Today’s fan spotlight is a super Scooby fan that checks the blog every single day after school! I’m excited to introduce you to Thomas. You can read his fan spotlight below:
1. What is your name? Just call me Thomas. 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? Well, I started watching Scooby Doo and the Loch Ness Monster with a friend and then I fell in love with it. My first ever series I watched was Be Cool Scooby Doo. 3, What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? I would say for movie Cyber Chase would be mine, and my favorite episode would be the first one from Where Are You. 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? Just YouTube and television, and the ScoobySnax blog. 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? The best Scooby Doo era for me would be the early 2000s, when What's New Scooby Doo came in 2002. 6. What one Scooby-Doo series or film would you want a sequel to someday? My favorite sequel? I would make a reboot of The Scooby-Doo show, that would be amazing. I would also like a series when there is a movie based on when the series concluded. I would love a Power Rangers and Scooby-Doo crossover that would be a dream come true (as I am a fan of both)! 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? I would like something new and refreshed but still enjoyable so old Scooby-Doo fans and new ones can enjoy. 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? I can't choose between them, sorry. 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? This is so difficult for me, Captain Cutler maybe for me. 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? 100 percent the Hex Girls! 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? I have the complete series of the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo and What’s New Scooby Doo series 2 and Guess Who series 1. 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? I think it is because of how they make it in a different way of Scooby-Doo and make something new about it. 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? My fun fact is that I one ate a golden bar and thought I was eating a scooby snack because I I suddenly became brave for some reason. 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! Thank you so much WildwindVampire! Love your blog and thank you for letting me be a part of this fan spotlight. Thanks so much, Thomas, for participating as today’s fan spotlight and for being such a big fan of the blog!
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For today’s fan spotlight, I’d like to introduce you to Luigi! Luigi is a huge Scooby fan who is very active on the ScoobyAddicts forum, and is also a frequent editor of the Italian Scooby-Doo Wikipedia and Scoobypedia. 1. What is your name? Luigi (or some may know me as scoobylover on many forums like Scoobyaddicts) 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? According to my grandma I started watching it when I was around 4-5 and immediately fell in love with it. I think the first series I watched was What’s New Scooby-Doo, tho I was too young to remember. 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? This is not gonna be an easy one. Let’s see.. I believe the one episode I keep on going back to is “All Fear The Freak”, I mean the plot twists and suspense in that episode are insane, worthy of the most intense drama series. Every time I rewatch it, it doesn’t even feel like I spent 20 minutes, it just draws you in immediately. In terms of movies, as much as I would want to mention “Zombie Island”, “Witch’s Ghost”, “Alien Invaders” or “Camp Scare” as my personal favourites I am also aware they’re pretty much everyone else’s too. So I’ll go for a highly underrated one. “Music of the Vampire” is simply one of the best animated and well-written movies of the DTV series. And this is coming from someone who does NOT like musicals. ALL the songs are soooo catchy and I probably know them by heart in two different languages by now. The story is a classic Scooby mystery and the gang interacts so much. I love the scenes when the gang is gathered in Van Helsing’s studio, it just gives me such a warm feeling. Then, of course, there’s the beautiful Shaggy and Scooby’s ode to friendship, Velma saving Daphne, Fred being the adorable himbo he is. Just a beautiful cozy movie overall. 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? I have been writing in the various forums (mainly Scoobyaddicts) for years, editing loads of pages for Scoobypedia, constantly looking for exclusive information for new shows and movies on social media but most importantly I’m pretty sure I can consider myself the most active Italian Scooby fan. If you jump on the Scooby-Doo Italian wikipedia pages, in fact, you will mainly be reading stuff I wrote. I’ve been editing those pages and kept them up to date since I owned a laptop for the first time. The Italian Scooby community needs me even more than you think. In fact, since a lot of DVD have never been published and barely any series are on streaming platforms I spent over 15 years collecting (in not so legal ways but for the sake of keeping the Italian Scooby dubs alive for posterity) all of the episodes and movies in Italian from the depth of the Internet. I have actually only completed the collection last year, after YEARS. I’m so proud of it. 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? The Mystery Incorporated era is the best imo. It took the Scooby formula and mixed it with the best version of mystery, comedy and drama shows. And it works sooo well for Scooby I’m surprised they haven’t gone for it more than once. In terms of movies, I really can’t choose between the Mook era and the Abracadabra Doo/Camp Scare/Phantosaur era. Both are great, the first one offered us a reintroduction to the characters after years of not being on tv and it was so well done, the second one gave the franchise a well-needed breath of fresh air! 6. What one Scooby-Doo series or film would you want a sequel to someday? Well, I know it is unlikely but having a third season for Mystery Incorporated would be great. But even better would be an adult animated adaptation for Scooby Apocalypse. I love the comics although in some parts it fell flat and repetitive. I think that could be fixed with an epic reimagined version of it with a huge quest to save humanity with The Walking Dead story arc undertones. It just can work!! I want it to be dark, gritty, edgy and crude and to explore the issues of morality surrounding the idea of the zombies being real people, hence whether they could be sacrificed or not. 