Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 188

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 188
Publication Date: May 2008

Issue 118 of “Sonic the Hedgehog” gets right to the action so I will too. “Beating the House” –  it's a fight story set in a casino so, of course, it's called that – begins where we last left off. Sonic has been captured by the Destructix, taken back to Mogul's lair, while Nack menaces Sally by Freedom HQ. After the Princess and Amy Rose make quick work of the weasel, they head after Sonic. At the casino, they are joined by Geoffrey St. John and Rouge the Bat, both of which are there on prior business. Everybody teams up to rescue Sonic and defeat Mogul but the mammoth has another ace up his sleeve. That's a gambling pun.

Despite what the misleading cover art may lead you to believe, Sonic spends most of “Beating the House” indisposed. For about half the comic, he's in shackles and being pestered by Bean the Duck or the old “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” robots. This allows two of the hedgehog's love interests – Sally and Amy – a chance to play hero. And that's pretty satisfying, not to mention a fun turnabout on who is usually rescuing who in this book. Moreover, Sally and Amy make a good team. Despite technically being romantic rivals, the two have always respected each other. As a duo, Sally is the brains and Amy is the brawn. I wish they got together on adventures together more often.

Last issue ended with Nack the Weasel threatening to murder Sally, as payback for the emasculating knee the Princess gave him all the way back in issue 123. In this brief moment, the weasel actually cuts the figure of an intimidating villain. Since Nack previously murdered his old cohorts in cold blood, we know he has no qualms about killing people. Nack's not much of a chance against Amy Rose but the brief series of panels devoted to Sally fleeing the assassin, barely avoiding being shot, are actually mildly suspenseful. That could've been a cover story onto itself – Sally being stalked through the woods by Nack – but Ian let's it slid to the wayside.

Last issue, we briefly caught sight of St. John and Rouge going undercover together in Mogul's casino. With Geoffrey in a suit and Rouge in a glamorous dress, I thought Ian was maybe aiming for some Bond-esque adventure. But I guess Flynn isn't a Fleming fan. There's no espionage or baccarat in this issue. Truthfully, I'm not sure why Flynn chose to include these two characters. There's a cute panel where Geoffrey references his history of adventure with Sally. There's a mild twist concerning Rouge that doesn't go much of anywhere. I would've loved to have seen a story surrounding these two characters but, again, it's just one intriguing element in this overstuffed story.

The action sequences are pretty cool though. Sally was walled up in Castle Acorn for so long that, even now, it's still a pleasant surprise to see her break loose and kick ass. She lays a bitchin' spin-kick on Drago the Wolf's head in one panel. (This is but one example of the abuse Drago takes in this issue, something Flynn obviously takes delight in.) There's some other solid action moments. Once Sonic is finally free, he slams Bean's head across the bar. Amusingly, the duck seems to enjoy this experiences. St. John gets to fire off his crossbow and Amy smashes shit with her hammer, leading to a comical aside where Grounder recalls the days where Amy was less violent. It's not sophisticated stuff but it'll satisfy.

After that triumphant moment, “Beating the House” ends on a bit of a down note. Our heroes are all ready to confront Mammoth Mogul when the casino owner backs away. He has Sleuth Dawg and the other Destructix arrested. He claims complete ignorance of Sonic's kidnapping, claiming that all of this was happening inside his establishment but under his nose. It's bullshit and obviously so. Disappointingly, Sonic and Sally just accept this line and walk away. You'd think they would investigate further.

Perhaps realizing the comic is running a little short, Ian tags on a few pages at the end setting up next month. On Moebius, we see Fiona the Fox foxing badgering that world's villainous version of the Freedom Fighters. The comic ends by showing Scourge on the throne. I remember most of 2008 being devoted to Flynn building Scourge up as a proper threat and I suppose that begins here. There's some bitchy fan to be had from watching Fiona boss the evil version of Sally around, I'll say that much.

Matt Herms continues to pencil this story line. I liked his work on last month's issue but his stuff here is a little too loose. The overly round quality he brings to the character's faces becomes too prominent. Everyone starts to look a little too similar. In the last few pages, Anti-Sally and Fiona practically look like twins. Nack and the “Adventures of” robots also appear slightly off-model in the handful of panels they appear in. Still, Herms' work isn't too bad. The action scenes are energetic and there's a nice comedic aspects to the way he draws the funny moments.

