To pocket infinity and beyond.
By Jeff Lake
Move over, comic super brains. There’s a new top noggin’ in town, and his name is Jonas Quantum. Arrow writer and executive producer Marc Guggenheim brings his own busy brain to Legendary Comics with his latest debut, The Infinite Adventures of Jonas Quantum. Joined by artist Freddie Williams II, Quantum #1 is a rapid fire debut filled with alien space monsters, expansive pocket universes, and a whole lot of sensational science. While the overarching structure of the read appears to be a work in progress, this is nonetheless one adventure we’re looking forward to getting back to.
Jonas Quantum is pretty smart. In the time it takes most of us to wake up, make coffee and spend too long in the shower, Quantum has invented space travel, miniaturized himself and, oh yeah, beat death. From the opening panel writer Guggenheim does an excellent job of introducing his adventurous titular lead, utilizing a day-by-day approach to spell out the time it takes for Jonas to move on from one impressive feat to the next. Not only does said structure allow for a fast track in character development, but it also allows artist Williams free rein to deliver some amusing and inventive set pieces.
The downside to such accelerated pacing is that it does stunt the actual inciting incident of the issue, as the introduction and eventual resolution aren’t all that far apart. Interviews with Guggenheim point to the series having a more one-and-done kind of structure to them, something that holds true with its all-too-easy finale. There are definitely some seeds primed for further exploration – Jonas’ relationship with Eve, the mysteriously floating peeping tom, Jonas himself – but as of yet issue #1 feels more like a teaser than a full launching pad for a new series.
That’s not to say it isn’t fun – Guggenheim and Williams show a clear appreciation for all things sci-fi, the debut covering nearly all of the required bases. Williams in particular appears all too ready to embrace the book’s out there bent, each new set piece and introduced spectacle artfully rendered. That same attention to the fantastic does leave some of the debut’s more pedestrian scenes feeling just that, Williams seemingly racing through the more talky bits to get back to the assassin attacks and Escher stairwells. Some flat instances aside, Williams really excels with his nuanced characterization, particularly Jonas’. There’s a great moment early on where a just-born Jonas gives his delivering doctor a sideways glance that can only interpreted as “Can you hurry this up? I have things to do.” Little moments like that make the book, and its just-short-of-arrogant lead, fun to read.
If you’re looking for a fun book brimming with adventurous spirit, The Infinite Adventures of Jonas Quantum is a fine place to start. Issue #1 does a solid job in crafting a charismatic and interesting lead, giving his super brain just enough super obstacles to keep things engaging. While the quick pace and open transition call into question how the series’ one-and-done structure will unfold going forward, Williams’ inventive art, combined with Guggenheim’s easy script, makes for a puzzle worth solving.
The Infinite Adventures of Jonas Quantum #1 reads like an homage to all things sci-fi, buoyed by the strong collaboration between Guggenheim and Williams. The issue’s standalone structure leaves some answers as feeling all too convenient, but there’s enough carry over to warrant further investment. The real treat is Quantum himself, and with a strong sense of character and an enjoyable visual style, this series is worth a look.
