Review: Future Quest #9

[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers.]

Writer: Jeff Parker
Artist: Ron Randall
Inker: Veronica Gandini

Summary
The only way to summarize this issue is to say that every single character who has made an appearance in this book’s first eight issues converge in Santa Monica to fight a plethora of Omnikrons. Zin, Quest, Race, Space Ghost and team, Jonny, Ty, Raji, the monkey, the dog, Birdman, Frankenstein Jr in the body of Gargantuan…You get the picture. This is 22 pages of action packed glory. Buckle up. Future Quest is coming to a head.

Positives

Everything about this book is glorious. It is an action packed ADHD’s kids dream. There are hard cuts from scene to scene. No one gets left out. Ron Randall has a lot to do and he performs perfectly. Take a look at some of these action sequences. Bam:

Wham:

Slam:

So good right? I know.

I am not sure how Parker pulled this off because based on my own summary it sounds like a hot mess, but honestly it is the best book of the series. I kept hoping for this day. I kept saying that he needed to either make disparate stories that stood alone, or get everyone together. He decided to bring the whole gang. You would think that would mean that no one gets enough face time, but in fact, everyone gets just the right amount. Seriously, no one cares about Dr. Quest. It is all about the kids. They take up the prefect amount of space here.

Bravo!

Negatives
Seriously, I can only say that we still have not seen Space Ghost in action. He is here though so that is excellent. I really, really want some Space Ghost. Jace had a throw away line about a healing pod, so… fingers crossed.

Verdict
I had to read this a few times to take it all in. That is what I suggest. Read the book to follow the plot. See how the Impossibles are going to get into trouble. Buzz is likely to get a stern lecture later too. We can wonder what is up with F.E.A.R. and how much we can trust Zin. The last panel leaves us wondering what will come next for Gargantuan/Frankenstein Jr. as the Herculoids arrive and are none too pleased. Yikes. Things look tense. Then, after worrying about the plot. Go through this page by page and look at Randall’s magnificent artwork. There is so much to love. I can not imagine this book has much longer to go in the current state. At some point this story will end and either the book will end or we will see those individualized stories like we used to see on the old Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Either way, it is my opinion that the next few issues of this are going to be stupendous.

Tony Farina

Tony Farina

I am a writing professor at Siena Heights University. I have been reading comics for over 30 years. The first comic I bought was in 1984. Green Lantern 176. First appearance of the Demolition Team. Favorite Robin: Tim Drake Favorite Green Lantern: Jessica Cruz Favorite Flash: Barry Allen Favorite Batgirl: Barbara Gordon Favorite Nightwing outfit: Disco Favorite Batman: Duh, There can be only one