Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 194

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 194
Publication Date: November 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sonic X: Issue 38

Sonic X: Issue 38
Publication Date: October 2008

With only three issues of Archie's “Sonic X” comic to go, Ian Flynn returned to cover a plot point he introduced a while ago. The evil S.O.N.I.C.X. organization of professional Sonic haters were introduced with quite a lot of aplomb. Almost immediately afterwards, the comic book seemingly forgot about them. But, with the book's end imminent, Flynn decided to finally wrap up that dangling plot point.

Issue 38's story is entitled “Big Trouble in Little Station Square” but does not feature exploding Chinese gods or Kurt Russell in a wife beater. (In fact, to mix the reference even more, the story's title is written in the “Indiana Jones” font.) With their resources running short, the wicked members of S.O.N.I.C.X. decide to try another crazy plan. Dr. Narasu intends to inject Sonic with a special mutagen. This will cause the hedgehog to change into a hideous monster, turning public opinion against him. The bad guys attempt to inject Sonic with the drug while he's out and about, running fast and fucking up Eggman, but the plan predictably goes awry.

Since their first appearance, I've bemoaned S.O.N.I.C.X.'s general incompetence. You'd think a collection of experts in their respective fields would suck at lot less at their jobs. Dr. Narasu's plan is sound on the surface, I guess. Making Sonic a hyper-destructive kaiju probably would make people hate him. How do they intend to inject this mutagen? You'd think they would dope Sonic's chili dogs when he wasn't looking. Or maybe discreetly inject him while he's relaxing on Chris Thorndyke's couch. Instead, Narasu's plan is fire the mutagen in a dart at Sonic... From the back of a high speed motorcycle? And he only has enough mutagen for six darts, most of which he foolishly wastes on bad shots. Jeez, it's like he wants to loose or something.

In fact, after missing a few times, S.O.N.I.C.X outright reveals that they are tailing Sonic. Hector, the cocky race car driver, decides to compromise the mission. He uses this as another chance to prove he's faster than Sonic, chasing after the hedgehog on his motorcycle. After making a huge spectacle of himself – crashing through a fruit stand, leaping his bike off a bridge overpass – he actually looks Sonic in the eye. Yes, the chase scene is kind of cool to look at. All it mostly does is draw attention to how fucking incompetent these villains are.

Despite being total fucking dumb asses, Flynn does manage to add the slightest bit of depth to Dr. Narasu and Hector. Hector fowls the mission up because he doesn't actually care about convincing the world Sonic is a threat. He just wants to prove he's the fastest thing alive. Which does explain his awful actions but doesn't explain why he hasn't been kicked out of S.O.N.I.C.X. Narasu, meanwhile, reveals himself as a nutty conspiracy theorist who thinks Sonic is a robot for some reason. It's the thinnest wisp of character development but at least it's something.

Sadly, the script doesn't run with its villains being an arrogant showboat and mentally unstable mad scientist, respectively. Instead, Sonic decides to asks the Chaotix for help, hoping they'll be able to locate and defeat S.O.N.I.C.X. Sadly, once Sonic knocks on their detective-ing shanty's door, “Big Trouble in Little Station Square” collapses totally into sitcom hackery. Sonic walks in on the trio of detective while they are napping. The three are overjoyed to have a case, suggesting business has been fairly slow lately. Which, in turn, suggests they are shitty private investigators. Which also begs the question of why Sonic would seek out their help in the first place!

The script is not very good but at least the artwork is pretty great. Steven Butler returns to “Sonic X” after a lengthy absence. In his previous pencils for this series, you could tell Butler was having trouble fitting his usual style into the “Sonic X” template. He mostly avoids that problem with this issue, save for one odd panel where Sonic makes a weird kissy face at his opponent. Butler's sense of movement and mood is well utilized in several scenes. The members of S.O.N.I.C.X. being interrogated by their mysterious boss makes good use of shadow. Sonic's fight with Eggman's latest device – some sort of robotic giant squid – features some fantastically detailed action. The chase scene, senseless as it is, at least creates a notable feeling of motion.

