Gordon Keefer was the first Ape-Man and became one of the original Ani-Men. The original Ani-Men were recruited and outfitted by the Organizer who was actually a candidate for the mayor of New York named Abner Jones. The Organizer sent the Ani-Men to undermine the current administration but they were defeated by the costume crimefighter Daredevil and all five men went to prison. Later, Bird-Man, Ape-Man and Cat-Man formed the Unholy Three and worked for a criminal scientist named the Exterminator. Again, the Unholy Three and their employer would be defeated by Daredevil.  

Creation

Ape-Man was created by Wally Wood in 1965 and first appeared in Daredevil # 10. 

Story Arcs

Bird-Man, Ape-Man and Cat-Man were rejoined by the original Frog-Man and worked for Count Nefaria. His scientist submitted his Ani-Men to an unknown process that gave them superhuman abilities and animal like forms. Count Nefaria added a female member named Dragonfly to the Ani-Men and they help assisted Nefaria takeover the North American Air Defense Command. However their plan was thwarted by the X-Men and the four original Ani-Men regained their human form and lost their superhuman abilities. Count Nefaria would reunite with his Ani-Men and ordered them to kill Tony Stark. The original Ani-Men were killed by a bomb that the criminal Spymaster had meant for Stark. 
Sometime later, the Exterminator now known as the Death-Stalker recruited and outfitted three criminals to become the new Ape-Man, Bird-Man and Cat-Man. He sent them to kidnap Matt Murdock who was secretly Daredevil. Bird-Man was defeated by Black Widow and Death-Stalker murdered the new Ape-Man and Cat-Man upon the completion of their mission. 

Powers & Abilities

For a time, Ape-Man possesses superhuman strength and could lift about 10 tons. Both Ape-Men were formidable hand-to-hand combatants.