#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #119

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #119

DC COMICS

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Sholly Fisch

ART: Randy Elliot; Dave Alvarez

COLORS: Silvana Brys; Candace Schinzler-Bell

LETTERS: Saida Temofonte

EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Aniz Ansari & Jessica Chen (reprint)

COVER: Derek Fridolfs and Silvana Brys

32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (February 2023)

Ages 8+

“Centaur Attention”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I continue to renew my subscription so that I can continue to review this series for you, dear readers.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #119 opens with “Centaur Attention,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Randy Elliot.  The story finds Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma arriving at the “Coolsville Equestrian Center.”  There, Daphne and her horse, Daisy, are participants in the “Coolsville Equestrian Meet.”  However, a monstrous centaur is determined to ruin the event.  Can the gang stop the creature in time to save the event?

The second story, “Knight Mare” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Dave Alvarez.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #52 (cover date: February 2015).]  The story finds Mystery Inc. attending the “Renaissance Faire.”  Everyone is having fun until a ghost, “The Scarlet Knight,” arrives to ruin the event.  What's the story behind this ghostly knight, and will Shaggy and Scooby once again be coerced into being the bait for a trap to catch the the Scarlet Knight?

If Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #119 has a theme, it involves riding horses and ghostly villains that want to stop fun events from occurring.  Both stories, the new and the reprint, feature Scooby-Doo comics creators that are among my favorites.  That said, this is an average issue in the series, especially considering that there have been several above average issues published in the last year.  The villains are not that interesting, but both artists turn in some nicely drawn pages featuring excellent graphic design within the individual panels and overall pages.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #119 is a slight downgrade from issue #118.  Still, it is a Scooby-Doo comic book, Scooby-Doo fans.  So grab your “Scooby Snacks” and read issue #119 and maybe watch a Scooby-Doo movie, later.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

B-

★★½ out of 4 stars

[This comic book includes a seven-page preview of the DC Comics original graphic novel, “My Buddy, Killer Croc” by Sara Farizan and Nicoletta Baldar.]

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

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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"


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: SCOOBY DOO TEAM-UP #22

SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP No. 22
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Sholly Fisch
ART: Dave Alvarez
COLORS: Dave Alvarez
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
COVER: Dario Brizuela with Franco Riesco
EDITOR: Kristy Quinn
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (March 2017)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

“Nothing is Impossible”

Scooby-Doo, that famous Saturday morning cartoon dog, and his human companions:  Shaggy Rogers, Velma Dinkley, Daphne Blake, and Fred Jones, first appeared in the Saturday morning animated series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1971 from Hanna-Barbera).  This quintet is known as Mystery Inc. (or the “Mystery Inc. gang” or the “Scooby gang”).

The second Scooby-Doo animated series was “The New Scooby-Doo Movies,” which premiered on September 9, 1972 and ran for two seasons on CBS until 1974.  It was the first Scooby-Doo cartoon series that I ever saw.  [I saw “Scooby Doo, Where Are You!” in reruns not long afterwards.].  “The New Scooby-Doo Movies” began my life-long love of Scooby-Doo and his pals.

An hour-long show, “The New Scooby-Doo Movies” featured a rotating series of special guest stars.  Each episode guest-starred a real-life celebrity or well-known fictional character that joined Mystery, Inc. in solving the mystery of the week.  Some celebrities were living at the time of an episode’s first airing (Don Knotts, for instance).  Some were deceased or retired (The Three Stooges and Laurel and Hardy).  There were also real-life celebrities who would become cartoon characters in other series (Harlem Globetrotters).  Some guests were stars of other Hanna-Barbera animated series (Josie and the Pussycats, Speedy Buggy).

Three years ago, DC Comics debuted the comic book series, Scooby-Doo Team-Up, as a sort of follow-up to The New Scooby-Doo Movies.  It has been three years since I wrote my only review of the series, a review of Scooby-Doo Team-Up #1.  That issue united Mystery Inc. and Batman and Robin to take on tragic Batman adversary, Man-Bat.

I only read the first five issue of Scooby-Doo Team-Up, but I recently picked up two recent issues of the series.  One of them really stood out to me, so much so that I decided to talk about it in a review.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #22 unites Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Velma with Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles, stars of an old-school or classic Saturday morning cartoon series.  Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1966.  It ran for two seasons on CBS from September 1966 to September 1968.

