The Curse of the Scary Scarab is the first of two stories in Scooby-Doo #19, by DC Comics. It was followed by Psychic Psyche-Out!
Premise[]
Shaggy's great-uncle Henry Rogers has gone missing from an archaeological expedition. Shaggy stands to inherit a priceless ruby scarab and its curse.
Synopsis[]
Archaeologist Henry Rogers and his guide explore the Great Pyramid of Giza, the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu, reading an inscription warning of a curse. Suddenly, a giant cobra attacks them, and they are not seen since. Several weeks later, Rogers' great-nephew, Shaggy, receives an invitation to Cairo to read Henry's will. Upon landing at the airport, they meet the lawyer reading the will, Ben Abi. After Abi warns Mystery Inc. about the cobra, they visit the pyramid to read the will, where they are joined by Henry's assistants, Omar and Khyyam. Reading the will, Abi announces Shaggy would inherit a ruby scarab, while Omar and Khyyam would get fellowship grants to continue their studies at Cairo University.
Suddenly, the lights go out, and both Abi and the scarab disappear. Finding the cobra's tracks on the floor, they follow the tracks into the tomb. Though the trail appears to stop at a dead end, they discover a secret passageway hidden behind a wall, where they split up to search for clues. Fred, Daphne, and Velma follow the human footprints, finding a workshop with mechanical parts. They also find the ruby scarab, and after Fred finds a mechanical jaw, they realize who the culprit is.
Meanwhile, Shaggy and Scooby follow the cobra's trail, though the cobra appears and chases them into a kitchen. They relax, but are approached by three mummies in the pantry and two hooded figures. The mummies and hooded figures chase them away, forcing them to leap into an urn to hide. However, the urn reveals a hidden chute leading them into the workshop. As the hooded figures and mummies fall through the chute, the cobra falls on top of them, restraining them.
The hooded figures are revealed to be Omar and Khyyam, who used a giant robotic cobra in an attempt to steal the ruby scarab. They kidnapped Henry Rogers, his guide, and Abi, wrapping their entire bodies in surgical bandages and making them appear as mummies. Once the case is closed, Henry thanks Shaggy for rescuing them, but now that he is found he takes the ruby scarab back, intending to donate it to a museum.
Characters[]
Main characters:
Supporting characters:
- Henry Rogers (only appearance)
- Ben Abi (only appearance)
Villains:
- Giant Cobra (only appearance)(no lines)(robot)
- Omar and Khyyam (only appearance)
- Hooded figures (only appearance)(Omar and Khyyam's disguises)
Other characters:
- Guide (only appearance)
- Flight attendants (only appearance)
- Khufu (mentioned)
Locations[]
- Cairo, Egypt
- Cairo Airport
- Lost tomb of King Khufu
Objects[]
Vehicles[]
- Airplane
- Ben Abi's car
Suspects[]
| Suspect | Motive/reason |
|---|---|
| Ben Abi | He disappeared together with the Scarab of King Khufu. |
| Omar and Khyyam | They were the only assistants of Henry Rogers who weren't scared away. |
Culprits[]
| Culprit | Motive/reason |
|---|---|
| Omar and Khyyam operating the Giant Cobra robot, and acting directly in hooded disguises | To steal the Scarab of King Khufu. |
| The three mummies were actually Henry Rogers, his guide, and Ben Abi, wrapped in bandages by the villains to restrain them. | Trying to escape. |
Notes/trivia[]
Miscellaneous[]
- Disguises: None.
- Traps: None.
- Clues: The cobra's tracks and a mechanical jaw.
Reprints[]
- Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #7 (May 2011).
Coloring mistakes[]
- None known.
Inconsistencies/continuity errors and/or goofs/oddities[]
- None known.
Reception[]
Reviewer Ray Tate said, "Pinky and the Brain scribe Jesse Leon McCann slinks a sinuous mystery that offers several novel twists. Mr. McCann also reminds readers of Daphne's apropos nickname while Joe Staton and Andrew Pepoy with Paul Becton keep the gang from Coolsville in cartoony character."[1]
References[]
- ↑ Ray Tate in Line of Fire Reviews