The Flinstones and the Jetsons #18

I've still got a few books from this past holiday season to review. This one from 1999 was a DC series that had both Flintstones and Jetsons stories in the same issue; but aside from the occasional cover that had Fred and George interacting together, never seemed to have the two actually meeting in a story. 

There are 2 Christmas themed stories here. The cover carol is a parody of It's a Wonderful Life, though Wilma and Barney don't get married as the illustration would imply. It's Christmas Eve and Fred was expecting a big bonus in order to buy Christmas dinner and presents for everyone. However, he didn't get that bonus and instead of asking his boss why, Fred is wishing he was never born. So the Great Gazoo grants his request and Fred views life without him ever being a part of it. However, it all seems like his friends and family are much better off without him... on the surface.

The Jetsons tale was a slapstick farce. Elroy doesn't believe in Santa Claus anymore. Naturally, George rents a Santa costume and tries to restore his boy's faith in Christmas magic. Too bad for George, he forgot to disarm the elaborate alarm system to his home, the robot maid Rosie!

I enjoyed both stories with the Jetsons story probably being my favorite. Not because the first story was bad. As Christmas story aficionado, of not just comic books, it drives me crazy that the Flintstones celebrate Christmas! How is this possible?!? Jesus wasn't even born yet! Who's birth are these cavemen commemorating? 

I'd be okay with a situation similar to Star Wars. They celebrate Life Day, which with the decorating of trees and wearing of red, surprisingly looks a lot like Christmas but isn't. If the cave people of Bedrock celebrated the solstice and it just happens to look very festive like Christmas, I would be okay with that! Just don't call a pre-Christianity holiday Christmas! 

Sorry, but I have to acquiesce to my pet peeve and rate this issue a bit lower than I would normally.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Valley of the Dinosaurs #11 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Debuting on the very same day in September 1974 as Sid and Marty Krofft's Land of the Lost, Hanna-Barbera's animated series Valley of the Dinosaurs is the missing link when it comes to TV series about people being sent back in time to the age of the caveman. 

The same date of premier isn't the only similarities between the forgotten cartoon series and the live action classic. Valley of the Dinosaurs starred the Butler family who are sent through a vortex back in time to prehistoric ages while on a rafting trip. Father John Butler is a scientist who uses his knowledge to educate both his children, daughter Katie and son Greg, along with viewers on how to survive the many forms of thunder lizard that roam the valley. Unlike the Marshall's on Land of the Lost, the Butler consists also of mom Kim and family dog Digger. 

The Butlers are met by a Neanderthal family who befriend the displaced family. While Land of the Lost had a heavy sci-fi influence, Valley of the Dinosaurs was more like Gilligan's Island with the Butler's introducing modern technology like pulleys and the wheel to their primitive allies. Together, the two families fight for survival against dinosaurs and warring tribes while looking for a way to return the Butlers back to the present.

Like the Marshall's, the Butler's are never shown to return to the 1970s. However, the Marshall's have had the longer staying power, with Land of the Lost airing on NBC for 3 times as many episodes over a trio of seasons. Land of the Lost has also spawned a 1990s reboot series as well as a comedic live action film starring Will Ferrell. 

One thing that Valley of the Dinosaurs surpassed the Krofft Brothers creation in was a comic book adaptation. As part of Charlton's Hanna-Barbera line of comics, Valley of the Dinosaurs ran for an impressive 11 issues. Okay, compared to the number of issues Charlton produced of sister series such as Yogi Bear and the Flintstones, 11 issues may not seem like much. That is until you realize that the entire run of the Valley of the Dinosaurs comic occurred 1-2 years AFTER the animated series had been cancelled! 

In this issue, John Butler races to reinforce a dam before a looming maelstrom threatens the safety of his Neanderthal neighbors' village. As repairs are made, daughter Katie goes foraging for food. Unfortunately the girl unknowingly enters the territory of a tribe of ape-like warriors who kidnap Katie and force her to become a slave worker for them. With the storm looming, teenage primitive Lok races to save Katie from not just the ape creatures but a rampaging Tyrannosaurus! 

The one page prose story included in this issue sees Katie and Lok once again facing that fierce T-Rex. Only this time the two teenagers are stuck in between a battle with the king of the dinosaurs and an equally hungry Allosaurus. 

Issue #11 concludes with a one-page factual strip about sea otters.

Valley of the Dinosaurs featured an impressive vocal cast. Frank Welker voiced several characters including Lok and Digger. Child actor Jackie Earle Hailey was Greg. Sharon Farnon, Alan Oppenheimer and Don Messick were other notable voice talent on the series developed by Hanna-Barbera's Australian based studio. 

