The Venture Bros. is a comedic animated television series that both parodies the original Jonny Quest series and includes Jonny Quest characters in some episodes.
Character archetype comparison[]
The Venture Bros. is a homage and parody of Jonny Quest. The setup of the main characters parallels the original Quest Team:
| Main characters | Jonny Quest | Venture Bros. |
|---|---|---|
| Scientist father | Dr. Benton Quest | Dr. Thaddeus Venture |
| Adventurous sons | Jonny and Hadji | Hank and Dean |
| Family bodyguard | Race Bannon | Brock Samson |
| Pet dog | Bandit | Scamp |
The pilot episode has several moments that parallel the original Jonny Quest series. The Venture team flies in a Dragonfly-like plane and the team is seated exactly as the Quest team sits in the Dragonfly, and this scene is featured in the opening sequence. The opening also features a spider-like robot, similar to Dr. Zin's robot spider.
Jonny Quest characters[]
Several of the original Jonny Quest characters are introduced in the series. Since The Venture Bros. and Jonny Quest are both owned by the same company, it was initially okay for The Venture Bros. to use the original characters' names. So Race Bannon and Jonny Quest both had their original names when they were introduced in seasons 1 and 2. But due to licensing concerns over how the characters were portrayed, the production team was later asked to change their names.
Main original series characters:
- Race Bannon, later renamed "Red Bannon"
- Jonny Quest, referred to initially as "Jonny" and "Mr. Quest", and later renamed "Action Johnny"
- Hadji, called "Rajni"
- Dr. Quest, deceased by the start of the series, he's referenced multiple times
Other original series characters:
- Dr. Zin, called "Dr. Z", Jonny's former nemesis
- Turu, the pterosaur from episode Turu the Terrible
Prominent non-canon characters:
- Mrs. Z, Dr. Z's wife
- Rajni's unnamed wife
Vehicles:
- Quest Bell One, a bathysphere (submersible), the design is taken from the episode Pirates from Below
Crossover episodes[]
List of episodes[]
| Episode | Aired | Crossover appearance |
|---|---|---|
| 1.09 Ice Station - Impossible! | 2004 | Race Bannon, Jonny (mentioned) |
| 2.05 Twenty Years to Midnight | 2006 | Jonny |
| 3.01 Shadowman 9: In the Cradle of Destiny | 2008 | Dr. Z (silhouette) |
| 3.02 The Doctor is Sin | 2008 | Rajni, Johnny |
| 3.03 The Invisible Hand of Fate | 2008 | Red (flashback) |
| 3.05 The Buddy System | 2008 | Johnny, Dr. Z |
| 3.09 Now Museum-Now You Don't | 2008 | Johnny (background cameo) |
| 4.05 The Revenge Society | 2009 | Dr. Z (silhouette) |
| 4.06 Self-Medication | 2009 | Johnny, Dr. Z |
| 4.10 Pomp and Circuitry | 2009 | Dr. Z (silhouette) |
| 4.16 Operation P.R.O.M. | 2009 | Johnny (mentioned) |
| 5.01 What Color is Your Cleansuit? | 2013 | |
| 5.02 Venture Libre | 2013 | Turu |
| 5.07 Bot Seeks Bot | 2013 | Dr. Z |
| 6.00 All This and Gargantua-2 | 2015 | Dr. Z |
| 6.01 Hostile Makeover | 2016 | Dr. Z |
| 6.03 Faking Miracles | 2016 | Dr. Z |
| 6.05 Tanks for Nuthin' | 2016 | Dr. Z |
| 6.06 It Happening One Night | 2016 | Dr. Z |
| 6.07 A Party for Tarzan | 2016 | Dr. Z |
| 7.02 The Rorqual Affair | 2018 | Dr. Z |
| 7.03 Arrears in Science | 2018 | Dr. Z |
| 7.04 The High Cost of Loathing | 2018 | Dr. Z |
| 7.06 The Bellicose Proxy | 2018 | Dr. Z |
| 7.08 The Terminus Mandate | 2018 | Johnny, Dr. Z, Red Bannon (flashback) |
| 7.09 The Forecast Manufacturer | 2018 | Dr. Z |
| 7.10 The Saphrax Protocol | 2018 | Dr. Z |
Ice Station - Impossible![]
Race Bannon is mortally injured while on a mission with the Office of Secret Intelligence. Brock Samson, an old friend of his, finds him and holds his hand while Race dies, and Race's last words are to tell Jonny he loves him. Brock completes Race's mission.
Twenty Years to Midnight[]
Jonas Jr. and the Captain go to the submersible Quest Bell One looking for a needed component, and they're surprised to find Jonny Quest - in his underwear, paranoid, holding a gun, and surrounded by pill bottles. The Captain convinces Jonny that Jonas Jr. is a doctor who can write him any prescription he needs, and Jonas Jr. plays along.
The Doctor is Sin[]
Rajni and Johnny
Rajni calls Jonas Jr. from the office as Johnny is having a breakdown behind him. Rajni doesn't know what to do, but his wife will leave him if he brings Johnny to the house again. Rajni says that Johnny is "like a brother" to him, reminding Jonas Jr. that he has his brother Rusty on the other line. At the mention of Rusty, Rajni jokes, "Has he asked you for money yet?" Jonas tries to transfer over to Rusty, but Rusty's left his phone. Rajni says, "Shit, did he hear us?"
The Invisible Hand of Fate[]
In a flashback from the agency, Red Bannon steps out of a room, covered in blood. Behind him in the room is a man tied to a chair, where Red has obviously been torturing him for information.
The Buddy System[]
At "Rusty's Day Camp for Boy Adventurers", Action Johnny is a featured guest. He has his own booth where he signs "baby pictures" of himself, which appear to be an eleven-year-old Jonny Quest. Action Johnny also appears on stage and speaks to the crowd, but he goes on a rant about his issues with his father and he has a breakdown on stage. Brock mentions that he liked him better when he was strung out.
Dean later gets Johnny's autograph, and Johnny tells him that if he "just says the word" he'll get Dean out of there because he doesn't need to live like that. Johnny is later upset that the program says he has a special guest star. On stage, Dr. Z arrives and tells him to give "Uncle Z" a hug. Johnny breaks down and is taken away, and Dr. Venture tells Dr. Z that Johnny's "been clean for a month" but he's been "downing xanax like they're cheetos".
Gallery[]
[]
| Jonny Quest crossovers |
|---|
 Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law 2000 - 2007  The Venture Bros. 2004 - 2018  Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 2011-2012  Jellystone! 2021 - ongoing |
External links[]
- The Venture Bros. Wiki - note the section on Jonny Quest, and pages for Action Johnny, Red Bannon, and Dr. Z.