KONG BOOK CHRONOLOGY UPDATE
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
HOW MANY KING KONG-RELATED BOOKS ARE IN THE DeVITO ARTWORKS (DAW)/COOPER KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND UNIVERSE?
To date there are seven. Joe DeVito is the creator/illustrator and co-writer, with Brad Strickland, of six (including two updated an revised editions) published King Kong-related books. DeVito also illustrated and co-wrote, also with Strickland, MERIAN C. COOPER’S KING KONG. They are as follows:
KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND (DH Press, 2004 in hardcover; ’05 in softcover)
MERIAN C COOPER’S KING KONG (St. Martin’s Press, 2005) NOTE: This was written specifically for the Merian C. Cooper Estate. It is a cultural, paleontological, and stylistic revamp of the original published King Kong story that folds seamlessly into KKSI).
KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND (DeVito ArtWorks, 2017, Limited Edition hardcover)
KING KONG of SKULL ISLAND Part 1: EXODUS (Markosia, 2020, softcover)
KING KONG of SKULL ISLAND Part 2: THE WALL (Markosia, 2020, softcover)
KING KONG of SKULL ISLAND Part 1: EXODUS UPDATED AND REVISED EDITION (2025 World Builder Publishing in both hardcover and softcover)
KING KONG of SKULL ISLAND Part 2: THE WALL UPDATED AND REVISED EDITION (2025 World Builder Publishing in both hardcover and softcover)
Two additional novels take place within the KKSI Universe. Both were written by Will Murray and illustrated DeVito:
DOC SAVAGE: SKULL ISLAND (Altus Press, 2013. Based on a concept by Joe DeVito)
KING KONG vs. TARZAN (Altus Press, 2016. First ever fully sanctioned cross-over novel between the two iconic characters)
The multiple BOOM! Studios and Dynamite Entertainment Kong of Skull Island comic book series from 2016 through present. Though not necessarily canon and written by various authors, they are all based in the DAW King Kong of Skull Island IP, with all story details and imagery overseen by DAW.
IS MERIAN C. COOPER’S KING KONG CANONICAL IN THE KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND UNIVERSE?
Yes. "Merian C Cooper's King Kong" updates and expands the original King Kong novel published in 1932. It contains additional characters, story details and imagery enabling it to blend seamlessly into the expanded prequel/sequel timeline. As such MCCKK serves as a fundamental origin story in the King Kong of Skull Island Universe.
IS THE STORY CONTAINTED IN THE BOOK KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND INCLUDED IN KING KONG of SKULL ISLAND Part 1: EXODUS AND KING KONG of SKULL ISLAND Part 2: THE WALL?
The story contained in the 2004 Kong: King of Skull Island is a full novelization of the original Skull Island novella (written in the 1990’s). Planned as a trilogy by DeVito, the original Skull Island novella was included in the limited edition book King Kong of Skull Island published in 2017, which included a two part novel to complete the trilogy. Titled Skull Island Part One: Exodus,and Skull Island Part Two: The Wall, these were then published as a two book set for the mass market in 2020 that were extensively updated and revised in 2025.
As a result, there are many story details and characters that they all share in common, but there are also differences in storyline and details. 2004’s Kong: King of Skull Island remains a complete work in its own right and most of the book’s illustrations in all media are unique to it.* It is similar enough story-wise to the novella to be canon, along with 100% of its imagery.
*Only 4-5 set paintings and a very few drawings originally paired with the novella in order to first pitch the project in the mid ’90’s were re-printed in the new King Kong of Skull Island - Part 1: Exodus to go with the novella as first intended.
ARE THE WILL MURRAY NOVELS DOC SAVAGE: SKULL ISLAND and KING KONG vs. TARZAN CANONICAL?
Yes, in regard to details as they apply to King Kong and Skull Island themselves. They also take place in a universe occupied by the other iconic, copyrighted characters of Doc Savage and Tarzan with details unique to those characters. All Kong and Skull Island details, however, are wholly based in DAW’s King Kong of Skull Island Universe.
ARE THE BOOM! AND DYNAMITE COMIC BOOK SERIES CANONICAL IN THE KING KONG OF SKULL ISLAND UNIVERSE?
Though not necessarily canon, they were all overseen by DAW. They may differ in some details and characters, but share a common thread wholly based in KKSI, in particular to events covered in the original Skull Island novella. The same is true of the fascinating Kong on Planet of the Apes and other alternate-universe stories in the BOOM! Kong series.
The only character in the DAW Kong Universe that first appeared in the B! the series is the two-headed Gaw. Based on DAW’s original GAW super-saurian, the design sketches for the two-headed Gaw were drawn by DeVito and are included with his hand-annotated notes in sketchbook section of King Kong of Skull Island.
IN CLOSING:
2017’s LE hardcover book, with further expansion in 2025’s Updated and Revised versions King Kong of Skull Island - Part 1: Exodus and King Kong of Skull Island - Part 2: The Wall bring to fruition DeVito’s original vision of a King Kong prequel/sequel trilogy first started in 1991.
As of 2026, King Kong of Skull Island - Part 1: Exodus and King Kong of Skull Island - Part 2: The Wall Updated and Revised editions combined with the origin story contained in Merian C. Cooper’s King Kong comprise between them the most up to date, comprehensive, synergized and canonical King Kong of Skull Island Universe storyline to date and all future expansions will be based in them.
These books are published through World Builder Publishing and can be found here:
King Kong of Skull Island - Part 1: Exodus
King Kong of Skull Island - Part 2: The Wall
Merian C. Cooper’s King Kong