As for acknowledging the talent that worked on the comic book, there's not a lot of resources to cull from. We do know that the cover of this issue was by TV advertising director turned illustrator Fred Himes. Himes was a Charlton Comics work horse, drawing covers and interiors for many of the Connecticut based publisher's horror and war titles. According to Comicvine, Himes was also the writer for this issue with additional art provided by Don Perlin. However, no credits other than Himes' signature on the cover are attributed to other creators anywhere else in this issue.

Issue #11 was the last issue of the series.

Completing this review completes Task #23 (Something Bought From a Dollar Bin) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan #2 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

If you were there to ask the average fan of mysteries 'what was the only project to cast as Asian actor to play legendary detective Charlie Chan?', who would correctly respond with a Saturday morning cartoon sitcom? Not many, I'm sure. But in 1972 actor Keye Luke was cast as the lead role in Hanna-Barbera's The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan.

This wasn't Keye Luke's first time in the Charlie Chan universe. Luke played Chan's eldest offspring 'Number One Son' Lee Chan in 1930s in several films beginning with 1935's Charlie Chan in Paris. While white actors in heavy makeup and even heavier accents would portray author Earl Derr Bigger's Chinese-American master sleuth, studios had no qualms with Asian actors playing the supporting roles.

Jumping ahead to the 1970s, you would have thought that Hollywood had learned its lesson about casting Asian actors in Asian roles. At first Hanna-Barbera did just that, using an all Asian voice cast. Unfortunately, it was decided that the accents of the actors were too authentic for American audiences to understand. Ultimately, most of the Amazing Chan's ten children were recast with actors sporting American accents. Along with Keye Luke and Don Messick, who provided the voice of the Chan Clan's family dog Chu-Chu, only Robert Ito and Brian Tochi's original voice recordings made it to American TV sets. Of those new voice actors brought in was a future Academy Award winner. A young Jodie Foster provided the voice of second oldest daughter Anne Chan.

The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan was met with fierce criticism. Some opponents criticized the cartoon of stereotyping Asian Americans, mostly due to the 'fortune-cookie' witticisms spouted by Mr. Chan as he solved cases with his children. The series was also subject to an hearing by the FCC based on a complaint by the Chinese Media Committee of Chinese for Affirmative Action. Ultimately, the series only ran for a single 16 episode season. Reruns would continue to air on CBS until the following summer. The show was then syndicated regularly through 1982.

Thanks to the reruns and syndication package, Gold Key Comics released 4 issues based on the series from 1973-74. The first issue of The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan marked Mark Evanier's English language debut in comics. 'The Hot Ice Cream Man' was an adaptation of the first episode. Issue #2 was an adaptation from the series as well. 

"To Catch a Pitcher' was based on the second episode of the cartoon. It begins with Chan and his sons enjoying a baseball game. When the star of the game winds up missing, Detective Chan takes the case but not before sending his boys home. Not to be deterred, all 10 of the sleuth's kids break up into teams and work the case independently, discovering that a bookie is behind the disappearance after the athlete refuses to take a dive. 

No author byline was given in this issue. The artwork was by Warren Tufts whose other more well known Gold Key contributions included Korak, Son of Tarzan and The Pink Panther.

Completing this review completes Task #12 (A Comic Book Based on a Saturday Morning Cartoon) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby Apocalypse and Hanna-Barbera Preview Edition #1

From 2016, this preview book gives glimpses into 4 of DC's Hanna-Barbera reboot titles. Readers get a look at the Mystery Inc. gang taking on the hordes of zombie undeed in Scooby Apocalypse. Mark Russell's modern retelling of the greatest stone age family of them all, The Flintstones, are examined as is a Mad Max take on Wacky Races in Wacky Raceland. Finally, the epic team-up of nearly a dozen of Hanna-Barbera's more dramatic properties in the Jeff Parker/Evan 'Doc' Shaner venture Future Quest.

I had already read the entire run of the rebooted Flintstones run that took an innocent family from the time of dinosaurs and gave them 21st century problems such as PTSD and gender equality. It wasn't a bad read. But it lacked the humor and heart of the original 1960s series. 

I don't think I like my Scooby-Doo to be so gosh darn violent. If you took the original gang with their yuks and silly montages of being chased through a haunted house and placed it all in the middle of The Walking Dead, I would be okay with it. But again, this book is missing the retro humor which makes reading Scooby-Doo comics a guilty pleasure for me.

Wacky Raceland looks fun. Maybe it's because I don't have cemented fond memories of that series like I do with the Flintstones and Scooby-Doo. Or maybe it's a cartoon show that was destined for a gritty reboot that seems to have no rules. Regardless, I really want to read it. 

Future Quest is a series I've been collecting. Yet I've not been able to find those missing issues for the right price. But I am always on the eye for those holdouts every time I make a run at the bargain bins. Plus Shaner and Parker were so nice and inviting when I met them at a panel a few years back. I've got a loyalty towards approachable folks such as they!

