Cathon’s new comic The Adventures of Sgoobidoo, published by Pow Pow Press, is an incredible, pint-sized, visual throwback – a mystery/adventure comic geared towards kids (and towards those young at heart).

On the surface, Sgoobidoo is a straightforward detective comic. Our main character is Sammy, a sleuth joined by his noble pooch Sgoobidoo.  The two get themselves involved in all kinds of adventures, hunts, and shenanigans. A personal favourite is “Indiscretions.’’ In this story, Sammy and Sgoobidoo enjoy an upscale ketchup loaf dinner. Upon closer inspection of caramelized ketchup stains, and moist crumbs on a napkin, they find a treasure map. Yes, this is absolutely as adorable as it sounds.

Cathon’s bold, stark lines are reminiscent of an earlier age of comics. As a kind of catharsis, Cathon took the time to pay homage to the ’50s golden age of comics advertisements. During said comic golden age, product advertisements would be interspersed within a comic’s pages. These were the days when Boomers had to physically fill in blank boxes on a page, with their real addresses, and probably a real lead pencil. Then they would walk to a mailbox, drop off this personal information, and hope for the best. Included in the pages of Sammy and Sgoobidoo’s adventures are conceptual replications of different forms of food products, fan clubs, and games. There’s even a sweepstakes! 

Perfectly sized (just a bit larger than a pocket book), the comic is physically very charming. It’s also a visually nostalgic read for those who cherish their throwbacks. I spoke with Cathon and found out that her personal style interests growing up were Archie comics, and the fruits of labour of earlier Franco-Belgian comic artists. As with many comic artists, Cathon’s palette of visual inspiration is refined. However, this comic is definitely geared toward more of a younger audience. The Adventures of Sgoobidoo would be a great introduction comic for kids, a most excellent way for them to dip their feet into the world of comics,  before they develop that comic muscle, and move onto becoming full-time collectors. It can also be read as a sort of dark parody of classic kids’ comics, with the occasional touch of nihilistic humour thrown in. 

The cover art (which is in colour, as opposed to the rest of the book which is drawn in black and white) features a familiar simplistic, yet excellent spooky text font style. In a technique often seen in older comics with scary  themes, the text is drawn to look like it’s shaking from fear, or in motion. The book’s physical pages also fall open very satisfyingly. (Can you tell I just spent time at the bookbinder’s studio?)  

Sgoobidoo is a quick, satisfying little read. It has strong potential as an addictive comic series.mRb