Coming to the end, Urchak’s Folly falls victim to a problem I hadn’t anticipated. Chaloner doesn’t do the finished pencils, just layouts. Gates takes over the pencil finishes and it shows. One could use this series, then, as an example of how inkers don’t always make an exceptional difference.

But Chaloner’s writing is still strong.

The big revelation this issue is unexpected. I had thought it’d be a dream, the entire Planet of the Apes franchise, but it’s not. Chaloner actually ties it all in to another famous work of science fiction, but I won’t spoil it… even though no one can find Folly outside of a back issue bin.

Chaloner’s focus moves around a little, away from the characters introduced the previous issue, then back again to them. It sweeps nicely, managing to cover the revelation organically. It all fits together perfectly.

Folly, even with lesser art, still wows.

Chaloner doesn’t have too much quality drop, but there is a little. He’s delaying the revelations about the protagonist by introducing new material—stuff from the movies, actually—and then the titular Urchak going nutty.

But Urchak isn’t as interesting as the rest of the cast. He works far better when he’s silent and dangerous instead of loud and insane.

Still, Chaloner can get away with it, particularly since he opens the issue with a couple wonderful double page spreads. The art in this issue, like always with Folly, surprises me. It doesn’t fit with what I think of Adventure in general and its Apes franchise in particular. It’s way too good, way too creative, way too exuberant, for a licensed property.

After sustaining the quality this issue, I’m now excited for the final one. Chaloner, I name I was unfamiliar with before Folly, appears to be a great discovery.

I’m a little taken aback by Folly. The first issue was shockingly good for a licensed property, but this one is even better.

Chaloner uses the franchise to tell this fantastic story of mismatched characters. The Apes setting is both a constraint and a device to bring the elements together.

This issue reveals, like everyone at Adventure, Chaloner plays fast and loose with continuity. Only here, who cares? It’s such a good comic, it’s too bad it’s tied to the rest of the Apes. It really ought to be collected.

Chaloner has set up this miserable expedition, with all sorts of infighting and machinations. The human protagonist is somewhat passive here, though his backstory seems incredible–it’s the one place where Chaloner might have set the bar too high.

He–and the reader–watches everything collide and explode. It’s great writing and excellent art.

Chaloner does fantastic work. Unbelievably good.