Art by: Howard Porter
Colors by: Hi-Fi
Published by: DC Comics
Scooby-doo where are you? Seriously, where the hell are you? DC comics presents Scooby-doo Apocalypse and while we have representations of the illustrious Mystery Inc. team, they are, as compared to Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby – pale imitations.
As with any translation from one medium to another, there is always a compromise in terms of transitioning characters, and you always run the risk of losing the identity of the character if you are not careful. One of the main issues with this comic version is the character designs. The art itself is good, of a suitably high standard, yet the interpretation of the team leaves something to be desired. Shaggy, in particular, has nothing in common with his cartoon namesake – for those raised on the original Hanna-Barbera episodes there is a definite expectation for Shaggy – this tattooed incarnation is too far removed.
In terms of the story for this book, all is well. The plot, that of a dastardly situation desperately in need of foiling, is perfectly fine. We have a gradual coming together of the disparate team, of each getting introduced, and early flashes of dialogue contain some interplay that hints of the team. There is the requisite perilous situation present as the driving force behind the book, which works well enough as a motivational factor for the characters. Despite complaints over the character design of Scooby and the gang, the art in general is of a very nice standard. The layouts are accomplished and the character work is believable without any blemishes.
To judge the book on the merits of the story itself you would feel that it is perfectly adequate without being exceptional. Unfortunately though, the hook for the book resides in the members of Mystery Inc. We don’t get the charm of the original characters; there is a lack of warmth – of a too clinical sheen. While the book is aimed at the teen market surely the target audience would be more connected to the world of Scooby and the gang if the characters were closer in nature to those of the cartoon – the original material.
