Revolution on the Planet of the Apes

Revolution on the Planet of the Apes was the main story featured in MR Comics' six-part comic series of the same name. It was written by Ty Templeton and Joe O'Brien, with art by Salgood Sam, Bernie Mireault, Tom Fowler and Art Lyon, and detailed the immediate aftermath of the rebellion shown in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes.

Synopsis

Arthur Bishop Trundy had been elected President of the United States, his advisors and cabinet including Culley Sparks, his defense secretary, the wheelchair-bound Dr. Karl Reich, his science council advisor, and Nora Rhodes, media undersecretary of the Pentagon. The Alpha-Omega Bomb, code-named “Project Churchdoor,” had been overseen by California Governor Arnold Breck, a cruel man aspiring great power. To make sure the missile never fell into the wrong hands, Breck created the 'Inferno Protocol', a destruction plan to be used only as a last resort. Meanwhile, Ape Management reconditioned troublesome gorilla Aldo, reassigning him to a secret project at Area 51 in Nevada. His anger at the human mistreatment of apes worsened when he witnessed first-hand the atrocities to which scientists at the base subjected their gorilla inmates. The Ares 51 project, initiated by Defense Secretary Sparks, involved a scientist named Dr. Constantine enhancing gorillas' intelligence so they could learn to fly jet planes and perform other advanced tasks. Driven by the power of Caesar's unconscious mind, and by the genetic and biological experimentation, Aldo began to acquire the power of speech.

The day after Caesar's rebellion, Caesar named Malcolm MacDonald his liaison between humanity and apekind, and imprisoned former Governor Breck in a cell. Chief Inspector Kolp transferred his base of operations to a top-secret underground bunker housing Project Churchdoor, the most secure facility on the West Coast. There, he assembled a counter-insurgency commando unit to free Breck from Caesar's army. In Los Angeles, a young pirate blogger named Chris Leung watched internet footage of Caesar's rebellion until the news feed was terminated for violating the Media Act. His father dismissed the Caesar rumors as a hoax until an ape drove a truck through their wall, bringing the rebellion to their home. Leung's entire family was slaughtered. Leung took cover, clutching his laptop and vowing to get the truth out, and realized he must find Caesar.

Meanwhile, at Area 51's Hasslein Air Force Base in Groom Lake, Nevada, Aldo refused to do his work and was sent to Dr. Constantine. Aldo overpowered his guards and beat them and Constantine to a bloody pulp, repeatedly screaming a word he had heard from his human masters countless times: “No!” Aldo freed the other Area 51 apes, who slaughtered their human trainers and stole several military jets. Aboard a government jet, Nora Rhodes prepared to meet with Caesar. Two military aircraft piloted by Aldo's apes attacked, a missile blowing a hole in the cabin. Grabbing a parachute, Rhodes jumped from the plane and landed unharmed in the war zone of San Diego. Caesar ordered Breck taken for trial. Atop a nearby building, Kolp and two underlings, Mendez and Alma, spied on the apes. Their plan: to attack at dawn, kill Caesar and rescue Breck. Chris Leung, meanwhile, took a video camera to the edge of San Diego's Exclusion Zone to film the war for his blog. Leung found Rhodes in the street as Caesar approached, inviting them to record and witness Breck's trial. Caesar would serve as prosecution, MacDonald as defense, with humanity acting as judge and jury via Leung's camera. Caesar charged Breck with conspiracy to murder the entire world, citing the Churchdoor project as proof. A moment later, explosions rocked the area as Kolp's commandos rushed in, guns blazing. Breck ran for the door as Caesar beat Kolp for killing Armando. MacDonald stopped Caesar from killing the man, saying Armando would not have approved. Kolp escaped, leading Breck outside to Alma and Mendez. Breck's team headed immediately for the Churchdoor bunker and descended to a secure facility. Breck threatened to cleanse the world with the bomb if Caesar's troops didn't give up within a day. Breck told Mendez to contact Trundy, but nothing got through. Rhodes used Leung's pirate camera to warn the President of Breck's actions. Trundy arrived at Fort Liberty in time to hear Rhodes recommend he launch a thermonuclear strike at San Diego.

Meanwhile, Aldo's gorillas aerial-bombed Washington, D.C., then engaged the human ground forces and stormed the White House, looking for Trundy. Eventually, the gorillas took over the War Room. Finally, in the Oval Office, Aldo assumed the president's chair, lighting up a cigar in triumph. Twelve hours later, with no way to reach Breck and the Alpha-Omega bomb, MacDonald began to lose hope. To his shock, Aldo's gorillas arrived with a squad of fighter jets; even stranger, Aldo could speak. Caesar sent Lisa and the city's ape and human population to seek safety in the mountains as Aldo's pilots lifted off to level the complex. MacDonald opted to stay with Caesar and face his destiny. Breck contacted Trundy, saying he had everything under control. Aldo's fighters disrupted the call, bringing the building down around him. Apes stormed the launch bay, slaughtering Breck's followers. Kolp led his commandos to the lower levels, shooting MacDonald as he went. In his death, MacDonald hit a trigger, causing the missile to leak radioactivity. With no choice but to save mankind by destroying civilization, Trundy initiated the Inferno Protocol, raining nuclear weapons down on the cities of North America. Caesar led his people to the mountains, carrying MacDonald's body with them and leaving Kolp's soldiers behind in the radioactive city. Thanks to Caesar's psychic dreams, the apes (starting with Lisa) began to speak. However, he soon stopped dreaming events into existence, which left him wondering if he had ultimately changed the future or caused it.