Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 131

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 131
Publication Date: December 2003

You probably expected the rest of the five part “Home” story arc to tread similar emotional ground as the first issue. Would this be an entire story line exploring the ramifications of Sonic's return to Mobius? Showing his reunion with his friends in extended detail? If you were expecting such a thing, get ready to be disappointed. Issue 131, containing the story “Home Part 2: The Gathering,” is a straight ahead action story, focused primarily on plot mechanics over character interactions.

Following Robotnik's threat to blow up two major cities, the Freedom Fighters gather their forces and organize an offense. Half of the Freedom Fighter team fly into the atmosphere aboard a redesigned Freedom Fighter Special, preparing to take the fight to Robotnik. Knuckles, the Chaotix, and Amy Rose for some reason rush to help General D'Coolette against an incoming army of ShadowBots. Station Square throw together a special team, including Rogue, to protect their city. Lastly, Sonic and Tails rush Robotnik's base straight ahead.

Karl has done this kind of thing before. Before heading into a big, action filled story event, he'll spend an entire issue setting up the adventure. Which is fine, I guess. After all, you can't rush right into the action. However, all the characters being slotted into place doesn't make for a very satisfying read. “The Gathering” is essentially a collection of vignettes, following different characters as they get ready. The relentless focus on plot construction leaves little room for any sort of character interaction. The cast members are reduced to players in a simplistic series of events.

Karl even devotes some time to characters we definitely do not care about. Two entire pages to are devoted to the President of Station Square arguing with Hugo Brass, the head of G.U.N. (Brass is miscolored, so you can't even tell its him at first.) Brass is incensed that the President is relying on Sonic to save the day... Which sort of makes sense. When Station Square has a nuclear army at their disposal, it is odd that the President would expect a ragtag band of rebels to save the day. Continuing his focus on characters we don't care about, the real Fiona Fox – who still hasn't been developed as a character – is now a member of the Freedom Fighters. Because this book needed another fox running around.

Sonic himself doesn't even have much to do in this issue. He appears at the very beginning of the issue, rushing toward Freedom HQ. He has a brief conversation with Sally that ends shortly. He doesn't appear again until the very end of the issue, rushing towards Robotnik's battle ship on the Tornado. It's kind of weird that the hedgehog gets the title position but has so little to do in this particular story?

Then again, “Home Part 2” isn't really the main attraction of this issue. The cover is devoted to the back-up story. Issue 131 is the official debut of “Mobius: 25 Years Later,” a story line that Ken Penders had been hyping since nearly the beginning of his run on the comic. Does the story arc detail the future Knuckles struggle with an inter-dimensioal cyborg Robotnik or Dr. Ian Droid or something? Nope! It takes place after that! Instead, “Mobius: 25 Years Later” focuses on how life has changed on Angel Island in that time frame. The focus is especially on Lara-Su, who is nervous about her “unveiling.” This is apparently a tradition for echidna females that seemingly serves the same function as a bat mitzvah, though it's for sixteen year olds instead of twelve year olds.

The intervening twenty-five years have certainly had an affect on our cast. Sonic and Sally are now king and queen. Tails is a successful businessman, apparently. Knuckles is wearing Grandpa Hawking's hat, a matching Indiana Jones get-up, and has a robot eye. Julie-Su has grown her hair way out but can still rock a pair of bicycle shorts. Rotor, for some reason, wears an ominous black hood as the Acorn Kingdom's emissary. Espio is sporting a frankly embarrassing goatee/trench coat combo. Lien-Da has settled down, birthed a son, transformed into a smothering mother, but still hangs out with Grandpa Dimitri's floating head. Harry is still driving a cab, poor guy.

On one hand, these changes seem entirely superficial. Yet give credit where it's due. The first part of “Mobius: 25 Years Later” shows off some good world building. The first scene is set in Lara-Su's high school. Which is a natural way to deliver some exposition. The formerly isolationist Angel Island is now opened to the entire world, becoming a bustling metropolis and a major city on Mobius. I like how Ken casually presents the changes here, how many of the main characters are now parents or experienced professionals. When Sonic and Knuckles have to get together, they have to set up official meetings. It works pretty well.

Even though the story is called “Mobius: 25 Years Later,” it's clear Ken originally planned this as a “Knuckles” story arc. Naturally, this episode focuses primarily on the Guardian and his family. Thankfully, Knuckles is a much better parent than his dad. He's concerned but not obsessive about Lara-Su's romantic life. He's done away with many of the Guardian traditions. He doesn't abandon his kid in the wilderness. He doesn't expect Lara-Su to take over his position as Guardian, which Knuckles considers antiqued. She, however, wants to become guardian. Which leads to a cute scene where Lara-Su won't come out of her bedroom. When Knuckles' temper gets the best of him, Julie-Su sternly talks him down, a wonderful moment. Calmness prevails and dad and daughter work through their differences.

Ron Lim draws the cover story and, typically, it looks pretty shitty. The back-up, meanwhile, features some assured, detailed, well done pencils from Steven Butler. That first story is pretty lame, showing the “Home” story arc's quick degradation, but the back-up shows some promise. Some times, that's just how it goes. [6/10]