The first issue of “Jonny Quest” features awesome writing and artwork and a magnificent kick off issue for COMICO!
TITLE: Jonny Quest issue #1
YEAR: June 1986
COMPANY: COMICO The Comic Company
WRITTEN By William Messner-Loebs
ART by Doug Wildey
EDITOR: Diana Schutz
Many people coming into comic books recently, who may not be familiar with COMICO the Company, probably don’t know the talent the company had back in the’80s.
Amazingly proactive, unfortunately the types of stories produced were not all like Marvel Comics or DC comics superhero-style stories. But they were a company that people who wanted to explore outside the big two, to find quality independent comics.
Of course, unlike today, where independent comic books are much more appreciated, back in the ’80s, they were not the easiest to find, unless you had a local comic book shop. And they were not exactly the cheapest, as independents were among those who utilized Baxter paper instead of cheaper pulp paper.
Back in the ’80s, COMICO the Company were known to have a few major licenses under their wing, one was “Robotech the Macross Saga” and possibly one of the best releases were their “Jonny Quest” comic book series.
When it came to story and art, “Jonny Quest” was magnificent!
A media franchise which began with a 1964-1965 Hanna-Barbera television series, the series would be produced for syndication with the “New Adventures of Jonny Quest” in 1986 (and later in the ’90s with “The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest”).
To coincide with the TV series, COMICO the Comic Company was able to release a comic book series written by William Messner-Loebs (known for his later work on “The Flash”, “Dr. Fate” and “Wonder Woman”) and the first issue featured art by the late Doug Wildey, the cartoonist and comic book artist known for creating the 1964 TV series for Hanna-Barbera Productions.
A total of 31 issues were created for COMICO including two special issues, three classic issues and three “Jezebel Jade” issues. And if there was one comic book series one should have in their collection that are keepers, I do recommend “Jonny Quest”.
The first issue begins with Roger “Race” Bannon, Jonny, Hadji and Jonny’s bulldog, Bandit driving in the desert to investigate an ancient city buried beneath the sands near Chandarmin.
As Jonny’s father Dr. Benton C. Quest is to depart on a chopper, a plane flies by and destroys it and Benton calls on Jade for help.
As the group are riding through the desert, in the middle of nowhere is a gas station ran by fuel tycoon Reed C. James, who charges an extreme premium for gas.
As the group get gas, they see tracks near the gas station.
While a continent away, the terrorist Dr. Zin doesn’t like the Quest Group in that region and orders his men to take care of them.
While riding around the desert, the trio park in an area where the lost city is supposed to be and discover a tarp which was exposed. As the trio move the sand around, they discover an entrance to the ancient city and inside are a gorilla and a terrorist arms cache.
As the group heads back outside, they see a plane fly b and destroys their jeep and try to shoot at them, Race is able to shoot down the plane which crashes into the area and exposes the hidden city.
Stuck in the middle of nowhere, a familiar face arrives, Jade and Jonny’s father and a historian.
As the group investigates the city, unbeknown to them is that the terrorists are also there.
A wonderful first issue which also features an interview with COMICO’s Steve Kaye and Joseph Barbera.
Overall, the first issue of “Jonny Quest” features awesome writing and artwork and a magnificent kick off issue for COMICO!