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

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

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #10 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 10, December 2024

On paper there’s a good deal of merit behind this comic’s basic premise that Harley Quinn would so want the Joker to own a car which can compete with the Batmobile that she’d start stealing motor parts to build one. But disappointingly, Amanda Deibert’s penmanship simply doesn’t do such a storyline justice, with the “New York Times bestselling” television writer peppering the promising plot with a rather disagreeable incarnation of Shaggy Rogers, some unconvincingly inconsistent secondary characters, and a blatant dig towards men for repeatedly underestimating the “massive intelligence” of women.

In addition, the author debatably handles Batman in an infuriatingly illogical manner by portraying the Dark Knight as being far too busy investigating “a string of robberies” to assist Mystery Incorporated for much of this comic. Of course, such a stance would make perfect sense if the Caped Crusader was attempting to thwart a Gotham City wide crime spree by the likes of the Penguin or Clayface. However, on this occasion he’s dealing with stolen antique car parts, and doesn’t apparently spot the coincidence that Fred Jones’ van was sabotaged so as to force the meddling kids to seek the assistance of “a [auto] repair shop down the road.”

Perhaps this twenty-page periodical’s biggest let down though can be found in the motivation behind the mysterious Geraldine. This so-called Ghost Car has apparently been terrorising the locals for some weeks. Yet it’s eventually revealed to regrettably just be the sentient motor vehicle Quinn has been building as a birthday present for “Mistah J!” Just why Harley would draw such attention to her criminal operation by letting the vehicle repeatedly attempt to murder people is a bit bewildering, as is Quinzel's willingness to upgrade the Mystery Machine in order for the van to dramatically outmanoeuvre her own homicidal handiwork.

Possibly a little more acceptable than this book’s narrative is its layouts (and colours) by Erich Owen. The Ringo Award-winner does a fair job in capturing the television likenesses of Mystery Incorporated, and certainly seems to excel when sketching the fast-paced car chases required for Deibert’s script. Nonetheless, the artist appears to struggle when capturing Batman’s cowled visage, giving the masked vigilante’s a rather comical, quirky-looking jawline.

Written by: Amanda Deibert, Drawn & Coloured by: Erich Owen, and Lettered by: Saida Temofonte

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #9 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 9, November 2024

Taking the rather brave decision to relegate the Dark Knight to the side-lines for the entirety of this twenty-page periodical’s plot, Matthew Cody’s narrative for Issue Nine of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” probably still managed to entertain a fair few of its audience, courtesy of a quite endearing appearance by the laughable lawbreaker Kite-Man. Indeed, for those Bat-fans able to take this comic’s silly storyline with a pinch of salt, there’s arguably a fair few laughs to be found within its phenomenally pencilled panels; “Look, I’m a very dangerous villain.”

For starters, “the acclaimed children’s author” pens a wonderful scene featuring the original Caped Crusaders appearing at Gotham City Comic-Con, and being surrounded by all manner of book nerds and cosplayers. Sadly short-lived, this set-piece should genuinely bring a smile to the face of any collector who has stood in line waiting for a guest celebrity to sign some piece of memorabilia for them, whilst simultaneously making them smirk at Batman’s evident discomfort when he’s pressured into saying the line “I am the night” out loud for the attendees.

Similarly as engaging though is also the Missouri-born writer’s handling of Chuck Brown’s flamboyantly inept alter-ego, who rather conveniently converts from committing felonies to thwarting them within the space of this publication. Obviously, so major a reversal in personality in so short a space of time isn’t terribly convincing. But it’s arguably nice to believe that just being in the company of well-meaning “losers” Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo is enough to make the likeable rogue realise that he should be proud of his association with kites, rather than see it as an apparently necessary gimmick with which to commit crime.

Ultimately however, much of this comic’s success relies upon the gobsmackingly good layouts by Dario Brizuela. Sensationally shaded by colorist Franco Riesco, to the point where some scenes appear to have been almost ‘lifted’ straight out of an animated cartoon show, the Argentinian illustrator ensures every character is seen wearing their hearts upon their sleeves – with even the likes of Alfred Pennyworth being visibly hurt by Fred Jones' intimation that these days the elderly butler is only good for causing a distraction, as opposed to being able to actually ‘sneak’ about.

Written by: Matthew Cody, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Colored by: Franco Riesco

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #8 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 8, October 2024

Despite featuring easily one of this mini-series’ most annoying secondary cast members - in the guise of Finger Memorial Museum owner, Ally Babble - Sholly Fisch’s start to “Big Trouble” must surely have still proved tantalizing enough for many a bibliophile to have stuck around until the twenty-page periodical’s conclusion. Frustratingly however, this commitment arguably isn’t really worth it, as the American author suddenly turns his story about a thieving giant looming over Gotham City completely upon its head, when he swaps that villain out for the much less impressive felonious trap-maker Eivol Ekdal.