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? I’m honestly pretty stoked for what’s to come already. For years I’ve been wanting an adult Scooby series and finally Velma could be the show I’ve been fantasising about. Also, I’m in the middle of reading the first Daphne & Velma novel and it is such a fun young adult mystery book that would cater to a much wider audience, and not just kids or adults. Maybe WB should go for that, just like they did for Mystery Inc.: keep the fun dynamics between the characters but add overarching elements for older kids and adults to enjoy. I have to say I’m concerned about the DTVs since they are prioritizing crossovers a lot, tho I’m aware that many have worked so well already (Kiss, Supernatural, WWE) but I would like to keep the focus on Scooby for a while since we’ve also just had Guess Who. Thankfully, they are also making one-off specials like The Scooby-Doo Reunion which seems like a fun sorta parodistic episode which means they are trying new things. That’s it, that’s what I want from Scooby from now on. Just experiment, discover new grounds and expand the characters and stories to the fullest. Oh and also, they should really start making spin-offs. The franchise is filled with iconic characters they could have exploited but nope.. still no Hex Girls spin-off :’((( 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? Well, since every iteration has a different version of each character, I would go for Be Cool Daphne, especially when she questioned gender roles (like wearing a beard) and promoted feminist ideology (I love rewatching the Salem episode and enjoy her bashing the mayor over and over again calling him an ignorant). But also, Zombie Island’s Daphne is such a badass, I love her. Almost as much as Sarah Michelle Geller’s Daphne. Also, I’m obsessed with Mystery Incorporated’s Velma. Some people complain about her being too mean to the gang or too desperate with Shaggy. What I see is a well-rounded character with flaws and insecurities who grows throughout the show.. and her sassiness is just iconic, let’s not forget it borrows a lot from her snappy personality from the classic show and takes it to an hilariously exaggerated extent. 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? It’s gotta be Cornfield Clem (from “Spooky Scarecrow”) since I’m obsessed by American Halloween vibes and I always wanted to experience a corn maze and scarecrows are the ultimate Halloween monsters! Everything about the special episode enraptures the Halloween spirit so perfectly. 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? Hex. Girls. The most iconic side characters, in any franchise, ever existed. They had the most badass introduction in “Witch’s Ghost” with Thorn getting such a complex background story. Also the whole concept of a Wiccan eco-punk goth band is insane.. like how do you even come up with that? They deserve their own spin-off and I will never stop saying that. Also… queer icons. What more would you possibly want from side characters? 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? Unfortunately, living in Italy I couldn’t get stuff like comics and toys that were exclusive for the American market and never got to my country. Though, before they discontinued it in Italy, I have many DVD releases, some random magazines bought here and there, but most importantly the “Misteri a 4 Zampe” book series. Started as an Italian rebranding for James Gelsey’s “Scooby-Doo Mysteries” books, the Italian translator continued the series by writing more books herself. Stories that are only available in Italian unfortunately but it perfectly suits the vibe of Gelsey’s series. Other than that, my physical collection is quite small. I do, however, have a predisposition to digital stuff, hence I have the biggest and most organised collection of Scooby media on a single external hard drive that I would shield with my life. Inside of it, there is every piece of Scooby media in the best quality available in both Italian and English, plus a lot of ads and bumpers that can be found around the net, most of the comics released (tho some rare old ones are missing) and some books. My most prized possession. 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? Interesting question. In my opinion, Scooby-Doo’s concept is so malleable, the characters balance each other out but can also be pushed to the extreme and create the opposite effect by shaking up the dynamics within the friendships, plus the mystery and adventure are such easy reusable genres that can always create refreshing new stories. It’s just such an easy IP to explore and create new content around. 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? Well, even though I moved away from Italy long ago, I still love rewatching Scooby dubbed in Italian, mostly because it is my mother tongue and I grew up with movies and episodes being in Italian. But also, because I have a passion for Italian dubbing, since we boast one of the most important and renowned voice over industry in the world. Every time I watch a new piece of Scooby media I’m alway fantasising which voice actor will dub them in the Italian version, hoping to hear my favourites when it comes out. This is one fun fact about me which explains why I mentioned Italy so many times :) 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! I’ll share another fun fact. I recently wrote an essay for one of my university classes (“Communication Ethics”) about the ethical implications of “turning a character gay”, which addresses the current debate on Velma’s sexuality in her new spin-off series from the side of the producers. I got an 8.2/10 for it, so in case you guys wanna check it out I’ll leave you the link here (the instructions for the assignment are also included after the reference list):
Thanks so much to Luigi for being today’s fan spotlight! Be sure to check back tomorrow to meet another amazing Scooby-Doo fan like him!
