Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 238

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 238
Publication Date: June 2012

Despite the cover focusing on Sonic and Mecha-Sally fighting, the two don't even meet in issue 238. Instead, part two of “Loyalty” continues the mission to rescue Lupe and Queen Hathor. Sonic and the others rush up on Eggman so quickly that he doesn't have time to finish Legionizing Lupe. Instead, he has to hightail it out of there with only a fraction of the repairs needed to the Death Egg completed. Tails tangos with Mecha-Sally on the way out. Hathor and Lupe are rushed back just to discover that no sudden war is brewing between the two faction. Instead, the Wolf Pack and the Felidae decide to work together to beat back Robotnik's remaining forces.

“Loyalty Part Two: Dire Choices” is a fleet-footed action story that rarely stops trucking. An element of speed is crucial here. Team Fighters' attack is so sudden that Robotnik is forced to retreat just as suddenly. It feels like a timer is running, as Sonic and friends are in a rush to free Lupe and get both leaders back home. At one point, a timer is literally running. Tails' fight with Mecha-Sally is cut short due to the Death Egg's forthcoming take-off. There's an impressive sense of speed and energy to this story, one that grabs the reader and pulls them along without stopping until the very end.

So it's an issue mostly composed of action. At least one of those action scenes is primarily focused on Leeta. Again, I don't know why Flynn chose two very obscure members of the Wolf Pack for his Secret Freedom Fighters. Either way, Leeta certainly makes an impression on the reader in this one, if only for her actions. She gets nearly a whole page devoted to kicking the shit out of Drago. (This is after Lupe rightly points out the flaws in his latest master plan, showing once again that Drago is the book's favorite punching bag.) Leeta and Lyco are primarily defined by their desire to leave home and help people around the world. Which is certainly more personality and development then they ever had before.

I also really like that twist ending of sorts. Part of the story's tension is driven by the idea that the peace between the Felidae and the Wolf Pack is a powder keg, about to explode apart at any point. Discovering the two are cooperating at the end could've deflated that tension and led to a weak ending. However, it's a pleasant enough surprise that the reader isn't disappointed. In a wonderful panel, where Lupe and Queen Hathor's peaceful handshake gets very tense, Flynn also acknowledges that this truce is still very unstable.

If there's any flaw with the second half of “Loyalty,” it's the role Mecha-Sally plays. Tails' fight with her here is very similar to the confrontation she just had with Monkey Khan in “Sonic Universe.” Though slightly reluctant, Tails faces Mecha-Sally directly and talks about wanting to bring her back home, to save her. The fights ends in a stalemate and Sally remains Robotnik's mechanized slave. It's increasingly seeming like Flynn is stalling time, trying to stretch out the tension of the one of the greatest Freedom Fighters being a robot for as long as possible. How many times is a former friend of Sally going to face her, just for the battle to be preemptively delayed?

The back-up story is entitled “Foundation Work.” Which is fitting, as its yet another story meant to set up the Secret Freedom Fighters. Shit, Flynn, how many of these are you going to do? You're making me miss the days when Penders would just toss a bunch of random characters together and call it a team! Anyway, the story shows Harvey Who settling into the secret base Nicole has picked out for him: The safe room that was built during the Iron Dominion. Uncle Chuck is building the team's latest addition when Larry the Jinx – remember him? Yeah, I didn't either – stumbles into the place. Who immediately decides the lynx is exactly what the covert espionage team needs.

Flynn has been building up and hyping the Secret Freedom Fighters for half a dozen issues now, making me sick of this story arc before it even begins. “Foundation Work” is yet another story devoted to moving the needed pieces into place. Leeto and Lyco's membership is confirmed. For the newbies, we learn that Harvey Who personally oversaw Uncle Chuck's old job as a spy, back when he was still a robian. Larry the Lynx literally falling into his position really doesn't make Who seem like the best spymaster though.

However, “Foundation Work” also introduces fan-favorite character Shard. Remember when the updated version of the original Metal Sonic had a change of heart? Well, at some point, his robotic body was recovered. Uncle Chuck has rebuilt him, using left over pieces form Metal scourge and Robotnik's other Metal Sonics. (A bit of lore, that Shard's pieces were also used to help build the Metal Sonic Troopers, is also drop.) Even in this brief appearance, the as-yet-unnamed Shard's sarcastic humor and up-beat personality adds a lot of life to a fairly perfunctory story.

The artwork here is also really strong. Steven Butler's work on the cover story continues to be excellent. His mastery of action makes the fight scenes really pop, especially the page devoted to Lyco kicking the shit out of Drago. Evan Stanley draws the back-up and brings a lot of grit and personality to this brief story. Though the back-up story could've been stronger, this is still a really solid issue. [7/10]