Indeed, many onlookers may well get the feeling that this publication’s plot was thrown together using several elements which on their own simply wouldn’t fill this comic’s sheet space. For example, it’s never explained just why the chef jacket-wearing criminal built such a huge pinball machine in the first place..? True, the gigantic table makes for a thrillingly deadly location in which to trap this title’s considerably-sized central characters, and have them all running away from the arcade game’s hefty metal ball like some second-rate Indiana Jones’. But the motivation behind such a creation, or the other huge household items dotted about the exhibition, is never convincingly explored; “Take this teacup for instance. The mouth of this cup is big enough to dunk a baby hippo.”

Disappointingly, the villain’s explanation as to how he managed to create the illusion of a massively-tall man walking amidst the metropolis’ streets is equally as unimpressive, regardless of Fred Jones’ best attempt to persuade the audience otherwise. The notion that four flying drones could carry the weight of a wrecking ball heavy enough to knock a hole through a building’s brick wall, as well as cause the imprint of a massive foot in a concrete sidewalk, is as utterly preposterous as Batman’s decision to thwart the radio-controlled steel sphere with a ridiculously gargantuan baseball glove.

Perhaps this comic’s saving grace therefore lies within the layouts of Erich Owen, whose pencilling does a tip-top job of imbuing many of the set-pieces with an almost alarming sense of height. The scene of Mystery Incorporated clambering up a conveniently-placed ladder to the top of the aforementioned pinball machine is especially well-drawn. Whilst the Ringo Award-winning cartoonist is also very good at creating an almost animated film-cell quality to his panels, by making his oft-times subtly defined backgrounds contrast quite differently in tone to the sharp, crisp figures in the foreground.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Darwn and Colored by: Erich Owen, and Lettered by Saida Temofonte

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #7 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 7, September 2024

Having revealed the villain of the piece to be the Scarecrow straight from this publication’s ‘get-go’, many a bibliophile will probably have felt Ivan Cohen’s script for Issue Seven of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” spookily read more like an actual serious comic about the Dark Knight’s exploits within Gotham City, as opposed to a children’s tale featuring an animated tongue-in-cheek cartoon franchise owned by the “Warner Brothers”. Indeed, despite Mystery Incorporated answering Commissioner Gordon’s Bat-Signal, much of this twenty-page periodical’s plot focuses upon the Caped Crusader trying to deduce the end goal of Jonathan Crane’s villainous alter-ego, rather than simply throwing a load of juvenile hijinks at the audience in the hope that some of it will garner a guffaw or two.

In addition, the yarn contains an interesting sub-thread which explores whether someone like Shaggy Rogers and his “lifelong companion”, who are seemingly always in a perpetual state of fright, are actually susceptible to the Scarecrow’s infamous fear toxin, or whether the duo are “weirdly immune”. This rather enthralling notion proves to be the key to unlock the murderous Professor of Psychology’s entire plan, whilst simultaneously showing Batman to favour using his brains over brawn whenever he can; “The gas did affect them. But not the same way it affects the rest of us!”

Of course, “Night Of The Scaredy-Bat!” does still contain some overt silliness on the odd occasion, such as when the book covers just what genuinely terrifies the “meddling kids”. Of particular note is poor Fred Jones being pursued by some giant toothbrushes and a jar of floss, due to the ascot tie-wearing sleuth suffering from a phobia of going to the Dentist.

Quite proficiently pencilling all these shenanigans is David Antón Gomis, a.k.a. Puste, who manages to sketch Batman as both a formidable physical specimen, as well as someone who likes to apply his grey matter to a problem when time allows. Furthermore, the artist includes some quite wonderful little touches into the layouts, such as when the Dark Knight liaises with Mystery Incorporated, and brings a tray of donuts for Shaggy and Scooby-Doo to scoff – something the pair impressively achieve within the space of a single panel.

Written by: Ivan Cohen, Drawn by: Puste, and Colored by: Carrie Strachan

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #6 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 6, August 2024

Despite the rather enjoyable premise of Mystery Incorporated being used by the master villain of the piece to accidentally commit their nefarious crimes for them, courtesy of the fiend concocting a “sleuthing competition with a huge prize”, the pedestrian pace of Amanda Deibert’s twenty-page plot won’t have arguably excited many of this mini-series’ readers in June 2024. Furthermore, the storyline disappointingly relegates the Dark Knight himself to a rather disagreeable secondary character, who just ‘bookends’ this publication to initially arrest the hapless teenagers, and then later captures the true crook at its end; “Just as I suspected.”

Debatably this narrative’s biggest annoyance though can be found in Velma Dinkley’s holier than thou haughtiness, and the young girl’s obsessive compulsion to solve a riddle - even when it’s abundantly clear to the audience that the knee-high sock-wearing sleuth is being set-up. Such a fixation also requires the “New York Times bestselling comic book writer” to pen many a contrivance so as to let the young girl reach her goal, with the most notable being when the team are allowed to just walk past a national bank’s security unit straight to its central vault, and crack its lock so they can peruse its numerous safety deposit boxes.