Though the end of Guess Who hasn’t been aired in the U.S. yet, many of us have thankfully been able to watch them from airings in other countries. If you’ve seen any of the remaining 11 Guess Who episodes and you’re from the U.S., today’s fan spotlight is the person you should be thanking! Peralaan is a very active commenter on this blog who has been a Scooby fan since he was 2 years old. Check out Peralaan’s fan spotlight below:
1. What is your name? My name is Alex, but Peralaan works just fine. 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? I remember watching SDWAY on Boomerang with my grandparents when I was really young, my earliest memories are from when I was two years old. I also remember my parents owned ten episodes or so on three different vhs tapes that I frequently watched when I was young. 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? My favorite episode is definitely A Tiki Scare is No Fair. Growing up the only way to watch any episodes of Scooby-Doo were either on the aforementioned vhs tapes or by catching the episodes aired on Boomerang. A Tiki Scare is No Fair was an episode I was only able to see a couple of times when younger, but the Witch Doctor's colorful costume and the scene with the revolving door stuck with me for some reason. As for my favorite movie, that's a little more challenging as there's never been a movie that has jumped into my mind as the greatest ever. For recent movies, both Moon Monster Madness and Frankencreepy pop out for being enjoyable. As far as movies go, the negative ones tend to stick out more in my mind such as the Kiss movie. Choosing a favorite is somewhat difficult, but my least favorite is a no-brainer. 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? I've posted a little here and there on the ScoobyAddicts forum and on Scoobypedia, but the main site I comment on is your blog. My major contribution to the community was definitely creating Google Drive links for many episodes of Guess Who, but most people reading this probably already know that. 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? This is another tough question, but I think I have to give it to The Scooby-Doo Show. The whole show was like a continuation of Where Are You, but the show was more established and was able to try new things. 6. What one Scooby-Doo series or film would you want a sequel to someday? I know this is going to be a controversial/unpopular opinion but I really liked the 15 episodes of the original Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Show (Ransom of the Scooby Chief was a misfire). I'd like to see another show try something similar and feature Scrappy as a prominent member of the gang, and air as full episodes. 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? I don't have a strong preference for how the franchise should proceed. The most definitive thing I'd like to see is Warner Brothers actually release episodes and market future projects better. The upcoming Velma series will likely muddle the brand, so I wouldn't be surprised if another series releases that plays on nostalgia, similar to Guess Who. 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? My favorite gang member is definitely Velma. I've always had a strong appreciation for intelligence, and that's what Velma is known for. 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? This is mostly nostalgia, but the Hawaiian Witch Doctor is definitely my favorite villain due to his colorful costume and amusing personality. 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? The best recurring character is Sheriff Bronson Stone. He appeared in most episodes of SDMI, had time to actually develop his character, and he showed multiple layers throughout the series. Aside from that, Patrick Warburton is a fantastic voice actor who really brought the character to life. 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? I do have a collection, although it isn't anything special. I still have the vhs tapes I mentioned earlier along with various DVDs. Aside from that, I have around a hundred or so Scooby comics in my comic collection, and I have the entire collection of Scooby-Doo Mystery novels written by James Gelsey. 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? I think the franchise has been popular for a few reasons. There is plenty of humor that both children and adults can appreciate, and there's also personality shown by the gang that's relatable. I think the actual mysteries also draw attention to the show, even if some iterations have better mysteries than others. The final factor is the villain of the week format, those types of shows always seem to find an audience. 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? Like Shaggy and Scooby, I'm known in real life to have a bit of an appetite. In my junior year of high school, I was in a pizza eating competition in which I won by eating two whole extra large pizzas in under three minutes. 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! It's really cool to be part of this community, especially the one on your site. I'm glad I was able to provide people links to new episodes and was able to help this community grow and thrive. Regardless of the actual quality of the Guess Who, I'll remember it as one of my favorite series purely for the way the community grew around it. Thank you so much to Peralaan, both for being today’s fan spotlight and for helping us see so many of the Guess Who episodes via recordings from other countries. I’m truly grateful for how he helped the Scooby community grow! Today’s fan spotlight is Peter! Peter is a big Scooby-Doo fan from Sweden. Here's his fan spotlight:
1. What is your name? Peter 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? I began to watch episodes on TV and fell completely for it! 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? Favorite episode is “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Werewolf” (Where Are You) and the reason for that is that Scooby is so cute in it! Shaggy is very funny and I love the song, “Tell Me, Tell Me,” in it too! I only wish Daphne would have been running with them too. I love a lot of episodes, but this one is one of my favorites! A movie I like a lot is Music of the Vampire, especially the scene in the beginning. I also like the first Zombie Island very much, and also the Sword and the Scoob too. 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? I am following your website close. I am checking it out almost every day. I like it! 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? In my opinion, one of the best series is The Scooby Doo Show (70’s show) because of the plots and the villains. I like many episodes from that, but What’s New, Scooby-Doo and the classic Where Are You are amazing too! Almost every series has at least some good in it: some nice episodes and some nice villains. 6. What one Scooby-Doo series or film would you want a sequel to someday? I would like to see a sequel to Sword and the Scoob, but this time, Daphne as a damsel. Scooby and Shaggy could be brave and save her!! I would also like to see a better sequel to Zombie Island. It was a cool movie. I would also like to see a sequel or a series with episodes of Scoob. 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? I would like to see the direction go darker/serious tone, but the concept can be similar to classic Where Are You and The Scooby-Doo Show. 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? My favorite member/members are Scooby – he’s cute. Shaggy – he’s funny and nice. And Daphne – she’s kind and very hot. I love these three! 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? My favorite villain/villains are the Willawaw and also the Purple Space Ape from What’s New Scooby-Doo. I also love the Fire Flame Villain from the comic “Wax Attack” but there are soo many nice and cool villains! 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? The best recurring character would be the Hex Girls! I love them! I wish they could get their own mystery cartoon series! 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? Yes, I have a lot of DVD’s and other things. Coloring books, posters, figurines, plushes etc. I have a big collection and I love it! 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? I think because it seems to suit both young and old, both boys and girls. It’s funny and it’s serious, and has lots of cool villains and different places. Plus Scooby is so cute! 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? I make unofficial fan trading cards for Scooby-Doo villains! Thank you again so much to Peter for being today’s fan spotlight! Happy Friday, everyone! Today, we’re spotlighting a very special Scooby fan: Emily! Emily runs the Emmasaurus YouTube channel, which showcases her adventures collecting and building LEGO content, including the Scooby-Doo LEGO theme.
