DC COMICS – @DCComics
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
STORY: Jeff Parker – @JeffParker
ARTIST: Evan “Doc” Shaner
COLORS: Veronica Gandini
LETTERS: ALW Studios' Dave Lanphear
COVER: Evan “Doc”Shaner
VARIANT COVER: Tony Harris
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2017)
Rated “T” for “Teen”
“The Last Stand”
Future Quest has come to an end – for now. Future Quest is a 12-issue comic book series that re-imagines and re-interprets the classic sci-fi and superhero television series created by American animation studio, Hanna-Barbera. Published by DC Comics, 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.” The series modernizes the characters from these series and also alters some of them to one extent or another.
Future Quest is written by Jeff Parker; colored by Hi-Fi; and lettered by Dave Lanphear. Evan “Doc” Shaner is the series' lead artist, with other artists stepping in for particular chapters and side stories (Steve Rude, Ron Randall, and Craig Rousseau). Future Quest centers on the cast of “Jonny Quest” (referred to as “Team Quest”), as they lead the fight against the universal and time-line threat, Omnikron, and also against a plot by Quest adversary, Dr. Zin, to use the entity.
As Future Quest #12 (“The Last Stand”) opens, the plan created by Dr. Benton Quest and his fellow scientists to stop Omnikron has failed. Now, the fate of the Earth may rest in the hands of young Jonny Quest and his brother, Hadji, but will their tragic losses of their pasts hold them back from doing the very thing that can hurt Omnikron?
Overall, I liked Future Quest. I still say that the best issues were the early issues, maybe the first three. At times, the series seems to meander, as writer Jeff Parker moves from one side-story to another, from one origin/back story to another. There are so many characters that Parker does not really engage many of them beyond a surface level, except for a few moments. One of those few moments happens this issue and employs Jonny and Hadji to great affect.
Lead series artist Evan Shaner did not draw every issue of this series, but he returns for issues #11 and 12. Other than Steve Rude, Shaner is the best choice for Future Quest. Stylistically, his work recalls classic Hanna-Barbera character and conceptual design, both in spirit and in execution. Shaner's storytelling is fantastic. Most of the pages he draws here are wonderful, as he captures that classic sense of wonder that has drawn young readers to comic books for decades.
I think there will be more Future Quest series, which is a good thing. I would like to see Parker and Shaner return to it, but focus on a single Hanna-Barber series.
A-
8.5 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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