Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Comics Review: "THE BATMAN & SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES #1" - Deadman Tells No Tales

THE BATMAN & SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES (2024) #1
DC COMICS

STORY: Sholly Fisch
ART: Dario Brizuela
COLORS: Franco Riesco
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
EDITOR: Kristy Quinn
COVER: Dario Brizuela with Franco Riesco
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (February 2024)

Ages 8+

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger

“The Show Must Go Away”

The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries is a series of 12-issue comic book limited series that DC Comics initially published in 2021.  The series brought the characters from both the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? and Batman comic book series together.  Over the past five decades, Mystery Inc.Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma, have joined Batman and (often) Robin to solve mysteries in various animated television series and comic books.

The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries sold well enough that DC Comics began a second series in October 2022.  Now, DC has begun a third series in January 2024.  The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #1 (“The Show Must Go Away”) is written by Sholly Fisch; drawn Dario Brizuela; colored by Franco Riesco; and lettered by Saida Temofonte.

The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #1 (“The Show Must Go Away”) opens with a quick summary of how Dick Grayson's childhood tragedy led to him becoming Batman's sidekick, Robin, and later, the adult superhero, Nightwing.  The story opens at the place Dick once called home, “Haly's Circus.”  Mystery Inc. is enjoying some fun at the circus, when the aerialist, “The Incredible Zoltan,” finds his act interrupted by … Deadman?!

Luckily, Nightwing arrives to save the day.  But how can Deadman be the bad guy?  Deadman is a well-known good guy – a ghost, but a good guy.  Now, it's up to Nightwing and Mystery Inc. to solve this ghostly circus mystery that is also bringing up the ghosts of Dick Grayson's past.  Meanwhile, where is Batman?

THE LOWDOWN:  As a child, the most important characters in my life were Batman and Robin and Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc.  I am still excited about the worlds of Batman and Scooby-Doo coming together.  Obviously, The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries is perfect for me.

The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #1 is filled with characters and story elements that I... well, I adore.  I like stories that revolve around a circus.  I have been a fan of Robin since I was a small child, and my love of Batman was initially predicated on him having Robin as a sidekick.  I am a longtime fan of the DC Comics' character, Deadman, and of course, I'm down with Mystery Inc.  Add those four elements together, and I'm in comic book hog heaven.

Under a gorgeous, sharply-designed cover by artist Dario Brizuela, the 2024 iteration of The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #1 offers a high-flying adventure with a confounding ghostly mystery.  Writer Sholly Fisch cleverly ties in the history and trauma of Nighwing/Dick Grayson while maintaining the humor of a Scooby-Doo tale, including the slapstick antics of Shaggy and Scooby.  As always, Brizuela, one of my favorite Scooby-Doo comic book artists, delivers the perfect moods, thanks in part to Franco Riesco's dazzling colors.

The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #1 starts anew with a winning first issue.  I'm ready to do this all over again.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of the union of the worlds of Batman and Scooby-Doo will want The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries.

[This comic book includes a seven-page preview of the DC Comics original graphic novel, “Diana and the Hero's Journey” by Grace Ellis and Penelope Rivera Gaylord.]

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Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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