Dynomutt, Dog Wonder and Scooby-Doo: together again for the first time!
I had always thought that the robotic dog of a thousand gadgets and the crime solving scaredy cat pooch had paired up with each other before. But technically the two cartoon canines have never officially meet. In the late 70s, ABC television did air the Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour. However, the show was comprised of 30 minutes of Scooby-Doo mystery and 30 of Dynomutt action and adventure. But never was there a crossover- until now!
In this issue, Dynomutt’s human companion, the Blue Falcon, isn't acting like himself. Instead of being gentle and kind, Blue Falcon is being kinda moody. The hero is roughing up jaywalking little old ladies and beating up litterers. Worst of all, Blue Falcon has broken up his partnership with Dynomutt!
Just what is wrong with the Blue Falcon? Dynomutt thinks his human pal might be possessed. So he calls in Scooby and the Mystery gang to find out for sure.
I had heard that Blue Falcon was a Hanna-Barbera knock-off of Batman. I don't think that comparison is so warranted. But I do see where the Dark Knight was used as source material. Yet I think any cartoony inspirations were done first out of love for the ultra-campy 1966 Batman series. Corporate greed and possible copyright infringement were a distant second and third motive.
This is another story by Sholly Fisch that doesn't follow the traditional formula of a Scooby-Doo mystery. I love it! Usually the crossovers with the Hanna-Barbera properties are silly and formulaic. That's not so here. I think in the case of this adventure, the similarities between Batman and the Blue Falcon help to add more unique elements to a Scooby-Doo caper.
Horacio Carzon and Hector Ottolini replace Dario Brizuela on art in this issue. Brizuela tends to pencil the DC crossovers of this series. For Dynomutt, I understand why they went with Carzon and Ottolini; the dog is a very fluid character with all of his souped up abilities. But why not use Brizuela to pencil Blue Falcon and everyone else? Would this have been a case of too many cooks and not enough kitchen?
A fun issue that was original. It broke the Mystery Inc mystery mold. And a few times, it made me laugh.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
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