Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 4

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 4

Publication Date: January 18th, 2023

This is how good the last issue of IDW's "Sonic" miniseries, "Scrapnik Island," is: It honestly made me forget about issue 56 of the main series, a comic I actually really liked! I'm sitting here, reading the conclusion of "Scrapnik Island," and thinking "Damn, IDW "Sonic" is off to a hell of a start this year!" Totally slipped my mind that this is actually the second "Sonic" comic published this year. I guess it's just the inevitable effect of a supernova blocking out the light of another star, even if that other star shines brightly on its own. Ya get what I'm saying here? This is a good comic book! 

We begin with Sonic strapped to a table while the Scrapnik Mecha Sonic monologue about his villainous plan. The device is tied to Sonic's head, another Eggman cast-off, will transfer Mecha's consciousness into Sonic's body. This, the robot believes, will allow him to escape the island. The other Scrapniks interrupt the process and destroy the machine... But not before Sonic and Mecha's minds are linked. They hear each other's thoughts as they fight through the enormous furnace inside the Death Egg. And this also provides Sonic with some insight into his enemy's thought process and motivation. 

All along, I've said that "Scrapnik Island" is the closest thing to a pure "Sonic" horror comic we've ever gotten. The monster movie ambiance have definitely come and gone throughout the mini-series. They are mostly absent in this final installment... Except for one element, early on. When Mecha Sonic is pontificating about his evil plan, he does so next to a big switch on the wall. When the time comes to activate the machine, he cranks that switch and sparks fly through the air. Ah, now those are some delightful mad scientist movie vibes! We just need some lightning strikes and a flickering Jacob's Ladder to really make the atmosphere complete. I'm a Frankenstein nerd. I appreciate these things. 

Those fall to the side soon enough but I don't mind it, as this issue is very focused on something else. As Mecha Sonic and his organic double battle it out, our hedgehog hero gets a peek at his opponent's inner thoughts. It seems that super villain verbosity rubs off on Sonic too, as he's thinking thoughts about "This anger... This sadness..." Sonic soon hears the robot thinking about pain, about being abandoned. After a big fight scene, Mecha Sonic lands in a pile of rubbish careening towards a fiery incinerator. He bemoans to Sonic that this is what he deserves, as he has failed in all his programmed endeavors. He failed to stop Sonic for Eggman and he failed to protect the Scrapniks for Sigma. In that moment, the villain considers himself "trash" and even envies Sonic's freedom from doubts like this. 

I can't help but relate to this. I don't know about you guys but I live every day of my life with what my therapist calls "intrusive thoughts." It's part of my OCD or depression or PTSD or some other undiagnosed condition with a D in it. I frequently have to fight back thoughts that I'm a failure, that I'm never going to achieve my goals, and that I should just give up and settle into being a useless piece-of-shit my whole life. It's only been the recent addition of medication that these thoughts have started to become more manageable and not cause me daily distress. Don't freak out about it in the comments. It's just my life.

So, yes, cartoon robot version of a cartoon hedgehog, I know what it's like to feel like trash. And this is where the most poignant moment of "Scrapnik Island" emerges. This is, after all, a comic about discarded robots bonding together and being rebuilt into functioning units again, with no defined purpose beyond just living their lives. This is a story about those deemed "trash" coming together to form a community, to be independent. The image of Mecha Sonic spiraling towards a "Toy Story 3" fire pit, consigning himself to the scrap pile to be melted into slag, literalizes the feeling of giving into depression and sinking into non-existence. 

Sonic, of course, does not take this for an answer. He tells him to “cut the crap,” the most mild of swears that was still enough to scandalize some poor delicate souls on Twitter. The hedgehog declares to Mecha Sonic that the individual gives himself meaning, that self-determination makes life worth living. That nobody – yourself included – can call you trash. He reaches out a hand and grabs a hold of Mecha. This alone might've been touching enough but Sonic has officially shattered his ankle at this point. It's only when Tails and the other Scrapniks appear that the two hedgehogs, one flesh-and-blood and the other steel and circuitry, are pulled from their impending doom. 

This moment could have been another example of this franchise's favorite moral, one that is so common in kid's media, about the power of friendship. Yet “Scrapnik Island” actually takes this one step further, into something almost profound. The other Scrapniks surround Mecha and comfort him. The robot looks at his own hands, under his own control. He acknowledges that life is full of uncertainty and that it can be scary, but those that you love and that love you in return keep you going forward. This is true, in my experience. My girlfriend, my mom, and my closest friends are the people that help me through the pain of existence. 

