Jonny Quest "The Devil's Tower" #1.21 (1965) (TV)

Von Duffel is as mad as a hatter, 5 March 2010

Dr. Quest and Race set out to retrieve a scientific balloon that has crashed atop an escarpment known as The Devil's Tower. Race leaves Dr. Quest and returns to camp to pick-up the boys. Back on top of the escarpment, Dr. Quest is no where to be found. Instead, Race, Jonny, and Hadji run into a tribe of cavemen. They also run into a Nazi war criminal known as Von Duffel who has been using the cavemen to mine a load of precious diamonds. Can the whole gang escape the mad Von Duffel or, using Race's plane, will Von Duffel make his own escape?

While not the greatest of episodes, The Devil's Tower is still highly entertaining. Von Duffel is as good a baddie as the Quest Team face in any episode. And by good, I mean he's so stark raving mad that he seems quite capable of anything. Von Duffel's appearance is also a highlight. His stark skeletal features are nicely drawn. He reminds me quite a bit of the Crypt Keeper in appearance. The only real weakness of the episode comes in the final chase scenes as Jonny and family attempt to escape while Von Duffel attacks from overhead in the plane. It's exciting and all, but it feels too much like the finale of an earlier Jonny Quest episode, Shadow of the Condor. Still, a quality entry in the series that I rate a 7/10.

7/10