Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 60

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 60
Publication Date: April 1998

During my previous “Sonic” review, I mentioned how the new format provided writers an oppretunity to revisit old concepts or try out new ones. Sonic and Tails traveling the world, having adventures, allowed the heroes to run into all sorts of scenarios. Instead of using this blank slate to explore untested concepts, the Archie writers seemed to be trotting out characters nobody was that eager to see again. Mike Gallagher yanked Horizont-Al and Verti-Cal out of blissful retirement. With issue 60, writer and artist Frank Strom returns. Unsurprisingly, that means Monkey Khan – a character he created that no one else, including the audience, was interested in – returns too.

Sonic and Tails, on their travels, come upon the land of Leung West. The first thing they notice is a giant, burning mountain. Soon, the heroes encounter local residents Li Moon and Li Yuen. They inform the hedgehog that the villainous Iron King and Iron Queen have set the mountain on fire using magic. Only a magical fan, stored in the Iron King’s arsenal, can put out the flames. Being general do-gooders, Sonic and Tails decide to help out. At that point, the Iron Queen sends Monkey Khan, who is under her control, to prevent the good guys from accomplishing their mission.

Like I said, Frank Strom was clearly only interested in his own ideas and concepts. Not only does the hyper-lame Monkey Khan return, a vaguely Chinese setting comes along with him. There’s a new supporting cast, in the form of Li Moon and Li Yuen. Despite Yuen obviously being a lion, Moon looks more like a raccoon with a tiger tail randomly stuck on.

Monkey Khan gets his own rogue gallery, with the Iron King and Queen. None of these new characters are particularly interesting. Both are takes on the generic “big dumb bruiser” and “cackling witch” archetypes. Since Khan is clearly Strom’s baby, he nearly defeats Sonic in combat. The story ends with Khan discovering that he’s a literal king, a prophesied hero of the area. More than once, it feels like Sonic has stumbled into some other comic book. And not a good one either.

Moreover, Strom’s artwork is incredibly off-putting. He draws everyone with these huge heads and eyes that vary in gigantism from panel to panel. Strom attempts perspective shots, by changing the size of the hands and feet depending on their position on the page. Truthfully, he can’t pull this off, so it looks like every one’s limbs are shifting size as well.

The Iron King and Queen are fairly bland designs. For some reason, Storm always draws the Queen with black shadows around her eyes. Strom’s action is incredibly flat as well. Sonic’s fight with Monkey Khan is incredibly static. The Iron Queen floats around on a magical disc, meaning she never truly interacts with anyone. When Sonic blows the Iron King away with the magical fan, it looks like Strom cut out a previous picture of the King and pasted him on another page.

As underachieving as the artwork is, Strom’s writing may actually be worse. Like I said, the plot is an uninspired fetch quest, facing Sonic and Tails against a dull duo of generic baddies. As bland as it is, that’s fine. More routine plots have been utilized to decent ends in this book before. But for some reason, Strom sticks hopelessly dopey dialogue into the character’s mouths.

Here’s just some of the cliché or distracting expressions utter in this issue: “Holy mackerel! Easier said than done! Bingo! I spy with my little eye! Little dickens? Crud! Recess time is over? Oh, puh-leeze! Cowabunga! Darn your socks! Don’t have a cow! Cheezit! Blast you! It’s a cakewalk! Curses – foiled again!” When the dialogue isn’t hokey, it’s repetitive. At one point, Tails uses the word “staff” twice in one sentence. Amateur mistakes like this make the story a struggle to get through.

After that shitfuck, even a mediocre back-up story looks decent in comparison. “The Ultimatum” is the latest in the “Tales of the Freedom Fighters” story arc. In it, King Acorn summons Sally to his chamber. He reveals the Source of All to her. He says it's pass time for her to bathe in the weird, magical liquid, taking on her birthright as future ruler of Mobius. Sally is surprisingly okay with this before the King reveals she’ll have to be married first. The Source will choose her mate and it definitely will not be Sonic. The Princess is certainly not okay with this and she and her dad separate on bad terms.