This moment is summarized by two panels that might've been sappy or unearned in your typical “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic book. Sonic actually cries. I guess the comic got around Sega's rule of Sonic never showing serious emotions because the tears are result of what Mecha is feeling in that moment, of the still lingering psychic bond between them. Instead of the sunflower Mecha was protecting being a plot device, it thankfully remains a symbol of the robot's evolution that is pinpointed in the final panels. This comic earns the emotions necessary to make these moments soar. 

The last issue of “Scrapnik Island” does all this and still fits in Sonic being a bad-ass. After the other Scrapniks wreck Mecha's machine and piss him off, the two launch into a big elaborate action sequence. Despite having the hedgehog equivalent of the Boot on his shattered, pained ankle, Sonic goes superspeed while fighting with Mecha. He pushes pass his limits and slams broken foot right over Mecha's head, busting the cast open in the process. This is a classically awesome Sonic moment, of the hedgehog's boundless determination pushing him to new levels of badassery. It's what we want to see our little blue boy do.

At this point, it almost goes without saying that issue 4 of “Scrapnik Island” is also gorgeous looking. Jack Lawrence's action sequences are vibrant and animated. He packs so much emotion into the characters' faces, making the heaviest moments in this comic hit the hardest. The little beads of sweat on Sonic's face as he runs, signaling his pain, or just the way Mecha tilts his head says so much. The panel where an enraged Mecha threatens to crush the other Scrapniks is fantastically intense. Nathalie Fourdraine's colors continue to be the real star of this mini-series. Shading makes every moment pop. Whether it's the shadows of Mecha's lab, the blue glow of his electric experiment, or the orange heat of the incinerator room, it all invokes the correct feelings in the reader. It looks perfect.

“Scrapnik Island,” with its presence of multiple old school Sega enemies or a climax obviously inspired by the OVA, could have just been an act of nerdy homage for us “Sonic” dweebs. Instead, Daniel Barnes and his team made this a wonderfully immersive series full of surprises and emotion. “Scrapnik Island” isn't just my new favorite IDW “Sonic” mini-series. It's not just the best IDW “Sonic” comic thus far. It might be the best “Sonic” story I've ever read, period. I sincerely hope Sega or whoever allows Mecha Sonic and Mecha Knuckles, both of whom get a big send-off here, to return in future stories. Moreover, I especially hope Daniel Barnes gets to write more IDW “Sonic” stuff. I loved this entire story arc and this final issue especially. Consider this one of the few straight-up raves I've ever written for this blog. [9/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 3

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 3

Publication Date: December 21st, 2022

Man, the release schedule for IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island" really has me conflicted. Releasing the first issue of this horror adjacent story in October was the most natural move the company could have made. I heartily approve of that. Yet the monthly release schedule means the mini won't conclude until January, really fucking with my OCD. (And the yearly retrospective I do.) The series launching in October might just be a coincidence, as the fall is when the last two IDW “Sonic” mini-series also began. I don’t know the nuances of comic book scheduling and I assume there’s a reason it’s like this. The last issue if this story coming out next month either gives you something to look forward to in the new year or mildly irks you, depending on how anal retentive you are. 

Anyway! Part three of “Scrapnik Island” begins with Sonic strapped to a table deep within the Death Egg. It seems the events in the last issue have awoken something in the rebuilt Mecha Sonic, who is now planning vengeance on his former enemies and his creator. A little Scrapnik spies on this conversation and gets the information to Tails. The fox immediately assembled a rescue team and goes into the Death Egg to save his friend. Yet Mecha Sonic is more dangerous than he appears. 

As the main cover for this one makes clear, Sonic actually doesn’t have a lot to do in this issue. He’s only on a few pages and spends all of them strapped down to an examination table in a make-shift laboratory. Instead, Tails gets all the heroic moments. He slaps a bunch of cool looking gear on and leads a team of Egg Robos into the Death Egg. They are all wielding big guns too, which they fire quite a bit as well. That makes this feel slightly like a throwback to the edgy “Shadow the Hedgehog” era of this franchise. Ya know, Tails packing heat brings certain connotations to mind.

