![STL004637[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/M8ly6kU.jpg "STL004637[1].jpg")
>Are you ready for Scooby-Doo to take on the apocalypse? Because the classic cartoon characters are back in a brand new iteration from Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics... And this time, the Mystery Machine gang is suiting up for the end of the world.
>The new ongoing comic book series -- titled Scooby Apocalypse -- is scripted by J.M. DeMatteis and Keith Giffen, with art by Howard Porter; but the concept started far before they got on board. It actually began with DC Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan Didio, who were talking about how to update the characters and mythology of the classic series, while doing something that hadn't been done before.
>"We noticed there wasn't really an origin story for the characters," Lee told TVGuide.com over the phone. "What if we refined who these characters are? They're really cyphers in a way."
>Those who might not 100% recall the characters from the 1969 debuting cartoon series -- or the numerous iterations in movies, on TV, and even in comics that have popped up in decades since -- you're forgiven. In short: a group of plucky teenagers drive around in a van called the Mystery Machine with a talking (sort of) dog named Scooby-Doo. They investigate bizarre, seemingly supernatural cases that almost to a fault end up being caused by a cranky old man in a mask.
>The teens in question? Velma, the nerdy one; Fred, the hunky one; Daphne, the reckless adventurer; and Shaggy, the... Medicated... One. Those archetypes stay pretty much constant in the new comic, with new character designs by Lee (augmented by Porter), and a futuristic setting.
>With one big exception: "The monsters are real," Giffen told TVGuide.com, adding that the first few issues of the book are about, "how the group gets together."
![exclusive-scooby-full-16-revised[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/s3PlR7n.jpg "exclusive-scooby-full-16-revised[1].jpg")
>The first part of the process, though, was updating the characters for a new generation. Lee, a comic book artist before he was co-running DC Comics, would take a pass at the designs, then get notes from Giffen and Didio, then Porter would add his own unique spin. "[Porter]'s a little more grounded in reality," Lee noted.
>In fact, though it seems the creative process was smooth, as the members of team were all fans of the characters, occasionally some of the gang would have, shall we say, strong feelings about what the Scooby Gang should look like.
>"Velma is my favorite," Lee said laughing. "I did something a little more traditional. Everyone else got plus-ed up, and she just got a white lab coat."
>Once Porter got his hands on her, though, he shrunk the size of the character significantly, and exaggerated her glasses and other features. "He liked her being a short person," Giffen added.
>Shaggy was the biggest reinvention on the table. The character has always embraced a certain part of the culture, but for Apocalypse he's gone full-fledged hipster... Which hasn't sat well with some fans.
>"We knew it would be controversial," Lee said on updating the look. Noting that over time Shaggy's look has become dated, the team instead turned towards hipster culture to freshen up his appearance. "All these people saying, 'it's horrible, he's a d-bag,' and I say, 'wait... you look like this guy!' It's an unusual look, but it's to show he's visually distinct from the others, and not part of the mainstream."
>Lee added that changing an older character's look is part and parcel with what DC Comics does, using Batman as an example: Bruce Wayne hasn't kept the same costume and trappings for more than a decade at any point. But when it comes down to it, the core of the characters remains the same; they're just "tweaked" to fit their setting.
>"Keep in mind, it's a comic book. If the book does badly... [Shaggy] shaves," Giffen joked.
![exclusive-scooby-full-11-revised[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/oc5Neu2.jpg "exclusive-scooby-full-11-revised[1].jpg")
>Even with the grungier beard and lobe piercings, Shaggy still does have his special connection with Scooby-Doo -- "he's the dog whisperer," Lee said -- and the classic Scooby-Doo comics will exist alongside the more apocalyptic versions. "We've got something for everyone if you're a Scooby fan," Lee said.
>As for the set up? Lee and Giffen were relatively mum about the rebooted origin story, but we can say that yes, it does take place at some unspecified point in the future; the characters do follow their original roles (with some tweaks and surprises); and the Mystery Machine does show up -- though not in the first issue.
>...But that's it! Giffen did note that once the world, and the characters are cemented in the first few issues that almost anything is fair game. "Any type of monster, any type of horror, and kind of story," Giffen said about how the plot will develop, adding that as he's written ahead on the title, Daphne -- surprisingly -- has been his favorite character to write. "In the cartoon she's been the straight woman of the group. I worked up a bit of backstory for her, [and] she's the one I find most interesting."
