The Ruff and Reddy Show by Howard Chaykin Published by DC Comics on January 7, 2024
Genres: COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS / General, COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS / Media Tie-In
Pages: 168
Format: eBook
Source: DC Universe Infinite Digital Subscription
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There's no business like show business. And these two misfits have no business being anywhere near it.
Back in the day, they were the toast of Tinseltown. Ruff, a whip-smart cat, and Reddy, his dimwitted but lovable dog sidekick, had the biggest animated series on TV. Then the show ended, and so did their ride on the gravy train of fame and fortune. Now Reddy washes up in a local grocery store for a living, while Ruff is just...washed up.
But one hard-charging agent with stars (and dollar signs) in her eyes is out to change all that. With her help, Ruff and Reddy are about to mount a full-scale assault on the entertainment industry, determined to get back to the top by any means necessary. Game shows, crime dramas, sitcom pilots, reality TV, even (ugh) the convention circuit: this cat-and-dog act will get their paws on it all.
But when the pressures and temptations of fame lead to breakdowns and betrayals, can this odd couple stay together? Or will their biggest fan become their worst enemy?
Lights, camera, action: it's The Ruff and Reddy Show, a scathingly hilarious showbiz satire starring the classic Hanna-Barbera comedy team from comics legend Howard Chaykin and artist Mac Rey. Collects the six-issue miniseries.
I have been an active member of the DC Universe Infinite forums for some time. I go there and talk comics and just enjoy myself. One of the things that I created years ago was a comic book library challenge on there, which I had let lapse for an extended period of time due to life. It, however, is back. The challenge has numerous prompts for people to complete and one of them was to read a 6 issue mini-series. I decided that this would be the one I would complete for that challenge. Now I am side eyeing myself.
Why? Why? Why did I read this? This was one of my least enjoyable reads. The content was supposed to be a satirical look at the Hollywood machine. Umm, okay it was, but there could have been other ways to write this given it was based off THIS:
See how cute those characters are? Welp, yeah they are anything but that in the actual comic book. To reemphasize this, look at this AGAIN:
Now look at those two pictures again. Compare them. Let that sink in. HUGE DIFFERENCE. I get that there was supposed to be a difference, but this comparison will help you to start to be able to see some of the issues with this book. We get a very depressing book here. Ruff and Reddy basically hate each other and run the convention scene at one point. It is honest, but who needed that in a title for THIS show?
I have started to recognize that sometimes we personally do not connect with a writer. This is what I have realized about Howard Chaykin. He wrote for DC Comics issues 50-56 of Hawkgirl. I tried reading those because I like that character, but when I tried recently to reread them I was like “Why am I trying to read these?” I recognized the writing really was off-putting to me. It was abrasive and focused poorly on any real points. I love when a writer doesn’t assume that the reader is a complete idiot, but here I think it would have been better to have some of that since the original content is basically for very young kids. THIS ISN’T THAT. I know, I know. They were experimenting with different content. Who needed that for this title? I don’t think anyone did and I think that is what makes this fall short. If anyone wanted to read “The Ruff and Reddy Show” title they probably wanted those cute characters because this is not a Scooby-Doo or Flintstones title that has been done in various incarnations that makes it more natural to see a different version between the covers of a comic book.
I honestly cannot say enough bad things about this particular title. I am usually the cheerful type that tries to find the good in what I read or review, but this is something that I would tell you to avoid. Just move away slowly from it and get away. I am nice, which is the only reason it got 2 strawberries instead of one. This came very close though because this is just not done well. I knew I was done when we got humor about a poop eating addiction. You didn’t read that wrong. Just don’t read this. Just don’t. You will thank me. Glad I read this through a digital subscription service or I would need my money back ASAP!
DC Comics published several books that showed different versions of popular cartoon characters. “The Ruff and Reddy Show” was just one such type of title. Another was “Scooby Apocalypse”. I have only read one of the other titles that were in this some type of vein, but I would like to read more and compare if the issues that I saw with this one were across the entire run of titles or just bad writing in terms of this singular title.
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