My problems with the entire Source of All concept were aired in a previous review. I’m not a huge fan. “The Ultimatum” unfortunately presents several other aspects I also dislike. Despite King Max being exorcised of Ixis Naugus’ spirit, he still acts like an unreasonable dick. Romance drama also rears its ugly head, as the King disapproves of Sally and Sonic’s relationship. Both of these are story threads the comic would stretch out for years. Both of them are tiring. We all know Sonic and Sally are destined to be together, despite whatever suitors the book may cook up for her. After fighting for so many years to get him back, it was always a disappointment that King Acorn would be a jerk for so long.

Still, as underwhelming as “The Ultimatum” is, at least it’s about characters we care about, as opposed to Monkey Khan. At least there’s some honest emotion at work here, as contrived as it can be. Things are changing in Knothole. The question of whether or not Sally will be able to handle being royalty is a genuinely interesting dilemma. The artwork, from Manny Galan, is decent. It’s not his best work, as Sally and her dad go off-model a few times but it’s still pleasant to look at.

I don’t know why Archie keeps letting Frank Strom work on the book. Penders’ work may be incredibly uneven and subject to his bizarre, frustrating creative quirks. But at least he’s done good work before. Strom clearly has no interest in the “Sonic” verse. That hella’ lame cover story paired with a weak back-up makes issue 60 a very disappointing read. [4/10]

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 13

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 13
Publication Date: April 1998

As I’ve mentioned any time the topic has come up, I wasn’t a regular reader of “Knuckles” solo series when it was new. But one day, probably around April of 1998, my book store was sold out of the new issue of “Sonic.” What it did have in stock was the 13th issue of “Knuckles the Echidna.” I guess I really wanted to head home with a comic book, so I grabbed “Knuckles.” The issue captivated me enough that I picked up the other two parts of the story line. My preference for Julie-Su and the Chaotix can probably be traced back to this, as “The Chaotix Caper” has Knuckles’ frequently sidelined supporting team taking over the lead role.

Harry the cab driver, a dingo that has integrated himself into Echidna society, stumbles upon someone crying for help while driving through the city. Charmy Bee’s friend Mello has suddenly fallen ill. Despite rushing the kid to the hospital, Mello still dies. Constable Remington brings the rest of the Chaotix in on the case. Turns out, Mello’s death is the latest in a series of poisonings that have gripped the city’s youth. Before Mello became sick, the bees were at the newly reopened Happyland. The Chaotix investigate, stumbling onto a criminal plot centered in the amusement park.

I’ve mentioned before that “Knuckles” has always been the edgier series than “Sonic.” This is simply because Sega didn’t give a shit about Knuckles at the time and would approve any crazy idea Ken Penders had. Which is why issue 13 opens with a child dying. That’s not a complaint.

“The Chaotix Caper” forgoes the mythology-heavy, mystic world-building that had characterized the book up until now. This arc is essentially a crime story. The Chaotix aren’t fighting super villains like the Dark Legion or Enerjak. Instead, they're facing down petty crooks. The adversaries here are Renfield T. Rat, the sketchiest motherfucker on the Floating Island, and a would-be crime boss named Ebony Hare. The Chaotix are acting, not as sidekicks to the Island’s empowered protector, but as private investigators working with the city’s police force. (Weirdly, Sega would actually make the Chaotix P.I.s years later. Except, when they did it, it was awful.) In other words, just as “Knuckles” threatened to disappear up its own ass, here comes a grounded, gritty storyline. It’s exactly what the doctor ordered.

The crime story tone is established immediately. Harry the dingo narrates in a slightly hard-boiled fashion, announcing his disinterest in the Dingo Regime and how Echidnaopolis is not as squeaky clean as the Guardians would like people to think. By affecting a film noir-esque style, Ken Penders creates some of the most natural-sounding, honest dialogue of his entire career. Who would’ve thought?

Harry is mostly a cynic and doesn’t want to get involved. Despite that, he can’t look away from a dying kid. He’s getting ready to leave the hospital just as Charmy gets the news, the bee crying on his canine shoulders. Later, when the Chaotix need a ride to Happyland, Charmy convinces the cabbie to help them out. It’s not the focus of the story but it’s nice that Ken is sneaking in a subplot about a jaded person discovering he still has a heart.

