You know that feeling when you see a piece of art and it just clicks? Like, you didn't know you needed it, but now that it's in front of you, nothing else makes sense? That is exactly what happened when DC Comics handed the keys to the Hanna Barbera action universe to Evan "Doc" Shaner.
Honestly, it felt inevitable.
For years, fans of the classic 1960s adventure toons—think Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, and The Herculoids—had been stuck with two options. You either watched the grainy original cel animations (which are still charming, don't get me wrong) or you watched the weird, post-modern parodies like Space Ghost Coast to Coast or The Venture Bros. Both are great. But where was the "real" stuff? Where was the sincere, high-stakes adventure that treated these icons with respect?
Then came Future Quest.
The Man Who Saved the Galaxy (On Paper)
If you aren't familiar with Doc Shaner, he’s basically the modern master of "Silver Age" aesthetics. He doesn't just draw superheroes; he draws the hope they represent. His lines are clean. His colors pop. Most importantly, his characters look like they actually enjoy being heroes.
When DC announced the Hanna Barbera Beyond line back in 2016, a lot of people were skeptical. I mean, they were turning Scooby-Doo into a nanite-virus apocalypse and the Flintstones into a dark social satire. It was a weird time. But Future Quest was the outlier. It was the "North Star" of the project.
Writer Jeff Parker and Doc Shaner didn't want to "deconstruct" these characters. They wanted to celebrate them.
📖 Related: Gwendoline Butler Dead in a Row: Why This 1957 Mystery Still Packs a Punch
Why his style works for Hanna Barbera
The original Hanna Barbera action shows were designed by the legendary Alex Toth. Toth was a minimalist genius. He knew exactly which lines to leave out so the animation would be cheap enough for TV but stylish enough to look like a noir film. Doc Shaner is arguably the spiritual successor to that philosophy.
- He nails the "Toth" mask on Space Ghost without making it look like a cheap Halloween costume.
- His Jonny Quest feels like a kid who’s actually in danger, not a static drawing.
- The Herculoids—which are notoriously hard to draw because they’re basically giant blobs and rocks—have actual weight and personality under his pen.
It's about the eyes. Shaner gives these characters an expressive quality that the limited animation of the 60s simply couldn't afford.
Bringing the "Future Quest" to Life
Let's talk about the scope of this thing. We aren't just talking about a cameo. Doc Shaner had to figure out how to put Birdman, the Galaxy Trio, Mightor, and Frankenstein Jr. into the same room as a teenage boy from the Florida Everglades.
It should have been a mess.
Instead, it felt like the greatest crossover that never was. Shaner has mentioned in interviews that some characters were tougher than others. The Impossibles, for instance. They’re a group of goofy, shape-shifting rock stars. In a world where Space Ghost is fighting a cosmic "World Ender," how do you make a guy named "Coil-Man" not look ridiculous?
Shaner’s solution? You don't hide the goofiness. You lean into the "wacky" end of the Hanna Barbera spectrum but render it with the same love as the "cool" stuff. He kept Coil-Man short and blocky. He kept the vibrant, primary colors. He treated them as part of the same ecosystem.
👉 See also: Why ASAP Rocky F kin Problems Still Runs the Club Over a Decade Later
The "Sincere" Revolution
One of the coolest things about the Doc Shaner and Hanna Barbera collaboration was the lack of irony. We live in an era where every reboot has to be "gritty" or "self-aware."
Shaner didn't do that.
When Space Ghost flies onto the page, he isn't making a joke about his talk show. He’s a cosmic peacekeeper. When Dr. Benton Quest is worried about Jonny, it’s because he’s a father, not a plot device. This sincerity is why the art resonates so much. It invites you back into your childhood living room but gives you a story that actually holds up as an adult.
Collecting the Legacy
If you're looking to see this work for yourself, you've got a few options. The primary run is the Future Quest trade paperback (collecting issues #1-12). It's essentially a masterclass in comic book layouts and character design.
But it’s more than just a comic book.
Shaner’s work on these characters has bled into the larger culture of the "Hanna-Barbera aesthetic." You see his influence in modern character sheets and fan art everywhere. He reminded the industry that "clean" isn't the same as "simple."
✨ Don't miss: Ashley My 600 Pound Life Now: What Really Happened to the Show’s Most Memorable Ashleys
What to Look For:
- The Character Designs: Look at the way he handles Race Bannon. He keeps the white hair and the sharp chin but adds a layer of ruggedness that feels very James Bond.
- The Space Ghost Origins: In the later issues and specials, the way Shaner renders the "Space Force" era is breathtaking.
- The Crossovers: Keep an eye out for the Green Lantern/Space Ghost special. Even though Shaner didn't do the full interiors for every crossover, his DNA is all over the "Beyond" era.
Where to Go From Here
If you’ve already devoured every page of Future Quest, what’s next?
First, go find Doc Shaner on social media (he’s active on BlueSky and Instagram). He often posts "warm-up" sketches of Hanna Barbera characters that are better than most artists' finished pieces. He has a way of capturing the "bounce" of a character like Dynomutt while still making him look like a functional robot.
Second, check out his other work like The New Champions or his Flash Gordon run with Jeff Parker. It carries that same "classic adventure" energy that made the Hanna Barbera stuff so good.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Pick up the "Future Quest" Vol. 1 Trade Paperback: This is the definitive collection of the Parker/Shaner era.
- Search for "Doc Shaner Space Ghost" prints: He occasionally releases high-quality prints that look like they belong in an animation gallery.
- Watch the original shows: Seriously. Go back and watch an episode of The Herculoids or Birdman. You’ll appreciate the way Shaner updated the designs even more when you see the "limited" cels they grew out of.
The partnership between Doc Shaner and Hanna Barbera proved that nostalgia doesn't have to be a trap. It can be a foundation. By looking back at the 60s with a modern eye, Shaner didn't just recreate the past; he built a future for these characters that finally matches how we remembered them in our heads.