I enjoyed this glimpse of titles. But I think my days of owning preview books are over. When  I first started out with my second collection of books, freebies such as these were a great way to boost my long boxes while giving me affordable looks at potential series I would want to use my hard earned cash for. Now that I have over 11,000 comics, storage room is at a premium and I think newer, younger readers would benefit more from titles such as this one.

Worth Consuming! 

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Flintstones Starring Dino #2 (Dino #2)

I should have read this book months ago. Yet somehow it wound up in my pile of books that I had already read and needed to review. Imagine my surprise when I started to write a review and I didn't have any clue about the contents. Last night, I rectified this and gave it a read that was a delight.

The comic is from 1973. The Flintstones have already been a TV staple for 13 years. And yet you'd think that the artists behind this book would have gotten Wilma's costume right! She wore a white furry thing with black stripes. Not a jet black cave woman evening gown!

Earlier this year I did a review of an Easter comic starring various Hanna-Barbera characters including Fred and Barney. I had pointed out in that review thanks to writer Mark Evanier that Charlton's books weren't well received by the animation studio. Mostly because of the likenesses. And I think Wilma's appearance is proof of that statement. But other than that, I didn't think this was that bad of a comic book.

The focus of the stories and one-page gags is the Flintstones' prehistoric pet, Dino. Unlike on the show, we get to see just what's on Dino's mind. Mostly it's food. Though he does at one point bring up a very good point: in the days of the caveman 'what's a dog?'

Fred calls Dino, in one story, a 'very poor excuse for a watch dog!' It's after a burglar distracts Dino with a steak. With Fred's insult, poor Dino wonders just what his master wants of him. I very much thought Dino was a dinosaur. Yet Fred and Wilma seem to think of their pet as a dog. The Flintstones have a sabertooth tiger, named Baby Puss, that is their house cat. Thus it's assumed that kitties evolved from those fierce predators. Since I have no recollection of wolves nor dogs ever appearing on the show, are we to assume that whatever breed of thunder lizard Dino is will eventually morph into the pooches of the 20th century?

I laughed at least once every story. Each gag made me chuckle. Sure, one of these tales got me thinking. But I really don't see what Hanna-Barbera didn't like about the Charlton books. The biggest error seems to be a coloring misstep that might have to do with the printing process as a whole. Maybe pure white didn't show well on newsprint? Maybe this just isn't the best example of Charlton Comics at its worst. Personally, I thought that this was a great dollar bin rescue.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera #2- Yogi's Easter Parade (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

I'm constantly updating my reviews when I learn more about my favorite hobby. But it's not everyday when one of the creators of a work I covered provides some insight. I publish my reading challenge posts on a Facebook group and Mark Evanier was kind enough to give some background on Hanna-Barbera's search for a comic book publisher.  

Any corrections to this review will be in bold.

The 1960s and 70s were the golden age of Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Yogi Bear, The Flintstones, and Scooby-Doo were some of the iconic successes of animation geniuses William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Yet as successful as Hanna-Barbera was, they just couldn't compete with Disney and Warner Bros.

One could argue that the comic book presence or lack thereof, was a main influence in why Hanna-Barbera would often rank third in terms of most popular animation franchises. Just like Disney and Warner Bros. did, Hanna-Barbera partnered with Western Publishing to produce comic book adaptations of their work. 

Hanna-Barbera was very happy with Western in terms of story and art. Many of the staff at Hanna-Barbera had side gigs at Western, so the adaptations were almost like lost episodes. They were big sellers to the point that the animation studio wanted Western to increase the number of titles based on the Hanna-Barbera catalog. Yet Western would not budge on their output leaving Hanna-Barbera to find another comic book publisher. 

In 1970, Hanna-Barbera partnered with Charlton Comics to produce comics based on their product line. Charlton was more than willing to produce the desired number of works based on the world's greatest Saturday morning cartoons. Flintstones was Charlton's most popular series running for 50 issues. Almost a half-dozen spin-offs were released by Charlton based on characters from the prehistoric comedy, including titles devoted to the Great Gazoo and Pebbles and Bam-Bam. A Yogi Bear title ran for 35 issues and a Top Cat book made it to 20. 

The studio wasn't not happy with the artwork, believing that the publishers were just unable to get the trademark likenesses just right. The 70s were a rough time for the Connecticut based publisher. Dick Giordano had poached most of Charlton's top talent and brought them over state lines to DC Comics headquarters in the Big Apple. According to Mark Evanier, the partnership between the studio and Charlton was soon severed. It was another nail in the coffin for the dying publisher and Hanna-Barbera was without a comic book presence once again.

