The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #12 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 12, February 2025

Despite pretty much telegraphing just who is behind the haunting of Gotham City Opera House within its first few pages, as well as quickly establishing that the villain-of-the-piece isn’t really Andrea Beaumont’s much-hyped alter-ego after all, Joseph Torres’ script for Issue Twelve of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” does still contain a pretty good yarn which rather nicely captures much of the flavour of Hanna-Barbera Productions’ animated cartoon stories. In fact, this comic’s twenty-page plot arguably contains all the elements necessary to have made it a memorable televised episode – should its storyline have been submitted to the American production company during the early Seventies.

For openers, the book ensures that all of its fairly large-sized cast contributes to its narrative without resorting to unconvincing contrivances or lacklustre silliness. True, Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo (once again) become the focus of fun when they hungrily scour the building’s concessions stand for popcorn and inadvertently stumble across the fake Phantasm’s hiding place. But this endearingly whimsical set-piece is entirely in keeping with the characters’ usual buffoonery, and actually sets up an intriguing conundrum as to which members of Mystery Incorporated are actually confronting the ‘real’ ghost.

Likewise, there’s some good banter to be had between the Dark Knight and Velma Dinkley, as the pair partner up to ascertain just how the Caped Crusader simply swung straight through their grey-hued foe whilst the villain was stood on the main stage. Of particular note is the sheer joy expressed by the sweater-wearing sceptic as Batman propels them both up to an overhead catwalk using his grapple gun, and the “brains of the group” politely asking the super-hero for permission to proudly proclaim her theory as to who “the person behind the mask” is. 

By far this publication’s biggest strength though arguably lies in the crisp layouts of Dario Brizuela, whose pencilling absolutely nails the likenesses of both the Caped Crusader and Fred Jones’ teenage gang of amateur sleuths. Perfectly coloured by Franco Riesco, the almost suffocating shadows cast by the theatre’s ghost light also add to this yarn’s claustrophobic atmosphere, and helps add an extra element of conviction to the protagonists' surprise whenever they spy the Phantasm lurking in the dimly-lit darkness.

Written by: J. Torres, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Colored by: Franco Riesco