Interesting way to retool the Mystery Machine gang, but Velma's a little too in the reclusive bookish person trope.

Why is a shitty question to ask of anything. There's no reason for any creative enterprise, or anything ever really. 

But sometime the ARC newsletter offers you the Post-apocalyptic re-imagining of Scooby Doo.

and all I got is:

Why?

the book doesn't answer it, it's really interested in explaining things, though. Like why Velma is so smart and where there's an outbreak of crazy undead-ish monsters and why scooby can talk. But not why Freddie is relevant, he doesn't even own the van he just drives it and acts like he's the boss.

But yeah, monsters bad gang fights them. That's all.

Verdict: Trash it. The Mystery Machine and Gang in a post-zomb-poc setting is a halfway good joke image for t-shirt, but for 6 issues it's just a boring slog.

A decent trade that’s worth picking up for any fan of DC Comics.

Scooby Doo is one of my favorite cartoons
of all time.
A major staple of my and my daughters childhood.
Giffen and DeMatteis are two of my all
time favorite comic creators.
Part of the big DC / Hanna Barbera
mash up this was one of the few tittles
to actually be worth the time.
Scooby and the gang are all there
just a little different.
This incarnation
of The Scooby Gang
brings the horrors to life.
It's no longer just old man Jenkins
under a mask.
The monsters are all too real,
and the gang has to find a way to fix the
mess and save the world.

Scooby and the gang are back, but like nothing you have seen before. This a is a new modern version of how they got together, all with backstories and angst, to try and save the world from the virus outbreak that turns people into monsters. Scooby Doo like he has never been seen before.

I am absolutely in love with the illustrations in this graphic novel. The characters look like the old school Scooby gang but with some seriously awesome twists (such as cyborg Scooby and hipster bearded Shaggy). It's like a end of the world-steampunk meets high tech gadgets, and I could not have been happier. Honestly, I loved everything about how this graphic novel was visually put together. I received a digital copy for free for my honest review, but then I had to go out and purchase a physical copy because I wanted to see the images in print and not just on my computer scree. Let me tell you, this was even better in print. Regardless of the story-line, it is worth picking this up just to look at the pictures.

I grew up with Scooby Doo and I love zombie/distopian stories so I knew I had to add this to my collection. The story was a very realistic, adult version of the cartoon, where each character has depth and reasoning for their personalities and behavior. yet it still meshed with what we know about the characters.The plot even included a perfectly scientific reason for why Scooby could talk, which I always wondered about. And ridiculous monsters included- I'm just waiting for the bad-guy speech. There was a back story for how Scooby and Shaggy met (which was my favorite part of the story), and then a back story for how Velma became the way she was in this story (incredibly cold but a super genius), mixed in with the main plot of the apocalypse going on in present time. I will say that this version of Daphne is super cool and incredibly independent (but I did want her to take Fred out of the friend box- I mean if not the end of the world, then when?) The reason I only gave the graphic novel 4 stars was because this volume started something, but NOTHING was resolved. The story ends in the middle of everything, a giant cliffhanger. But as a side note, Scrappy Doo was awesome and just as evil as ever.

Come visit my blog for more reviews: http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/

I must admit that I wasn't prepared to like this latest version of the mystery-solving group of young people. It just seemed like too big of a stretch from what I was used to seeing. But it turned out to be a fun and interesting new take on the traditional Scooby-doo story.

The graphics were bright, clear and easy to absorp. There weren't many scenes that were hard to decipher. And all of the characters were distinct enough as to be discernable.

The characters were unique and original enough that they created their own personas. And yet they were similar enough to prior incarnations that they were still recognizable.

The premise of the series - that something terrible has transformed the world and turned everyone but them into mindless zombies - is definitely a twist on the usual scenario where the gang unmasks the monster as a fake.

While this reading didn't get far enough into the actual story for them to make any definitive discoveries about what is going on, it did provide enough nuance and innuendo to hint at an actual purpose and plot. Hopefully, future editions will shed more light on everything.

