King Kong: The Eighth Wonder of the World

King Kong: The Eighth Wonder of the World is a 2023 American comic book written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Sean Murphy. It began publication on March 2nd, 2023 in celebration of the 1933 films 90th anniversary and ran for six issues.

Plot
1946: 10 year Cooper Driscoll is seen playing in his parents bedroom when he accidently knocks over a box, when he goes to pick it up he sees pictures of his parents with famed filmmaker, Carl Denham and another one which takes his interest. Cooper then goes downstairs to kitchen where his parents, Jack and Ann Driscoll are preparing lunch. Cooper then shows them the picture of them next to the dead body of a giant gorilla like creature.

When asked if the dead creature they're with is a gorilla, Ann tells her son that, "it is a gorilla Cooper. But not just any ordinary gorilla, he is King Kong: The Eighth Wonder of the World". Seeing their sons interest, both Jack and Ann decide to tell Cooper of how they met, it involved both Carl Denham and King Kong himself.

1933: During the Great Depression, 23 year old Ann Darrow was working as a vaudeville actress, until one day she and her co-workers are told that their theatre is closing down. Meanwhile famed filmmaker Carl Denham is told by theatrical agent, Charles Weston that no actress will star in his upcoming film due to its secretive nature. Undaunted, Carl and his assistant, Wallace set out to find a woman for his film, they then come across Ann as she attempts to steal an apple. After paying the fruit vendor, Carl and Wallace take her to dinner where Carl offers her the role in his film.

The next day, they set sail onboard Denham's charted ship, the Wanderer. During the voyage, Ann's makes the acquaintance of a sailor named Lumpy and his pet seal lion named Marge who takes a liking to Ann. Ann also catches the eye of the Wanderer's dashing but gruff first mate, Jack Driscoll. After arriving at certain coordinates, Carl then instructs Captain Englehorn to head southwest, much to the captain and Jack's surprise. Englehorn then explains to Denham that there isn't any land southwest and that its way outside of the shipping lanes, Denham however assures Englehorn that they won't be traveling thousands of miles. Denham then reveals a map that he obtained from the captain of a Norwegian barque, he then explains of how a canoe full of natives from the island was blown to sea. When the Norwegian barque picked them up, only one of the natives was still alive, however the native died before reaching port but not before the captain was able to piece together a map of the island from the natives descriptions. He then explains that the name of the island is Skull Mountain Island, the name coming from its iconic mountain in the shape of a human skull. He then tells of an other iconic part of the island, a large wall build thousands of years ago by an advanced civilization whose descendants keep the wall in good repair, despite no longer having the skills of their ancestors. Denham asks if Englehorn has ever heard the name, Kong to which Englehorn explains he has, believing him to either be a god, demon or spirit from Malay folklore. Denham however believes that Kong is real and intends to film him, much to the concern of Englehorn and Jack. Meanwhile Ann and Jack start to fall in love with each other, even sharing a kiss with each other whilst in the crows nest.

A day later, the Wanderer reaches the perpetual fog bank that surrounds the island. Eventually the Wanderer breaches the fog bank and reveals Skull Mountain Island, Carl, Ann, Jack, Englehorn, Wallace and several then head for shore in the ships longboats. After landing on the islands beach, they come across the natives village and the massive wall. They then come across the islands natives performing a ritual where they prepare a young girl for sacrifice, the chief then spots the crew and demands they leave. Carl then has Englehorn ask the chief of what's to become of the girl, to which replies that she is to be the Bride of Kong. The chief then notices Ann and offers to trade six of his women for her, Jack refuses and the crew leave, intending to return the next day to build better relations with the natives. That night on the Wanderer, Jack and Ann confess their love for one another, Jack then leaves Ann after been called by Englehorn. Unbeknownst to the crew, the Native Witch Doctor and several warriors sail out to the ship and kidnap Ann, during the struggle the Witch Doctor loses his bracelet. The bracelet is then found by Marge who brings it to Lumpy, who then alerts the crew to Ann's kidnapping.

At the village Ann is brought into a native hut where she is stripped naked, bathed, dressed in native garments and adorned in tribal paint. She is then brought outside the walls gates and tied to an altar, the natives then rush back inside the village just as Jack, Denham and Englehorn arrive with the rescue party. Outside the wall, Ann is taken by the natives god, a giant gorilla-like creature named Kong. Jack arrives in time to see Kong carrying Ann off into the jungle. Jack, Denham, Wallace and several sailors then head out to rescue, leaving Englehorn and the rest of the crew to guard the gate. Whilst searching the jungle, the crew come across a Stegosaurus which attacks them and kills a crew member before been shot to death. Meanwhile Ann tries to sneak away from a sleeping Kong, however whilst trying to make her way back to the village she encounters a pack of Velociraptors which attempt to kill her,. After following Kong's trail to a swamp, realizing that they can't swim due to their guns and bombs, the men decide to build a raft to cross it. However whilst half way across the swamp, they are attacked by an Elasmosaurus who capsizes the raft, destroys it and kills several sailors. Driscoll, Denham and the surviving sailors manage to reach the shore where they manage to salvage a few pistols and knives. They then come across an asphalt mire where they witness Kong battling four Triceratops, he kills one by breaking off its horn and stabbing it to death. He then throws some boulders at the other Triceratops, resulting in them stampeding and impaling Wallace, much to Denham's shock.