Of course, many a bibliophile will need to be mindful that this issue’s more ludicrous sequences were probably written with humour in mind, such as Shaggy Rogers replacing Scooby-Doo at a dog grooming salon whilst the others explore the shop for evidence. But it’s hard to ignore the likes of Fred Jones fortuitously finding a stethoscope in a flower pot right beside the strong room just after he had successfully completed “an online safecracking course this summer while I was bored.”

Disappointingly adding to this overriding feeling of lethargy are Dario Bruizuela’s layouts, which apart from an initial flurry at the start when Daphne Blake is sketched running for her life from a ghost inside Huntingstun Library, generally struggle to add any adrenalin to the periodical’s proceedings. In addition, many of the panels appear disconcertingly empty apart from the figures of the central cast, with the scenes set inside the bank’s safe looking particularly plain and uninteresting.

Written by: Amanda Deibert, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Coloured by: Franco Riesco

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #5 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 5, July 2024

Considering that this twenty-page periodical’s plot is essentially a retread of “the classic Scooby-Doo, Where Are You episode Nowhere To Hyde”, it still must have landed pretty flat upon its audience in May 2024. In fact, many a bibliophile were probably left scratching their heads as to just what Matthew Cody was trying to achieve with this comic’s utterly lack-lustre narrative, apart from perhaps marking out Velma Dinkley as an arrogant, highly dislikeable amateur sleuth; “That tree looks like every other tree we’ve passed in the last hour, Fred.”

For starters the "brains" of Mystery Incorporated appears to be on some sort of personal vendetta against the quartet's established leader, repeatedly questioning Jones' driving, bravery, and having the unmitigated gall to do “the whole pulling-off-the-mask thing” without her. This 'unfriendliness' is perhaps best demonstrated when he somewhat clumsily fills the reader in as to the background behind the televised cartoon story this adventure is based upon, and Dinkley agrees with Daphne Blake that the ascot tie-wearing detective simply can’t help ‘Fred-splain’ everything – even though without his information an already bemusing tale would arguably prove even more unfollowable.

Similarly as bizarre though is Batman’s surprising decision to offer Velma the job of being his new Robin, as the role’s current colourfully-costumed incumbent “is [apparently] getting older”. This curious conversation comes completely out of the blue and also debatably results in an uncharacteristic unwillingness on the young girl’s part to put any effort into taking the proposal seriously – instead simply using her severe short-sightedness as an excuse to immediately turn it down.

Perhaps this comic’s biggest befuddlement however, is just what Doctor Kirk Langstrom is doing visiting Henry Jekyll’s abandoned laboratory in the first place. There’s clearly some logic to the Caped Crusader wanting to find the scientist’s old notes in an effort to permanently stop the Man-Bat from ever appearing again. But considering Bruce Wayne is a highly accomplished scientist himself, there doesn't seem to be any reason why the Dark Knight would invite the villain to actually accompany him – unless Cody simply couldn't conjure up a valid excuse as to why the monster would inconveniently materialise during this yarn’s sagging middle, and subsequently cause artist Puste to pencil the terrified teenagers making their trademark dash for safety..?

Written by: Matthew Cody, Drawn by: Puste, and Coloured by: Carrie Strachan

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #4 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 4, June 2024

Despite dealing with the disconcerting notion that innocent Gothamites can turn into grim-faced stone gargoyles at a moment’s notice, there’s debatably a distinct feel to Sholly Fisch’s script for Issue Four of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” that the author is trying to be just a little too clever with his storytelling. Indeed, the very notion that Clayface would conceive of so elaborate a scheme simply so the shape-changer could “steal the Sprang Theatre’s priceless collection of theatre memorabilia at my leisure” is utterly unconvincing, especially as a well-selected disguise would just as easily allow the super-villain to commit the crime with a lot less effort.

Of course, the writer does attempt to tackle so obvious a reproach by having Basil Karlo himself counter such criticism by claiming to Daphne Blake that his convoluted plan would require his “greatest performance” yet. But such an assertion isn’t arguably all that convincing, especially once Mystery Incorporated point out that the spate of terrifying transformations won’t be stopped by the auditorium being specifically closed to the public, so why would the building's owner do such a drastic thing; “There are plenty of grotesques on the outside of the theatre too, not just inside.”

Equally as exasperating as this comic’s manufactured plot though is probably poor Velma Dinkley’s incredibly annoying insistence that every gruesome statue which isn’t sporting a rainspout is not referred to as a gargoyle. This supposedly funny repetitive gag gets annoying very quickly, as everyone from Detective Bullock, Fred Rogers and even Clayface himself, are chided for their incorrect nomenclature. In fact, the so-called joke sadly starts to overshadow some nice nods to the original live-action “Batman” television series from 1966, such as when the Caped Crusader replicates the famous line “Atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed” as the Batmobile speeds away.

