Future Quest #1 (Family Comic Friday)

  Normally when I review a book for Family Comic Friday, I make as many attempts as possible to find an all-ages rated book. However, this week, I decided to review a comic that was based on something from the 70s that would have been all-agesback in the day, but in it's rebooted form is now considered rated for readers aged teen and up.

    Earlier this year, DC Comics announced that they were releasing 4 new comics based on classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons from the 60s and 70s. The 4 titles were reboots of the Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, Wacky Races, and many more animated shows that adults from my generation just adored. Of the reboots, I chose the one that is considered by fans to be the least retooled (and closest to the original source material): Future Quest.

   The comic, being a reasonable facsimile to the original shows of which the characters that star in this series originated, has the crossover of all crossovers. When a series of temporal paradoxes explode over the Florida Everglades, Jonny Quest and his friends investigate. In these portals are characters such as Space Ghost, the Herculoids, Mightor, and many more of your favorite Hanna-Barbera action and sci-fi heroes from years past. But quick on Jonny's heels are the forces of his arch-enemy, Dr. Zin, and they have the tools  to collect the strange beings bleeding over into our universe and the resources to make them an army of unmatchable power!

    The brains behind Future Quest are X-Men: First Class' Jeff Parker, along with Adventures of Superman artist Evan 'Doc' Shaner, and living legend Steve Rude! They did a fantastic job bringing the heroes of my past into the present and made them exciting and new without changing the formula too much. Many reboots of cartoons from the 70s are done tongue-in-cheek or barely resemble the original with updated outfits or modern trends. Here, everybody looks classic but with just that little modern day touch of class and there's one very good reason for this- Darwyn Cooke.

    Just before Darwyn Cooke (Justice League: The New Frontier) passed from his horrible fight with cancer, he developed all of the designs of characters to be used in this book. As it is with all of his works, Cooke was very devoted to nostalgia but he wasn't afraid to change things up when warranted. Even though Darwyn didn't get to personally complete this project, his deft hand is evident in each and every panel.

     I loved this first issue. Was I 100% sure who everyone was or had a complete understanding what was going on? No! But, I liked what I saw and I and very much willing to continue with this series. Of the 4 reboot titles, this one spoke to me the most. There's no goofy Mad Max element or veiled allegory to the economic disparity of poor and the 1% as in Wacky Raceland or retooled The Flintstones. This felt like something that I would be proud to share to the next generation of readers and it's why I shared my review here with you now.

    Speaking of the next generation, this book is rated Teen. Under DC's personal guidelines, the book is recommended for ages 12 and up. But other than a couple of panels of mild violence, there's nothing really objectionable. Sex appeal is at a near zero. The language was extremely tame. The idea of inter-dimensional crossover between universes is perhaps the most grown-up thing in the book. I mean, we are talking about quantum physics here, folks.

    So if your child hands you a copy of Future Quest and asks you to A) buy it or B) read it with them- choose option C and do both! This was a fun trip down memory lane and I am sure that the guest stars that keep popping up over the course of this series will continue to thrill and delight. Who knows, for a Space Ghost Coast to Coast fan like me, I might luck out and get a chance to see my old buddies Borak and Brak!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Deadpool, Volume 8: All Good Things

 After the tragic ending of Deadpool’s time as Zenpool, the Merc With A Mouth decides to run away from his family and friends and problems. Accepting a gig as a soldier of fortune from the Trapster (AKA Paste Pot Pete) (or Pete, for short), Wade Wilson ends up in the deserts of the Middle East, protecting some Roxxon oil claims from hostiles. But when it is revealed that the hostiles are actually refugees trying to protect their way of life, Deadpool has a change of heart and attempts to save the day.

     Oh, and this volume contains the death of Deadpool!

   What?! That's not a spoiler! The death of Deadpool is listed on the back of the book! Google it!

    Besides, this is Deadpool we're talking about… nothing ever is as it seems- or is it???

    Lot's of insane Wade Wilson fun. That means gross humor, surreal experiences, and lots and lots of death. Gory, funny death…

    Probably the best Deadpool storyline since his encounter with the zombie Presidents in issues 1-6.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool, Volume 7: Axis

Move over Gwenpool and Dogpool, there's a new member of the Deadpool family- Zenpool!

  After the Freaky Friday events of AXIS, Wade Wilson has finally found inner peace. While his daughter and the criminal scum of the Big Apple are enjoying this new version of the Merc With a Mouth, not everyone is so pleased. His wife Sheklah thinks he's become a wimp (he has.) The Avengers think he's gone nuts (he already was.) And the now evil X-MEN want him dead! (who doesn't?)

 But the big question is this- will Wade Wilson be able to remain at peace with himself with the ever nagging knowledge of all the bad things he's done over the years.

   Just when I think that I've seen it all about Deadpool, he never ceases to amaze me. The writing duo of Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn have really elevated Deadpool to new heights over the past couple of years. I know that their run has been panned just as much as it's been praised, but Deadpool is more popular than ever and I think those two have a little bit to due with it.

