Jonny Quest

I was 6-7 years old when Jonny Quest came out and I loved the show (still do!)- and yes, I am a female! The artwork employed was incredible for its time and every show had tidbits of scientific or technological info that fed hungry young minds. No, I didn't grow up wanting to be a mad scientist! And no, I didn't grow up with any violent tendencies from watching Jonny use judo or anything- compared to cartoons today the violence in Jonny Quest is pretty mild (nothing graphic)! The cartoons are exciting and interesting...and who doesn't love Bandit???? He's better than Scooby Doo! I was so happy to see the boxed set of first season episodes in the store. I bought it right away to watch with my husband (also a Jonny Quest fan) and 14-year old daughter (who remembers the new Jonny Quest from the 1990's). Although the cartoons are somewhat dated they are still fun to watch. The locales are exotic, the action and adventure thrilling! All Jonny Quest fans will love this boxed set and treasure it for the nostalgic memories it will evoke of that 1960's era when science and technology were at the gateway of the future (outer space travel, moon landings, robotics...)! Jonny Quest was, to the children of 1964-65, a visionary glimpse into the future. Today it is a nostalgic visit to the much more innocent past.

Even limited by Hanna Barbera's cheap animation, JQ is still one of the best toons ever. Featuring some really excellent stories (the spider robot and the invisible monster - lifted from Forbidden Planet really) along with a likeable cast (Race is my favorite character), made this show work. And let's not forget the awesome theme song - the best of any toon ever.

This was the high point of my Saturday cartoon watching as a kid. As long as I got to see Jonny Quest the rest of my viewing didn't matter. Jonny ruled then. JQ had everything. There was action, adventure, spies, bad guys, monster (both giant and smaller), mad scientists, rockets, planes, boats, tanks, army guys, submarines, espionage, intrigue and more. Hard to believe but all of this was packed into only a half an hour. Every saturday you got to see Jonny, Dr. Quest, Race Bannon, Hadji and Bandit save our country and/or the world. They went on adventures you could only dream about. This was the coolest cartoon on in it's day. Was there a better opening to a show. The instrumental opening was great. It let you know how much action was about to come your way. The only other opening I could remember like this was Bugs Bunny and the Flintstones and they had lyrics. Of all the cartoons on when I was a kid this one was the one that I made sure I watched. There hasn't been a cartoon like it since that could come close. Maybe Scooby-Doo, at least he had monsters, or bad guys posing as such to deal with. Even that doesn't match up to Jonny Quest. My parents would even sit down and watch it too. It was that entertaining. JQ had excellant stories to go with the action. For those who haven't seen it, the best five episodes are The Lizard Men, pilot episode, Dr. Sins Robot Spy, The Curse of Anubis, Turu the Terrible and the Invisible Monster. Jonny Quest was the best damn cartoon ever and remains so. JQ rules.

When I was a kid (you know, back when Hanna-Barbera dominated TV cartoons and dinosaurs roamed the antediluvian plain), there was an incredibly, inexplicably popular show named…"Scooby Doo". But, for those of us who considered ourselves smarter and hipper than the average bear, there was only one cartoon that ruled and it ruled with an iron fist. I'm talking about "Jonny Quest", a combination of pulp adventure, science fiction, spy flicks, horror, drama and comedy that was utterly irresistible to me and millions of other little boys around the world back in the mid-60's. From the opening bars of Hoyt Curtin's driving, jazzy theme song, the opening credits were enough to drive any kid insane: a savage jungle with giant lizards, a mummy, a pteranodon, jet packs, gunfire, fisticuffs, giant robot spiders, hover platforms, giant death rays and then the introduction of the Quest family: 11-year old Jonny, scientific genius Dr. Benton Quest, tutor-pilot-combat expert-bodyguard Roger T. "Race" Bannon, Indian mystic Hadji, and Jonny's bulldog pup Bandit racing around the world to another thrilling adventure in Dr. Quest's sleek, needle-nosed jet aircraft. Jonny and his dad lived in a secluded island fortress-secret laboratory with Race Bannon, Hadji and Bandit. Dr. Quest was a scientific genius working for the U.S. Government, a widower (Mrs. Quest's death is only mentioned once, but the impression lingered that she was killed by bad guys trying to get to Dr. Quest – hence, government agent Race Bannon is assigned to protect father and son) who was constantly called to come up with some piece of super-science or a solution to a strange mystery in some remote and exotic corner of the world – and, more often than not, how Jonny (with considerable assists from Hadji and Bandit) saved or gave him critical assistance. "Jonny Quest" was different because it was obviously a show that was striving for a maturity and realism that had never been seen in television animation before. From the lush and detailed backgrounds to the almost-adult level of violence (all sorts of people and animals die in this show - and when someone died, they stayed dead), there was a lot in this show that wasn't for kids. And now, after years of waiting, Warner Brothers has released all 26 episodes in a massive and elegant 4-disc set, presented in their original broadcast order. From "Mystery of the Lizard Men" to "The Robot Spy" to "The Sea Haunt", they're all here and looking absolutely smashing along with all sorts of DVD goodies like trailers, a featurette on the animators, everything you'd ever want to know about the good and bad guys on the show and even a vintage commercial for sneakers starring Jonny! I fell in love with this show when I was about 8 years old, watching it dubbed in Spanish and in black-and-white, rediscovered it again in color when we came to the States and now, after 30+ years I can say with total assurance that some pleasures from childhood are just as good when you're an adult.

This was the coolest show ever! You had top notch designs from Doug Wildey and Alex Toth, great voices from the likes of Don Messick and Tim "Otter" Matheson, great stories and kick-a** music. People actually died in this show! (unlike 80's fare, like GI Joe, where they always parachuted to safety, or everyone misses with lasers). Despite being tagged as violent, the show illustrated that violence had consequences. You learned that if you fire a gun, people die, or at least get hurt.

What's not to love about a show with dinosaurs, WWI airplanes, robot spiders, lizard men, Dr Zin, invisible monsters, mummies, and secret armies? You got jet packs, lasers, submarines, hovercraft, hydrofoils, vstol jets, and other cool rides. You have evil villains like Dr Zin, Ivar, Dr Karim, Ashida and his dragons, and a host of foreign spies. Throw in exotic locales and you can't lose.

Yeah, it wasn't the most PC of shows (take that you heathen monkeys, indeed) but it was still pretty entertaining; and, Hadji was always portrayed as an intelligent and equal character. Sure, Dr Quest and Race Bannon sure seemed to avoid women (except Jezebel Jade) but, you know, they were positive role models.

By the way, if you ever wondered what happened to Jonny's mother, check out the excellent Comico comic book from the 80's. It was an outstanding story that will bring tears to your eyes, and add a wrinkle to Dr Zin.