Scooby Apocalypse, Vol. 5

Scooby Apocalypse #5

by Keith Giffen

The loss of one of one of the most beloved team members is just the beginning in Scooby Apocalypse Vol. 5. And if they don't get over their grief in a hurry, Scooby and the gang are going to have to bury a lot more of their friends...if there's anything left to bury!

Months after one of their own made the ultimate sacrifice, the surviving members of Mystery Inc. have carved out a new life for themselves and other escapees from the nanite plague. Running a refugee community would be a challenge in the best of circumstances, and there's nothing ideal about a world of monster attacks, supply shortages and the return of the bloodthirsty Scrappy-Doo, who's got a bone to pick with all of Mystery Inc.--especially Scooby-Doo!

Writers Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis (Justice League International) and artists including Pat Olliffe (Spider-Girl) and Tom Palmer (The Avengers) tell Scooby-Doo stories unlike any you've seen before! Plus, Giffen and DeMatteis team up with stellar artists to reveal the shocking origin of the legendary Secret Squirrel! Collecting Scooby Apocalypse #25-30.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Dc Comics, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Mystery

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 29, 2019

About the author

Keith Ian Giffen was an American comic book illustrator and writer. He is possibly best-known for his long runs illustrating, and later writing the Legion of Super-Heroes title in the 1980s and 1990s. He also created the alien mercenary character Lobo (with Roger Slifer), and the irreverent "want-to-be" hero, Ambush Bug. Giffen is known for having an unorthodox writing style, often using characters in ways not seen before. His dialogue is usually characterized by a biting wit that is seen as much less zany than dialogue provided by longtime collaborators DeMatteis and Robert Loren Fleming. That approach has brought him both criticism and admiration, as perhaps best illustrated by the mixed (although commercially successful) response to his work in DC Comics' Justice League International (1987-1992). He also plotted and was breakdown artist for an Aquaman limited series and one-shot special in 1989 with writer Robert Loren Fleming and artist Curt Swan for DC Comics.

Giffen's first published work was "The Sword and The Star", a black-and-white series featured in Marvel Preview, with writer Bill Mantlo. He has worked on titles (owned by several different companies) including Woodgod, All Star Comics, Doctor Fate, Drax the Destroyer, Heckler, Nick Fury's Howling Commandos, Reign of the Zodiac, Suicide Squad, Trencher (to be re-released in a collected edition by Boom! Studios)., T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and Vext. He was also responsible for the English adaptation of the Battle Royale and Ikki Tousen manga, as well as creating "I Luv Halloween" for Tokyopop. He also worked for Dark Horse from 1994-95 on their Comics Greatest World/Dark Horse Heroes line, as the writer of two short lived series, Division 13 and co-author, with Lovern Kindzierski, of Agents of Law. For Valiant Comics, Giffen wrote XO-Manowar, Magnus, Robot Fighter, Punx and the final issue of Solar, Man of the Atom.

He took a break from the comic industry for several years, working on storyboards for television and film, including shows such as The Real Ghostbusters and Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy.

He is also the lead writer for Marvel Comics's Annihilation event, having written the one-shot prologue, the lead-in stories in Thanos and Drax, the Silver Surfer as well as the main six issues mini-series. He also wrote the Star-Lord mini-series for the follow-up story Annihilation: Conquest. He currently writes Doom Patrol for DC, and is also completing an abandoned Grant Morrison plot in The Authority: the Lost Year for Wildstorm.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

At this point, the series is pretty much The Walking Dead with the Scooby Gang, plus the creative team has lifted the plot of Dawn of the Dead pretty much verbatim. I was very surprised with the end of the first issue. Warning, there are some depictions of characters contemplating suicide. This is NOT Scooby Doo for younger readers. The series overall though continues to move at a glacial pace. I was happy to see Pat Oliffe take over on art chores from Ron Wagner. He's an underrated artist with a classic look. The Secret Squirrel story is finally put to pasture in the next to last issue. It's been absolutely terrible and should have been taken out back and shot long ago.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was sad. Still good though.

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

<3

Finally

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The origins of Secret Squirrel are revealed! Do I care? Nope! Was I more into what was happening to the Scooby Gang, one of whom has died? YEP.

[Katie Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a continuing buddy read I've been on alongside my husband over the past year, as I don't normally read comics but adore Scooby Doo. But anyway, Volume 5 really picked up for me. Issue 25 was emotionally devastating but really well done, and the rest of the volume read much quicker than 3 and 4. Honestly, the whole volume packs an emotional punch and tugs on the heart strings, but it didn't feel overdone or overly sappy.

