Timeline of Kongs and Other Giant Apes

[The Baron]

Preface: Legends and rumors of giant apes have existed throughout recorded history.  Recently declassified MONARCH reports support the theory that the apes now known to us as “Kongs” originated in the so-called “Hollow Earth” region, however, this has not yet been definitively proven. 

 

Circa. 1603-1867): There are legends of a captive ape called “Kingu Kongu” that was brought to Japan sometime during the Edo Period, and later escaped and had to be put down. By all accounts, it was an ordinary ape, but the similarity of its name to “King Kong” has provoked a good deal of speculation. (1)

 

1933:

• Film-maker Carl Denham led an expedition to Skull Island, where he reported finding numerous prehistoric animals and evidence of an unknown ancient civilization. The expedition captured a giant ape known to the natives as “Kong”. Bringing it to New York City, Denham exhibited it under the name “King Kong”.  Kong escaped and went on a rampage and was killed by the U.S. military.  (2)  Kong’s corpse was studied by scientists, and with the help of an army of taxidermists, us carcass was stuffed and mounted and put on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
• Fleeing New York just ahead of his numerous creditors, Denham returned to Skull Island, where he found a juvenile giant ape that he named the “Son of Kong”. Denham reported that Skull Island was destroyed and the Son of Kong was drowned, although this was never independently confirmed, (3) The subsequent advent of World War Two prevented further expeditions to the area.
• After film of Denham’s Kong was shown in Japan, a man named Santa became a minor sensation by appearing on stage dressed in an ape suit and calling himself “King Kong”. Once he had made enough money to marry, he retired from show business. (4)

 

1949: Nightclub owner Max O’Hara found a giant gorilla in Africa called “Joe Young” in Africa.  Bringing the ape to Hollywood, O’Hara exhibited him as “Mighty Joe Young”.  Joe was unhappy in America, and after various escapades, was returned to Africa. (5) It is widely believed that Max O’Hara was Carl Denham operating under an assumed name, but this has never been proven.

 

1959: A chimpanzee named “Toto” wad launched into space, where exposure to unknown radiation caused it to grow to great size and develop unusual super-powers. Renamed “Titano”, it bedeviled Superman for several years before being launched back into prehistory. (6)

 

1961: British scientist Dr.Charles Decker tested an experimental growth formula on a chimpanzee named “Konga”, causing to grow to enormous size. Konga eventually broke loose and was destroyed by the British military. (7)

 

1962:  An expedition sponsored by Pacific Pharmaceuticals traveled to Faro Island where they captured a giant ape they named “King Kong” (hereafter “King Kong II”). They brought King Kong II back to Japan, where it battled Godzilla II before leaving Japan, presumably to return to Faro Island. (8)

 

1967:  Another giant ape which came to be called “King Kong” (hereafter “King Kong III”) was found living on Mondo Island.  It was captured by the villainous Dr Hu, who attempted to force Kong to mine a rare radioactive element for him.  King Kong III escaped and subsequently battled Hu’s robot Mechani-Kong before returning to Mondo Island. (9)  Fictional adventures based on these events were broadcast as the children’s animated television series The King Kong Show. (10)

 

1973: An American expedition to a place they called “Skull Island” discovered a giant ape that the natives called “Kong” (hereafter “King Kong IV”).  After various adventures, the survivors escaped the island and returned to the U.S., where some of them were recruited by MON ARCH. (11) This “Skull Island” differed so greatly from Denham’s reports that it is believed to have been a different place.

 

1976:

• The Petrox Oil Company sent an expedition to an island in the Indian Ocean, where they discovered a giant ape they called “King Kong” (hereafter “King Kong V”), Returning with it to the U.S.A., Petrox placed it on exhibition. It promptly escaped and rampaged through New York City before it was believed destroyed by the U.S. military. (12) In fact, King Kong V was still alive, albeit in a coma. It was removed to a scientific facility called the Atlantic Institute for study.
• In a bizarre coincidence, a British studio filming in Africa captured a female giant ape they dubbed “Queen Kong”. Queen Kong was brought to London, where it escaped and was eventually destroyed by the British military. (13)
• A 36 fot tall ape appeared in south Korea, going on a rampage before being destroyed. (14)
• The events of this year led to a U.N. resolution prohibiting the removal of giant creatures from their native habitats.

 

1986:  When King Kong V was found to need a blood transfusion, a suitable female ape (dubbed “Lady Kong”) was located in Indonesian territory. It was illegally captured and brought to the Atlantic Institute. The two apes escaped from captivity.  King Kong V was killed, but not before impregnating Lady Kong.  Lady Kong and her offspring eventually returned to their home. (15)

 

1998:

• The Mighty Kong, an animated motion picture adaptation of the original Kong’s story, was released. The film featured the voicework of actor Dudley Moore in one of his last roles. (16)
• Mighty Joe Young, a live-action adaptation of Joe young’s story, was released. It was directed by Ron Underwood, and starred Bill Paxton and Charlize Theron. (17)

 

2001: Doctor Lorna Jenkins used DNA from the original Kong and her grandson Jason to create a clone of the original (hereafter “King Kong VI”).  A psychic link existed between King Kong VI and Jason Jenkins, and together the two battled Professor Ramone De La Porta’s attempts to free the demon Chiros. (18)

 

2005: King Kong, a live-action adaptation of the original Kong’s story, was released. It was directed by Peter Jackson, and starred Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody. (19)

 

Sometime prior to 2021, a giant storm destroyed King Kong IV’s “Skull Island”. King Kong IV was removed to a virtual recreation of his home created by MONARCH.

 

2021:  King Kong IV escaped from its virtual home. It battled Godzilla XII  at sea and in Hong Kong, before teaming up with the kaiju king to battle Mechagodzilla IV.   King Kong IV subsequently relocated to the “Hollow Earth” region, where MONARCH established a base to observe it. (20)

 

1. The King Kong That Appeared in Edo (1938)
2. King Kong (1933)
3. Son of Kong (1933)
4. Wasei Kingu Kongu (1933)
5. Mighty Joe Young (1949)
6. Superman #127 (February 1959)
7. Konga (1961)
8. King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
9. King Kong Escapes (1967)
10. The King Kong Show (1966-1969)
11. Kong: Skull Island (2017)
12. King Kong (1976)
13. Queen Kong (1976)
14. A*P*E (1976)
15. King Kong Lives (1986)
16. The Mighty Kong (1998)
17. Mighty Joe Young (1998)
18. Kong: The Animated Series (2001)
19. King Kong (2005)
20. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)