TailsTube #3 (feat. Knuckles)

TailsTube #3 (feat. Knuckles)

Original Release Date: September 22nd, 2022

The third installment of "TailsTube" begins with every one's favorite freakishly two tailed little fox buddy declaring "it's been a while." This episode was uploaded three months after the last. Tails' comment here implies that time has passed "in-universe" too. This is a tactile admission from Sega that the "Sonic" universe is always operating independently of our own. That, when we aren't playing the games or reading the comics or whatever, these characters are doing other stuff. Which really begs the question of what Tails and the gang get up to when they aren't fighting Eggman and saving the world and all that. I guess that shows how different franchises have different approaches to their characters' lives. In a lot of shows and comics, we can assume that, when we aren't watching/reading/playing these stories, these characters don't exist, right? Others imply that there's a whole horde of off-screen events happening, that we aren't privy to. This confirms "Sonic" as the latter. Smart, I suppose, considering fans have always been happy to fill in the missing spots. 

Anyway, that's how I welcome you to another review of "TailsTube," where I take literal single lines of dialogue and read entirely too much into them. In this installment, Tails is interviewing Knuckles, a natural progression from the last two broadcasts. However, in comparison to Sonic and Orbot, Knuckles is not interested in playing along. He doesn't want to talk about Sonic and he seems reluctant to answer any questions at all. This means that "TailsTube #3" breaks with the tradition of the heroes answering questions from "fans." This serves a few purposes. First off, it's funny and consistent with Knuckles' characterization. The Guardian of the Master Emerald is a gruff guy who doesn't give of himself easily. He's here to do his job, not suffer fools. Imagining Knuckles answering questions from whatever the "Sonic"-verse equivalent of Twitter is gives me flashbacks to that one time Woody Harrelson did a Reddit AMA. It wouldn't go well and hilarity would ensue. 

As I describe that, I actually wish that's exactly what the episode had done, because it would've been funny. However, that also would run counter to what Sega's intentions for "TailsTube" clearly is. These little videos are basically primers on the series' lore for new comers, acting as introductions to the cast and what each of them is about. Knuckles presents a problem though. More so than the other intentionally vaguely defined characters, Sega has kept Knuckles' back story as mysterious as possible. He can't answer questions like who his parents are, where he came from, why he is the last echidna, how Chaos Energy works, what the origins of Angel Island are, or a hundred other questions. Functionally, answers to these questions don't exist. Whatever thoughts the writers and game designers have on these topics will not be disclosed. That makes the third "TailsTube" essentially a self-defeating exercise. Tails asks Knuckles some general questions and he only provides the simplest, most obvious answers, telling us information we all already know: That he's the Guardian of the Master Emerald, he takes that job very seriously, the island is terribly mysterious, and anything else is none of our damn business. 

With so little to go on, "TailsTube" has no choice but to fill these four minutes with banter. Maybe somebody noticed that the last "TailsTube" was kind of bland. Ian Flynn and Tyson Hesse are credited with this script and you can tell. There's jokes a-plenty, based on Knuckles' inability to handle technology more advanced than a switch and his disinterest in Sonic or Tails scientifically studying the Master Emerald. Rouge is briefly mentioned and Knux's reaction makes it clear that, despite his stated dislike and annoyance with her, he's intrigued by the sexy bat girl. When Sonic butts into the conversation, the echidna becomes self-conscious, in his own gruff and tough way, about his tendency to stick around his island rather than have adventures. Flynn and Hesse have worked on these characters for so long, that they have no problem crafting natural seeming and relaxed dialogue for them. That's the benefit of doing something like a podcast with these guys: We want to hang out with Sonic and friends, casually hearing them chitchat and goof around. It's part of what made "Sonic Boom" good. If "TailsTube" was allowed to be an actual series, it could lean into that vibe some more. 

Unfortunately, "TailsTube" isn't truly a series, now is it? These are four minute long advertisements, meant to remind absent-minded YouTube viewers that this franchise exists and new games about them are still coming out. Number three blatantly operates like that. The episode ends by leading directly into "Sonic Frontiers," Tails asking Sonic if he wants to look at these mysterious new islands they just found. I guess, within the timeline, we can assume the guys recorded this Livestream right before the beginning of the "Frontiers" prequel comic. As I've expressed in the past, I do find it mildly annoying when these YouTube shorts exist as little more than commercials for whatever the new game is. However, this teaser at the end shows a better way to handle it. It makes this little animation feel like a real part of the world and it's on-going story. Ian Flynn is especially good at that kind of world building. I wouldn't be surprised if that final moment wasn't entirely his idea. Years after the fact and totally devoid of context, that moment honestly feels less like an annoying preview of the next product you should consume and more like a gentle reminder that the adventure continues. 

If there's any problem to be had with the third installment of "TailsTube," it is strictly a personal preference of mine. I'm very used to hearing Roger Craig Smith and Colleen O'Shaughnessy's voices come out of Sonic and Tails' mouths. Fans debate endlessly about which voice over actor, and which interpretation, they prefer. In the wake of "Boom," I've grown fond of Smith's sarcastic, fun-seeking Sonic and O'Shaughnessy's unfailingly kind Tails. I'm not sure I've ever liked any of Knuckles' voice actors, at least in the games. Dave B. Mitchell is Knux's English VA these days and, as is usually the case, I find him too self-consciously gruff sounding. His take on Knuckles, and many others in the past, sound like teenage boys that are trying to be tough meat heads. If that was intentional, and Knuckles' personality had him intentionally trying too hard to seem tough, I'd like that. But it's fairly apparent that we are supposed to take the echidna merely at face value and accept his tough guy act as genuine. We get a little of that, when the Guardian gets insecure here, but that's not usually a mode he operates in. 

Nobutoshi Canna has been Knuckles' voice in Japan the entire time and he gets it, making the echidna sound a lot more like the noble but hot-headed ronin type he's clearly meant to be. He's strong and rough, sure, but he's introspective too. Knuckles may not be book smart but he's a very thoughtful monotreme in his own way. Being alone on that island all the time causes a guy to think about shit, ya know? Travis Willingham's child-like dumbass take from "Sonic Boom" and Vincent Tong's distinctly Raphael-ian reading from "Prime" were pretty good. I've slowly grown accustomed to Idris Elba's performance. All of them brought some more depth to the character beyond his surface level strength. But none of these guys – and certainly not Mitchell – match the voice I hear in my head when I read the comics though. Canna the only one that comes close. It's the definition of bitchy nitpicking. If it bothers me that much, I can simply turn the Japanese audio on. However, it does put me off slightly whenever I hear Knuckles talk in something and all I can think is "Knuckles doesn't sound like that." Sorry, I have very deep feelings about what the red punchy guy sounds like. 

