I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #100

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? No. 100
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Sholly Fisch; Jack Briglio
PENCILS: Walter Carzon; Roberto Barrios
INKS: Horacio Ottolini; Sebastian Bartolucci
COLORS: Silvana Brys; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Travis Lanham
EDITORS: Lauren Bisom; Jeanine Schaefer
COVER: Dave Alavarez
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (October 2019)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

“School Dazed”

I am continuing my journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series.  I renewed my subscription (for a second time) and (landmark, of sorts) issue #100 is the second issue I received from that renewal.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #100 opens with “School Dazed," which is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini.  Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma are attending a dog obedience school reunion at Scooby's old school, “The Poochiversity.”

The school is famous for being the place that trained “Ring Ding Ding,” a canine star of early Hollywood, including appearing in some movies from the “Silent Film” era.  Now, Ring Ding Ding has apparently returned as a green-hued ghost, haunting the reunion and terrorizing pure breeds, mutts, and 'fraidy cat-dogs alike.

The second story, “Secrets Unlimited,” is, as usual, a reprint and is written by Jack Briglio and drawn by Roberto Barrios and Sebastian Bartolucci.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo #133 (cover date: August 2008).]  Mystery Inc. is attending a filming session of the reality television series, “Last Person Standing,” when suddenly a clay-covered monster attacks the set.  Before Mystery Inc. can act, however, “Secrets Unlimited” arrives to chase the monster away.

What is and who are “Secrets Unlimited?”  They are two guys, two girls, and a dog, and they fight monsters!  They have their own reality show, and they are about to make Mystery Inc. irrelevant.  That is unless Scooby, Shaggy, and the gang can unravel the truth about Secrets Unlimited and the monster that keeps appearing right before Secrets Unlimited arrives to save the day.

I find “School Dazed” to be an odd and entertaining story for two reasons.  First, I simply can't imagine Scooby-Doo attending an obedience school.  Secondly, the barking of the dogs in this story is translated as dialogue between the canines.  I think this is the first time I have ever encountered any Scooby-Doo story, comics or animated film/TV, in which Scooby speaks coherently, at least to other dogs.  In fact, this may be the first time that any writer has declared that Scooby attended obedience school.  So for these reasons, I recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #100, and I will call it a semi-landmark issue in this series.

“Secrets Unlimited” is also a novel story, simply for presenting Mystery Inc. with a rival group of fighters of the paranormal and supernatural.  Honestly, these “rivals” seem more like front-runners since they really don't investigate anything, but they do show up to pose.  Has Mystery Inc. ever faced off against a rival team in the various incarnations of the Scooby-Doo TV series?

By the way, Dave Alvarez once again illustrates a striking cover image for this series.  See you next issue.

B+
7 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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