3.5 Stars

As a child I used to love to watch the Scooby Doo tv series on Cartoon Network. Okay, who am I kidding, I still love to watch that series and when I find it on whilst zapping through the channels, I immediately stop and cherish whatever episode’s just running. So when I saw this new comic I just had to request it. And luckily, I got accepted.

Sadly, I didn’t quite enjoy it ass much as I’d hoped to. I guess I’m just too stuck on my favourite Monster Inc gang from the television that I’m used to. This story by Keith Giffen takes the characters I adore so much and gives them new personalities and a new story. It’s quite inventive and it was really good thought-through. But I like my versions that I’ve known for so long already of Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, Fred and Scoob a little better.

The best part of the series for me used to be the ending when the “monsters” would reveal themselves as whichever human being had a reason to haunt his victims. This story takes on real monsters instead. Some kind of zombies slash vampire monster thingies that try to eat everyone. The Monster Inc gang which doesn’t use this name, though, tries to find a way to save the world and although they’re not really friends, they save each other.

The story is fast-paced, has great artwork and has a lot of plot twists, some that I never saw coming. The Mystery Machine got a serious upgrade and Scooby Doo is revealed to be a human experiment on dogs to enhance them for military purposes. (Say whaaaat? :P)

All in all, I’d say if you love the Scooby Doo series, you should pick up this new “revival” and check it out for yourself! Everybody has their own opinions and I’m going to rewatch some episodes right now because this comic made me miss the TV series so much (in a good way!).

The classic gang of Scooby Doo, 'remixed' via a more comtemporary adult themed visual rhetoric.. Interesting story, but nothing that really would hook me into a continued story line.

Review - Scooby Apocalypse, Volume 1
Scooby Apocalypse, Volume 1 by Keith Giffen, Jim Lee (Illustrations), Howard Porter (Illustrations)), J.M. DeMatteis

* Read via NetGalley for review

4 gnomes out of 5 gnomes

Scooby-Doo plus the Apocalypse equals a mystery like never before. This is a very different account of how this team gets together than what you usually see. I really like how everything came together though and how the characters are written. Especially cool is the explanation for Scooby being the way he is. The only kind of blah thing was how much text was crammed onto every page. My favorite difference has to be how Velma and Daphne act oh and a certain other dog too. I would definitely be interested in seeing where the story goes from here.

As a fan of Scooby Doo and the gang from their very first incarnation throughout their evolution from cheesy goodness to romantic and angsty situations, I've always found comfort in the essential foundation of four friends and a dog solving mysteries. There was always a sense of homecoming in the subtle humor and villains that were easy to identify that made everything right in my world.

With this modern take on the Scooby Gang almost everything is turned upside down as this unlikely team races to save the world from a virus run amok. These characters have little similarity to their past incarnations as they're edgier and angrier. From the very start they're at odds with one another, suspicious of Velma, and reluctant to count on each other to find a cure to the human mutations running rampant. This time around Daphne's no longer "danger-prone" but more of a kick-ass heroine full of suspicions trying to resurrect a journalism career that had her falling from grace. Fred's still enamored with her though and protects her every step of the way though he's not as physically capable as her. Unfortunately he doesn't have traps to count on in times of need, but he has another quirk just as endearing. Velma's still the "smart one" here but is weighed down by depression, insecurities, and a desire to leave her mark on the world. She's lonely, doubts that anyone could be her friend, and her life-long isolation had my heart aching for her. Shaggy's still portrayed as a hipster but with a harder edge courtesy of multiple tattoos. He's a kindhearted soul, good with dogs and an asset to the government's program to turn canines into vicious weapons. From the very start Shaggy becomes Scooby's guardian angel as Scooby's seen as a failure, too tender-hearted to be a killer canine. What he does have though is nanotech that enables him to talk (which gives fans a clever reasoning behind his lifetime of being able to talk) and has him becoming a vital member to this ragtag group's journey through the zombie apocalypse. Even the Mystery Machine is back, albeit in a much more militarized way. It all adds up to a delightfully nostalgic wink to the past while setting itself firmly in the here and now.

