Sometimes a girl needs to blow off some steam … or a few heads.
Creative Staff:
Writers: Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Pat Olliffe
Inks: Tom Palmer
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Travis Lanham
What They Say:
Cliffy is torn between his loyalty to the recently returned Scrappy-Doo and his friendship with Scooby. Meanwhile, Daphne and Scrappy bond during a gruesome monster hunt. And who is the mysterious new creature lurking in the dark?
Content: (please note that portions of a review may contain spoilers):
It has been too long since Daphne left on her latest monster hunt, and the rest of the gang are getting worried, but this fiery redhead is too preoccupied to be concerned for what others think about her excursions. She now finds herself in the small village of Menands, just north of Albany, doing what she does now to pass the time – stalking and exterminating those who took her beloved Fred away. The methods are not subtle, in fact one could describe them as downright foolhardy and inexcusably dangerous. Her temper has gotten the better of this once forthright leader, no more is she cautious as to thinking things through, as of now all she thinks about is killing as many of these things as she can, whether by rifle or combat knife, either way gets the job done just as messily and with the same amount of satisfaction. But when the fight is over and she tends to her wounds, the pain comes back – thinking of how her inaction cost the life of the only person she had ever loved.
But as her keen sight is constantly on watch for more opponents to massacre, there is one skill she has not allowed to lapse due to grief – an uncanny sense of alertness. Shifting her balance to turn and pivot in an instant, the barrel of her assault rifle takes aim towards the rear and the glowing eyes which peer with an unerring need to pounce. Knowing he does not want to challenge this unfeeling hunter, the hulking form of a familiar smart dog emerges from the shadows, Scrappy-Doo offers his surrender. Never trusting this opportunist, Daphne still does not see him as an ally, but cannot ignore this wolf’s matching callousness in not wanting to stay among the timid sheep within the Survivors’ Encampment. Now with a full belly, he saw a chance to track the redhead down and vent his rage against a common foe, but will she allow his reluctant companion? Giving him a chance to prove this worth, Daphne unleashes the canine marauder upon a nearby group of monsters, which he slaughters with unbridled passion within a matter of seconds. Now seeing his value, the pair team up, but if he steps out of line even once, it will be the last time … if they survive to see that day.
In Summary:
As the Gang continues to struggle over Fred’s loss, writers Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis turn the issue toward a narrative centered on the one most greatly affected by his death, his one true love Daphne, but with mixed results. While it is insightful to see how she deals with tragedy, heightened all the more with her cold monologue, at the same time this issue mirrors other tales where the heroine copes by lashing out – even if they do try to magnify the complexity by adding other facets to the story. However what increases the banality of what could have been an interesting tale is to add something unexpected, Daphne having to prove herself not only to herself but also her father. This type of estrangement is usually based around the son, but in this case, it does help to show how Blake became such a strong leader, but at the same time also pushed away anyone who cared for the woman, thus making the trauma all the more repercussive. The ingrained determination to show she could make it in the world by her own hands is inspiring, but it also shows how this attitude made her so callous toward others, not wanting to accept help from anyone even if it was given with good intentions. And thus, to have Fred chase after her for so long even after being rejected every time is noteworthy and made her acceptance all the more joyful once she accepted his plea, but also magnified the loss afterward. For someone to finally allow love into her life, even as her father told her the world was a cruel place, is remarkable but the aftermath becomes all the more sobering.
And while this development is stunning, to add Scrappy to the mix to become a sounding board is confusing. It was not long ago when no one trusted him, only looking out for himself, his pack and Cliffy, so the need to have two similar personalities would seem to be counter-intuitive, the abrasiveness making their partnership unimaginable. But then his instincts open the true intentions of Daphne’s hunting expeditions – a desire to help thin the monster population and also meet the same fate which ended her fiancé’s life, death by tooth and claw. While this inflames her anger, the unvarnished truth is refreshing, to finally hear someone speak their mind may help her cope with the loss and a need to live, but with such an ignoble source, it may also have an opposite effect and prove to be her undoing. Either way, it may be the jump-start the story needs to steer us in a new direction toward a new beginning.
Even for such an introspective issue, it does not mean the outstanding artwork from illustrator Pat Olliffe and inks by Tom Palmer need suffer, in fact, they create an effective environment to unfold what is to come. From the beginning they craft such morbid audacity the reader cannot at times be overwhelmed by Daphne’s unending malice, her grief being consumed by a need for revenge, with her actions depicting such anger you cannot but taste the rage within this one woman execution squad, made all the more horrific by the effective use of visual sound effect text. This need to feel something is reflected within Hi-Fi’s muted palette, the somberness of subdued tones by which the reader can feel the weight within our heroine’s heart, everything erupting outwards with stunning gunfire explosions and gruesome splashes of crimson, all made the more exciting with skillfully emphasized backgrounds of brighter colors. It is only during the breaks between battles do these same artistic techniques create a new emotional emphasis when we look upon the rest of the Gang also needing to release their tension to cope with the loss. But not until we reach Daisy and Cliffy’s touching scene do we receive a brief reprieve and smile when seeing this blonde’s choice of costume – a fitting tribute to classic Fred in her use of his signature white shirt with blue collar and orange neckerchief. This sly nod to the signature cartoon style is fitting considering the enticing cliffhanger we are left with, a signal of what is to come and hopefully a new future for the title itself.
If I did have a criticism for this stunning collaboration, it would be the strange use of shadowing in certain panels scattered throughout the issue. Uncertain as who is to blame, these examples stand out due to the amateurish technique they present when compared to the professionalism within the illustrations and coloring as a whole, standing out due to offensive marker strokes. In this age of digital coloring where you can fill in a background within seconds, the crosshatching is clumsy and seems intentional, while at the same time it detracts from the excellence of the work as a whole, which is an awful shame. Hopefully this is a one-time situation and will be solved in the next issue, otherwise, when we see the next example of this atrocity, the eye will automatically be drawn to that element and thus spoil this enticing synergy of talent.
With a story more depressing than inspiring, this issue does help to guide the reader towards some type of settlement in grief for all concerned, even if it may not be a healthy one for some. To watch the normally explosive Daphne now sedate and consumed by loss, you cannot but wish her the best, but at the same time know she has to deal with her emotions at her own pace. Then to add the firebrand Scrappy to the incendiary mix seems to be asking for trouble, but at the same time, you cannot but feel he is the only one who can handle this red head’s temper if it ever gets out of control, for better or worse. But in the end, it is the cliffhanger which opens so many possibilities you know something will change, and in the end, the Mystery Gang will never be the same.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: DC Comics
Release Date: August 8, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
