As Teplish describes Communism on the Planet of the Apes, “The inhabitants of the Planet of the Apes discover a crashed Soviet space probe, transported through a wormhole, with various Soviet books and propaganda on board. The apes begin to emulate the symbols, nationalism and militaristic pursuits of the Soviets, starting with global revolutions and leading to warring totalitarian regimes.
“On a planet entirely engulfed by late-stage communism and divided into extreme factions, each ruled by a tyrannical dictator, the people are oppressed and simultaneously encouraged to fight for global domination,” he continues. “Ape children are raised in a militant culture of fascist tendencies and brutality, with a focus on military might and warfare. While the rulers and military elite live lavishly, the majority of the population is left impoverished and struggling to survive.
“Those who dare speak out against their regimes are thrown into ape gulags and forced into hard labor. Just when all hope seems lost, another artifact is discovered that shows even an underdog can rise up and become victorious. This relic inspires a rebellion among the gulag prisoners, who begin their struggle for liberty and freedom. With constant warfare between dictators and the ongoing struggle for liberty and freedom, Communism on the Planet of the Apes is a must-see series that explores the dangers of totalitarian rule and the human struggle for independence.”
As to how the project came about, Teplish explains, "The art was mostly generated by AI (Artificial Intelligence) based on my ideas and prompts, and in many cases later enhanced further in other image editing software. While I am not the artist, this is generative and original based on my creative direction. The images are the result of countless prompts, with provided base images, further creating derivatives leading to my intended mental image. Additionally, many images were enhanced, corrected or combined in other software, in some cases painting by the pixel."
One of the intriguing aspects of Communism on the Planet of the Apes is the exploration of different concepts and themes on the planet of apes, taking us out of merely being in Ape City (as in the classic films) or the jungle (the recent trilogy and, presumably, next May's Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes). In some ways, it actually suggests Pierre Boulle's original novel more than it does the 1968 film that was based on it and gave birth to what will be a total of 10 films.