Now, I’ve been critical of depictions of Tails as some sort of hyper-confident bad-ass before. The “Sonic” comics definitely have shown a tendency to overcompensate for Tails’ cutesy, kid sidekick demeanor in the past. Here, Tails does dress up like a commando and blast a killer robot with a giant gun. Even after being disarmed, he rolls into a spin dash and takes on Mecha Sonic directly. Yet his legit action hero credentials – he's been studying Sonic's special moves since the Genesis era, after all – are balanced nicely here with his innate vulnerability. Tails is obviously nervous while tracking Mecha Sonic, sweating in one panel. The villain catches him off-guard and leaves him panting on the floor quickly. The little fox stutters while delivering boastful battle banter to Mecha. It's a small detail that makes all the difference. Tails is capable of kicking ass but he's also still just a kid, who isn't always very confident in himself and makes mistakes.

This scenario also brings something else to mind. Tails and a gang of disposable robots head into a dark, industrial series of tunnels where they are pursued and eliminated by a red-eyed villain. Yep, "Scrapnik Island" recommits to the horror vibes prevalent in the first issue. Tails even has a beeping radar, that adds to the tension in these scenes. That seems like a deliberate homage to "Aliens" to me. In fact, I'd wager this entire issue was inspired by James Cameron's seminal sci-fi/horror sequel. I also love it when the "Sonic" comics dip outside of the reference pool you'd expect. 

As in the previous two issues of this mini-series, the spooky atmosphere is helped along by some truly spectacular artwork. Jack Lawrence's pencils are great, his characters expressive and his action animated. But Nathalie Fourdraine's colors once again really makes this one shine. The interior of the Death Egg are depicted in shades of blues, blacks, and greens. The glow from Tails' tablet adds an especially eerie feeling to these panels. Panels devoted to Mecha grabbing an Egg Robo, looming over Tails while his red eyes glows, or the fox's descent down a trash chute all emphasize a dreary, claustrophobic horror movie ambiance that elevates an already good comic. 

In my review of the previous "Scrapnik Island" issue, I said that this version of Mecha Sonic had the potential to be a very complex villain. Part three supports this while also backtracking in some slightly disappointing ways. Last time, it seemed like Mecha Sonic's villainy during this mini-series would almost be unintentional. That he would be driven to act violently simply because his brain was so scrambled, he wasn't even aware of his actions. Instead, this issue clarifies that he has a deliberate evil agenda. He steals Tails' handheld computer, having specific plans for it, and seems to have something nefarious in mind for Sonic. 

We know this because the issue gives Mecha Sonic the ability to speak. His words are a bit jumbled at times but he can still express himself clearly. He expresses a desire to get revenge on Eggman. He feels like he's been discarded by his creator, betrayed by the world, and that pisses him off. Not only is this motivation kind of similar to what Surge is going through in the main book right now, it's also a little less compelling to me than someone merely acting erratic because their mind has betrayed them. We'll see if that anxiety about being treated like trash goes anywhere interesting, I guess. 

It's possible this mini-series will nail the landing in regards to that particular plot thread. If only because "Scrapnik Island" continues to show an excellent handle on memory and visuals. A flashback, which occurs while E-117 Sigma's systems are rebooting, shows Mecha Sonic came to be on Scrapnik Island. A number of panels are without dialogue balloons, such as when Tails goes digging through a pile of junk to find the parts he needs. This series has done such a good job of showing why comics are a visual medium, how a focus on those visuals can express a feeling of melancholy or urgency all on their own.

While I have some misgivings about where this issue takes Mecha Sonic, and how that might play out, I still really liked this one. "Scrapnik Island" continues to be really strong in general. I might be partial here because I just love the horror movie vibes. But the characterization is strong, the art is fantastic, the story is moving along at a compelling pace. Gotta say, I'm really enjoying it. Also, some extremely talented "Sonic" fans made plushies of Scrapnik Mecha Sonic and Mecha Knuckles, on display in the letters section at the back of the book. And that's the kind of fanatical resourcefulness that I love about this fandom. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 2

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 2

Publication Date: November 16th, 2022

The last quarter of 2022 might be the busiest time for the "Sonic" franchise in quite a while. "Sonic Frontiers," the first mainline game in the series in five years, released earlier in the month. With it came a number of promotional tie-ins. (Which I'm not quite done talking about yet, by the way.) Meanwhile, the promotional machine for the new cartoon, "Sonic Prime," is ramping up ahead of its December 16th Netflix drop. That new trailer was pretty swanky, wasn't it? 