The grittiness continues with the nature of the poisoning. In flashback, we see Mello get sick suddenly, hallucinating, before he collapses in a heap. It’s the strongest, most unnerving imagery we’ve seen in an Archie book since Sally’s fall in the first part of “Endgame.” The difference this time is Mello doesn’t recover. He’s dead. Later, Remington clarifies that “Lemon Sunshine Dandelion” is the name of the poison that’s been affecting the island’s kids. That’s right, you guys, Penders just introduced L.S.D. into a children’s comic and then had a ten year old O.D. on it.

That subversive quality continues when we see that the men behind the crime aren’t comic book super villains. Instead, it’s a sleazy salesman and a common thug. Later, Penders has the Chaotix get a dose of the same drug. (In the words of future “Sonic” artist Tyson Heese, they “legit trip balls at a carnival.”) God bless Sega’s overseers for not paying attention and letting the writer get away with this shit. The book would never be allowed to go to dark places like this in its current form.

We also get to see the Chaotix acting as a team, something that’s been far too rare here of late. Mighty and Espio, unfortunately get slightly side-lined, but it’s in favor of my favorite thing about the team dynamic. Vector is a totally useless asshole. In the course of the story, he complains about having to share a vehicle with a woman and that he doesn’t feel like walking a long distance. Julie-Su, meanwhile, is the only member of the team that calls him on his bullshit. Later, Julie-Su makes up for the rest of the team being kind of bad at detectiv-ing. This is a showcase for her personality and how strong it is. In short, she’s tough, doesn’t take any shit, and has a natural ability to sniff out trouble. And that’s why we love her.

Since his name is on the book, Knuckles does put in an appearance. Locke and Sabre observe the Guardian wandering through a desert. Suddenly, Knuckles is besieged by deafening noise and chased by glowing lights. Who gives a shit. Though the villain’s motive has yet to be seen, the first part of “The Chaotix Caper” is, by far, the best story to ever run in “Knuckles.” Hopefully, it can keep it up. [9/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 59

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 59
Publication Date: March 1998

With issue 57, Archie’s “Sonic” series promised to re-focus, since the heroes’ primary antagonist was newly dead. There was probably a handful of reasons for this. The publisher obviously wanted to keep the brand alive in the years after SatAM’s cancellation. The book would have to change in order to survive. There was another reason, I suspect. With the launch of the “Knuckles” spin-off, head-writer Ken Penders was pre-occupied with his pet series. Other people started to juggle the main “Sonic” series. A modified format would allow new writers to try new ideas. Or old writers to re-visit old ideas, as is the case with issue 59’s “Opposites Detract.”

While traveling across Mobius, Sonic and Tails spot a dimensional anomaly. A weird portal has cropped up in the middle of nowhere. While investigating, Sonic and Tails are drawn inside. The dimension belongs to Horizont-Al and Verti-Cal, the gravity-and-physics ignoring goofballs Sonic had encountered twice before. The effects of the Ultimate Annihilator have warped the formerly care-free demi-gods. Now war-like madmen, they battle for control of their pocket universe. After spotting Sonic and Tails, Al and Cal possess the heroes, forcing them to carry on their combat.

Issue 59 is probably the best example of how Archie’s “Sonic” series has changed since its inception. When last seen all the way back in issue 2, Verti-Cal and Horizont-Al were very silly guys. Goofy, bald, squat, and comically dressed, the duo used their unlimited power to play games with each other and play harmless pranks on anyone who stumbled into their zone. Now, Al and Cal have transformed into huge, armored entities that are covered in guns and cannons, locked in eternal combat with each other. It’s a startling change and shows how far the book has come from its cartoonish roots.

There’s one problem though. Previously voted the worst new characters of 1993 (by me), there’s a reason Verti-Cal and Horizont-Al have been rarely used since then. Though writer Mike Gallagher has written some good stories, even his best work tends to have a goofy edge. Turning his silliest creations into armored, war-crazed madmen seems like Gallagher is overcompensating. It doesn’t help that, even as weapon-wielding robots, Al and Cal are still awfully silly looking.