The only thing I didn't like was how it seems to cut corners in terms of Shaggy and Daisy's relationship that seems to stop as suddenly as it (maybe??) was going to begin, and I still can't figure out why Daisy and Cliffy are there and Cliffy especially gets on my nerves sometimes but oh well.

Can't wait for volume 6!

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some 5-star moments in this edition of the continuing saga (Daphne's story arc; the poignant death of one of the Mystery Inc. team members and the aftermath of that death on the others and it ended on one hell of a cliffhanger) but the tale is becoming predictable to an extent. Added to that, the Secret Squirrel story just didn't interest me although a backstory piece did try to connect to the main plot as it mentioned Velma's father, so I'm leaving this at 3-stars.

* * * * * * * SPOILER ALERT * * * * * * *

A character contemplates suicide and it is shown very graphically so this is not for young or impressionable readers.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following once more in the steps of the Walking Dead, this book, after a somewhat confusing and emotional first issue, does the time jump, allowing us to see the impact that clearing the mall has on our gang, and the world they're creating with other survivors. There's some serious ramifications to the death of the first issue, changing the lives of those left behind in surprising ways. This also brings back a long lost 'friend' in a manner that works surprisingly well. And then there's the mysterious presence that looms on the edges of the story, setting up the final volume. This volume gets dark, with lots of arguing and shouting and emotional outbursts, and not a huge amount of action or humor. But the story is still a fascinating one, told in interesting ways (and with suitable if not exciting art). This also includes the finale of the Secret Squirrel backup story, bringing that plot to a merciful end. There are brief moments of creativity, some playing on the meta-narrative of the characters, but ultimately it goes for cheap laughs (and misses them), and really fails to provide a story worth reading. If I could go back and tell myself to not bother reading them, I would.
Secret Squirrel mars an otherwise fairly strong collection that is setting up a finale I'm interested to see.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting the year off with an unexpected hit. Yes volume 4 was a big step up but realistically it couldn't get much worse. After the first volume volume this series had taken a huge nose dive and to be honest I was only reading out of morbid curiosity to see how (if) it finished.

So Volume 5, issues 25-30. Plenty of action, some really good character moments and a few twists. I called one of them before it was revealed which I was proud of but another came out of nowhere. Definitely DON'T read the synopsis for this volume as it spoils something huge. I hate it when any kind of fiction does that.

One volume to go which we'll be requesting our library buys once it's released here in the UK. I'm more interested than I assumed I would be at this stage and really hope the story gets a real conclusion. It's not been a perfect ride but it has been good to see characters I've only ever experienced in a goofy kid friendly way (not a criticism) be portrayed in a much darker adult tone.

Last point I want to make. I still don't see the point of the Secret Squirrel secondary comic at all. I was told there was a tie in to the main book but even that didn't make me want to read it. Not something I'm interested in and in my opinion a waste of paper.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Dare I say, this was the best of the series so far? The previous few volumes have been disappointing; as I was looking forward to this series.

We continue in following the Scooby Gang and uncover a twist, something predictable occurred, and something wholly unpredictable happened.

I cannot say anything about plot as this would for sure spoil the series for people who may read this. Art was good, plot picked up, and it left me wanted to read the, I believe, final instalment.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

****SPOILER ALERT!!!**** In Volume 5 of “Scooby Apocalypse”, the unthinkable has happened: Fred’s dead! Daphne discovers feelings other than anger and hatred! Scrappy is back! Shaggy and Velma get it on! Scooby gets an accidental voice upgrade! A shadowy figure who may be choreographing the whole global nanite plague has revealed himself! Zoinks!

Funnest! Comic book! Series! Ever!

[Johnny Tentoes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I past issues I would usually skim-over the Secret Squirrel bits, not enjoying the humorous contrast in the storytelling; however, upon learning that the two plots are connected now has me more interested in the SS plot, and I am looking forward to seeing where both stories lead.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume had some things I didn't care for. First off, they killed Fred, which I felt was uncalled for. But then we find out he's not exactly dead, he's some sort of zombie. Then we have Daphne torn up with grief to the point she graphically attempts suicide. I'm all for the updating of cartoons, and this was never meant to be a comic for children, but that visual was unsettling.

The biggest problem I've had with the serious since the start is the dialogue...there's just too much of it! There was even a joke in the credits about the series being dialogue heavy. There's also been a lack of Scooby Doo in the stories, as he's been more of a back up character since the start. Probably because they couldn't write thousands of words of dialogue for him since he's mostly been Ruh Rohing and such. So what do they do? Why, they give him an electric shock that charges his cybernetic implants and suddenly he's talking more and using bigger words than the rest of the cast. Bet he'll be featured a lot more now that he can talk up a storm.

