Scott Peterson pens a trifecta of terror tales for the 2008 Halloween issue of Scooby-Doo.

Horror host the Crypt-Reaper opens the book with The Terror of Transylvania. Mystery Inc. find themselves in a spooky castle seeking help for the ailing Mystery Machine. Their vampiric host isn’t what he appears to be and the gang is treated to an impromptu concert.

Mad Science has the gang caught between rioting villagers and a good doctor attempting to create artificial life. All is well that ends well when the two parties come to an understanding.

Finally, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby are strapped to a table as they live the Pit and the Pendulum story with their version, The Perilous Pendulum. Scooby saves the day at the last minute.

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Spoiler:  the emcee Crypt-Reaper is revealed to be Shaggy filming a Halloween home movie.

Halloween has roots in the festival of Samhain, a Celtic ritual in ancient Britain and Ireland. It was believed the souls of the dead would return home during the Samhain festival. Bonfires were lit to scare away evil spirts. Masks and disguises were worn so as not to be recognized by ghosts.

When the Romans conquered the Celts in the first century, other festivals were added including Feralia commemorating the passing of the dead.

Pope Boniface IV moved All Saints’ Day from May 13 to Nov. 1 in an attempt to usurp what was perceived as a pagan holiday. The evening before became known as a holy, or hallowed, evening becoming Halloween.

It was not until the middle of the 19^th century Halloween took hold in America. By the following century, the festival become a major holiday.

The average American spends in excess of $100 on Halloween every year. As many as 148 million participate in one form or another. It is second only to Christmas.

St. Patrick’s Day is really hit or miss for us. We try each year to cover the major holidays while spotlighting the minor and sometimes just silly. Yet, the wee-folk sometime get overlooked.

Yeah, that was bad.

Anyway, the Emerald Isle will not go forgotten in 2022. Thanks to those meddlin’ kids and Scooby-Doo from Mystery Inc. in issue 130.

While the cover may be a field of shamrocks, the interior is barren as Four Color Holidays is most years when it comes to St. Paddy’s. Still, considering the drought of material for the holiday, we’ll take a misleading cover.

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Scooby-Doo issue 130 begins south of the border with Chupacabra-Cadabra. Keith Champagne and Scott Neely celebrate Shaggy’s birthday with an all-inclusive vacation at an undisclosed location somewhere below the great state of Texas.

El Roberto’s Grande Fiesta Del Magico is the first item on the itinerary. However, when the dreaded El Chupacabra kidnaps Francesca, the show’s assistant, the game is afoot.

One-by-one the major players disappear until only Scooby and Shaggy remain. By story’s end, they find they’re part of an elaborate plan to throw the birthday boy a surprise party.

Worse Than a Curse – parenthetically titled Woise Than a Coise – is a jab at the curse of the Bambino and sports gambling. Terrance Griep and Karen Matchette serve up a less-than-memorable tale of the boys of summer.

Velma’s Monsters of the World showcases the Rokuro-Kubi. This Kaiju doesn’t trample cities, but is more of a mischief maker.

Surreal Cereal Spook is the closest the book comes to St. Patrick’s Day.

Instead of a lyrical leprechaun spouting his breakfast fare is magically delicious, a Scottish spook tries to scare the Mystery gang. This one just happens to be a ghost made of the fake marshmallow crap they stuff in cereal boxes.

Sibling rivalry is abolished with a spray of milk and the tale closes the book with a laugh.

May this St. Patrick’s Day find you with green in your pocket and a little spring in your step.

It’s another holiday mystery for the Scooby and the gang in Nutcracker Not-So-Sweet.

Agnes DeMillions needs help to save the Geoffrey Ballet Company’s rendition of A Christmas Carol. The ghost of the Nutcracker is threatening one of the stars of the show, Rudolfo Kaspenov.

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Matters come to a head opening night when the Nutcracker ghost strikes in front of packed auditorium. Some trickery and trusty trap by Fred bring the villain to justice while Daphne dances in a dream come true.

The Nutcracker and the Mouse was written by E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816. The Prussian author’s tale is a whimsical, and fictional, account off Marie Stahlbaum’s favorite toy, a nutcracker. It comes to life to defeat the evil mouse king then takes the girl to a magical kingdom.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian composer, and Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, choreographers, translated the story into a ballet based on Alexandre Dumas’s adaptation.

A Christmas Carol is a novella by Charles Dickens. It was originally published in 1843. Though released December 19, all copies were sold out by Christmas Eve. Maybe the greatest legacy of the story is the use of the term Merry Christmas. Having been vocalized as early as 1534, Dicken’s usage cemented it in Victorian vernacular. It has been continued ever since.