Zonkers! I used to watch the animated series when I was younger but with this exceptional twist of having Scooby and the gang face off against real life monsters?! Man, what a rollercoaster of nostalgia! New readers and old ones alike will easily fall in love with Apocalypse.

Scooby Apocalypse by Jim Lee transcends the campy nature of the original characters and creates a fresh and fun take on the Scooby gang. It is, to bring it into the modern lexicon, Scooby Doo facing off against the Walking Dead. Only instead of just zombies, we have mutated monsters that border on the demonic.

Down on their luck reporter, Daphne and her cameraman Fred, stumble on the story of a lifetime. A government experiment gone awry. With the socially inept but brilliant scientist Velma cluing them in, they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. As the scientific experiments go wrong the entire compound becomes infected and all those inside are turned into monsters. Animal trainer Shaggy and his faithful dog, Scooby-D00 join the team as they escape from the compound but find that the mutations were not kept to the compound alone but have escaped to the outside world.

Now it is up to Scooby and the gang, to stop these monsters and save the world.

These re-imagining of the characters and their adventures takes a decidedly dark turn with brilliant results. The artwork is terrific and there is a really good story behind it all. Each of the Scooby gang has their origin story told and while heartbreaking, Velma's is especially well done. A prodigy whose life is shadowed by her own insecurities. Daphne's ambition and Fred's blind love for her drive this duo and Shaggy and Scooby are just trying to survive.

This book is fun. For those of us who grew up with Scooby and the Gang, this is sort of the dark nightmare version we always imagined on the Saturday mornings. What if, for once, the monsters weren't fake and what if Fred finally made his move on Daphne and what if Velma didn't really have it all together and what if there was more to Shaggy and Scooby than eating?

What if someone wrote a kick ass comic that was mature and well plotted and then got some of the best artwork to back it up?

Then this is the book you would have. A terrific read!

ARC from Netgalley.
As part of DC's classic cartoon re-imagined titles, Scooby Apocalypse not only brings Scooby-Doo to the future of technology and science in our near future, but provides a whole new set of dynamics to the group. The characters have been changed in the following ways:
Velma. Now a Doctor (several times over) involved in a group that is developing nanites to help create world peace. Her research has been altered (in a way unknown so far) and in order to expose her organization (later revealed in a flashback issue to be her brothers) she reaches out to...

Daphne. An ex-reporter who has been moved to a late night expose type show on the supernatural (on the Knitting Channel! LOL). Contrary to her original cartoon counterpart, this Daphne is bold, brave, and take charge. She comes to meet Velma with...

Fred. Daphne's cameraman and partner in crime. Now openly professing his love for her (he proposes "again" during the story) unlike his original cartoon counterpart, Fred is willing to do what it takes to help anyone get to safety. Unlike Daphne, he seems to give Velma his trust and adapts well to one of her co-workers...

Shaggy. Re-Envisioned as a hipster (for the age group that doesn't understand hippie/beatnik culture), Shaggy has been hired by Velma's company to oversee a specific project involving "smart dogs". These mechanically altered canines are being bred to be soldiers. When Shaggy comes on the scene, one of the dogs is getting picked on by the others. Shaggy steps in, helps him, earning a new friend in...

Scooby-Doo. Now complete with cyborg goggles that allow him to communicate in emoji, Scooby can also speak with the inflection and accent we all know and love.

Once all the characters are put together, they evade (in a "safe room") being turned into monsters like seemingly the rest of the world. And thus the adventures of the Mystery Gang continue, but in a world FULL of terrifying monsters.
JINKIES! Where are the people? Why did they change?
JEEPERS! Where are "The Four"?
ZOINKS! What will happen next?

Strongly recommend. Especially for fans of the classic cartoon.

Scooby Apocalypse Volume 1 contains comics 1-6. This isn't the Scooby Do and The Gang you are used to seeing. The rebirth of Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, and Fred is darker than the originals from 1969 and later. They've also been given a hipster look. The graphic novel also doesn't have the group being one cohesive united team. Daphne and Fred are stars of a low-rated show called "Daphne Blake's Mysterious Mysteries," Velma is a scientist, Shaggy is a dog trainer, and Scooby is a science project called a Smart Dog.

