KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND BOOK CHRONOLOGY
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1991 - 1997
Origin Stories
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SKULL ISLAND novella and HISTORY of SKULL ISLAND Notes
All King Kong-related books in the DeVito ArtWorks (DAW) / Cooper KING KONG Of
SKULL ISLAND Universe have their origins in the novella, SKULL ISLAND, the first of a
planned trilogy that Joe DeVito began writing and illustrating in 1991.
SKULL ISLAND was copyrighted in 1997 along with a HISTORY OF
SKULL ISLAND. Both are wholly based on the original, 1932, KING KONG novel, which
is identical to the original 1933 KING KONG movie in overall story arc, but differs in the
details. SKULL ISLAND and HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND are not connected to either
of the two original Kong movies, in particular SON OF KONG where Skull Island was
completely destroyed. |
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2004
Novelization of SKULL ISLAND and HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND Origin Stories
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KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND (DH Press, 2004 in hardcover, 2005 in softcover)
The story contained in KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND is a full novelization of the
original SKULL ISLAND novella and HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND.
KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND was a complete work in its own right and most of the
book's illustrations in all media are unique to it.* It is similar enough story-wise to the
novella to be canon in most respects, along with 100% of it's imagery. It was originally
planned as a trilogy and was the best that could be produced at the time.
* Only 4 to 5 set paintings and a very few illustrations originally paired with the novella
in order to first pitch the project in the mid-90s were re-printed in the new 2020 books,
KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND Part 1: EXODUS and KING KONG OF SKULL
ISLAND Part 2: THE WALL, to augment the novella as first intended. |
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2005
Merian C. Cooper's
KING KONG
Update and Expansion of Original 1932 Novel
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Merian C. Cooper's KING KONG (St. Martin's Press, 2005, softcover)
Written specifically for the Merian C. Cooper Estate, MERIAN C. COOPER'S KING
KONG updates and expands the original KING KONG novel published in 1932. It is a
cultural, paleontological, and stylistic revamp of the original published KING KONG
story. It also contains several additional chapters and characters to fold seamlessly into
all DAW Kong Universe books. As such, this book serves as a cornerstone of the entire KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND Universe. |
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2017
KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND
Limited Edition, All-New Novel
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KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND (DeVito ArtWorks, 2017, Limited Edition, Hardcover)
The Limited Edition KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND opens with the original SKULL
ISLAND novella* (the first time it has ever been published). It sets the stage for the
ensuing all-new novel KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND in two parts: Part 1: EXODUS
and Part 2: THE WALL. This new novel reveals the detailed stories of the origin of the
Kongs and the human civilization as they come to occupy Skull Island, leading to
and including the building of the Wall. It delves into the very foundations of the island
itself, and reveals many of its mysteries, anomalies, flora, fauna, and more as never
before. Included are voluminous historical, biological and geological notes, extensive
hand-annotated sketchbook illustrations and maps of all things Skull Island.
* The original SKULL ISLAND novella is similar to, but different in many respects from,
the fully novelized telling in the DH Press Book from 2004. Re-titled "SKULL ISLAND
JOURNALS" in the Limited Edition book, the novella sets the stage for EXODUS and
THE WALL and forms about one-sixth of the text. The only things the Limited
Edition KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND directly shares with the 2004 Kong book
from DH Press are a small group of original key paintings and a few key concept
sketches, all first created in the 1990s for the original SKULL ISLAND novella to be
used here as initially intended.
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2020
KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND Parts 1 and 2
Mass Market Softcover of Limited Edition Books
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KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND Part One: EXODUS and
KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND Part Two: THE WALL
(2020 Markosia Enterprises, Softcover)
Both of these books are derived from the Limited Edition Hardcover collector volume KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND, which was limited to 500 copies and was not (and never will be) for sale to the mass market.
Combined, KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND Part 1: EXODUS and KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND Part 2: THE WALL include everything in the Limited Edition KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND book and expand on it with 7-10,000 plus words on the creation process plus additional creature information, images and new sketchbook pages (the former more in book 1, the latter more in book 2). They enable everything in the Limited Edition, hardcover collector volume to be available to the mass market for the very first time. |
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OTHER ADDITIONS TO THE KONG UNIVERSE |
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DOC SAVAGE: SKULL ISLAND
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KING KONG vs. TARZAN
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DOC SAVAGE: SKULL ISLAND
(Altus Press, 2013. Based on a concept by Joe DeVito)
KING KONG vs. TARZAN
(Altus Press, 2016. First ever fully sanctioned cross-over novel
between the two
iconic characters)
These two novels take place within the KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND Universe.
