Reviews
Future Quest, Vol. 2 by Steve Lieber, Ariel Olivetti, Jeff Parker, Evan Doc Shaner, Ron Randall
kdheart's review
4.0
Tragic backstories for all! let's have Dr Quest and Dr Zin drift together! let's make Deva even more badass!
This is fun. i still don't accept Jonny's mum's name to be Ellen, but I'm otherwise really happy with this.
This is fun. i still don't accept Jonny's mum's name to be Ellen, but I'm otherwise really happy with this.
1_and_owenly's review
4.0
This whole adventure was so much fun! Everyone had their moment. I loved the updates to Mightor and the Impossibles. The backstory for Space Ghost was definitely appreciated as well as the focus on Jan. And I adore the cast members added to Frankenstein Jr and Birdman. I just wish that the Galaxy Trio would have been featured more. And that Moby Dick could have had a cameo as well.
birdmanseven's review
4.0
I'm such a fan of all these characters that I really enjoy seeing them all together in a legit series. It occasionally feels like overload but I don't even care. Goodtimes!
We discuss this series further in episode 178 of the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/episode-178-spotlight-on-lianne-moriaty
We discuss this series further in episode 178 of the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/episode-178-spotlight-on-lianne-moriaty
brightbeautifulthings's review
3.0
There are mild spoilers ahead for Future Quest, Vol 1. Future Quest combines characters from Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, and The Herculoids, together for the first time to fight an otherworldly evil called Omnikron that threatens to take over Earth. When inter-dimensional pockets start opening up on earth, timelines collide, leaving dinosaurs and saber-toothed tigers roaming the Florida swamplands. Jonny, Hadji, Race, and Dr. Quest are fighting alongside the other heroes and even the famous villain, Dr. Zin, to keep Omnikron from overrunning the world. Together, they may be able to defeat it once and for all. Trigger warnings: mass death, violence, fires/explosions.
This is a little stronger than the first volume, and it seems like now that all the various groups have been introduced, they come together more seamlessly to fight against Omnikron. I stand by my initial impression that are just too many characters to begin with, though, and it’s not clear why it needed not just one but several ensemble casts. I’m not familiar with any of the shows from childhood except Jonny Quest (the reason I picked this up in the first place), so I can’t say I know more than a handful of character names. On the bright side, I can now tell Birdman and Space Ghost apart despite them looking like the same guy in a different suit (who, incidentally, also looks like my boyfriend Race Bannon).
The multiple ensembles actually work pretty well for the specific threat that is Omnikron, since it can manifest in various places all over the world. Each group gets a chance to show off their skill set and plays an essential role in beating it, but Jonny and Hadji (per the show, of course) really get a chance to shine, despite Dr. Quest trying to sideline them because they’re, you know, children. It’s also hilarious to see Dr. Quest and Dr. Zin trying to work together for a change, and I enjoyed seeing more characters of color being cast in hero roles, since the 60s show has problems with representation.
I’m also really loving Ron Randall’s artwork for this series. It’s clean, bright, and calls up styles and color palettes from the show without looking terribly retro. A couple of issues have other illustrations that don’t work near as well; they’re too dark and serious for a comic book based on a children’s cartoon, and some of them don’t make any effort at continuity on characters’ looks or wardrobes. (Why does Hadji have a turban in all chapters except one? No one knows. He didn’t lose it, nor does anyone comment on it.) I was always happy when it switched back to Randall’s work. It’s a fun ride for fans of the show, but it in no way compares to the magic of the original.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
This is a little stronger than the first volume, and it seems like now that all the various groups have been introduced, they come together more seamlessly to fight against Omnikron. I stand by my initial impression that are just too many characters to begin with, though, and it’s not clear why it needed not just one but several ensemble casts. I’m not familiar with any of the shows from childhood except Jonny Quest (the reason I picked this up in the first place), so I can’t say I know more than a handful of character names. On the bright side, I can now tell Birdman and Space Ghost apart despite them looking like the same guy in a different suit (who, incidentally, also looks like my boyfriend Race Bannon).
The multiple ensembles actually work pretty well for the specific threat that is Omnikron, since it can manifest in various places all over the world. Each group gets a chance to show off their skill set and plays an essential role in beating it, but Jonny and Hadji (per the show, of course) really get a chance to shine, despite Dr. Quest trying to sideline them because they’re, you know, children. It’s also hilarious to see Dr. Quest and Dr. Zin trying to work together for a change, and I enjoyed seeing more characters of color being cast in hero roles, since the 60s show has problems with representation.
I’m also really loving Ron Randall’s artwork for this series. It’s clean, bright, and calls up styles and color palettes from the show without looking terribly retro. A couple of issues have other illustrations that don’t work near as well; they’re too dark and serious for a comic book based on a children’s cartoon, and some of them don’t make any effort at continuity on characters’ looks or wardrobes. (Why does Hadji have a turban in all chapters except one? No one knows. He didn’t lose it, nor does anyone comment on it.) I was always happy when it switched back to Randall’s work. It’s a fun ride for fans of the show, but it in no way compares to the magic of the original.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
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