Princess Sally (Mini-Series): Issue 3

 
Princess Sally (Mini-Series): Issue 3
Publication Date: April 1995

The “Princess Sally” mini-series started strong, faltered slightly in the middle chapter, and ends… Better then it could’ve. Sally and the team begin their raid on Robotropolis, blasting SWATBots and marching straight into Robotnik’s stronghold. This, turns out, is a trap. The entire concept of the three power stations was nothing but a ruse, in order to replace Sally with an Auto Automaton, a nearly perfect robotic copy, and robotocize the real deal. However, the Freedom Fighters have been onto Robotnik’s con from the beginning and are well on their way to subverting it.

 
Maybe it’s different when you’re a kid. As an adult, it’s pretty easy to see through the dramatic contrivances of “Deadliest of the Species: Conclusion.” The whole vest switching gag clued us in that Sally had been replaced with a double. A panel in the last issue foreshadowed Geoffrey St. John’s status as a double agent, only pretending to betray the Freedom Fighters while actually betraying Robotnik. This leaves few surprises, though the ones that remain are mildly successful. When the Auto Automaton is placed in the roboticizer, it friggin’ explodes. That answers a question I think most Sonic fans have had. Secondly, the exact details of Robotnik’s plot was interesting. The entire power station, ground defense thing being a ruse was cleaver. If nothing else, Ivo’s ploy here was hella’ villainous. Gotta give props to that.

With the plot being relatively predictable, the action and the characters become the reason to read this. The action is decent. Sally and gang blast SWATBots with paint guns, I guess because actual guns would’ve been out of the question. (Though huge explosions are okay, apparently. What, they couldn’t use laser guns or something instead?) That’s silly but it does emphasize how endangered Sally and the others are. I also like the sequence where Hamlin nearly falls to his death. It was dramatic. Ken and Mike obviously wanted to introduce a new robotic threat in every issue. Part three contributes the Stealth Bots, giant machines with cloaking abilities. Disappointingly, they don’t do much and their designs aren’t very interesting. Still, it ends on an upbeat. Issue 3 repeats the gag from the prologue, where the counting numbers are displayed on the page, which is decent at building up suspense.

As for the characters, part three does maybe the best of the mini-series. For the first time, we get a bead on Dylan’s personality. He’s a bit verbose and Penders’ overdone dialogue finds a natural home in Dylan’s lips. Hamlin finally develops some damn humanity after Sally saves his hide. (Or would that be rind?) Disappointingly, Arlo and Penelope remain off-page for most of this story, their personalities remaining thin sketches. This issue also introduces the Mobius Underground who are, in a funny visual pun, groundhogs.

 
Despite an obvious conclusion, the last part of “Deadliest of the Species” functions all right. Up until the end anyway. The last five pages of the book are devoted to unpacking the plot, explaining Geoffrey’s double-agent-ery and every last detail of the scheme. (It also, in a bit of unintentional humor, points out the different colored vests. Stupid Robotnik! Robotocize the one in the blue vest, not the purple!) This is tedious and mostly unnecessary. If it had to be done, I’d rather get a one-page info dumb instead of a torturous epilogue of this length. It’s similar to the psychiatrist in “Psycho,” blandly explaining shit we already figured out.

The final page is still one of the most enticing in any Archie “Sonic” comic. As Sally and Geoffrey part ways, he gives her a passionate smooch. In her interior monologue, she explains that she is developing feelings for him. While this comic has not always handled romantic triangles well, I’ll admit to always liking the Sally/Sonic/St. John one. Geoffrey has the same reckless and roguish quality as Sonic, proving that Sally definitely has a type. But the skunk as a refined, exotic, and more professional quality to him, that the brass hedgehog lacks. Their kiss provides a romantic, emotional note to take the series out on.

So the “Princess Sally” mini-series had its’ ups-and-downs. I’m still glad it exists. That a character who, in time, would be relegated to a footnote could actually carry her own comic at any point makes me awfully happy. The letters column begs the readers to send in notes, demanding a “Sally” on-going series. It wasn’t to be. I wonder what that would have been like. Though Sally isn’t as strong without Sonic so maybe it’s for the best. As for the solo series, I’m a somewhat reluctant fan. If nothing else, Art Mawhinney’s pencils are consistently great. [7/10]