There's individual moments inside issue 188 I like. Sally's encounter with Nack is good. Amy's reaction to Sonic thanking her is really cute. Yet, over all, the script fails this story. Flynn has a number of good ideas but smashes them all together into an unsatisfying whole. [6/10]

Sonic X: Issue 32

Sonic X: Issue 32
Publication Date: April 2008

Holy shit, “Sonic X” is still doing the pro-wrestler thing. Listen, I don't dislike El Gran Gordo, Eggman's pro-wrestler alter ego. I mean, I did give it the Best New Character award last year. Yet that's the kind of joke character you feature once, maybe twice. This is his fourth or fifth appearance. It's seems to me that the persona was popular with readers and, grasping at anything to keep the kids coming back, the “Sonic X” crew continued to feature him. Or maybe, I don't know, Ian Flynn and his gang just liked writing about him. Either way, Eggman's adventures in the ring are starting to ware out their welcome.

“Title Mismatch” picks up where last month left off, with Eggman dressed up as a luchador on the Thorndyke's doorstep. After talking with Chris and Ella a little, Sonic and El Gran Gordo level with each other. The doctor reveals that, upon returning to his base after the previous night's wrestling match, he was attacked by his own robots. He can only assume Bokkun has taken his duty as Eggman's stand-in too far. Thus, hero and villain must temporarily team up. Sonic agrees to help Eggman... On the condition he drops this ridiculous wrestling business.

Okay, okay, I understand what kind of comic book “Sonic X” is. It's a goofy, light-hearted book for kids full of silly, visual sight gags. But, Jesus and the Jets, how stupid are Chris Thorndyke and his family? El Gran Gordo is standing in their kitchen. He's right in front of them. And they still don't realize that Eggman and the luchador are the same guy? If this blatant stupidity isn't enough for you, Ian Flynn also throws in some casual racism. Ella, Chris Thorndyke's maid, was already a slightly sketchy Spanish stereotype. In this issue, she's convinced she went to high school with El Gran Gordo. Because all Latino people know each other, right, Flynn? Sweet sweet Satan, man, you're better than this.

Of course, Chris and Ella aren't the only character to display random acts of dumbness in this story. Flynn has to cross some especially long narrative bridges to justify this team-up between good guy and bad guy. We have to assume that Eggman didn't build some sort of vocal recognition into his own robots. We have to assume Eggman didn't also build some sort of facial recognition into his own robots, since he never tries to remove his mask before him. We also have to assume that these same guard robots would be deactivated, for no reason, when Sonic and Eggman return to the base later in the story. It's a lot of stuff for the reader to swallow, just to make room for a goofy team-up.

If the gag of Sonic dressed as El Gran Gordo's sidekick was good enough, I would be willing to forgive all these trespasses. Sadly, seeing Sonic made-up like a luchador is not inherently amusing to me. It doesn't help that the costume Eggman sticks him in looks terrible. The leotard, cape, and mask combo looks more like pajamas than a wrestler costumes. About the only funny really bit that arises from this set-up is Sonic's frustration with the limitations of the costume. Especially the cape. Which is a joke Flynn stole from “The Incredibles.” Don't think I didn't notice, Ian.

Also, dear readers, can we all agree that Bokken is kind of a terrible character? I maintain he's like a less entertaining version of GIR from “Invader ZIM.” He's small and robotic and obsessed with a  specific foodstuff. Just candy instead of tacos. This is the third or fourth time that Eggman's totally useless sidekick has attacked and betrayed him. Seriously, just scrap the fucking robot, man. This time, Bokken doesn't have the excuse of a raging sugar high. He's just following his orders, of impersonating Eggman, a little too literally.

