JONNY QUEST #2, by Dynamite Comics on 9/11/24, finds the Quest Family getting a crash course on 2024 tech as they work to solve their Time Travel problem. Meanwhile, Dr. Zin sends his robot monsters to do their worst.
Credits:
- Writer: Joe Casey
- Artist: Sebastián Piriz
- Colorist: Lorenzo Scaramella
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Chad Hardin
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: September 11, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 22
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of JONNY QUEST #2:
First Impressions:
I love what Dynamite is doing with this series. Whatever nostalgia juice Joe Casey is drinking, give him more of it because this series is a practically perfect continuation of the original cartoon. You get action, drama, and mystery wrapped around the heart of classical science fiction, and I love it.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left our band of heroes in Jonny Quest #1, Jonny and his family returned to Palm Key to find the island familiar but not the same. After a series of startling discoveries, Dr. Quest deduced that the recent lightning storm that struck their sailboat and experimental equipment sent the crew 60 years forward in time to 2024. Old Man Jonny Quest is the only one left, and his battle with Dr. Zin continues.
In Jonny Quest #2, the Quest Family receives a tour of the Palm Key, the underground edition. Dr. Quest and the rest marvel at the advanced underground facility Jonny completed over the years. However, they agree to put their interests aside in favor of getting back home because the longer the Quest Family remains displaced, the greater the risk of catastrophe.
Without stating outright, Joe Casey gets to the heart of what makes a classic science fiction story true science fiction. You introduce a “What if…?” problem rooted in science, and the heroes roll up their sleeves to find a solution. When a writer creates that scenario wrapped in adventure and drama, you’ve got a winner.
Dr. Quest explains his theory about the lightning storm and his one-of-a-kind Quantum Counter to Old Man Jonny, which gives the latter a clue about where to start. Using the scanning, holographic, and A.I. tech of the 21st Century, Jonny learns the handmade components of 1964 are mass-produced by the Fukunaga Company of today. The Quest Family retires for the evening before setting out on their journey.
During the Quest Family’s night of rest before setting out for Japan, Dr. Zin’s holographic consciousness makes contact with one of the crashed drones on Palm Key from the first issue. The drone initiates a 3D printing protocol to create a swarm of spider-like drones that invade the Quest compound. Bandit barks when the swarm enters the boys’ room, alerting everyone in the house. Race fights the swarm, but Old Man Jonny quickly ends the attack with a small EMP blast.
Again, Joe Casey uses real science and modern tech to create a believable problem, as well as a solution. A crashed drone that uses a 3D printer to create attacking drones is a genius move, and defeating the drones with a mini-EMP is just as genius. This issue is sci-fi at its best.
In the morning, Old Man Jonny takes the Quest Family aboard the updated Dragonfly for their trip to Japan, but the senior Jonny informs them about a quick stop in India. There, the Quest Family finds Old Man Hadji, who quickly pulls out sweet fighting moves when he thinks his apartment is invaded by intruders. Old Man Jonny asks Hadji to join them, but Hadji refuses. The Quest Family leaves without pressing Old Man Jonny about the complex tension between the two “brothers.”
Here, Casey builds drama and curiosity that gets under your skin. Adult Hadji and Jonny are not on good terms, which is a stark contrast to their familiar relationship as the best of friends. We may never know what transpired between them to damage their relationship, but we want to find out.
The issue concludes with talk of prophecies, Dr. Zin preparing to do his worst, and the land of the rising sun.
Overall, Jonny Quest #2 is another outstanding issue. Joe Casey maintains the spirit of action-packed adventure, framed in classical science fiction themes, and Casey drops several teases in this issue about dramatic mysteries waiting to be uncovered.
Artwork and Presentation:
Sebastián Piriz does an outstanding job capturing the look and feel of the source material, incorporating modern science fiction elements, such as drones and holograms, and presenting them in a sharp, clean, vivid package. Plus, as we noted in the last review, Lorenzo Scaramella’s coloring is fantastic. Visually, this comic looks like a perfect continuation of the original cartoon series.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Readers with a sharp eye may recognize the spider-like drones. The drones are not named in this issue, but the drones are miniature versions of The Robot Spy from the Jonny Quest episode of the same name, released on November 6, 1964.
Final Thoughts:
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
JONNY QUEST #2 is everything you want in a modern adaptation of a classic property. Joe Casey delivers action, mystery, and drama around the heart of a classical science fiction story. Plus, Sebastián Piriz’s visuals faithfully recreate the original cartoon’s aesthetic beautifully.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.