Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 196

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 196
Publication Date: January 2009

In retrospect, Ian Flynn devoting nearly half of 2008 to Scourge and the Suppression Squad was probably not a great idea. By the time the first part of “Hedgehog Havoc” rolled around, readers were pretty sick of the rivalry between the parallel Sonics. And, keep in mind, we actually liked Scourge. So I'm happy to see Flynn was wrapping that shit up in 2009's first month. It wouldn't be the last time a storyline overstayed its welcome. Anyway, on with the review.

“Hedgehog Havoc: Part 2” begins with Sally talking the Suppression Squad into heading back to Moebius to rescue Sonic and Amy. What they find is Super Scourge standing over his defeated foes. The Freedom Fighters and their evil counterparts do their best to defeat the tyrant but it's not enough. Even the combined strength of Sonic, Shadow, and Silver fails to put down the super powerful villain. Sonic then realizes the secret needed to win the day...

Issue 196 proves something fans probably could've guessed. Super Scourge is a super asshole. That opening image of Super Scourge floating above all the fighters from the last issue is a decent shock. Of course, none of them are dead. In fact, most of them get right back up. But that's still a startling panel to start a story with. That Scourge immediately swoops down and beats the shit out of the Freedom Fighters and the Suppression Squad in only a few panels further proves how strong and ruthless he is. That he takes such pleasure in thrashing the good guys really sells this scene.

Just watching the bad guy whoop the heroes isn't quite entertaining enough. Flynn continues his characterization of Sally as a shrewd tactician. After everyone gets back on their feet, Sally immediately formulates a plan. Silver pauses Scourge with his telekinesis while Bunnie and Boomer blast him. She has the entire cast dog pile on Scourge, hoping they can hold him still until his super form runs out of juice. None of these plans work but it's nice to see Sally thinking so clearly even after getting tossed across the room by a super powerful hedgehog.

At his best, Flynn has an ability to sneak in cute, small moments between the characters that really beef up the story. We get a few of these in “Hedgehog Havoc: Part 2.” The seething distrust between Antoine and Patch is a nice touch, as the two have the biggest reason to hate each other. Miles – as in Anti-Tails – immediately makes a run for it. It says a lot about Miles' personality that he's a cunning little schemer until the shit hits the fan, at which point he skedaddles. Probably my favorite little moment in this issue occurs after Scourge knocks Rosy unconscious. Rob o' Hedge then ties the girl up, taking the time to apologize to Amy first. Ostensibly, he's restraining the unhinged girl. Yet this also shows how much concern Rob shows for his niece.

Of course, there's still a lot of dangling threads to deal with from the last story. Early on, Metal Sonic attacks Sonic, picking the hero as his priority now that Scourge is too powerful. Shadow zips over and immediately Chaos Controls them out of this dimension and into the crossover in the last issue of “Sonic X.” Silver contributes to the fight but, otherwise, has no personal reason to be here. I'm glad Flynn cleans up these plot points as quickly as possible but it proves that Shadow, Metal Sonic, and Silver were thrown into the fight last issue just because it was cool, not because it made sense.

I don't know about you guys but I read comic books because I like to see heroes fighting bad guys. Issue 196 of “Sonic the Hedgehog” really features a stand-out moment. Sonic puts his own life on the line, running out of the castle so Scourge will chase him, keeping his friends safe. An often overlooked aspect is that his thinking is often as fast as his feet. Sonic realizes he can't outrun, outfight, or outlast Super Scourge. Instead, he targets Scourge's ego, getting the villain to power down. Afterwards, he gives the now powerless Scourge a nice speech about the difference between them. He tosses his crown aside and pushes him to the ground. After Scourge has been such a massive asshole for the last few issues, it's satisfying to see Sonic give him such a total beat down.

The only problem with this is how Sonic bests Scourge. Out of nowhere, he comes to a realization. When Sonic powers down from Super Sonic, he's in a euphoric state at the peak of his normal abilities. He figures out that, since everything is backwards on Moebius, when Scourge powers down from a superstate, he'll be drained. Okay, did I miss that this is a plot point? In what previous appearance of Super Sonic did this info come up? Maybe I'm not remembering something but it feels like Flynn really pulled that one out of his ass.

Flynn wraps up by setting up some future story lines, promising that Silver is still out there and that the Suppression Squad still have some wicked plans up their sleeves. Sure. Anyway, “Hedgehog Havoc: Part 2” hinges on a pretty bullshit plot point but, otherwise, it's a big improvement over the first part. The action is solid, it's cool to see Sally thinking on her feet, and Sonic gets a strong hero moment. Even as a Scourge fan, I'm happy to see Flynn going easy on that character for a while. I guess 2009 is off to a solid start. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 195

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 195
Publication Date: December 2008

Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” book would wrap up 2008 with the first part of “Hedgehog Havoc.” Sonic, Scourge, and Amy are now stuck in Moebius Castle, at the mercy of crazy Rosy and her fatal hammer. This inevitable confrontation is interrupted by a number of outside forces. A hedgehog from the future, calling himself Silver, zaps into the castle, looking for a traitor to the crown. Rob O' the Hedge, who first encountered Silver, is dragged along. Robotnik builds a new Metal Sonic, equipped with an engine that can leap through dimensions, who immediately sets off to find Sonic. Shadow, meanwhile, also teleports into the castle seemingly because he took a wrong turn at Albuquerque. In other words, it's the “Destroy All Monsters” of hedgehog comics.

Let me begin with a rambling anecdote that is barely related to the subject of this review. I promise I'll circle back around to the point eventually. In the seventh grade, a friend and I attempted to write a screenplay. Being young horror fans, we were both obsessed with the classic Universal Monster movies. The project, which we quickly named “Monstrous,” was designed to bring as many as these classic creatures together as possible. Being twelve year old boys, we intended to ram in as much gore and sex as possible. As we wrote the script, it became apparent to me that it's really difficult to juggle all these characters. Monsters would weave in and out of the story, sometimes fighting each other, occasionally murdering or fucking random civilians. Somehow, I managed to assemble something resembling a full screenplay but the titular word described the content. “Monstrous” was, of course, a complete mess. “The Monster Squad” did it way better, obviously.