Disappointingly also adding to this carousel of criticisms is Megan Huang’s artwork, which whilst providing this comic with some adequate enough visuals, still doesn’t quite capture any of the cast’s appearances correctly. The Canadian artist seems especially shaky at sketching an incredibly square-jawed Bullock, and regrettably infuses every one of the meddling kids with a rather amateurish-look too.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, and Drawn & Coloured by: Megan Huang

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #3 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 3, May 2024

For those Bat-fans who enjoy seeing the Dark Knight team up with the ever-seductive Catwoman and explore the duo’s complicated love–hate relationship, Ivan Cohen’s script for “Shiny” certainly should have been quite the hit. True, Selina Kyle’s anti-heroic alter-ego is once again “blamed for another string of robberies in Gotham” which she did not commit. But this fairly familiar plot still allows the “media-development executive at DC Comics” to pen a few surprises to catch his audience off-guard - most notably the true identity of the book’s lead antagonist stemming way back to the mid-Eighties and John Byrne’s run on “The Man Of Steel”.

Sadly however, the former editor doesn’t do quite as well writing for Mystery Incorporated. Disappointingly both Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo are practically non-existent. Whilst Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley are incredibly irritating as they repeatedly question the Caped Crusader’s decision-making when it comes to the cat burglar's motivations. Indeed, the two female amateur investigators arguably come across as a right arrogant pair of holier-than-thou do-gooders, who apparently know far more about criminal catching than the Justice Leaguer ever will; “No offense, Batman.”

Commissioner Gordon also appears to fall under the two teenagers’ implausible spell far too willingly, unconvincingly preferring to believe them over the Dark Knight when it comes to Catwoman’s innocence and even relying upon the ‘meddling kids’ to keep Kyle incarcerated overnight rather than ‘one of the greatest comic book superheroes ever created.’ This contrivance genuinely grates upon the senses considering the trust which has built up between the two men since Batman first saved the police officer’s city single-handedly, and subsequently sits rather uncomfortably in the subconscious as the storytelling unsatisfactorily progresses.

Delightfully, what this twenty-page publication lacks in credible drama, it somewhat makes up for with the wonderful layouts of Dario Brizuela. In fact, the Argentinian illustrator’s ability to seamlessly combine aspects of the classic “Hanna-Barbera” cartoons and the “Batman: The Animated Series” together, alongside his own take on the Caped Crusader, debatably makes Issue Three of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” worth the cover price alone. Furthermore, his pencilling of the Penguin is so spot on that many a bibliophile will find it impossible not to hear actor Paul Williams’ voice reading out Oswald Cobblepot’s dialogue.

Written by: Ivan Cohen, Art by: Dario Brizuela, and Color by: Franco Riesco

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #2 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 2, April 2024

Despite the relative simplicity of Joseph Torres’ script for Issue Two of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries”, this comic’s visit to Slaughter Swamp probably still proved something of a hit with fans of the famous media franchise. Indeed, if someone were to swap out the supposed presence of undead villain Solomon Grundy for a much more generic, rancid revenant, then this twenty-page-periodical’s basic plot would probably not have looked too out of place as part of the “Hanna-Barbera” American animated television series’ initial run in 1969; “Well, I would’ve gotten away with it if it wasn’t for these meddling kids…”

Sadly however, as a super-hero book supposedly based upon Batman trying “to save some Gothamites from a zombie disaster”, the publication is debatably far less successful. For starters its narrative divulges far too early on that Cyrus Gold’s alter-ego cannot possibly be stalking the quicksand-infested marshlands because he’s currently incarcerated inside Blackgate Penitentiary. Such a revelation genuinely ruins any build-up of the Caped Crusader eventually encountering Alfred Bester’s co-creation in a fist-fight, and also frustratingly ruins the usual criminal ‘unmasking’ at the tale’s end, by pointing the finger squarely towards the sole character in this story who could be capable of impersonating Grundy.

Likewise, there isn’t an awful lot for the Dark Knight to achieve within this adventure, apart from rescue Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo from a sticky mud bath. Without the threat of Solomon genuinely showing up, Velma Dinkley definitely takes centre-stage, challenging Cyril Gold’s paranormal tourism scam and deducing the con-artist’s motivation for making Slaughter Swamp far from worthless land. In fact, the brainy young woman even manages to instantly guess exactly where some underground tunnels lead whilst exploring the surrounding countryside.  

Easily this comic’s most bemusing aspect though has to be Scott Jeralds’ inconsistent layouts, which at times, most notably when sketching the selfie-obsessed campers, appear to have been pencilled by an entirely different illustrator. There’s no doubt the artist can do a first-rate job of depicting Mystery Incorporated. But his Solomon Grundy repeatedly appears to have been clumsily resized in some panels. Whilst occasionally, a scene’s cast appear so disconnected with their location as to be highly reminiscent of the old Seventies “Super Friends” all-action transfer sets by “Letraset”.

