Comic Review: Scooby Apocalypse #29

Scooby Apocalypse #29

DC Comics

Writers: Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis

Artists: Pat Ollife & Tom Palmer, Chris Batista (Secret Squirrel)

Besides Uncle Ben, and the Waynes, you can’t stay dead in comics. Even those two examples are alive in some alternate universes. This rule now applies to Scooby Doo as well.

Scooby Apocalypse #29 shows us the fate of Fred Jones. Shortly after dying six months ago, Fred wakes up. Rather than the person he is, he’s now some sort of zombie monster, roaming the apocalypse. Survivors from Jonestown see him and report it in, to Shaggy and Velma. While at the same time, Daphne and Scrappy-Doo are out in the city killing any and all monsters that the cross paths with. At the end of the issue,

zombie

Fred speaks and recruits a monster to follow him.

A small part of me wishes they’d leave Fred dead, and not make him a monster. Just a small part of me though, like 10%. The other 90% is loving it. It looks like Zombie Fred is going to build an army of monsters to attack Jonestown. Even if it’s not that, it’ll be a big emotional moment for Daphne, who will most likely have to kill Fred. She’s been out of it since his death, and it’ll surely be a big cathartic moment for her and the original gang. Besides that, this is another great issue.

Velma and Shaggy feel like side characters, but I think it has to do with the inevitable Daphne versus Fred. Scrappy calling out Daphne on trying to get herself killed is great. I hope he stays a permanent member of the group. The other main focus of the issue, Fred, is good. He’s creepy and silent, and him talking at the end just adds to it.

I think the art it’s at its best when there’s action/blood happening, and there’s a good amount in here. Fred bites off his own finger, gets shot, and cannibalizes some dead monsters. And it all looks great. The other monsters Daphne and Scrappy fight are generic but aren’t the exact same.

You can’t talk Scooby Apocalypse, without talking about Secret Squirrel. Unfortunately, this seems to be the last Secret Squirrel, at least for a while. Secret Squirrel, Agent Bea, Morocco, and the Chief get away from the exploding base. A little while later, Secret Squirrel meets the new Chief, Morocco. Then him and agent Bea, continue their spy antics, easily defeating a bunch of ninjas.

It’s a decent ending to the spy story they’ve been telling, if not a little by the books. But that’s fine by me. It’s been a spoof of spy stories and this is usually how they end. There’s a couple of jokes in here that are funny. There’s not much action but the art is good, I really like Secret Squirrel’s shocked expression.

All in all, this is a good issue. The Scooby story is building to something big and doing some interesting things. While I’m sad to see it end, Secret Squirrel has been a fun ride, and this is a good ending. The art for both is great, with nothing to really complain about. Everyone should be jumping onto the Scooby Apocalypse bandwagon, it’s a fun ride.