Both were written by Will Murray and illustrated by Joe DeVito:
DOC SAVAGE-SKULL ISLAND begins right after Kong's fall from the Empire State
Building and goes on to relate a previously unknown landing on Skull Island by the
young Doc Savage following WW1 and his struggle to survive an encounter with King
Kong.
KING KONG vs. TARZAN tells the spectacular story of Kong being brught to New
York City and the incredible events that unfolded between two vastly different lords of the jungle following a disastrous unscheduled stop on the African continent.
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KONG OF SKULL ISLAND COMICS
(BOOM! Studios)
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ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED: |
Is MERIAN C. COOPER’S KING KONG canonical in the KING KONG of SKULL ISLAND Universe?
Of course. MERIAN C. COOPER’S KING KONG updates and expands the
original King Kong novel, written by Fellows W. Lovelace and published in 1932, with several new chapters. It also
includes additional characters, story details and imagery to blend seamlessly into
the expanding prequel/sequel timeline. As such MERIAN C. COOPER'S KING KONG uniquely anchors the
entire KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND Universe with three of its images included in the 2017 Limited Edition hardcover book and its softcover version.
Is the story contained in the book KONG: KING of SKULL ISLAND included
in the books KING KONG of SKULL ISLAND - Part One: EXODUS and KING
KONG of SKULL ISLAND - Part Two: THE WALL?
The story contained in KONG: KING of SKULL ISLAND from 2004 is a full
novelization of the original SKULL ISLAND novella. It is the novella itself that is
included in “SKULL ISLAND Part One: EXODUS.” As a result, there are many
story details and characters that they share in common, but there are also
several differences. They are self-contained, independently written tales.
2004’s KONG: KING of SKULL ISLAND was a complete work in its own right and
most of the book’s illustrations in all media are unique to it.* (NOTE: The
softcover version of that book contains several additional sketchbook pages). It is similar
enough story-wise to the novella to be canon in most respects, along with 100%
of its imagery. It was originally planned as a trilogy; a concept that, unfortunately, was unable to be realized.
*Only 4-5 set paintings and a very few drawings originally paired with the SKULL ISLAND novella
in order to first pitch the project in the mid ’90’s were re-printed in the new books
to go with the novella as first intended.
Are the Will Murray novels DOC SAVAGE: SKULL ISLAND and KING KONG
vs. TARZAN canonical?
Yes, in regard to details and storyline as they apply to King Kong. They take place in a universe occupied by the other iconic, copyrighted characters of Doc Savage and Tarzan. Kong’s
details are wholly based in KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND, specifically events covered in the SKULL ISLAND novella and KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND.
Are the Boom! “Kong of Skull Island” comic books canonical in the DAW
Kong Universe?
Though not necessarily canon, they were overseen by DAW. They differ in some
details and characters, but share a similar storyline wholly based in KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND,
specifically events covered in the original novella and the “Skull Island Journals” section of the
Limited Edition book. The same is true of the fascinating “Kong on Planet of the Apes” and
other alternate-universe stories in the BOOM! (B!) Kong series.
The only character in the DAW Kong Universe that first appeared in the BOOM!
series is the two-headed Gaw. Based on DAW’s original GAW super-saurian, the
design sketches for the two-headed Gaw were drawn by DeVito and are included
with his hand-annotated notes in the sketchbook section of KING KONG of SKULL
ISLAND.
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IN CLOSING: |
2017’s Limited Eition hardcover book, with some expansion in 2020’s softcover
versions, KING KONG of SKULL ISLAND - Part One: EXODUS and KING
KONG of SKULL ISLAND - Part Two: THE WALL bring to fruition DeVito's original version of a King Kong prequesl/sequel trilogy first started in 1991.
KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND - Part 1: EXODUS and KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND - Part 2: THE WALL contain between them the most up to date, synergized and canonocal storyline to date. It is the storyline all future expansions will be based in.
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