Written by: J. Torres, Drawn by: Scott Jeralds, and Colored by: Carrie Strachan

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #1 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 1, February 2024

Arguably taking something of a risk by having this opening issue of the “new ongoing series [which] teams up Gotham’s greatest detectives with Crystal Cove’s teen sleuths” focus upon Nightwing as opposed to the Dark Knight himself, Sholly Fisch’s “The Show Must Go… Away” still should have pleased the vast majority of its readers in January 2024. True, the twenty-page periodical’s plot will initially have quite a few bibliophiles rubbing their foreheads in consternation as the tale appears to portray super-hero Deadman as the villainous antagonist. But once it’s been made clear that the entire criminal operation is a ‘set-up’ to smear the deceased acrobat’s name, readers should settle back down to discover just who the costume-wearing imposter is.

Furthermore, there’s plenty of gags surrounding Mystery Incorporated to keep them entertained as Dick Grayson’s alter-ego decides to headline Haly’s Circus for one night only. Quite possibly one of the funniest of these is poor Fred Jones attempting to fool the customers into believing he’s every bit as good an escapologist as he is setting traps for crooks. Whilst Shaggy Rogers and his Great Dane dressed up as clowns will probably raise a smile or three too, especially as the pair are terrified of white-faced, colourful entertainers; “Didn’t I mention I’m, like, scared of clowns?”

Perhaps therefore the only disappointing element to this tale is Daphne Blake being depicted as a death-defying aerialist who “luckily… took a few trapeze lessons during the case of the haunted high wire.” Such a blatant, fortuitous break sadly smacks of Fisch simply creating a contrivance in order to give poor "Danger-prone Daphne" a pivotal role in his narrative, and would probably at least have been a bit more convincing if he’d tied her lucky special ability to the 1969 televised “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” episode “Bedlam in the Big Top”.

Helping to sell all the chaos of life under the Big Top of a travelling circus is Dario Brizuela, whose pencils quite beautifully match the look of the titular cast’s old “Hanna-Barbera” Saturday morning cartoons. The Argentinian illustrator is also very good at incorporating the likes of Nightwing and Batman into this style of drawing, providing the publication with a seamless blend of the two popular comic book franchises.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Colored by: Franco Riesco

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #12 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 12, November 2023

As “time-twisting final” issues go, Ivan Cohen’s storyline for “Scooby Beyond” must have landed quite well with its audience, even if Hugo Strange’s “job of predicting the future” à la Warner Brother's 1999 animated television series, is far too spot on to be even slightly believable. Indeed, the fact that the super villain miraculously guesses that Bruce Wayne’s city will be renamed Neo-Gotham, have flying cars, another incarnation of The Royal Flush Gang, the lawless Jokerz, Barbara Gordon as its Police Commissioner, and a protégé Caped Crusader, is surely three or four too many contrivances for most bibliophiles to comfortably stomach.

However, for those readers able to do just that, and accept the Professor’s plan for Mystery Incorporated to inadvertently reveal Batman’s true identity in a virtual reality as silly nonsense, then this comic’s twenty-page plot will probably provide a bit of senseless fun - particularly once Scooby-Doo and Shaggy Rogers accidentally clamber aboard a pair of flying playing cards and start whizzing across the metropolis’ fluorescent blue skyline; “I’m trying Scoob! But I don’t have four feet, you know!”

Perhaps slightly less enjoyable though is the former editor’s determination to depict Fred Jones’ gang as being perfectly happy to stand toe-to-toe against the King and his “multi-generational crime family”, despite the felons clearly being able to lethally “kzzzap” the teenagers with all manner of high-tech weapons. This fearlessness debatably proves particularly incongruous to the “Hanna-Barbera” characters when Daphne Blake pre-emptively attacks Jack and Ten with hot-dog relish from a nearby stall, and then later joins her friends to defeat the “playing card-themed” evil-doers with several blasts from some conveniently-located fire extinguishers.

Arguably far more impressive than this book’s penmanship, are Dario Brizuela’s prodigious pencils, which genuinely do a great job of capturing all the bright lights and glitz of Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, and Alan Burnett's programme for "Kids' WB". Admittedly, Terry McGinnis’ heavily muscled physique is a little disconcerting for supposedly a sixteen-year-old boy. But alongside Franco Riesco’s vibrant colours, the “artist of comics, cartoons, and the box art that some of your kid’s toys came in” genuinely gives all the figures an impressive, dynamic physicality.

Written by: Ivan Cohen, Art by: Dario Brizuela, and Colours by: Franco Riesco

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #11 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 11, October 2023

Unashamedly tapping into both the look and feel of the American cyberpunk media franchise “The Matrix”, Sholly Fisch’s script for “Bark Or Byte?” probably provided its readers with some genuine giggles and guffaws. True, the twenty-page periodical’s premise is rather straightforward in its depiction of Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo donning black overcoats and shades in an effort to spot 'a series of numbers with periods in between them' amongst all the computer code surrounding them. But the tale’s delivered with such a tongue-in-cheek attitude that many a bibliophile would be hard pressed not to at least smirk at the duo’s desperate headlong dash through the ghost-possessed simulated reality.