Velma is part of an underground research team that hires people like Shaggy to train the science projects. Unbeknown to most, there are four scientists ready to release a mind altering plague throughout the world. In an effort to bring light to the scheme, Velma calls Daphne to discuss the plight soon to affect all mankind. Except, by the time Daphne and Fred arrive, the plague has been released but doesn't have the effect on the population that Velma has been lead to believe it would.

Now, it's up to the Gang to stick together and find out exactly what's going on before their brains become the meal du jour.

As a lover of all things Scooby Doo, I found this graphic novel to be entertaining. Scooby Apocalypse is a much different take on the group. They don't know each other which is very different from the original Scooby Doo cartoons. If you are looking for a dose of the Gang and expect it to be the meddling kids you grew up with, this isn't the comic for you. There is very little about about these guys that reflect the lovable, and clueless, kids from the original Hanna Barbera era.

The story was engaging and the artistry was great in my opinion. I'm not a die-hard comic book fan (yet, anyway....my collection keeps increasing though) so I don't know the ins-and-outs of graphic novels or canon. I read them because I enjoy the story. The artists did a great job painting understandable pictures of the story being told. The update to the looks of each character was done nicely and even though they are more modern, each character is recognizable and easy to identify.

I voluntarily read an ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

There were some things I liked about this book and its twist on old familiar standby characters the Scooby Gang but all in all I'm not sure using the gang as the raw material for this story made much of a difference. It's a decent apocalyptic story, I'm not sure I'll go looking for book 2 though.

I had low expectations that were far exceeded. Howard Porter's art is perfect for Scooby Doo. And Hi-Fi's colors are gorgeous. The dialogue is snappy and true to the characters from the various Hanna-Barbera incarnations. The story has been updated to travelling through an apocalyptian landscape instead of solving mysteries.

REVIEW BASED ON REVIEW COPY - FULL DISCLOSURE IN PUBLISHED REVIEW.

Scooby Apocalypse Vol. 1

Have you every wondered what would happen if Scooby and the gang were to find themselves in the middle of a real life zombie apocalypse? If you have, you probably imagined it to be with the Scooby gang you all know and love. The zombies would be slow and bumbling and their flight from them would be full of hilarious antics. That is now, however, even remotely close to how things play out in Scooby Apocalypse.

First off, these are not the Scooby Doo and friends we all know and love. Instead they are a reimagined band of strangers whose first time meeting comes mere minutes before the world becomes overrun with mindless zombies and zombies pulled from old-school, black and white creature features. Scooby Doo is a science experiment and Shaggy is his hipster trainer. Daphne and Fred are washed out journalists whom Velma - an anti-social scientist - reaches out to in hopes of preventing the apocalypse. (Obviously, she's too late.)

And instead of being some humorous, easily solved mystery this apocalypse is the result of evil geniuses and their diabolical plans to pacify the world. The monsters are deadly and even our heroes have a few close calls early on. There's not much humor in them blowing apart blood sucking creatures that moments before were human.

That said, it's still an entertaining read for the most part. It's not really Scooby Doo, though. The characters are very different with only a few similarities between them. The group dynamic is completely different and hardly anyone really gets along. There are some throwbacks to the original series throughout. They escape in a 'mystery machine' cooked up by one of Velma's co-workers. And Scrappy Doo shows up as a murderous smart-dog experiment hellbent on eliminating Scooby.

The first volume is a little disappointing in the sense that very little is resolved. The team is trapped in a supermarket overrun with monsters while Scrappy Doo closes in on them. And while an extra issue focusing on Velma's secret history (which outlines her part in this devastating apocalypse) is a nice addition it would have been nice to have at least see them escape the supermarket. Instead we're stuck on a bit of a cliffhanger.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about the series but I suppose I'll check out the second volume down the road if just to see how things in the supermarket resolve. I'm invested in this inevitable Scooby vs. Scrappy showdown now if nothing else. And the artwork in this book looks great - even if the story is still a little out there.

