Jonny Quest/Doug Wildey “Where Does It Come From ” Pt 7
Digging deep into my personal past, which is where our strongest inspirations come from I am convinced, I can’t avoid commenting on the powerful impact the ground-breaking, prime-time cartoon show Jonny Quest had on my young imagination. Jonny’s breezy, globe-trotting adventures gave me a taste for that sort of exotic setting and high adventure storytelling. At the time, I had no idea that a key to making the show so compelling was the strong sense of design in the characters and settings. I was just caught up in a great “yarn”. Looking back, it’s so clear that the design and layout work of Doug Wildey (along with some guy named Toth that I’ll have to talk about another time…) is what set Jonny apart from all the other “Saturday Morning” cartoon fare, and it’s also why those early 1960’s cartoons, primitive animation and all, remain revered and a source of inspiration for storytellers throughout this industry.
In the early ’80’s, the late, lamented Comico Comics printed a delightful run of new Jonny Quest stories that were faithful to the spirit and standards of the original TV series. How faithful? The got Doug to to several covers, and even better, a number of interior issues as well. If you come across these gems, pick them up and savor. 
I think Wildey was a cowboy at heart. And that’s where his real passion was. So it’s no surprise that he created his own, completely unique western character, Rio, and returned to telling his adventures whenever possible. I know something about having a “passion project” that keeps its hooks in you, and brings out all the commitment to craft and artistry you can muster on every page. And Rio serves as a work of power and inspiration for anyone who wants to master the art of great comics making.
I met Doug once, briefly, at the San Diego Comic Con. It was in the mid-eighties. I was just starting Trekker, and Doug was already a past master and legend by then. He shook my hand and said the most complimentary things about my work on Trekker. I was floored he’d even seen it. Maybe what he was responding to was another artist who, while still rough around the edges,had been bitten with a similar love for telling a great adventure tale. A love he himself had done so much to spark in me from some of my very earliest memories. Funny how life circles around like that.
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The artist who did the interiors of the Jonny Quest comics was no slouch, either. Ken Steacy illustrated the Jonny Quest comics as well as Astroboy and some of the Robotech comics. He was inducted into the Canadian Comic Book Creator Hall of Fame in 2009. I have a really nice Jonny and Bandit sketch he did for me at Toronto Fan Expo that year.
Right you are, Ian. I got to spend some time with Ken a couple years ago at a show in Victoria. He and his wife were incredibly gracious and generous hosts– and he remains a passionate and consummate comics pro. They don’t come any better.
just when i thought i couldn’t love Trekker more, you go and reference Jonny Quest! I LOVED the old JQ series, and have often thought it under-appreciated. And seriously, was that not the most awesome theme song of all time?
No doubt. That music would get your blood flowing and make you primed for high adventure. Nothing better. Glad I could find a way to make you love Trekker even more!
Terrific post! I too enjoyed Johnny Quest on Saturday mornings. I can still picture my favorite episode with the one-eyed spider robot and all the machine gun bullets and tank shells deflecting off of it 🙂
OMG– the robot spider! The best! Ell, I also loved the Mummy episode. Anything featuring Hadji. But my real absolute fav was the one with the WW1 dogfight. Always loved those old bi-lanes….