What else does this brief excursion give us to think about? Not a whole lot else. There's an icon on Tails' desktop labelled "SeaFox Ver. 2," suggesting his little blue submarine hasn't totally been forgotten by Sega. He also has folders for "Emerald Sightings," "Dance instruction videos," and "Machine Maintenance," all likely topics to see on this fox's computer. What other dark secrets does Tails hide within his personal computer? Coding for disrupting Eggman's entire infrastructure? Blue prints for platform shoes to subtly make him three inches taller without anyone noticing? The location of the secret detention center Infinite and Witchcart are illegally imprisoned in? Indiscrete photographs of Princess Elise? The mind boggles. Anyway, this is a fairly amusing little four minutes that adds almost nothing to the "Sonic" franchise but I did enjoy watching it, I guess. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Knuckles' 30th Anniversary Special

Sonic the Hedgehog: Knuckles' 30th Anniversary Special

Publication Date: November 20th, 2024

 

While Sega seems to have tentatively discarded the idea that "Classic" Sonic and "Modern" Sonic are alternate universe versions of the same character that exists in different dimensions, the fact of the matter is that the Classic/Modern divide still functionally exists. Classic Sonic stars in retro-style platformers. Modern Sonic takes hits of the ol' Boost Formula. Classic Sonic has a big head and a diminutive body. Modern Sonic has lankier limbs and a more elongated torso. Most pressingly, it would seem that some characters remain locked behind the Classic Era curtain. It might technically be all one timeline now but, as of this writing, cast members like Mighty, Ray, Fang, Bark and Bean remain isolated to the retro titles while the likes of Shadow, Rouge, Silver, and the rest are confined to the post-millennium style of games. 

This extends to the comics as well. IDW continues to periodically publish one-shots or mini-series utilizing the Classic designs, drawing from the Genesis era and modern spin-offs like "Mania" and "Superstars." There's a definite separation between these stories and the on-going comic, much more entrenched in the current wave of games. (Though the comics still seem to exist in some weird extended grey zone between the events of "Sonic Forces" and "Sonic Frontiers," according to the nerds way too invested in continuity.) It will presumably remain this way until Sega says "fuck it" and let's Flynn sneak Bean into the main book or randomly drops Mighty into a PS5 title. From a commercial perspective, I suppose this makes sense. Golden oldies like me prefer the Classic style while those ten or twenty years younger than me have grown up with the newer stuff. It remains frustrating from a storytelling perspective, that the jerboa bounty hunter or super-strong armadillo ostensibly exists in the same world as Emo Sonic and Bat Tits but they'll never interact for some reason. 

By which I mean it's time for another Classic Sonic style anniversary one-shot. Thirty years ago, Knuckles the Echidna smashed his way into our lives, informing a whole generation of kids that egg laying, spiny "anteaters" exist in Australia. Happy birthday, Knuckles. You are middle-aged now. How's your back holding up? Characters like Tails and Amy feel like they've always existed, filling the stock roles of the sidekick and the love interest. Knuckles is the first time I can remember Sega treating the introduction of a new "Sonic" cast member as an event. He was both a friend and a foe, whose truces with Sonic always seemed to exist on unstable ground. That has changed a lot over the years and Sega has used much of the same marketing techniques every subsequent time they've debuted a new character. A slow path from enemy to ally, a mysterious past, so on and so forth. But Knuckles remains special to me, the first of Sonic's "friendly rivals" and probably my favorite of the franchise's Big Three. 

So how did IDW celebrate Knuckles existing for three decades? The story begins with the echidna. standing by his precious Master Emerald and thinking in very ego-centric terms about his success as a Guardian. This is when Angel Island passes over the Northstar Islands, otherwise known as the setting for "Sonic Superstars." Knuckles gets to thinking about Trip the Sungazer and how she's a guardian, much like him. He stops into the island and decides he's going to train the young lizard girl how to be tough and strong. That's when he discovers that he and Trip live very different lives: She has a community, a village, a family of critters like her and this has molded her into a very different type of guardian than himself. Conflict, of a sort, arises. 

Knuckles is a character of contradictions. He is both rather cunning and very gullible, a hardened warrior and a naïve kid, a punch-happy bruiser and an introspective loner. Ian Flynn's script for this one-shot digs right into these two-fold attributes. The story begins with Knuckles thinking rather gloriously about himself, bragging about his supposed victories in his memory. Later, it's brought up that the Guardian has actually made a lot of mistakes too, that each of those victories only occurred because he had help from his friends. By story's end, he's gone from being tough with Trip to treating her with a lot more empathy. In other words, the echidna gets an actual arc here, starting out believing something else and ending having learned a lesson. This plays into the idea of Knuckles as someone capable of abrasive bluntness that can also grow and learn humility and kindness. 

Sonic has almost always had a sidekick, Tails debuting early enough in the franchise's history that he's practically been there from the beginning. With Knuckles, Sega has always emphasized his status as the last echidna, a perpetual loner. The comics have attempted over the years to give him his own sidekick, usually in the form of Charmy Bee, but it's never stuck. It remains to be seen if IDW will run with this idea, much less if Sega will feel the need to incorporate it into their games, but this one-shot decides to pair Knuckles up with Trip the Stargazer. This thrusts Knux into a new role, that of a mentor to a young, inexperienced hero. That Trip is a little kid and prone to big emotions challenges Knuckles' punch-first-and-ask-questions-later attitude. He learns a lesson that we all have to learn at some point: True strength does not come from your muscles or how hard you can hit. Trip is strong in different ways from Knuckles, capable of things he is not. This forces Knuckles to consider that his ways are not always the best, that he has flaws too. In the final set of pages, Flynn employs the cliché of the Master becoming the student, the mentor learning something from his ward in the course of teaching them. It's earned though and makes for a nicely emotional resolution. 

Trip the Sungazer is still a recent addition to the "Sonic" lore. This is only her second appearance in a comic, outside of a cameo in the digital-only Fang story that was published to promote "Superstars," and her first appearance ever in the IDW universe. She's essentially a blank slate, this comic functioning as basically the first chance for the series to expand on her personality. Trip is clearly derivative of other "Sonic" characters. Her arc in "Superstars" was very similar to Knuckles' in "Sonic 3," as a guardian of a MacGuffin who is fooled by Eggman into fighting against Sonic. She's very feminine, much like Amy Rose, and also young and vulnerable, like Cream. It remains to be seen if Trip will be able to evolve into her own distinct character. Or if Sega will allow IDW to use her more. Either way, I found her to be really adorable here. She's clumsy and eager to please, with big glittery eyes and a tendency towards crying. I don't think Trip fills some essential role in the cast but I do like her. She makes a good impression here and I hope we see her more. 

