Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Comics Review: "JONNY QUEST #1" Makes a Stellar Return

JONNY QUEST VOL. 1 #1
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Joe Casey
ART: Sebastián Piriz
COLORS: Lorenzo Scaramella
LETTERS: Taylor Esposito
EDITOR: Matt Idelson
COVER: Chad Hardin
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jae Lee with June Chung; Tom Raney; Bob Layton; Richard Pace; Chris Samnee; Chad Hardin
32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (August 2024)

Rated “Teen”

Jonny Quest created by Doug Wildey

“Jonny Quest” (also known as “The Adventures of Jonny Quest”) was an animated science fiction-adventure television series.  It was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for the television studio, Screen Gems, and was created and designed by comic book artist, Doug Wildey.  The series ran for one season on ABC (September 1964 to March 1965), on prime time, for a total of 25 episodes

The series focused on a boy, Jonny Quest, who accompanied his scientist father, Dr. Benton Quest, on extraordinary adventures.  The other members of what came to be known as “Team Quest” were Jonny's adopted brother, Hadji; the Quest family bodyguard, Race Bannon; and Jonny's pet bulldog, Bandit.

Over the decades, there have been comic books featuring Jonny Quest.  The latest is Jonny Quest Volume 1, which is part of Dynamite Entertainment's recent licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery.  The series is written by Joe Casey; drawn by Sebastian Piriz; colored by Lorenzo Scaramella; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.

Jonny Quest Volume 1 #1 follows the events depicted in the Jonny Quest FCBD Special that came out in May during Free Comic Book Day 2024.  Team Quest returns to their home on the island of Key Palm, where the island is not quite what it is supposed to be...  If the island feels like a stranger, well, the Quest home wants to be a stranger, also.  It seems simultaneously redecorated and abandoned.  However, the truth of this situation is so amazing, unraveling it will take time.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  Jonny Volume 1 #1 is the latest, but it is not the first Jonny Quest comic book that I have read.

One of my favorite previous Jonny Quest comics was and remains Jonny Quest #1 (cover dated: June 1986), which was published by the now defunct Comico the Comic Company.  It was even written and drawn by Jonny Quest's creator, Doug Wildey.  Twenty years later, DC Comics brought together Team Quest and a bunch of Hanna-Barbera characters in Future Quest #1 (cover dated: July 2016).  Another Jonny Quest revival was the direct-to-DVD film, Tom and Jerry: Sea Quest, which featured classic MGM cartoon duo, Tom and Jerry, and Team Quest in a battle to defeat classic Quest villain, Dr. Zin.

In this new Jonny Quest #1, writer Joe Casey, artist Sebastian Piriz, colorist Lorenzo Scaramella, and letterer Taylor Esposito summon the classic “Jonny Quest” cool.  The story reads like a Jonny Quest story right out of the 1960s series, completely filled with a sense of mystery, wonder, and discovery.  The art and colors look and feel like the visuals of “The Adventures of Jonny Quest.”  Even the lettering summons an old school cool.

Jonny Quest Volume 1 #1 is so filled with shockers that I am loathe to spoil it.  Suffice to say, dear readers, it is one of the best single issues of 2024.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Dynamite Entertainment's Warner Bros. comic book series and of Jonny Quest will want to read Jonny Quest Volume 1.

A+

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


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).


No comments:

Post a Comment