Foremost of these laughs is probably found with the cowardly pair’s ability to immediately dream up a huge pile of Scooby-snacks and stuffed sandwiches, just as soon as they realise “you can be whatever you want” in the virtual world. This joke is later continued at the end of the comic’s conclusion, when the amateur sleuths are shown to be trying to physically force their way out of the criminal’s computer screens once they’ve somehow seen a pizza delivery guy enter the villain’s secret headquarters in the physical universe; “Could someone, like, get us out of here?”

Furthermore, Batman appears to play a secondary role throughout this book’s narrative, with the superhero spotlight firmly falling upon “the data broker Oracle”. This change of focus is both enjoyable and understandable, as the storyline follows a mysterious ghost somehow manipulating “one of the world's most complex and powerful computer systems” for their own ends. In addition, it provides Barbara Gordon’s alter-ego with an opportunity to educate those readers unfamiliar with Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and how a person’s internet signal can be bounced “through a different country to mask his true location.”

Definitely helping imbue this publication with a Matrix-vibe are the layouts and colours of Erich Owen. The cartoonist’s number-infested, fluorescent green backgrounds and sketch of online hero Oracle’s face genuinely draw the audience into the Ghost in the Machine’s simulated world. Whilst his sketches of Mystery Incorporated make the characters look as if they’ve just stepped across from one of Hanna-Barbera’s classic animations.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Drawn & Coloured by: Erich Owen, and Lettered by: Saida Temofonte

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #10 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 10, September 2023

Initially appearing to promise plenty of deep-sea detective work aboard the first annual “Mega-Mystery Cruise”, courtesy of Bruce Wayne’s state-of-the-art exploration vessel attempting to “scan the ocean floor with incredible precision”, Ivan Cohen’s narrative for “Scooby-Cruise, Where Are You?” ultimately must have come as a great disappointment to its readers. Indeed, by the time the ship has dramatically been pulled off-course and docked alongside a deserted island, even the “entertainment executive specializing in working with established brands across diverse media” appears to have become so disinterested in his own storyline that it abruptly ends without Batman throwing a single punch.

Much of this lethargy sadly starts to appear following Velma unwittingly ruining one of the trip’s amateur detective games by immediately identifying the actor who supposedly stole a priceless diamond necklace. The premise that every other room contains a fake themed theft should have led to all sorts of investigative intrigues and criminal conundrums. But none of these Machiavellian machinations ever materialise as the writer simply seems to use them as an implausible explanation as to how a gang of salty swashbucklers could hide in plain sight on the Silver St. Cloud; “The pirates didn’t need a ship, because they were already on ours!” 

To make matters worse though, once the unruly crew of cut-throats are discovered, the author just lazily pens them supposedly being outfought by Mystery Incorporated off-screen. This resolution makes absolutely no sense considering that artist Dario Brizuela prodigiously pencils just a pair of the pirates previously terrifying the young sleuths, and smacks of Cohen simply needing the narrative to end before this twenty-page periodical runs out of sheet space.

However, arguably this book’s worst moment comes when Captain Hyde is revealed to be the Black Manta, who then calmly surrenders to Batman without any fight whatsoever. Just why a super-villain who in the past has been a match for the Justice League needed to don a fake beard and cutlass is never explained. Nor is his need to capture Wayne’s ship and redirect it to an isolated landmass, when the “ruthless underwater mercenary” already has access to so much advanced technology that he can simply teleport beneath the waves like a ghost at a moment’s notice.

Written by: Ivan Cohen, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela and Colored by: Franco Riesco

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #9 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 9, August 2023

Despite being a direct sequel to the classic November 1969 aired television episode of “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” entitled “Bedlam In The Big Top”, debatably the vast majority of this comic’s readers were probably soon wishing for the Ghost Clown to entrance them so they could easily forget Matthew Cody’s disinteresting script and bewildering reinterpretation of Mystery Incorporated’s characters. Furthermore, the twenty-page periodical’s portrayal of Batman is far from convincing, even for a book seemingly based upon the crime-fighter’s more tongue-in-cheek “Filmation” incarnation, as it depicts the World’s Greatest Detective becoming utterly fixated upon the Joker being behind a group of mind-controlled citizens attacking “some silly old award ceremony honouring a bunch of teenagers”, simply because the unsuccessful raid’s mastermind dressed them up as clowns.

These anomalies increasingly become frustrating, and lead to some truly implausible moments where the likes of Daphne Blake and Batgirl have to physically defeat Harry the Hypnotist and his ridiculous minions, whilst the ordinarily dependable Fred Jones unexpectedly cowers behind a chair and the Dark Knight inexplicably speeds off in the Batmobile for sources of Smilex Gas rather than “comb this crime scene for clues.” To make matters worse though the Missouri-born writer’s script also suddenly has Crystal Cove’s Madam Mayor and Sheriff Stone arrest “these meddling kids” for causing all of the town’s problems without a shred of evidence or arguably basic logic and throws them all straight in front of a clearly unimpartial courtroom so they can be later tossed “into the deepest, darkest cell you can find in Arkham.”

