One of my favorite Scooby-Doo movies, if not my all-time favorite Scooby-Doo movie, is Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. I mean, why wouldn't it be my favorite? It has a great plot, it's the right blend of action, comedy and horror, and it has some killer music tracks. (Terror Time, anyone?)

But if there's one thing about the movie (which came out in 1998, by the way) that I found a bit ironic, it would be its tagline: "This time, the monsters are real!" The reason I find it ironic, is that why all the tagline suggest that this is the first time Scooby and the Gang have met actual monsters instead of the usual crook in costume, there have actually been several moments in the franchise where they have met real life monsters long before setting foot on Zombie Island. So today, I will be listing off, in no particular order, 5 moments in the Scooby-Doo franchise where Scooby-Doo and the gang ran into actual monsters, way before Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island came out in 1998. Now these moments are ones that I personally enjoyed, as well as remember. So if there's any moments that I missed, feel free to let me know in the comment section below. In any case, let's not waste any more time and get right into things!

1. Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School (1988)

 Let's start off with a movie that I'm sure a lot of people would consider to be their favorite, myself included. Coming out in 1988, ten years before Zombie Island came out, this movie sees Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy-Doo (AKA everyone's least favorite Scooby-Doo character) on the way to miss Grimmwoods' finishing school for girls after accepting a job to be the school's new Fitness instructors, only to find out that this finishing school Is Not What It Seems. As one might expect from the Scooby Doo franchise, rather than regular girls, the students all turned out to be monsters, or in this case, ghouls. Among the students, there were Sibella, daughter of Dracula, Elsa Frankenteen, daughter of a Frankenstein like monster, Winnie, daughter of a werewolf, Phantasma, ghostly daughter of the Phantom, and Tanis, daughter of the Mummy. In addition to the students themselves, the cast of Monsters also included Miss Grimmwoods' octopus Butler, the school's pet dragon, Matches, the girls' parents, and of course, the movie's main antagonist, Revolta, The Witch of the Web, and her sidekick, the Grim Creeper. Speaking of The Ghoul School, wouldn't it be cool if there was a movie where Scooby and the Gang met back up with the Ghouls and go up against Revolta's ghost? On second thought, that might actually be just as bad an idea as Return to Zombie Island.

 2. Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers (1987)

 Next up, we have a another movie that I'm sure a lot of people have fond memories of watching. In this movie, after finding out that the plantation he inherited from his uncle might be haunted, Shaggy, along with Scooby and Scrappy, hire the Boo Brothers, a team of ghost exterminators, to get rid of the ghosts that might be haunting the presentation, only to find out that the Boo Brothers themselves are ghosts. While the Boo Brothers are busy hunting ghosts, Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy I'm busy looking for a treasure left behind by Shaggy's uncle, all the while dealing with the supposed ghost of his uncle, an escaped circus ape, a trigger-happy hillbilly, his over affectionate sister and the Boo Brothers' own crazy antics. Now I don't know about you, but aside from Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy, the Boo Brothers were my favorite characters in the whole movie. Maybe one day, Warner Brothers will remember that these characters existed and give them the old cartoon show. One could only dream, right?

3. Scooby-Doo and The Reluctant Werewolf (1988) 

 Next is a movie that may not be as popular as the last two I just talked about, but I myself consider it a favorite of mine. In this movie, Shaggy is a Race Car Driver, with Scooby and Scrappy as his pit crew and his girlfriend, Googie, as his own personal cheerleader. Meanwhile, in Transylvania, Count Dracula, who in this movie is completely different in appearance and personality from The Count Dracula from Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School, is in a tiff due to one of the monsters under his command, a werewolf, going into retirement, just as Dracula was about to hold his annual Monster Road Rally. Fortunately for Dracula, his girlfriend, Vanna Pira, suggest that he can make a new werewolf. Unfortunately for Shaggy, it just so happens that he is the one to be turned into a werewolf. And so, after being turn into a werewolf by Dracula's henchmen, the Hunch Bunch, Shaggy, online with Scooby, is forced to participate in Dracula's Monster Road Rally, if he has any hope of returning back to his human self. Again, while not as popular as the last two films I mentioned, this movie is one of my favorites due to it's betrayal of Dracula. I just love how wacky he can be. His Antics, along with the ethics of the other monsters, made this a hilarious movie that I could really sink my teeth into. Pun intended!

4. The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985)

I know it might be cheating putting a whole series on here, but my list, my rules! Anyway, in the first episode of the series, after being sent off course on their trip to Honolulu, Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne and Scrappy end up landing in the Himalayas. Upon going into a temple, Downey and Scrappy are separated from Scooby and Shaggy, who are soon tricked by 2 bumbling ghosts, Weerd and Bogel, into opening the Chest of Demons, releasing 13 of the evil ghosts unto the face of the Earth. Now, under the guidance of Vincent Van Gogh, and with the assistance of their new friend, Flim-Flam, Scooby and the Gang must travel across the world and capture all Thirteen Ghosts and return them to the chest of demons. Well the TV show when does resolved, it has a sort of continuation in the form of the movie Scooby-Doo Curse of the 13th Ghost. And as one who has actually saw that movie, it was okay, but nothing to write home about.

5. A Pup Named Scooby-Doo: Ghost Who's Coming to Dinner (Season 1, Episode 10) (1988)

 Last but not least, one of my favorite episodes from one of my favorite shows growing up. In episode 10 of season 1 of A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, which also happens to be the Halloween episode for the show, Scooby and the Gang are out trick-or-treating on Halloween, when they come across a house that once belong to a pirate named Boobeard, but now is owned by an older couple, Mr. & Mrs. Johnson, who says they have a ghost living in their attic. But after the ghost of beard attacks the Gang, the couple thinks their ghost friend has gone bad. As the gang continues their trick-or-treating, they notice that they are being followed by a ghost and run back to their Treehouse headquarters, only for the ghost to phase through the elevator door. Initially thinking the ghost was the gang's arch enemy and Coolsville resident neighborhood bully, red herring, Freddy precedes to unmask the ghost, only to pull his head off, causing the gang to realize it's a real ghost. The ghost then introduces himself as Bartholomew Byfard Boo, or Mr. Boo for short, and reveals himself to be the ghost that lives in Mr. & Mrs. Johnson's attic. He then hires the Gang to clear his name and find out who's really haunting Mr. & Mrs. Johnson's house. Like many of the characters on the show, we never see mr. Boo again after the case is solved. But those who remember watching the show, myself included, may remember this character.

And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen! Five times that the Scooby gang encountered real life monsters. Again, these are just the moment that I remember. If there are any that I missed, let me know in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading my article and I hope you guys have an awesome day! Take care and stay retro!