This graphic comic is visually appealing with its blend of a dark landscape and bloody and gory creatures of the night. Daphne's still dressed in purple and is a warrior woman full of anger towards Velma that got a bit old after awhile. Just when you thought she formed a tenuous friendship with Velma she would once again rage. Fred's a good guy who finds himself forming a bond with Shaggy as they're both goofy and charming and they luckily have Daphne there to protect them. Everyone's ultimately lucky to have Scooby as he's smart, strong, and not afraid to fight those creatures looking to harm his newfound friends. This comic's main theme of a mutated virus creating flesh-eating creatures is one we've seen before and is handled well here, keeping me on edge with danger coming from around every corner. The mystery behind who dispensed the virus, and if there's a cure, hangs over the entire story and drives the gang on while ramping up the suspense. The villainy is not only relegated to those who dispensed the virus though, but also to a character familiar to long-time fans which was a clever twist that had me smiling. It further puts the gang in jeopardy at a time where their burgeoning friendships are on fragile footing. All in all I found this a captivating read, visually stimulating, with a modern storyline that kept me furiously turning the pages and desperate for more as readers are left hanging after a jaw-dropping reveal.

Gritty/dark reboots of kids' media properties are right up my alley. I've read some of the Archie and Sabrina ones (despite not having been read the originals as a kid) and found that they exceeded my expectations by a lot. I was, therefore, very excited to see a Scooby-Doo reboot, as this was something that I actually enjoyed as a kid. However, this one was a letdown. On paper, the idea sounds interesting, but it really fails in execution. The artwork is boring, the writing is mediocre, and it's the bad kind of campy. As a fan of the Scooby-Doo universe, I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, it just didn't live up to them.

This is certainly a different take on the Scooby Doo cartoon we are used to but if you can keep an open mind and just enjoy the wonderful artwork and creative story it's a good, fun read!

At least nine times cooler than the original comic. At LEAST. The full review is up at http://pixelatedgeek.com/2017/02/review-scooby-apocalypse/

A group of meddling kids and their dog attempting to solve a mystery – that sounds pretty familiar. But what if the group is comprised of an investigative reporter, her loyal cameraman, a scientist, a dog trainer and a dog who happens to be the subject of experiments into creating more sentient canines, and the mystery is the end of the world? Well guess what – that's exactly what you get with Scooby Apocalypse.

Obviously, this is a much grittier take on the Scooby-doo gang than we've seen before. And at first glance most people would think "what the hell?!". But as far as revamps go, it's not too bad. The gang is brought together when Velma (a scientist) contacts Daphne (investigative reporter, with Fred as cameraman) to give her the scoop on some sketchy research at a secret lab. Shaggy happens to be working at the lab as a trainer in the canine research department, where he comes across Scooby-doo, a reject of recent experiments in creating "smart dogs" that can talk and be used for various (military) purposes.

The research in question involves nanites that have been dispersed into the atmosphere. While in the lab, something goes wrong and the nanites are activated, causing mutations on a potentially global level. So, of course, the Scooby gang has to fight their way through monsters and figure out just what happened and if there's a way to save the world. Sure, it's over the top, but it's a comic based on a cartoon that had over-the-top mysteries every week. The writing and art are good, though the plot is pretty predictable. But as long as all the monsters don't turn out to be groundskeepers in masks, it should stay relatively entertaining.

When I was a kid, my main experiences of Scooby-Doo and the gang were from re-runs of "Scooby Doo, Where Are You?" and the direct to DVD films. Yet somehow, it still managed to become one of my favorite things ever. It definitely sparked a love of mysteries and the "monster of the week" TV format (continuing to this day with shows like "Buffy" and "Supernatural"). That said, I was very wary of a Scooby reboot which dealt with the APOCALYPSE of all things! I was not right to be worried and I think from now on I'll just have to trust in Hanna-Barbera (definitely something to keep in mind when I start their new Flinstones series)!

