“Like we aren’t even safe going TO a mystery anymore.”
Scooby-Doo #18
DC Comics (January, 1999)
COLORIST: Paul Bactin
LETTERER: John Costanza
EDITOR: Dana Kurtin
“Are We Scared Yet?”
WRITER: Chris Duffy
PENCILER: Manny Galan
INKER: Mike DeCarlo
“Sound Stage Spook”
WRITER: John Rozum
PENCILER: Joe Staton
INKER: Andrew Pepoy
As Shaggy, Scooby, and a sleeping Velma drive to meet the others, our first story finds Shag and Scoob dealing with a gremlin that wants them off the road. This one is more for the giggles than being a mystery, and it’s strange that Velma doesn’t believe Shaggy and Scooby about the gremlin even after hearing one of the shop keepers discussing it. Still, it’s a fun tale, but it feels more like the back-up story than the main story.
Our other tale meanwhile feels more like the main story than the back-up. Fred’s uncle from issue #5 (which I don’t appear to have) invites the gang to his new movie in production but the ghost of a famous character actor is trying to ruin it. I’d like to think Fred doing voice work for the final trap is a nod to Frank Welker but I kind of doubt it. There’s still a mystery angle but it’s less about who is doing it (we only get one person even close to a suspect and spoilers–it isn’t him) than how he did it. Not bad though.
Overall it’s not a must own but a fun read nonetheless.