Issue 38 concludes by promising some giant monster action next time. Considering oddball homages to genre cinema has led to some of this comic's best stories, maybe that'll be fun. Yet, at this point, it's hard for me to summon much enthusiasm for “Sonic X.” The comic's scripts have been utterly pedestrian for quite some time now. By now, it's clear that the writers – even the good ones, like Ian Flynn – weren't willing to expend much effort on the series' scripts. The result is forgettable, half-assed stuff like this. Luckily, the end is in sight as there's only two more of these damn things left. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 193

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 193
Publication Date: October 2008

I don't know if it was a conscious decision on Flynn's behalf but most of 2008 was focused on Scourge the Hedgehog. Maybe Ian was hoping to expand on Sonic's rogue gallery in general? Maybe the writer just wanted to explore an underdeveloped part of Sonic's world? Maybe the writer was capitalizing on Scourge's popularity with fans? Either way, that focus would continue with issue 193, the reader getting closer look at the alternate universe Scourge calls home.

While Sonic was out playing fist-tag with Scourge and the Metal Sonics, Rotor and Tails were modifying the Star Posts. They have created a portal to Moebius, the mirror universe that started this mess. Sonic is eager to crossover, hoping to ruin Scourge's world the way Scourge ruined his. For some reason, Sally assigns Amy Rose to be with Sonic on this mission. After arriving, Sonic and Amy meet radically different versions of Dr. Robotnik, Bunnie, and Amy herself. Meanwhile, back at Mobotropolis, a Suppression Squad member appears with an interesting proposal.

In the twenty-some years the Anti-Mobius premise existed in the Archie “Sonic” comic, we've gotten a few looks at the alternate universe. However, these peeks have always been rather brief. We'd see Anti-Sonic lounging in his base, get a fleeting glimpse at the mirror Robotnik, and that's about it. In “Other Side,” Ian finally gives readers a more in-depth look at this strange world. We learn that Dr. Kintobor, the benevolent veteran that exists in Robotnik's place, lies inside a peaceful forest within an invisible force field. This is a neat inversion of the polluted wasteland that Robotnik Prime inhabits.

Out of all the appearances that Moebius has had in the comic, Bunnie Rabbot's evil doppelganger has only appeared once before. I have no idea why Bunnie was overlooked so often. Flynn makes this a plot point. In an inversion of Bunnie's partial roboicization giving her super strength, “Buns” developed a degenerative physical condition. Naturally, Scourge had no use for her after that. Kindly Dr. Kintobor built her a robotic suit, armed with non-lethal weapons. (This robot suit is based on E-123 Omega, a Sega character that still hasn't officially appeared in the comic yet.) It's clever writing, utilizing common sense ideas that were previously unexplored. It's fan service but in the best way.

You'll notice I'm talking a lot about the characters and their world this time. Recently, I've complained about Flynn focusing on the fight scenes too much. The first half of “Other Side” is fairly light on the action, in the best way. Yeah, Sonic and Amy tussle with Buns in the Omega Suit after they first make it to Moebius. Other than that, Flynn is focusing on building up this world. I, personally, appreciate this a lot. Nothing against the fight scenes but the characters and their weirdo universe is why I've been reading this book since I was five years old.

The Mirror Universe versions of Dr. Robotnik and Bunnie have been referenced before. Anti-Amy Rose, meanwhile, has never appeared before. She's called Rosy the Rascal, a reference to Sega deep cut “Sonic the Fighter.” The character essentially deconstructs Amy Rose's personality. I make jokes about Amy Rose having a stalker-esque obsession with Sonic. Rosy, meanwhile, literally is Scourge's stalker. Both characters utilized a magical ring in order to get closer to their object of affection. The same ritual totally broke Rosy's mind, turning her into a complete nutter. Fitting this issue's October publication date, Flynn plays all of this for creepiness. Rosy hangs out in an abandoned castle. She sings spooky songs to herself. It's well done.

Back on Mobius, the intrigue continues. Miles, Tails' evil twin, comes to Mobotropolis with a proposal. He explains that the Suppression Squad hates and fears Scourge. He offers a truce to Sally and the others, teaming up to defeat Scourge. What makes this really interesting is Miles' naturally duplicitous personality. It seems likely that the Anti-Tails really would betray Scourge. Yet it's equally plausible that he's hoping to mislead, trick, and double-cross the heroes. (I guess that would be a double-double cross?) Since I can't remember what happens next, that actually creates some mild tension, keeping the reader invested even though Sonic and Amy's adventure is way more interesting.