So is there anything I enjoyed about “Title Mismatch?” Well, the gag about Decoe and Bocoe lounging around the house and playing video games – because Bokken-as-Eggman doesn't expect them to do any work – is amusing. Secondly, the hedgehog-smashing robot Eggman had prepared, and Bokken utilizes, is directly based off one of the bosses from “Sonic and Knuckles.” Specifically, the Act 1 boss from the Death Egg Zone, which I always called the Killer Eye. It's sort of fun seeing that in a comic book, even if Eggman's incompetence allows Sonic to easily defeat it.

Maybe I'm not drunk enough. Maybe I'm too much of a cynical grouch. It's been proven in the past that “Sonic X's” mixture of goofy characters and screwball comedy can work. This isn't it, as the dumbness of the scenarios overwhelm any amusement the reader might've gotten out of this. Thankfully, the ending promises that El Gran Gordo will be retired for the foreseeable future, which is probably a good idea. Eggman's heroic persona was funny once, maybe twice, but wouldn't have held up as a reoccurring character for much longer. Anyway, that's another “Sonic X” comic off the checklist. Only eight more to go! [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 187

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 187
Publication Date: April 2008

The cover of issue 187 of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” features some characters that we haven't seen in a while. To what purpose does Ian Flynn dig up these relics? It could be because he wants to exploit the deep history this comic has. Maybe he wants to toss a Grounder or a Dylan Porcupine out as a nod towards long time readers. Maybe he's just a fucking nerd? If you're looking for answers to this question, this question that nobody but me was asking, do not expect to find them in this comic book. Anyway, on with the review.

“Mister Popular” begins with Geoffrey St. John and Rouge the Bat going undercover in the Casino Nights Zone. The area has been rebuilt by Mammoth Mogul, who has suddenly gotten into the gambling business. In the back room, he meets with the Destructix. He has a new mission for the criminals. Meanwhile, Sonic and Sally explore the Great Forest, mournfully examining the remains of Knothole village. Their heart-to-heart is interrupted when Bean and Bark, soon followed by the other Destructix, attack them. After a scuffle, they capture Sonic, taking him back to Mogul's lair for nefarious reasons.

One of the first things Ian Flynn did when he first came onto the book was make Anti-Sonic an actually compelling character, turning him from a laughingstock into the genuinely threatening Scourge. In 2008, Ian decided to focus on rebuilding Mammoth Mogul as a character. His transformation wasn't as severe, as Mogul gets to carry his previous characterization. However, going from a universe destroying threat (that was somehow always defeated) to the owner of a casino is a pretty severe step-down. It's all part of Mogul's new strategy, to out-think his opponent rather than crush him with brute force.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, Ian loved to dig up obscure characters. Previously, he stuck Sally's Substitute Freedom Fighter team on the Council of Knothole. In the halls of the Casino Nights Zone, Mogul has employed some of Sonic's earliest enemies. Scratch, Grounder and Coconuts – otherwise known as Robotnik's toadies from “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” - are now working as waiters, bartenders, and bouncers. Flynn takes this even further, by including some of the “Sonic 1” Badniks as lower level workers. Sort of funny that, just last time, I was commenting on how Mike Gallagher killed these guys off just for Flynn to bring them back in the very next issue. I guess that's comics for you.

I've probably made about a hundred references to Ian's tendency to clean up the tangled mess previous writers gave him. It turns out this isn't just a habit of his concerning other people's work. In “Mister Popular,” Flynn also takes the time to clean up some of his own plot points. Merlin Prower briefly appears. He wipes away the curses Mogul left on Sonic, Tails, Mina, and Mighty. He even removes any lingering influence Dr. Finitevus' hex might have had on Knuckles. Was it entirely necessary to clarify this point? Probably not. But it is nice that Flynn cares that much about the little details, about resolving minor plot points that fans might have picked up on.

All of this stuff is fine and good but it's not the reason I really like this story. Instead, that moment between Sonic and Sally makes the whole issue. The two begin by bonding over the mutual guilt they feel over failing to save Knothole. This shows that the scars of the past linger on. These aren't the only scars that haven't healed yet. Sally reflects on the years they've spent fighting Robotnik, how they were only kids when they started.

