Review by Ian Keogh

A fourth batch of mysteries with Scooby and co. teaming with Batman is just as delightful as the first three, featuring cleverly plotted mysteries, comedy and further joy via the reappearance of an old villain from the Scooby-Doo cartoons.

The selection opens with contestants at a Gotham talent show disappearing one by one, followed by the surprising replacement of Mystery Inc. by a bunch of characters who seem very familiar. Then it’s a group of ordinary citizens hypnotised into misbehaving as clowns, Bruce Wayne’s new experimental boat targetted by pirates, a state of the art AI system hacked by a ghost, and a visit to the future.

It’s Sholly Fisch who remains the best writer, his twists a little smarter, and his jokes a little funnier, with the bonus of clever knowing references. An example is his using Shaggy and Scooby’s tendency to run as both a delaying device while a problem is solved, and the joke of their being able to breach virtual walls.

Artistically, everyone is good, but Erich Owen is now challenging Dario Brizuela as the best of the bunch. Brizuela still draws half the volume (sample art), but Owen’s detail and expressiveness is first rate and his Batman is a little darker than the simple cartoon version generally used for the series.

Pretty well everything you’d want from Scooby-Doo adventures is here. There’s a parade of unmaskings, the personalities are put to good use, there are some great jokes and the bonus of Batman as well. Two of them, in fact, along with Batgirl, Oracle, Robin and a few villains. All in all, the spot is hit.