Each episode contained two segments.  “Frankenstein Jr.” starred a giant heroic robot named “Frankenstein Jr.” and focused on his adventures fighting supervillains with his creators, Professor Conroy and his son Buzz Conroy.  The other segment, “The Impossibles,” started a trio of superheroes, “The Impossibles” (Multi-Man, Fluid Man, and Coil Man) who posed undercover as a Beatles-like rock band, also called “The Impossibles.”

As Scooby-Doo Team-Up #22 (“Nothing is Impossible”) opens, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo are enjoying a stadium concert performance by The Impossibles.  Suddenly, a shadowy, giant robot attacks and starts tearing apart the stadium.  It's Frankenstein Jr.!  But isn't he supposed to be a good guy?  His pal and co-creator, Buzz Conroy, appears on the scene to explain how an old adversary, the Mad Inventor, is responsible for Frankenstein Jr.'s new destructive attitude, and the villain is proving practically impossible to stop... with Frankenstein Jr. under his control.

What made me want to review Scooby-Doo Team-Up #22?  Frankly, I was stunned by the art, colors, and page design work on this issue by Dave Alvarez.  Alvarez is one of the best Scooby-Doo comic book artists in recent memory.  His coloring for this issue and the page design form a combination that reminds me of the color and design aesthetic of Hanna-Barbera's sci-fi and superhero animated series of the mid to late 1960s.  That's it, ladies and gentlemen.  As I started reading this comic book, I wondered if Alvarez had merely reproduced actual, vintage animated cel art for this issue.

But no, he is just a comic book artist who is exceptionally good at Scooby-Doo comic books.  The cover artist for this issue is Dario Brizuela, another comic book artist who is really good with Scooby-Doo comic books.

You know, reading Scooby-Doo Team-Up makes me think that I need to become a regular Scooby-Doo comic book reader again.  The story by writer Sholly Fisch is fun, and uses some meta-fiction to poke fun at both the Scooby-Doo franchise and at “Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles.”  After all, only the most clueless person could not figure out that “The Impossibles” rock trio is the same as “The Impossibles” superhero trio.

A-

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #47

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #47
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Sholly Fisch; Michael Kraiger
PENCILS: Dave Alvarez; Scott Neely
INKS: Dave Alvarez; Scott Neely
COLORS: Candace Schinzler-Bell, Paul Becton
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Rob Leigh
EDITOR: Aniz Ansari
COVER: Scott Neely and Candace Schinzler-Bell
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (September 2014)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

I recently received the latest issue of my Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? subscription.  I bought the subscription via a fundraiser held by my nephew’s school last year, which involved selling magazine subscriptions.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #47 opens with “Comic Convention Card Tricks” (written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Dave Alvarez).  Mystery Inc. is attending Mega-Pop Con (“The world’s largest gathering of pop culture!”).  Scooby-Doo and Shaggy are there for the comic books and the food, of course.  Daphne is looking to add to her collection of Fuzzies Dolls.  Fred wants to meet the star of his favorite science fiction television show, “Doc Whatzisname.”

Velma is at the convention to put her “keen strategic mind” to use in the “World Championship Tournament” of her favorite role-playing card game, “Monster Mania.”  But the gang’s fun is interrupted when monsters from Monster Mania come to life to plague the tournament.

“Night Marchers” (written by Michael Kraiger and drawn by Scott Neely) opens with Mystery Inc. in Hawaii so that Daphne can attend the “Conference on Polynesian Paranormal Phenomena.”  Of course, the gang can’t escape a mystery, especially after Shaggy and Scooby meet the ghostly procession known as the “Night Marchers.”

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #47 is unusual in that Velma is the spark in both the cases Mystery Inc. confronts.  The gang is at Mega-Pop Con and in Hawaii because of events in which Velma is participating.  Perhaps, this catches my attention because I am always curious about Velma beyond her place in Mystery Inc.  Who is she and what is her family like?  What are her hobbies?

Beside that, “Comic Convention Card Tricks” is a severely under-developed story.  Once again, it is one of those Scooby-Doo short stories that needed more space.  “Night Marchers,” which I’m assuming is the reprint story this issue (from Scooby-Doo #77), is a fun read, if for no other reason than its Hawaiian setting.

As a side note:  the setting of “Comic Convention Card Tricks” is Mega-Pop Con, which is obviously a stand-in for the legendary, annual San Diego Comic-Con International.  In conjunction with Comic-Con International 2014, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #47, in addition to the regular edition, comes with an exclusive Comic-Con variant cover edition.  Get yours if you can.