Pairing Trip up with Knuckles is a good idea and their interactions provide the best parts of this comic. The two are similar but different in a lot of ways too. That Trip has a family, a community of folks like her, strikes the isolated Knuckles as a very meaningful change. He tries his tougher-than-leather routine on Trip but it only ends up making both of them look like fools. Generally speaking, I think the contrasts between these two and their situations simply makes for a meaningful, well realized story. We get many cute, minor interactions like Trip pointing out that it's hard for her to see in her armor. Or her grandfather telling her not to give into her self-doubts. The climax of the story is an emotional one, Knuckles admitting Trip that maybe he's not the best teacher. These two make for a smart pairing. If Trip becomes the Tails to Knuckles' Sonic, that would be a useful and interesting placement for her in the cast. 

While reviewing the IDW Annual for this year, I noted that the one-shots seem to be when the comic can focus on character-driven stories, outside the on-going plots of the main book. That is so very true of this story, which doesn't actually feature any major action at all. I kept waiting for Eggman to show up with an evil robot, for Knuckles and Trip to do some Badniks smashing together. That ends up not being necessary for the story to work, the script pulling tension and resolution simply from the two's relationship. The only editorially-mandated action scenes we get in this issue are in the training Knuckles and Trip undergo. That mostly results in largely comedic scenes of Knuckles trying to pummel the kid and getting his toes smashed by her extra hard armor. In the back half, we get a nice montage of the two running through some ancient ruins, which gives a chance to show off some of Trip's unique abilities and expands on her own lore too. I can't resist the charms of a good training montage, so I thoroughly enjoyed these moments. 

Obviously, being a fairly new addition to the cast, Trip still has the most expansion to undergo. The addition of her village, something we didn't see in the video games, and the idea that her armor is hundreds of years old ate decent ways to add more personality to her background. Ultimately though, this is Knuckles' story and he is central to my favorite scene here. The first few pages, that show Knuckles bragging about his past victories, seems to favor the modern, Flanderized take on the echidna, as a big strong idiot with an inflated sense of himself. However, later flashbacks show that Knuckles' stubbornness and commitment to his own duty is, in fact, a positive element of his personality. We see him showing Amy how to throw a boulder smashing blow. Or standing outside Tails' tent during a thunderstorm, keeping the kid safe. This presents the idea that Knuckles may be a bit of a blowhard, maybe kind of dumb, taking himself way too seriously... But that's part of his charm too. These attributes also mean he's protective, strong, and committed to his ethical beliefs. All good things to be! I like that better than playing his gullibility for laughs. (Though this issue does that too, in a self-deprecating manner.) 

It's a good story and it looks good too. Thomas Rothlisberger is back on pencilling duties. His Classic style artwork remains top-of-the-line. He emulates some of Tyson Hesse's quirks that have worked their way into the Classic games. Such as Knuckles making a goofy face when awkwardly hiding his past mistakes. Whenever Trip turns on the big puppy dog eyes, that is extremely well conveyed too. The action scenes aren't merely fluid and dynamic in their movement but the way these guys move also reflect on their personalities. We can see Knuckles' brashness in how he throws a punch, Trip's timidity in how she holds herself. Also, it's funny to see fans embracing the idea of Trip belonging to a town of people the same color and physiology as her... Ya know, the exact same thing Ken Penders did with Knuckles back in the day but everyone hates and derides now. I doubt this will set-up Trip having an elaborate and convoluted destiny of her own but my point is: A little more creativity could have been shown, perhaps, in the designs of the other Stargazers. But the art is aces. Nothing to complain about there.

Some impossible to please fans will probably bitch that this one-shot focuses on Trip nearly as much as it does Knuckles, betraying the promise made in the title and cover art. I'm fine with it though, as the bond he forms with her provides a new angle to explore the guy from. IDW has already announced that they intend to continue the tradition of 30th anniversary specials. Next year will supposedly see the publication of a Chaotix's 30th anniversary one-shot. I wonder if that will acknowledge Mighty, Heavy and Bomb were founding members of that team? Moreover, does this mean we can expect a Big the Cat 30th anniversary comic in five short years? And a Shadow or Rouge centric book two years after that? Good God, now I feel like I might crumble into dust. Anyway, this comic book is good. I enjoyed it and recommend it. Go out and buy a copy today! [7/10]

Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Divergence

Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Divergence

Original Release Date: November 1st, 2022

Sega's promotional machine for "Sonic Frontiers" doesn't just include a measly eight page comic book. A six-minute animated prologue with the ungainly title “Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Divergence” was also released in the run-up to the game's drop date. Like the numerous other bits of "Sonic" animation that Sega has made in the last few years – which I will get around to reviewing, once I've talked about every other "Sonic" cartoon – this was released through the official "Sonic" YouTube channel. Much like a lot of those other shorts, this was also directed by Tyson Heese, another ascended "Sonic" fanboy. Much like the game itself, Ian Flynn provided the script here. Evan Stanley is also listed as a "creative consultant." All of this essentially makes this cartoon the closest we'll ever get to an animated adaptation of the "Sonic" comics.

So what is "Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Divergence" about? Instead of operating as a prologue to the entire game, as the "Convergence" comic did, this simply introduces Knuckles' side of the story. He broods on Angel Island, reflecting on the ancient past of the echidna tribes that lead to him being the last guardian. While exploring some floating ruins, he discovers a strange relic that transports him to another island. There, he fights a group of hostile machines before quickly becoming outmatched.

If it had no other value, "Divergence" would hold a special place in "Sonic" animation history just for being utterly gorgeous. The animation is so fucking smooth here. A scene of Knuckles gliding through the Sky Sanctuary or punching a rock wall have a grace and speed to them that truly impresses. Once the action scene begins, "Divergence" uses those same qualities to create a hard-hitting battle. When Knuckles slams through those robots, you definitely feel it. Seeing a "Sonic" character actually move in animation with such speed and power is deeply gratifying. It's how I've always wanted to see these guys animated, the quickness and power they hold truly being displayed. 

"Divergence" is, I'm very happy to say, very much a Tyson Heese production too. The way Heese always gave the characters so much personality in his artwork is also reflected here. It's the little things. Like Knuckles punching a tree so a fruit will fall down into the lap of the hungry Chao below, something that he does casually while walking by. The Chao is so happy afterwards. Or the way one of the enemy robots leaps onto a cliff and balances on one foot before Knuckles knocks him back with a rock. Even Knuckles calmly doing a spiral while gliding. Little bits like that add layers to the characters, which makes the world they inhabit feel more alive. Heese also makes sure that Knuckles has sharp fangs barred during the action scene, a quirk he likes to include with the character that few other artists do. 

