Future Quest #1

Writer – Jeff Parker
Artist – Evan Shaner, Steve Rude
Colours – Jordie Bellaire
Letters – ALW Studios’ Dave Lanphear

Reunited once again, Jeff Parker and Evan Shaner start to chronicle the adventures of Jonny Quest, Space Ghost and many more heroes and villains from the worlds of Hanna-Barbera with Steve Rude coming along for the ride and adding his titanic pencils to an already great book. This is the title that readers and viewers have been waiting for, one that brings together all of these classic properties and does so seamlessly. Parker starts us off in the past as the Space Force faces off against a seemingly unbeatable monstrosity and then brings us to the present where we join Jonny Quest, Hadji and Race Bannon as they do what they do best, namely getting into trouble while Dr. Quest greets a couple of guests in Deva Sumadi and Ray Randall, better known as Birdman. With the reveal of every character in this book, you cannot help but feel giddy inside and more than just a little excited. The story is a complete mystery as of yet and seeing these heroes interact and come face to face creates moments of pure joy. The fact that Shaner and Rude make this book look just like those Saturday morning cartoons with their Alex Toth-inspired artwork only adds the icing on the cake and provides a sumptuous feast for the eyes. Each character is also true to their nature thanks to Parker and he fleshes them out as the story goes along, making them a little more three-dimensional. For the most part, the book plays out just like an episode of Jonny Quest and it is incredibly fun to watch as our heroes try to evade the mechanical spiders of F.E.A.R., who we learn are trying to get to the minerals left behind by the mysterious portals that Dr. Quest just so happens to be investigating. The book appropriately ends on a cliff-hanger with another favourite character returning to the printed page after some time away, and while it might raise a few questions, it also gets you excited for what is to come next. That very feeling you get while reading this title is probably the best thing that this book manages to do. It is not often that a comic can get you salivating for its next issue as there are a lot of good comics out these days, but there are only so many great ones and Parker, Shaner and Rude should congratulate themselves on having one of the latter.

5 out of 5

Aquaman #52

Writer – Dan Slott
Artist – Vicente Cifuentes
Inker – Juan Castro
Colours – Guy Major
Letters – Tom Napolitano

The saga of Aquaman’s latest foe comes to a conclusion with this issue, as does his current series before it undergoes a rebirth along with most of DC’s slate of books. With this issue, Dan Slott gives us his best story yet and by the time it is finished, you find yourself wanting a little more which is a good thing. Dead Water might not be the most inspired villain to ever appear in the book, but what Slott does with him is set up a mystery for the new volume when it begins. Somewhere in the ocean, there is an area filled with deadly water, the same water that transformed poor Jonah Payne into the monster he is today. Scavenger has the answer as to where it might be and at first, he is refusing to talk about it, but when the battle between him and Arthur turns and he is ready to reveal the location, Dead Water attacks and leaves him unable to communicate. A bit of mystery is a good thing in this title for the oceans are so large and so unexplored that Slott can place this cursed area anywhere and do anything with it which makes is not only mysterious, but also a little suspenseful. It might take a while for these plot threads to actualize, but hopefully when they do, it is worth the wait. Aside from what happened to Jonah, there is also the lingering question of what else Scavenger has been up to and who it has been with. Scavenger is if nothing else, a very resourceful man and it will be interesting to see what comes of his actions and what he reveals once he comes out of his coma. Slott has been doing a good job on the book of late, nothing truly exceptional, but this issue has been the best of the bunch. With some great artwork from Vicente Cifuentes, the final issue of Aquaman goes out swimmingly.

3.5 out of 5