What the fuck does any of this have to do with “Hedgehog Havoc?” Even though the aim and content are radically different, this story and the deranged scribblings of twelve year old me have some things in common. Both intend on bringing as many similarly themed characters together for a massive fight scene, logic and coherence be damned. Yet to get all these pins lined up, it means juggling a number of plot points. Characters that have no need to be in this story are brought in, the script cooking up shaky justifications for their inclusion. The short version: It's a mess.

For some reason, Ian Flynn chose this chaotic story to introduce Silver the Hedgehog. When introduced in the infamous “Sonic '06,” Silver received a mixed reaction from fans. Sonic fans being who they are, some immediately latched onto him and declared their ever-lasting love. More nuanced observers noted that this franchise really didn't need another superpowered hedgehog. Flynn would eventually form Silver into an entertaining character, writing him as a good-intentioned but inexperienced bumbler. In this first appearance, he just makes grand statements about the world, screams about finding a hero, and zaps Sonic with his psychic powers. He doesn't get very much page space in an overcrowded plot.

As rushed as the explanation is, at least Silver has a reason for being there. Shadow and Metal Sonic are lumped into “Hedgehog Havoc” just so Flynn can achieved his goal of cramming in as many hedgehogs as possible. Metal Sonic at least gets an introduction, being quickly rebuild by Robotnik and hastily setting off on his objective. Shadow teleports into the eight-way fight totally by accident. He grumbles a few lines about attempting to locate the Special Zone before Sonic talks him into fighting Scourge. Shadow has absolutely no reason to be in this issue.

With such a stacked cast, somebody is inevitably going to get left out. Amy Rose and Rob O' the Hedge get the short end of the stick. Amy was basically Sonic's co-lead on this plot up until now. In 195, she asks Buns to get assistance, runs from Rosy, and then gets recruited into the battle royale. She doesn't even have time to say hi to her uncle. She's essentially just there to add another warm body to the fight scene. Rob, being one of the more modestly empowered characters, has even less to do. He escorts Silver to Moebius before he gets drafted to start firing arrows. His only stand-out moment is when he questions Silver's loyalties, by putting a bow upside his head. Which is a question he probably should have asked sooner.

But I get it. This is a fight issue. This is the WrestleMania of Sonic comics, getting as many hedgehogs in the ring as possible and letting them all wail on each other. Yet the inevitable side effect of having so many characters in a fight is that the audience doesn't know who to focus on. There's so much going on, the battle collapses into disorganized sparring pretty much immediately. Sonic, Scourge, and Shadow are spin-dashing all over the place. Amy and Rosy provide excessive hammer swinging. Rob's arrows bounce harmlessly off of everyone. Metal Sonic rushes around and can't get a damn thing done. Silver's reaction to this melee – wide-eyed bafflement – more-or-less matches the reading. And then he joins the fray, throwing psychic lightning bolts around. It's just too much to take in.

The big rumble touted on the cover doesn't crystallize into something sturdy until Flynn has the character reach an important realization: They all hate Scourge. In the final few panels, they surround Sonic's evil clone and chase after him. We already know Scourge can handle multiple aggressors in a fight. This is the place Flynn should've started with, everyone uniting against a greater foe. Instead, Scourge's status as the biggest bastard in the room doesn't come up until the very end, leaving the proceeding twenty pages a grabastic mess.

So, out of all this chaos, what rises to the surfaces? Truthfully, the handful of moments on Sonic's home world are more meaningful than the big fist fight. The comic opens with Bernie, Jules, and Uncle Chuck expressing concern for Sonic. Nicole has to answer their questions and assuage their worries. The two pages devoted to Meta Sonic's reconstruction continue to illustrate Robotnik's failing mental state and Snively's scheming in an amusing, focused manner. Rob's entrance into the story prompts two cute moments: When his echidna wife assures him she'll be okay without him and when Rob bows to Sally, giving the princess the royal welcome. Little moments of character interactions like this are more valuable than endless fight scenes.

And so 2008 wraps up with Ian Flynn's first real stinker. “Hedgehog Havoc: Part 1” has two competing problems. It has two much on its place, with the huge cast. Yet it's goals – a giant fight – are also far too modest. It's just a messy issue and not very much fun to read. Unlike my seventh grade screenplay, it also doesn't have a sex scene featuring the Bride of Frankenstein, which is probably for the best. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 194

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 194
Publication Date: November 2008

One of Ian Flynn's gifts is the ability to get fans hyped up. Issue 193 concluded by introducing readers to Rosy the Rascal, the crazy anti-universe version of Amy Rose. The cover to issue 194 gives fans an even better look at the character, promising us that she would play a big role in this story. Yardley earns some serious points for making the classic Amy Rose design – by default, a super-cutesy character – and turning it into something genuinely unhinged looking. Anyway, on with the story.

Part two of “Other Side” begins with Sonic, Amy, and Buns attempting to deflect Rosy the Rascal's attacks. When this doesn't work out, Sonic runs back to Mobius through a portal hidden in the castle. What he finds is a three way battle at Freedom HQ. The Suppression Squad has turned against Scourge, bringing the Freedom Fighters around as back-up. The conflict continues until Sonic, Scourge, and Amy end up back on Moebius, right in the path of crazy Rosy's hammer.

Last time, I pointed out how Rosy the Rascal was a really neat concept. I've always considered Amy Rose's normal behavior to border creepy stalker territory. Introducing an alternate version of her that crosses that border was a fruitful prospect. Yes, watching Rosy being a creepy little nut case is fun. She sings weird songs and used incongruously childish language, all while threatening to smash people into paste with her hammer. Yet Ian mostly uses her as another obstacle for his heroes here, without exploring the implications of the character. Which is disappointing but not entirely surprising.

Once again, Flynn falls back on his worst tendency. The issue is primarily devoted to fight scene after fight scene. Yet again, I must preface this statement by saying I'm a fan of fight scenes. Some of the ones here are pretty cool. There's a neat panel of Sonic dodging Rosy's hammer, of the two Amys matching their battering skills. The three way fight that erupts in Freedom HQ is solid, showing Scourge successfully standing against two separate forces. However, I can't help but wonder if character development is being sacrificed for action sequences.