The second feature, Mascot Madness, take the gang back to school to foil a ghost dead set on keeping tradition alive.

Scooby-Doo and the gang have been a part of the four-color world since 1970, a year after they were unveiled on Saturday morning television. The original series would last 30 issues, published by Gold Key Comics.

March of Comics would feature the gang in four issues beginning in 1971 in issue 356. They would appear once a year until issue 391 in 1974.

Charlton Comics picked up the license from Gold Key in 1975 with an 11-issue run with Scooby-Doo…Where Are You! Marvel Comics would publish nine issues entitled Scooby-Doo from 1977 to 1979. With the animated Saturday morning feature Scooby’s Laff-A-Lympics, they would showcase the Great Dane in 13 issues of Laff-A-Lympics from 1978 to 1979.

Harvey Comics tackled the franchise next with a few issues reprinting stories originally run during the Charlton years. The exception would be Hanna-Barbera Presents All New Comics in 1993, a one-shot.

Archie Comics added Scooby to its stable of characters from 1995 to 1997.

DC is currently Scooby’s wrangler having taken possession of the license in 1997. The titular Scooby-Doo is currently the longest-running comic featuring the gang.

Cartoon Network Presents ran 24 issues with a Scooby and Scrappy-Doo story in each book.

Scooby-Doo! Team-Up lasted 50 issues before it was shut down, 2013 to 2019.

Scooby Apocalypse ran 36 issues, 2016 to 2019.

The most recent incarnation is The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries debuting this year.

Scooby and the gang must solve a mystery before they can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner in Turkey Terror at 2000 Ft.

It’s another land-grab scheme as Mystery Inc. try to save Uncle Arthur’s farm. Spoiler alert: they do and its neighbor Henry who is wearing the fake feathers – this time.

He isn’t the only one as Shaggy must wear one of his own before the holiday meal is served.

Greed is the motive for a disgruntled technician in Shoot the Moon.

The gang head to the moon for a little relaxation only to stumble across another bad guy in a rubber mask. The faux werewolf is revealed to be Mr. McCroskey who has been pilfering items to sell as collectibles.

Sushi Me? Sushi You! is a precursor to Scooby-Doo! And the Samurai Sword, the 13^th installment in the direct-to-video animated features. It was released in 2009.

Scooby-Doo 114 was cover dated January 2007, though released in November 2006, beating the direct-to-video movie to the public.

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Merry Christmas and déjà vu from Jeff and me at Four Color Holiday Comics.

If your memory stretches back long enough, you may remember this cover and review from last Dec. 25. This issue, cover dated February, 2009, is the same book, issue 115, published in 2007. The exception being the cover is now red rather than white.

Inside are the same two stories and Yeti tutorial: “It’s a Wonderful Fright” and Santa’s Evil Elves.”

Hope the holiday was as entertaining and enjoyable as this issue. Keep coming back for more in 2020. There are still a lotta four-color holiday stories to be re-told.

Chanukah and Christmas are given equal billing with “Fright One Candle” and “It’s a Wonderful Fright.”

The “ghost” of Antiochus, emperor of the Syrian Greeks, attempts to spoil Chanukah by stealing the oil and candles from the synagogue. Velma’s sharp eyes notice a clue that leads to recovery of the missing items. The deception is not a hate crime, but a lesson to teach the children of the Jewish holiday.

Chanukah celebrates the Maccabees’ victory over the invading Syrian army and the miracle of the menorah burning for eight days.

“It’s a Wonderful Fright” was originally published in Scooby-Doo 115. Shaggy reprises George Bailey’s fictional life in the Phillip Van Doren Stern short story. Shaggy bumps his head and dreams away Mystery Inc. Every cliché comes to life during the dream sequence along with a series of poltergeists from the past.

No holiday story, just a colorful Christmas cover for this indicia-dated February 2008 issue.

Included are three stories. “Family Monster” is the first. Velma drags the gang to Germany for the reading of a will at Castle Von Dinkley. The kids help a Frankenstein monster clone keep his home. Script by Greg Thompson and pencils by Jaime Garcia Corral.

“Football Fiend” follows with the gang foiling plans to sabotage a new stadium. Robbie Nely and Dan Davis do the honors.

The “Freeloading Ghost” finds himself homeless with plans to avenge his eviction. Scooby-Doo shows some unaccustomed bravado when the specter over-steps his bounds. All courtesy of Darryl Taylor Kravitz and Karen Matchette.

