Here is a new Scooby-Doo story I just did for Schibsted over in Sweden. Scooby-Doo and the gang meet The Forest Phantom! For any Scooby fans in America who'd like to read the story, I've posted all 12 pages of the story in English so that you can read and enjoy it since it will most likely never be printed in America! I like the way it came out and Candace did a stellar job on the colors as well since it was a limited color job. There are quite a few panel layouts that I really like as well. I also added nods to my friends Scott Innes and Jim Hogg in it, and I also added my friend and all-around great artist, Mike Manley, who is the forest ranger on page two, panel one! Click on each page image so you can read the bigger version! Enjoy!
6 comments:
Really nice stuff Scott!
I drew some Scooby stories years ago, and found the characters tough to work with. You make it look so easy!
So much life in your poses.
Thanks Bill! It's all practice and it helps that I've been doing it for as long as I have. Sometimes I think I can do it blindfolded. Ha! It's nice to have more control over this work as well so I can place the balloons and colors as I want them to look. It's a mixed bag sometimes with the stuff I do for DC Comics.
The Gang are on their way to Camp Innes for a little R & R. Naturally what they find is a monster-based puzzle. The monsters in this case are the Forest Phantoms, and Neely makes them impressive figures of fright. It strikes me that costuming has improved by leaps and bounds over the years, and it's perfectly plausible to draw these criminals dressed as creatures in the most realistic fashion. While some of the original Hanna-Barbera felons were discernable as human, Neely's "fiends" are convincing Tolkien inspired creations. They also sport spiffy weapons for splatter.
As usual, Neely's characterization for Mystery Inc. is spot on. You can see it on page one as Scooby sticks his head out the window like a dog might but given that cartoony gape only Scoob could display. My favorite scene occurs where the Gang all run in unison. Neely gives each one a unique look of fear that looks suitable for their personality.
Neely lavishes as much attention to the supporting cast. The latecomer to the festivities for instance appears to be monstrous and fierce looking, but this belies his actually benevolent nature. His presence also neatly ties up the mystery in a natural way.
The mystery itself is rather complex. Neely's careful dropping of clues doesn't make Mystery Inc.'s work less harder. The scene with the book is especially interesting because it shows that the Gang do not operate in a vacuum, and there's an outside world that can provide valuable evidence.
Scott Neely's "Forest Phantom" is a lovely variation on the typical themes found in a "Scooby-Doo" mystery. Typically, Mystery Inc. unmasks a perpetuator of fraud and facilitate his or her stay in jail. Neely considers a different kind of protection racket.
Ray Tate
Wow! Thanks, Ray! I'm glad you liked it and I always love your reviews that you do!
I love your Scooby Doo pages, man. I've got some great Scooby comics art from Joe Staton, would sure love to add some of yours to my collection :-)
ps, I've linked you on my sketchblogroll
http://cupdoodle.blogspot.com/
Many thanks for your comments! You can email me if you'd like some art. I do have quite a bit for sale if you like Scooby.
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