Hanna-Barbera decided to take its characters to New York City. But they didn't go to DC Comics. Instead, Hanna-Barbera partnered with Marvel. 

Despite being wooed by the House of Ideas, Marvel didn't devote very much attention to its new Hanna-Barbera line-up. From 1977-79, Marvel released only 6 main titles to Yogi Bear and his pals were released. Along with a Dyno-Mutt series and a fan-favorite adaptation of the massive crossover cartoon, Laff-A-Lympics. Also part of Marvel's Hanna-Barbera line was a 3-issue tabloid sized anthology called The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera. 

The first issue was a Christmas themed book. The last issue was devoted to Laff-A-Lympics. The middle issue was a rare Easter treat full of Hanna-Barbera characters, puzzles, games and other fun things to do. 

Mark Evanier penned the opening story that features nearly 2 dozen characters from your favorite Saturday morning cartoons. On Easter morning, Yogi and Boo-Boo awaken hoping for Easter Eggs. A quick search finds the Easter Bunny's allotment of eggs and a note saying that he's been kidnapped. So Yogi calls all his friends and they work to provide Easter eggs for all the kids of the Jellystone Park region while conducting a search for the missing rabbit!

Then Dyno-Mutt and the Blue Falcon team-up with Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang to solve a caper involving a ghost and a number of missing items at a new museum. 

Evanier returns with a story involving Top Cat and his gang. Love is in the air with Officer Dibble, the cop who works the beat where Top Cat lives. However, Top Cat is suspicious of Dibble's new girlfriend when the officer gives her a check containing his life savings!

Lastly, go back in time to the very earliest days of baseball with the Flintstones. A struggling baseball team thinks that they have a superstar Babe in the making with tiny tot Bam-Bam. But a rival owner seeks to make sure the tyke doesn't make it to opening day!

The fun and games in this book include a magic trick presented by Magilla Gorilla and a find the twin game led by Captain Caveman. There's also a crossword puzzle and a word scramble for readers to do. But one must be the most knowledgeable of Hanna-Barbera fans in order to answer some of the most obscure questions.

By 1980, Hanna-Barbera had ended its partnership with Marvel. Bridges weren't burned as Marvel's Star Comics imprint did release a couple of books based on NBC's Foofur and the prehistoric prequel The Flintstone Kids. 

With exception to a few minis based on syndicated and Saturday morning toons, Hanna-Barbera wouldn't return to comics until the early 90s. Finding a home with Harvey Comics, Yogi and friends were welcomed by their new publisher. Unfortunately, it seemed like Hanna-Barbera was eternally snake-bit as Harvey ceased releasing new material by 1993. In 1995, Archie Comics signed an agreement to publish titles based on Scooby-Doo and the Flintstones. This agreement continued until 1997. A year prior, Hanna-Barbera Studios was purchased by Warner Bros. and absorbed into the Cartoon Network Brand. 

Since the merger, DC Comics has been the official publisher of Hanna-Barbera properties. In the quarter century since the purchase, DC has released dozens of titles. Scooby-Doo has been DC's most popular acquisition with 2 main series of over 250 issues and numerous spin-offs including the extremely popular Scooby-Doo Team-Up. In 2017, DC issued several one-shots pitting their most popular heroes with modern day versions of the Hanna-Barbera universe. Over the next several years, grittier reboots of characters such as Jonny Quest, Snagglepuss and the Jetsons were produced by DC with varying degrees of critical and consumer success.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #26 (Set During a Holiday Not in December) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #32

Continuing from the last issue, the Mystery Inc. squad re-emerge from their adventure with the Atom in the subatomic realm in order, only to find themselves dwarfed by another diminutive superhero, Atom Ant! 

After restoring themselves to normal height, the detectives learn that a bunch of monsters have been terrorizing the local residents of the city park. Since monsters are a part of the Mystery Inc. wheelhouse, the gang is on the case! But their new partner might not be any help. A giant picnic spread has appeared and Atom Ant is under the creator of this feast's spell!

The Scooby-Doo Team-Ups are at their best when it involves a DC character. The Hanna-Barbera stories aren't bad as Scooby and his friends do exist in that shared universe. But only when the character is one that I am familiar with and the writer is Sholly Fisch, those stories are best. Issue #32 has one thing going with it- Fisch crafted this tale!

I'm not familiar with Atom Ant. I know he's a Hanna-Barbera character. He's a super hero. And he's got an arch-enemy known as Professor Von Gimmick.

Other than Atom Ant being a tiny hero, I don't really see much of a reason to select Atom Ant as the guest star of this compared to Captain Caveman or Dastardly and Muttley. Even Droopy Dog would have been a better selection as he was a private detective once. This issue marked the first time in 19 years that Atom Ant even appeared in a DC Comic. And the character wasn't in any of the Hanna-Barbera/DC crossovers. 