>Okay, there is one thing we can tell you, and that's the glimpsed, but not explained headgear Scooby-Doo is wearing on covers and designs for the series, which seem to be throwing emoji style bubbles in the air.
>"Well I can tell you: Scooby's wearing headgear, and emojis are coming off of it," Giffen joked, before relenting. "Scooby's story is, he was one of the early attempts to implant cybernetics into dogs, to increase their intelligence and possibly use them for either military, or inner city activity."
![exclusive-scooby-full-12-revised[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/1uc45F5.jpg "exclusive-scooby-full-12-revised[1].jpg")
>Scooby, they elaborated, was actually the first try at the technology, and became more of a mascot for the mysterious "they" who later created (unseen in the first issue, at least) attack dogs. In order to communicate, Scooby uses a device inspired in part by Periscope -- the live-streaming video app that lets viewers float hearts over the video, if they like what they're seeing.
>On Scooby, the cybernetic device floats these emojis so you know what's going on in the mystery loving canine's mind. "Velma can see [the emojis] because of her glasses," Giffen clarified, as well as Shaggy because of special contact lenses he wears. But not everyone will be able to understand what Scooby is "saying."
>"It makes the Shaggy and Scooby relationship more special," Lee added.
>Lee also lauded the "thought out" design for the Mystery Machine, which he admitted he couldn't quite nail... But that Porter's more military, but still fun design got to the heart of what works about this new world: combining the classic Scooby-Doo characters with a more realistic sci-fi setting in what is - hopefully - a seamless whole.
>And as for the future? Scooby Apocalypse is just one of the Hanna-Barbera books DC is launching, along with Flintstones, Future Quest, and Wacky Raceland. Could a mega-crossover be in the cards? At the moment, at least, Lee and Giffen aren't ruling the possibility out.
>"There's a lot of thoughts shared, non-sequitors thrown out," Lee said on the possibility. "We love doing world-building."
>Lee noted that Wacky Raceland also takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, and also includes cybernetic, augmented dogs, so there's a natural entry there. Or there could be a, "dream sequence where Scooby finds himself in the Wacky Racelands," Lee noted. He also added that every Hanna-Barbera franchise has its own red-head, teasing the creators could start drawing connections there, too.
![exclusive-scooby-full-13-revised[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/PdQS6gs.jpg "exclusive-scooby-full-13-revised[1].jpg")
>"[The books are] stretched out not just throughout the world, but throughout time," Lee continued. "That definitely leads to a world-building dialogue and discussion."
>Giffen, meanwhile, is game for a crossover, but for the time being is just concentrating on making Scooby Apocalypse as good as possible. "I just love the characters," Giffen added.
![exclusive-scooby-full-14-revised[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/AmHw0uO.jpg "exclusive-scooby-full-14-revised[1].jpg")
Sauce: http://www.tvguide.com/news/scooby-doo-apocalypse-exclusive/
Cautiously optimistic? I don't know. This could go either way but I like the way they embrace the jokes about them being stoners.
So he can talk and still uses the emoticon? Who the fuck came up with this
>based on a concept by Jim Lee
FUCKING HELL
>>82411551
>FEK AL VI! FEK AL VIA PATRINO!
I'm digging this
>>82411540
>"All these people saying, 'it's horrible, he's a d-bag,' and I say, 'wait... you look like this guy!'
Exactly!
>>82411584
"Do not disturb me for the next hour."
Things are gonna get wild.
>>82411562
Shaggy looks like hipster Green ArrowI like it
>>82411540
>Shaggy's look has become dated,
How the hell is pants and a t-shirt dated?
>>82412425
Tee Slacks and Loafers. Fuck its what Hipsters wear now.
You know, I was really skeptical about this. And the art, specifically Fred's hair, is going to take some getting used to. But I actually might give this run a shot.
Zombie Island throwbacks are a good way to get my attention.
I'll go in with casual optimism. There's a lot of expository unpacking here in the preview pages, but I assume once the first few issues are out of the way that it'll be less direct about that.
Looksfun
But sounds a lot worse in concept than in execution
>>82411584
You had one job, Jimbo! One job! Keep Velma looking sexy!
>>82412068
honestly i was so thankful they put the emoji thing in. Scoobys dumbass voice ruins most scooby doo for me
I wish they would of canned the dog talk all together
>>82412572
I mean, it's the JL3000 crew
It was always going to be great
>>82411532
>Daphne, the reckless adventurer
Since fucking when?
