Future Quest, Vol. 2

Hanna-Barbera Beyond

by Jeff Parker

When worlds collide, it's up to Hanna-Barbera's best-known adventure-seeking heroes to save the galaxy! Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, the Herculoids and more are reimagined here in this action-adventure thriller!
The most daring heroes and greatest minds of Earth and a distant solar system make their last stand against the World Ender. How can we survive when other more advanced worlds have fallen? Robots, monsters, kids and mad scientists are the only hope for the future!
Collects FUTURE QUEST #7-12.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Science Fiction, Comic Book, Superheroes, Adventure

144 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can the Omnikron be defeated by the assembled might of Space Ghost, Jan, Jace, Birdman, The Impossibles, Mightor, Jonny Quest, and the rest of the Hanna-Barbera Heroes?

Now that all the pieces are on the, shit really starts hitting the fan. Space Ghost finally comes into play and the team takes on the Omnikron on all fronts. It's a really satisfying conclusion to the crossover.

Jeff Parker doesn't get enough recognition as being such a fun, versatile writer. In Future Quest, he crafts a captivating, exciting tale that is surprisingly accessible considering the Hanna-Barbera characters aren't the most well known heroes on the block. It's kid-friendly but not dumbed down in the least. There's humor but it doesn't detract from the dramatic tension. When Benton Quest and his arch nemesis are on the same side, you know shit has hit the fan.

The art is as good as the last volume, a slick style evocative of Alex Toth's original designs. Doc Shaner, Steve Lieber, and the rest of the crew did a phenomenal job of bringing the feel of the Hanna-Barbera cartoons while still making the art seem contemporary.

Future Quest Volume 2 was a satisfying conclusion to the saga. I'll be picking up the rest of DC's Hanna-Barbera offerings at some point. 4 out of 5 stars.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was delightful. Parker managed to shoehorn all of these great Hanna-Barbera action cartoons into one big universe seamlessly. Pretty much every character gets a chance to shine, even more obscure stuff like Frankenstein Jr. and Mightor. Parker even made the Herculoids (One of my favorites!) fit in. Doc Shaner's art already had a classic animation vibe and it work perfectly here. I can't wait to read more.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I enjoyed this volume more than the first. The heroes finally band together in a last ditch attempt to save Earth. It was cool to see all of the different heroes interacting, and they brought them all together without too much silliness which isn't always easy to do.

If you are a fan of the Hanna Barbera characters, you should check this series out.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ending to this massive team-up tale. I really was impressed with the treatment of all my favorite Saturday morning cartoon shows. Very nice plot and art made this a great and enjoyable read. Very recommended

[Siona Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently got Future Quest and Future Quest Presents trades for black friday and reread this volume last night. Still really enjoy this, sucks DC isn’t making more because this was one of my favorite ongoing titles when I still read single issues. Would definitely recommend this series (still need to check out the cartoons).

[Ioana · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Carrie (brightbeautifulthings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Steve Chaput · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved all these characters as a kid and love how Parker and the artists have brought them back. The characters most changed in appearance are the Impossibles, who were drawn in a much more cartoony style than the other H-B creations.

This volume, naturally, picks up directly from the first continuing the story of the H-B chacters coming together to defeat a common enemy, already close to destroying all life on our planet. While it is Johnny Quest and his family who are clearly the leads, all the other teams and individual heroes get their moment to shine. It's not a surprise or a spoiler to say that despite everything the heroes come out on top, just as they always did in their various Saturday morning adventures.

It looks like at least some of the characters will be returning in future stand-alone adventures, but I'm hoping that there will be more team-ups already planned.

[Maximiliano Vardé · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cierre de la simpática historia de este gran grupo de personajes de Hanna Barbera. Mucha imaginación e inocencia que nos remiten directamente a la infancia. Un gran trabajo de Doc Shaner al dibujo (responsable de la mitad del tomo) y un guión entretenido de Parker.

[Christopher Desruisseau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice nostalgia trip.

[Des Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Future Quest was fun as hell. I am very impressed with how well things came together in this last volume. I'd love to see the individual characters maintained and explored in a new 'verse, but if this is all I'm getting I really can't complain. From start to finish, Future Quest is one of the best all-ages comic books of the year, and a magnificent love letter to the classic Hanna-Barbera action cartoons.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This hit my nostalgia buttons much more than similar series that feature the Batman '66 or Wonder Woman '77 characters. Probably because I retain fond memories of these shows, and over the years, especially when my daughter was growing up, we watched episodes of some of these shows (especially Johnny Quest) and they hold up better than say Batman '66 (for me, anyway).

