REVIEW: ‘Scooby Apocalypse,’ #33

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a massive fan of the Scooby Doo franchise. From the 1969 hit show Scooby-Doo: Where Are You to one of the best tv adaptations of the franchise Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, the franchise has delivered countless memorable moments.

I can’t think of a single person you can ask that hasn’t heard of the franchise. It became an integral part of my childhood and is one of the reasons I love horror movies. Having found this comic series in early 2018, it quickly became an instant must-read series that I always to for the next issue.

Scooby Apocalypse #33, which is published by DC Comics, is written by J.M. DeMatteis, with Pat Olliffe as the penciler. The coloring is done by Hi-Fi Color and the lettering is done by Travis Lanham. The gang finds themselves lost and confused with what just happened in issue #32, a monster Fred. They try to regroup as Fred and his monster horde slowly surround them. It looks like the gang will have to ready themselves for the darkest hours of their lives. Also included at the end of the comic is a continuation of the JLA trials of Atomic Ant.

I’ll just go ahead and say it; this is probably my favorite story from the entire franchise. This is the type of story that I would love to see be adapted into a live-action show or even a cartoon. The Scooby-Doo franchise has always been tailored to a much younger audience with a family-friendly feeling to it. The closest thing to a much more mature-based storytelling show was Mystery Incorperated.

The art style gives the franchise a much more adult look. It exactly depicts what a much more gritty, horror-like Scooby-Doo show would look like. It takes away the child-like feeling completely and automatically captured my attention. The monster designs are also great. They no longer look like it’s someone behind the mask. I’m just awed by all the aspects of the art style used here. This art style alone has established a new era for the franchise as a whole.

The story moved along smoothly. It was easy to follow and didn’t make me lose interest. Even if someone who had never read a single issue of this comic series picked this issue up, I’m sure the story would instantly motivate them to start from the beginning.

A nanite Freddy controlling a heard and his friends trying to survive is possibly the most interesting thing the series has done. It’s paced exactly like a standard horror movie, which makes it even more captivating.

This particular issue ended strong. It will make readers want to pick up the next installment and see how our heroes survive. Without giving any spoilers, it perfectly sets up that big boss fight feeling which will definitely have people wanting the next issue once they read it.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this issue. It reminded me of why I love this franchise and the fact that people still care for it. I’m very excited for what’s to come and will probably have to go back to issue 1 to contain my excitement.

Scooby Apocalypse #33 is available now, wherever comic books are sold.

Nicolas Soto

Nicolas is a pop culture critic, focusing primarily on film, tv. anime, and manga. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University, which shapes the way he analyzes his work.

Twitter and Instagram: @brainstormer609