The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #11 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 11, January 2025

Utterly devoid of Batman – apart from one line explaining that he’s up “in space with the Justice League”, Sholly Fisch’s somewhat sedentary script for “Booked Up” rather surprisingly relies upon the tongue-in-cheek tomfoolery of Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo to provide its readers with any notion of pulse-pounding action. Indeed, the American author even pens the pair supposedly running for their very lives from a harmless novel at the comic’s start – simply so something of moderate interest happens during the twenty-page periodical’s opening quarter; “Are you really still running away from a book?”

Happily however, things do become a little more interesting once Grotesque’s henchmen are (far too) easily apprehended, and Barbara Gordon is able to demonstrate a few of the computer-based skills she has honed as Oracle. Admittedly, the crime-fighter’s ability to just link into the Bat Cave’s computer with her mobile phone may well make many of her deductions a little too conveniently fast for some readers. But these quick-fire revelations as to the criminal behind Gotham City Library’s latest haunting at least provides an otherwise listless yarn with a bit of much needed pace.

Sadly though, once Batgirl’s nemesis is revealed the publication’s already apathetic plot appears to go right out of the window, with Phillipe Rianne’s obsession for “fancy things” degenerating into a need for a mystery writer’s original manuscript simply so the mask-wearing criminal mastermind has “something to read in bed tonight.” This motivation debatably dumbs down an already rather mediocre-calibre thief, and is as convincing as Gordon’s feeble attempt to fool her father into thinking she’s just a humble librarian, despite single-handedly battering her electricity-powered enemy into unconscious with a mere wooden chair.

Somewhat more substantial than this comic’s narrative are David Antón Gomis’ layouts, which at least attempt to imbue Shaggy and Scooby-Doo’s escapades with a bit of dynamism. The illustrator does a fairly good job of bringing this comic’s quite considerably-sized cast to life, especially when it comes to Jim Gordon’s steadfastness in the face of deadly danger. Yet, the artist’s rather strange decision not to pencil any motion lines in his panels, even upon the numerous members of the public racing out of the library in sheer terror, makes many a set-piece appear strangely lethargic and unrealistically languid – as if the figures were somehow running on the spot, rather than moving across the location.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Drawn by: Puste, and Colored by: Carrie Strachan