I was okay with art, though it could have been better, a little more interesting anyways. That said though, I really liked that it rebooted all the character relationships and the whole Scooby being a govt. funded smart dog was a fairly solid explanation for his beyond the norm behavior. Further into the volume we also get a peek at what the villainous Scrappy Doo is up to currently -- lets just say Scooby and the gang have unforseen trouble on the horizon. Daphne and Fred having a show on the knitting channel cracked me up. Velma is an actual scientist and I'm pretty sure she has some sort of personality or social disorder, which fits really well. And Shaggy, while being his normal easy going self, is smarter than anyone gives him credit for and manages to always surprise the others when he speaks. Basically Velma and the others she worked with at her facility wanted to "better" humanity, until she learned it was a lie. Right as she's about to expose them, the shit hits the fan and almost the entire world population is transformed into actual nightmare monsters. It's up to the gang to survive and try to return things to normal, which only they may be capable of; but first they have to find The Four and find out what the Hell even happened.

I'm going to try not to say anymore, if only to avoid any true spoilers. But if you're a Scooby-Doo fan who still has a sense of fun in place, and you're not a purist, I think you'll most likely enjoy this a lot. Also, have an open mind. Don't let me convince you, let the comic speak for itself.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this in advance. All opinions are my own and nothing is bought/paid for.

Scooby Apocalypse Vol 1 by Keith Giffen

Star rating: ★★★★ ☆ 4/5 stars

Format: ebook galley

Summary: In a retelling of Scooby-Doo, the Mystery Gang meets each other in the wake of an apocalypse. Humans all over the world have been transformed into all sorts of monsters, from vampires to demons. Yet the biggest threat might just be... Scrappy Doo.

Review: I recieved a free galley copy for review via NetGalley.

Overall, I thought this was super fun. I would definitely read more to see where this goes. It's a cool reworking of Scooby-Doo. I don't normally like explaining Scooby-Doo himself, I prefer that he's just a talking dog and everyone accepts it. But for this story, I think it works having him be a government experiment works with the rest of it.

I do have an issue with Velma in this series. I don't like that she's been made to be so smart she doesn't have friends because she thinks she's better than everyone else. She shoves her friend in high school away because she goes through puberty and makes a few friends over summer? She was busy inviting Velma to meet them and make her social group bigger and she goes off on her saying she's not her friend but a "pet monkey" she used for her own amusement? What? And then she doesn't even feel bad about her behavior? What the actual hell? How is this Velma?? Velma was always smart yes, but she was also extremely compassionate. I'm really unhappy with how she's being portrayed in this series, I sort of hope that she can actually become friends with the rest of the gang but I'm not holding my breath. Also an up skirt shot of her was completely unnecessary. No thank you.

I also do not like how Scrappy has been made a villain here. Look I get it, most everyone hates Scrappy. Then just ignore him!! You don't have to keep using him as a villain. I know I'm the real minority that actually likes Scrappy, he's not my favorite but I don't hate him. I don't know, I feel it's just expected to use him as a villain because he is so disliked.

The Mystery Machine is pretty cool, and I appreciate how the gang is having a moral dilemma over having to kill monsters to survive since they were once humans. I think Shaggy is great in this, actually I love what they've done with everyone except Velma. Which is sad because Velma is my favorite usually.

In general though I'm liking this comic and I want to read more.

Recommendation: I think if you like apocalypse stories and Scooby-Doo this would be a fun comic for you to check out.

I love Scooby Doo. Not sure I liked how Velma was portrayed as an evil scientist and that Daphne was very aggressive towards her. The comic was engaging and makes me want to read the next volume. The drawings were well draw and eye catching. I'm not sure if I like that Scrappy-Doo is portrayed as a bad guy. I'm so used to him looking up to his Uncle Scooby, but it made the story come together perfectly with what's happening around the world. Shaggy and Scooby's personalities are by far my favorite in that they're still the same, but not the scaredy cats that they usually are when faced with monsters and trying to run away.