Perhaps seeing how the entire franchise is accelerating, IDW is double-stuffing the comic end of things this month too. In addition to the issue I'm here to discuss today, the second installment of the "Scrapnik Island" series, they also released a special one-shot celebrating Tails' 30th anniversary on the same day. There's a new issue of the regular series coming next month too! Let me tell you, friends, "Sonic" fans are eating supper right now. I guess this is what happens when a long-running series goes from being a laughingstock to a blockbuster film series. 

After a short prologue showing how E-117 Sigma washed up on the titular island, we get back to the present. The friendly locals have repaired the Tornado save for one important part that makes the entire plane work. However, they might be able to locate the missing part inside the Death Egg. Sonic, Sigma and the reformed Mecha Sonic journey into the ruins of the fallen satellite. As they travel inside, they are attacked by a scrapped together version of "Sonic Advance's" Mecha Knuckles. Even after defeating him, the danger is far from over for our heroes. 

The main appeal of the desert island genre is that it thrusts ordinary people into an incredible situation that pushes them to their limits, forcing them to use human ingenuity and the sheer will to survive in order to make it out alive. It asks the question of whether we, as people raised in civilization, could survive if all of that was pulled away. Yet there's also a second, secret aspect to the genre that also makes it such an evergreen style of story. Leaving behind all the complications of modern life is also appealing. Once you get through the threat of starving to death or exposure to the elements, it's even kind of cozy. Who wouldn't want to completely start over in paradise? 

And so we see some of that in the first few pages of "Scrapnik Island's" second volume. Tails builds a translator for the Scrapniks while Sonic chills in a lawn chair on the beach. These robots have made their own little community, away from the rest of the world, where they won't be judged or persecuted. They are awfully friendly, as they all rush to say hi to Sonic the minute he can understand them. We see that these machines are growing, almost becoming human. They have hopes and dreams of making it back to civilization. This is represented in a sunflower that Mecha Sonic obsessively tends to. I don't know if I'd want to live on Scrapnik Island but maybe it wouldn't be so bad to visit. It seems... Nice. 

It's a testament to the "Sonic" franchise's belief in second chances – an outgrow of the shonen action genre's tendency to redeem past villains – that a bunch of minor background enemies can grow into peaceful bohemians. Sigma even says that they have evolve past Eggman's programming for them. It's not just the once murderous robots that can turn into better people. Sensing the tension between them, Sonic outright asks Mecha Sonic to let bygones be bygones. That's something I like about Sonic. He's always willing to forgive and forget. It's a nice, quiet, character-driven moment to insert into the middle of the book. 

It, of course, proceeds a big action set piece. Once Mecha Knuckles emerges on the scene, the rest of this issue is predominantly focused on a fight scene. Yet even that is more character driven than I expected. While the Mecha Sonic and Knuckles are battling it out, we get a glimpse inside the tall metal hedgehog's brain. And this is where issue 2 of "Scrapnik Island" makes a surprising turn. Remember how I expressed disappointment last time that this horror-tinged mini-series was leaving the creepy stuff behind after the first issue? Turns out that's not exactly true. Mecha Sonic's warped perception of reality, which shows past defeats and faces intruding on the present in glitchy ways, pushes us into the realm of psychological horror. Honestly, some of the pages are so vividly twisted they might be too scary for really young readers. 

Something else is surprising about this too: Mecha Sonic, just another boss battle up until this point, is emerging as this mini-series' most interesting character. I like the detail of him tending to the sunflower. It shows that this killer robot has really soften. Yet the peek inside his fractured brain is really compelling. His fight with Mecha Knuckles triggers his memory of his final fight with his organic counterpart back in "Sonic 3 & Knuckles." His recollection of Eggman activating him, assigning him the role of a killer, and Sonic's mocking battle banter all blend together. In particular, the memory of Knuckles delivering a killing blow to the robot haunts him. It's no wonder he freaks out a little after this. 

In fact, the entire sequence plays a lot like a PTSD flashback. Suggesting an interesting idea that I hadn't considered before: Eggman's machines are just conscious enough to be aware of their own mortality. This means that when Sonic bobs them on the head and makes them go boom... Conscious things are being murdered. And if they survive such an encounter, the trauma of that memory is going to live with them. That's a really compelling idea to introduce into a series where robots are usually nothing but easily disposed of mooks. If artificial intelligence really is intelligent, that means it's prone to some of the same mental conditions humanity can fall prey to. 