That weakness is emphasized because we do get some interesting glimpses at the cast member's inner lives. As everyone around him turns against him, it becomes clear that Scourge's mental state is deteriorating. He's become obsessed with his past victories, with his newfound status as “king” of Moebius. Yet conquering his own world hasn't made him happy. If anything, it's made him more paranoid and power hungry. The Suppression Squad turned against him because they are duplicitous by nature. On the other hand, you really get the impression that Scourge is starting to crack up to dangerous degrees.

We also get a peek into Fiona's inner life. I've been critical of how Ian's interpretation of Fiona has shifted from someone feeling guilty about their past to an actively amoral pleasure seeker. Flynn doesn't delve into this any more but he does show Fiona is a little more complicated than that. While racing through Freedom HQ, Sonic encounters the fox. She stands up to him, defending Scourge while claiming she has no other loyalties. Sonic points this out, which makes her pause. It certainly suggests that Fiona hasn't fully gone over to the dark side. Instead, she's simply confused and hurt.

The biggest flaw with “Other Side: Part 2” is simply narrative. Luck just has it that the abandoned castle on Moebius features a star post, allowing Sonic and Amy an easy escape back to their home world. The script just throws this out there without much explanation. This is, simply put, cheating. It also opens the door for a story that features a little too much mindless shuffling. By the end of issue 194, not too much has changed. Instead, the characters have just jumped back and forth in location. It's still not a bad story but Flynn better have a satisfying payoff to all this coming soon.

The back-up story continues this issue's habit of giving us little looks into the villains' inner lives. “Sleepless in New Megaopolis” follows Snively. Robotnik's nephew is increasingly dissatisfied with life in New Megaopolis. He feels like Robotnik's grip on sanity is starting to slip. He's annoyed that their army has been depleted, that the city is in ruins. Mostly, he's irritated that the new Dark Legion recruits refuse to respect him. While e-mailing other Eggman Empire employees overseas, Snively wonders if he's made a personal connection.

If anything has defined Snively over the years, it's his desperate need to be feared and respected. This is why he eagerly orchestrated the original Robotnik's death, why he immediately attempted to assume control of the empire. Which made the countless setbacks he's suffered since then hurt even more. Being belittled by the newly mad Eggman and the Dark Legion really infuriates him, furthering a frustration he's already feeling. All of this stuff is handled really well, proving an unusual factoid again: That Snively is one of the characters Flynn writes the best. The budding e-mail relationship with a mysterious somebody in another country is setting up an up-coming plot point but it's easy to see why this appeals to Snively so much. Just finding someone who treats him as an equal, who gives him some positive attention, is a big boost for the little guy.

194's cover story concludes by officially introducing Silver the Hedgehog into the Archie continuity. Silver is a character I certainly have some thoughts on and I'll save those for next time. I'll just say that, in 2008, his sudden appearance did not encourage me, especially with the current storyline quickly getting jumbled. Still, it's not a bad issue and has a strong backstory, even if some of Flynn's flaws are becoming more and more apparent. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 114

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 114
Publication Date: September 2002

I have no idea why Archie took a month off to let Many Hands out of his cage, to present us with the totally worthless “Cry of the Wolf.” Either way, things are back on track with issue 114. As the cover promises, Mammoth Mogul returns to the book. This installment has Benny Lee breaking his habit of stand alone stories. Instead, this one is steeped in the series’ on-going mythology. It also, thankfully, wraps up one of the previous year’s dumbest dangling plot lines.

In “Twice Told Tails,” Sonic’s sidekick is being haunted by nightmares about a spooky cave. Sonic and his parents try to assure the fox that these dreams are nothing to worry about. Instead, Tails flies the Tornado away in the middle of the night. Sonic secretly follows him. The two arrive at the cave Tails has been dreaming about. Inside, they meet Mammoth Mogul and another version of Tails trapped inside a bubble. We quickly discover the truth behind Athair’s startling revelation last year.

Obviously, the main purpose of “Twice Told Tails” is to resolve that stupid “Tails isn’t the real Tails” nugget Ken dropped on us. Benny Lee waste no time in revealing the truth. After being released from the Master Emerald during the “Sonic Adventure” prologue, Mammoth Mogul immediately grabbed the real Tails. He kept the true fox locked up in his cave, slowly draining his special “Chosen One” powers, in order to keep himself alive. To keep his friends off the trail, Mogul created the bogus Tails. It’s succinct and – assuming Benny Lee isn’t really Ken, as I’ve long suspected – probably a much more concise conclusion then Penders would’ve delivered.

It’s nice that this dumb plot thread is finally resolved. Disappointingly, “Twice Told Tails” rushes through the story a bit too quickly. Tails shows up at the cave, inexplicably drawn towards it. Mogul barges in and immediately explains what the hell is going on. Sonic and Tails punch Mogul twice in the face. This is enough to distract the elephant, freeing the real Tails, and forcing the supervillain to skedaddle. Afterwards, the fake Tails dissipates into nothingness. It all happens in the space of a few pages. I’m not complaining about Lee’s eagerness to wrap up this asinine plot twist. However, I wish it was done with a little more elegance.

Granted, there are one or two cute emotional moments. The early scenes of the hedgehogs, including Uncle Chuck and Sonic’s robotic parents, showing concern for Tails is nice. Sonic has some amusing battle banter with Mammoth Mogul, proving that Benny Lee occasionally had an ear for dialogue. I wish Sonic’s reunion with the real Tails at the end was more detailed. It only occupies a few panels but I do like the tears welling up in the hedgehog’s eyes, upon seeing the real Tails gain his freedom.

The back-up story, “Ultimate Power: Part 1,” returns us to the Chaos Knuckles saga, a story line I was personally happy to take a break from. Knuckles sets up Julie-Su and her parents with a swanky apartment in Echidnopolis. When asked how he accomplished this, Knuckles flat-out admits that being the Guardian comes with some perks. Meanwhile, Dimitri reveals to Lien-Da that he’s dying, hoping his protégé will be a worthy heir to the Dark Legion leadership.