So why pick this C-list character? Was it another Dan DiDio pipe dream in tribute to his childhood Saturday mornings as with the former editor adding the Impossibles to the ranks of 2017's Future Quest? Or maybe a lifelong dream of Fisch's or artist Scott Jeralds? Either way, this was a good read. I just didn't enjoy this one as much as I could due to the lack of familiarity with the character.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #31

The teen detectives of Mystery Inc. are summoned to Ivy University at the request of the Justice Leaguer, the Atom. In his scientist secret identity, Atom has uncovered evidence of a 'ghost particle.' He'll need to shrink down into the quantum realm to investigate this new molecule more closely. But since the Atom isn't an expert on phantoms, that's why Scooby-Doo and his pals are on the case! Armed with the same devices that the Atom uses to shrink, the detectives take a tiny trip through the subatomic universe and wind up in a medieval society!

This land is Archaea! That means we've dove into Sword of the Atom territory! These ghost particles turn out to be a sort of mystical barrier put around Archaea by a despotic sorcerer! Always one for adventure, the Atom hatches a plan to free the kingdom and it will take every trick in the hero's shrinking device to bring forth freedom!

The Sword of the Atom minis were a pair of fantastic fun reads that combined swashbuckling adventure with science fiction and fantasy. I was thrilled that Sholly Fisch and Dario Brizuela decided to pay tribute to that period of DC history! But Scooby, Shaggy and the rest just aren't needed for this story!

In reality, this is an Atom adventure through-and-through. I guess DC Comics figured they needed to include Mystery Inc. into this venture in order to make it interesting for the younger set. However, I think this tribute could have worked as a 3-issue miniseries without any presence of the Hanna-Barbera universe. Maybe the editors at DC might come back to this story-line with their line of graphic novels for middle schoolers. I really think they might enjoy it!

A great story in which Scooby-Doo is almost a NPC. Atom is the star and I didn't want the fun to end!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #34

While working a case with the fellas of Mystery Inc., Velma and Daphne are called to Gotham City. Taking Scooby with them, the girls have been summoned by Batgirl, Black Canary and Huntress- the Birds of Prey. A gigantic bird known as a Roc, a mythical creature of Middle Eastern origin, has been attacking the city. 

Since Velma and Daphne have a background in dealing with monsters, they've been approached to act as interim members of the Birds of Prey. It's a good thing, now that a thunderbird and a phoenix have begun attacking Gotham as well!

A really great issue. Another masterpiece by Sholly Fisch and Dario Brizuela! Fisch adds those little Easter eggs of DC nostalgia; like with the mystery villain that Mystery Inc. is originally on the search for before the girls go to Gotham City. Dario Brizuela just has an art-style that echoes the original Scooby-Doo cartoon as well as Alex Toth's take on Super Friends. They're like an all-ages duo for the ages!

The inclusion of Huntress was the only down-side of the story. I've never really been a fan of her. She never felt like an appropriate heir to Batman and/or Catwoman. And then Post-CRISIS, I never really got into her crime-family Catholic heritage background. She always felt like a vigilante nun to me. And in this issue, she's like a grumpy Debbie Downer. If we could have replaced Huntress with a different Bird of Prey like Katana or Hawkgirl, that would have been great!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.  

DC Meets Hanna-Barbera Vol. 2

In this second assortment of stories starring the heroes of the DC Universe and the nearly unlimited cast of characters from the world of Hanna-Barbera we've got the following:

• The sons of Superman and Batman assist Dynomutt in saving his partner the Blue Falcon from the clutches of his arch-enemy: The Condor!
• Hong-Kong Phooey cashes in a Vietnam War-era favor from Black Lightning in trying to prevent an ancient evil from devouring the Earth in a kung-fu romp set in 1970s Metropolis.
• Aquaman meets the talking shark, Jabberjaw and catches a glimpse of the future of Atlantis.
• Wally West learns that for every positive entity in the Speed Force, that there is an evil version in a race against time with Speed Buggy.

I really enjoyed the first set of DC/Hanna-Barbera stories. They were edgier versions of the Hanna-Barbera characters than we are used too. But the team-ups themselves weren't bad. I think with volume 2, the novelty's luster had worn off.

The Super Sons story was powerful but a little sad. I did rather enjoy the quirkiness of the Aquaman/Jabberjaw adventure with it's awesome Easter Eggs. But I wasn't a fan of the other stories. The Hong Kong Phooey story was too complicated or just plain poorly written. I did like the countless cameos of the Speed Buggy adventure. But I feel that the villains in that story were lame. 

I was a little more appreciative of the artwork. Of course, the art was done in that more gritty Post-New 52 style. But it translated fairly well with assists by Bill Sienkiewicz, Norm Rapmund and others. 

