The enemy of my enemy is my friend … even if it is Dr. Zin!
Creative Staff:
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artwork/Colorist: Ariel Olivetti
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
What They Say:
The time of reckoning is here-Omnikron, the interstellar destroyer, has come to Earth! The Impossibles race to help a barely living Space Ghost, while Mightor and Birdman battle the massive entity-and the scientists who understand it are trapped in the secret base of F.E.A.R. As the heroes face a force beyond anything the world has seen, the kids they left safely behind hatch a bold plan…
Content (please note that portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Omnikron has finally made it to Earth and now the heroes must find a way to stop it. However with their forces divided on separate fronts, the saviors must find a way to coordinate their efforts or all will soon be lost. Team Quest leaves to try to find Benton with the help of Dr. Kim-Conroy, but they are forced to leave Jonny and his friends behind with Jan; Race is determined not to lose his young charge after his father was kidnapped on his watch, so now he has no other choice. But as they jet off to find the doctor, Birdman and Mightor are confronted by the monstrous grotesquerie itself and are tentative to make any rash attacks. But in the midst of battle, Ty feels his club being pulled toward the alien, even as it retreats back into the vortex.
Thanks to Birdman’s information, Dr. Kim-Conroy is able to determine the creature’s next target – Los Angeles. Even as they make their way to the Hollywood Bowl, at F.E.A.R. headquarters Dr. Zin and Benton come to the same conclusion. They have managed to fix the Phantom Cruiser but with its safeguards now active, they will need Jace to get on board the craft to rendezvous with everyone else. However it now seems that the once loyal agents now no longer follow the infamous doctor and are now blocking the unlikely team’s way. While these events begin to unlock Jan’s forgotten memories and an unconscious Space Ghost is unable to help The Impossibles, things are now looking grim for the salvation of the planet. Where can someone find heroes to help within this darkest of hours?
In Summary:
After the culmination of the last seven issues, writer Jeff Parker now finally grants us the climax we have been wanting! All of the pieces are now fitting in place: Omnikron has made it to Earth but Space Ghost and the other heroes are in no position to help save the planet. And now thanks to Jan’s recap, Jonny and his friends are up-to-date as to what has transpired before and the creature’s true purpose … to feed. But even with this vital information revealed, it does not look like it will be an easy battle – which will make this story all the more satisfying once we reach the conclusion. Parker has done an excellent job of re-creating the Hanna-Barbera universe in which they barely scratched the surface during those Saturday morning cartoons and now, he dares to delve even deeper with his escapades centering around the iconic Jonny Quest and Space Ghost. To be rewarded with a narrative which brings friend and foe alike together to fight a common cause, but at the same time knowing that not everyone shares the same goals, still manages to keep our interest going in a narrative which most would have closed for an easy ending. However he continues to prolong the drama within a tale that is both fresh and interesting, never speaking down to the reader with some preachy narrative that good will always triumph over evil.
And to turn enrich this provocative turning point even more, Parker has enlisted the extraordinary talents of Argentine artist Ariel Olivetti. To say that I am impressed by his work is an understatement – for this story immediately evokes images of Alex Ross’ powerful illustrations from his masterpiece Marvels. I love how the narrative comes alive under his canvas, the paint flowing from brush to screen, even at times reminding me of Jim Steranko’s surreal imagery with the compassion he puts into every stroke. While the colors are never too powerful to take away from the subjects on the page, they still give us a sense of humanity with the way he portrays the characters. The stern jaw lines in the men and the softer curves of the women, each defines their sex while at the same time makes them individuals and powerful in their own regard. The drawings of Omnikron have a fantasy like feel as if they were gleaned from a Frank Frazetta work, the shading working in full aspect for detailing every muscle in all the cast. But if I did have a negative critique for Olivetti’s work, it would be those same shadows also work against him at times for the women; there are times when he gives everyone such definition through dark tones and squared jaws, sometimes the ladies appear to be guys! Sorry to say, but when you are given Taara when seen from a low camera angle and Race’s profile, aside from the curves, that same face looks a bit off.
Future Quest has thrust us into another impossible scenario from which there appears to be no escape. The fascinating story by Parker and the captivating artwork of Olivetti serve to engage the reader and keep them riveted to the page to see what happens next. And now with the cast and story at their zenith, we are left in the lurch until next month, with our jaws agape and imaginations spinning out of control. What a way to end the year with a tale which leave us wanting even more.
Grade: A+
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: DC Comics
Release Date: December 28th, 2016
MSRP: $3.99