I’m super excited to introduce you to Emily as today’s fan spotlight! 1. What is your name? Emily (Emmasaurus on YouTube) 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? I loved Scooby as a kid and remember watching VHS tapes of the movies on repeat! I was so young I don’t even remember the first time I saw the show or movies - I think it was always something I loved watching! 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? My favorite Scooby movie is Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost. I loved the New England setting, the story was spooky and exciting, and I obviously loved the Hex Girls! My favorite episode is “Which Witch is Which?”. I remember this was one of the TV shows my parents had recorded on VHS (very old school) and I just get so much childhood nostalgia whenever I watch it! 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? My YouTube channel heavily revolves around LEGO and I create content about LEGO Scooby-Doo semi-regularly (the theme recently retired). The LEGO Mystery Machine is one of my favorite LEGO sets! I also enjoy keeping up with the latest Scooby news online - when the next movie is coming out, people’s critiques on the TV shows or movies - and I follow a few Scooby-Doo Instagram accounts! 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? My favorite era of Scooby-Doo was the late 1990s to the early 2000s when Zombie Island, Witch’s Ghost, Alien Invaders, and Cyber Chase were released! I was young when these movies came out, but I remember being so excited to get to watch them! They’re still my favorite Scooby movies! 6. What one Scooby-Doo series or film would you want a sequel to someday? A sequel I’d like to see from Scooby-Doo is probably a sequel to Alien Invaders. It would be interesting to see the aliens return to Earth. This was one of the only times we saw real aliens in Scooby-Doo. Plus, Shaggy and Crystal were adorable together! 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? I love the recent character development and I hope they stick with it! Daphne used to be my least favorite member of the gang, but now she's one of my favorites for sure! She’s absolutely hilarious, especially in “Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo!”, whereas in the TV series “Where Are You, Scooby Doo?”, she didn’t have much of a personality at all. 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? My favorite member of the gang is Daphne now! It used to be Shaggy, but I absolutely love how funny Daphne has become, especially in recent years! 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? I honestly don’t have a favorite Scooby-Doo villain, but I like the Headless Horseman a lot (mostly because we got him as a LEGO minifigure!). 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? The Hex Girls are the best recurring characters for sure! I loved them in Witch’s Ghost and it’s been so fun seeing them pop up in later Scooby TV shows and movies! 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? I don’t have a massive Scooby-Doo collection but I’m still proud of it! I have a giant (life-size) animatronic Christmas Scooby-Doo that sings Christmas songs in Scooby’s voice, a decent sized collection of the DVDs, a Scooby-Doo plush from Build-A-Bear, some children’s books from the 90s, two pairs of Scooby-Doo Converse, and of course the entire LEGO Scooby-Doo collection! I’ve also got a few other things like Scooby-Doo pez dispensers or a lunchbox that I think are pretty neat! 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? The thing that makes the franchise so popular is that it has changed slightly through time in order to remain relevant while still being the same show that we grew up with! The characters have always been who they were from the start, but there’s been some character growth and development along the way. They’re always trying something new as well, which makes it fun and exciting! 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? A fun fact about me is that I used to rewatch the early Scooby-Doo TV shows constantly in college! I’d be doing math homework with Scooby playing in the background. It made calculus a lot more bearable :) 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! I’m currently building a LEGO City and working on including a LEGO Scooby-Doo world! It is still very new, but I’m excited to be making it spooky, yet cartoonish and fun at the same time. It’s so much fun being able to combine two of my favorite things: LEGO and Scooby-Doo! Thank you so much, Emily, for being today’s fan spotlight! It was a lot of fun getting to read her answers and I definitely found myself agreeing with a lot of what she said, especially Daphne’s characterization being an improvement in recent years and why the franchise has remained so popular through the years. Scooby’s ability to have its characters grow and change over time, while also remaining the same franchise we’ve known and loved now for over 50 years, definitely makes Scooby-Doo one of the special franchises out there! I wish Emily the best of luck with her LEGO Scooby-Doo World - which sounds amazing, by the way - and I hope you enjoyed getting to know her a little better! Happy Thursday everyone! Today’s fan spotlight is Ben, a big Scooby fan who’s currently studying to become a teacher in college. Ben has written a number of fun facts for the blog, and definitely deserves to be recognized for his dedication and commitment to the fandom.
Here’s Ben’s fan spotlight: 1. What is your name? Ben R 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? No incredible tale here. My younger siblings fell into the show when they found a VHS of it, and when I was born Scooby-Doo was always around. I just never stopped loving it. 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? I love Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island as many other Scooby fans do. I love the mystery, the acting (Mary Kay Bergman’s “Who opened a window?” never fails to make me laugh), the animation, and the characters. As for my favorite episode, I have to say It’s Mean, It’s Green, It’s the Mystery Machine only because I’ve watched it so many times I know each line by heart. 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? I wish I was involved more lol. I usually just try to stay updated on Scooby info on sites like ScoobySnax.com and Scooby Addict’s Blog. 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? Mystery Incorporated Era. By far, my favorite Scooby show (although Be Cool is a close second) Movies that came out in this era were also great like Abracadabra Do and Camp Scare. 6. If they could make a sequel to one Scooby-Doo series or film, what would it be? Alien Invaders. I think it would be really nice to see Amber and Crystal again. They made such great characters and I would hate it if we never saw them again. 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? More dark. It’s what a lot of people say, and I really think the same. While I love Be cool Scooby-Doo, Guess Who played it way way too safe so it would be nice to see them get dark again. I hope the Velma show can do that. Also hope Velma stops with the monsters are fake garbage. It can get very very annoying especially when you’re preaching that at the best Scooby movie of all time. Okay, now I’m just rambling lol. 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? Scooby-Doo. He’s the cute, loveable talking dog, and well I love him for that. Miss when he used to talk in all “r”s. 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? Elias Kingston. As a child, he was the villain that scared me the most and I just never forget him talking about how he would turn the entire Scooby gang into old people. It’s the first time in the series that there are actual stakes to the gang’s investigation: if they don’t solve the mystery they might turn to dust. 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? Scooby-Dum. It was nice that everyone in the gang got along with him, and his dumbness worked to the fact that it wasn’t too annoying. It would be really nice to see him again because it’s been like 30 years since his last speaking appearance. 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? Yes, I do have a Scooby collection. It has the usual DVDs, toys, books, and even cute little lunchboxes. Whenever I’m in the store, and I see something Scooby-related, I will buy it. 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? I think it’s the characters. They're just so recognizable. If you talk about Velma to anyone in the world they are most likely going to know who she is. Another reason for this is the outfits. Each character has its own color scheme and design that is completely unrelated to the other gang member. When I see green and purple together I immediately think of Daphne. If you don’t believe that, then it’s definitely the formula of the gang going somewhere and solving a mystery. One of the reasons why Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get A Clue or Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo isn’t that beloved is because they didn’t follow the signature formula. The reason why Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island and Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated are remembered is that they took that formula and added something new to it. That doesn’t mean I don’t love Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get A Clue or Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (I love them way more than I should) it’s just one of the reasons why they don’t fit so well in the Scooby brand. 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? I am currently in college right now studying to be a teacher and am also a teacher’s aid at a local school district in Wisconsin. 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! Scooby-Doo Stage Fright is very underrated lol. Thank you so much to Ben for his detailed responses, and for participating in these fan spotlights. Check back tomorrow again to meet another wonderful Scooby fan like him! Hi everyone and happy Scooby anniversary month! In just 12 days, Scooby-Doo will have been on television for 52 years! For our first fan spotlight, I’d like to introduce you to Matt. Matt is a big Scooby fan who recently got back into the fandom, and is a very active commenter here on the blog and the ScoobyAddicts forum. Without further ado, I’m excited to introduce you to today’s fan spotlight!