>>82413039
Seems like they're taking more of a play off of Daphne's role in Zombie Island, in which she went off and started a show hunting mysteries with Fred as a cameraman.
>>82411532
Here's Future Quest preview. Someone make a thread, I'm on mobile with limited data.
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/jackson/index.ssf/2016/05/dc_comics_future_quest.html
>>82413080
Just black-and white inks.
>>82413078
Yeah, sure, but she wasn't a reckless adventurer there, either
>>82413095
Still better than nothing faggot
>>82413119
It's almost as if this is some new interpretation of the characters or something.
>>82412582
>implying she won't be qt3.14 waifu material as soon as she takes the glasses off
>>82413039
>>82413078
honestly, did she even have a personality before Zombie Island?legit question, i wanna know
>>82413119
She was like that a bit in a couple of movies too. Like that one where they went to Scotland.
I'm actually alright with shaggy's design, even with the stupid headset they put on scooby, it's a miricle they didn't end up copy pasting actual emojis in those bubbles.
My real problem is >>82411551.
Fred looks like some no-neck jock douche, I'm not sure I like that.
>>82413123
Posting it here anyway.
Honestly, after reading Justice League 3001, I'm starting to get tired of Giffen's writing.
Yes, his comedy is good. But as a result, half the pages are nothing but words. It's like he's writing every single joke he can think of, in the hope something fits. Some of the best jokes don't even need any dialogue.
Also, he has a problem with exposition. Even in the penultimate issue, he has to keep introducing Ariel Masters, Lois Lane, Guy's split personality, and so on.
>>82413080
>that moment when I was looking for some good comics with Shaner art.
Thanks DC!
>>82411562
I'm pretty hyped for this but:
>Having Shaggy so prominent in a frame ostentiously about Fred and Daphne seems amature
>I feel Shaggy calls Scooby 'Scoob' more, right?
At least for the most part, I'm reading it in the character's voices.
>>82413172
Eh. She was a typical pretty girl in a Hannah-Barbera detective crew show. What do you think?
Shit, that's like asking about the personalities of the cast of Jabberjaw that didn't include the shark. Or Captain Caveman's bitches. Or the Funky Phantom's posse or Speed Buggy's crew. Those teenagers were just...there.
>>82413262
Giffen plots, DeMatteis is the one filling in the word balloons.
>>82411562
>Every Hanna-Barbera series has it's own redhead
Come on. Now you're just grasping at straws.
>Daphne
>Wilma and Pebbles
>George and Jane Jetson (and Judy?)
>Prof. Pat Pending? (May be misremembering)
Not every HB show has a redhead.
>>82413338
Really? I did not know that.
Well, looks like was disliking the wrong person. The plot of JL3001 was all right, even though the arbitrary switch to an all-female cast seemed like a cheap trick. My main problems were with the script.
>>82413427
>though the arbitrary switch to an all-female cast seemed like a cheap trick.
That's simply because that's what Giffen enjoys writing nowadays. A while before JL3K1 he had stated he was enjoying writing female characters a lot more and then he was talking about Fifty-Sue&Lana from Futures' End and Supergirl from his convergence mini. THen he probably just decided to make the JL3K1 team all females
>>82413295
>Having Shaggy so prominent in a frame ostentiously about Fred and Daphne seems amature
It's a framing transition
>>82411532
>We noticed there wasn't really an origin story for the characters,
Christ almighty Lee at least have an intern look this shit up
>>82411540
>hippe culture has given way to hipster culture
fuuuuck that's true
>E.T. and Dyno-Mutt cameos on the first page
Nice.
Preview's not half bad so far. I might grab the first issue.
It's pretty great reading this in the voices.
The tones are pretty decent so far...although I agree that Shaggy should be saying "scoobs"
>>82411551
Jesus whats with Fred "Blast ThickNeck" being a whiny dick?
>inb4 "lol no personality"
>>82414289
He's always that way when the gang wants to rush into shit
>>82411584
Liking it so far
>>82414067
Fair, I think Fred and Daphne are talking to much to make it effective, though.
>>82414871
That's the point. It's the tail end of their conversation and then you're placed in Shaggy and Scooby's all in one panel
>>82413172
Not really
>>82413389
They are doing a thing where Wilma, Daphne, Penelope Pitstop and Jane Jetson are all descendents of eachother
>>82412582
>implying velma was ever sexy
>>82411532
whatever happened to that archie zombies book?
