Angel and the Ape #2

Angel and the Ape #2 was published in 1968 by DC Comics as part of an experimental shift toward more humorous and satirical material. Created by writer E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Bob Oksner, the series followed the adventures of Angel O'Day, a private detective, and Sam Simeon, a gorilla who was both a talented comic book artist and a member of the detective agency. The premise played with the absurdist sensibilities of the era, blending conventional noir tropes with the incongruity of a simian partner.

Bob Oksner’s artistic style on the series is widely noted for its clean, expressive lines, which balanced the grounded mystery elements with the inherent cartoonish nature of the characters. The series is often categorized as a cult classic, representing a brief period where DC Comics leaned into quirky, genre-bending concepts that deviated from their traditional superhero roster. While it was not a massive commercial success at the time, it has since been recognized for its unique tone and its role as a precursor to more meta-textual storytelling in comics.