     A crazy fun read that has everything going for it but bad kharma.

  Worth Consuming.

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #2

   After the Atlantean assault in issue 1, the only fighter battalion left to defend the United States is the squad contracted out by Ferris Aircraft. But things are looking up as the aerospace plant has been assigned with retrofitting their planes with technology cloned from Abin Sur’s crashed ship. However, the hopes and dreams of a Guardians powered air force will come crumbling down when Ferris is attacked by a fleet of Amazon piloted planes.

   INVISIBLE Amazon piloted planes!

  This chapter in the Flashpoint tie-ins was awesome! Thrills on every page. Adam Schlagman has crafted an amazing storyline that interweaves with his other Flashpoint title Abin Sur- The Last Green Lantern.

  But once again, it’s the amazing art by Cliff Richards that steals the show. The majority of his work over his career has been contained to horror titles like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Yet, his work in Hal Jordan looks like he’s been crafting war comics for decades. It’s his genius level of attention to detail that is making him a new personal favorite artist with every page I turn of this dynamic miniseries.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #2

     

  Frankenstein and his Creature Commandos have finally made it to their creator's secret laboratory in Gotham City. The group hope to find some answers as to a cure for some of their comrades. But the Creatures will need to act fast as Miranda Shrieve, granddaughter of the group's original CO during World War II, is on their tale and she's coming complete with an armament of garlic bombs, electric shock gimzos, and silver bullets. Find out what's Shrieve's beef with these living monsters and how will the Creatures of the Unknown survive her onslaught?

    Oh, did I mention that she's accompanied by J.A.K.E., the GI Robot???

    I really love this tie-in series. I've been such a fan of DC's horror titles of the 70s and 80s. The Creature Commandos were such an integral part of Weird War Tales and I'm glad to see a version (any version) of this group get some much due kudos, respect, and a second chance.

    Jeff Lemire has really become known as the go-to DC 'dark lord' with his creepy tales starring the Hellblazer, Deadman, and others and he's not disappointed me with this series. This is eerie fun and very much Worth Consuming!

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
 
 

Flashpoint: Abin Sur- The Green Lantern #2

  After having crashed landed on earth, it looks like Abin Sur will spend the rest of his days under the microscope of scientists at the Superman Project. But seeing the alien as a new weapon against the Amazonian/ Atlantean threat, the President of the United States enlists Hal Jordan to act as a the Green Lantern's partner in conducting rescue and seek and destroy missions in war-torn Europe.

    But as Abin Sur assists in the war in Europe, the clock is ticking for the Green Lantern to complete the mission given to him by the Guardians: destroy the earth to prevent a dangerous weapon hidden in the planet's core from being used by an unknown alien force. Assigned to put him back on task, Sinestro intercepts Abin Sur. With Sinestro being at odds with the Guardians will he good against their orders or will Abin Sur have to fight his best friend and fellow Lantern to the death?

    Not my favorite chapter of the numerous Flashpoint tie-ins. There's so many flashbacks, that the action never gets a chance to get rolling. But, the pacing isn't my biggest reason for not liking this book- it's the length.

    After I finished this issue, I thought that it felt a little light. So, I went back and counted the number of pages that contained storyline. There was only 18-pages of story! I kid you not; every other page was an advertisement.

    In contrast, I looked back at some other tie-in issues. Knight of Vengeance #2 has 22 pages of story whereas Green Lantern Industries #1 had 29. Where's the consistency??? And if I had paid the full price of $2.99 for this issue, I'd be majorly pissed! Thankfully, I only paid a quarter, but still there's a standard of consistency and quality that just wasn't there in this issue. Bad form DC editors!
   
   Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #2

   The Rogues of Central City come gunning for Citizen Cold. Using Snart's sister Lisa as bait, can the anti-hero keep his wits or will his family attachments result in Citizen Cold losing his cool?

    A very interesting chapter. Before the epic throw-down, there's a really great scene where Cold is flirting really hard with Iris West. She's only interested in the story but seeing Snart's amorous attempts crash and burn was actually really funny. Usually, it's the hero in their secret identity that has trouble with the ladies. Having the 'hero' fail was pretty clever.

     The one thing I wasn't a fan of in this Flashpoint tie-in was the art. I liked the color palette used by Michael Atiyeh but I'm still not digging the art. Scott Kolins, who does double duty as writer and artist should leave the pencils to someone else. The anatomy is off but not in a 90's over-muscled way. One scene might have Iris sporting a gigantic head with tiny Donald Trump-like hands and it the next scene, she's got calves the size of well, baby calves. 

     Now I know that I'm no Picasso, (okay,with my carpal tunnel, maybe I am) but the point is, I understand that I'm not a comic book artist. My artistry in is my skills as a Professional Chef. I can whip up some great food, but I leave drawing to those skilled with a pen and paper. But while I love the story, I am just not digging the artwork.

   Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.