Collective Consciousness Adam Strange Future Quest Special #1
Welcome back to Collective Consciousness, our weekly article where the staff takes one comic and puts it under the microscope. This allows us, and you, faithful reader, to get a good idea of how the comic fares against a variety of opinions. This week we're taking a look at Adam Strange Future Quest Special #1 from DC Comics.
DC solicit: “After the events of the DEATH OF HAWKMAN miniseries, Adam Strange is blasted through multiple dimensions only to land on Earth! There, instead of super-powered beings and legendary crime fighters, he encounters a boy adventurer and his scientist father - and they're the only ones who can help him return home. Jonny Quest, Hadji, Dr. Quest and Race Bannon have a plan, but it's going to involve a dangerous trek through Dino Boy's Lost Valley of prehistoric threats!”
Written by: Marc Andreyko, Jeff Parker, Dan DiDio
Art by: Phil Winslade, Steve Lieber
Publisher: DC Comics
Tony Hsieh
Adam Strange Future Quest is not something I would typically read, but I'm glad for the opportunity to read something out of my comfort zone. After reading through issue 1, it's probably still not something I would add to my weekly pulls, but I would be lying if I didn't admit to being intrigued by the story. It's pretty cool seeing the crossover with various Hanna Barbera characters, and anyone who knows me knows I live for a good crossover.
The story opens up a nice mystery with Strange seemingly crossing dimensions into an unfamiliar world and retaining no memories of who he is. I won't spoil with any specifics, but the first thing that popped into my head was: "I wonder if Strange's predicament has anything to do with the main Rebirth storyline? Probably wishful thinking, but regardless, it'll be interesting to see how Adam Strange Future Quest plays out!
Jason James
I am not invested in these characters at all, I never really liked the Hanna Barbera action cartoons. They were a little before my time, so some of the characters I only have a passing recognition of. That being said the main story was pretty good. I enjoyed it enough, and I didn't hate it the way I normally do with these crossovers. The characters were explained enough that I pretty much understood who they all were which is nice since I went into the issue with very little knowledge of the Hanna Barbera Universe. I also liked the art in the main story, though some panels look out of focus because of the lack of details. Didn't care for the back up, I don't know who that cat is honestly. 7/10
Forrest Hollingsworth
This is certainly a heck of an issue. It’s an overwhelming offering of ups and downs. One that doesn’t really cohere into anything interesting and one that, despite being billed as a #1 or single issue, doesn’t really stand on its own, either. What it does succeed in doing, however, is really nailing that classic Jonny Quest tone and imagery.
True to the 60s aesthetic it aspires to, the issue is full of lost valley jungle scenery, dinosaurs, ray guns and the like. It’s a fun issue at least on those merits. Unfortunately it relies far too heavily on knowing a lot of background material and having a real investment in these characters that I don’t think many readers actually have.
Hussein Al-Wasiti
As far as I know, this might be the only DC/Hanna Barbera special that actually continues a character's story from another book. The character in question is Adam Strange. For those familiar, the Death of Hawkman series ended recently and Adam found himself trapped in a zeta beam with no way to know where he would land next. Apparently, he landed on the world the Future Quest book takes place in.
I felt like this was a wasted story. The character interactions which should be the backbone of crossover issues like this felt very minimal, as most of the plot was focused on the gang trying to get Adam back to his reality. It bored me at times; maybe it’s because I don't read Future Quest. I'm familiar with Doc Shaner as an artist and the art by Steve Lieber and Veronica Gandini was very good, totally fitting the tone of the story.
I was looking forward to the Top Hat backup going in, but I got kind of queasy when I found out that Dan DiDio was writing it. It was set up for his own series that I had no idea he was getting in the first place, and involved Batman for some reason. It wasn't very good in my opinion.
DC solicit: “After the events of the DEATH OF HAWKMAN miniseries, Adam Strange is blasted through multiple dimensions only to land on Earth! There, instead of super-powered beings and legendary crime fighters, he encounters a boy adventurer and his scientist father - and they're the only ones who can help him return home. Jonny Quest, Hadji, Dr. Quest and Race Bannon have a plan, but it's going to involve a dangerous trek through Dino Boy's Lost Valley of prehistoric threats!”
Written by: Marc Andreyko, Jeff Parker, Dan DiDio
Art by: Phil Winslade, Steve Lieber
Publisher: DC Comics
Tony Hsieh
Adam Strange Future Quest is not something I would typically read, but I'm glad for the opportunity to read something out of my comfort zone. After reading through issue 1, it's probably still not something I would add to my weekly pulls, but I would be lying if I didn't admit to being intrigued by the story. It's pretty cool seeing the crossover with various Hanna Barbera characters, and anyone who knows me knows I live for a good crossover.
The story opens up a nice mystery with Strange seemingly crossing dimensions into an unfamiliar world and retaining no memories of who he is. I won't spoil with any specifics, but the first thing that popped into my head was: "I wonder if Strange's predicament has anything to do with the main Rebirth storyline? Probably wishful thinking, but regardless, it'll be interesting to see how Adam Strange Future Quest plays out!
Jason James
I am not invested in these characters at all, I never really liked the Hanna Barbera action cartoons. They were a little before my time, so some of the characters I only have a passing recognition of. That being said the main story was pretty good. I enjoyed it enough, and I didn't hate it the way I normally do with these crossovers. The characters were explained enough that I pretty much understood who they all were which is nice since I went into the issue with very little knowledge of the Hanna Barbera Universe. I also liked the art in the main story, though some panels look out of focus because of the lack of details. Didn't care for the back up, I don't know who that cat is honestly. 7/10
Forrest Hollingsworth
This is certainly a heck of an issue. It’s an overwhelming offering of ups and downs. One that doesn’t really cohere into anything interesting and one that, despite being billed as a #1 or single issue, doesn’t really stand on its own, either. What it does succeed in doing, however, is really nailing that classic Jonny Quest tone and imagery.
True to the 60s aesthetic it aspires to, the issue is full of lost valley jungle scenery, dinosaurs, ray guns and the like. It’s a fun issue at least on those merits. Unfortunately it relies far too heavily on knowing a lot of background material and having a real investment in these characters that I don’t think many readers actually have.
Hussein Al-Wasiti
As far as I know, this might be the only DC/Hanna Barbera special that actually continues a character's story from another book. The character in question is Adam Strange. For those familiar, the Death of Hawkman series ended recently and Adam found himself trapped in a zeta beam with no way to know where he would land next. Apparently, he landed on the world the Future Quest book takes place in.
I felt like this was a wasted story. The character interactions which should be the backbone of crossover issues like this felt very minimal, as most of the plot was focused on the gang trying to get Adam back to his reality. It bored me at times; maybe it’s because I don't read Future Quest. I'm familiar with Doc Shaner as an artist and the art by Steve Lieber and Veronica Gandini was very good, totally fitting the tone of the story.
I was looking forward to the Top Hat backup going in, but I got kind of queasy when I found out that Dan DiDio was writing it. It was set up for his own series that I had no idea he was getting in the first place, and involved Batman for some reason. It wasn't very good in my opinion.
A Look Inside