The book leans on the after effects of the Ultimate Annihilator once again, a plot device I was happy not to see for a while. Worst yet, the story ends without any definitive conclusion. Sonic and Tails escape the pocket dimension. Al and Cal are still all fucked-up but Sonic is just happy to be out of that pickle. Jeez.

It’s all a round-about way of getting to the story’s actual point. Sonic and Tails fight each other. The natural order of comic books dictates that fans like to see people fight. Despite being best pals, how many times have Superman and Batman fought? How often due the Avengers scuffle among themselves? Sonic and Tails, being hetero life partners, would never fight under normal circumstances. Yet fans were surely curious to see who would win between the two. Friends turning against each other is good drama too.

Of course, also under normal circumstances, Sonic would crush Tails in minutes. I don’t know if Gallagher could’ve thought up an easier way to get the heroes to both fight and fight as equal. When Al and Cal choose the fox and hedgehog as their combatants, both are transformed. Both wear metallic armor. Sonic gains a pointed head-piece. Tails gets a metallic headband and both get stabbing implements. If this was a comic book that had action figures, you’d almost think the story was a round-about way to introduce some new toys. Even with the help of Art Mawhinney’s excellent pencils, the designs are a bit odd looking. There’s a reason Sonic and Tails don’t hang out in battle armor very often. It doesn’t suit them.

The fight fares decently. Tails using his newly bladed tails as a saw is a clever inversion of Sonic’s usual shtick. I also like how easily the hedgehog defuses this maneuver. Sonic bending his spear into a boomerang is kind of neat too. Even when both wear extra-dimensional battle armor, Sonic still bests his sidekick with ease. The actual scuffle, not counting the pre-fight posing or the heroes’ coming to their senses, only lasts three pages.

That conclusion is another weak element of the issue. The power of Sonic and Tails’ friendship is what prevents them from destroying each other. There’s no logical reason for this to happen. It just does. It’s a cheesy moral and a weak conclusion to the tale.

Archie is smartly continuing with the Tales of the Freedom Fighters back-up series. This time, we see what Sally is up to while Sonic and Tails are traversing the globe. Story-wise, not too much happens in “The People’s Princess.” Sally, Rotor, Lupe, Hamlin, Hershey, and some new guy named Erik go sky-diving. Presumably, this is a training exercise. The team land in different locations, Sally befriends a possum family living on the outskirts of the forest, and later they return to Mobotropolis. That’s it.

However, a slow-paced tale like this allows for some much needed character development. While parachuting, Sally is actually seen having fun. That’s something she hasn’t done in a while. The meeting with the hillbilly family shows Sally that the people see her as a hero, even if she sometimes doesn’t. We also see how much of a natural leader Sally is, helping her team out of a minor jam. There’s not much to it but I like it anyway. Manny Galan, whose Freedom Fighters usually look off-model, does excellent work here. The facial expressions are great, the action is dynamic. He makes the cast his own without straying from their established looks.

A low-key but likable back-up story doesn’t quite make up for the lame cover story. Still, it counts for something and probably bounces this issue up from “skipable” to “worth owning.” [6/10]

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 12

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 12
Publication Date: March 1998

Like most issues of “Knuckles the Echidna,” issue 12 seemingly has a lot of business to deal with. Picking up where “Sonic No. 58” left off, Knuckles and his group of friends have to rescue Yanar from his execution by the High Sheriff. After a big action scene that concludes with a giant explosion, Sonic and Tails swiftly exit the story. Afterwards, Yanar informs Knuckles that his near-death experience left him with a vision. Turns out, Rob O’ the Hedge is the man that will lead the Forgotten Tribe to their echidnan Israel. The lost city is just over the hill, an ancient echidna colony called Albion, that welcomes the weary travelers with open arms. Meanwhile, Locke and Sabre observe Hawking’s failing health, Remington see the Chaotix reluctantly accept their new job, and Lara-Le continues to feel isolated from her ex-husband and her son.

