THE 1997 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG COMIC BEST/WORST LIST!

  
1997 has got to be one of the biggest years for Sonic the Hedgehog, at least in the comic books. The series celebrated its five year anniversary, publishing over fifty issues. With “Endgame,” the first major chapter in Archie Sonic history wrapped up, as Robotnik was defeated and the Freedom Fighters reclaimed Mobotropolis. Archie, meanwhile, launched two separate new series. The first of which was Sonic Super Special, a quarterly publication of double-length issues which replaced the regularly published one-shots. The second was the long demanded “Knuckles the Echidna” on-going series, which also provided some major shake-up to the series’ world. It was a big year with a lot things happening so let’s get to it.

The following “Sonic” material was released in 1997:

Sonic the Hedgehog: #45 -55
Knuckles the Echidna: #1-9
Sonic Super Special: #1-3
Sonic Blast

BEST COVER STORY:
Karl Bollers, “Running to Stand Still” (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 54)

The best Sonic stories of 1997 seemed to be slower paced and more character orientated. This is most obvious with issue 54’s “Running to Stand Still,” one of Karl Bollers’ best stories for the series. There’s no action, as the issue is instead focused on Sonic feeling out of place in this brave new world and the sudden complications in his relationship with his uncle. Bollers manages to pay off on these ideas in a satisfying manner too. It was rare but the book would, from time to time, slow down to focus on weightier, more serious themes such as these.

WORST COVER STORY:
Angelo DeCesare, “Guerrilla Thriller” (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 45)

Right before the start of the deadly serious “Endgame” arc, Archie invited back one of the writers from the goofier, earlier days. The result is “Guerrilla Thriller,” a useless story. The new additions to the world – the gorilla army fighting against Robotnik – are not well developed. Sonic and Rotor are imprisoned for most of the story, removing the heroes from the plot. Mobie the Cave Bear is brought back and contributes next to nothing to the story. It all wraps with a rushed wet fart of a climax. “Guerrilla Thriller” does not represent DeCesare’s best work.

BEST BACK STORY:
Ken Penders, “Unfinished Business” (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 53)

Though not technically a “back” story, as it appeared in the front of the book, “Unfinished Business” is another action free story devoted to relationships. Sonic continues to feel uncertain about his parents. Knuckles expresses anxieties about the many changes to his life. Sally continues to struggle to rebuild a city destroyed by a madman. Yet within an otherwise grim setting, Penders manages to find cute moments of banter and sweetness between the cast. It’s a touching little tale.

WORST BACK STORY:
Karl Bollers, “First Contact” (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 52)

The problem with “First Contact” is it’s not much of a story. Most of its pages are devoted to recapping the events of “Endgame.” When not discussing the details of that recent story, “First Contact” devotes itself to figuring out some of the more bizarre recent shake-ups. Such as Knothole being stuck in a time warp, three hours in the future for some reason. It’s an awkward attempt to establish the changes to the comic’s world, mostly telling the reader things they already know.

 
BEST STORY ARC:
Ken Penders, “The Dark Legion” (Knuckles the Echidna 1-3)

“The Dark Legion” suffers from a lot of the same problems Penders’ other story arcs faced: A rushed and muddled ending, mythological set-up that isn’t paid off on, characters acting oddly. Despite these issues, it’s still a compelling action yarn. There’s a cool new villain, in the form the titular legion and its ruthless leader Kragok. The Chaotix and Knuckles actually work together to take down the bad guys. The expansion of the back story is mostly well done. The pacing moves quickly enough that the bumps go unnoticed. It’s one of the most consistent arcs to feature thus far in “Knuckles’” book.

WORST STORY ARC:
Scott Fulop and Ken Penders, the latter half of “Knuckles’ Quest” (Sonic the Hedgehog 45-46)

This is, admittedly, a bit of a cheat, since “Knuckles’ Quest” began in 1996. But there’s no doubt that this was one of the lamest story arcs to appear in the book. Knuckles is sent on a generic fetch quest for a forgettable MacGuffin. He encounters a bunch of immediately forgettable fantasy heroes and villains that do not feel like they belong in this book. For at least one of these stories, Knuckles is completely helpless, at the will of the bad guys. Too often, he bumbles into things. It’s definitely one of the story lines I give the fewest shits about. In fact, it’s fair to say I gave no shits about it.

BEST COVER ART:
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 48 – Patrick Spazinate

Issue 48 features some of Sonic’s darkest moments, as he’s framed for the murder of his girlfriend and pursued by former allies. Spaz’ cover art follows suit. It’s grimy, as Sonic flees through a dirty, black cave, stepping in a sickly green puddle of liquid. Sonic himself is smudged with dirt, his shoes and gloves torn. Shackles still dangle from his wrists and ankles. In the background, the silhouetted guards chase after him, shining a single flashlight on the fleeing hero. “Fugitive” is spray-painted over “Hedgehog” in the title, the red paint looking a lot like blood. It’s a moody, impressive piece of work.