That's when the conversation turns towards Sonic and Sally's shared past, the stuff we really care about anyway. When the topic turns towards their love life, Sonic forgives Sally for the infamous slap back in issue 134. The character still hadn't lived that down, even by this point. Getting Sonic to forgive Sally was the last step needed for the fandom to forgive her. Ian had done so much to fix Sally's personality recently. Now, with this one scene, he's started towards fixing the comic's one true ship. Sega's mandates would keep Sonic and Sally apart but moments like this, when they draw close, touch, and share intimate whispers made the romance live on, even if it was just as subtext.

Amusingly, this romantic moment is interrupted when a bomb drops down in Sally's lap. Thus begins this issue's obligatory action sequence. The action set pieces are fine, I suppose. Sonic tangles with Bark. Sonic tosses Flying Frog, Drago, and Predator Hawk around. He dodges blows from Sgt. Simian and Lightning Lynx. What makes this action sequence pop a little more are the small touches of humor. Sally temporarily convinces Bean and Bark to fight on their side, by appealing to their nature as mercenaries and Bean's love of shiny things. In an earlier scene, Sonic can't bounce quips off Bark because the bear is mute, something he comments on. Moments like this elevate what would just otherwise be another fight scene.

The previous issue featured Matt Herms working from Tracy Yardley's outlines. Herms goes solo on “Mister Popular,” allowing his own style to shine through. Herms' artwork is superficially similar to Yardley's, featuring enough of the same quirks not to put reader's off. Yet Herms has his own quirks. He's a little more stylized than Yardley's work. The characters have rounder faces and arms. Herms makes Bean looks especially cute. His pencils are a little awkward at times. A panel of Sally back-flipping from a rock is a little hard to follow. Yet Herms still does a good job.

About the only problem I have with this particular comic is that Ian starts the story with Geoffrey St. John and Rouge in the casino, in some sort of Bond homage, and doesn't follow up on it. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this one. My status as a hardened Sonic/Sally shipper is no secret. My bias are clear and I do not care. That moment in the forest bumps the entire issue up a grade and it was already pretty good to begin with. [8/10]

Sonic X: Issue 31

Sonic X: Issue 31
Publication Date: March 2008

With the dawning of a new year, I have certain completed missions to look forward too. Today's review covers another mediocre issue of “Sonic X.” If you're as sick of this as I am, there's only nine issues of this series left. The end is neigh. Let's get this over with.

“The Return of El Gran Gordo” revisits Chris Thorndyke's previously displayed fondness for professional wrestling. He watches a match with his granddad, in which a wrestler named Andes the Ginormous calls out El Gran Gordo. This declaration incenses Eggman. He cooks up a scheme that will allow him to return to the ring while throwing off the accusation that El Gran Gordo and Eggman are one and the same. While Chris excitedly watches his favorite wrestler get back in the ring, Sonic runs across the city stopping another rampage from someone who appears to be his archenemy.

There's a fairly obvious narrative switcharoo going on inside “The Return of El Gran Gordo.” While Eggman's wrestling persona grapples with Andes, Sonic races after someone else appearing to be Eggman. This act of double vision briefly confuses Sonic. The reader is less affected. Writer Ian Flynn lays down his cards a little too early. The second Eggman, instead of robbing banks, is robbing candy stores. This leads to the obvious reveal: Bokkun is disguised as Eggman, in order to distract from the wrestling ring and clear El Gran Gordo's name. The version of Sonic in the main book would probably figure that out immediately.

For better or worst, the pro-wrestler stuff is back. I continue to be very ambivalent towards this. On one hand, it allows “Sonic X” to cut loose in a goofy way that's markedly different than its usual goofiness. On the other hand, it's fucking stupid and so totally divorced from what you expect to read in a “Sonic” comic. El Gran Gordo returning so quickly, only three issues after his last appearance, suggests a certain degree of desperation. Fans presumably responded to the character, or else he wouldn't be coming back so soon. At the same time, I also suspect the “Sonic X” editor just had no other ideas.