The first part of “Ultimate Power” is loaded down with plot mechanics. It sets up Dimitri’s declining health and growing distrust of Lien-Da. The short six-pagers also reveals that Mammoth Mogul is on the Floating Island too, presumably up to nefarious things. If there’s anything interesting about “Ultimate Power,” it’s in the little moments. The way Dawn Best illustrates Lien-Da agreeing to Dimitri’s terms certainly establishes that she’s up to no good. The banter between the Guardian and his girlfriend, as she gushes about her new apartment, is kind of cute. Knuckles is finally reunited with the Chaotix, allowing Vector to get back to harassing Julie-Su. (Considering his secret crush Knuckles is the one openly collaborating with the enemy, Vector’s misogyny is even more misplaced than usual.) Amusingly, Julie-Su tosses Vector to the concrete, clearly sick of his bullshit. Which is, you know, nice. These little moments keep you reading through whatever Ken is planning.

Continuing the three story structure the comic was going with at the time, issue 114 also shoves in a third story. Karl Bollers’ “Young at Heart” has Tails and Amy Rose returning to school, much to their chagrin. Both are annoyed that they have to go to school, while the Freedom Fighters get to do fun stuff. Throughout the day, Amy has to find her own ways to pass the time.

“Young at Heart” is a pretty useless story. Karl resurrects the Knothole High concept but at least realized sticking Sonic in school was a dumb idea. The story doesn’t move the plot forward any or expand on the world. It really just exist to establish that Amy is back in school and to fill out the comic. Yet the antics Amy gets up to – making faces at Tails during history class – are amusing. Both the characters’ frustration with going to school, and the matronly way Sally escorts them to class, is cute. Sonic’s disdain for Geoffrey St. John, and the insistent way Sally clarifies their relationship, are also cute. Jay Axer draws this one and his artwork is as excellent as ever.

None of the stories in issue 114 are entirely satisfying. Yet they all have little moments in them that make me smile. The cover story, most importantly, does do away with a lame plot twist, which is certainly appreciated. Where the comic is headed next, I don’t remember. But at least we’ve got the real Tails back. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 111

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 111
Publication Date: June 2002

First thing first, I want to talk about that cover art. It’s pretty good but that’s not my problem with it. Issue 111 would begin a strange trend with Patrick Spaziante’s “Sonic” covers. Most of the cover would be devoted to the main story, while a large image in the corner would feature the duel leads of the back-up story. I don’t know if this was Spaz’ decision or something ordered from on-high by Archie. Thankfully, this would only happen four times over the next year. It, however, seemed to point the way towards the lame “magazine cover” gimmick Archie would adopt in December. Mostly, it just distracts from the main image so I wonder why the decision was made.

With issue 111’s cover story, Karl Bollers continues to clean up dangling plot thread from the previous year. In the genuinely kind of cleverly entitled “Kids of the Spider Woman,” Uma Arachnis’ brood of ninja spider hatchlings attack Castle Acorn. At first, Sally and Sonic believe the royal family is endangered. Soon, they learn the truth. Driven by their mother’s genetic memory, the spiders are after the Sword of Acorn. Since the Sword has been getting increasingly clingy, Sally decides to just let the arachnids have it.

I’m not sure how to feel about Sally’s continued feeling towards the Sword of Acorn. It seems like Karl isn’t sure either. At first, Sally doesn’t want the Sword removed, thinking it’s possession is her destiny. This seems to contradict last issue’s “All for One.” Later, she’s afraid to let the Sword take control of her, resisting her destiny once again. In the end, she decides to ditch the blade, figuring the spiders are a better caretaker anyway. Giving Sally some doubts and uncertainty is fine, good even. Yet it also seems like the writer is uncertain of how to approach her.

Bollers attempts to build some suspense around the ninja spiders’ impending attack of the castle. Sally informs the King of her vision last time. As a precautionary measure, guards are stationed all around the kingdom. This leads to some mildly atmospheric panels of beefy soldiers standing around, probably some of Ron Lim’s best work. However, we already know from Sally’s vision last time that the spiders are going to attack Sonic and Tails. Which kind of drains any of the tension. Naturally, the ninjas get in with ease and start to tear shit up.

Uma’s kids also beat Sonic up really easily. I mean, I guess there are six of them and one of him. By the same accord, letting fresh characters wack the hero so easily seems like a lame attempt to boost the new additions. Sally just letting the ninjas walk away with the sword makes sense, from a narrative perspective. It disposes of that pushy plot point, at least for a while. Yet it’s not the most satisfying ending. Either way, we hopefully won’t see an obsessive magical sword and spider ninjas for a while.

During the cover story, Amy Rose and Rob O’ the Hedge return to Knothole. This wasn’t given much attention, because of ninjas, but Karl devotes a backstory to their arrival. Rob decides to stay in Knothole for a while. Not to watch out for Amy but because he spots Antoine’s Dad. That is, the robot general that Rob had been fighting for years. Except now the General’s free will has been restore. After some spying and snooping, Rob and the elder D’Coolette get to know each other, overcoming their differences.

“I’ll Shoot the Sheriff” is primarily a comedic story and mostly amusing. Rob’s hostile attitude towards the General actually makes a lot of sense, considering the characters’ history. A series of goofy panels are devoted to Rob spying on Antoine’s dad. By, for example, popping out of a lake or peering into his window. This turns on the next page, when D’Coolette promises to show Rob he’s not evil anymore. What follows is a montage devoted to the two becoming friends. By playing cards, telling ghost stories around a fire, and practicing archery. It’s silly but cute, addresses a viable plot point, and gets the job done in just a few pages.

Archie continues to stick Jay Axer with the back-up story. The artist makes the most of it. “I’ll Shoot the Sheriff,” typically, looks gorgeous. Part of the reason those silly panels devoted to Rob and D’Coolette bonding work is because the amount of expression Axer adds to his artwork. As always, the detail Axer brings to the character designs and the background are impressive. He's also good at emphasizing action, with speed lines and color circling the General slamming his fist on a window seal or Rob revealing a winning hand. Compared to Lim’s work on the cover feature, it’s like night and day.

