Remember last time when we discussed the Cousin Oliver Syndrome? In case you don’t, it’s a ploy TV writers use to freshen the bloom on an old property. But fans usually see right through it, and recognize it for the ploy that it is. It could easily be called the Scrappy Syndrome, because few characters have been met with more scorn and derision than Scrappy Doo – and he knows it.

Which is why he’s got it in for the gang of Mystery Inc. in the latest pages of Scooby Apocalypse. He knows it was Velma Dinkley who’s behind the current monster crisis that has infested the world, which doesn’t endear them to Scrappy any more than one might expect. Only he’s no longer overly cute and annoying, he’s more of ferocious thug.

But the team is starting to grow, as Scrappy and his pet boy, Cliffy, meet up with Mystery Inc + 1, enabling them to split up and tackle issues from various angles. This leads to a brief back-up feature, starring Freddy, Daisy (Velma’s former sister-in-law, now widowed), and Cliffy. It’s classic Scooby Doo: “Let’s split up and investigate.” And for long-time fans of the series, there’s another bit of classic business you’ll be sure to appreciate.

This is a title that has been criticized as potentially ruining your childhood.

Perhaps so, but only if you regard it as a continuation of the original Scooby Doo cartoon. Think of it as more of a updated reboot. Kinda like Battlestar Galactica. The original was great in its time, but today it seems goofy and clichéd. Now we have this darker, grittier version. If you can get your head around it that way, you’re likely to enjoy the series. But if you prefer to regard every kernel of your childhood as some sacred in some way, it’s not for you.

Rating: 6/10