Writers: Various
Artists: Various
Publisher: DC
It's a puzzling issue of Scooby-Doo. Normally, Scooby-Doo consists of two or more solid mysteries, and the remainder of the pages being filled by shorts. This issue is an anthology of mostly amusing shorts, with puzzles worked into the plot.
Can you find out what's wrong with Joe Staton's UFO imagery in the first "Scooby-Doo Mini-Mystery?" Actually, the answer is nothing. Joe Staton and able inker Scott McRae give their best. The short by Sholly Fisch actually offers a classic telltale debunking technique. Fisch returns later in the book for a second Min-Mystery, and this one's pretty clever with the seconds ticking on an eerily designed Staton phantom.
Robbie Busch takes advantage of the Mystery Machine's constant breakdowns. He uses it to set up a sort of soft-balled Pimp My Ride, and relates a fun little story to boot. Karen Matchette has quickly evolved into an always-welcome Scooby-Doo artist. For this story she provides inventive characters to fill out the crew, and special kudos must be given to her for the guest-appearance of the Keaton Batmobile--a double joke when one considers a special episode of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? Busch's second Scooby-Snack is a more traditional antic that's livened up with Vincent DePorter's unusual choices of character movement, and there's a nice turnabout at the end.
John Rozum comes up with a dead-on spoof of Hostess comic book ads, and DePorter contributes some particularly attractive eye-candy through his delectable illustration of Daphne. Later on Rozum with DePorter inker Dan Davis informs the reader about the many shapes of lycanthropy and then the Medusa with a returning Matchette. Both factoids end on good jokes, but the second involving Scooby, Shaggy and Daphne is outstanding and nods to the friendship between Mystery Inc.
Although no story really gives the reader any meat, all the briefs inform, entertain and evoke the characters of Scooby-Doo and the Gang. That's good enough for me.
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