1. What is your name? My name is Matt! 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? One of the very few things I remember from when I was around 3-4 was running away from Scooby Doo at a theme park. I think it could have been Kings Island in Cincinnati. The only show I watched at that time was Blues Clues (which I would argue set me up for loving Scooby Doo) but my older sister liked Scooby Doo and she was getting pictures with the guy dressed as Scooby. That was the last moment I remember before we were watching Scooby Doo dvds in the car all of the time. We had Creepiest Capers, Spookiest Tales, Original Mysteries, and Greatest Mysteries. Then we started getting into What's New more with the Safari, Sports, and Europe volume dvds being the ones we watched a lot. Eventually, she outgrew a lot of it (she still loves What's New and select movies) but I never really did. In fact, I just kept getting more and more into Scooby Doo watching a bunch of different shows and movies. The format fascinated me and it was comfortable to watch. Eventually, by the time where I was in high school and cared way too much about what other people thought about me, I quit watching it so much. Once I stopped caring if people judged me for liking "a kids show", I started watching again and now I'm here haha. 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? My favorite Scooby Doo episode is High Rise Hair Raiser. It might seem like a random choice, but it has quite a few things going for it. For one, this is one of the episodes I remembered a lot watching The Scooby Doo Show on Boomerang along with Ghost of the Bad Humor Man. Once I figured out that season was on dvd under the title of the Scooby Doo Dynomutt Hour, both of those episodes were delightful. As for the episode itself, it is fantastic. I love how it starts out with the gang looking for a job. It shows something we haven't thought about before. The setting of a construction site is really creative and the crime is one of the most unique (in a VERY good way) and the different locations are fantastic. The strongest of these is, of course, Ebenezer’s house which includes one of the funniest gags of the franchise with the book of spells. One little scene that is almost completely forgotten is while the boys were working, Velma and Daphne were looking in newspaper archives for information which is just a case of good detective work. One of my favorite parts of the episode, though, was Ebenezer following the gang to the lens store and spying on them through the window. It is a creepy little scene that is just perfect. Everything about this episode was fresh and between the creativity and the dark mood, it was perfect and represents the best of The Scooby Doo Show. Honorable mentions go to What the Hex Going On, Simple Plan and the Invisible Madman and The Loch Ness Mess for also bringing their A game and representing the best that their respective series have to offer. As for films, others have explained why Zombie Island is the best Scooby Doo has to offer PERIOD far better than I can explain it, but I’ll try to hit on a few points. The mature feel of it, both in the scare factor and just their general attitudes and age, makes it feel very different. It is a very normal take to say that Zombie Island has the best music, and I feel that is true for both the songs and the background music. The background music doesn’t get pointed out enough as the scenes where they are driving around New Orleans where the music just makes me feel almost emotional. Again, y’all don’t need another person telling you why Zombie Island is their favorite, but I just love it so, so much. It’s the best thing that has ever been done with Scooby in my opinion and I never thought I would say that about a movie rather than an episode. Honorable mentions go to Alien Invaders for being one of the most rewatchable movies ever for me and my former favorite Camp Scare for bringing the absolute best to the table for a modern movie. A complex mystery plot with so many different elements and very likable side characters. Whew, that was long winded 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? My involvement is mainly through here at Scooby Snax and the Scoobyaddicts board! It’s something that I would like to expand upon whenever I feel comfortable doing so. Fandoms can be overwhelming so I’ve mainly stuck in my limited lanes in both Scooby and my other fandoms 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? I’ll answer both! My favorite series is Where Are You, but a lot of series give it a run for its money! New Movies, Scooby Doo Show, What’s New, Mystery Inc, and A Pup are all just phenomenal shows imo. The first three on that list are always fighting for the final 2 spots in my top 3 and the other two are always fighting for that 5th spot. First season of Scrappy, New Mysteries, and Be Cool are also excellent series, and I like most of the others too. But Where are You is my biggest childhood series with What’s New. Honestly, if the third season of the Scooby Doo Show was as good as the first two, that series wins it all. As for era, it has to be the Mook Era. Sorry for the basic answer but the general vibe of the movies from that era just hits different. Shout out to the Scooby Doo Show season 2 though. It doesn’t count as an era but those episodes felt very different to anything else in a very good way. 6. What one Scooby-Doo series or film would you want a sequel to someday? I think I have to go with Camp Scare. The characters and settings are well set up for a modern sequel. And it wouldn’t be too different from what they are doing now so I don’t think they could completely screw it up like they have done with some older material they tried to modernize. I’d love to see Bert, Luke, Trudy, Jessica, and especially the Camp City guy (so much that could be explored with him and his museum) appear for a second camp movie! 