Issue 111’s third story continues the character-focused but slightly comedic atmosphere. In “Trouble with Grrrls,” Sonic is pursued by a mob of wild fangirls, eager to get his autograph. The hedgehog and Tails retreat to the forest, where the young fox asks his idol about his feelings towards the female gender. Sonic admits that he doesn’t want a steady relationship, believing it’ll hold him down.

This isn’t the last time Sonic would be characterized this way. In an especially reviled future arc, Ken Penders would write the hedgehog hero as a serial dater, eager to abuse his fame to get with different girls. It’s never felt right for Sonic, considering he’s obviously been in love with Sally for years. Sonic’s reasoning to Tails just ends up reducing his personality. He doesn’t want to demystify his “cool” image. That she would slow him down or insist on eating first. Jesus Christ, Karl! Sonic’s a child soldier, not a rutterless teenage boy. (The story also suggests that Sonic does have some feelings for Mina, a plot point I thought had been buried.)

That aside, I don’t totally dislike “Trouble with Grrrls.” The opening scene, with Sonic running from the eager fan girls, is funny. (Though, once again, Archie forgets about Amy Rose, Sonic’s number one fan girl.) Sonic and Tails having a heart-to-heart is certainly appreciated, even if I’m not a fan of their conversation. Lastly, Steven Butler returns to draw this one. Seems like we haven’t seen his work in a while, doesn’t it? It’s as high quality as usual. Considering his strength for drawing sexy females, he was a good choice to draw a mob of horny fan girls. His character work on Sonic and Tails is valuable too.

The cover story of issue 111 has a good idea but isn’t executed perfectly smoothly. The second story is cute. The third raises some questions that I’m not sure needed asking. Overall, it’s yet another mixed bag. But let’s look on the bright side. At least we won’t have that dumb sword to kick around for a while, right? [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 90

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 90
Publication Date: November 2000

While issue 89 did a good job of balancing action and character development, issue 90 is less well balanced. In truth, I think this issue may begin a long downward spiral that the comic would take years to recover from. At least, that’s how I remember it. The comic’s forthcoming issues are the ones I have the least fond memories of: Melodrama, love triangles, and plot twists that drag on forever: That’s what Archie Sonic fans had to look forward to at the start of the new millennium.

The issue picks up where the last one left off. Sonic races through the Great Forest, the Sword of Acorn in hand. He’s headed for Mobotropolis, hoping to restore his beloved Uncle Chuck’s free will. Instead, he runs into Mina, who is preparing her own journey to the tyrant’s city. However, both of their trips are cut short when a new squad of Com-Bots, with advanced cloaking abilities, ambushes them. Meanwhile, Sally and Elias’ reunion with their mother is upset by some startling news and Robotnik discovers that his city is in peril.

“Sword of Omens” – which is, I’m sad to say, not a Sonic/ThunderCats crossover – front-loads with action. I have mixed thoughts about Sonic and Mina’s confrontation with the Com-Bots. The robots’ new ability to cloak themselves, being rendered more-or-less invisible, makes them a somewhat cheap threat. They can spring around, getting the drop on their opponents. It also doesn’t make much sense, as they frequently uncloak. Wouldn’t staying invisible and sniping their opponent from a safe distance have been a better strategy? Instead of allowing Sonic to rise to this new challenge, using his wits instead of his speed, the hedgehog hero gets knocked unconscious very quickly. The robots quickly snatching the Sword of Acorns and flying away is also a bummer, sticking both the hero and the villain with a lame fetch quest.

The story also moves Mina the Mongoose, a character that’s been on the back burner for a while, to the forefront. Mina gets some good moments, like when she expresses her hatred over Robotnik. The tyrant did take all her loved ones’ away. She has a good reason to be angry. I also like Sonic needing a minute to recognize her. He's probably rescued a lot of teenage girls. However, after solid character beats like this, Mina hits a bit of a snag. First off, it’s her fault that the bad guys get away with the sword, which doesn’t endear her to the readers. Secondly, Karl gifts her with a Sonic-like super speed. This dumb gimmick, along with her crush on Sonic, would define Mina as a character for far too long. There’s also no damn reason for her to have super speed either. It’s as if Bollers was struggling with what to do with her.

The writer also doesn’t do the best job juggling the other subplots. Since before the end of the Naugus story, Bollers has hinted at something coming from outer space for Robotnik. Looks like he’ll finally get around to resolving that soon. The doctor’s villainous gloating is interrupted by asteroids falling from the sky. Considering the narrative stakes are already pretty high, it’s an odd decision to shove this in here too. However, our still new Robotnik gets one amusing moment: When he begins dancing and singing, secure in his victory over Sonic.

A strong point of the last issue was Sally and Elias’ concern for their parents. Issue 90 continues to handle this in a mixed way. The sequences devoted to the King and the siblings being reunited with their mother are sweet. However, emotion-based character moments are cut short by incoming narrative contrivances. King Acorn discovers he can’t feel his legs, paralyzed following the robotic blow to the head. Yes, the moment is delivered with as much melodramatic emphasis as you’re imagining. This sequence also introduces Elias reluctantly taking the crown, a plot tumor that would be passed around for a while longer.

What about the artwork? At least it’s good, right? Well, half of it is. James Fry draws the first chapter of the story. His action scenes aren’t as dynamic as his character work, save for a cool panel of Sonic wrecking a Com-Bot. However, his grasp of composition and emotion work well during the slower moments. There’s only one problem. The dreaded and dreadful Ron Lim takes over for the second half. There’s a terrible panel where Queen Alicia is double Sally’s size and looks like she’s about to swallow her whole. Lim can barely draw Elias and Mina, both characters being deeply off-model in his style. Robotnik, meanwhile, looks ridiculous, like a goofball cartoon. Get use to Lim’s bullshit cause he’s not going away for a while.

In the back pages, Ken Penders’ latest underwhelming Knuckles epic moves forward. Last time, Knuckles and Antoine’s robotic dad were trapped in a sudden explosion. “Between a Rock and a Hard Place” picks up with Gala-La and some Albion echidnas retrieving Yanar and the High Sheriff from the wreckage. Bunnie, Antoine, Amy, and Rob o’ Hedge quickly arrive at the blast site, following an unnecessary costume change. What they both discover is that Knuckles is now radioactive green, glowing like a shard of Kryptonite.