>>82411562
Shaggy looks like a total hipster, which I guess makes sense but the lame kind of hipster.
>Zoinks! We're out of microbrews, Scoob!
>>82413039
Her nickname is "Danger-Prone" Daphne Blake.
it will be shit compared to Mystery Inc, won't it?
>>82417774
Not with this team it won't be
Might be cool
>>82413139
>Those archetypes stay pretty much constant in the new comic
The press release clearly implies this is how they've always been
Pericles isn't coming back, is he?
>>82417614
Fuck, they called her that in the original series too.
Did they finally get around to realizing that Be Cool was absolute shit?
>>82413260
Shit that Johnny Quest art looks amazing
>>82417030
She almost always just wore that bulky unflattering sweater.
But, in Hawaii...
>>82418088
Looks like Classic characters only, though. No Jessie. :(
Cavegirl Velma...
This will always be the best version of Fred. Wish they would base him more on this.
>>82418399
I'll certainly be giving it a read: I still love scooby doo and even if it's bad it can't be any worse than the low-tier marvel/dc shit.
>>82411584
VelmaXShaggy confirmed.
>>82411540
>>"Keep in mind, it's a comic book. If the book does badly... [Shaggy] shaves," Giffen joked.
Comforting.
Still, Future Quest is the one I'm hyped for. Scoody Apocalypse is just too clearly inspired by every DeviantArt version of Scooby Doo for me to get excited over it. It seems fun from these preview pages, though.
>>82412634
He can still talk though, so it makes the whole emoticon thing pointless.
>>82418399
>>82418017
>Did they finally get around to realizing that Be Cool was absolute shit?
>>82411532
>how to update the characters and mythology of the classic series, while doing something that hadn't been done before.
>We noticed there wasn't really an origin story for the characters
So they decided to make Mystery Incorporated?
>>82411551
It's weird to see Fred being lovelorn for Daphne for once.
>>82411551
>Daphne has a TV Show
>It's not Coast to Coast with Daphne Blake
Have they done any research on the franchise's post 70s history?
>>82413078
>>82413172
I think the later stuff when it was her, Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy had her sort of adventurous but bland leader type.
>>82413119
Stuff in the 90's and 2000's had her do a lot of sports and physical activities to cast aside the damsel thing.
Honestly Daphne's probably gone through the most variants of the gang.
>The pretty one
>The leader
>An action girl
>The ditz
I always thought it might be fun to see one where they mix the ditz and the action girl.
>>82421621
Oh, and
>The Rich one
That stuck about a lot though.
>>82419980
>454 KB PNGThis will always be the best version of Fred
Nope (pic related)
>>82421423
meh, it's okay. nothing really to write home about.
>>82422319
>Bluemoon tower.webm
>>82422784
>>82422319
>>82422807
This looks pretty sweet. I haven't watched many of the movies.
>>82423461
They're pretty entertaining.
![7450270[1].gif](https://i.imgur.com/7gbZE5B.gif "7450270[1].gif")
>>82423526
Looks like it could be good, but it's too bad everyone will slap this with a "grimdark" label, even though few people buy the current Scooby Doo ongoings.
>>82421244
Awwww yissssss...
>>82417119
It will resume later this month.
I don't like Shaggy's piercings or Fred's face.
>>82423526
Sause me Boss
>>82416969
Penelope is blond.
Also,
>Implying Wilma and Jane are from different time periods
>Implying the Flintstones comic won't go full Elysium
Will any cartoonfags who shit up this board constantly buy anything Hannah Barbera? Or are they completely useless faggots?
>>82417943
what if he DID?
>>82432073
Cartoonfags don't really care that much about cartoons.
>>82411562
>"My name is Norville Rogers. After five years in a hellish van, I have come home with only one goal: to save my city. But to do so, I can't be the stoner I once was. To honor my friend's memory, I must be someone else. I must be... something else."
>SHAGGY
>>82421433
It's like the reverse of Lola Bunnies differing characterizations.
>>82421241
It's supposed to make the dogs who wear it smarter.
>>82436242
>this monologue was all in his head because he is STILL the stoner abd was really fucking high at the time
>>82415017
Nah - you look at the panel and you see Shaggy and Scooby. Then you've got a lengthy conversation between two characters you might not have even noticed initially. It's flawed composition.
>>82417943
>>82435304
I'd lose my shit, but I doubt the writers know of him.