In the back pages, Flynn once again utilizes the “Another Time, Another Place” setting to help advertise “Sonic Unleashed,” the then-new Sonic game. The story is also entitled “Sonic Unleashed” and basically adapts the game's opening cut scene. Super Sonic races into Eggman's latest doomsday satellite. The villain drains the Chaos Emeralds powering Sonic and fractures the planet below. Somehow, this process also transforms Sonic into a furry, fearsome being called the Werehog. Robotnik tosses the Werehog out the air lock and... Buy the game to find out what happens next, ya' fuckin' schmucks!

Flynn's “Sonic Unleashed” accomplishes what its suppose to: It makes the reader aware of the video game's existence. The comic adaptation does pretty much nothing else, telling a sequence of events that you could also see after putting the disc in your game system of choice. The comic adaptation does not justify why the Werehog, Sega's worst idea since giving Shadow a gun, needed to exist in the first place. (It also doesn't get into the dumb ass, needlessly convoluted mythology inside “Sonic Unleashed” but that's probably for the best.) Inevitably, this story leaves a bad taste in my mouth, since Flynn would adapt the same source material for the weak sauce post-reboot story. Other than that, it's hard to criticize a story whose whole purpose is to advertise a product.

The cover story is a lot of fun, that dives into unexplored corners of the book's universe that fans are eager to experience. The “Sonic vs. Scourge” story arc was starting to weigh on me but this one got me interested in it again. The back-up is utterly forgettable and disposable but I'm not going to hold that against the issue. When the Sega Corporate Overlords demanded something, Flynn had to obey. Otherwise, this is another good one. [8/10]

Sonic X: Issue 37

Sonic X: Issue 37
Publication Date: September 2008

Ian Flynn's work on Archie's main “Sonic the Hedgehog” book was clearly a passion project for him. He obviously cared about the comic and its world. He wrote fan fiction before becoming the book's main writer, so clearly this was a dream project for him. But what about “Sonic X?” I have no insight into how Archie's editorial department approached the “Sonic X” book. Maybe they, or somebody in Sega's licensing sector, demanded the book be more childish and simplistic. However, as the series nears it conclusion, it seems to me that Ian's “Sonic X” scripts were last minute, late night ideas.

With that in mind, it's easy to imagine Flynn sitting at his word processors, at a blank document, and saying “We haven't tried a body-swap premise yet!” “Switcharoo!” begins with Eggman attacking the President. He's wielding a mind changing ray, hoping to put his mind into the President's body. (In 2018, if Eggman really wanted to be president, he'd just have to campaign.) Sonic intervenes and the hero and villain end up switching bodies. Both are content to enjoy their enemies' homes... Until S.O.N.I.C.X. attempts to kidnap the President, forcing both characters to leap into action.

This is not the first time an Archie “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic handled the mind swap premise. You may remember – I totally had to look it up – but Ken Penders did something similar in “Sonic Super Special: Issue 12.” Of course, the kids reading “Sonic X” in 2008 probably hadn't read that book. However, the odds that they had seen “Freak Friday,” “Like Father, Like Son” or any number of similarly themed movies or television episodes seems likely. The popular remake of “Freaky Friday” had come out five whole years earlier. The point is: Even the youngsters reading this comic probably realized this was a derivative, worn-out premise.

I'll say something about Flynn's script. Issue 12 of “Sonic Super Special” revolved around Sonic and Knuckles switching places. This times, it's the hero and the villain trading places. This does lead to some cute moments. Neither Sonic nor Eggman are able to handle each other's various gifts. Seemingly ignoring all those hilarious game mods, Eggman's attempts to run in Sonic's body leads to him bouncing off all surfaces. Sonic, meanwhile, has to get used to Eggman's slower, fatter body. I know I say this every time but it's mildly amusing.

In the grand tradition of body switch comedies, this experience also causes the characters to appreciate each other more. Considering his escapades as El Gran Gordo, we already know that Eggman yearns to be heroic. As Sonic, he decides to rescue the President ostensibly because he's annoyed another villain is edging in on his territory. Yet we can tell he secretly wants to be the good guy. Sonic as Eggman, meanwhile, realizes he doesn't have the skills to operate the sci-fi technology Eggman regularly utilizes. It's not a lot – it's really a little, truthfully – but it adds some depth to the script.

