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As for this comic…
Here we reach the ultimate unsatisfying end to the ultimate unsatisfying story arc.
A few obvious questionable points that I’d like to acknowledge.
Firstly, I acknowledge that it’s weird that the group is driving with the cabin light on. But I chose to have them leave that cabin light on because seeing characters is usually better than not seeing characters. And I’m tired of shading nighttime scenes.
Secondly, I also acknowledge that a settlement of six people does not legally qualify as a ‘town’. It’s at best a hamlet. The word ‘town’ just fit better and looked nicer.
Thirdly, I am aware that the Mystery Machine is wildly off-model (or at least entirely different) in panel three. But you can chalk that up to my terrible vehicular drawing skills. And my laziness in not looking up appropriate reference material. And you know what they say: laziness plus marked lack of skill equals great success.
That doesn’t strike me as an Anishinebeg name, but I could be worng…. more Athapaskan
Well, I’m sure the exact origins are murky. But it sounds like a believable name of a North American town.
The town where an intrepid adventurer lost their SCUBA gear.
Founded by Jacques Cousteau.
I hail from a town where one of the founders lost his ski.
Muskegon.
I have to say I laughed my tail off over the town reveal. Fitting end to this story. As far as the vehicle depiction goes, Hanna Barbara barely put enough detail into their animations than a box with wheels. So don’t apologize…
I never really looked at the original van in the cartoons as reference because that vehicle was so abstracted and simplified (and inconsistent) that it didn’t help much. When I did look at refs, they were fan-made real vans decorated as the Mystery Machine. But one vehicle wouldn’t have pictures of sixteen different angles posted; they’d have one money shot posted and that’s it. So I began to wing it when drawing the van at different angles, but I’m obviously not very good at winging vans.
One thing that was consistent was the double doors were on the passenger side of the vehicle.
Yeah, I think all my panels show them on both sides for this one. Which is weird.
“This happens every year ‘about this time,” said the gas station owner. “Couple carloads of kids dressed just like you come by and gas up, though I’ll allow how your doggies are cuter than most. The missus and I just can’t understand it.”
Dang hippies.
Fitting end.
I felt so.
No. The fitting end would’ve been if the van did break down and they ended up actually stuck on the side of the road for the rest of the night. We’d never know if they made it to Scooby con.
Are they included in the population count?
They well might be.
Nooooo! Oh someone is not going to survive this trip. LMAO!
Indeed. A perilous circumstance.
This is better than showing up just as the convention closes for the night. “Skubagon” might exist much the same way as does Elmira – just a sign post on a highway…
Although, there IS Lake Scugog relatively close to Hamilton (a 3-hour drive is close, right?) that has the nickname “Skidoo-be-gone” due to the number of snow machines that break through the ice every year… lol
The name of Lake Scugog might have been kicking around in the back of my head with this.
Elmira, New York?
Elmira Ontario. It’s in Mennonite country. Which is the Canadian version of the Amish.
EG, I made a horrible mistake in naming the wonderful community of Elmira.
I was, in fact, thinking of the literal sign post on Hwy 20 near 53 that is pretty much all that’s left of the (village? hamlet?) of “Elfrida”.
Right. So many communities that are really just an intersection. There are a number of those in this area. Each vague region of Flamborough has its own special name, and they’re very protective of their individual identities. The people of Millgrove and Copetown are very proud of their towns. Which don’t really exist.
I used to teach in Copetown. Good times.
We have Menonites in New York. And an Elmira, which is interesting.
Upstate New York and Ontario are functionally very similar in a lot of ways.
We have Mennonites and Amish here in Kansas… the big difference is whether they drive tractors or cars to town to get supplies, and whether they have cell phones or not.
I don’t know about the Amish, but Mennonites have varying levels. Some are really strict and don’t use any tech, or wear buttons, or whatever, and others do drive cars but the cars need to be black. Very confusing.
They make great furniture, though. We buy mostly Mennonite-made furniture.
I believe the gang is now at the point where screaming won’t help . . .
But will that stop the screaming? No. No it won’t.
I probably should ask Phoebe what a bowl of crow tastes like.
https://www.puckcomics.com/?comic=puck-600
Crow is best served in a pie, from what I’ve heard.
You’ve just prophesied the Mystery Machine from the next Scooby reboot, where it’s a modified Canoo Multi-Purpose Delivery Vehicle: https://visor.ph/industry/canoos-boxy-van-is-the-way-forward-for-commercial-vehicles/
I’m psychic. Obviously.
*SNERK*
A sneak is as good as a wink to a blind bat.
Say no more, nudge, nudge?
I was about to say “Right in the how’s-your-father” but then realized that was from the RAF banter sketch. And that all Eric Idle bits have just merged in my mind now.
“Monkeys on the ceiling!”
Geshundheit
Next Tuesday.
The place was likely named town when the population was somewhat higher.
Yeah. That’s my excuse.
Well, it does seem to be a modern van converted to look like the Mystery Machine. I’d trump it up to artistic license.
If only it stayed the same model of modern van from shot to shot.
Can’t be too modern. It has stick.
They are still making vehicles with manual transmission. They tend to be cheaper as they are easier to manufacture than automatic transmissions and are more fuel efficient; they can even get away with a smaller motor for the same torque at the wheels. To bad most people don’t know how to drive them.
Why, Brits tell me that their shores are awash in manual transmissions! Awash, I say!
Darn Spell-Check.
Maybe someone turned on the cabin light, and they couldn’t get it to turn back off again.
That sounds very, very likely with this bunch.
Huh. What a coincidence. Is the con in the downtown area do you think?
Sorry, I just liked the idea! I thought it worked.
Con was probably at a convention centre in an actual city. That’s usually where they happen.
So they turn around and go home, furious and screaming at Phoebe the whole way…
Meanwhile, the organizers of Scooby-Con thought organizing it in an spooky abandoned town with an ironic name was a brilliant move!
…Turnout is a little disappointing though. Wonder what happened there…
Ultimate irony.
Pretty pretentious hamlet calling itself a town. Since you need a min of 300 to qualify in Canada.
1500, I was thinking village rather then town. Which is worse.
Pretty pretentious.
It’s funny that a town with a population of six rates such an extravagant sign. They must have really had high hopes in the begining. Still, it would be hilarious if it turned out Scooby-Con was actually there because the convention runners thought it would be funny.
Stranger things have happened. The town of Stratford (origin of Justin Bieber!) became the site of North America’s largest Shakespearean theatre festival mainly due to the fact that the town was named ‘Stratford’ and it was on the Avon river. Not the Avon river, but close enough.
I’ve been there. I saw the Mikado and Anthony and Cleopatra. It was cool!
I’m a fan of the festival. Love the town too.
As for the votive, that is a nice waterfall :}
No joke, I live in a city with a staggering number of waterfalls. More than 100 within city limits. Some are tiny but a good 15 or more are quite majestic. To say nothing of what might be under the waterfalls.
Such as the occasional ancient fairy of lore.
Very occasional.
There ain’t many.
Too much water, but still nice.
Good job, I laughed
I am proud of this one.
Hmm… seems to me that town’s name sounds suspiciously like “Scoob begone!” 😉
Maybe they had run-ins with dog-owning hippies before.