There was also two bonus shorts that were pretty good. Jason Blood summons the spirit of a relatively forgotten Hanna-Barbera character known as the Funky Phantom. Then we have the Wizard SHAZAM bestowing powers on a Neanderthal who once eventually defrosted in modern times will become Captain CAAAAAAVVEEE-MAN!

That story was great. I would pay money for a 4 or 5 issue long miniseries that followed up that yarn. It was that fine a quality.

An enjoyable read. But not my favorite volume. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents Super Friends Volume 1

Based on the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon, this black and white edition collects the first 24 issues of Super Friends. 

The cartoon and the comics started off with the teens Marvin and Wendy and their pooch Wonder Dog all learning to become crime fighters. Marvin was a sort of Shaggy arch-type. Wendy could kick serious butt like Daphne, but nowhere near as clumsy. And Wonder Dog was like Scooby-Doo in that he could talk. But Wonder Dog was much more braver. 

Like the Super Friends cartoon, Wendy and Marvin left only to be replaced by alien siblings, Jan and Zan: The Wonder Twins and their space-monkey Gleek. Unlike the TV show, the comics explained why Wendy and Marvin left. And it was done properly having the earthling kids graduate from their training instead of just being replaced without a word like what happened to Tiger on The Brady Bunch. 

DC's Super Friends had one more thing going for it than the Hanna-Barbera version. The comic book had legitimate villains. The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Chronos, and Cheetah all rear their ugly heads to make life miserable for the Super Friends. We also get heroes chipping in to help like The Atom, and The Flash. 

Another interesting element involves Aquaman. He's often been the butt of decades of jokes as being the most worthless Super Friend. Well, in this book, Aquaman often wonders why he's been chosen as part of the team. And in issue #24 he must overcome his own inadequacies of a water-bound hero when a mystery requires the heroes to head to the deserts of Egypt. 

In some ways I like the comic book version better because it really rounded out the series with better explanations as to why characters disappeared and it had more guest stars and it even tackled the Aquaman problem. 

Sadly, while this is considered Volume 1, this is the only volume of Super Friends as done as a Showcase Presents. DC Comics shortly shelved these treasuries shortly after this volume was published. The series ran until 1981 for a grand total of 47 issues. Thus, there's a whole another volume's worth of issues out there to collect and read... someday.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo #127

Scooby-Doo and friends must solve a trio of mysteries in this issue from DC Comics.

Velma is summoned to yet another relative's house in order to claim an inheritance. Then a spirit threatens construction set to remodel a beloved sports stadium. Finally, the Mystery Machine is haunted by a real ghost! 

All three were classic Scoody-Doo tales. However, not a single one is Christmas themed! 

I felt like this was a case of the old bait-and-switch! The cover has a ghoulish hand taking Santa's cooking while poor Scooby looks on in terror. Clearly, the cover is Christmas themed. But not the book. 

I was all set to be a little forgiving for this lack of holiday cheer. That is until I read the back page!

On the back, there's a listing of all the DC kid related comics that came out at the same time as this Scooby-Doo comic. I guess in order to not have to reset the printing for all of the titles, Scooby #127 is listed too. In the description of this comic is say 'The holidays are a time for family, for giving and or course receiving...' Other than that first story having Velma's distant relatives, there's no holidays inside this comic! No Thanksgiving. No Kwanzaa or Hannukah. And definitely no Christmas! Man was I pissed.

So now the question is what do I do with this book? I liked the stories. But do I refile this comic in my holiday comics section or does it go under S for Scooby-Doo? Decisions, decisions...

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #23

The Mystery Inc. gang take a road trip to Gopher Gulch. But instead of a thriving small town in the middle of the American West, the detectives find a ghost town! That is, except for it's sheriff, Quick Draw McGraw!

It turns out that the town is actually being haunted by a ghost and it scared all of the residents away. Desperate to catch the varmint, Quick Draw and the Scooby join forces to get to the bottom of this mystery. 

And if they can't get the job done, then McDraw's alter ego (and cheap Zorro imitator) El Kabong might. But don't count on it. 

This issue was entertaining. But it doesn't rank among the best of the Hanna-Barbera pairings in this series. Sholly Fisch falls into some of the traps that almost put me off this series when it first began. The jokes were stale. Plot was a little bit on the predictable side. But at least he artwork was very good. 

Looney Tunes' Mitch Jeralds captures all of the characters very, very well. At least he doesn't use Photoshop in order to make shortcuts with he background and all. That was a big no-no that other Team-Up artist, Dario Brizuela is often guilty of. 