A while ago, Ian Flynn introduced S.O.N.I.C.X., that cabal of anti-Sonic haters hoping to defeat him through subterfuge and trickery. It seemed like Flynn was building towards something with that but, after two appearances, S.O.N.I.C.X. disappeared from the book. Well, they're back. Their master plan is as incompetent as ever. They kidnap the President and try to convince him to declare Sonic and friends illegal aliens. That's it. Wouldn't a better plan have been to, I don't know, infiltrate the government and use federal resources to capture Sonic and friends? Kidnapping the President in a very public display of villainy seems to undermine their own goals. But S.O.N.I.C.X. have always sucked at planning, despite their obvious resources.

Flynn also remembers another forgotten plot point: Eggman's lust for Ella, which the villain references while inside Sonic's body. So now that old, fat romance also includes an element of bestiality and furry fetishism. Thanks for finding a way to make that gross plot point even weirder, Flynn. Thankfully, a fairly underwhelming conclusion, that features Sonic and Eggman slamming  into each other and switching back, saves us the awful sight of Sonic attempting to bed Ella.

James Fry's artwork is pretty good, I'll say. There's actually some cool, moody panels devoted to Decoe and Bocoe. Of course, Fry also draws Sonic looking extremely creepy in a few other panels. Maybe that was intentional, since Eggman is inside his body at that point. But it's still an odd sight. Anyway, as the uninspiring premise might make you expect, issue 37 is another soundly middle-of-the-road edition of “Sonic X.” Only three remain and thank Aurora for that. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 192

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 192
Publication Date: September 2008

During my previous Archie “Sonic” review, I complained a little about Ian Flynn's tendency to rely too much on fight scenes. Issue 191 ended with Robotnik unveiling a Metal Scourge, promising yet more fighting. Indeed, the second part of “Metal and Mettle” delivers on that promise. Scourge and Sonic's fight is temporarily put aside so they can fight their metal counterparts. They're getting their asses beat until Scourge calls in the Suppression Squad for reinforcement. Afterwards, Sonic postpones the fight and returns to Mobotropolis, where Sally has a not-sexy surprise for him.

Some Sonic fans just love-love Metal Sonic for reasons I've never entirely understood. Yeah, he's pretty cool looking but he has almost zero personality, by definition. Metal Scourge is even less of a compelling enemy. Any way you look at it, he's a copy of a copy, a second generation counterfeit. He's not even that cool looking, as throwing the red sunglasses and leather jacket on Metal Sonic is not great for his look. Worst yet, the character only survives a few pages before he's taken apart. That makes Metal Scourge a marginal footnote in Archie “Sonic” history. Which makes you wonder why Ian Flynn made a big deal about his first, and only, appearance.

Don't think that I can't enjoy a cool action scene. Tracy Yardley does contribute some cool panels. The two Metals bounce Sonic and Scourge around for a while, leading to a neat panel of the two embedded in the ground. After Metal Sonic is decapitated, in a nice touch, Sonic is shown bouncing the robot's head off his heels. That the two machines are defeated so easily is slightly disappointing but at least it gave Yardley an excuse to draw cool shit.

One of the most interesting aspects of the last issue was the similarities between them that Scourge pointed out to Sonic. This possibility that the hero and the villain may have more in common than either would like to admit was a nice touch. In part two, this plot point is barely brought up. Scourge mentions his proposal to Sonic in all of one panel, I think. This flushes away any of the script's nuances in favor of yet more fist fighting.

That Robotnik cooked up Metal Scourge in a few hours is actually brought up by the script. While Robotnik watches his robots fight the fleshies, Dimitri creeps up to the dictator and essentially asks him why he's wasting everyone's time. This segues ways into an interesting idea. Recently, Dimitri hinted that he was hoping to undermine Eggman's empire. This time, the Dark Legion leader discovers that Robotnik might've foresaw this. Every body in the Dark Legion has been outfitted with explosive devices, leaving few opportunities for subterfuge. Seeing Dimitri, a character who is noted for his power, this stymied is good writing.

Political shuffling is probably not what you read a “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic book for but Ian Flynn does it surprisingly well. After the above discovery, Dimitri and Lien-Da have an argument about who sold out who. Seeing the villains shuffle events in their minds, trying to lay blame and coming to terms with their current situation, is entertaining. Meanwhile, after Sonic returns to Knothole, he gets a mild shakedown from Elias for breaking the rules. In the past, Archie has stretched out Sonic's various treacheries for melodrama. Flynn is smarter than that, Elias brushing off Sonic annoying habit of undermining authority. You'd think everyone would be used to it, by now.