If you’re still wondering when we’ll be getting back to the Floating Island, and actually resolving the question of where everyone fucking went, you’ll have to wait longer. We’re still stuck on Albion. Ken shifts the focus to the supporting cast here. Despite Antoine and Rob taking up most of the pages, somehow, the quartet still feels sidelined. Instead of getting meaningful interactions, the characters waste time. A whole panel is devoted to the gang angrily waiting on an elevator. For no particular reason, they steal some firefighter uniforms to sneak closer to the blast site. Was that step necessary? What should’ve been the emotional center of the story – Antoine facing his father – is instead reduced to a curt series of panels. Penders is also in an annoying, with his tendency to emphasize both Rob and Bunnie’s obnoxious speech patterns.

As for what happens to Knuckles… It makes me sigh. Thus begins the Chaos Knuckles saga. I seem to remember Knuckles being lime flavored for-fucking-ever. It’s definitely a plot line I tired of as a kid. Lastly, Knuckles going Eco Mode is supposed to be the accumulation of all that build-up about his grand, terrible destiny. Mostly, it makes his budding Guardian powers even more of a lazy plot device. In the story’s final pages, he magically zaps everyone away from Ablion. Amy and Rob are back in Mercia. Antoine and Bunnie, along with Antoine’s dad, are on a plane headed towards Knothole. Apparently, the ability to quickly wrap up plot points is one of Knuckles’ awakened powers. It does not bode well for what awaits us.

Is the Dork Age upon us? I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Both the cover story and the back-up introduce some less then welcomed story turns. Both writers have some trouble juggling the stories they’re given. Bollers loose sight of the emotional center with all the upheaval. Penders, meanwhile, once again gets distracted by his own bullshit mythology. Among solid work from James Fry and Steven Butler, we get some shitty-ass Ron Lim pencils. Maybe the forthcoming stretch of comics are going to hurt less then I remember? Yeah, right. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 89

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 89
Publication Date: September 2000

Oh man, Karl Bollers is getting all low-key and dramatic and shit. I love it when that happens! Yes, after an action heavy issue, the writer dials it back with another character based story all about consequences and repercussions. Real problems that human beings and cartoon hedgehogs have to deal with. You know, why can’t we just have this all the time? Instead of lame ass video game adaptations? Issue 89 proves again that Archie’s “Sonic” series was at its best when ignoring the whims of their Sega corporate pay-masters.

King Acorn is rushed to the emergency room, following the blow he received in the last issue. While the king is on the operating table, Sally and Prince Elias have a heart-to-heart. The princess feels like Sonic has let her down, by letting her father get hurt. The hedgehog, meanwhile, has his own familial problems to deal with. He’s still thinking about how Uncle Chuck and Muttski reacted to the Sword of Acorn, how they seemingly regained their humanity. Sonic takes drastic measures to bring them back. Meanwhile, Robotnik returns to Robotropolis, discovering the aftermath of last issue’s attack.

Sally isn’t having a great time. Both of her parents are in the hospital. The princess is close to loosing her father, after fighting so hard and for so long to get him back. She’s upset with her boyfriend but, luckily, Karl doesn’t overdo that point. There’s no melodrama, no crying, no slapping. Sally is just too overwhelm to deal with Sonic right now. Luckily, she forgives him by the end. This builds to a touching scene where Sally and Elias have a discussion by the river. She points out how things have been harder for her, ever since the King came back and started acting like an asshole all the time. Bollers doesn’t seek to revolve these issues but it’s nice that he pauses to recognize them.

Far rarer were glances into Sonic’s inner life. Usually, the cool dude with ‘tude was too busy being a speedy bad-ass to open up. Here, we see him having private moments with his parents and Tails. Mom makes him a plate of bubbling chili dogs. While he appreciates the effort, it just makes him miss Chuck more. His uncle, after all, was the one who actually raised him. By the end, Sonic has decided to break the rules in order to save his uncle. The scenes with Tails – aside from providing us with another sighting of the infamous race car bed – are a little heavy on the expositionary side. But it’s still awfully nice to let Sonic slow down.

With these high personal stakes, Karl barely has time to include some obligatory nods to various subplots. Robotnik returns to Robotropolis, the first time he’s been back since the “Sonic Adventure” arc ended. By the end, he’s decided to go after the Sword of Acorn, a plot point that I’m sure will become important soon. Mina also shows up for a few panels, once again establishing her crush on Sonic. Looks like the book is still struggling with what to do with her.

“Thicker Then Water” isn’t as good as 54’s “Running to Stand Still” or 69’s “Day in the Life,” Boller’s previous high water marks for character based stories, but it does feature one major plot reveal. Queen Alicia finally awakens from her coma. Considering the character has been nothing but a plot device, handed back and forth for issues now, it’s nice to finally see that resolved. Can we hope that she’ll actually become a real character, unlike every other mom in this book? Time will tell. Until then, it’s nice things are finally moving forward with her.

Knuckles’ side story continues in “A Matter of Self Interest.” The young Guardian and his friends arrive at Albion, where Gala-La and the others seemingly greet him with open arms. Secretly, the leaders of Albion are suspicious of the other Freedom Fighters. Especially Antoine, as they notice his resemblance to the High Sheriff. Knuckles, meanwhile, gets pissed that the Albion echidnas are withholding information from him. You’d think he’d be used to that by now.

This clinches it. Every single echidna on Mobius is an evasive asshole. On the Floating Island, Knuckles has to deal with his dad creepily obsessing over his life from afar. He has to deal with the Brotherhood giving him vague hints about his destiny, instead of providing actual answers. And now, on Albion, he has to deal with Gala-La and the others manipulating him. The Albion elders know Knuckles has come seeking answers about what happened on the Floating Island. They don’t tell him this, because they distrust Antoine. Instead of directly confronting these issues, they keep secrets and trade whispers in hidden rooms. When Knuckles finds out, he’s pissed. Sadly, he also doesn’t do anything about it, which is in keeping with the character’s actions.