Scooby-Doo and gang encounter a foursome of presidential ghosts in this, a true President’s Day Special. While the cover boasts a bold proclamation, the story itself – released Feb. 10, 2016 – never mentions the federal holiday.

The lead, and only original story, “All the President’s Ghosts” showcases the spirits of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and George Washington. Those meddling kids and their dog solve the mystery in 10 pages leaving ample room for two more features.

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The remainder of the book features already printed material. Reprinted from Scooby-Doo (1997) issue 131 is “Velma’s Monsters of the World.” Acheri, the Indian legend of a murdered little girl, is related. Shaggy dons a Santa suit owing to the color red is the only protection from her wrath.

“You Want Frights With That?” is pulled from Scooby-Doo (1997) issue 111.

Scooby-Doo was first affiliated with President’s Day Feb. 19, 2001, when Cartoon Network aired an eight-hour marathon of Scooby-Doo, Where are You! from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

President’s Day, originally cited as Washington’s Birthday, is celebrated the third Monday of February. It is the occasion to honor the incumbent president and all persons who have served as president, not just our founding father.

The food most traditionally associated with the day is cheery pie, owing to Washington’s legendary act of chopping a cherry tree down and throwing himself under the bus when confronted.

Simply put issue 117 is Mystery Inc. meets Valentine’s Day.

“Kingdom by the Sea” is a romantic tale of unrequited love lost in the mists of time and the sea.

“Ravenous” is the first of two Poe-inspired stories, this one in verse. Shaggy is the protagonist as a feverous dream causes him to worry about his friends.

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Finally, “The Tell-Tale Heartburn” puts a new twist on the 1843-short Gothic fiction tale. Unlike the original villain the new culprit does commit the crime for greed.

Over the previous 50 years – yes, Scooby and those meddling kids have been around that long – have experienced their share of romance. Mostly flirtations and, as with the lead story, unrequited (pun intended) puppy-love within the gang.

Since the franchise was revitalized in 1998, the various incarnations have offered tongue-in-cheek speculation as to the inter-group relationships. Freddy has proclaimed his love for Daphne over and over in both Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010-13) and even more unabashedly in DC’s most recent comic book take Scooby Apocalypse. Daphne has returned affections, only at different times, most notably in Mystery Incorporated.

Both have shown jealousy when the other has expressed interest in other persons.

Shaggy and Velma were on-again, off-again in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, much to Scooby’s dismay. Shaggy also found a kindred soul in the feature-length animated Scooby-Doo! And the Alien Invaders.

Scooby himself has been smitten throughout the years even having his head turned as early as episode nine of the original series “The Backstage Rage.”

No matter what love triangles – or geometric contortions – there’s no shortage of affection for Scooby-Doo and those meddling kids. Happy 50th and Happy Valentine’s Day.

Merry Christmas from those “meddling kids” and dog as well as Jeff and I at Four Color Holiday Comics.

Now that paper has been shredded and curiosities sated, it’s time to settle back with a final adventure from Mystery Inc. before the New Year. Just remember, as 2019 dawns so does the 50th anniversary of Scooby-Doo.

That’s 350 in dog years.

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Scooby and the gang have appeared in comic book form since 1970, just one year after their CBS network debut. Gold Key rehashed their Saturday morning adventures as reimagined by Phil DeLara, Jack Manning and Warren Tufts for 30 issues.

Charlton picked up the license next publishing 11 issues in 1975. Marvel offered nine issues from 1977 to 1979. The franchise sat idle on the comic book front until 1993 when Harvey Comics reprinted the Charlton years. Archie Comics was next in line printing a meager 21 issues.

By 1995 Warner Bros. and DC Comics were under the same roof and Scooby-Doo found a home where he remains to this day.

Issue 115 contains two stories and a Yeti tutorial.

In It’s a Wonderful Fright Shaggy is George Bailey to a Smithsonian of spooks dating to the first season of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! A reoccurring theme in his dream – and the franchise – brings Shaggy to the realization of who is really behind the Ghost-Face-look-a-like mask and the mystery.

Following Velma’s brief interlude with Tales from the Yeti, the gang take on Santa’s Evil Elves.

Another round of costumed crooks attempt to steal food from the mouths of babes. It’s up to Scooby and Mystery Inc. to stop their nefarious plan – with a little help from a (very) old friend.

Let that digest with the turkey and trimmings and enjoy the evening. Another year is about to close, but, as touted above, 2019 will be the year of Scooby-Doo.  Who’d’ve thought a dog named after a Sinatra scat would become such an icon?