What I really like about "Divergence" is that it captures the tone of what I've always wanted a "Knuckles" solo story – and a "Sonic" animated series in general – to have. Aside from a stray Flicky bird and some Chao, Knuckles is alone through most of this short. Voiceover narration gives us a peek into his mind. And it's a distinctly melancholy experience. Knuckles feels the weight of his ancestors' sins, reflecting on how the Knuckles Tribes' violent ways probably cursed him with the duty of protecting the Master Emerald. He talks about being solitary and how he likes it that way... Yet you can tell he longs for more too. When combined with the gorgeous orchestral score, it creates an introspective atmosphere. 

In fact, Flynn's script even manages to bring a little pathos to the situation here. On a narrative level, "Divergence" is simply meant to introduce us to "Frontiers'" world. It teases us with the mysteries inherent to the story and already displays the game's goal of creating a functional "Sonic" continuity. Yet Knuckles' opening line about liking to be alone comes back in a meaningful way at the end. If he hadn't been alone, maybe this would've ended a different way. That ironic quality to the script gives "Divergence" something that feels like an actual ending, which these promotional things rarely have. 

Really, the only criticism I have towards "Divergence" is that I don't particularly care for Knuckles' voice. Dave B. Mitchell, who has been voicing Knuckles in the games since 2019, provides the English voiceover. I just find his voice a little too gruff. People love to give Knuckles these tough guy baritones and it never sits right with me. Nobutoshi Canna – who has been Knuckles' Japanese voice actor for years now – does a much better job in the Japanese dub. He has a matter-of-fact quality to his voice that I think suits the character better. 

Overall though, "Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Divergence" is a real treat. I've watched it several times while writing this review and I think it might be my favorite piece of "Sonic" animation in years. I'd really love a feature film or an entire series with such a grand visual palette, loving animation, and a character-driven tone like this. I imagine that wouldn't be monetarily practical but a guy can dream, you know? It reminds me a lot of the "Sonic CD" opening animation, which treated these characters and their world with a sense of speed and awe. I hope young kids watching this short will have the same reaction I did to that piece of animation. Who's to say? Either way, "Divergence" is fantastic. [9/10]

TEN THINGS WE WANT TO SEE IN THE KNUCKLES SHOW!

As I’m sure you’ve all heard by now, Paramount Studios has announced that, in addition to continuing the “Sonic the Hedgehog” film series, they also plan on doing a “Knuckles the Echidna” show for their Paramount+ streaming service. This, of course, is a hugely exciting announcement for everyone here at Hedgehogs Can’t Swim. Knuckles has probably been my second favorite “Sonic” for many years. Not only will everyone’s favorite grumpy echidna be sexily voiced by Idris Elba, there will now be an entire season of television devoted to his adventures.

If you’re reading this blog, you know what a convoluted spiderweb the “Sonic” multi-media franchise is. That means there are many different sources this streaming series will be able to pull. So it’s time for some baseless nerd speculation. Here’s my top ten things I hope to see in the Paramount+ “Knuckles” show!

10. Rouge the Bat!

From her debut in 2001, Rouge the Bat was designed as a foil for Knuckles. Her obsession with jewels puts her at odds with the Master Emerald protecting echidna. Moreover, her flirtatious manner and tendency to do her own things puts her at odds with the naïve, honor-bound Knuckles. She’s the Catwoman to his Batman and the two have played off each other nicely in the games, comics, and cartoon shows. It only makes sense that Rouge will be a part of a “Knuckles” show, for all of these reasons and more. I can’t wait to see the seductive she-bat strutting her stuff in CGI.

9. More Tom!

When it was first announced that Sonic would have a live action buddy in the first movie, taking screen time away from our beloved Blue Blur and focusing precious minutes on some fucking rando, I was skeptical. Luckily, as soon as the thundering kettle pot of charisma that is James Marsden was cast, I put all concerns aside. Tom Wachowski immediately became a beloved member of the “Sonic” supporting cast. And while we don’t know the exact direction this “Knuckles” show is taking just yet, it would be a blunder of titanic proportions to continue to set stories in the Live Action Sonic Universe and not devote at least a fifty episode arc to everyone’s favorite small town law enforcement officer.

8. Locke!

If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you know that the Archie “Sonic” comics are, by far, my favorite iteration of the entire franchise. In the comics, Knuckles soon developed a convoluted backstory of his own, rich with supporting characters and an entire network of family members. Obviously, this material would be great for an on-going show to pull from. Once Paramount cuts Ken Penders a check and agree to his assuredly reasonable stipulations, it means the most beloved and important of Knuckles’ supporting characters can appear: Locke, his dad! Oh, I can’t wait to see Knuckles be guided from the shadows by a wise and powerful father figure who respects his boundaries and wants the best for him! Let’s get, like, Patrick Stewart or someone like that to voice him. That shit would be so cash.

7. Chomps!

If you’re a slightly less longtime reader of this blog, you know that Knuckles’ first appearance in a non-video game, non-comic book was the animated series “Sonic Underground.” “Underground” made many changes and additions to known “Sonic” lore, all of which was brilliant and totally fit in with the established characters. Among the most enjoyable of these additions was the totally-not-coke-induced choice to give Knuckles a pet dinosaur named Chomps. Come on, who doesn’t love dinosaurs? Are you going to look me in the eyes and say you genuinely believe that this series wouldn’t be improve by giving Knuckles a dinosaur friend to follow him around? Because if you are, I’m going to spit in your face and call you a goddamn liar. 

6. Knuckles joins Starfleet!

Alright, I know this is getting a little conceptual, but hear me out. Paramount making the “Sonic” films such a prominent part of their IP library makes it clear that they value this series. The other biggest franchise Paramount has is, of course, beloved and influential science fiction series “Star Trek.” Now, in the film universe, Sonic and Knuckles are explicitly from other planets. They have been referred to as aliens. Is it too much of a stretch to have space alien Knuckles the Echidna encounter a Starfleet away team across his adventures among the stars? Is it really outrageous to think that the structure of Starfleet life and the goal of exploring the galaxy would give meaning and foundation to Knuckles’ wandering life? Would it be insane to think about him having a baby with Tasha Yar? Hell, Ken Penders used to write “Star Trek” comics too, so let’s invite him along and really make a truly logical and out-of-this-world crossover! 