What made the El Gran Gordo persona memorable was how it changed Eggman. He liked the attention from the crowd. Having fun as a heroic, masked face made him doubt his commitment to villainy. Disappointingly, issue 31 doesn't grapple with Eggman's shift in personality. Instead, he gets back in the ring strictly to defend his wrasslin' honor against a new challenger. His feelings and insights into the situation aren't even breached when Eggman starts getting his ass kicked. El Gran Gordo won his previous victories by cheating. He's actually wrestling on his own now and gets his ass kicked. You'd think a situation like that would make him question why he's drawn to do this.

I will say this about the action scenes: It provides an opportunity for some decent Tracy Yardley artwork. This issue certainly packs in the grappling. Eggman gets body slammed. He gets tossed into the ropes and clotheslined. He gets tossed overhead and thrown to the canvass on several occasions. Andes the Ginormous doesn't have a molecule of the charm the real Andre the Giant had. You can only see Eggman get beaten up so many times before it looses its entertainment value. Say what you will about the action but, like I said, Yardley draws it well.

If “The Return of El Gran Gordo” was just devoted to wrasslin' and turbo-broad comedy, it would've been a standard issue of “Sonic X.” What makes this story drop down a grade for me is the subplot involving Chris Thorndyke. How fucking gullible is this kid? He knows his favorite wrestler and the man who has attempted to kill him multiple times are the same person. And yet he still cheers on El Gran Gordo. In a sickeningly sappy panel, Eggman gets inspired to win the match when he spots Chris crying in the audience. Normally, I figured this was a sarcastic swipe at an hopelessly hokey cliché. But this is “Sonic X” we're talking about. This book isn't that observant.

It's hard to tell if Ian Flynn was getting anything out of writing these “Sonic X” stories. His passion for the mainline book and its universe was obvious. You could tell how much fun he had writing it. His “Sonic X” scripts are phoned in. The attempts at comedy sharper than slapstick, such as Sonic referencing the ancient “40 Cakes” meme, are fairly tin-earred. The ending suggest we'll be getting more El Gran Gordo next month, meaning I'll continue to have mixed feelings about this book. Hopefully, Ian will leave the sap behind. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 186

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 186
Publication Date: March 2008

Welcome to 2018, dear Hedgehogs Can't Swim readers! I wish I was opening my third year of consistent blogging with something special. Instead, I am beholden to my schedule. So here's a review of another issue from the Ian Flynn years. Happy New Year.

The second part of “Mogul Rising,” “Devil's Due,” begins where the first left off. Tails, Mina, and Mighty are in the grips of Mammoth Mogul's psychic control. First, they attack Sonic, each one speaking with the sorceror's voice. After it becomes clear, the hedgehog won't agree to the villain's demands, he changes strategy. Mogul commands each of his friends to march into certain death. If Sonic grabs a Chaos Emerald for Mogul, allowing him to escape, he'll free his friend. It's a tricky decision for the hedgehog.

And it's a compelling read. Sonic can outrun or outfight most bad guys. While Mogul usually presents more danger than some of the hedgehog's other enemies, the mammoth's grasp of strategy has never been great. In “Devil's Due,” he thinks about his evil plan a little more. He strikes at Sonic's heart, instead of his body. He commands Tails to fly into the upper atmosphere, until he collapses and falls to his death. Mina is forced to run into the middle of the ocean and stop, surely drowning. Mighty is told to march directly into Megaopolis, facing capture or death. Sonic can't save all of them at once. And if you want to hurt Sonic, you have to hurt his friends.

This isn't the only intelligent aspect of Mogul's latest plan that is surprisingly well thought out. Sonic is blackmailed into grabbing Mobotropolis' Chaos Emerald, walking to Mogul's cell, and handing him a new power source. This enables the villain to escape, his power doubling. Normally, this would be a precursor to a big fight. Instead, Mogul calmly leaves. He explains the reason why first. He doesn't expect to beat Sonic, having been bested every time. However, Mogul has realized one important thing. He's immortal. Sonic isn't. So he'll just outlive the hedgehog, waiting to rule Mobius once Sonic and his friends are dead. This is also a pretty brilliant plan, the kind of thinking you'd expect from a villain who has been alive for several millenia.