Scourge appears in the back-up story too. “Father and Son” begins with Scourge sneaking into Sonic's hut. Instead of encountering the blue hedgehog, he finds Jules waiting in a chair. The two have a tense stand-off. Scourge makes it clear that, back on Moebius, he murdered his own father. Jules, meanwhile, stands up for his own son, making it clear he won't back down without a fight. This show of force impresses Scourge enough that he slinks back off into the night.

Flynn's focused development of Scourge the Hedgehog continues with “Father and Son.” This time, we actually get some insight into his past. Continuing the mirror universe theme, instead of having a Great War, Scourge's Moebius had a Great Peace. Which made Scourge's tendency towards anarchy and petty thuggery a rebellion to the peaceful world he grew up in. Which extends up to committing patricide. This all suggests that growing up in war time, without his parents, actually helped contribute to Sonic's heroism. Which is interesting! That daddy killing bit also sheds some more light on what a bastard Scourge is, always a good development for a bad guy.

The backstory for Scourge is interesting but “Father and Son” is just as much about Jules. The script makes a big deal about this, showing how far Jules is willing to go to protect his kid. Which is nice but nothing we haven't seen from Sonic's dad before. Somehow, this speech is enough to shake Scourge to his core. On paper, that's nice, playing up the villain's newly acquired daddy issues. In effect, this backstory is biting off a little more than it can chew. Five pages isn't quite enough room to explore this subject. Jon Grey's artwork, which is typically garish, doesn't help the emotion of the story much.

Issue 192 is not Flynn's best work, though still far from a bad comic book. The guy is actively trying to incorporate some character development into a top-heavy action story. He just can't quite make it work. The problems aren't enough for me to dock this one's rating though. I still like it but it wouldn't have taken much to fix those problems. This one does have a pretty great cliffhanger, so hopefully next time will be better. [7/10]

Sonic X: Issue 36

Sonic X: Issue 36
Publication Date: August 2008

As Archie's primary “Sonic” cover artist for more than twenty years, Patrick Spaziante's obvious skills should speak for themselves. Every once in a while though, he would draw something that was just... Weird. Like the cover for issue 36 of “Sonic X.” For some reason, Spaz made the decision to illustrate the pets surrounding Sonic and Eggman in a hyper-realistic manner. The result is unnerving, as clearly cartoony characters are surrounded by nearly photo-realistic animals. That Sonic and Eggman have pained, unnerved facial expressions only adds to how uncomfortable this cover is to look at. It's not bad – Spaz's work is too detailed to qualify as 'bad” - but it's definitely weird looking. But at least it ties in perfectly with the story inside the book.

So, anyway, the plot: “Petastrophe” begins with Sonic dining with Chris Thorndyke and friends inside an ice cream shop. A spoiled little rich bitch named Milan Ramada marches in and starts being a massive cunt to Chris and his friends. This petty argument is thankfully interrupted by an Eggman attack, where the doctor steals the limo Milan rode in. The car's engine contains a special device called a Recombobulator – yes, really – that Eggman desires for some reason. Yet he needs a Chaos Emerald to power it. Instead of just stealing one like he usually does, Eggamn decides to participate in a pet show where a real Chaos Emerald is the prize. A pet show where Milan is also appearing. Chris enters Sonic into the same pet show strictly to spite both of their archenemies.

“Petastrophe” is another Joe Edkin dish. In the past, Edkin's work on “Sonic X” has ranged from deeply formulaic stories to enjoyably nutty homages to classic genre cinema. With this story and his previous credit, the writer is showing a previously unseen and deeply unseemly preachy side. His story for issue 33 included an annoying moral about the advantages of intelligence over brute strength. “Petastrophe” pauses for two sequences so Cream can learn a lesson on the importance of leash training your pets. At first, the cartoon bunny is disturbed by Earthlings putting animals in cages and on leashes. After Eggman's shenanigans causes a bunch of pets to go ape-shit, Cream realizes leashes are necessary. It's an odd lesson to include in a “Sonic” comic, firstly, and seems more-or-less disconnected with the rest of the story.

