A giant ape might seem to be a problematic protagonist for a comic book series, but artist Steve Ditko made the proceedings alternately awesome and touching.
In Charlton’s Konga 13 (July 1963), writer Joe Gill described Konga as “…a huge primate who had once known tenderness and love from human masters … and who would not let the stupid men around him hurl themselves into destruction!”
Konga was one of three movie kaiju licensed by Charlton Comics in the 1960s (although oddly enough, none were Japanese). “Notably, Gill scripted the ‘giant monster’ movie adaptation titles of the early ’60s, Gorgo, Reptilicus, and Konga, gigantic creatures into which he infused an unexpected and empathetic humanity, if you will, to the gigantic creatures that readers found effective,” wrote Jon B. Cooke in The Charlton Companion. “The Charlton Comics licensed monster movie series were a unique phenomenon in their time,” observed Stephen R. Bissette. “Charlton seemed the least likely of all American comics publishers to be tapping movie studio licenses — and yet, through relatively inexpensive access to three properties that didn’t interest Western/Dell, Charlton Comics Group licensed one Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer title, Gorgo (released March 1961) and two American-International Pictures, Konga (released theatrically March 1961), and Reptilicus (completed in 1961, though released Jan. 1963 after almost two years of legal conflict). The license, however, the arrangement extended beyond just the comic books, however, movie novelizations for all three movies from Monarch, Charlton’s paperback division.”
“They were very unusual Silver Age comics, in that the giant monsters were their heroes, the protagonists, incapable of speech (though Reptisaurus was granted thought balloons), but nevertheless very expressive and sympathetically portrayed. None of the larger American comic book publishers would attempt anything similar until Marvel licensed Godzilla from Toho Studios in the ’70s, eerily emulating Charlton right down to the number of Godzilla issues published [24, Aug. ’77–July ’79].”
In issue 13’s The Peacemaker, Konga caught cold chasing killer whales in the Arctic and retreated to the tropics for a healing steam bath in the swamps. But wouldn’t you know it, the commies had gotten there ahead of him (gung-ho Charlton made even Marvel look soft on communism).
A border train had incurred the ire of the rotund “El Presidente,” who ordered the destruction of a railroad bridge the locomotive was crossing. But Konga rescued the train, which was like a Lionel plaything in his paws. And when a fighter jet attacked the giant ape, he shrugged off a direct hit.
“I go een now to feenish thee job!” radioed the overconfident pilot. Konga took a deep breath and blew the wings off the plane.
After his air force fails, El Presidente turns to his navy, dispatching a cruiser to destroy Konga. But the giant ape swamps it. El Presidente’s Soviet advisors attempt to fire nuclear artillery at Konga, but abort the order when he crushes the cannon barrel. Having had enough, Konga plucks “El Supremo” out of his palace and tosses him into his nation’s slums.
“The three Charlton movie monster adaptations appear to have been the first substantial examples of comic book series grounded in a sci-fi movie plot but then taken off in their own directions, in this case by prolific comic book writer Joe Gill, who admitted to having enjoyed working on Gorgo and the other movie comics,” observed Christopher Hayton.
Konga 13 arrived on newsstands in May 1963, one month after the appearance of another Steve Ditko effort — The Amazing Spider-Man 3, featuring the debut of Dr. Octopus.
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