Antoine, Rob, Bunnie, and Amy are basically just props in the story. Amy contributes almost nothing to the plot, just getting shuffled around the scenes. Antoine and Rob have some dialogue about his dad but it doesn’t amount to much. Bunnie yawns, says goodnight, and goes to bed, despite it seemingly being day light outside. The story ends on a big cliffhanger, the High Sheriff being revived. And that’s fine, I guess. But, Jesus Ken, can you please get back to what happen to the Floating Island? Why are you jerking us around?

At least the artwork is fine all around. James Fry contributes some really striking artwork to the main story, dialing back his angular anime style to focus more on emotion. Steven Butler’s work on the back-up, meanwhile, is as gritty and detail orientated as we’ve come to expect from him. The cover story is pretty good while the back-up is frustrating but I’m still happy to be back in Knothole. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 88

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 88
Publication Date: August 2000

Now that the video game adaptation mandated by the corporate overlords is finally over, Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic can get back to business as usual. Karl Bollers basically picks up right where he left off too. He gets the Freedom Fighters back to Knothole immediately. Sally’s mom is still sick. Uncle Chuck is still an evil robot. There’s still plenty of royal intrigue. If Amy Rose wasn’t suddenly a teenager, it would be like that “Sonic Adventure” business never happened.

I guess Nate Morgan and Tails fixed the Freedom Fighter Special while nobody was looking. The plane touches down in Knothole Village. The gang barely has time to unwind from their trip though. Prince Elias has been imprisoned by Robotnik, after fleeing the village back in issue 80. King Acorn and Geoffrey St. John immediately recruit Sonic and Tails on the rescue mission. While storming Robotropolis, Sonic encounters something far more disturbing: His Uncle Chuck and beloved dog Muttski, still under the influence of Robotnik’s diabolical control.

“Family Matters” – Steve Urkel reference presumably unintentional – is primarily a straight-ahead action story. King Acorn spends the entire issue decked out in some genuinely bad-ass looking armor. He leads an army right to Robotnik’s door. Once there, the King even slashes through some robots! Meanwhile, Sonic is tearing ShadowBot’s to pieces. Tails tosses Bomb like a valley ball, making short work of the machines. Geoffrey St. John even gets in on the action, deploying some of those bolts of his. James Fry’s artwork is a little overly angular but he’s the right guy for this story, lending an energetic, high velocity feeling to the plot.

Even in a story this action-packed, Karl still makes time for some character moments. While Sonic and her dad are off fighting the war, Sally is concerned with her mother. An amusing moment early on has her raking the King over the coals for not telling her about Elias’ capture sooner. Before exiting, there’s a really sweet moment of Sonic comforting Sally in her time of need. After he goes, there’s a fantastic panel of her covering her mouth, concerned and anxious. A similar moment has her collapsing onto Rosie, crying, the stress bubbling. Sally’s not the only one who gets these small, personal moments. It only occupies one panel but Sonic still gets a sweet moment with his parents, welcoming him home from his long journey.

Yet the meatiest emotional arc pertains to Sonic and his Uncle Chuck. In the middle of Elias’ rescue mission, Sonic comes face-to-face with his brainwashed uncle. Chuck, naturally, doesn’t recognize him at all. He attacks his nephew. Even Muttski gets in on the violence, dog piling on Sonic. It’s distressing for Sonic. What’s more distressing is when a wave of King Acorn’s magical sword briefly restores Uncle Chuck’s personality. Before he can re-connect, a trap door swings Chuck and Muttski out of the room. Sonic comes this close to saving his role model and gets that chance dragged away from him. Yeah, it’s probably just a stopgap until Karl can give this subplot a proper resolution. But it’s also good drama.

Of course, Karl isn’t just including these scenes for the sake building up the characters. He’s also setting up some new subplots. Following the plane crash a few issues back, Antoine’s foot is in a cast. While recuperating, he decides to look for his dad – the still robotocized General D’Coolette – in Mercia. Bunnie and Amy Rose, eager to reconnect with her uncle Rob O’ the Hedge, also tag along. Karl also makes sure to get Mina in a few panels, during a mostly unnecessary flashback that opens the issue. He also ends on a cliffhanger, leaving the fate of both of Sally’s parents up in the air, making sure the reader comes back next month.

For the back-up story, Ken Penders and Steven Butler continue the Knuckles story that began in the “Sonic Stew” special. After seeing the population of the entire Floating Island get zapped into an alternate zone, Knuckles is raging in the ocean when Athair’s floating ghost head appears to him, telling him that Albion will provide the answers he craves and that his magical Guiding Star Gem will get him there. Meanwhile, in Mercia, Rob o’ the Hedge runs into Antoine, Bunnie, and Amy.

This is so typical of Ken. “Best of Time, Worst of Times” set up so many tantalizing plot details. Julie-Su, the Chaotix, Knuckles’ mom and everyone in Echidnaopolis got zapped into another zone. Gee whiz, what’s going to happen to these guys? I can’t wait to see Knuckles resolve this plot point! Well, they're going to have to wait. Instead of following up on this, Knuckles spends this entire story chatting with Athair, getting vague answers and mystical mumbo-jumbo shoveled his way. Booo. (Also, Athair appears as a fucking Force Ghost, implying that Ken killed him off at some point. I managed to have missed this plot point.)

In truth, Knuckles barely appears in his own back-up story. Most of “Best of Times, Worst of Times” is devoted to Antoine and his party running into Rob o’ the Hedge. The two trade a lot of dialogue, all of it very technical. Rob is quickly caught up on Amy’s growth spurt. He somewhat belligerently introduces himself to Antoine and Bunnie. Right before things get violent, Knuckles swoops in. The Guardian must really want to rescue his loved ones but he has to resolve Athair’s mystic fetch-quest first. Jesus, reel it in, Penders. At least Steven Butler’s artwork is nice.