And what is the rest of the story about? Mostly, making fun of Paris Hilton. By 2008, Hilton's status as an inescapable, inexplicably famous celebrity starlet was on the wan. The vile Kardashian brood was already beginning to supplant her. So Edkin choosing to make fun of her in a kid's comic was a weird decision. His characterization of Milan Ramada as a deeply petty, manipulative, vicious little bitch borders on the mean-spirited. (Though I have no doubt that twelve year old Paris Hilton was an equally terrible human being.) Considering Chris Thorndyke is also the child of insanely rich parents, it's odd to make his heated enemy another rich kid. You'd think Milan would consider Chris an equal, instead of someone to look down on. The book points out this factoid, claiming Chris isn't a hateful piece of garbage like Milan. Okay, sure, but it's not like he can relate to the struggles of the working class either.

When the book isn't lecturing kids on pet safety or lobbing soft balls at Paris Hilton, it's contrasting Sonic and friends with normal Earth animals. Which does admittedly lead to some cute moments. Such as Sonic encountering a realistic hedgehog and pausing in confusion at the strange creature. Or Sonic getting examined by the judges. (Disappointingly, Edkins doesn't throw in a panel of Knuckles comparing genitalia with a real echidna.) Sadly, Eggman trying to pass Bokkun off as a cat is a less amusing. Christ, it's barely a joke.

That is a good example of how incredibly stupid Eggman's plan is, even by the standards of his previous evil plots. Eggman randomly grabs this Recombobulator thing, which does not come up in the rest of the story. He needs a Chaos Emerald to power it, even though it was inside a car motor for some reason. Though Eggman has shown no qualms about stealing Chaos Emeralds before, he decides to fairly compete for it. Also: Why the fuck is a pet show giving away an incredibly volatile, literally magical power source? I know this is a kid's comedy book but, gee whiz, is a little internal consistency too much to ask for?

This is an action comic, theoretically. Issue 36 does feature some mildly diverting action scenes. An early bit has Sonic grabbing missiles that Eggman has launched into Station Square as a distraction. (Which is a nice reminder that, even if the book plays him exclusively for comedy, Eggman is still a wantonly destructive terrorist.) The pages devoted to the hedgehog grabbing the missiles before they hit innocent bystanders are pretty good. The book's big conclusion has Sonic and Eggman's fight causing an animal riot at the pet show. For some reason, cheetahs, giant snakes, and red tail hawks where invited to this pet show. Weirdly, the big hero moments belongs to Cream. She shows off a previously unseen super-ability, releasing a sonic scream that throws back three snarling dobermans. It really comes out of nowhere but James Fry's pencils at least look nice.

So it's another middling, pretty dumb issue of “Sonic X.” I'm honestly surprised I keep finding new things to say about this comic book. I could save myself a lot of trouble and just type the words “It stinks!” 499 times. But, no, I've got to be a professional for my cartoon hedgehog blog. I'm going to whisper “Only four more issues of Sonic X!” into my pillow before falling asleep tonight. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 191

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 191
Publication Date: August 2008

Ian Flynn did so many great things for Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series. However, his compulsion towards comic book style stories was sometimes a weakness. By that, I mean Flynn just couldn't resist answering the “who would win in a fight?” query that is commonplace among comic readers. His tendency to match vaguely similar characters up just so they could duke it out became a little too prominent in the second half of 2008.

A few days have passed since Scourge and the Suppression Squad successfully took over Freedom H.Q. In Mobotropolis, Sonic tries to convince the Council of Acorn to send reinforcements into the base and help reclaim it. They refuse his offer, saying the city should focus its efforts on Robotnik. Even Knuckles, who is still suffering from guilt over his actions as Enerjak, refuses to help. So Sonic goes it alone. When he gets there, he discovers Scourge fighting Metal Sonic, who Robotnik sent to Freedom H.Q. unaware of its current occupants.

The first half of “Metal and Mettle” – I see what you did there, Ian – can basically be summed up as “Scourge vs. Metal Sonic, with Regular Sonic joining in later.” Plot wise, it's not a super strong premise. Robotnik just randomly sent Metal Sonic to Freedom HQ, apparently unaware that the Suppression Squad claimed it recently. When he discover this, the villain decides to waste resources and let Metal Sonic capture Scourge anyway, assuming one brightly colored hedgehog is as good as any other. I don't mind the action theatrics. Tracy Yardley's action scenes remain as strong as ever. There's some good panels of people getting kicked, tossed, spin-dashed, blasted, and flipped through the air. But the writing comes off as slightly slapdash.

