This past Sunday, Legendary Pictures released the trailer for Godzilla vs. Kong, the much-anticipated latest entry in Legendary’s “Monsterverse,” which includes 2014’s reboot of Godzilla, 2017’s Kong: Skull Island, and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters (which brought us rebooted versions of King Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra). It stars two of monsterdom’s greatest titans alongside human costars Eiza Gonzalez (Bloodshot), Kyle Chandler and Millie Bobby Brown (Godzilla: King of the Monsters), and Alexander Skarsgard (The Stand). “One will fall” is its promotional tagline—but which one will it be when the movie debuts on March 26 in theaters and HBOMax?
Of course, this title match wouldn’t happen without Kong, the creation of Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace who was brought to stop-motion life in 1933 by effects master Willis O’Brien. The original King Kong went on to become a worldwide cultural icon that inspired generations of Monster Kids who grew up to be directors, writers, and special-effects creators. It also inspired all of us at StarWarp Concepts—here comes the shameless plug—to add the story of the king of the simian monsters to our line of Illustrated Classics!
King Kong is an e-book-only republication of the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it includes scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects.
Our version features six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.
Not familiar with the beauty-and-the-beast story of Kong and his “love interest,” Ann Darrow (who was played in the 1933 original by the queen of the scream queens, Fay Wray)? Well, here’s our edition’s back-cover copy to bring you up-to-date:
Ann Darrow was a down-on-her-luck actress struggling to survive in Depression-era New York when she met moviemaker Carl Denham. He offered her the starring role in his latest film: a documentary about a long-lost island—and the godlike ape named Kong rumored to live there. Denham needed a beauty as a counterpart to the beast he hoped to find, and Ann was the answer to his prayers.
Mystery, romance, a chance to turn her life around, even the possibility of stardom—to Ann, it sounded like the adventure of a lifetime! But what she didn’t count on were the horrific dangers that awaited her on Skull Island—including the affections of a love-struck monster…
King Kong (the 1932 novelization) is available directly from the SWC webstore, so visit its product page for ordering information.