A fun read. Just not one of my favorites in this series.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #47

After years of trying, Peebles Pet Shop has finally sold Magilla- to a mad scientist! Good thing Mystery Incorporated stopped by to give Scooby-Doo a good washing after a bout with a marsh monster. As the teen detectives and Mr. Peebles head to the foreboding laboratory, they run afoul of a score of creatures that have had their heads switched. Could this be the fate of our pal Magilla?

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that I think that the Hanna-Barbera are the weaker stories for Scooby-Doo Team-Up. But I really enjoyed this 2019 issue. It may have something to do with the fact that I am not very familiar with the antics of Magilla Gorilla. Grape Ape- I've got a doctorate in stuff involving him. But not so much Magilla. So, maybe the whole concept was more fresh to me. 

Another thing that made this issue a winner was just how well Sholly Fisch did with the story itself. The idea of the mad scientist was a welcome change to the detectives solving another whodunit involving someone in a ghost costume. Plus, the jokes were funny and not as worn out as my walking shoes.

Walter Carzon did a great job on the art. His pairings of animals with different heads was really well done. Plus, I like how the Scooby characters and the Magilla characters meshed together. Sometimes, the HB characters don't look quite right next to Fred, Daphne and Velma, who are drawn more like a realistic teens. But the way Carzon crafted Mr. Peeples, Magilla and the mad scientist, you still got the original look of the characters but without a sense that someone was out of place.

Another great issue of this fun series. SCTU is one of my all-time favs and this issue issue is yet another fantastic reason why!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #44

Those flying fiends Dastardly and Muttley have tried for years to do away with the Yankee Doodle Pigeon. Their latest scheme has them calling upon the Mystery Inc. Gang for assistance. Playing the victim, Dastardly hires the detectives to protect his flying circus from a ‘ghost’ pigeon! Will those meddlesome kids figure out who the real villain here is? Or has Yankee Doodle Pigeon finally flown the coup?

The Hanna-Barbera crossovers are usually the weakest of the Scooby-Doo Team-Ups. But writer Sholly Fisch has really upped his game on them in recent issues. His Penelope Pitstop story answered several nagging questions I had always had about the character. Last year’s Yogi Bear adventure and the Dyno-Mutt reunion were some of my favorites of this entire series. Now I think this issue is going to rank among those top non-DC tales as well.

I knew that both Dastardly and Muttley were on Wacky Races. I did not know that the duo had gotten their own series like fellow competitor Penelope Pitstop had however. The flying foes’ solo series was set during WWI. However, with some very creative rebooting, Fisch manages to bring Dastardly and company into the 21^st century. He even does a brilliant job of explaining why Dastardly and the Pigeon are battling in a peace-time modern era! It’s got a great twist but it’s one I do not want to spoil.

This issue came out in November. I’ve been sitting on it for a while because this unfortunately is the last issue to be produced in 2018. Due to the Christmas holiday, DC decided to push the next issue (#45) until January. But fans, rejoice! As next month promises 2 new issues of Scooby-Doo Team-Up!

A super fun issue of an all-ages series that keeps getting better and better!

DC, you had better not cancel this!

Worth consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #38

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.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #41 (Family Comic Friday)

The Mystery Inc. gang are hired to protect heiress Penelope Pitstop from a menacing monster. Could it be that her pint sized saviors, the Ant Hill Mob, are behind the attacks? Or is this the work of her arch-enemy, the Hooded Claw?

This was a much different story than I was used to in Scooby-Doo Team-Up. I really am not familiar that much with either Wacky Raceland or the spin-off series The Perils of Penelope Pitstop. If I ever caught an episode of either as a child, it was often towards the end of the episode, while ending my cereal before the start of another day of vacation with my family. 

An interesting aspect of this story is the time difference. Penelope Pitstop's stand alone series was set during the 1920s. If her costume as well as the leader of the AHM's outfit were not dead giveaways, Google even says so! Usually the great Sholly Fisch will make some sort of joke about anachronisms in the decided upon team-ups, but he didn't this time. But with the inclusion of old timey narration boards, he does hit upon that roarin' twenties feel somewhat. But whether that sort of things was a part of the classic 70s cartoon is beyond my scope of knowledge. 

By the way, has anyone ever made the connection that Penelope Pitstop is a retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? Penelope is always in danger from an evil relative. Her rescuers are 7 tiny fellas with interesting quirks. One is always sleepy; another is always laughing. My favorite was Pockets. His zoot suit had extra storage for keeping just about anything. 

The artwork is by Looney Tunes comics artist Scott Jeralds. He usually does the artwork for the Hanna-Barbera team-ups. But with DC team-ups artist Dario Brizuela tackling an all-ages project for Marvel, I'm a little afraid that it will be Jeralds who handles my favorite crossovers. He's great at drawing the funny animals and other classic TV properties, but I do not want to lose Brizuela!