Similarly as disconcerting is debatably Scott Jeralds’ artwork, which appears to repeatedly encapsulate a handful of different drawing styles all within the same panel. This bizarre-looking technique, coupled with the illustrator persistently reusing identical drawings from one frame to another, has caused the likes of William Martin of “Batman-news.com” to believe that “there is a strong chance that most of this comic is traced” by the “Marvel Studios” animator. Whatever the explanation actually is though, it is probably safe to say that the contrast between Commissioner Gordon looking exactly as he does in the 1992 “Batman: The Animated Series” working alongside a slender-looking Batman, who is much more reminiscent of his 1977 Adam West-voiced cartoon portrayal, must have badly jarred with even the most devoted of Batfan bibliophiles.

Written by: Matthew Cody, Drawn by: Scott Jeralds and Colored by: Carrie Strachan

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #8 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 8, July 2023

Arguably containing some of the corniest and contrived subplots imaginable, even for a narrative partially based upon one of Hanna-Barbera’s most successful animated franchises, many a bibliophile may well have been put off by Sholly Fisch’s storyline for Issue Eight of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries". In fact, the comic’s opening featuring an utterly disagreeable Dark Knight and his second-rate Mystery Incorporated rip-offs is genuinely unappealing, particularly when it’s made crystal clear by the Caped Crusader that he no longer values the original “meddling kids” anymore; “No! This is our case, and we’ll handle it. Have a safe trip home.”

But for those readers who manage to clamber over this hurtful hurdle and dig deeper into the twenty-page periodical, the desire to discover just what on earth is going on in Gotham City to cause such a notable change in its cowled vigilante actually becomes enjoyably palpable.

Foremost of these ‘hooks’ is debatably just how unconvincing the thieving Bat Spirit is which is behind all the book’s supposedly spooky shenanigans. It seems reasonably clear straight from the start that ‘Batman’s most fearsome foe’ is an utter fraud, notably once the giant flying mammal starts waxing lyrical about “ridding the world of these pretender bats” and subsequently steals “Rube Bluth’s historic baseball bat!” However, the revelation that it’s actually “one of the greatest and deadliest assassins in the DC Universe” comes as a complete, jaw-droppingly genuine surprise, as does the cold-hearted criminal’s main mission to mercilessly murder Fred, Shaggy, Daphne, Velma and Scooby Doo if given half the chance.

Similarly as surreal are the American author’s Wraith Wranglers, who bear such a striking resemblance to the real Mystery Machine’s crew, that it’s difficult to take any of the “paranormal investigators who recently came to Gotham” seriously in any shape or form. Erich Owen’s pencils admittedly imbue the quintet with a modicum of interest, courtesy of some different hairstyles, clothing and skin colour swaps. Yet, it is the burning question as to just why Batman has teamed-up with the implausible party to fight the metropolis’ supernatural menace which remains at the forefront of the audience’s mind throughout, with Duke, Sensei, Specs, Bongo and Ranger’s origin never being explained until the publication’s very end.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Drawn and Colored by: Erich Owen

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #7 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 7, June 2023

Whilst Amanda Deibert’s twenty-page plot for Issue Seven of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries" is pleasingly paced as the titular characters energetically rush around a small-sized theatre like headless chickens, the logic of her narrative arguably must have proved somewhat less palatable with its readers. Indeed, the notion that Mystery Incorporated would be allowed to simply shoulder barge their way into the Gotham’s Got Talent final when they never won or even competed in one of the show’s qualifying events casts something of a disagreeable shadow over this comic’s entire proceedings.

Admittedly, Daphne Blake’s “beyond exciting” karate demonstration at the Crystal Cover Talent Show wins her a place at the competition. But just why the likes of Shaggy Rogers and his Great Dane are allowed to appear as competitive eaters of pizza is debatably stretching any bibliophiles’ willing suspension of disbelief – especially when so many other acts have failed to make the grade and been forcibly dropped; “Aw, Man. I heard it’s gonna be judged by Bruce Wayne. I guess next year I need to swallow two swords.”  

Such an uninspiring contrivance is disappointingly followed by a series of bizarre disappearances and mysterious happenings all of which occur within spitting distance of an auditorium’s main stage. Just how a troupe of tap-dancers, Bob the Bear and a stand-up comedian all end up being locked inside a back closet without the rest of the contestants spotting the super-villain responsible is somewhat head-scratching, as is Daphne’s reluctance to win first place as it would mean she would have to leave her teenage friends to go on a “full-time, life-changing” tour.