5. TIME TRAVEL, BABY!

Of course, I know what you’re thinking: “Integrating Knuckles with the “Star Trek” universe — and having him wear a cool, high-neck uniform — makes all the sense in the world… Except the “Sonic” movie universe is ostensibly set in the modern day, but “Star Trek” takes place in the 23rd century!” Well, there’s an easy solution to this problem! Implement everyone’s favorite “Star Trek” plot device: Time travel! Whose to say that the warp rings that the “Sonic” movie characters use to traverse space don’t also travel through time? I mean, where in the movies does it directly contradict that statement? You don’t know, they might do that! And once we cross the boundaries of time travel, the canvas of adventures Knuckles can have become truly limitless! Maybe him and a hot Gorn female can go back in time and fight in the Roman Colosseum, sail with Columbus across the ocean and colonize the Americas, punch Hitler in the face, and debate ethics with Andrew Jackson. Shit, maybe they go back to dinosaur times and that’s how Chomps gets into the show??? It’s all coming full circle, baby!

4. Knuckles runs for President!

We don’t want the “Knuckles” series to just be bursting with creative ideas, I want it to be socially relevant too. And what better way for this series to address the woes of American society than have Knuckles run for political office! Obviously, after retiring from Starfleet, he returns to Green Hills and finds it local politicians to be hopelessly corrupt. Riding a wave of populist policy and forward-thinking strategies to root out corruption and protect and reward hard-working Americans, Knuckles’ political career takes off like a rocket. He ascends through local offices, into congress, and is soon after the White House itself! Obviously, Knuckles will struggle with having to balance his personal beliefs and the realities of the two-party system in America. It all comes crashing down when everyone realizes Knuckles wasn’t even born on this planet and isn’t an American citizen, making him unable to hold the highest office in the land. But what a ride it’ll be. What a ride.

3. Knuckles goes to high school!

And after a teenage echidna goes on a whirlwind race through the American political system, what do you do for an encore? Why, go back to school, of course! Knuckles is canonically sixteen years old, which would put him right in the middle of American high school. Can you imagine the hijinks that would ensue! Knuckles having to balance his life as guardian of the Master Emerald with doing homework! What if one of the many enemies he’s made were to attack while he had a really big test to do? Maybe he forgets his lunch back on the Floating Island and has to race back to get it before the principal finds out! And all of that is excluding Knuckles dealing with the deadliest danger of all: Dating! It’ll be fun for the whole family! 

2. The Chaotix

I mean, duh. Of course these guys have to show up eventually. I mean, the game was called “KNUCKLES’ Chaotix, after all! It’s just naturally that these goofballs will appear sooner rather than later. 

1. Knuckles gives me, personally, a hug

Finally, this last idea is completely non-negotiable. I demand that, at some point within the “Knuckles” streaming series, he breaks the fourth wall, looks directly into the camera, and says that he’s proud of me. This will proceed a scene where Knuckles lands on my door steps, walks up to me, and gives me a big hug. Not one of those quick over-the-shoulder things. I’m talking a full-on hug here, with both arms, that lasts a minimum of at least two minutes. Idris will whispers in my ear that it’s okay, everything will be alright now. Maybe I cry a little. I don’t think this is unreasonable. People love it when tough guys show their sensitive side, it’ll be huge! I won’t tell you where the bodies are buried until you agree to do this.

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.29: New Echidna in Town

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.29: New Echidna in Town

Original Air Date: October 7th, 1999

The final part of the Chaos Emerald Crisis begins with Knuckles reluctantly going to Robotnik for help. The tyrant wants the hedgehogs in return, which Knuckles only agrees to after he promises not to roboticize them. (Also because the fate of the world is hanging in the balance.) Knuckles leads Robotnik to Sonic and his siblings, where the villain immediately goes back on his deal and hauls out the mobile roboticizer. The good guys make a quick escape. Afterwards, Robotnik is still determined to capture the Chaos Emerald, even as it's tearing the world apart. Sleet transforms Dingo into a carrying case but, after placing the emerald shards inside, Dingo is transformed into a giant, rampaging monster. Another brief truce is formed between heroes and villains to stop this new threat. 

"New Echidna in Town" is better than the second part of the Chaos Emerald Crisis but only by a small margin. It's another "Underground" episode with good ideas but no clue how to properly execute them. Knuckles' Archie characterization, as an angsty teen uncertain of his path, is seemingly utilized when Knuckles has to make a deal with Robotnik. He doesn't want to do it, knows it's a bad idea, but doesn't know what else to do. He's upset about betraying his friends but, because his great-granddad said this is the solution, he goes through with it. Instead of mining that angst, and the built-in tension, for all it's worth, the show tosses that plot point away after about five minutes. Robotnik immediately betrays Knux, he fights back and frees his friends, and Sonic and the gang forgive him for backstabbing them. Way to waste an interesting story, Mark Edens. 

After suffering through twenty-nine episodes of “Sonic Underground,” I’ve decided I really don’t like this version of Robotnik. He has ruthless tendencies, yeah, but it’s chained to an annoyingly childish personality. He doesn't agree to work with Kncukles because the world is on the edge of ending... But only because he sees it as a chance to capture the royal triplets. When Dingo turns into a giant monster and starts marching towards Robotropolis, he haughtily doubts Dingo could successfully destroy his grand city. Later, Robotnik just lets Sonic push him in the path of the falling Dingo. The "Underground" Robotnik is as childish and dumb as the "AoStH" version but without the fucked-up backstory to make him interesting. He's a pale imitation of the "SatAM" version – Garry Chalk's performance grows increasingly tiresome – but with a complete misunderstanding of what made that interpretation intimidating. 

As for the decision to turn Dingo into a rampaging kaiju, I have mixed thoughts about it. I don't understand why writer Mark Edens went through the additional hoop of having Dingo transform after Sleet turns him into a box and literally puts the emeralds inside him. After making such a big show of Dingo being electrocuted, which is repeated here, I figured that would be the more reasonable place to begin the transformation. It also bugs me that the threat of the out-of-control chaos energy tearing the planet apart seemingly goes away the minute Dingo turns into a giant monster.

At the same time, I almost admire the philosophy of "if you're gonna go stupid, at least go big." The minute one tiny rock splitting in two caused a global crisis, with seemingly random effects, this three-parter's attempt at seriousness went out the window. So why not turn Dingo into a kaiju? The design is uninspired, as he looks like a generic sludge monster with walrus tusk. But at least it's big and crazy and different. Granted, the show still fucks this up. Monster Dingo is so powerful that he reduces Manic's magic drum set to rubble... Yet he's still defeated by a song – Manic's drum set magically repaired – and the application of some crazy glue. Once again, a good idea paired with a half-assed execution. 