There's obviously some psychological depth to this issue that I really dug. Yet this is simply a well written comic structurally too. Mecha Sonic glitching out and turning on fleshy Sonic provides a nice twist. Up to this point, this mini-series has advertised Mecha Knuckles as the story's main antagonist. He's on the cover of this issue, got a big reveal last time, and has by far the flashiest design of all the new robots. (Or "new" robots.) This issue also reveals the Mecha Knuckles has a simplistic programming to protect the Death Egg. He's not a complicated, scheming robot. This makes it unlikely to me that he's going to be the main baddie. It really seems like Mecha Knuckles was simply a decoy villain and that Mecha Sonic, haunted by his memories and damaged processors, is going to be the main antagonist here. Which is far more compelling anyway, seeing as how Mecha Sonic's desire to be more than destructive has been established now. 

Maybe I'm reading this wrong and that's not where "Scrapnik Island" is headed. I've been wrong before. Either way, one thing is for certain: This is a gorgeous comic book. Jack Lawrence's pencils and Nathalie Fourdraine's colors combine to create one of the most distinctive looking "Sonic" comics I've ever read. The artwork is so good that it does most of the narrative heavy lifting throughout this issue. The opening flashback, showing how Sigma came to reside on Scrapnik Island, plays out totally without word balloons but never lacks for emotional or meaning. The Mechas never talk at all yet their feelings are always clear. The fight between the machines is stylish and dynamic. The panel of Mecha Knuckles punching Sigma or Mecha Sonic tossing his opponent into a wall look great. And the glitchy flashback scenes are really fantastically brought to life. 

In other words: This is a really good comic book. It's every bit as good as the first issue and maybe a little better too. Daniel Barnes is not just proving himself as a good writer but maybe the best "Sonic" comic writer since Flynn let his wife work on a few issues. Unless it really falls apart in the second half, "Scrapnik Island" is shaping up to be one of my favorite IDW stories yet. [8/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 1

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 1

Publication Date: October 19th, 2022

Owing to my status as both a horror buff and a lifelong "Sonic" nerd, I've bemoaned the lack of official creepy "Sonic" content a lot in the past. I think I've probably written about the limited crossover between "Sonic" and horror more than anyone, at least outside the realm of creepypasta authors. Specifically, there aren't many "Sonic" Halloween specials. The comics and various Sonic Channel artists have nodded towards the holiday's existence a handful of times but that's about it. If you want something to satisfy both your spooky, autumnal needs and your "Sonic" fandom, your options are limited. (Again, outside the realm of crappy creepypastas. Tails Doll isn't scary, you guys.)

At least in the realm of comics, IDW has been working hard to rectify this problem. During the Zombot arc, the on-going book essentially became a horror comic for more than a year. There was also a recent issue with some distinctively creepy vibes. And now, the company is publishing a new mini-series with a spooky bent, kicking off just in time for Halloween. "Scrapnik Island" is a new four-parter and, everything we've seen of the mini up to this point, has made it look like a full-on "Sonic" horror comic. Bitchin'. Let's get into it. 

To further confirm the announcement that this is a spooky-scary Sonic story, issue one of "Scrapnik Island" even starts with "It was a dark and stormy night." Sonic and Tails are flying the Tornado to one location or another when it's caught in a bad storm. They happen to fly over the remnants of the first Death Egg before a lightning bolt takes out the plane's wing. Awakening from the crash, Sonic finds himself inside the desolate remains of the space station, with a metal brace on his foot and a sore ankle. Soon, he's pursued by old Badniks that have been hastily patched together. Frightened, the hedgehog runs for his life. But is everything as it seems? 

I am pleased-as-punch to confirm that, yes, the first issue of "Scrapnik Island" is a "Sonic" horror story. The plot here builds upon well-known horror tropes. Essentially, this is a haunted house story presented within the "Sonic" framework. Instead of a creaky old building, it's a derelict battle station from Eggman's past. Instead of moaning sheet ghosts and spectres banging chains around, it's cobbled together Badniks chasing after Sonic. The seemingly mindless way the incredibly strange, mixed-up machines pursue Sonic also brings a zombie movie to mind. In fact, the mix-and-match approach to the beings – who we learn call themselves "Scrapniks" before the end – even bring Frankenstein's monster to mind. 

