is about to execute the mute native humans when Johnny Storm interrupts him and challenges him in a duel. Johnny Storm manages to outwit General Ursus by dodging the flames and then, he gets his Human Torch powers back. Elsewhere, Doctor Zaius finds the imprisoned President Gaius who had lost his memory. Zaius is confronted by Doctor Doom who turned out to be a Doombot as the evolved orangutan smashed a statue at his face. The Fantastic Four rush in and they defeat the Doombot easily.

After everything is over, the Fantastic Four and the Super Apes say their goodbyes to Zaius, Cornelius and Zira before going back to their home dimension. In the epilogue, Uatu the Watcher narrates the story going on with the Fantastic Four and the Evolved Apes. While the rest of the Fantastic Four are glad to be back home, Reed Richards is haunted by the experience with the Planet of the Apes. Meanwhile, Red Ghost is stuck on the Planet of the Apes where he is hunted down by the Ape Soldiers and he remains in hiding. Doctor Zaius uses the Memory-Wipe Gun to make the apes in the city forget about their experience and their encounters with the Fantastic Four. Unfortunately for Zaius, he discovers that the Memory-Wipe Gun had already run out of batteries which means that he is the only one stuck remembering the strange experience.

From Fantastic Four #13, April 1963. Stan Lee script, Jack Kirby pencils, Steve Ditko inks, Stan Goldberg colors, Artie Simek letters.

* Topps Finest Fantastic Four 65th Anniversary

Fantastic Four #13 (April, 1963). Story: Stan Lee. Art: Jack Kirby. Inking: Steve Ditko. Lettering: Art Simek. Coloring: Stan Goldberg.