Speaking of that song... I'm pretty numb to the shitty quality of this show's music by this point. "The Mobius Stomp" is, I think, supposed to be a rowdy hard rock number. In actuality, it sounds more like a pale imitation of kitschy dad rock like George Thorogood. I'm still not sure what the musical number was meant to accomplish, as it does very little to actually slow Monster Dingo. What I mostly remember about "The Mobius Stomp" is watching this episode as a kid and thinking the song was painfully bad. That it was an embarrassing attempt at appearing "cool" – Sonic is tippin' shades throughout the performance – and that I was incredibly embarrassed to be watching it. Sad to say, through adult eyes and ears, I doubt this would rank in the top five worst songs on the show. 

Before I wrap up this review, here's some stray observations about this episode. It was hinted at last time and is confirmed here, via blushing cheeks and a tentative hug, that Sonia has a crush on Knuckles. Whether this might've gone anywhere, we don't know as this is Knuckles' last appearance on the show, but at least he's a better love interest than Bartleby. Knuckles also does that thing where he spins his fist into a buzzsaw, which still looks incredibly awkward. There's an extremely forced-in segment involving lava here, which once again proves that cartoons don't know how convection works. Finally, when Robotnik captures the triplets, they get sprayed with a sticky white glue substance. Because just when you think this show's slime fetish is a coincidence, it does it again. 

Oh yeah, the title also makes no fucking sense again. Knuckles is an established character by this point and he doesn't visit any towns. I'm starting to think the episode titles were randomly chosen and the writers had to work with what they were given. Also, Athair just smiles and nods at the end, secure in his wise wisdom, even though I'm absolutely certain nobody could have guessed the random-ass way this all played out. And, like, old man, if you know a giant monster is going to sprout out of nowhere... Fucking warn us. Just say "Hey, a giant monster is going to show up. Be prepared for that." I think that would be a much more useful thing for a mentor to do than bark unassailable commands and drop a series of vague hints. 

Sad to say that this story arc started strong but spectacularly shit the bed in its later parts. Which is not much of a surprise, considering the overall quality of this program. Yet it is a shame that Knuckles finally got to be in an American cartoon, with a personality influenced by the comic books, and it turned out so poorly. Our red spiky boy deserves better than that. [5/10]

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.27: No Hedgehog is an Island

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.27: No Hedgehog is an Island

Original Air Date: October 5th, 1999

Once again, I have to talked about the weird way "Sonic Underground" was syndicated. As you've probably noticed, there was a loose continuity across the series, with the occasional element or character reoccurring or being referenced again. All of this stuff was shown in the correct order. Which makes it all the more baffling that "Underground's" two actual three-parters were mixed up throughout the run. The second and third parts of the "Origins" arc was interspersed with the second and third parts of the "Chaos Emerald Crisis" arc. I don't know why the series would do something so confusing – other than to make "Sonic Underground" an even more baffling experience – but, obviously, I'm watching shit in the order that actually makes sense. 

Picking up where we left off last time, Sleet and Dingo flee the sinking Flying Fortress with the Chaos Emerald. Proving there's no honor among thieves, Dingo then steals the emerald from Sleet. All he really achieves is dropping the emerald, shattering it. Breaking the emerald in two unleashes a wave of Chaos Energy around the entire planet, which begins to tear Mobius apart. Knuckles leads Sonic, Sonia, and Manic to his great-grandfather Athair, in hopes he'll have some answers. (Sleet, who promises to never betray Robotnik again if he retrieves the emeralds, is on their tails.) And Athair's answer is to team-up with Robotnik. 

The first part of the Chaos Emerald Crisis story worked because it was focused. There was a clear, defined threat – a giant floating war machine – and an easily understood way to stop it: Grab the Emerald. It was a logical way to bring Knuckles into the story and the last minute twist, of Sleet and Dingo's betrayal, added a compelling wrinkle. "No Hedgehog is an Island," unfortunately, did not take that lesson to heart. This is an episode with too much stuff happening. Sonic is separated from Knuckles and his siblings, for no meaningful reason, for most of the story. Sleet and Dingo's story splinters as well. Mostly, this episode's threat has no clear definition. When the emerald – one single, small emerald – is shattered, it causes all sorts of crazy shit to happen. Huge cracks open in the earth and then close. A tornado of green energy appears. Green light shoots out of the ground all over the world, sometimes causing trees to comically shoot into the air. The effects are truly random and that leaves us with a story without much focus. And what's better than a random solution to a random problem, such as when Manic transforms the aforementioned tornado into fireworks via the power of a bitchin' drum solo? Let's see Neil Peart do that. 

I also applauded the last episode for making Robotnik a creditable villain and for allowing Sleet and Dingo to show some competence. That goes right out the window in this episode. As the Flying Fortress falls, Robotnik throws a childish temper tantrum. Later, he pouts petulantly in his base, his master plan ruined. Further on, he allows Sleet to work for him again. Robotnik is supposedly ruthless but the fact that he keeps hiring this guy, despite his repeated failures and now a genuine insurrection, doesn't reflect well on Mobius' tyrant. Dingo betraying Sleet is a surprising moment but long overdue, considering the constant abuse the big orange guy puts up with. Yet that intrigue is immediately dropped by Dingo's incompetence causing an apocalyptic crisis, which is at least in-character. In short, after a decent half-hour of being effective villains, the bad guys go right back to being jokes. 

This episode gives Athair more of a role and, as I expected, he's another evasive mentor character. Knuckles goes to him for answers. He gives him a special urn that can safely hold the Chaos Emeralds, tells him to team up with Robotnik to save the world, and then refuses to elaborate further. There's potentially good reasons to form an alliance with Robotnik, as he has a whole planet's worth of resources at his disposal. But telling someone to work with the mad dictator who just tried to carpet bomb the entire planet earlier in the day, probably requires a little more information. Not on this show, where old wise dudes in robes are never to be doubted and can never be expected to give a straight fucking answer. 

Even though the plot has our heroes facing down a global apocalypse, we still have to make room for a song. And, boy, is it out-of-place this time. Wild Chaos Energy is literally tearing the planet apart, which has got Knuckles feeling understandably overwhelmed. Sonic, Sonia, and Manic launch into a punk song called "Learn to Overcome," which really does not feel like the best use of their time in this situation. As for the song itself, the built-in roughness allows me to forgive the questionable lyrics. At least there are loud guitars and drums, even if the "na na na nas" they throw in feel more like a pop thing than a punk thing. The music video sequence features Sonic, Sonia, and Manic with mohawks and facial piercings as well as scenes of them posing in a boxing ring. Which is pretty funny. 

