Why is it always the bright ones who suffer the most?
Creative Staff:
Writer: Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis
Artwork: Howard Porter, Wellington Alves, Scott Hanna & Dale Eaglesham
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Travis Lanham
What They Say:
Scooby and the gang are under siege! While the minutes tick by as they await the next wave of monsters, Velma does some soul-searching…which leads to some stunning revelations! You’ll never look at her the same again!
Content (please note that portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Velma is feeling ever more isolated after a certain red head’s tantrum as she tries to restore the power. It is still her responsibility to try to connect with the Complex, all in an effort to try to find a cure for Project Elysium. But as she singularly toils away, she cannot but help think about how isolation has always been her lone companion. Even while the gang may consider her one of their friends, there are still those who consider her an outsider, people like Daphne. It has been like that for as far back as she can remember, and now in the aftermath of the apocalypse, it still plagues her like the nanites which have changed the world, but sadly they have left the scientist more isolated, even amongst those who consider her their partner in this desolate landscape.
Her life has always been one of solitude, even as a child, her father considered her to be the runt of the family. While she did have a large family of four brothers, they too never included her in their activities, and school was not any better. It was her intellect which caused her to become ever more shunned by those her own age and the lack of friends lead toward social awkwardness. While the faculty praised Velma for her brilliance, they suggested that a special institute would be a preferable choice for her particular needs. However, even there she still felt detached and the one person she cherished, her resentment chased away, again leaving her in desolation. Sadness follows her where ever she goes, and perhaps it will take a cataclysm to be the only thing which will set her free?
In Summary:
While the previous issues were phenomenal, it is this one which J.M. DeMattis and Keith Giffen have given us the best emotional candor with just the right touch of angst to keep us interested in the most understated character. Anyone familiar with the Scooby Doo franchise will remember how Velma was always kept in the background, only given the spotlight when the gang needed help to solve a clue – in other words, they required her brains instead of Fred’s brawn. This wallflower never desired the limelight, but rather shone in her own capacity while the rest of the Gang did all of the legwork as she gathered the information needed to save the day. While many fans of the show may have overlooked her in lieu of the comical chowhounds running away at first sign of trouble, a pushy leader who always wanted to split up or a perky redhead who was constantly getting captured, those who really enjoyed the series always knew that it was the glasses losing genius who actually guided the way; and as such, many may have identified with her or in some way known someone who to took charge to secure the victory for a mentally inept team. It is these unsung heroes who truly lead the way, and thus is they who should gain the true fruits of triumph. But, as this issue shows, they are often the ones who are shunned for their brilliance or held in contempt out of jealousy or spite. Let us be glad that Miss Dinkley did not turn her back on humanity, otherwise this glasses wearing introvert could have conquered the world instead of being the protector who will save it.
And to make Velma’s story all the more effective, I love how they changed the artists to reflect a more light-hearted and innocent childhood via the art of Wellington Alves and Scott Hanna’s inks. While we would all imagine that a young prodigy would be raised in a more nurturing environment, you can see how the heavy handiness of her father began her descent into loneliness, being shunned by everyone around, all reflected by her gradual hunching over, almost as if she is looking in word for companionship. Hi-Fi’s amazing colors also affect the world, starting with the page backgrounds of her signature burnt orange skirt and black rim glasses, effectively framing the reader within Velma’s costume itself. But as time passes and she begins to see that there is no one who cares her, I love how the illustrations and tones cross over to a darker side. Our sad introvert seems to be literally crawling into herself, still looking for someone to shelter her from the grim reality outside. But of course, the most dominant feature of these later pages is the most telling: the changes to her glasses. It is amazing how they were able to show Velma’s vulnerability through her eyes, the sadness which was etched in those lenses; at first, you could see her tears as she began to understand the cruelty of the world, but as time passed, those lenses gradually thickened and clouded over. While her need to save humanity grew, it seems that the shell to protect her heart also thickened, and the only thing which allowed her to show it were the glazed over glasses. Then to end her tragedy as harshly as it began, Howard Porter immediately seizes on the intensity of those feelings, enclosing us within our heartbroken scientist’s world. A brilliant telling of a formidable character’s story.
All hail the unsung bespectacled hero! This issue is so powerful in its profound emotional fervor, you cannot but identify with Velma, feel sympathy for our favorite coke bottle glasses scientist now that you see how she has suffered by her own hand and those around her. We know that the fallout of this story will be major, but to see how she became what she is now, how can you not want to embrace her and shelter her from the past … into hopefully a brighter future?
Grade: A+
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: DC Comics
Release Date: October 12, 2016
MSRP: $3.99