“Devil's Due” also revolves around pairing Sonic with an unusual partner. After Mina attacks the hedgehog, Ash intervenes. He's disturbed by his girlfriend becoming violent and talking with an old guy's voice. Even though Sonic and Ash hate each other, they are forced to work together on this mission. Flynn doesn't delve into it more than that. There's no heated dialogue about why Ash resents Sonic, about whether some chemistry dangles in the air between the hedgehog and the mongoose. Yet their occasional banter adds a little something extra to the story.

“Devil's Due” is also the debut of a new artist. Sort of. The layouts are provided by Tracey Yardley. Matt Herms completed Yardley's pencils. It's hard to say how much Tracey did on this one and how much is Herms'. The two have similar styles. Occasionally, a face or movement will seem a little different. Otherwise, this just looks like Yardley drew it. Which isn't necessarily a complaint. The artwork is quite good. Mogul looks intimidating when his eyes glow. The night time setting provides an interesting mood for the story.

The back pages feature a Knuckles centric story called “Honor Bound.” A guilt ridden Knuckles surveys the damage he did as Enerjak. He flies over the ruins of Albion, where a large portion of the echidna population has been moved. He meets with General von Stryker, walking the dingoes back to the inner island. Lastly, he approaches the Chaotix, who he is most nervous about meeting. It takes a pep talk from Rouge before Knuckles can stand to face his friends again.

At the end of the “Enerjak: Reborn” story, I complained a little about how Knuckles being under Finitevus' control robbed him of responsibility for his actions as Enerjak. This may be true but Knuckles feels differently. “Honor Bound” shows the echidna as unable to talk to his mom and little brother, who have relocated to Albion. He questions his role as Guardian, if he's cut out for the job. Moreover, he feels responsible for his father's death. It's pretty heavy stuff for a kid's book and I applaud Ian for going there.

“Honor Bound” is also about pointing how Knuckles' world is changing. Flynn brings the comic a little closer to the games, by moving the Master Emerald onto his own tiny island called Shrine Island. A key sequence has him personally apologizing to General Stryker. Considering the dingoes have always been treated terribly by echidna society, it's refreshing to hear Knuckles invite them back to the inner island. The majority of the echidnas moving to what remains of Albion is something I feel less certain about. I always sort of liked Echidnopolis but it seems Ian is really determined to gut Penders' mythology. Loosing Locke, the Brotherhood, and a bunch of other fooey was fine. But I'll miss Knuckles' home town.

Flynn hints at future story lines. Before blowing out of Knothole, Mogul makes some ominous references to his future plans. After she talks Knuckles out of the bushes, Rouge cryptically mentions planning something herself. Regardless of where we go next, issue 186 is a very strong issue. The cover story has some strong emotional stakes and features some smart writing. The back-up grapples with the emotional consequences of recent events. Both are appreciated. [8/10]

Sonic X: Issue 30

Sonic X: Issue 30
Publication Date: February 2008

With this review, I wrap up my second year of consistent blogging here at Hedgehogs Can't Swim. What a difference a year makes. I began 2017 with the final issue of “Knuckles the Echidna” and the precursor to the “Sonic Adventure” adaptation. I was very nearly at the point where this comic book stopped being good for a long time. Now, at the end of 2017, I'm in one of Ian Flynn's best runs on the series. I wish I had something fancier to commensurate the upcoming three year anniversary of this project but... I don't. Let's get on with the review.

Remember how I said a while ago that it was clear “Sonic X” was never going to rise above its own mediocre standards? I thought, maybe, the book was attempting to better itself with that Perfect Chaos two-parter last time. With issue 30, the series slides back into the “not great, not bad” groove it's existed in for most of its run. In fact, issue 30 is so focused on gimmick-based story telling that there is no set-up at all. We begin with Sonic and his friends in a wacky situation. The script, from Ian Flynn, extrapolates from there.

If the title - “Big Top Terror!” – and the cover art didn't clue you in, this story is the “Sonic X” take on the Evil Circus troupe. Since this is a kid's book, the horror aspect of that concept isn't pushed too far. The clowns are intimidating, not evil. The side show is excluded entirely. Yet this story still revolves around Eggman placing Sonic and his friends inside of a circus. The acts are made extra dangerous as a way to mock the pain and terror the heroes are feeling. This being the “Sonic X” version of Eggman, he is defeated by his own incompetence.