What makes the conflict a little more compelling is the conversation between the fighters. While Metal Sonic wails on Scourge, the evil Miles sarcastically refuses to help. This shows that there is some dissent within the Suppression Squad ranks. Later, while fighting among themselves, Sonic and Scourge share a dialogue paralleling their conversation in issue 172. Only this time, Scourge is on the lecturing end. He offers Sonic a hand, telling his heroic counterpart that they could team up and conquer the whole universe. Sonic naturally refuses but the split second of doubt he shows makes the fight a little more meaningful. He sees just enough of himself in Scourge that the villain's dastardly actions infuriates him even more.

There are aspects I like and dislike about the political subplot. Sonic asking the Council of Acorn for assistance on this mission adds some depth to the comic's world. There are factors to consider in the New Mobotropolis. Yet their total dismissal of Sonic's plan to reclaim Freedom H.Q. makes them look like assholes. (And idiots. Do they really want enemies to their city living so close to them?) Sonic telling the Council to fuck off and going ahead on his own seems in character. But it also makes you wonder why Ian decided to include that scene at all. If Sonic was going to do what he wanted anyway, why introduce the conflict?

Maybe the most interesting aspect of “Metal and Mettle: Part 1” is what Knuckles is feeling. The young Guardian is still struggling with his guilt. He explodes at Sonic, the memory of his father's death nearly bringing him to tears. Later, he has an argument with Julie-Su. Knuckles is essentially feeling directionless. His dad and all the other men who micromanaged his life up to this point are gone. His recent stint as Enerjak might have been under Finitevus' control but Knuckles still feels guilty for that, considering that period as an extension of his desire to reunite his people. Flynn comes very close to pushing this too far, making Knuckles seem like a jerk. Yet I admire the author for running with this plot point.

Knuckles lashing out at Sonic and Julie-Su may threaten to make him seem like an asshole. (Considering the comic has always hammered home how Julie-Su was destined to be Knuckles' greatest love, it is refreshing to seem them argue like a real couple.) Yet it does set up a pretty nice resolution. While sulking on the Floating island, Charmy helps Knuckles out of his flunk by reminding him that life presents many opportunities.  After returning to Knothole, Knuckles and Julie-Su make up in a way that fits both of their thorny personalities. It's some cute character work.

Back-up stories have been rare around here for a while. They make a comeback with “Invaders from Beyond.” It's another one of those stories designed to sell whatever Sega's latest Sonic game was. This one ties in with “Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood,” an RPG made for the Nintendo DS. Anyway, Tails and Knuckles are setting up some sort of trap, sticking a Chaos Emerald in the middle of a device reverse-engineered from the Tornado. This preparation is interrupted by a band of echidnas in black armor, calling themselves the Marauders. They beat the shit out of Knuckles, grab the Emerald, and speed off with the heroic echidna. Go buy the video game to find out what happens next.

“Invaders from Beyond” introduces a new tactic Ian would employ any time Sega called on him to promote a video game. He sets this one in “Another Time, Another Place.” This is essentially short-hand for a story set outside of continuity. Flynn has, more or less, being doing this for some time anyway. It's not like that story that introduced Marine the Raccoon had any effect on the main plot.
This technique allows Flynn to throw the towel in, to tell readers to not even worry about this one.

It's a good tactic, since “Invaders from Beyond” is fairly disposable. We learn nothing about the Marauders, their objectives, or feelings. About the only thing that makes this one worth reading is the zeal with which Knuckles fights his attacks. Otherwise, it's totally skippable. That Flynn would toss “Sonic Chronicles” into the non-continuity bin is interesting, considering the RPG was directly inspired by the comic book. The villains were based on the Dark Legion and Shade, Knuckles' potential love interest who briefly appears here, was based on Julie-Su.

It's not a ground breaking issue or anything. Flynn's need to get to the fights so quickly makes the cover story a little rushed and sloppy. Knuckles' ethical crisis makes the issue a little stronger. He ends the cover on a less-than-promising cliffhanger, introducing another metallic couple. The back-up isn't worth investigating further though. This isn't my most enthusiastic [7/10] but it's still a positive review.