In Review: Escape From Skull Island #1 – Trapped on Skull Island

Synopsis: Trapped on Skull Island, a desperate band of survivors struggles against the land’s relentless horrors while an ancient threat rises from below. But as chaos unfolds, flashbacks reveal Kong’s turbulent youth: his battles, losses, and the primal instincts that shaped him into the island’s sovereign.

Now, as hordes of monstrous beasts close in on the stranded humans, the most dangerous enemy of all regains strength to once more challenge Kong’s throne.

The Story

Picking up from where Return to Skull Island #4 left off, this opening chapter of the sequel arc begins with a flashback to Kong’s youth during the early days of his guardianship of Skull Island.

In the flashback, Kong has been captured by a group of Nazis led by Lieutenant Gersdorff. To keep the young Titan calm, Gersdorff employs the reluctant help of Jo, a female American scientist taken from a submarine crew. Jo is being coerced into assisting the Nazis in exchange for the lives of her crewmates.

Their objective is clear and ominous. They want access to the Hollow Earth, the subterranean realm of monsters that Kong protects. Drilling into it is not just scientific curiosity. It is an act of invasion.

Back in the present day, the stranded survivors are still fleeing the Yuggoth. The creature eventually abandons the chase and retreats into the Hollow Earth. When one member of the group expresses relief, Etena, a native of the island, quickly tempers that optimism. The Yuggoth has not surrendered. It has simply gone home to gather reinforcements.

The issue closes on Kong himself, wandering the island alone. Watching. Waiting.

Artwork

Christopher Jones continues the high standard of artwork he established in the previous story arc. The visual storytelling remains confident and atmospheric throughout.

The flashback sequences are a particular highlight. The revelation of the Nazis’ interest in the Hollow Earth aligns disturbingly well with the historical regime’s fascination with myth, occultism, and ancient power. It feels thematically appropriate rather than gratuitous.

To distinguish the past from the present, Jones leans heavily into browns and greys, using them to create a muted tone across the flashback panels. This restrained colour palette gives those scenes an aged, almost archival quality. In contrast, the modern-day sequences use a fuller and more vibrant palette, clearly separating the timelines without relying on heavy exposition.

In short, it looks fantastic.

Overall

This is a solid opening issue that raises the stakes while continuing the storylines established in the previous arc. The Captain remains determined in his search for Druid, while Annie, her mother, and the rest of the group are simply trying to survive the escalating threat of the Yuggoth.

With the creature retreating into the Hollow Earth to gather reinforcements, it seems increasingly likely that the stranded survivors will find themselves drawn into Kong’s looming battle rather than merely running from it.