Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 13

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 13
Publication Date: April 1998

As I’ve mentioned any time the topic has come up, I wasn’t a regular reader of “Knuckles” solo series when it was new. But one day, probably around April of 1998, my book store was sold out of the new issue of “Sonic.” What it did have in stock was the 13th issue of “Knuckles the Echidna.” I guess I really wanted to head home with a comic book, so I grabbed “Knuckles.” The issue captivated me enough that I picked up the other two parts of the story line. My preference for Julie-Su and the Chaotix can probably be traced back to this, as “The Chaotix Caper” has Knuckles’ frequently sidelined supporting team taking over the lead role.

Harry the cab driver, a dingo that has integrated himself into Echidna society, stumbles upon someone crying for help while driving through the city. Charmy Bee’s friend Mello has suddenly fallen ill. Despite rushing the kid to the hospital, Mello still dies. Constable Remington brings the rest of the Chaotix in on the case. Turns out, Mello’s death is the latest in a series of poisonings that have gripped the city’s youth. Before Mello became sick, the bees were at the newly reopened Happyland. The Chaotix investigate, stumbling onto a criminal plot centered in the amusement park.

I’ve mentioned before that “Knuckles” has always been the edgier series than “Sonic.” This is simply because Sega didn’t give a shit about Knuckles at the time and would approve any crazy idea Ken Penders had. Which is why issue 13 opens with a child dying. That’s not a complaint.

“The Chaotix Caper” forgoes the mythology-heavy, mystic world-building that had characterized the book up until now. This arc is essentially a crime story. The Chaotix aren’t fighting super villains like the Dark Legion or Enerjak. Instead, they're facing down petty crooks. The adversaries here are Renfield T. Rat, the sketchiest motherfucker on the Floating Island, and a would-be crime boss named Ebony Hare. The Chaotix are acting, not as sidekicks to the Island’s empowered protector, but as private investigators working with the city’s police force. (Weirdly, Sega would actually make the Chaotix P.I.s years later. Except, when they did it, it was awful.) In other words, just as “Knuckles” threatened to disappear up its own ass, here comes a grounded, gritty storyline. It’s exactly what the doctor ordered.

The crime story tone is established immediately. Harry the dingo narrates in a slightly hard-boiled fashion, announcing his disinterest in the Dingo Regime and how Echidnaopolis is not as squeaky clean as the Guardians would like people to think. By affecting a film noir-esque style, Ken Penders creates some of the most natural-sounding, honest dialogue of his entire career. Who would’ve thought?

Harry is mostly a cynic and doesn’t want to get involved. Despite that, he can’t look away from a dying kid. He’s getting ready to leave the hospital just as Charmy gets the news, the bee crying on his canine shoulders. Later, when the Chaotix need a ride to Happyland, Charmy convinces the cabbie to help them out. It’s not the focus of the story but it’s nice that Ken is sneaking in a subplot about a jaded person discovering he still has a heart.

The grittiness continues with the nature of the poisoning. In flashback, we see Mello get sick suddenly, hallucinating, before he collapses in a heap. It’s the strongest, most unnerving imagery we’ve seen in an Archie book since Sally’s fall in the first part of “Endgame.” The difference this time is Mello doesn’t recover. He’s dead. Later, Remington clarifies that “Lemon Sunshine Dandelion” is the name of the poison that’s been affecting the island’s kids. That’s right, you guys, Penders just introduced L.S.D. into a children’s comic and then had a ten year old O.D. on it.

That subversive quality continues when we see that the men behind the crime aren’t comic book super villains. Instead, it’s a sleazy salesman and a common thug. Later, Penders has the Chaotix get a dose of the same drug. (In the words of future “Sonic” artist Tyson Heese, they “legit trip balls at a carnival.”) God bless Sega’s overseers for not paying attention and letting the writer get away with this shit. The book would never be allowed to go to dark places like this in its current form.

We also get to see the Chaotix acting as a team, something that’s been far too rare here of late. Mighty and Espio, unfortunately get slightly side-lined, but it’s in favor of my favorite thing about the team dynamic. Vector is a totally useless asshole. In the course of the story, he complains about having to share a vehicle with a woman and that he doesn’t feel like walking a long distance. Julie-Su, meanwhile, is the only member of the team that calls him on his bullshit. Later, Julie-Su makes up for the rest of the team being kind of bad at detectiv-ing. This is a showcase for her personality and how strong it is. In short, she’s tough, doesn’t take any shit, and has a natural ability to sniff out trouble. And that’s why we love her.

Since his name is on the book, Knuckles does put in an appearance. Locke and Sabre observe the Guardian wandering through a desert. Suddenly, Knuckles is besieged by deafening noise and chased by glowing lights. Who gives a shit. Though the villain’s motive has yet to be seen, the first part of “The Chaotix Caper” is, by far, the best story to ever run in “Knuckles.” Hopefully, it can keep it up. [9/10]