Paker addresses, not completely mind you, some of the problems those shows had, but thankfully not in a heavy handed manner. Hadji at one point even ditches his turban (for story purposes this works). The cast's diversity is much improved (women, people of color), and it works. Some writers would have been too heavy handed, and frankly I think that type of approach would have failed. The story's tone is light, and Parker's diversity improvements are done in such a manner as to stick with the light tone.

The story is simple. Heroes come together, face big bad, and win.

Go ahead and read this is want all-ages, comic book fun. If you want angst, I'm certain Marvel (and more than a few DC/Image titles) will be able to fill your angst quotient.

[Rolando Marono · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lamentablemente, muchos de los personajes de esta serie eran desconocidos para mí, como niño de los 90, las caricaturas de mi infancia fueron un poco diferentes a las de este cómic. De todos modos, la línea de comics DC-Hanna Barbera se me hacía muy interesante y cuando la empezaron a traer a México decidí comprarla, por eso adquirí future quest.
Lo más impresionante de esta serie es la cantidad de personajes que incluye pero todos hacen buena sinergia, todos tienen su momento de brillar, todos aportan algo y todos tienen una razón o un origen que te explican de manera muy orgánica por si no estás familiarizado con los personajes.
Para que el autor pudiera lograr incorporar esta cantidad de personajes en su cómic, lo que hizo fue dividir su historia en dos partes (dos volúmenes) el primer volumen podría decirse que es un poco más tedioso porque no sucede mucho, pero ahí es donde el autor introduce a los personajes, sus motivos, el villano, las relaciones entre algunos de ellos, etc.
Y es en este volumen donde sucede la verdadera sinergia, los distintos personajes se enfrentan contra el omnikron en una amenaza global. Este volumen cuenta con:
-Buena acción.
-Gran ritmo, las cosas no suceden ni muy aceleradas ni muy lentas.
-Arte impresionante, uno de los números está pintado como a mano y luce muy bien.
-Tiene momentos muy emotivos entre los héroes, e incluso los niños tienen un momento de brillar.

Mi mayor problema con esta historia y este volumen en particular es que el villano no tiene una historia de origen, puedo entender que no es necesaria por la naturaleza del villano pero me hubiera gustado.

[Monita Roy Mohan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just crazy fun. Yes, nostalgia plays a huge part in how much I enjoyed this series, but given the number of tense cliffhangers, action scenes and familial camaraderie thrown in, you can't help but love this book.

I read this volume in single issues, and have to say, this started off a bit slow - and I wondered if it was going to be a good end to this first season (assuming there maybe more seasons to come). But the pace really picked up, and the final two issues were outstanding. Not everything our heroes plan works out, and that gives rise to unlikely heroes. Everyone works together as a team, even former bad guys join in to save the world; all of which is quite a feat. I have to commend the writers for making the concept work and still keeping the backstories and individual worlds interesting.

It is wonderful that the artists stuck to drawing the characters exactly the way we remember them. The series would not have felt authentic enough had they not. Shout out, however, to artist Ariel Olivetti for issue #8. That was some stunning photo-realistic illustrations there, I couldn't take my eyes off the pages.

I absolutely loved this series. I think 12 issues was just enough for this season, but I would love to read about this merry band (and maybe some of my other favourites as well) joining again for new adventures and battles.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad I finally got around to finishing this. This comic gave me everything I wanted from it. Once again, I am completely disproven in my stance against companies taking our money with heavy-handed nostalgia.

Shaner's art was definitely the highlight of this book. I know I said this already, but his style is so much the perfect blend of the classic animation and modern comics. I was particularly pleased to see panels featuring Space Ghost where he clearly redrew classic stills.
Olivetti's art was, in my opinion, jarring and stiff. I certainly can't dispute his technical skill, but his art has always lacked energy and dynamism, and in many cases, backgrounds. And when that is bookended by Shaner, Randal, and Lieber's artwork--art that is very much under one stylistic umbrella, Olivetti's art seems alien.

Parker wove so many characters into one grand plot with real mastery. I'll freely admit that much of the larger story seemed formulaic, but for these characters and the goals of this book, I feel like that's what was perfectly appropriate. Had the story gone down some sort of darker or more emotional path, the charm would have been lost.

I'll certainly return to this series for the emotional highs I got from so many epic moments between characters.

