Conspiracy of the planet of the apes Issue 2. Issue 2.

This is a strange book-it is a novel with fantastic illustrations by noted comic book artists, so it is not technically a graphic novel but a novel with graphics. Gaska, who usually helps write the stories in video games (like the "Grand Theft Auto" series), expands on the story told in the 1968 film Planet of the Apes. The book is the backstory of the doomed John Landon (played by Robert Gunner in the film), one of the astronauts who crash with George Taylor (Charlton Heston). You might remember Landon better as the astronaut whom Heston encounters-the one with the half-moon scar on his head. Gaska's book tells us how he came to that fate. The writing is a bit clumsy at points and confusing in others, but the illustrations are painterly and interesting. Verdict Beyond hard-core fans of the original Planet of the Apes film, this book will have little appeal.-John Piche, MLIS, San Francisco (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.