Finally, a ghost even Shaggy and Scooby like.
Scooby-Doo Team-Up #20
DC Comics (January, 2017; as featured in the digital version of the vol. 4 trade at comiXology)
“Space Case”
WRITER: Sholly Fisch
ARTIST: Dario Brizuella
COLORIST: Franco Riesco
LETTERER: Saida Temofonte
EDITOR: Brittany Holzherr
SPECIAL THANKS: Kristy Quinn
With the Phantom Cruiser damaged, Space Ghost and his allies head for Earth and run into the gang, called in after a message was sent about an invading paranormal alien. (Yeah, guess who they meant.) Curious who could have sent that message, Space Ghost brings Mystery Inc with them to the moon, to find a planned invasion by Zorak and Moltar. Thanks to a clever trick by Fred and Daphne with Jan and Jayce, our heroes manage to defeat the villains and save Earth.
What they got right: In a series where Scooby is teaming with DC superheroes and other Hanna-Barbera characters, it’s a given that HB’s superheroes would get a turn. It’s a fun adventure, and Fred’s idea to switch with Space Ghost’s crew is quite clever. There is also a joke tied to the Space Ghost: Coast To Coast series.
What they got wrong: Although in a way it feels like they went with that show as a model for Zorak and Moltar. Earth has been shown to be a planet the Ghost Planet heroes are aware of, and even visited during the crossover finale “Council Of Doom”. How is Space Ghost this confused about Earth not having regular space travel yet? We also get the old myth about the sidekick(s) being kidnapped all the time, when on occasion Jan and Jayce (whose powers come from the costumes so how did they have access to inviso-power if Fred and Daphne have their belts?) have actually rescued Space Ghost. Blip thinking of himself as the brains of the group goes back to that Coast To Coast style humor, especially since he’s also caused trouble as well as saved his friends. They all help each other and they each make mistakes. That’s what makes the quartet a good team. Plus didn’t their adventures take place in the future? I guess you can make the same complaint when they teamed with Batman on Batman: The Brave & The Bold but Batman is shown to have time travel in that series because it’s based on the Silver Age Batman.
Recommendation: My nitpicks are ultimately minor, long as that section was. This was a fun superhero/Scooby team up and it makes sense it would lean more on the comedy given it’s a Scooby-Doo story (even if the gang doesn’t do much outside of Fred’s trick). Worth giving a read.
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