WORST COVER ART:
Sonic Super Special: Issue 2 – Patrick Spazinate and Ken Penders

“Brave New World” contained a solid story but its cover is deeply unremarkable. Sonic, Tails, and Sally stand around, looking at something just to the left. None of their facial expressions seem to line-up. The background is an unappealing grey/brown cloud. We see some of the wreckage of Mobotropolis in the background but, otherwise, there’s no indication of what the story will be about. Even the title logo – “Brave New World” written in a generic font and a generic yellow banner – is unimpressive.

 
BEST STORY ART:
“Taking the Fall” – Art Mawhinney (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 47)

To illustrate the death of Princess Sally, Archie smartly brought back one of its best artist. Art Mawhinney draws Sally’s plunge from the side of a building with weight and impact, her collision with the ground hitting the reader in the heart. Later, he focuses attention on the faces of her shocked and grieving friends. His clean and crisp lines and soft, cute approach to the characters somehow make the violence even more upsetting and visceral. Say what you will about “Endgames’” back half but that first issue still hits like a bomb. Mawhineny’s art is a big reason why.

WORST STORY ART:
“Guerrilla Thriller” – Dave Manak (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 45)

Dave Manak, at one point the regular artist for the series, would start contributing less and less to the book from this point on. “Guerilla Thriller” is not a proud swan song. Manak’s lines are even more jagged and sloppy then usual. His facial expressions are ugly and exaggerated. His take on the characters are extra angular and stiff. Even for an uneven artist, this represents some of his most visually unappealing work.

BEST NEW CHARACTER:
Julie-Su

From the moment Julie-Su exploded into the comic, I was enamored. It’s not just because she has one of the best designs to ever appear in the comic. (Or because many of her personality traits – tough, determined, screwed up family, kind of gothy – remind me of every girl I dated in high school.) Julie-Su is action orientated in a markedly different way then many of the comics’ other tough guys. She’s focused on her goals and determined to achieve them, in addition to wielding a fucking gun.

Yet Julie-Su isn’t just an indistinct tough girl. She also has vulnerable moments, feeling rejected by her new home and tossed from a childhood without a real family. Like many of Ken Penders’ creations, she will often be side-lined and tossed about by the whims of the plot. But I still love her.

WORST NEW CHARACTER:
Monkey Khan

Truthfully, this slot should have gone to Drago the Wolf. An avaricious traitor and woman beater, Drago is probably the most despicable character ever to appear in a “Sonic” comic. However, Drago was supposed to be a hateful scumbag, meaning the writers succeeded when writing him. There were other candidates. Lara-Le, Knuckles’ mom, has spent all of her page time whining and angsting about her failed marriage. Guardian Hawking was little more then exposition given form. Sir Connery was hideous and lame while all the villains Knuckles faced in “Knuckles’ Quest” were hopelessly generic.

They’re all bad. Yet at least they all served some purpose, contributing to the book’s greater mythology. What does Monkey Khan add to “Sonic the Hedgehog?” A pet character of occasional writer and artist Frank Strom, Khan doesn’t even look like he belongs in this book. His personality is generic, his appearance is awkward, and he zips out of the book following his introduction, rarely referenced ever since. For being so totally useless, Monkey Khan is the worst new character of 1997.


BEST IDEA:
These times, they are a-changin’.

“Change” was the word of the year for Sonic in 1997. Dr. Robotnik would be killed off, Sonic and his friends to winning the war they had been fighting for the last five years. However, the victory came with a new host of responsibilities and anxieties. Now, the heroes have to re-build a world that has been practically destroyed by their deceased enemy, a change that presents far more complex, difficult challenges then toppling the bad guy.

Knuckles, meanwhile, discovered an entire city of his own species, gained a mother, a love interest, and a host of new enemies. His outlook on life totally shifted, the lone guardian suddenly feeling a lot more like a conflicted, anxiety-ridden teenager.

In other words, Sonic and Knuckles’ world isn’t stagnant. Both will face new challenges totally unlike what they’re used to. Which is always a good move for story telling.


WORST IDEA:
Sacrificing individual characterization in the name of an ever-expanding mythology.

This is a problem Ken and Scott Fulop really have. It’s most obvious in the “Knuckles” solo series, where the hero’s supporting characters was often sidelined in favor of building up the painfully dull Brotherhood of Guardians, a cabal of old assholes that want to manipulate everyone’s lives. While expanding on the history of the Floating Island is interesting, too often it sacrificed time better spent on developing the established cast and their feelings. Sonic got some of this too, as mystic doo-dads and baffling plot devices would rear their ugly heads throughout 1997. Sadly, this isn’t a problem that’s going anywhere any time soon.