Our Trek Comics editor Patrick Hayes is back with a review of this month’s issue of IDW Publishing’s ongoing Star Trek crossover comic series: the final chapter of “The Primate Directive,” where the Enterprise crew visits the Planet of the Apes!

Order The Primate Directive #5

• The regular cover features art by Rachel Stott and colors by Charlie Kirchoff. A game of 3-D chess is being played by Dr. Zaius and Mr. Spock. The orangutan appears to be winning because he’s smiling as the Vulcan makes his move. The pieces on the board are shrunken versions of familiar characters from both franchises: Taylor, Nova, Kirk, McCoy, and Kor. This is a great idea for a twisted cover and Stott and Kirchoff carry it off well.

• The subscription cover is a stunning work by J.K. Woodward. General Ursus is holding a Bat’leth high above his head as he roars in triumph, with a spectacular explosion behind him. Below, under the gorilla’s foot, is a defeated Kirk. This is tee shirt, poster, and print worthy.

• The retailer-incentive cover is again a photo mash-up of images from both series. Leonard Nimoy gets the larger picture, featuring his birth date and passing, serving as a tribute to him. Below are Kim Novack, Roddy McDowell, and Maurice Evans, as Zira, Cornelius, and Zaius. All of the photocovers on this series have been outstanding and whoever created them deserves recognition.

Picking up with the last panel from the previous issue, Ursus is about to be shot by Kor because he wants General Marius to lead the gorillas, ensuring the Klingon a new world for his empire to pillage. The phaser rifle is shot from his hands by Taylor, who has an excellent opening line on Page 2.

On horseback, all the heroes chase after him, but are lead into a group of hidden Klingons. A fight breaks out with lethal consequences. Page 5 has a dramatic escape and Scott Tipton and David Tipton use the last two panels to readdress a tease from the previous issue.

I didn’t think it was possible, but the Tiptons are able to wrap things up while preserving the familiar timelines of both franchises. This meeting of characters could have actually occurred–and this is only one reason why this is a successful final issue.

Every character is given perfect closure. I was very interested to see how the Marius and Ursus conflict would be resolved. It’s a five page battle that ends in dramatic style on Page 9 that would make the Lawgiver proud.

Taylor’s exit on 13 is equally strong, with him getting a spectacular cinematic moment in the third panel that resonates in Heston’s voice. The next three pages has Starfleet’s finest going after the Klingons, ending with explosive results. The final pages are a coda that had me grinning like a fool with glee. This was fun!

A skilled artist is one that creates characters that resemble the actors. Rachel Stott is a master of this skill — and this is a big and — she can place her characters in any pose and have them retain their likenesses. Her Kor is fantastic. Page 1 has him being wonderfully expressive, going from surprised to outraged in just a panel.

On Pages 4 and 5 when he submits to the victors, he’s deliciously smug, and his revelry in his own superiority on 15 is infectious. Also getting a good amount of face time are Marius and Ursus. They look just like the apes on the big and small screens and their battle is terrific — I love the opening punch on 6. Taylor’s final two pages are spectacular. His over the shoulder turn on 13 is as good as any director could hope to compose.

Also of particular merit are the settings. It’s rare to find a panel on any page by Stott empty of background. She could have done so at the bottom of Page 1, but she puts just the right amount of vegetation to show readers where Kor is located.

The large panel on Page 2 is as magnificent and dramatic as any western by John Ford. The scenes aboard the Enterprise are wonderful with detail. On Page 15 the first three panels have three classic point of view shots that have tons of fine details on every console and every switch.

The final two pages show the interiors of another ship and it’s just as sensational. As soon as I saw the top panel on 19 I knew exactly what was going on before I read any dialogue. This book began and ended as a visual treat.

This component of the book is manipulated masterfully by Charlie Kirchoff. The first page demonstrates this excellently, beginning with the red sighting through a Klingon rifle. The dark red is mirrored in the second panel to direct the reader to the shooter, while the third panel uses bright yellow and white to show a dramatic change from the evil red, and an abundance of green is used to establish the environment of the character. This is a textbook example of how colors enhance storytelling.

The highlight of Kirchoff’s contributions comes on Page 13. He’s given a sunset from Stott to run with, and he makes the most of it. It perfectly represents one of the lead’s decisions and the brights and shades are cinematic. The highlights on the character’s skin visually show his decision to stay in the light, rather than run from it. The sky is a spectacular mix of violet and blue.

Talented Tom B. Long closes out the book with super sounds, yells, dialogue, and chants. I’m an absolute sucker for the sounds of classic Trek transporters, and Long creates a fantastic noise on Page 14.