[Stephen Abell · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the first things that hit me when reading these volumes were the feelings of happiness and joy. The feelings you get when you are transported back in time to better times, especially your childhood. I used to love Saturday Mornings and the Banana Split Show with Space Ghost, Birdman, Mightor, and Shazam (the Genie of the Arabian Nights - who is missing from this story line up). So, when DC decided to add them to their Superhero stable I just had to take a look.

Right from the get-go, I was in Hanna Barbera heaven, with a silly smile all over my mush. Jeff Parker, who did a great job with the Batman 66 titles brings all the characters to life in a wonderful story. Added to the mix, and making this a pleasure to read, are the artists and colourists; all of who do a beautiful job of bringing the story to life and adding depth and strength to the series. I especially loved the style of Ariel Olivetti.

These are a must read for the fans of the Hanna Barbera cartoons as the characters are exactly as I remembered them... and have been expanded upon superbly.

As for comic book and graphic novel lovers then I would definitely recommend this to you too. The story and the art should keep you happy and flipping the pages.

[Kayt O'Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just as much of a romp as the first volume, and shows all the different teams coming together. Story-wise, it's solid: big evil alien coming to destroy earth from another dimension, various teams of heroes get connected and defeat it.

A lot of the fun, of course, is seeing these Hanna-Barbera characters that I grew up watching (well, a handful: Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, Birdman) and seeing how they've been reimagined to fit into a modern story.

Familiarity with the characters isn't needed--I wasn't familiar with the originals of at least half the characters, and probably more--because the premise is simple, as stated above. This second volume also wraps up the story, so there's not a lot of complications, which I appreciated. It can be enjoyed as a straight action story.

[Ernesto Juárez · Rating 5 out of 5]

No pude resistir y tuve que leer la segunda parte de inmediato, el primer volumen nos plantea cómo se conocen nuestros héroes, pero el segundo volumen es full action, el ataque y la defensa, la acción no para una tras otra, se confirma la pérdida de otro de mis grupos favoritos, tragedias pero a la vez esperanza, plantea un nuevo universo que espero continúe, simplemente extasiado, me sentí niño, viendo de nuevo las caricaturas, con miedo cuando mis héroes eran atacados, alentándolos y gritando de emoción cuando lo consiguen, Space Ghost se establece como el Superman, Batman y linterna verde en un solo personaje, el corazón, nuevos héroes, se respeta el pasado, se prepara para el futuro y eso es precisamente lo que le hace al nuevo universo lo prepara una búsqueda por y para el futuro una "Future Quest", cinco estrellas porque no le puedo dar mil, que bueno que Hanna-Barbera está en manos de DC y no del ratón, o jamás habríamos tenido ésta obra maestra.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume continues the story of an adenture bringing together most of Hanna-Barbera's action heroes (and villains) together to take on an invading force that is likely to destroy Earth as it has many other planets. It is only through teamwork that they will be able to succeed

The creators have done a great job in bringing these popular charcters from 1960s and 1970s into a more modern presentation while also keeping them interesting. As part of that process, they have introduced more diversity in representation of the characters. Overall, this is a pretty strong crossover that would do the Marvel Cinematic Universe proud.

I wish that DC had continued with having adventures like these.

[Devero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Termina la maxiserie dedicata agli eroi TV della Hanna & Barbera. Una buona serie, con diversi capovolgimenti di fronte e colpi di scena. Certo il plot è di quelli già visti e prevedibili, ma la sceneggiatura è decisamente buona ed anche se il finale è scontato, ci sono delle sorprese.

Ho apprezzato particolarmente gli Herculoids, anche se non tutti i membri hanno avuto il loro spazio. Lo stesso si potrebbe dire per il Galaxy Trio di cui viene confermata la scomparasa, digeriti dall'Omnikron, in un paio di vignette, ma tant'è.

I disegni sono decisamente buoni, uno stile classico e pulito ben leggibile e preciso. Questo sia quando c'è Evan "Doc" Shaner come la maggior parte del tempo, sia quando è sostituito da Ron Randall e Steve Rude.

Quindi 4 stelle

[Norman Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a massively fun conclusion to a team-up that could easily gotten out of hand. Parker adeptly integrates the various characters so that each one gets a spot to shine. I like the way the characters come together as a team, without much of the in-fighting a team-up like this would have at Marvel. Working together solves the problem (not without challenges, but everyone is there to support each other). Even Benton Quest's arch-enemy Dr. Zin cooperates to defeat a foe that could destroy the world.

