Review: FUTURE QUEST #4

FUTURE QUEST No. 4
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jeff Parker – @JeffParker
ARTIST: Jeff Parker; Ron Randall; Evan “Doc” Shaner
COLORS: Hi-Fi
LETTERS: ALW Studios' Dave Lanphear
COVER: Evan “Doc”Shaner
VARIANT COVER: Paul Renaud
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (October 2016)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

“How the Mighty Fall!”

Future Quest is a comic book series produced by DC Comics that re-imagines and re-interprets the classic sci-fi and superhero television series created by American animation studio, Hanna-Barbera.  Future Quest brings together the stars of the TV programs “Jonny Quest,” “Space Ghost,” “The Herculoids,” “Birdman,” “Frankenstein Jr.,” “The Galaxy Trio,” “The Impossibles,” and “Mightor.”

Future Quest is written by Jeff Parker; colored by Jordie Bellaire; and lettered by Dave Lanphear.  Evan “Doc” Shaner is the series' lead artist, with artists Ron Randall and Steve Rude as frequent contributors.  So far, the main focus of Future Quest is the cast of “Jonny Quest” (referred to as “Team Quest”):  Jonny Quest; his adopted brother, Hadji; his father, Dr. Benton Quest; family bodyguard, Race Bannon; and, of course, Jonny's dog, Bandit.

Future Quest #4 (“How the Mighty Fall!”) opens on the world of Mightor as the hero faces the universal and time-line threat, Omnikron.  Meanwhile, Space Ghost sidekick, Jan, tries to remember her past, with some encouragement from Team Quest.  Two extra stories, “The Structure of Fear” and “Frankenstein Jr. Making Friends,” peak in on the evil Dr. Zin and the terror organization, F.E.A.R., and tells the origin story of Frankenstein Jr., respectively.

I eagerly tore through Future Quest #4 – another whirlwind reading tour of an issue of Future Quest.  I love this comic book because I love classic Hanna-Barbera sci-if/superhero series like “Space Ghost” and “Jonny Quest.”  I also love this series because writer Jeff Parker is gifted in his ability to create pop comics that recall the imaginative, weird, and escapist fun of comic books and TV cartoons past.  This issue, Parker even treats us to some of his comic book art with the story, “The Structure of Fear.”  I did not know that he could draw comics.

I must say that I think that Future Quest will read better, for many readers, in trade paperback form.  For various narrative and production reasons, Future Quest is told in chucks, interludes, chapters, flashbacks, back story, cutaways, etc.  It often seems that Future Quest can never give the reader enough of one thing because it has to jump over to another thing.

Still, Future Quest is DC Comics' best comic book right now.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: FUTURE QUEST #2

FUTURE QUEST No. 2
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jeff Parker – @JeffParker
ARTISTS: Evan “Doc” Shaner – @DocShaner (p. 1-13); Ron Randall (p. 20-27); Jonathan Case (p. 19-22)
COLORS: Jordie Bellaire – @whoajordie
LETTERS: ALW Studios' Dave Lanphear
COVER: Evan “Doc” Shaner
VARIANT COVERS: Jill Thompson
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2016)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Part Two: “Visitors from Beyond”

Future Quest is one of four comic books produced by DC Comics that re-imagine and re-interpret classic television series and characters created by American animation studio, Hanna-Barbera.  Future Quest brings the stars of Hanna-Barbera's action, sci-fi, and superhero TV series together.  That includes “Jonny Quest,” “Space Ghost,” “The Herculoids,” “Birdman,” “Frankenstein Jr.,” “The Galaxy Trio,” “The Impossibles,” and “Mightor.”

Future Quest is written by Jeff Parker; primarily drawn by Evan “Doc” Shaner; colored by Jordie Bellaire; and lettered by Dave Lanphear.  So far, the main focus of Future Quest is the cast of “Jonny Quest” (referred to as “Team Quest”):  Jonny Quest; his adopted brother, Hadji; his father, Dr. Benton Quest; family bodyguard, Race Bannon; and, of course, Jonny's dog, Bandit.

Future Quest #2 (“Visitors from Beyond”) opens with the cast of “The Herculoids” and “Space Ghost” fighting the Omnikron, some kind of reality-devouring entity.  Back on Earth, “Team Quest” and their new friend, Ty, find an “alien” visitor.  Now, they have to protect the visitor and themselves from the forces of longtime Quest nemesis, Dr. Zin.

I was initially cynical about DC's Hanna-Barbera comics, and I still am about the other three.  However, I am in total love with Future Quest.  Jeff Parker is doing some of the best storytelling ever done for Hanna-Barbera's sci-fi and superhero characters.  Hell, it might be the best.  When people talk about wanting more comic books that are fun to read, Parker's ears must burn because they are talking about his comics, especially Future Quest.

Parker's partner-in-crime (against mediocre comic books) is Evan “Doc” Shaner.  His drawing style is clean, recalling animation art and the cool and slick flair of John Romita, Sr.  Shaner's Future Quest compositions are wide open, and that perfectly captures the youthful enthusiasm and sense of adventure that permeates classic “Johnny Quest.”  It is telling that Ron Randall and Jonathan Case, the artists who draw the second half of Future Quest #2 and who are fine artists themselves, take their graphical cues from Shaner.  “Doc” is the boss.

In my review of Future Quest #1, I wondered if future issues of Future Quest could be as good – long term – as I thought the first issue was.  Future Quest #2 is as good.  I can't imagine this series falling apart form here, but then, the Cleveland Cavaliers are the 2015-16 NBA Champions and not the Golden State Warriors.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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