Comic Title: Secret Origins #40
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: May 1989
On Sale Date: March 21, 1989 Shipping Date March 23, 1989
Source: Amazing Heroes, #161

Shipping Date March 21, 1989
Source: Previews, #1

Direct Market Date March 23, 1989
Source: Comic Shop News, #82

Copyright Date March 21, 1989
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1989

Direct Market Date March 23, 1989
Source: Comic Shop News, #91

Cover Price: $1.50
Page Count: 48
Editor: Mark Waid

Title: "Gorillas in Our Midst"
Pages: 19

Writer: Cary Bates
Writer: Greg Weisman
Penciller: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: Agustin Mas
Colorist: Shelly Eiber

Feature Character(s)

• Solovar (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Swamp Thing Annual #3)

Supporting Character(s)

• The inhabitants of Gorilla City (Kios named; no further appearances)

Villain(s)

• Grodd (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Swamp Thing Annual #3)

Other Character(s)

• Sir Albert Wesley and Hughes (19th Century explorers; no further appearances)
• Mr. Barwick (a 19th Century reporter; no further appearances)
• An alien being (dies in this story; no further appearances)

Comments:
This story takes place in 1873.

Synopsis:
Two 19th Century explorers happen upon a city of intelligent apes in the African jungle. The apes evolution was altered a decade earlier when an alien being landed on Earth. A crystal device in the alien ship also caused Solovar, the gorilla leader to be empowered by pure energy. Another gorilla's mind was warped by the device.

The explorers are taken to meet the alien who is held captive and worship as a god. The alien communicates with the men and arranges for its escape from the city. However, one of the explorers is mentally overcome by the mind of the warped gorilla. He shoots the alien. The other explorer escapes and returns to England. When he tells his story he is sent to a mad house.

Disturbed by the incident, Solovar has the apes construct a shield around the city which will serve to make it invisible to the outside world inhabited by men.