Anywho, it's still enjoyable but I almost feel like the writers didn't expect the series to make it to this point and ended up flying by the seat of their pants rather than having anything planned. I still like this series but not nearly as much as I did at the start. Even so, I sort of hate to see it end, which it does in the next volume. I hope it goes out as good as it started.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finishing the storyline of the last Volume brings closure in more ways than one... and a time jump gives this book some much needed life!
Highlights:
- During the cleanout of CJ Nickels, two things happen: 1) They find out why the monsters numbers never seem to decrease... they are breeding! Nothing Daphne's machine gun can't fix! and 2) Fred gets killed by a surprise attack defending his bride-to-be.
- 6 months later, the mall has become a hub for humanity, with Velma in charge. Her and Shaggy have gotten together, and Daphne is still a wreck. One of the things she does well, is kill monsters.
- The return of Scrappy-Doo has the fighting mutt team up with Daphne on her expeditions and murder sprees outside the walls of the mall.
- The last of the Secret Squirrel stuff takes place, though I stopped reading it, as it wasn't very good and disrupted the flow of the main story.
- At the end, Daphne is approached in the wild by Fred, who's eyes are glowing and who seems to be in control of the monsters. WHAT?!?

The death of Fred came as a shock, and while I like the idea of him coming back as whatever he is, the move did feel a little convenient. Overall, very interested to see where this goes for the last Volume.
Recommend.

[Philmore Olazo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loosing someone is always painful and those who are left behind sometimes don't ever recover from the blow.

Yes, indeed someone has passed away. Not telling you who, go read the book.

Now, this volume moves us to sometime after the gang reclamed the mall and transformed it into a safehaven for other survivors. There are a lot of people here, whom we sadly don't really see much interactions other than the ocational orders or comments.

Scrappy is back, somehow, and has formed a very odd owner pet relationship with Daphne.

I love the short interactions that they have, having to find some laughs in the middle of the apocalypse.

Who would that man Scrappy was communicating with be?

*Spoilers ahead*




Now, while I'm a big suporter for a Shaggy and Velma relationship. I don'r really see it earned here. Specially since we left behind the plotpoint of Shaggy in love with Daisy. I know and understand that something like a tragedy can indeed bring people together, specially in the middle of another crisis. However this story was going in another direction and ended up in a really sudden and anticlimactic turn on this one plot point.

[Yani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Urgh.

During my last review, I was looking up to see if either of the two main writers was just quietly religious... and I read this in Giffen's Wikipedia...

Giffen was also known for sudden plot twists and abrupt often tragic turns of fate.

So, you can color me completely unsurprised by the events of this volume.

And to the events in this book I say, once again, "urgh".

Also, I absolutely hate any version of the Scooby Dooniverse where they smash Shaggy and Velma together as a couple. It just makes literally no sense and doesn't work. Least of all in this incarnation.

But that's what we get after a time jump.

And just quietly, the other thing that often annoys me after a time jump like this is everybody essentially still wearing the same outfits. I mean, yeah, I get it, the characters in Scooby Doo have been wearing the same outfits or very similar ones since the 60's... but even so, when you have your characters move into a small, at least change some of their outfits. Even if it's just some of the non-core characters.

I'm nearly there though... I'm absolutely going to finish the series tonight.

[Langston Lardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow what a volume.. this was definitely a sad one. The way this starts and the way they tell what happens, just beautifully done. And now at the end of the volume it takes a twist i wasn’t fully expecting and I’m curious how it all plays out in the final volume. As for our characters, Fred takes an interesting character arc, Daphne goes even more psycho than before (who could have thought), Shaggy and Velma are a couple (in this series it’s harder to believe than the cartoons), cliffy and daisy are basically mother and son at this point, and the base they all created is finally gaining traction. It was also nice to see Daphne and a returning character (SD) grow closer through their shared hatred of the monsters and Scooby and shaggy are finally back together again (as it should be). The Secret Squirrel story ends here and actually had a connection the the Scoob story in a small way, but still interesting. This volume is definitely setting up something big and I’m looking forward to the next volume.

[Norman Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the main characters gets killed, then returns (sort of), so there's some emotional conflict between the other characters. Meanwhile, this is pretty much a take-off of The Walking Dead, as the crew is holed up in an abandoned shopping mall with other survivors who have drifted in. Giffen and DeMatteis do their best to write convincing dialog that is darkly humorous. The art chores by Pat Olliffe and Tom Palmer elevate the graphics. The whole thing moves at a brisk pace, with lots of gory action and not a ton of exposition.

Readers should be aware that there is a depiction of one of the characters contemplating suicide near the end of the volume, in fairly graphic terms, so this is definitely intended for mature readers.