Got all that? As double-stuffed as “The Forgotten Tribe: Part Three – Journey’s End” is, it also proves to be a satisfying read. This story arc has been one stuffed full of information, answering some questions while providing plenty more. Though it’s only been spread out over four issues, the reader feels like we’ve been tagging along with the Tribe nearly as long as they’ve been walking the Earth. While it’s as inelegant as most of Penders’ myth-making, finally seeing the resolution to this plot is rewarding. Yanar, still an undefined character, having a plot-resolving near-death vision is awkward. Rob O’ the Hedge being the person who leads the Tribe home comes out of nowhere. Furthermore, Albion being right over there the whole time definitely feels like a cheat.

 
Having said that, Penders’ mythic bullshit occasionally works in his favor. Rob’s reaction when told of a white cliff is nicely dumbfounded. I like the idea that he’s been watching Albion for years, totally unaware of its significance. Knuckles being able to walk across the water brings up a bizarre Christ metaphor but there’s something nicely magical about it. The reveal that Albion is the original homeland of the echidnas could have, and for all reasons should be, a heaping load of exposition. Yet somehow it works, that the culture is older than the Floating Island and that they’ve been out there for years, secret and concealed. (It’s certainly in line with the species’ apparently bred-in tendency towards secrecy.) And, like I said, just seeing the damn storyline resolved counts for a lot.

As an action story, “Journey’s End” functions decently as well. The varied cast is used well. Rob gets to fire off some arrows, including those with burning and dumbbell-equipped tips. Sonic gets to race around, Tails gets to fly, Knuckles gets to punch, and Mari-An swings a sword. There’s plenty of heroic diving and swinging on ropes.

Once again, there’s another narrative cheat though. Rob discovers a cache of dynamite and blows it the fuck up, seemingly taking the castle with him. Not only does the hooded hero escape the blast, he manages to sneak Mari-An’s missing brothers out with them. The final fate of the High Sheriff and his cohorts are left unresolved. Furthermore, Ken’s script makes Sonic seem like a prick. He and Tails collectively decide not to tell Antoine about his robotic dad. In short, the entire Deerwood Forest story arc is left up in the air.

It wouldn’t be a “Knuckles” comic without the script jumping around a bunch of times. Once again, the business on the Floating Island seems like an afterthought. Locke and Sabre continue to look over Hawking, who somehow still hasn’t expired. They argue a bit with the Fire Ants, for reasons I can’t remember. Remington pages Locke, letting him know the Chaotix have been deputized but they still don’t trust Julie-Su. Maybe pushing the characters we actually care about to the margins isn’t such a bad idea, this time. Since the Chaotix and Julie-Su aren’t actually seen, we don’t miss them so much. Though the story having to distract itself with Hawking’s continued comatose state is a problem. Meanwhile, Lara-Le continues to be defined by crying about what her son and husband are up to. As always, Knuckles’ mom has potential as a compelling character but is always reduced to a wounded matriarch, pining for the more important cast members.

For all the narrative juggling “Journey’s End” does, it’s saved by actually having an emotional heart. It comes from an unexpected place too. Rob O’ the Hedge and Mari-An’s relationship proves surprisingly sweet. When the Tribe heads towards Albion, Mari-An decides to stay with the man she loves. Yes, they’ve only met an issue ago. With all the Important Events happening, it’s nice that the comic pauses long enough to acknowledge that there’s still people with feelings involved here. That last page counts for a lot too. Knuckles delivers the Forgotten Tribe to their motherland. The victory can’t help but feel hollow for him. He wants to return home, to be back on the Floating Island with his family and friends. The reader does too, so that’s an important, sweet image to end on.

Like seemingly all of “Knuckles’” story arcs, “The Forgotten Tribe” has been uneven. It built up some interesting mythology and then choked on it, loosing its heart in the process. A brief crossover with Sonic might have saved it though, as it injected some fun and – more importantly – some character development into a story that could’ve been too stuffy. Hopefully, with Knuckles returning to the Floating Island, we can finally resolve what’s been up with Julie-Su and the Chaotix. One hopes. [6.5/10]

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.