The cover story is a solid yarn and a mediocre back-up story can’t take that away from us. If nothing else, issue 88 is a good looking book too, all the artists providing quality work. I have no idea if Bollers can catch all the balls he’s tossed up in the air. (I know Penders can’t.) This comic is still worth reading, for the set-up and emotional bricks being laid. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 58

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 58
Publication Date: February 1998

As previously mentioned, I did not read the “Knuckles the Echidna” solo series very often when it was being published. Like I said, this was not out of any ill-will towards the echidna but simply because money was tight at the time. Unfortunately, Archie was determined to have the two series frequently cross over. Issue 58 of “Sonic the Hedgehog” occurs right in the middle of Knuckles’ “The Forgotten Tribe” story arc, essentially expanding that story line from three issues to four. This really does a disservice to both series. First off, Sonic is cheated out of the starring role in his own book. Secondly, “Friendly Rogues & Foul Villains” has a totally different tone than “The Forgotten Tribe.” Inserting a Robin Hood pastiche into the middle of an Exodus pastiche robs both stories of their deeper meaning and fun factor.

Picking up where we left off, Sonic and Tails are chained up in the dungeon of a castle. As they explain to Yanar, a random-ass echidna who plays a small part in the book, Sonic and Tails’ journey around Mobius was interrupted by a freak storm. The two where downed in the strange territory of Deerwood Forest and quickly captured by Robians, loyal to the deceased Robotnik. Meanwhile, Knuckles befriends local hero Rob O’ the Hedge. Soon, the two teams cross paths, Sonic and Tails discovering the territory’s villainous leader has a personal connection to a friend of their’s.

“Friendly Rogues & Foul Villains” feels a bit like a throwback to an earlier time in the book’s history. The area is referred to as Snottingham. Dropping Sonic and friends into a Robin Hood-style setting really does feel like something Mike Gallagher would’ve done back in the day. Tails is strapped to a table and tortured with… Tickling. Contrasted against the mystical, mythology-heavy events of the “Knuckles” book, the story comes off as even sillier.

Yet that’s not totally a bad thing. The entire point of the “Back to Basics” story arc was to send Sonic and Tails on carefree adventures around the world. Seeing the hedgehog spin-dashing robots, escaping a dungeon, exploring a castle, discovering secret passage ways, and getting into a sword fight with a bad guy is fun. The dialogue is pretty goofy at times, which may be the fault of Penders’ uncredited co-writer Clayton Emery, but that only goes so far to drain the fun from “Friendly Rogues & Foul Villains.”

Even in a light-hearted story like this, Penders didn’t miss a chance to expand Sonic and Knuckles’ world. The story introduces Rob O’ the Hedge. Yep, it’s basically Sonic as Robin Hood, including strangled faux Olde English dialogue. Rob is a shade lighter than Sonic and wears a hood. Otherwise, the characters are identical. This is even a plot point. While this does nothing to dissuade Ken’s tendency for recolors, Rob is kind of a fun character. Like Sonic, he showboats and brags, despite being slightly clumsy. Yet this is an older archetype, dating back to at least Errol Flynn. Like Flynn’s Robin Hood, Rob O’ the Hedge makes rebelling against a villainous monarch look an awful lot like fun, not letting the situation get him down. Rob is definitely more endearing than his echidna love interest, Mari-An. Inserting Knuckles and the Forgotten Tribe into this story truly feels out of place.

Still, the only genuinely disappointing aspect of the story is its villain. Not too long ago, Antoine referenced his father being a proud member of King Acorn’s royal court and how he vanished during the Great War. Here, we discover his fate. Armand D’Coolette was captured by Robotnik and robotocized, becoming the wicked High Sheriff. It’s an interesting idea, showing that Robotnik’s death did not mean his empire crumbled overnight. There are still pockets out there, continuing to fight their dead boss’ fight. However, if the book was going to re-introduce Antoine’s dad as a Robian, I really wish Antoine had been along for the adventure. Imagine how much more heartbreaking that would be. That Antoine would be reunited with his father, only to discover that he’s a brainwashed robot, who has totally forgotten about his boy. Instead, Sonic has to feel angsty on his friend’s behalf.

Manny Galan gets credited at the front of the book but the pencils were actually by Art Mawhinney. And, goddamn, they are good. This is an action-heavy story and Mawhinney excels at action. The brief scuffle between Knuckles and Rob is fantastic, as is Sonic’s escape from the dungeon. It’s also great to see Mawhinney drawing a forested area again. Deerwood Forest looks beautiful. Yet Mawhinney’s cartooning roots truly make the goofier moments, such as Tails’ tickle torture or Rob’s strutting, look great as well.

Issue 58 would be a fun if uneven book if it wasn’t for the back-up story. “The Living Crown” is presented as part of a new series, “Tales of the Freedom Fighters.” Basically, these back-up stories would focus on what’s going on at Knothole while Sonic and Tails travel the world.

“The Living Crown” is devoted to exposition. While Dr. Quack studies the recently recovered King Acorn, he explains why Mobotropolis is still a monarchy. Turns out, the Kings are chosen by the Source of All, a pool of golden liquid in the castle’s basement. The Source of All is the building block of the universe, an apparent direct route of communication with God. Anyway, as a boy, Max bathed in the Source and the drippings were molded into the Sword and Crown of Acorn. The rest of the back-up essentially explains the business about how the Crown could reside in the King’s mind and why he has a mystic connection with the Sword.

Out of all the mystic juju that would be introduced in the book during this time, the Source of All is probably the most confounding. While the echidnas have always been very mystical, the Kingdom of Acorn struck me as areligious. Explaining the Kings take advice from a pool of molten gold in their basement, aside from being really weird, totally changes the context of what the Kingdom means. The royalty is no longer just a collection of reasonable leaders. Now, they’re divinely ordained. Mostly, the explanation for why King Max has a magical connection with his sword and crown is strangled exposition.

Also weird: No artists or writers are credited with this story, then or now. I’m fairly certain the first half is drawn by Sam Maxwell, as his big colorful eyes are hard to miss, while the latter half looks like Galan. As for the writing, who knows. It would be nice to blame this mystical la-la on Penders but it also reads a lot like Scott Fulop, who introduced the Sword of Acorn after all.

The cover story for Issue 58 sticks out among the stories it’s running against and has some problems but still manages to be fun. The back-up story raises more questions than it answers. Does that even out to a [7/10?] I suppose it does.