Scooby-Doo

Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #33

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #33 comic reviewWhen aliens from the future arrive in need of their help, Mystery, Inc. answers the call and travels to the 31st Century to help the Legion of Super-Heroes solve the mystery of the sudden appearance of a ghost of one of the team’s former members (Ferro Lad) who has returned to haunt his former friends and demand the team disband.

The first-half of the issue deals with the introductions, getting our crime-solvers to the future, and some good old fashioned detective work, eventually leading to the reveal of the villain behind the apparition (thanks to the help of Velma‘s deductions). Given the futuristic technology, and powers available, it’s fun to see Mystery, Inc. and the Legion whittle down the possibilities until a villain is revealed.

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Scooby-Doo Team-Up #31

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #31 comic reviewMystery, Inc. gets called in for a little fun with the Atom. Scooby-Doo Team-Up #31 introduces the Scooby Gang to the Atom and a mystery at the sub-atomic level involving a mysterious ghost apparition that leads our heroes into battle against a wizard to has taken control of a miniature kingdom through use of his “magic.”

Following both the format of regular Scooby-Doo mysteries, and that of The Wizard of Oz, Mystery Inc. suspects the wizard’s power is far less mystical than he claims. While Daphne and the Atom provide a proper distraction, Velma proves her hunch and uncovers the truth behind the usurper’s power, helping to free the kingdom from his rule.

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Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #26

Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #26 comic reviewWhen the city is attacked by kung fu dragons Mystery, Inc. calls in some help to deal with the situation. Who do you call when kung fu dragons attack? Hong Kong Phooey, of course.

The latest Hanna-Barbara character to show-up in the pages of Scooby-Doo! Team-Up proves to be more successful than some of the others. The comic has fun with the sheer ridiculousness of the character, a talking canine master of kung fu who never actually hits anything while still falling into the classic Scooby-Doo trope of a reasonable explanation for the bizarre circumstances the Scooby Gang stumbles into.

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Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #25

Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #25 comic reviewWhile ultimately I don’t think Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #25 quite lives up to its promise, it’s hard for me not to enjoy a comic that so blatantly celebrates the Bronze Age pairing of Green Lantern and Green Arrow. When Mystery, Inc. travels into Karma Corners the group of meddling kids and their talking dog run across a pair of hard-traveling heroes (making reference to Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams famous comic run).

I enjoyed seeing Scooby-Doo and the gang interact with both Ollie and Hal, but the setting of Karma Corners is a bit corny (even for me). Still, there’s plenty of fun to be had including writer Sholly Fisch having fun with the fact that Green Arrow’s rogues gallery is pretty damn forgettable. The comic even gives us a (far too short) appearance by Black Canary.

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Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #24

Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #24 comic reviewScooby-Doo! Team-Up #24 offers a couple of recognizable guest-stars while also pulling in some of the DCU’s more obscure characters when Mystery, Inc. gets a visit from the Martian Manhunter. Someone is impersonating the hero, making it look as if J’onn is advocating for all the aliens on Earth to rise up and take over the world. Pursued by a secret government agency, the Martian Manhunter asks Scooby-Doo and the gang for help in protect himself, Starfire, Jemm, Starman (no, the other one), and Ultra.

While letting Shaggy and Scooby be fearful of the aliens in their midst, the comic is actually a nice metaphor for refusing to believe those different from you are dangerous only because someone in government says they are. Political commentary isn’t something you’d expect from a Scooby-Doo comic, but I’m guessing writer Sholly Fisch had a specific target in mind.

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