Jack, Denham and the remaining sailors then continue to follow Kong, however they encounter an Arsinoitherium which chases them after being shot by a panicked sailor. They are chased onto a log crossing a crevasse where they encounter Kong, who then shakes the sailors off the log into the crevasse where they are either killed upon impact or eaten alive by giant spiders and centipedes, leaving Jack and Denham the only survivors. Ann, having been left in a tree by Kong, is menaced by a Tyrannosaurus rex which tries to eat her. However her screams bring Kong to the rescue where after a lengthy fight, kills the Tyrannosaurus by breaking its jaws. Jack and Denham go their separate ways, Jack going after Ann and Kong whilst Denham heads back to the native village for more men. Whilst heading to his mountain lair, Kong and Ann come across a herd of Iguanodon, one of whose juveniles has gotten stuck in a deep hole. Kong then rescues the juvenile and reunites it with its mother, an act that greatly moves Ann. Upon arriving at his mountain lair, Kong brings Ann into a cavern where she see's the skeletons of Kong's parents, his brother, mate and child. Ann then realizes that Kong is the last of his kind and sympathizes with him, however they are then attacked by a Titanoboa which attempts to constrict Kong, but kills it by bashing its head against the rocks. Kong then takes Ann to the top of his lair where he tears off her native outfit, leaving her completely naked, although she briefly covers herself Ann soon stands before Kong unashamed. Jack however accidently knocks over a large rock whilst trying to reach Kong's lair, alerting the giant ape to his presence. Whilst instigating a Pteranodon attempts to fly off with Ann in it's talons, however Kong rescues and kills the Pteranodon.

Characters

 * Carl Denham - A famed filmmaker who is known for his films shot in exotic locations.
 * Ann Darrow - A beautiful vaudeville actress who was put out of work after her theater closed due to the Great Depression. After meeting Denham, Ann was offered a part in his next film to which she agreed, whilst on the S.S. Wanderer she met and fell in love with it's first mate, Jack Driscoll.
 * Jack Driscoll - The gruff but dashing and handsome first mate on the S.S. Wanderer who is Ann's love interest. At first he was against Ann being on the Wanderer due to believing that it was no place for her, however as the voyage goes on Jack soon falls in love with her.
 * Captain Englehorn - The captain of the S.S. Wanderer whose boat Denham has carted several times before.
 * Wallace -
 * Lumpy - An African American sailor onboard the S.S. Wanderer.
 * Marge - Lumpy's pet sea lion.
 * Native Chief -
 * Witch Doctor -
 * Charles Weston -
 * Cooper Driscoll - The 11 year old son of Jack and Ann. In 1946 he was getting something out his parents bedroom when he stumbled across some pictures of them, Carl Denham and Kong, when asked about it Jack and Ann decide to tell him the story of how they both met and Kong.

Creatures of Skull Mountain Island

 * King Kong - A giant anthropoid ape resembling a gorilla who lives on an uncharted island in the South Pacific. He is worshipped as a god by the natives of Skull Island, who once in a while sacrifice one of their women and a few pigs to him. At one time he had a family consisting of his mother, father, brother, mate and child until they tragically all died leaving him alone and the last of his kind.
 * Stegosaurus -
 * Elasmosaurus -
 * Velociraptor -
 * Triceratops -
 * Arsinoitherium -
 * Giant Spider -
 * Giant Scorpion -
 * Giant Centipede -
 * Tyrannosaurus Rex -
 * Iguanodon -
 * Titanoboa -
 * Pteranodon -

Differences from the original
Due to copyright the comic isn't actually based on the 1933 film, rather it is based on the 1932 novelization by Delos W. Lovelace and features several differences from the film:


 * The comic is frame story being told by Jack and Ann to their son.
 * The ship is called the S.S. Wanderer instead of the S.S. Venture.
 * Charlie the Chinese cook and Second Mate Briggs are replaced with a character from Delos' novel, a black sailor named Lumpy.
 * The comic also features several scenes not featured in the 1933 film, these include the infamous spider-pit scene, the crew encountering an Arsinoitherium and Kong battling a herd of Triceratops.
 * Like the 1976 remake, Ann is dressed in tribal garments for her sacrifice to Kong.
 * There is a waterfall shower scene like the 1976 remake.
 * Like in the 1976 and 2005 remakes, Ann grows to care for Kong and is devastated when he is killed.
 * There is a prologue and epilogue where Jack and Ann are married and have a son named Cooper.

Trivia

 * Jack and Ann's son Cooper is named after Merian C. Cooper, the director of the original King Kong.
 * Marge is based up Esmeralda from Disney's 1954 adaptation of Jules Verne's 20'000 Leagues Under the Sea.