Review: Scooby Doo, Where are You? #84

DC Comics
Review: Scooby Doo, Where are You? #84
By Philip Schweier
August 9, 2017 - 04:09

DC Comics
Writer(s): Sholly Fisch, Jimn Magon, John Rozum
Artist(s): Randy Elliott, Fabio Laguna
Penciller(s): Scott Jeralds
Inker(s): Jack Purcell
Colourist(s): Sylvana Bris, Heroic Age
Letterer(s): Saida Temofonte, John J. Hill, Swands
Cover Artist(s): Randy Elliott, Sylvana Bris

One might think you’re getting two stories in the latest issue of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, but you’re not. In story #1, a knight in armor is haunting a Camelot-themed restaurant. In story #2, a samurai ghost in scaring aware the customers of a Japanese restaurant. And in both stories, the culprit is someone so painfully obvious, it’s a wonder the story is even told in the first place.

But to the book’s credit, there is a puzzle in the middle of the second story, a maze to get Shaggy and Scooby back to their friends. It makes a for a pleasant diversion in an otherwise lackluster book. I sometimes wonder if the stories are written separately, and paired up later. In this case, the stories are far too similar to make a suitable pairing. They should compliment one another, not repeat each other.

I don’t expect much from all-ages books, they can’t all be as good as Gotham Academy, but here it’s like the writers didn’t even try. In fairness, they had little room to work with, making way for Velma’s presentation on zombies – the real ones from Haiti.

The artwork is a little better than I remember it being. Perhaps it is moving away from the cookie-cutter assembly I mentioned an issue or two back. Even in the simple, cartoony style presented here, I would hope an artist could present the story is a unique, individual style. We’re beginning to see some of that, and I hope DC keeps it up.

Rating: 5/10