B-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #45

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #45
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Georgia Ball, Darryl Taylor Kravitz, Robbie Busch
PENCILS: Dave Alvarez, Karen Matchette, Robert Pope
INKS: Dave Alvarez, Karen Matchette, Scott McRae
COLORS: Dave Alvarez; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte, Randy Gentile, Brian Durniak
EDITOR: Kristy Quinn
COVER: Dave Alvarez
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (July 2014)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

Via subscription, I continue my journey through the current Scooby-Doo comic book series with the forty-fifth issue of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?  Why is this happening, those of you who are new might ask?  I bought a subscription to Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? via a fundraiser held by my nephew’s school last year, which involved selling magazine subscriptions.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #45 opens with “Scooby Slides into Danger” (written by Georgia Ball and drawn and colored by Dave Alvarez).  The Mystery Inc. gang visits the water park, Pudelnass (“the World’s Greatest Water Park”), for a day of sun without a mystery to solve.  The kids actually get to have the water park all to themselves.  Of course, it’s not that easy.  They have to solve the mystery of the mutant creature known as “the Primordial Ooze.”

As “The Freeloading Ghost” (written by Darryl Taylor Kravitz and drawn by Karen Matchette) opens, the Mystery Inc. kids have just solved a mystery.  However, there is some blowback because of their actions.  They have made a ghost homeless, and he expects housing from his accidental evictors.  Also, reality show shenanigans have the gang trying to capture “The Great Lire of Lagoona Beach” (written by Robbie Busch and drawn by Robert Pope and Scott McRae).

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #45 features the return of one of my favorite Scooby-Doo comic book artists, the fantastic Dave Alvarez.  There is a 3D quality to the combination of his compositions and coloring that remind me of my childhood experiences with “View Master.”

Of course, Scooby-Doo and friends have an established visual appearance, but Alvarez shows off his talent for cartooning the human head and face on the other characters.  Expressive and odd-looking, the supporting players of “Scooby Slides into Danger” have a striking visual look.  Plus, the story is also fun, and it is one that I would like to see adapted as one of those Scooby-Doo direct-to-DVD animated films.

The other two stories are reprints from the Scooby-Doo comic book series previous to this one (entitled, Scooby-Doo).  I love “The Freeloading Ghost.”  Can we get a revisit on that one?  As for Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #45, it is one of the favorites of my subscription.  More Dave Alvarez, please.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #43

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #43
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Sholly Fisch, Vito Delsante and Nick Purpura
PENCILS: Dave Alvarez, Tim Levins
INKS: Dave Alvarez, Dan Davis
COLORS: Wendy Broome, Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte, Sal Cipriano
COVER: Dave Alvarez
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (May 2014)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

I recently received another issue of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?  I purchased a subscription to DC Comics’ current Scooby-Doo comic book series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? (which launched in 2010) from a fundraising drive.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #43 opens with “Game Changer” (written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Dave Alvarez).  Twin sisters, Flora and Fauna Wilde, summon Mystery Inc. to the Wilde Life Nature Preserve to solve a mystery.  The game preserve is home to animals in danger of going extinct.

However, the ghost of the Jungle Man and his fearsome ghost leopard are terrorizing the preserve, insisting that “civilized” man does not belong there.  Plus, animals are disappearing from the preserve.  It’s up to the Scooby gang to solve the mystery of the big man and his big cat before everyone turns extinct.

In “Ghouls Night at the Opera” (written by Vito Delsante and Nick Purpura and penciled by Tim Levins), the gang arrives in Seattle where they have another case.  Apparently, the cast and crew of “Punk Rock: The Musical” are being terrorized by “The Ghoul.”  Now, the gang plans to sing their way through a web of backstage backstabbing and other antics to discover who the Ghoul really is.

In the recent reviews of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? that I’ve written, I often complained that some of the Scooby-Doo short stories would work better as full-length, single-issue stories.  However, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #43 offers two stories that are just right as short stories.

Story aside, “Game Changer” offers some of the best art I’ve seen in a Scooby-Doo comic book.  Drawn by Dave Alvarez, “Game Changer” also has spectacular coloring by Wendy Broome.  “Game Changer” is the subject of the cover art, with a striking image drawn by Alvarez and featuring (once again) dazzling color.  In fact, the cover is so eye-catching that I could not help but notice it on the shelf of a local comic book store, every time I walking past that shelf.

I think “Ghouls Night at the Opera” is a reprint from Scooby-Doo #128, the Scooby-Doo comic book series prior to this one.  When I saw that some of the characters’ dialogue was meant to be sung, I knew I would be annoyed, but I actually found the story to be surprisingly nice.

I’ll use the excuse that “Game Changer” and the cover art for this issue hypnotized me into giving Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #43 a high grade.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.