The issue doesn't just use horror trappings for flavor. I think part one of "Scrapnik Island" is actually trying to make a shiver run up your spine. A surprisingly large amount of this issue is devoted to Sonic wandering around the dark, dusty Death Egg. His only illumination is a small light from Tails' tablet computer, furthering the feeling that he's out-of-his-depth here. The hero is as clueless as the audience is, creating a sense of isolation and disorientation. There's even a pretty cool series of panels where the Red Eye from "Sonic and Knuckles'" Death Egg Stage spies on Sonic and cast the area in ominous red light. Establishing a sense of shadowy atmosphere makes the appearance of the Scrapniks, and the subsequent chase scene, more intense than it otherwise would've been. You just know, if this was a cartoon and not a comic book, it would be heavy on discordant musical cords and loud banging noises coming from off-screen. Writer Daniel Barnes clearly knows the basic elements of telling a suspenseful camp fire story. 

Barnes, who previously wrote the "Weapons" story in this year's annual, seems like a smart guy. To further up the tension, he gives Sonic a fucked-up ankle with a big metal brace on it. This is a great way to put Sonic at a disadvantage, unable to run or spin-dash with his usual efficiency, so it's a shame that a regular issue of the main series did something similarly not that long ago. I'm still giving Barnes points for being so willing to write Sonic as vulnerable though. The hedgehog actually gets scared in this issue. He's caught off-guard, outnumbered, confused and a little freaked out. It's a testament to Barnes' grasp of the character that Sonic is convincingly frightened without undermining his status as a snarky superhero. One word balloon about how he's happy Knuckles isn't here to see this goes a long way. 

Even though Sonic fans clearly like to see their hedgehog hero mashed up with horror tropes – see, once again, the proliferation of creepypastas based on the franchise – there's an obvious reason why official content rarely goes in this direction. "Sonic the Hedgehog" is for the children. It's generally frowned upon to scare kids, even though they love it. After a pretty fun spook house approach through most of this, the conclusion makes it clear, once again, that "Sonic" is a kid-friendly series. Sonic runs into Tails, who explains that the Scrapniks are not violent. In fact, their leader – an E100 unit with a monocle – is friendly and soft-spoken. The storm lifts, the sun comes out, Tails smiles like a dork. Everyone is happy by the end. I definitely would've liked to have seen the horror vibes stretched out longer but I get it. 

This issue doesn't just appeal to me because it's dropping Sonic into a Halloween-worthy setting. It's also full of shout-outs to the series' golden age. The appearance of the original Death Egg is the first sign that this story was crafted with a love towards the Genesis era. The Scrapniks are assembled from classic Badniks. Just based on a cursory glance back through these pages, I spot parts of: Cocoanuts, Caterkiller, Buzz Bomber, Newtron, MotoBug, Chopper, Crabmeat, Ball Hog, Bat Brain, Grabber, Octus, Clucker, Chop Chop, Buzzer, Kama-Kama, Noro-Noro, Dragonfly, and Madmole. I think there's bits of Jaws, Turtloid, Grounder, and Toxomister in there too. I’m sure there’s some ones I missed too. I eagerly await seeing the trivia section on this issue’s Wiki page filled out. 

Obviously, the star of the show is the “Sonic & Knuckles” version of Metal Sonic. (Which this comic calls “Mecha Sonic,” in what I guess is accordance with the modern fandom consensus.) He gets an anime antihero poncho, a cool rusty red coloration, and a buzz saw for his one leg. There’s other callbacks to series lore too, like a fun bit where Sonic hides inside an old Egg Prison. Considering the sheer number of references here, I'm not surprised the reader, decided to create a new E-100 unit, in the form of Sigma. What fan could resist, ya know? 

Overall, this is a very fun first issue. Jack Lawrence's art is a bit looser than I prefer but still excellent. Nathalie Fourdraine's colors really fucking pop, making all those shadowy scenes look amazing. There's enough plot points raised here to provide meat for the rest of the mini: a mysterious sunflower in a pod, an appearance from the Egg Carrier, some tension between Sonic and this Mecha Sonic, and a before-the-end tease of what's presumably the series' real villain. I'm ready to say that Daniel Barnes knows what he's doing. (I mean, he's doing the "Adventure" pose in the photo in the back of the book, so clearly he does.) I think we could've stayed in Spooksville a little longer but I can't complain. This is a properly Halloween-y installment and a fine "Sonic" story on its own merits. [7/10]