Authors: Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Howard Porter
Release Date: February 7, 2017
Publisher: DC Comics
Review Spoilers: High
Rating: ★★★☆☆

I had my Scooby Doo phase when I was younger, then quickly moved on. When I heard DC was bringing some Hannah Barbera stuff back, I figured I would give it a shot. An adult version of Scooby Doo, The Flintstones, and more? I'm down, for sure. This is the first volume I've read of the new stuff - and if the rest are going to be this good? I'll be hooked in no time. I loved all the homages to the original story line; how they work in certain characters and characteristics. I originally figured this would be a graphic novel I was reading just for fun, to try it out. But no, I'm hooked. This is an interesting and compelling story, and I have to know what happens next.

My library will definitely be purchasing this. By this volume alone, I'd say this could go in our teen area. We just have to make sure the 7-11 year old Scooby-obsessed kids don't get their hands on it.

This is one of the strangest mash-ups that I have read. DC has taken the characters of Scooby-Do and cast them as adults in a world about to go crazy. Velma is a scientist at a secret installation who reaches out to former star reporter Daphne and her trust cameraman Fred to expose the nefarious deeds of "The Four". They are interrupted by Shaggy (a dog trainer) and Scooby-Do, (an upgraded canine subject) at the Burning Man Festival. They went into the installation to get the evidence when things go very, very awry! Now most people have turned into monsters. Finding out what is happening is now the quest as the gang escapes in a handy Mystery Machine. The gang is now together, the mystery is afoot, and then DC throws in a very sick, evil villain. Only a very twisted mind would think to cast this appropriate a character as a villain! Read and find out who this mysterious character is!

I really hesitated about requesting an ARC of this graphic novel. Based solely on the cover I did not anticipate liking it (sorry...judging a book by its cover - I do it). But it was my enjoyment of the graphic novel <em>Future Quest</em> that pushed me in to taking a chance on this.

Unfortunately, I did not care for it.

We are either in a dark(er) version of the present day, or just slightly in the future. Velma is a unsocialable scientist working for her brothers developing some pretty sinister tech. Scooby, a cybernetic hybrid dog, is a result of some of that tech, gone slightly awry. Shaggy is a Gen-Y'er with a passion for animals and the underdog, and is hired by the lab to be an animal trainer. Daphne is a documentary producer and Fred is her wimpy, whipped cameraman.

Fred and Daphne show up at the lab and are given a tour by Daphne just as the shit hits the fan. An assortment of viral-lab-created monsters over-run the lab, the city, maybe the planet. Scooby comes on strong, saving the day on multiple occasions, and Daphne is the strength behind keeping the group focused and strong.

I grew up with the Scooby-Doo shows and it's really difficult for me to see these characters in any other way. These characters are, in many ways, so different that they could be any new character(s). There's nothing about Shaggy, for instance, that resembles the classic Shaggy, other than his name and that he says, "Zoinks." If Velma didn't wear clothes that looked like the clothes she wore in the 1960's and didn't say, "Jinkies" we wouldn't know that this was Velma. This is, for me, a re-boot that doesn't work.

Because there is all-new back-story to tell on each character, the book takes quite a bit of time to develop the action and even there it's a pretty repetitive scenario. Monsters come and attack, they are repelled, the group talks. Monsters come and attack, they are repelled, the group....

There is an interesting plot developing, featuring a pretty dark version of Scrappy-Doo. This might be the only reason to stay with the story, though I'm not sure it's a strong enough reason for me.

The art is fair - again, it's difficult to really assess because it's intentionally deviating from the known quantity of the Scooby-Doo gang. I really, really disliked Fred's appearance throughout, and I don't think I can get used to the new look on Shaggy. Velma looks like the Velma of old, she's just a much more anti-social and curmudgeonly character, while Daphne probably comes off the best by being more than just a pretty face, but a tough professional woman.

I wish I liked this better, but it shows that I should have trusted my initial instinct on this one.

Looking for a good book?<em> Scooby Apocalypse, Vol. 1</em> is a graphic novel that moves the Scooby Doo gang into a dark future where the demons are real and not masked locals. This is not your father's Scooby Doo.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This is a completely new take on the classic Scooby-Doo characters. In this telling, the gang has yet to meet and live in a world that is on the brink of an Apocalypse full of rampaging monsters. Daphne is a journalist with Fred as her lackey cameraman. Velma is a member of a secret lab. Shaggy and Scooby are connected to the lab, but are still that comic duo everyone loves.