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 11

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 11
Publication Date: February 1998

Remember how I said the first issue of “The Forgotten Tribe” arc sacrificed a rich emotional heart in the name of building up the mythology yet more? Yeah, well, get used to that. Issue 11 carries on in much the same direction. Knuckles’ relationship with his mom was a highlight of the first part. Lara-Le is nowhere to be seen this time. The Chaotix and Julie-Su drop in for all of one page. Nope, this time “Knuckles the Echidna” is the Mystic Athair Hour.

Last time, Knuckles, Athair, and the wandering tribe of echidnas were left floating above a lava-filled chasm in the ground, caused by an earthquake. Using some mystical juju, Athair levitates the entire gang into the air, saving them from immolation. After setting up camp for the night, Athair explains to his great-grandson how he ended up on the mystical path. In the morning, Knuckles is left to lead the Forgotten Tribe to their destination. Instead, they encounter trouble and two familiar faces. Meanwhile, in Echidnopolis, Remington deputizes the Chaotix in Knuckles’ absence, Julie-Su suddenly appearing among them.

Listen, I don’t dislike the crazy mythology Ken built up around Knuckles’ grim destiny. My biggest problem with the Brotherhood is that they stand around like a bunch of assholes, observing without acting. When they do take action, it’s always in the form of a cheap deus ex machina. Luckily, the Brotherhood continues to be absent from this storyline.

Instead, the second part of “The Forgotten Tribe” is mostly dedicated to explaining what the hell Athair’s deal is. We learn that he went through the same childhood rituals that Knuckles did. Since Athair’s father died young, his mother assumed the role of Guardian. As Locke would later do, she disappeared behind a wall of fire, leaving little Athair to fend for himself. Unlike Knuckles, the Ancient Walkers appeared to Athair, told him about Haven and the Brotherhood, and informed him that he had a greater destiny. In a weird parallel to Moses and Israel, Athair’s destiny was to lead the Forgotten Tribe to a promise land called Albion. Later, Athair would conceive a child with a woman from the Tribe. His son, Sabre, resented Athair for abandoning his post as Guardian of the Floating Island. Well, that explains why everyone in the Brotherhood hates Athair.

This information is not presented in the most elegant of ways. Athair explains in an extended flashback, dumping this info on Knuckles around the camp fire. It awkwardly ties Robotnik and Athair’s original role in the “Tails” mini-series together. The trip to Albion was interrupted by some SWATBots, Athair’s wife got robotocized and he just decided to hang out in Downunda for a while afterwards.

Like I said, throwing it out in this manner isn’t especially elegant but at least it finally provides some damn answers. On the other hand, I’m not a fan of the woo-woo nonsense that comes with Athair. The levitating, the communication with the Ancient Walkers, the constant talk of destiny and fate… It’s all pretty tiring. Once again, the book leans on Knuckles’ life being directed by powers beyond his control.

The biggest problem with issue 11 is that Penders has, once again, lost sight of the heart of the matter. As a fan, I’m really curious what’s going on with Julie-Su. Her character arc has been floundering for the last two issues. Even longer if you include Knuckles’ incoherent adventure in issue 56 of “Sonic!” The Chaotix, meanwhile, ask Remington what the hell Knuckles is up to. He basically tells them that’s beyond their pay grade and that’s it. It’s been said that Penders was more interested in his mythology then developing SEGA-licensed characters. Boy, is that apparent here.

The ending comes off as a real ass pull. Knuckles wanders out of a vaguely middle-eastern area into a green, forested area. He meets some people, there are robots and a castle. Boom, here’s a cameo from Sonic and Tails. See you in “Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 58!” Manny Galan’s artwork makes great use of silhouette and profiles, though those robots at the end look pretty janky. If things don’t soon get better with this arc, I may find myself asking the question “When are they getting back to the Floating Island?” [6/10]

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 10

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 10
Publication Date: January 1998

As I’ve mentioned before, I didn’t read much of “Knuckles the Echidna” when the comic was on newsstands. I eventually caught up with the first two story arcs after ordering the back issues through Archie. For whatever reason, I only sporadically bought the book after that. One story arc I missed entirely was the one that ran in issues 10 through 12, “The Forgotten Tribe.” This is one of the reasons I wanted to review all of Archie’s Sonic-verse books, as an excuse to finally read these stories. This is the first time I’ve ever read this comic.