The Secret Squirrel back-up is mostly innocuous fun. His "secret" origin ties this to the Scooby Apocalypse universe.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery, Inc. may never to be the same as it loses one of its members to the monsters residing in the mall. Months have gone by, and the Scooby gang hasn't really been able to say good by since the body of their loved one disappeared before they were able to have a funeral. That doesn't mean they really can take the time to be distracted.

And they really aren't. Within months, they have been able to set up a small settlement of humans they have located in the area at the mall. In a way, they are bringing back society. They have even experienced the return of Scrappy, who is still out to get even with Scooby.

This sereies actually keeps getting more and more interesting, and I can't wait to see how it will conclude in the final volume.

[Min · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright, this time a bit of a turn for the more interesting, if for no other reason, there are more humans in the story now. Daph remains the Sarah Conner tough one that won't let anyone in, and each to their own trope so, I hope the end of this tale is coming soon because I may not make it to the finish line, if it doesn't from sheer lack of interest.
There is a glimpse of some answers, and I am ready for them after this long, slow, drawn out, rehashed story using character names, and likenesses of my childhood, and make them barely recognizable.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The synopsis kind of ruins the impact that Freddy dying would have had and there's a immediate time skip with no real room to mourn so this turned into another same-old-zombie-plot kind of volume. We do get to see Scrappy Doo again which is a fun surprise! I am curious how the series wraps up as the ending set up some new questions but for the most part, this and Vol. 4 probably could have been condensed and combined to help with pacing. It isn't horrible, just not really special.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basing this rating on the Scooby story. Not the squirrel story (which should never have been included in the first place).

There were some dark, moment in this edition, yet I couldn't put it down. Dealing with an early death of a character and the subsequent emotional turmoil that results from it. As always, some incredible artwork to balance out the story. Looking forward to the final edition.

[Ian Morales · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fifth installment of the Hanna Barbera classic cartoon was on par with the previous three volumes, which is just "okay" from a storyline perspective but fun to read. The battle in the mall is continued and what happened to Fred gets answered (sort of). Also, like many previous reviewers, I could do without the Squirrel installments interrupting the story. They do not add anything other than page filling.

[dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this volume, in particular issues 28 through 30, gave some more twists than the usual survival story we've been getting. It's rather cheesy, sure, but I think it works coming from what Scooby-Doo originally was. Just like the rest, this volume mixes adult subjects with the lovable characters we grew up on.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was not a fan of volume 4, volume 5 is right back where the series belongs with high octane action, scenes that pull at your heart strings, and more Secret Squirrel. Personally I don’t care for the Secret Squirrel sections, but these were better than in the past. I am curious how they will integrate the two stories. Only one book left, so hopefully it hits it out of the park.

[Timothy Pitkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of shocked they killed off Fred just to bring back Scrappy Doo. It is also kind of weird to make Daphne into the solo monster hunter and then pair her with the returned Scarppy Doo as a sort of duo. I do like that they do show the struggles of starting a new community during a setting like this and the ending does make me wonder how they will finish the story.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Just because it's the apocalypse -- doesn't mean you have to SMELL like the end of the world!"

I loved everything about this volume -- from the tragic beginning to the cliffhanger ending.

And so glad the Secret Squirrel story line is finished and finally see how it ties in with the main story.

Looking forward to the next volume !

[Johnnysbookreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending though. 😭 Wasn't expecting that. But this series is amazing. The only place I can find them are on Amazon.com. The first one I saw at Books-A-Million, but that's it. I had to buy the rest through Amazon.

Such a good series though. Highly recommend if you like comics and like the Scooby story. This is a different story, but it's so good.

[MissD'Lebeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perda é diferente para todos..

Esse volume é absolutamente Chocante! Não pensei que teria essa pegada quando comecei a ler lá no início e com a evolução tudo se expandiu de forma tão absurda.
Todos tiveram que aprender a lidar a sua maneira, e com essa situação ''inesperada'' e uma reviravolta/ aliado ''inusitada''. Confesso que tô temendo o encerramento dessa história.

[Stephen Newell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am finally realizing that Giffen and DeMatteis are just slow storytellers. Every time I want to rate one of these volumes 3 stars, they end the arc with a dramatic twist that gives me a glimpse of how great this series good genuinely be if they didn't plod along so much in their storytelling. The little secondary Secret Squirrel story is also gets a little old at this point too, but hey, its only ~5 pages per issue anyways. On a positive note, this is an improvement from the previous volume, as I feel the series is hitting its slow-but-steady stride similar to a season of The Walking Dead, but we shall see how the series wraps up in the next volume!

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Still don't care for Secret Squirrel.
More interested in Scooby and the gang
Poor Fred! Velma and Shaggy? The return of Scrappy. Who is the spy talking to a Scrappy?? Guess I better read the next one.