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? I would LOVE to see Scooby be darker again. An example could be Night Terrors. A super creepy and very well written episode but it doesn’t stray too much from what they are trying to do with Scooby right now. It doesn’t have to have an overarching plot like Mystery Inc but the darkness of MI was what I miss. Also, Scooby just feels too formulaic right now. I mean, it is Scooby Doo, but Guess Who just felt way too cookie-cutter at several points. I wish they wouldn’t be afraid to stray from the formula a bit. Like, include a real monster every once in a while or something. Scooby shouldn’t be boiled down to the same thing over and over like the stereotypes would suggest. Because it hasn’t always been that way. Sorry if that was a little too ranty but yeah I am always an advocate for striving to be better rather than staying complacent in a franchise. It’s why I have so much respect for Be Cool as a whole 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? This one changes per series for me. Velma is the only one who I have never considered my favorite, but I have liked her in most incarnations though (the newer Velma not as much). It is mostly Scooby and Shaggy though except Fred is the best in A Pup and What’s New, and Daphne is my favorite in the 80s 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? I think I have to lean with some classic villains for this one. Spooky Space Kook, Ghost Clown and Captain Cutler are probably my favorites. All stone cold classics 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? I’ll go with Scooby Dum. It can’t be a coincidence that the episodes he is in are so freaking good. Shout out to some villainous fellas in Red Herring and Gibby Norton just for making me laugh at a consistent rate 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? I have a couple of lego sets, a couple of stuffed animals, some figures, and some miscellaneous things. However, my main Scooby Doo collections are DVDs and especially VHS. DVDs are mainly just to own the episodes, while VHS are something I just think are neat to have 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? Not gonna lie, Scooby Doo is really lucky to still be going on. An interesting and unique (at the time it was first made) premise got it so far up until A Pup, but Scooby can really thank Cartoon Network for showing reruns of Where Are You in the 90s and giving it so much more popularity. From there, it was able to come back. So that’s why I can’t get too mad at Cartoon Network for starting the Scrappy hate when they were probably the reason we got Scooby back at all. The odds were against this consistent popularity, but I am certainly happy about it 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? Most of my favorite shows are animated. It is a more consistent medium than live action shows. For example, some of the best stories ever told have to do with kids or teenagers (Scooby Doo lol) yet in live action, these people grow up and the plot has to grow older with it. With animation, you get to control the timing of how your show grows through time, if at all. And it usually doesn’t have to take away from the story if it is animated. There are a couple of animated shows for older audiences that I won’t promote on this platform that I really love. I am a huge fan of classic animation such as Hanna Barbera or Looney Tunes. Perhaps the show that is up there with Scooby for me is the Total Drama franchise. It is a perfect series for anyone that is a preteen or older. That is my other main fandom btw 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! Thank you for giving me this opportunity! And thank you for being such a dedicated presence in the fandom, Wildwind! This blog is something special. Thank you so much, Matt, for kicking off our fan spotlights! Be sure to check back every day through Scooby’s anniversary on September 13 to meet a new Scooby-Doo fan every day! Scooby-Doo has officially been on the air for 51 years as of 10:30am EST this morning! To conclude the fan profiles, the spotlight is on a very special person today!
That person is Bradford N. Smith, who has quickly become my new Internet bestie! Bradford reached out to me through email back in late February, right before the pandemic hit. With more time to talk being stuck at home, we found we had so much in common and hit it off immediately. We've continued to talk to each other every day since we met. Bradford is also an aspiring screenwriter who wants to write for Scooby-Doo in the future, and has written a whole series of Guess Who fan scripts which you should absolutely check out, because they are amazing! He's also written one with a guest star I suggested today, Sabrina Carpenter, which you should totally read here! Take us away, Bradford! 1. What is your name? Bradford N. Smith 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? I got into Scooby-Doo by being a restless baby. Rather than sit in the dark to calm me down, my dad would take me into the living room and turn on Scooby-Doo (since that's what was between 1 and 3 AM apparently). And things just grew from there… 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? Favorite episode.... I think I want to go with "Hassle in the Castle" just because it's such a classic and a perfect representation of the Scooby-Doo formula. Favorite film. That's a tougher one. If I'm forced into a corner, I'll pick "Witch's Ghost" because I love the Hex Girls too much not to pick that. 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? I've only been involved in the Scooby fandom since about the end of 2019, but I've contributed a bit to Scoobypedia (especially when it comes to the plethora of Scooby commercials out there) and I've been really active on Twitter (and Instagram a little too). I've also been writing Scooby-Doo fan scripts, with the intention of trying to one day write for the franchise. *insert shameless plug* Those scripts can all be read at bradfordwritesscooby.com! 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? I would actually split those. In my opinion the best era for Scooby-Doo was the 70s. The early episodes are irreplaceable and the original series lays the groundwork for the franchise, with The Scooby-Doo Show in the later half of the decade really perfecting the formula. But if I were to select the best series of the franchise, I would have to say Be Cool, Scooby-Doo. I know that's a controversial pick, because the character designs are nobody's favorites, but the way the characters are developed and the storylines are put together (minus the last couple episodes), I'd say there's no other series in the franchise that does better in matching what the intent of Scooby-Doo was all along. 6. If they could make a sequel to one Scooby-Doo series or film, what would it be? I think I'd like to see a sequel to Laff-A-Lympics. It wasn't the greatest series, but I'd love to see all the characters get together again in the modern era and compete in a series of athletic competitions across the globe, as long as there was still a lot of humor and gags involved. And it might be kinda cool if they threw in some Cartoon Network characters, now that those universes cross over (Johnny Bravo, Dexter, etc.) 