Apocalypse

Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and Howard Porter’s “Scooby Apocalypse” #1 is neither the abomination the internet feared nor the super-cool reimagining the creative team is aiming for; instead, it falls somewhere in the middle. The redesigns and updated origins are a mixed bag. Some are quite fun: Velma’s exaggerated glasses and shortness made me smile, Porter and colorist Hi-Fi give the setting a cool vibe and I didn’t mind Shaggy’s hipster slacker redesign. Other elements — such as Scooby’s sometimes disturbing facial expressions and the doom-and-gloom plot — contribute to an odd, not-quite-humorous-not-quite-serious tone. As a result, “Scooby Apocalypse” #1 is definitely interesting, but it didn’t have a sure enough voice to win me over. As the issue opens, the gang isn’t a team yet: Velma is involved in a global super-science conspiracy, Shaggy is working as Scooby’s handler in a secret government program and Fred and Daphne are filming episodes of a low-ratings mystery show. Ther

In “The Unwritten: Apocalypse” #8, Peter Gross and Mike Carey bring Tom’s Arthurian adventure to an unexpected, exciting conclusion. Playing with genre and audience expectations, making unapologetically esoteric allusions, and drawing seemingly disparate storylines together, issue #8 is another reminder why I love this series. Even with only four issues to go, “The Unwritten” keeps its crown as the coolest story experiment in comics today. Peter Gross’ creativity and careful execution are as superlative as ever, taking what could be a gimmicky, awkward conceit and somehow producing understated artistry. As Tom and his friends shift in and out of a medieval chanson de geste, Gross shifts in and out of a period-esque parchment-and-ink style. The mix between this and Gross’ usual aesthetic is constantly changing. Some panels are entirely medieval; others have the two styles colliding like streams. There’s even a third fish-out-of-genre approach for the witch. This interplay between sty

Though the T.S. Eliot allusion would be right up its alley, “The Unwritten” looks to end with a bang, not a whimper. The story isn’t slowing down or thinning out on its way to the finale, as Mike Carey and Peter Gross introduce new elements, drop Easter eggs for old readers, and still find time for a life-or-death plot involving the moral mechanics of Restoration theater. Good gravy, I’m going to miss this series when it ends. Most post-apocalypses show the world burnt to nothing. “The Unwritten: Apocalypse” shows it stuffed with everything. Carey and Gross do an excellent job of imagining what it would be like to live in a world where reality and fantasy are catastrophically intertwined. In this newly terrifying London, Gross’s art is something to behold. From a sun that sometimes bites to baby Leviathans swimming through the pub; from portly spider families to the angle of each rakish mustache, he’s got something to say about every small piece of the story. I’m always impressed by

J. Michael Straczynski and Sid Kotian’s “The Adventures of Apocalypse Al” #1 is a slightly uneven start to a quirky concept that almost works. Allison Carter (AKA Apocalypse Al) is a private detective that lives in Los Angeles and handles the supernatural, most of her cases coming from a mysterious entity called “The Committee.” Right out of the gate, the tone Straczynski strikes is strange but welcome — it’s one part classic noir, one part supernatural and one part comedy. It’s a somewhat uncommon blend and for the most part Straczynski does it with confidence. The book has a freewheeling sense of humor that, while not always laugh-out-loud funny, is generally enjoyable. There are some leaps in logic and world building, especially in the opening, that are a bit much for an audience to swallow without question, but the lightness of the book helps soften the blow. The biggest problem on the writing front is simply that Straczynski over-writes. The story is heavy on exposition, much o