Another thing holding this episode back is some not-too-grand animation. The scene where Sonia is trapped into a huge crack in the ground, nearly crushed by the fluctuating walls, is undermined by some serious off-model moments. Sonia's size shifts throughout the scene while her boobs swell to balloon proportions during one close-up. Later, when Dingo picks up the emerald shards and tries to force them back together, his skeleton starts to flash through his skin. This is lingered on, in repetitive fashion, for several seconds. Since we never see Dingo in this episode after that scene, it really makes it look like he died. Also, Knuckles is not consistently portrayed here. The shape of his face and size of his dreads and hands change several times. The tougher-than-leather echidna sure looks like an adorable puppy dog numerous times throughout this episode. 

Also, the title makes no goddamn sense. Knuckles is the conflicted character in this episode, not the triplets. They all have each other's backs. If the title is just a shitty pun, it also makes no sense, as the Floating Island does not appear in this twenty-one minutes. In other words, after a pretty decent start, the Chaos Emerald Crisis returns to the level of quality we expect from this cartoon. Fishes gotta swim, birds gotta fly, and "Underground's" gotta suck. Oh well. Maybe it'll end strong? [4/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 117

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 117
Publication Date: November 2002

As 2002 drew to a close, Archie continue to pack three stories into each issue of “Sonic the Hedgehog.” I don’t know what editorial decisions were made in deciding which story got the cover spot. Last issue, the second story got the cover treatment, relegating the first story to back-up status. Issue 117 similarly sticks an unimportant story in the front, giving the cover story second place. Maybe Spaziante just picked whichever plot would make for the most eye-catching cover? I have no idea. (Though issue 117 certainly features one of Spaz’s most disproportionately creepy covers.) Jay Axer’s frontispace, meanwhile, concerns the book’s final story. Weird, right?

So issue 117 opens with “Cyber Chase,” a brief story starting Robotnik and Snively. Following the destruction of the doctor’s base last time, both villains had their consciousness downloaded onto the internet. They rush to make it back to another one of Eggman’s bases, downloading their minds into new robotic bodies. Some shenanigans ensue before the story ends.

“Cyber Chase” is basically a joke story, which continues the comic’s bad habit of making its primary villain a goofy non-threat. Robotnik and Snively race around the “information superhighway,” leading to the kind of lame visual gag I thought we had outgrown by 2002. Yes, we see zeroes and ones literally racing over highway overpasses. This goofy tone continues after Snively places his mind into a handsome body, a bizarre gag that is quickly undone by Robotnik. In other words, this back-up exists just to prove that Robotnik and Snively are still alive, still out there. What an odd way to get that information across.

Which brings us to the cover story. We follow a rabbit named Juice as he enters the Forbidden Zone, that inhospitable land between the Great Forest and Robotropolis. He enters an abandoned base occupied by Drago, Sleuth Dawg, and the other members of the Fearsome Foursome. Juice is actually Sonic in disguise. He’s there at the request of Tommy Turtle, a previously unmentioned childhood friend. Robotnik appears in the base, answering a bargain presented by Drago. This goes horribly wrong, forcing Sonic and Tommy to make a hasty return. Until that, too, goes awry.

“The Tortoise and the Hedgehog” is a pretty good story… That has the indignity of introducing maybe the Archie Sonic character I hate the most. In his first appearance, Tommy Turtle serves his purpose. He exists to sacrifice himself, giving Sonic an important moral lesson. His death adds some emotion to what would’ve otherwise been a standard action story. But Tommy was doomed to rise again, the character being awkwardly forced into a number of future story, distracting, annoying, and exhausting the reader. So it’s not Tommy’s fault that he sucks. Instead, writers insistent on pushing the character are responsible. Yet his introduction still fills me with worry.

Truthfully, “The Tortoise and the Hedgehog” works pretty well. Yes, forcing Sonic into a Tortoise and the Hare story is a bit cheesy. Introducing a character just to kill him of is an odd decision. However, Romy Chacon’s script still gets at the heart of Sonic’s personality. He still feels guilt over bullying Tommy as a kid. This pushes him to rescue the turtle when he calls for help. His interior monologue makes these motivations clear. To have Tommy sacrifice himself to save Sonic further enforces the power of friendship, empathy, and charity on our hero. The conclusion, with Sonic standing outside the burning factory, is effectively emotional. Even if it’s a character we just met, Tommy’s choice still resonates.

Plot-wise, “The Tortoise and the Hedgehog” features some decent action beats. Sonic racing around Robotnik’s factory on Tommy’s shell is a nice moment. Robotnik’s ruthlessly robotocizes the Fearsome Foursome once it becomes apparent they are no use to him. (Which is another example of the book’s schizophrenia concerning that character.) This continues the book’s main trend in 2002, of resolving dangling plot points. Drago and the gang are dead, for now, leaving one less errand plot line roaming Mobius.

The third story continues Ken Penders’ “Ultimate Power” story arc. Constable Remington informs Knuckles and the Chaotix that cab driver Harry has recently ended up in the hospital. Mammoth Mogul zapped the guy after hitching a ride with him. Knuckles uses his Messiah powers to heal the dingo’s wounds. Enraged, the echidna then teleports to Mogul’s location. Which plays right into the villain’s plan. Mogul used Dimitri as leverage to capture Knuckles and intends on draining his Chaos energy.

The plot mechanics of “Ultimate Power’s” third part isn’t very notable. Knuckles is tricked by yet another villain. Mogul’s master plan – draining Knuckles’ power – is easy to predict. Julie-Su, Harry, and the Chaotix are stuck in forgettable supporting roles. What’s most interesting about this story is how Dimitri has continued to evolve as a character. Mammoth Mogul confronts the ill Dimitri, insisting that life is only about survival. Dimitri counters him, showing that he has developed a conscious. I wish Ken had hinted at this sooner. Just recently, the former Enerjak was still being his supervillain self. But it’s still an interesting development.

“Ultimate Power: Part 3” also features some typically awkward Penders-esque dialogue. The exchange between Lien-Da and a fellow Dark Legionnaire is especially clumsy. Words like “Whereof,” “Indeed,” and “Pachyderm” are tossed around casually. Mammoth Mogul also gets some overly arch, unbelievable dialogue, though we’re used to that from him. As always, Ken’s shitty dialogue derails much of the dramatic tension the story could’ve created.