Echidnaopolis is still reeling from the Dark Legion’s latest attack on the city. Knuckles, meanwhile, is more concerned with matters closer to home. He attempts to re-connect with his mother. This reconciliation is immediately interrupted when great-grandfather Athair appears in Lara-Le’s apartment. He teleports Knuckles to an obscure corner of Mobius. There, the mystic introduces Knuckles to the Forgotten Tribe, a group of echidnas who fled the Floating Island before it started floating. Athair begins discussing the Days of Fury, a prophesied cataclysm, just as strange weather and earthquakes grip the globe. Meanwhile, Julie-Su remains in the custody of Constable Remington.

“The Other Road Taken” continues a problem that has plagued the “Knuckles” book from its inception. The series has a great cast of characters – I suppose I’m including Vector and the Brotherhood in that – but frequently sidelines them in favor of continuing to build up its convoluted mythology. “The Forgotten Tribe” begins with its story rooted in emotions. Just as Sonic awkwardly attempted to reconnect with his parents in issue 57 of that series, issue 10 of “Knuckles” begins with the young guardian meeting with his mom. The book introduces the concept of religion in echidna society. Lara-Le is introduced sitting in an Aurorium, a church dedicated to the goddess Aurora. Knuckles waits outside for her, not feeling comfortable inside the house of worship.

There are several cute moments here. Knuckles becomes frustrated when discussing his father, clearly starting to resent the man. When Knuckles lashes out at Athair, Lara-Le insists her son respect his great-grandfather. Considering Knuckles has already had all sorts of wacky adventures, seeing him brought down to Earth by his mom is a really cute, grounding moment.

Issue 10 gladly makes room for Knuckles and Lara-Le’s relationship. Another important female in his life, unfortunately, gets a shorter stick. Issue 9 ended on something of a cliffhanger, Julie-Su arrested with the rest of the Dark Legion, assumed to be a collaborator. Julie-Su appears in one scene, interrogated by Remington, and is treated like a criminal. It would’ve been nice if the book shed a little more light on Julie-Su’s reasoning for hanging out with the Dark Legion. She herself seems uncertain of the motivation behind her actions. There’s two beautiful panels where she sadly lowers her head, wondering why Knuckles isn’t coming to her defense. (The Chaotix similarly get a single page appearance, where Vector continues to bitch about Julie-Su’s allegiance.)

That’s a good question too. Instead of Knuckles coming to the aide of his potential girlfriend, he’s swept up in another crazy adventure. Ken Penders continues to delight in expanding the series mythology. Maybe religion will be the primary theme in “The Forgotten Tribe.” We discover that, before the Floating Island rose into the sky, the leader of the echidna’s state religion requested to leave the city. He took a group of followers with him, who traveled all over Mobius, never finding a place where they could be accepted. They’ve continue to walk the globe ever since. I actually think this stuff is pretty interesting. The flashbacks, where the echidnas’ machinery fail and they have peaceful but tense encounters with other species, are interesting. I just wish this stuff didn’t take us away from the story’s more pressing emotional concerns.

As for the Days of Fury… Yeah, that really plays like a lame way to force some conflict into this story. Just as Athair starts talking about this prophesied catastrophe, it begins to happen. This series didn’t need another ancient prophecy or in-coming disaster. The doomsday events – out of control weather and a giant chasm opening in the ground – aren’t the most original idea either. At least Athair reveals a little more humor and humanity here then in any previous appearance. The Brotherhood doesn’t put in an appearance either, thankfully.

Manny Galan’s artwork is pretty great, aside from a handful of off-model moments. I like “The Other Road Taken” but I wish it focused a little more on the cute, character moments then on setting up yet another world shaking event. Maybe it’ll get better. [6/10]