Doc Shaner does a great job with the art on the story, getting the simplified look from the cartoons to look good on the printed page.

Note: I read this as individual comic book issues.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heroes acting like heroes -- learning to work together, building on each other's strengths, overcoming rivalries, coming up with a plan, adapting when new complications arise, and saving the day. The added bonus that these heroes are from various cartoons I watched as a kid just makes this all the better. The pacing and art are even better than the first volume, and now that the story arc is complete, I can see how some of the confusing or slow-paced bits in Volume 1 made perfect sense for setting up the final act -- even a few call-backs to earlier gags that are *completely* in vibe with the Hanna Barbera legacy. This is a shared universe I'd love to see continue on beyond the series.

[Diogo Muller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa. If the first volume was a good setup for the plot, this is an even greater payoff. Everything comes together here, in a volume full of action. Everyone gets their moments to shine, and the plot keeps you engaged from start to end. It's also a great, fast conclusion, and the series doesn't overstay it's welcome.

Are there any problems? Yes. I still feel some heroes were better modernized and represented than others, and the artstyle changes considerably from one chapter to another. However, those are small things, compared to all the good things this comic did. It would be too easy to mess up with this many characters, but in the end the authors did a great job.

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, talk about a big finish. This book concludes this mini-series in an epic way that really has the different characters all have some great spotlight moments while they face a threat beyond imagination. And it just illustrated how the different characters all deal with challenges that threaten the world in wonderful celebration of the diversity of Hanna Barbera action cartoons.

And there's certainly a degree of guilty satisfaction for how Johnny Quest and Hadji were critical to the end of the story without resorting to giving them super powers of any kind. It boiled down to who they were as characters and that pattern of writing is what makes this series such a delight.

[Philmore Olazo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second part of this amazing series.

Seeing the Hanna-Barbera characters reimagined as DC comic book stories has been a blast since Volume 1.

Now, we have the added bonus of having them working together since page 1.
Seeing everyone bouncing of each other and having all of their individual abilities complemening their struggle against the eldrich horror that wants to consume earth is something amazing.

If there's someting I don't like is two things. The first one being the length, I think it whould have been a bit longer to allow some moments some space and the art in some parts is a bit off. Not bad, but it does leave a strange impression.

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a Saturday morning cartoon extravaganza. Jeff Parker and the artist team have done an amazing job of capturing the look and tone of some of yesterday's Hanna Barbara action cartoon characters. The artwork ranges from good to amazing throughout this book. I really enjoyed seeing the interaction between characters that as far as my childhood brain can remember have never met each other. No character is left behind here. Each character is needed to propel the story. From Jonny Quest to Space Ghost this book is just a lot of a fun. As I was reading the book many of the cartoon theme songs were humming in my head. The book just crackles with nostalgia. Parker it seems just has a gifted grasp of old school heroes. Would love to see him team up with Marvel artist Samnee on a project. That would be absolute gold. Here are a few other titles from Jeff Parker I think you might enjoy: Flash Gordon Omnibus, Vol. 1, Aquaman, Volume 6: Maelstrom, X-Men: First Class, Volume 1: Tomorrow's Brightest, and Batman '66, Vol. 1.

[Douglas Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new series that updates a ton of Hanna-Barbera characters and yet remains faithful to the source material. An interstellar menace threatens all life on earth and heroes from across the world and the cosmos have to team up the defeat the menace. Featuring Jonny Quest and all the members of team Quest, Space Ghost, the Herculoids, the Galaxy Trio, Birdman, the Impossibles, Frankenstein Jr., the Mighty Mightor and Dino Boy.

This was a great series and a really fun read with stellar artwork from the likes of Evan Shaner, Ron Randall, Steve Rude, Steve Lieber and Ariel Olivetti.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The alien horror Omnikron attacks Earth! As Hadji puts it, Dr. Quest and Race aren't taking the boys along because the kids are capable — it's because there's nowhere on Earth that's any safer than the front lines. But hey, with Birdman, Frankenstein Junior, the Impossibles, Mighty Mytor and Space Ghost united, it can't be hopeless.
This is tremendous nostalgic fun if you're my age. I don't know how well it would work if you don't know the cast, but I must confess, I don't really care.

[Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful wrap to a lighthearted and exciting romp with characters from my youth. For me the nostalgia rating was really high and that did bias my option, but I still feel holds up very well and is readily accessible to readers that might be unfamiliar with the characters. High marks for the art, the story and the overall package. Everyone involved did an excellent job.