These two properties were among my favorite non-superhero cartoons when I was a kid. Both had limited production values, with heavy re-use of stock footage and music cues. Still, the strength of the characters and the exotic locations and situations were enough to keep me coming back. It would have been great to see their animated worlds collide.
Having been lucky enough to see Quest on its original 1960s ABC debut, I can't give it enough praise. The art, music, writing, acting, style - Were lush and couldn't be touched by much since then. One of the most expensive network animated shows. AND WORTH EVERY PENNY.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid in Brooklyn, NY, Johnny Quest had a huge influence on my childhood and outlook on life. This show, combined with those late 1970s Peace Corps commercials (...the toughest job you'll ever love! *drumbeat*) influenced my goal to learn foreign languages and work/travel overseas. I'm now an energy analyst based in Ukraine.
ReplyDeleteHOW non-superhero were Jonny Quest and Tarzan?
ReplyDeleteI recently bought the DVD's of Jonny Quest. It still holds up.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous841: Tarzan had the physical prowess of an Olympic athlete, with regard to his strength and speed, due to his feral upbringing. While Jonny was the child prodigy son of an eminent scientist and the student of a black belt martial artist bodyguard. Almost like a Hanna-Barbera version of Doc Savage (assuming one can imagine an animated cartoon depicting Doc's childhood)!
ReplyDelete@Ross: unfortunately, the only time Filmation ever did a crossover with any other animators is when they collaborated with WB for the early Seventies Saturday morning TV-movie called "Daffy Duck Meets The Groovy Ghoulies."
Your description of Jonny gave me an idea for the next DC-HB teamup (Elseworlds) book:
ReplyDeleteJonny's crew gets blown up. The adults die, Hadji loses a leg, and while Jonny survives his mental state is decidedly darker. Determined to become a costumed vigilante with Hadji as his back room asset, he comes to Gotham to learn from the masters, Batman and Alfred.
@Jay Johnson - Ugh! That sounds like a bad combo of Future Quest mashed up with the Venture Brothers!
ReplyDelete@det_Tobor: I know what you mean. The full-contact martial arts duel between Race Bannon and Tsumi, in "The Dragons of Ashida," can only be described as masterfully pioneering!
ReplyDeleteP.S.---I could be mistaken. But, it almost looks like Tarzan is fighting Caesar (father of Kimba)!
ReplyDelete@Jay Johnson 2:54: BTW, what if Scooby Apocalypse was in the same fictional-world timeline as The Jetsons(2017)?
ReplyDelete@Anon 7:43: I dunno. Scooby Old-Pickle-Lips was something I ran away from as fast as I could.
ReplyDelete@Isaac: Sorry, don't know the Venture Brothers either. Anyway, my story would have Alfred turning Jonny around and have him start up a new group similar to the Challengers of the Unknown.
@JJ: The Venture Brothers was a half-serious spoof of JQ (right down to a highly similar opening credits montage) made for Cartoon Network.
ReplyDeleteP.S.@ Anon743: Jetsons meet the LSH or Silver Age GOTG might be more suitable. On the other hand, Scooby Doo and Blade the Vampire Slayer vs. Hellcow (HTD foe) would be a scary-good combo!
ReplyDelete"Scary good?" Seriously?! :-(
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 9:37 Perhaps Hellcow meets Batcow?
ReplyDelete@Isaac: Or Mogo the Bat-ape meets Mogo the planet-sized Green Lantern!*
ReplyDelete*With a little help from Beppo the Super Monkey.
I'd rather see Bandit Quest meet Lockjaw of the Inhumans.
ReplyDeleteP.S.---I had to check off a bunch of fire hydrants to verify myself! LOL!!