So
how does the Scooby Gang meet up with Jonah Hex? Well, apparently, being a
meddling kid is a family trait, passed down from one generation to the next. In
the latest issue of Scooby-Doo Team Up, the ancestors of Mystery, Inc. wander
the West in search of mysteries to solve and bogus boogie men to unmask.
And
in so doing, they cross paths with a monster (no, it’s only Jonah Hex) and
expose the creature for the fraud it truthfully is. Along the way they meet
other DC Western heroes Bat Lash and Cinnamon, which could lead to future
encounters with DC characters from other eras: Sgt. Rock or Brother Power the
Geek. Perhaps they seem unlikely, but no moreso than a near-talking dog solving
mysteries.
Like
most Scooby-Doo stories, it’s a fun, light-hearted read that will take you
where you want to go. It’s hardly Pultizer-winning material, but if that’s what
you’re looking for, you’ve clearly wandered into the wrong place. And I give
kudos to Sholly Fisch for effectively tapping into DC’s more obscure history,
rather than featuring A- and B-list characters in a shallow attempt to sell
books. For some new readers, this may be the only opportunity for them to learn
of DC’s lesser known characters.
The
artwork by Dario Brizuela is in the simple animated style you might expect. But
it serves the story effectively, and remains “on-model,” presenting the
familiar cartoon characters we’ve known for the past half-century. I’ve never
been a major Scooby-Doo fan, but this comic is quickly becoming one of my
favorites, and would recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
10/10