Today, our fan spotlight is Russ. Russ has been a longtime fan of Scooby, and is an active member on the ScoobyAddicts forum. He also is an artist who has commissioned many different pieces of Scooby-Doo fan art on DeviantArt.
Check out Russ’s profile below: 1. What is your name? Russ 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? Being born in 1968 I watched it as I grew up along with all the other cartoons from the 70's and 80's that were shown in the UK. Roll forward many (many) years and it was when watching cartoons with #2 child (a.k.a. ‘the small screaming one’) that I got back into the franchise. The prime thing behind this was Where's My Mummy which at the time #2 thought was the scariest film ever. 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? Not sure if I have a favourite episode as there are good episodes scattered all over the place but they are often let down by other issues. For example most SD:MI episodes are marred by the relationship 'drama' and the gangs dysfunction characters. BCSD has its share of issues which affect most episodes. Others (WNSD, WAY etc) are fun but mostly forgettable in that none stick out above the other. Despite what I've said about BCSD it would probably be from there I would pick the best episode from as when JCB et al nailed it, they nailed it - Greece is the Word or Scroogy Doo probably are tops with Vote Velma as an honourable mention for the concept and the martial law quip at the end. As for films that's a harder question, I can give you a top few but can't pick one. So Abracadabra Doo, Big Top, Cyber Chase and Camp Scare would gravitate towards the top. 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? My first involvement with the online fandom was via the now moribund velmadinkly.net and its Yahoo forum. Next came fanfiction.net (and through that I developed my 'allergy' to Shaphne fans), then ScoobyAddicts, DeviantArt and Tumblr. I've commissioned various bits of art over the years as well, mostly via DeviantArt, with one physical piece by one of the artists of Archie fame - Fernando Ruiz (commissioned via the most recent Die Kitty Die Kickstarter campaign). 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? You always want to say the next one but the current output is frankly a bit meh with mostly lackluster crossovers couple with a loss of who the members of the gang are and why they have stuck together. They never were well developed but there's no subtly or sign of care for the characters in the recent output. And the comics suck as well (IMO). So unless WB can get their act together (SCOOB sounds like a hot mess and Guess Who is an unknown quantity but has guest stars and that has rarely worked well over time) so the glory days might be behind us. Having seen the trailer I’m more optimistic about Guess Who than I was but the jury is still out. Until then I’ll go for WNSD. 6. If they could make a sequel to one Scooby-Doo series or film, what would it be? None of them as in reality they’d just mess it up with their current creative/editorial problems. WIth caveats I would probably plump for SD:MI. The caveats being without the dumpster fire that was the gang’s relationships and their characters. I would want them to avoid the romantic pairing within the gang as it is just too divisive with the sole exception of Velma/HDW. Failing that an animated version of Scooby Apocalypse. Or Abracadabra Doo, I’d love to see Madelyn back again. 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? Give the franchise lock, stock and two smoking Scooby Snacks to DC or Archie or get WB out of the mix and give HB the creative freedom they need. Another thing that probably won't happen, but needs to, is higher production values and a focus on storytelling via the whole gang and their interactions. Guest stars, set-pieces and slapstick should be the means to the end of storytelling not the end in itself. 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? Velma, cause she’s smart, awesome and sexy. Velma as Red Sonja. 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? SD:MI had the better villains by far, I suppose Professor Pericles has to be the Emperor Palpitine of Scooby villains but George Avocados had the better hair. 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? There's not that many who do recur but Marcie Fleach (HDW) from SD:MI I think would fit the bill. Everyone else will say the Hex Girls I expect. 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? Mostly DVDs, a few figures (mostly Velma), some Scooby toys, a couple of t-shirts, a waifu pillow case of Velma, travel pass holder, a huge pile of mostly Velma centric images downloaded from the internet*, 4 Scooby related DeviantArt favourite folders, downloaded digital commissioned art and some physical art with some of the latter even framed. 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? Its prime purpose is to entertain children which it does well. 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? I know <redacted> and <redacted>, been next to the safe that’s used to contain <redacted> and so on but that's the curse of having signed the Official Secrets Act all those years ago. 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! Woohoo! Open mic time! If I had control of the Scooby franchise: For Characters I’d set up some rules that had to be followed for all media unless there was a good reason, and ‘drama’ wouldn’t be one of them. The gang is supposed to be friends, friends since early childhood even, but recently you wouldn’t know that from how they’ve been written. There’s meant to be chemistry between them, but not the sort where your reach for fume hood and safety goggles. This would be the template for all creative work going forward. For comics
For Films… I would stop producing them for a year or so, try to get some writers from outside the current pool, writers who respect the franchise and the characters but may have fresher ideas. I’d look to bring Madelyn Dinkley as well as Crystal and Amber (from Alien Invaders) back, and I think we could have some Hex Girls fun. A mixture of darker films (a little bit Lovecraft perhaps) with more light hearted offerings. For TV As with films, give people a break. I’d go for a 50/50 split between comedy and suspense/danger. I’d pick up the focus on characters from BCSD and the multi-episode arcs and darker tone from SD:MI. *I know what you’re thinking, so stop it right now. I must say, Russ has so far had the best answer of anyone that’s done this for question 13 haha. Thanks again to Russ for participating in my little project! You’re welcome to leave Russ any comments or questions you may have in the comments section below.
5 Comments
Scoob16
9/17/2019 09:52:33 am
Very interesting answers, especially for question 14. I too would like a new Scooby comic for older audiences, like Apocalypse. Or a TV series.
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9/17/2019 11:18:20 am
I totally agree with everything Russm said for question 14. Clearly he should be writing the franchise and not the current writers! I really enjoyed his answer to question 13 too lol.
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9/17/2019 11:30:02 am
Zombie Island came out the year my twin brother Lincoln and I were born and I've been a Scooby-Doo fan ever since 💜
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Don Knotts
9/17/2019 11:50:42 am
Hi this is DON KNOTTS! I was wondering if you guys liked the two episodes I guest starred in during THE NEW SCOOBY-DOO MOVIES. I've been wondering for 47 years now and it's time to finally find out.
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Don Knotts
9/20/2019 07:21:35 pm
Hi guys, DON KNOTTS again...why didn't anyone respond to me?!? I'm very disappointed. I've waiting 47 years for this! So I'll ask again. What did you think of my two episodes? Guys? GUYS?!?!?
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