Perhaps therefore this publication’s biggest draw is the excellent artwork by Dario Brizuela and Franco Riesco’s vibrant colours, which enchants the eye the moment the audience are introduced to the rest of the show’s entertainers and spot a number of notable nods to Marcel Marceau, Evel Knievel and the American rock band Kiss. Furthermore, the pair quite beautifully capture all the maniacal mayhem which the Hanna-Barbera animated television series was famous for once Shaggy and Scooby-Doo start getting chased by the ‘off-screen’ baddie, and wind up ruining everyone else’s performances as they catastrophically combine their food-scoffing act with "interpretive dance".

Written by: Amanda Deibert, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Colored by: Franco Riesco

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #6 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 6, May 2023

Crafting a genuine sense of bewilderment, courtesy of Mystery Incorporated refusing to assist the Caped Crusader in pursuing a team of bank robbers, Ivan Cohen’s script for Issue Six of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries" must have hooked the vast majority of its readers with its surprising opening. True, such utter puzzlement doesn’t last particularly long, once Fred Jones and his gang return to Madame Xanadu’s fortune telling store and the audience are treated to a flashback sequence summarising the amateur gumshoes’ previous visit. But for a while, it appears the likes of Shaggy Rogers and Daphne Blake might be being blackmailed, threatened or mystifyingly mislead by some malignant force for evil.

Somewhat disappointingly, arguably none of these explanations prove valid though once it’s revealed that Velma Dinkley suspected foul play straight from the start, and only had her friends play along with the unsuccessful ruse so as to lure the criminal culprit behind the ploy out into the open. The Dark Knight too appears disconcertingly quick to guess what his ‘fellow sleuths’ are up to, especially once it’s made clear to him that the real female magic user has previously left Gotham City to reside along the Mississippi River; “She hasn’t been around in months. Last I heard she was in New Orleans. Or maybe Maine. One of those Places.”

Cohen also pens an unexpectedly dislikeable incarnation of Batman, who starts moaning to Alfred Pennyworth about how he has to deduce the identities behind the thefts all on his own..? Naturally, his much more grounded butler puts the billionaire straight as to his whinging behaviour. However, this bizarre moment of petulance is debatably so out of character for someone “revered as the world's greatest detective” that it will infuriatingly remain firmly in the mind’s eye of any bibliophiles for the rest of the twenty-page periodical.

Perhaps therefore this publication’s biggest selling point lies with Erich Owen’s layouts, which are cleverly pencilled to provide a pseudo realistic 3D image of Bruce Wayne’s metropolis. Some of the sketches of Fred, Daphne and Velma are a little rough-looking at times. Yet when placed over the incredibly detailed backgrounds admirably seem to provide each panel with an impressive amount of eye-pleasing depth.

Written by: Ivan Cohen, Art by: Erich Owen, and Letters by: Saida Temofonte

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #5 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 5, April 2023

For those Silver Age connoisseurs who enjoy nostalgic trips back to the days of “wealthy Gotham City heiress and former circus performer” Kathy Kane wearing the colourful costume of Batwoman, Sholly Fisch’s script for “Rat’s All Folks” surely brought them a lot of rosy reminisces. In fact, arguably this twenty-page-periodical’s greatest strength is its incredible ability to educate its audience with the history of Edmond Hamilton’s co-creation and then bring the partially greying crimefighter back out of retirement, alongside sidekick-turned-professional tennis player Bette, for one final adventure.

However, for those bibliophiles who require at least some sort of explanation as to why a pack of ferocious Rat-men are ransacking the antique motorcycle collection of the Caped Crusader’s former-love interest, Issue Five of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries" is probably going to be something of a disappointment, especially once Professor Achilles Milo’s masterplan to create an unstoppable army of the “monstrous minions” is revealed; “Who were you expecting? Hugo Strange? Tell me, what do you think of my new serum’s ability to transform bikers into quite literal lab rats?”

Admittedly, the “renowned chemist who turned to crime” does concede that his despicable concoction is only partially successful, and it is also clear from Batwoman’s stark concern at having to restrain Shaggy Rogers after he inadvertently consumes some, that Milo’s cocktail detrimentally affects the behaviour of its victims. But seeing as the perfidious pseudoscientist is supposedly just a day away from achieving his grand aim, it seems somewhat bizarre that he’d allow his guinea pigs to attract the attention of the local authorities by repeatedly terrorising the local highways and roads with a spate of burglaries.

Luckily, what this comic debatably lacks in logic or depth, it more than makes up for with Dario Brizuela’s drawings and Franco Riesco’s colours. The flashbacks to Aunt Kathy’s heyday when she “trained her mind and body” to become Batwoman are superbly sketched, with the sequences being greatly enhanced via the washed-out pigmentation of publications printed during the Sixties. Furthermore, there is definitely something distinctly uplifting about seeing the likes of the original superheroine riding a motorbike alongside her trusty Bat-Girl and alter-ego’s latest modern-day incarnation, whilst the Mystery Machine brings up the rear.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Colored by: Franco Riesco