“Big Top Terror!” is pretty thin gruel but it does, one must admit, utilize the circus setting very well. Very few of the elements you associated with the circus aren't at least nodded towards. The aforementioned intimidating clowns, which appear on the first page, are robots built by Eggman. Yes, they march out of a small clown car. Knuckles is also forced to dress as a clown, getting pletted with creampies and selzer water. Sonic is forced to walk a dangerous tightrope, while juggling deadly items. Tails and Cream are drafted to become lion tamers, though Eggman's robot lions aren't very interested in being tamed. There are robot elephants too, which Amy contends with. Eggman is the ringmaster, naturally. There's not much plot but at least Ian commits to the circus thing.

This set-up does lead to some decent action scenes. There's a fun scene where Amy attempts to fight off the robot elephants with dual hammers. Instead, the elephants grab the hammers with their trunks and chase after her. Knuckles fights his coulophobia by punching some robot clowns apart. In a cute touch, one of the robot clowns is obviously patterned after the Joker, acid-spitting flower included. Later, the clown's equipment is utilized against them.

A big issue with “Big Top Terror!” is that it's far too easy for Sonic and the gang to escape Eggman's plot. Sonic essentially just runs away. When the time comes, he's had enough and leaps off the high wire. Tails and Cream fly out of the animal cage. They have to stop and rescue the Thorndykes but that's pretty much the only thing keeping them there. If Eggman designed this circus to contain Sonic and his companions, the doctor did a shitty job.

This is not the only example of incompetence from our villain. Early on, Decoe and Bocoe appear in the circus. They're dressed as acrobats and are insistent on joining Eggman's circus of crime. The doctor immediately dismisses them. Yet the duo still want to be included. Later, they break into the big top and perform their act. This distraction is what allows Sonic and the others to escape. Eggman's sidekicks ruining his plan doesn't stop there. Bokkun was locked up at the beginning fo the story, so his sugar hungry ways wouldn't ruin the plan. The little devil breaks out anyway, gets into the cotton candy, goes nuts, and drives a cage into the circus tent. Why does Eggman keep these guys around?

Despite the qualms I have with the writing, the artwork in “Sonic X” has been consistently good here of late. James Fry returns to draw this one. He sticks to the “Sonic X” template, of course, and seems to be taking some cues from Tracy Yardley. Fry's facial expressions and action sequences here recal Yardley. There are some cool moments.. An early page depicts Eggman with the Ringmaster's microphone and whip, a striking image. Knuckles' fight scenes with the clowns are well done. Though not horribly distinguished from the book's other artwork, it still looks pretty good.

In conclusion, number 30 is yet another mildly entertaining but generally forgettable issue of “Sonic X.” The book runs with the circus stuff but does so in service of a really thin story. I don't want to say Flynn phoned this one in. Let's just say it wouldn't surprise me to discover he wrote this script very quickly. I wish I had more to say about it than but... Nope, not really. Let's move on. [6/10] 

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 185

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 185
Publication Date: February 2008

It seems increasingly likely one aspect of Ian Flynn's legendary run on Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” will become notorious. He'll be remembered for story arcs that just go on and on, sometimes for years. This is a bit of a shame since, in the earlier days of his run, Flynn was really good at pacing. His event storylines usually only lasted four issues. He often spaced shorter stories between the longer ones. Issue 185 would begin a short, two-parter called “Mogul Rising,” attempting to reestablish Mammoth Mogul as part of Sonic's rogue gallery.

This story is subtitled “Needful Things” and, sadly, doesn't feature Max Von Sydow as a satanic antiques dealer. Anyway, the comic begins with Mina and Ash arriving in New Mobotropolis. After getting a look at the remains of Knothole, something that shocks Mina, Sonic shows her the new city. Next, Mammoth Mogul calls the hedgehog to visit him in prison. He issues a vague threat, which Sonic laughs off. That night, Mogul enacts his latest villainous scheme. He activates latent curses he's marked three characters with in the past, turning them into his sleeper agents. Soon, Mina, Tails, and Mighty the Armadillo are descending on Sonic.