This was a very good read. Not my favorite in the series. But again, I prefer the DC teamings more. But this is still a great all-ages series and one of my very few monthly new release purchases.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #35

One of the best issues of the entire series and it stars not a DC legend but Yogi Bear!

Somebody is stealing the picnic baskets of visitors to Jellystone Park. Ranger Smith believes that it's the work of Yogi and is ready to ship him off to the Poughkeepsie Zoo. Yogi swears that it's a ghost. It's up to Mystery Inc to get to the bottom of this caper or Yogi is gonna become the newest attraction of the New York zoo scene.

Sholly Fisch did an amazing job on this story. Sometimes the jokes can get a little corny and stale. But Fisch manages to keep things fresh with this one. Usually the Hanna-Barbera crossovers are the weakest. Yet Yogi, Boo- Boo and his friends were a delightful surprise! Another reason this is one of my favorite series of all-time!

Another thing I loved was the art. Because of the use of recycled backgrounds in the old Scooby-Doo cartoons, regular artist Dario Brizuela will cheat occasionally by using a similar technique. With this being a Yogi Bear story, I expected this with abandon! Yet guest artist Walter Carzon with Horacio Ottolini, kept every panel from being static with dynamic pencilling on every panel!

If they will keep putting out issues like this I would have no problem with more non-DC team-ups!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #35 debuted in stores and digital formats on February 28th, 2018.

Green Lantern/Space Ghost Special #1

 Both Hal Jordan and Space Ghost answers a distress call from a planet besieged by a mysterious entity that can destroy planets. In typical (but very awesome) crossover fashion, both Green Lantern and Space Ghost believe that the other is the dangerous foe. When the true enemy is revealed, Jordan is now in possession of Space Ghost's battle bracelets whereas Space Ghost is the newest Green Lantern in the sector! It's an dynamic buddy-cop team-up full of excitement and childhood dreams come true!

The story was very good but the art and colors by Ariel Olivetti was just amazing. I'm a big fan of Alex Ross and his realistic painting style. Olivetti boasts similar skills but his style has a more 1940s pulp action feel to it. It's freakin' awesome stuff.

The secondary feature star a pair of Hanna-Barbera characters that I have never heard of. It's a cat and dog duo called Ruff n' Ready. In this story, both are down-on-their luck comedians that just can't find the right partner until one fateful day the two happen to pull up a seat next to each other an a local bar and comedic history is made. 

This Howard Chaykin penned story promises more of Ruff n' Ready in the future. Somehow I doubt it. This tale, while an interesting take on how comedy duos are formed, just didn't feel to me something that's going to spawn a future mini-series. I might be wrong but I doubt it as I really felt that the Jetsons back-up in Booster Gold/The Flintstones was going to become a series and in November, my instincts will be proven right. With Ruff n' Ready, I don't have that same vibe.

This crossover special overall was enjoyable. But the title feature of Green Lantern/ Space Ghost is really what carries this book. Just because I rate this book lower because of the back-up feature doesn't mean that this special isn't Worth Consuming- it really is!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Adam Strange/Future Quest Special #1

In this story, after a Zeta Beam malfunction, Adam Strange is sent back to earth. Only this is unlike any earth that the space travel has ever known. On this parallel earth, there is no Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman. But there is a daring young boy named Jonny Quest who just might have the means to get Adam back to his universe. 

Then in the back-up feature, that sly feline Top Cat is detained by the Batman. Here, Top details how a talking cat wound up in Gotham City. 

Both stories were quite good but the Jonny Quest story was better. It takes place almost immediately after the end of Future Quest. I've not read all of that story yet. Thankfully, this book really doesn't spoil too much so I still have the rest of that amazing miniseries to finish someday. This book also takes place right after the Death of Hawkman mini. I hadn't been keeping up with that, so any spoilers revealed that might ruin reading that book, I am unaware of at this point.

Top Cat's story was very interesting. I didn't so much get the feel that it's going to inspire a sequel like the Jetsons reboot has in the pages of the Booster Gold/ Flintstones special. But the seamless blending of cartoon funny animals with the gritty DC Universe has led me to believe that this was in some way the inspiration for Tom King's brilliant crossover of the Dark Knight and Elmer Fudd.

When this book debuted in March there really wasn't a lot of press. This Hanna-Barbera reboot crossover was a underrated delight to read. Marc Andreyko's ability to blend the worlds of Adam Strange and Jonny Quest was masterfully done and I thought the art in both stories was quite exceptional. Phil Winslade and Steve Lieber do great jobs on their persepective tales. But look at this cover by Evan 'Doc' Shaner. Wow- that's great stuff. I wish he had done the Future Quest story inside as he was the main artist on that project and did a kick-ass job.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.