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? I mean, if I'm being selfish, the direction I want to see it go is my own, because I'd really like to write for it. But without me attached, I'd just like to see it continue taking some bigger risks with the series, while holding onto the "safer" stuff for the DTV films. Mystery Incorporated and Be Cool were both such terrific departures from what everybody had gotten used to, which is why I think I like them both so much. So more of that would be good. As would be the return of Scooby-Dum. He needs to be brought back… 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? Daphne. I love Scooby and the rest of them, but Daphne never gets the credit she deserves for all the terrible stuff she's had to put up with over the decades. She finally got to shine in Be Cool, which I was thrilled about. Before that, she got pushed into the background too much, constantly overshadowed by the hilarity of the others. But she's a boss. I really hope her personality gets to be explored more in future installments. Honorable mention to Fred in Mystery Incorporated though. That version of him is hilarious. 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? Love Space Kook, but the Beast of Bottomless Lake is probably my favorite. That design has always appealed to me and I think it was cool that it turned out to be a woman, not another dude, behind the mask. Honorable mention to the Ghostly Gondolier. 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? Scooby-Dum. End of discussion. 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? I do! I've been collecting things since I was a little kid. So I've got a wide assortment of toys and VHS tapes and other random household things (phone, lamp, etc)... I've also got a ton of books and comics, all of the LEGO sets, nearly all the blu-rays and a bunch of the DVDs. I've started trying to collect the Funko figures, but that's a slow process. 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? The wholesome family comedy of it is likely the biggest element that's kept it alive. There are few shows entertaining enough that multiple generations can sit down and watch any episode together and all be into it. I'd also be willing to bet that the mystery aspect plays a factor too. The solvable mysteries at least. People love being able to solve stuff and Scooby's mysteries aren't usually too complicated, but even when you're stumped, that surprise when the villain is unmasked is usually enough to still bring a smile to your face. 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? Because I used to listen to the Scooby-Doo's Snack Tracks cassette every night as I was going to bed, throughout most of elementary school (and even sometimes after that), whenever I would run at recess, I would play a chase song in my head so I could pretend I was in a Scooby-Doo chase. This continued after Zombie Island came out and I switched over to playing those songs in my head. Especially "It's Terror Time Again". 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! Gosh... I can't think of anything else super important to share. I'd love it if people could check out my scripts though and whether you like them or not, I'd love to hear from you, so don't be afraid to reach out on Twitter or Instagram! Beyond that, the only thing I can think to say is.... Scooby Dooby Doo! I can’t think of a more perfect way to conclude this year’s fan spotlights! Thank you so much, B, for your detailed responses and for being such an amazing bestie! And thank you so much, readers! I hope you all enjoyed these fan spotlights, and that you got to meet at least some cool new Scooby fans over the course of these 13 days! These fan spotlights seem to be very highly requested, so who knows, maybe I’ll do some again another time! :) For today’s fan spotlight, we have a very good friend of mine joining us! I’d like you all to meet Sam, who is an aspiring screenwriter and is especially interested in potentially writing for Scooby. Let’s get to know Sam a little better with his fan profile!
1. What is your name? Sam 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? Some of my earliest memories are of watching Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? We owned both seasons on DVD and I must’ve seen each episode upwards of ten times. That series was my gateway into the horror genre. Eventually, I transitioned to watching What’s New, Scooby-Doo? and the DVD movies. I went through a big Scooby phase for a while, prompting my parents to buy me Scooby-Doo toys, coloring books, and clothes. I’ve never truly outgrown my Scooby phase, though – one of my most well-worn t-shirts has a Mystery Machine design on it. 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? There are so many great episodes to choose from. I’m tempted to say “every episode of Mystery Incorporated.” But I’ll go with a classic: “A Night of Fright is No Delight.” That episode has everything: an intriguing premise, an atmospheric setting, an Agatha Christie-esque mystery, plenty of fun slapstick routines, and more. I see why the writers of the Scoobynatural crossover selected this episode. (As a kid, the wails of the phantom shadows scared me so bad.) Zombie Island is easily my favorite Scooby-Doo movie. I also have soft spots for Camp Scare, Witch’s Ghost, and the Loch Ness Monster. 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? I hang around some forums and keep in touch with a couple Scooby fans. Anytime I see a video about Mystery Incorporated I head straight for the comments section and think “I’ve found my people.” I want to make more friends who love Scooby as much as I do. Every time I get a new girlfriend, early on in the relationship, I make her watch the first few episodes of Mystery Incorporated, because I’d love to get back into the series along with someone experiencing it for the first time. I’ve yet to meet someone who wants to finish the series, but I’m hoping one day I’ll meet that special someone. 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? For me, it’s a tossup between Where Are You? and Mystery Incorporated. 6. If they could make a sequel to one Scooby-Doo series or film, what would it be? I could die happy if they made a Mystery Incorporated reunion series/movie. It’s not necessary – that series was a perfect 52 episode run that ended strong – but I would love to catch up with those characters. I’ve been heartbroken ever since I finished the series. So many cancelled tv shows recently have been revived, I can only hope this one gets the same treatment. 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? I’d like to see the franchise go back to its roots while also trying something new. It would be great to see a Stranger Things take on the property – imagine a 1960’s set live-action horror-comedy series made for the adults who grew up watching Scooby-Doo. This is out there, but some way, somehow, I would love to see the Scooby gang on screen with classic slashers like Michael Myers, Jason, Freddy, and Leatherface. That would be insane. 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? Daphne. She was my childhood crush. 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? Spooky Space Kook. I still hear his laugh in my dreams. Some second choices are the Mummy of Ankha, the Black Knight, Ghost Clown, Captain Cutler, and the Creeper. 