I really like how these classic characters were re-imagined. Aspects of them are modernized. Shaggy's hipster look alone is very now.

The concept is cool, but the execution isn't quite there. The story is slow and the exposition is prevalent. The art style is excellent and the designs of the characters and the monsters are really cool. The allude to classic monsters from the original series. The references to cliches from the show are done well. There's always a twist to them.

I give this graphic novel a 3.5/5. Although I did enjoy it, I never was truly pulled into the world. The storytelling is slow and there were many dragging parts. I recommend this to Scooby-Doo fanatics, but if you're unfamiliar with the classic characters there isn't much for you in this comic.

Scooby Apocalypse Vol. 1 collects issues 1-6 of a graphic novel by Keith Griffen, Jim Lee, and Howard Potter. Fred. Daphne. Velma. Shaggy. Scooby-Doo. Roaming the globe in their lime-green Mystery Machine, they've solved countless crimes and debunked dozens of sketchy supernatural shenanigans. But what if the horror was real? Something terrible has transformed our world, turning millions of people into mindless zombie hordes. And only five people well, four people and one mangy mutt have the smarts, the skills and the sheer crazy courage to stare down doomsday. Can these pesky kids and their canine companion using every incredible contraption in their arsenal defeat the evil that has overwhelmed planet Earth?

Scooby Apocalypse is a complete new look and origin story for the Scooby gang. I have seen so many different takes, that I was fine with that. I liked that the story started completely fresh, and that it is much more complex than what most expect from Scooby and friends. I liked the use of Daphne's television show and connection with Fred, which has been a tool in previous incarnations- but not to this degree, and not without the rest of the crew already connecting. I liked the twists on Shaggy and Scooby as well, making them more than the comic relief that they often get used for. Shaggy is a much more complicated and compassionate character than I was used to, and not nearly as goofy. Velma is also much more defined in this story, I do not think I ever got more of a backstory for her than her being very smart and isolated- here readers get a multidimensional look at her. The action and story lines are unique and very well done. I will admit that it took me a bit to get used to the gangs new look, and I still wonder why Daphne and Fred still insist on wearing those scarves. I think that the harsh lines and dramatic look are very suited to the story, even if it is not my normal preference.

I will definitely be looking for the second volume of Scooby Apocalypse. I am honestly intrigued and want to see where this is going. I have a feeling that I will be buying the full run and saving it for my son. He is a huge Scooby fan, but is not quite ready for this version. However, he is really close so I am pretty sure that when the run is complete he will be ready for dive on in.

This isn't the Scooby-Doo that you grew up with. This is the end of the world as we know it.

The characters have the same appearance, names, and similar personalities, but they are in a different setting. Daphne has a cable show investigating mysteries and Freddy is her cameraman. Shaggy is a dog trainer and works in a military "smart dog" experiment, and Scooby is one of the project's dogs. Velma is a PhD researcher with the project. And the Mystery Machine is a pet project of one of the researchers and is more like the APC from the movie "Aliens" than the groovy van from the Saturday morning cartoons.

When all the characters come together, they discover that a plague of sorts has been released and is mutating people around the world. And the sad part is, the cause of the plague was supposed to "better" humanity (shades of "Serenity"), but instead folks have different reactions, becoming strange creatures. Between the mutants roaming around, the breakdown of civilization, and the pack of other "smart dogs" that escape from the military complex, the gang will have a hard time staying alive - much less finding a cause and a cure.

Revamped for a new generation of fans with a level of violence and gore best suited to ages 12+. Those readers will also be mature enough to understand the concepts of conspiracy, suspicion, pursuing ideals, and the sarcastic humor. A favorite example: Velma, "Please! This isn't a comic book!" Shaggy, "It's sure starting to feel like one."

We reviewed it on our podcast!

http://www.krayzcomix.solitairerose.com/?p=1057