Scooby doo has been around since before I was on this planet. And he is still popular. But until now he has always been more of an entity for kids. A group of mischievous kids and their dog out to solve mysteries. This graphic novel gives us a new origin story, and the group comes together because of a zombie/vampire apocalypse. One caused by Velma and her research. Daphne and Fred are a TV news crew, Shaggy is a dog trainer, and Scooby-doo is one of the first smart dogs. Except his experiment was not successful. This is a version of Scooby doo that this adult wants to keep reading. It’s dark, adventurous, yet still contains the fun that made me fall in love as a kid. Plus the graphics are amazing. There are a few of these images I would love to hang on my wall. They are bright and colorful, without being comedic. Loved this, and can not wait for the next volume.
#scoobyDooRocks

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Scooby Apocalypse by Keith Giffen
February 7, 2017


The Hanna-Barbera cartoon classic is re-imagined for a new generation in SCOOBY APOCALYPSE VOL. 1!

When the world is tossed into chaos, it's up to a group of meddling kids --Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and their dog, Scooby-Doo-- to solve the mystery and survive hordes of zombies! But can they save the day and cure everyone or will they become brain-eating zombies? The creatures of the night are among us, and the crew of the Mystery Machine has to fight to survive--because in the apocalyptic badlands of the near-future, the horrors are real!

I went in without the best of hopes, I picked this to read because I’ve loved Scooby Doo since I was a kid but reboots as a general rule make me nervous AND they were jumping on the zombie trend.

It was like Walking Dead meets Scooby Doo.

I was glad that the original characters were kept and just brought into a setting where zombies existed. It was surprisingly well thought out and the story organized in a ‘realistic’ manner, as realistic as you’re going to get with zombies and the apocalypse. There was plenty of humor, a good story line and it was updated for an older audience so adults can actually appreciate this. I liked that they balanced the action scenes with a solid story to tell, felt very much like the old cartoons.

The premise was interesting and where the story could’ve become campy they did a good job of keeping it interesting. The graphics were done very well and fit the story perfectly.
The dialogue was done very well, it was set up in a good conversationalist manner and came off realistic. The only problem I had was some of the phrases seemed to be used on repeat which got annoying.

I have wanted an adult Scooby for the entire time I've been an adult. I love everything about this series, the art style, the story itself, the bad guy! I honestly hope this continues for a long time because I will read every issue.

I had no idea what to expect with this book, and I really didn't set my expectations very high. They were pretty low, actually. I'm not a fan of reboots, rewrites, or refreshes. My view is that most of the time, they are not necessary, and are simply a push for nostalgia. I was pleasantly surprised by this book.

It is a reboot, of course, but it is well-written and well thought out. I definitely liked the back story of Scooby being a test lab subject, and Shaggy being his handler/trainer. I liked seeing Velma as an actual scientist and doctor. Even Fred and Daphne reworked, worked. Oh, and I really liked the new Mystery Machine. :D

Aside from the characters, the story was pretty typical for the gang. There are a ton of "inside jokes" referencing the old Hannah-Barbara cartoon. The artwork was good, too.

If you grew up watching Scooby and the gang, you need to get this book!

Scooby Apocalypse is a fun read. The old gang is back rebooted and hunting monsters. Howard Porter’s art is solid and enjoyable to follow. The color pencils look gives it a nice texture. The Jim Lee covers are a delight. I was also with the writing and the humorous bits though the continual rehashing and berating of Velma for her past offenses did get tiresome. It felt like some of that could be tightened up.

Yes, this isn't out yet, however the 6 issues that this one is comprised of are all out.

When I spotted this I just fell in love. I love Scooby Doo, have watched all the shows, the movies, the specials, even the live action. I have read several books/graphic novels about Scooby and the gang. Yes, I am a big big fan. So you can imagine that I just had to try this one out. Scooby Doo in a different setting? Apocalypse? Monsters? Real ones at that (and not like as it is in most Scooby series that the monsters are just humans)? Yes, yes and yes please!