Roughly a hundred times, I've referenced how Flynn devoted himself to clean up the book's mess and reestablish character's personalities. Amazingly, one somewhat contentious character didn't need that treatment. Mina the Mongoose, once an extremely controversial character, had actually found her place in Sonic's world before Flynn's soft reboot. As yet another love interest for Sonic, she was frequently aggravating. As the biggest pop star on Mobius, she suddenly found a purpose. Mina has been on her world tour for a while but this issue brings her back home. The panels devoted to her shock and confusion over Knothole's ruins are quietly touching.

Still, Ian does manage to fix one problem with Mina. One of the silliest aspects of the character Karl Bollers cooked up, in a desperate attempt to give her and Sonic something in common, was giving Mina super speed. It never made much sense and, after music became her life, her quick running was quickly forgotten. Flynn, meanwhile, cooks up a reason while this silly plot point existed. A wizard did it. Mammoth Mogul placed his mark on Mina during the Second Fall of Mobius, gifting her with superspeed so she'd get close to Sonic. It's a little thing but I appreciate it.

We have gotten a peak into the past of the Chaotix before, albeit mostly devoted to how they met Knuckles. While Mogul is activating his latent control over Mighty, we get a little peak into the Chaotix's history. Turns out, Mighty is the child of two professional thieves. He also has a little sister, a plot point that Flynn would eventually get around to expounding on, sort of. His parents were eventually incarcerated, separating Mighty from his family. This explains a lot about his character. His bond to his friends, his need to help people, the balance between his great strength and kind heart. (Mighty's strength was also a gift from Mogul, an interesting choice.)

In the past, Mammoth Mogul's evil schemes have boiled down to saying vague things, making awkward attempts at attacks, and getting his ass kicked. In “Needful Things,” the villain actually cooks up a decent plot. Yes, revealing that the elephant wizard had some sort of magical hold over three of Sonic's friends for years is slightly sloppy. But at least this scheme leaves the villain with some leverage. He's forcing Sonic to fight his own friends, forcing the hedgehog to make some difficult decisions. It shows that, under Flynn's pen, Mogul would rise to a higher level of bad-guy-ery.

Back in issue 170, Mike Gallagher dropped a goofy back-up story about Sonic fighting some long forgotten Badniks. In this issue, for some reason, Gallagher trots out a sequel. In the deeply awkwardly entitled “The Misfit Badniks' Salty, Soggy Sequel,” the Misfit Badniks have found a way to double Pseudo-Sonic to King Kongian proportions. They hope to use this to get their revenge on Sonic. Instead, the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters swim and dismantle their scheme extremely quickly.

This is a Mike Gallagher joint revolving around the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters. Archie “Sonic” readers with long memories will know what this means: A shit ton of puns. Get a load of this crap: A robot says “Holy 10W-40!” “Drop in for a bite,” said while someone gets bitten. “Let me show you how you conduct yourself,” said during an electrocution sequence. “Ouch! Rabbit punch!,” which is said after someone is punched by a rabbit. “You must be in shell shock,” said to a creature with a shell. In-between this shit, Gallagher sneaks in references to Bottlenose being a ninja and the secret plankton spy network present in the ocean. Don't act like you forgot about this. Mike Gallagher sure as fuck didn't.

However, “Soggy Sequel” at least ensures we won't see the Misfits Badniks again. After a brief fight, Fluke the Whale floats in, crushes Pseudo-Sonic and the rest of the Badniks. To prove to the reader that these characters are super duper dead, Fluke then folds their remains into a cube. Yes, all that talk about Pseudo-Sonic being a giant now amounts to exactly nothing. While I do have some affection for the comic's earlier, goofier days, I won't be missing these guys. Gallagher being who he is, he still ends this story by asking the reader if they want to see the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters again. Surely, this was a story that had been sitting on a shelf somewhere, for years, right?

So anyway, the cover story is solid. There's some good story telling there, expanding on the mythology in meaningful ways. It certainly made me want to pick up the next month's issue, though I probably would've done that anyway. Hey, the back-up story is totally useless but, eh, sometimes those are the brakes. [7/10]