Comic Review: Scooby Apocalypse #31

Scooby Apocalypse #31

DC Comics

Writers: Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis

Artists: Pat Olliffe and Gus Vazquez

There’s a lot going on in this issue of Scooby Apocalypse. I mean, a lot. Some questions are answered, some new ones are introduced. There’s the possibility of a baby. And to top it all off there’s an Atom Ant backup story that’s pretty funny.

Scooby Apocalypse #31 sees a confrontation between Daphne and Scrappy-Doo against a reanimated Fred. Fred wants Daphne to join him and his army of monsters in remaking the world. Daphne won’t have any part of it, however. In between, we see what’s happening back at Jonestown where Velma drops some big news on Shaggy.

That’s just a quick summary, but there’s a lot that happens. I’m no liar. Fred’s been reanimated by the nanites, and they think that they’re the real Fred. They might be, but either way that’s crazy. I like it, but I’m also hoping that he/they become a permanent villain for the series. I like an endless apocalypse scenario way more. We learn who’s ordering Scrappy Doo around. I really like the friendship between him and Daphne. It’s good for both characters. There’s some Scooby Doo and cliffy moments that serve as brief interludes. And those are fine, but Cliffy isn’t really a top priority right now with zombie Fred running around.

I’ll keep it short, but here’s a Spoiler Alert: Velma is pregnant. That’s a huge deal, and I can’t wait to see where that goes. A baby during the apocalypse is tough. Plus, this comes in the middle of Zombie Fred trying to recruit Daphne. It’s some major character development for Shaggy and Velma, but I like it.

I’m still really digging Pat Olliffe’s art. It’s a really good fit for the series. It kind of gives me a retro-ish feel, which is appropriate for Scooby Doo. At least in my mind. Of course, I think it really stands out during action scenes and there’s a good amount in this issue. Scrappy and Daphne fighting monsters look great. The colors compliment the style, and it’s all just really good.

I miss Secret Squirrel, but Atom Ant is a suitable replacement. In this installment, he’s shadowing Wonder Woman while auditioning for the Justice League. He’s also in love with her, after five minutes of knowing her. It’s a funny version of the “classic” superhero in modern times. The art is good and differentiates itself from the main Scooby story. If I have any complaint about these backups, it’s that they’re short. But that’s not really anything I can hold against them.

I keep saying it, but that’s because it keeps being true, this is a really good issue of Scooby Apocalypse. Clearly, the series is a major departure from regular depictions of the Mystery Inc gang, but there’s a lot of interesting stuff happening here. Especially this issue. The art is good, and the backups can carry their own weight. Again, I keep saying it, but if you’re not on the Scooby Apocalypse train, you definitely should be.