Scooby Apocalypse #27 – JM DeMatteis, Keith Giffen, Writers; Pat Oliffe, Penciller; Scott Hanna, Inker; Yvel Guichet, Backup Artist; Hi-Fi, Colorist
Ray – 6/10
Ray: The new status quo continues to unfold in Scooby Apocalypse #27, as old frenemy Scrappy Doo returns from presumed death (last seen fighting an army of monsters to allow the heroes to get away). This upends the dynamic of the survivors in some interesting ways – Cliffy, who had bonded with Scooby in the aftermath of Scrappy’s disappearance, immediately returns to his old friend and leaves Scooby feeling left out, while Velma tries to assert her role as leader over the bullying dog. This sets up some conflict, but Shaggy – who has a long history with Scrappy as the former head of the program that created him – is the one to bridge the gap, helping Scrappy come a little closer to becoming part of the odd family unit they’re building. He even begins to make peace with Scooby, whom he had been hunting and abusing for most of the talking-dog lives. There’s some decent material in this subplot, but unfortunately the dialogue doesn’t really live up to the potential.
The other main segment in the issue deals with Daphne, who is continuing to psychologically unravel following the death of Fred. Last issue showed her from the perspective of the others, as she turned into a grim monster hunter obsessed with keeping the perimeter secure. This issue shows us that story from her perspective, and it’s…unsettling. Not only does she seem completely consumed with her mission, but we get a graphic segment of her shooting a teenage girl begging for refuge. The girl turns out to be a monster in human guise, but it’s still among the darkest moments we’ve seen in this series. Beyond that, even, she’s clearly courting death and is just waiting for one of the monsters to eventually get her so she can be with Fred again. It was a bold move to kill him off, sure, but it’s thrown the series off balance, to the point where the classic dynamic no longer exists. The backup, absurd as always, gives us the secret origin of Secret Squirrel and Morocco Mole, and has an amusing punchline.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