Both the back-up stories are a bit weak but the cover story isn’t bad. Issue 117 was also one of the few consistently good looking issues in 2002. Steven Butler draws the first story, making Robotnik and Snively’s ridiculous adventure look great. Art Mawhineny draws the cover story. His cute style is well suited to Tommy Turtle’s adventure, while his strength for emotion is also well utilized. Dawn Best draws the final story, bringing some color and style to Ken’s weak story. When an issue is this divided, I’m not sure what to rate it. How does [6.5/10] sound to you guys?

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 116

 
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 116
Publication Date: October 2002

Rouge the Bat is nowhere as controversial a character as Shadow the Hedgehog but her introduction still generated some debate. Some questioned why a kid-centric franchise like “Sonic the Hedgehog” would introduce a blatantly fan service character like Rouge the Bat. Was her cleavage too generous for a children’s series? Was Sega blatantly targeting furries? Of course, Archie had been introducing potentially inappropriate sexy female characters in their comic book for years. So Rouge’s curvy proportions were less controversial on these pages. With issue 116, Rouge the Bat would graduate from cameo to full-blown character, a fact trumpeted on the cover.

The comic considered Rouge’s re-introduciton such a big deal that they gave her the cover over the issue’s first story. “Operation: Off-Switch,” instead, finds Sonic and Bunnie in the employ of Station Square again. The president has spotted Robotnik operating out of a near-by abandoned city, following the recent destruction of Robotropolis. Rouge was sent to investigate but vanished. The two Freedom Fighters swoop in, ostensibly to find the bat and stop Robotnik’s latest plan.

The official reveal that Mobius is a post-apocalyptic Earth wouldn’t come for a while longer. However, the book had been hinting at this truth for some time. Another big clue comes in “Operation: Off-Switch.” The abandoned city Robotnik has taken up residence in is obviously New York City. Among the skyline, one can spot a dismembered Statue of Liberty and a damaged Empire State Building. This raises some pretty big questions. Why is New York abandoned, if many of the buildings are still standing? How are the buildings standing, when we would later learn that the Xorda would devastate the entire planet? How come the Freedom Fighters have never noticed this place before? Benny Lee’s script provides no answers to these queries.

Maybe I’m a nerd who over-analyzes shit. (That’s fair.) Maybe we aren’t suppose to think this much about it. So how does “Operation: Off-Switch” function as a regular story? Weakly. I’m not sure why the writers brought in the Station Square president, when King Acorn could’ve just as easily filled this role. Pairing Sonic and Bunnie is an interesting idea but the story quickly separates them. The action is underwhelming, with Sonic quickly dodging some missiles. He’s quibbing even more than usual, draining any tension the story might have had.

His confrontation with Robotnik – who has taken up residence in a new, ridiculous body – is very short lived. He bounces around the villain’s robot arms, shoves a stick of dynamite into his mouth, and flees before the disproportionately huge explosion follows. It certainly makes Eggman – who, we must remember, is suppose to be more ruthless than the original Robotnik – seem like a total joke. That the fight is over so quickly, and so underwhelmingly, makes this whole story seem like a pointless stop gap on the way to Sonic’s next, more serious struggle with his arch-enemy.

Story number two covers the Bunnie/Rouge fight portrayed on the cover. After parting ways from Sonic, Bunnie searches for Rouge. The bat has already escaped Robotnik’s prison, the power failing following the explosion. The femme fatale mistakes Bunnie for one of the doctor’s robotic minions. Apparently Bunnie is in a grouchy mood. Instead of explaining the misunderstanding, she strikes back. The bat and the rabbit wail on each other for a few pages before Sonic arrives, telling them to break it up.

“Bat Fight” – yes, the story is really called that – exists mostly because its premise is too salacious to resist. No, there’s no real reason for the secret agent bat and super-strong cyborg to fight each other. As Sonic points out at the end, the two are on the same team. The mix-up that results in the fight should’ve been explained away quickly. There’s no plot reason for the two to scuffle. Instead, the sexy bat girl battling the sexy bunny girl is an amusing idea, playing with the “who would win in a fight?” fan boy discussion. I’m certainly not above such things. Occasionally, that kind of nerdery is fun to indulge. Devoting all five pages to the fight certainly leaves plenty of room for combat.

If the inherit appeal of the idea wasn’t the reason this story got the greenlight, Jay Axer’s artwork justifies its existence. Rouge and Bunnie certainly look irresistible in his style. (Rouge’s bustline was diminished in her first appearance but Axer brings the boobies back.) His command of action is perfectly suited to this one. Bunnie gets tossed through a window, delivering a clenched fist to Rouge’s face in retaliation. Kicks and punches are traded in vivid ways. When Rouge is kicked into a stone pillar, which seems to win Bunnie the fight, you can feel the impact. Karl Bollers’ dialogue is utterly inane but Axer’s awesome artwork makes the whole thing worth it.

The last story in the issue continues Ken Penders’ Green Knuckles saga. With “Ultimate Power – Mid-Logue: The Lesson,” he tries to trick us into thinking “mid-logue” is a word. Also, while watching Mammoth Mogul’s broadcast, Knuckles has a spontaneous flashback. He reflects on a time his dad spotted a team of Robians, sent by Robotnik, to abduct the Master Emerald. And what did Knuckles do during this adventure? Repeatedly get beaten up by different things, including a tree branch and one of the robots.

I’m not sure what the point of this “mid-logue” was. It breaks up the flow of the on-going plot, the resolution to last month’s cliffhanger being interrupted by a random flashback. Usually, you’d expect the flashback to reflect on the current story in some way. But this one doesn’t seem to. If anything, it emphasizes how Knuckles has always been at the whims of greater powers around him. As a kid, his dad bossed him around. As a teenager, his life is directed by his strange chaos powers and Dimitri’s interests.

I can only speculate why Ken wrote this “mid-logue.” I suspect he did it as another excuse to boost Locke, his favorite character. While Knuckles stumbles into things like a drunken ox, Locke uses his chaos powers to completely destroy the robots attempting to steal the Master Emerald. Keep in mind, these aren’t SWATBots or any of Robotnik’s other mindless drones. Instead, these are Robians. The comic has established repeatedly that Robians are normal Mobians, robotocized and enslaved by the mad doctor’s machines. So, in other words, Locke just murdered three innocent people who had no control over their actions. Because, once again, Penders’ heroes act more like villains.

Ron Lim illustrates both the first and last stories. The action scenes and backgrounds in “Operation: Off-Switch” are totally lifeless. In the back-up story, he draws child Knuckles as being far too small, making the adult Knuckles look like a giant. The Robians, meanwhile, look pretty good, making me wonder if someone else didn’t draw them. The cover story is a fun bit of pointless fluff but the stories bordering it are weak sauce, making for an uneven issue. [5/10]