It’s the backups, though, previewing the next round of DC’s Hanna-Barbera books, that get really weird, because they’re essentially all twists on funny animal comics.
We’ve already discussed Snagglepuss, and that story is surprisingly intense for a tale about a talking pink kitty. But we also see Top Cat scam Batman and be revealed as a sort of Howard The Duck of the DC universe; a revelation that the Jetsons’ Rosie is now George’s dying mother transferred to a robot in an unexpectedly sensitive story about how technology will change how (and if) we die; and, strangest of all, comics legend Howard Chaykin taking on the barely remembered Ruff ‘N Reddy, reimagining them as ’50s comedians struggling to make it on TV. Around the time Chaykin, most notable for his comics aimed squarely at adults, has his heroes beat two rivals comics senseless for stealing their material, it’s clear Chaykin has no intention of mitigating his taste for dark material.
People who love these cartoons will likely have mixed feelings, but it’s not like DC is destroying the masters of the cartoon. And if these specials are any indication, we’re in for a fairly wild ride.