The characters are slightly different. Velma, Shaggy and Scooby know each other because they work/are at the same place. They do know of Daphne and Fred, but mostly because of the fact that Daphne is making her own TV show. Until this event they weren't a team. Well, even after all the crap that happened they weren't that much of a team. Yes, Daphne, Fred, Scooby, and Shaggy are a team, but Velma is a bit of an outsider. She does get grudgingly accepted, but most still don't trust her because of her involvement with the apocalypse situation. Which is totally logic.
Even if they are slightly different they are still so much the same. Daphne is definitely the most changed though. She is less ditzy, and more focused. But you can still see it is Daphne. Fred is still Fred, always in love with Daphne, and quite a bit of an idiot at times. Shaggy still eats everything and isn't always the smartest. Scooby, well he is now a bit of a cyberdog, but still totally awesome, even more awesome if I have to say because he does some kick-ass things in here. Velma, well even though I hated her (while I normally like her) she is still smart, still anti-social, still awkward.

I love how even though this is a new version of the Scooby Gang they still wear the same-ish clothes. Shaggy still wears jeans and a green shirt. Fred has his ascot and white shirt + dress pants. Daphne still loves purple and still has an orange scarf. Velma, well Velma just wears the same stuff she always does. And Scoob, is just Scoob, just now with some fancy thing over his eye. :P

I did love that the relationships between characters was still pretty much set. I liked seeing things like Shaggy being interested in Velma come back. :)

I did like that in this one Scooby's speech thing was explained. I loved that they added that, and also added why he was so sweet and kind. It is just perfect.

We get a bit of a backstory on Velma and how the project came to what it is. But sorry, even after that I still can't like her. Especially when she clearly says she is lying.
Which is kind of odd for me, as I normally love Velma. But apparently in this version I just want to throttle her and throw her in front of some monsters.

The monsters are definitely creepy, and I am curious to see what our gang will be doing now. How will they survive. They got some epic weapons at least, especially Daphne, and I just loved seeing her blast some monster ass, even if it took her a bit to actually do it. Which I can imagine, those monsters were human not that long ago. :(

There was a lot of talking, and that was a bit annoying, I would rather have a bit more action and mystery. Now I sometimes got a bit bored with it all. Yes, I know the monsters are out there, yes, we get that x and y, and z happened. Really, just get on with it.

And yes, this might sound silly, but I am giving this book 0.5 stars less than I wanted to. Why? Because they introduced the worst character in the franchise back again. Scrappy Doo. Aka, why is he still not dead, erased, gone, exterminated from this planet and franchise? I hated him in every Scooby series. He was rotten puppy. He was a bad puppy. He was terrible to Scooby, and also to various other characters. :|

The art is pretty good, though at times the eyes are a bit weird (the whole eye is coloured in instead of just the iris). But mostly I am definitely liking the art and how it looks.

But I am definitely a fan of this comic, and I will definitely be reading further issues/volumes. I want to know how it will go, and what our gang will do to fight the monsters and save the world!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com

Jinkies! This was amazing!

An eccentric departure to the gang that we all know and love but a welcome arrival to a sci-fi world with an apocalypse with a twist!
I loved the inclusion of Scrappy-Doo(my fave from the original series) and in a whole new level of 'bad' too!
Definitely a must read for any Scooby gang lover!

Those medeling kids are here, not back, because in these books they haven't met yet.

Nanites have been released on the world and have been activited turning most humans into monsters, however, the gang was in a safe room when the nanites where activatied and thus are ok so far, but are fighting for their lives and those of humanity.

I was actually skepible about these books having grown up with the original Scooby Doo, but I found I really liked these and I hope you will too. These are not books for little kids but is awesome for those who grew up with Scooby Doo and are ok with a little more. This comic is action packed and there a few surprise twists that I can not wait to see how they turn out, so please DC please let me keep reviewing these graphic novels, they are so awesome!!!

This will go live Feburary 7th 2017

This is a solid reimagining of the Scooby Doo gang meeting in a world about to be over run by mutated humans. Velma is at the heart of the scientific think tank, while Shaggy is in charge of the animal research labs and a special dog named scooby.

When Velma realizes the extent of damage the nano virus will cause she brings Daphne in for an interview to expose the operation only to witness the entire complex go on lockdown as the entire complex morphs into monsters.

The art in this volume is spectacular and there is a nice balance of action and exposition ,