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? Vincent Van Ghoul. Vincent Price was making Scooby-Doo movies long before Scooby-Doo was created, so it’s a perfect pairing. 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? I wouldn’t say I have a collection, but I do have a bookshelf dedicated to DVD’s and comics. 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? I think it’s the mystery. The whodunnit formula is popular for a reason – there’s a thrill in finding out who’s the culprit. Scooby-Doo stories take that formula and combine it with likeable characters, memorable monsters, and a good sense of humor. 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? I write screenplays! My goal is to one day be a screenwriter. My favorite genre is horror-comedies (I’m sure that’s a result of a childhood of watching Scooby-Doo). It would be the opportunity of a lifetime to one day work with the Scooby-Doo property. 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! Pro tip: if you’re ever going through a Scooby drought because they aren’t airing any new movies or shows and you’ve seen every episode ever made, check out the movie The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. It was made in 1966 and stars Don Knotts. It feels just like a Scooby-Doo story. I love this blog! The Scooby fandom is an amazing community and I am honored to be a part of it. The franchise has an exciting future and I can’t wait to experience it with you all. Thanks so much to Sam for agreeing to participate in these fan spotlights! He has been a great friend over the years ever since I met him a few years ago on ScoobyAddicts. If you have anything you want to ask or share with Sam, feel free to leave him a comment in the section below! Tomorrow’s fan spotlight for Scooby’s 51st anniversary is a very special person, and no, it’s not just me again like it was last anniversary haha. I haven’t known this person for too long, but they've quickly become one of my favorite people in the fandom and I'm so excited for you all to meet them in the last fan spotlight tomorrow! Happy Friday, everyone! Today, the spotlight is on Brooke, a super cool Scooby fan with an amazing Scooby-Doo collection! Brooke is an avid podcast listener and active in the Scooby Twitter and Instagram community! I’m delighted to introduce you to Brooke with her fan profile! 1. What is your name? My name is Brooke, but you can find me everywhere as ScoobyBrookes! 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? I remember when I was younger watching a lot of the original series on Cartoon Network as well as on VHS tapes. It was that or the fact that the orthodontist I went to as a kid had a PlayStation 2 with Night of 100 Frights on it. I just was on that 24/7 every time I went there and was lucky enough that my parents got me it to play when I was at home too. 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? I actually really enjoyed To Switch a Witch. I thought it was a very dark episode and different from what we are usually given in the series. For my favorite film, definitely going to have to go with Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase. I could watch that movie every day honestly. I thought it was so neat to bring back old villains along with old character designs just to see how much the franchise has developed over time. 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? I love to listen to podcasts, participate in trivia events, draw Scooby content, and post pictures of my collection. I am trying to find other ways to be more involved since I would love to make more Scooby-Doo friends! 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? I always bring myself back to watching the original Scooby-Doo Where Are You series. It was one of the funniest series and for me it was always fun seeing recycled scenes in the show as well as later ones. 6. If they could make a sequel to one Scooby-Doo series or film, what would it be? I would like to see a sequel to Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost. Not entirely sure how the book can be brought back I'm sure there can be some foul play or regeneration but somehow Ben could escape and get revenge on the gang along with the Hex Girls? 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? It's a bit of a stretch but I would think it would be fun if there was a Scooby-Doo amusement park! I know there are rides for different parks scattered around the world (I might be going to Spain eventually to even ride one) but having one park, all rides Scooby themed would be a dream. 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? Shaggy 100%. I love his character and being someone who is also a fraidy cat, I feel like I relate a lot to him. 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? Milissa Wilcox from To Switch a Witch has been my favorite villain ever since I saw the episode. The design of her drew me in along with that she would go as far as to have her own twin sister killed just to get what she wanted. Truly a villainous character. 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? I wish we could have seen Mayor Jones more than we did. I enjoyed watching Mystery Incorporated a lot and part of the reason was his personality. 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? Yes, I do! My Scooby collection consists of stuffed animals, figures, autographs, drawings and animation cels. I'd have to say of my collection my favorite pieces are an artist print of the Nowhere to Hyde cel signed by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera along with an original signed Iwao Takamoto Scooby-Doo drawing! I am hoping to soon expand my collection and have graded Gold Key comics. 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? Making the franchise relevant is one factor I would surely say. Scooby-Doo and Guess Who does an amazing job at this by bringing in stars from all audiences like DC characters, comedians, sports stars etc. I don't see it stopping any time soon as well. 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? Along with Scooby-Doo, I am a big fan of other Hanna-Barbera works especially Top Cat. I really don't collect anything besides Scooby-Doo items, but I try to watch every episode of all their shows ever made (it's so much...). Thanks so much to Brooke for participating in this! I haven’t known her that long, so it’s been really nice to meet a new Scooby fan friend! :) Feel free to ask Brooke any questions you may have in the comments! In addition, here's some bonus pictures of some amazing animation cels Brooke has, signed by William Hanna, Joseph Barbera and Iwao Takamoto! Also, because Brooke is also an artist, she was super sweet and drew this picture of Thorn for me!
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