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Amzot is a long lost planet ripe with riches. It’s also home to The Herculoids and they’ll go to war to protect it from scavengers and poachers! When a company sends scientists and armed guards to explore the planet, their met with a counter attack! The 1967 Hanna-Barbera classic animated series finds new life in a new comic series from Dynamite Entertainment!
- Written by Tom Sniegoski
- Art by Craig Rousseau
- Colors by Omi Remalante Jr.
- Letters by Jeff Eckleberry
- Editor Joseph Rybandt
The Herculoids Return!
The Herculoids return to form in the form of a comic book! For those unaware, The Herculoids were a 1967 animated show produced by Hanna-Barbera. Johnny Quest, Space Ghost, The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo and more were all hits under the Hanna-Barbera flag. One such science fiction series rose to fame thanks to re-runs from 1992-2003 on Cartoon Network’s Toonami and Cartoon Roulette. Now we get to revisit everyones favorite family from Amzot (or Quasar as it’s been called) thanks to Dynamite Entertainment!
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The Dangerous planet of Azmot!
This first issue sets us up with a treasure hunt of sorts. Aliens speak of Amzot as if it’s something akin to Atlantis. It’s a place lost to time and space. Those who usually seek it out, usually never return, but there has been exceptions. The very rare being to claim they survived it serve as messengers to others: Stay away or be destroyed.
The Herculoids Accept No Trespassers!
Of course one such survivor gives his account to another seeking Azmot’s riches. When the survivor denies the strangers request for directions, the map is forcefully removed from his mind. When a force of scientists and armed guards arrive to Azmot, their met with a force like no other! A family of Barbarians: Zandor, Tara, and Dorno fight alongside giant creatures: the dragon Zok, the rhinoceros Tundro, the rock ape Igoo, and 2 shape shifting beings named Gloop and Gleep.
See the latest issue of Thundercats!
The battle is short and sweet, and the power of The Herculoids is on full display! When the dust settles, only one survivor is left to take the same message back out into the galaxy: Azmot is under The Herculoids protection!
Tom Sneigoski Brings The Herculoids to Life
As with most number 1’s of widely unknown properties, introductions are in order. There are times where that can hamper a writer. Tom Sneigoski weaves it in perfectly. By starting out with mysterious circumstances and a thrilling flashback to a disastrous expedition, we get a quick backstory on Azmot and the way this world views it before we even get to the planet. Then, Sneigoski provides with the type of people searching for it, who are willing to to any terrible lengths to extract its riches. Before we even get to Azmot the story is already pulling us in!
Once we arrive on Azmot, and we see that these researchers are destroying everything in their path to exploitation, The Herculoids spring into action! They all have special abilities that make them dangerous, but when working as a team they’re near unstoppable! To see Zandor lead with incredible energy and stoicism adds to that. I love that each character is given a personality, including the “animals”. One such scene of Igoo the rock ape mourning the death of other primates was especially moving.
Creating a New World Thanks to Some Old Animation
With a lot of these classic cartoon properties coming back into pop culture via comics, it’s important to stay faithful to the source. That is something that Craig Rousseau has done perfectly. That old school Hanna-Barbera vibe is there, but everything feels so expressive and dynamic. You could even call it simple in some ways, but that’s not a negative here. Everything is in proportion and moves perfectly. There’s a certain immersion to it all that dances with charm over every page.
With Rousseau’s work and Remalante’s color work, the planet of Azmot bursts to life! It’s an alien planet sure, but it’s also very Earth like in nature. Jungles, mountains, and waterways grace the landscapes and provide specific homes to the various Herculoids. It’s ironic that the dangers of space and dark corners of the galaxy are cold and toned down, yet the most dangerous place of all is so bright and rich with color!
Overall Grade: 8.7/10
This was the perfect introduction to The Herculoids for those that are unfamiliar. It was a simple and straightforward narrative that gave us all the information we needed. We were introduced to new characters and given a refresher on familiar ones. The story moved a good pace and the artwork felt organic and honored the original. If you were a fan of the cartoon you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If you know nothing about The Herculoids, you’ll be introduced to a fascinating world that captured the imagination of fans like myself decades ago!
As always you can catch up with me on all of the socials but also let me know how you feel about The Herculoids down below in the comments!
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