Sonic the Hedgehog: In Your Face

 Sonic the Hedgehog: In Your Face
Publication Date: October 1994

I may be remembering things wrong. From the beginning, I’ve been saying that Issues 17 and 18 were my first “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic. Thumbing through “Sonic the Hedgehog: In Your Face,” huge waves of nostalgia washed over me. Maybe this one-shot special was actually my first “Sonic” comic? If it wasn’t the first, it was a very early issue for me. The bizarrely named “In Your Face” – the title doesn’t reflect anything in the story other then the hedgehog hero’s general ‘tude – was the first 48-page “special.” Archie would publish these on a roughly quarterly basis for about two years until the tradition was folded into the “Sonic Super Special” series. Most comic companies publish quarterly double-length issues of their biggest characters without much fanfare. Archie, however, always made these one-shots feel like events. They were Giant Sized 48 Paged Collector’s Editions, you guys! Today, I recognize this as the savvy, cheesy gimmick it is. As a kid, it totally got me. I treasured the one-shots more then the regular issues. They were specials and I treated them as such.

Despite Sonic getting top-billing, “In Your Face” actually begins with a story primarily revolving around Sally. “The Quest” concludes the Sally-centric backstories Penders had been sneaking into the main Sonic comics for a while. Despite sparring with Sonic in slightly Jason Voorhees-esque protective gear, Sally is distracted. Julayla’s recent passing and the mysterious orb that fell from the sky still weigh heavily on her mind. Julayla willed Sally all of her possessions, which include the Princess’ trademark blue vest and a mysterious treasure map. Later that night, Sally is awoken by the orb. Inside is a handheld computer that calls itself Nicole. Julayla’s map leads the Freedom Fighters on a journey into the Forbidden Zone, a perilous piece of Mobian land filled with monsters.

After the two very good shorts that proceeded, “The Quest” is a little bit of a disappointment. It does finally bring Nicole, the last major SatAM cast member yet to be added, into the comics. The early scene of Sally going over Julayla’s possessions is touching, if slightly hampered by typically stiff Penders’ dialogue. Once the titular quest gets going, the story looks like it’s evolving into a bad-ass team on a mission tale. However, Bunnie, Antoine, and Tails mostly just stand back while Sonic and Sally trash SWATBots. Bunnie and Antoine actually do nothing throughout this story. You’d think Bunnie’s super-strength and Antoine’s swordsmanship would come in handy.

 
The encounters with the three monsters are all slightly anticlimactic. The giant purple Cyclops (which Sonic refers to as a “one-eyed monster” without a hint of irony) is defeated by standing still. The only time Tails makes himself useful is when he pulls a sword from a stone. This, for barely defined reasons, causes the Griffin to fall down dead. The two-headed dragon is defeated with some circular logic puzzle on Sally’s behalf. And what’s the secret treasure Julayla hid within a cave full of monsters, for some reason? A piece of paper saying “To Thine Self Be True.” Seems like a lot of effort for that. Because it’s not done defusing tension any, “The Quest” ends with a flash-forward to the distant future where Sally and Sonic have married, had kids, defeated Robotnik, rescued King Acorn, and restored peace to the land. This revelation not only spoils some suspense but it also provides a convoluted origin for Nicole. You see, Nicole was actually invented in the future and sent into the past. This is a fact that would be largely forgotten over the years. (About the only thing I like about the Post-252 rebooted universe is Flynn simply making Nicole the invention of a present-day scientist. That’s way more simple.)

It’s a bummer “The Quest” is a bit of a dud. Art Mawhinney’s artwork is, once again, excellent. The more of his stuff I see, the more I realize how much his pencils defined how Sonic and his cast look in my mind. Unfortunately, the story really lacks a sense of forward movement. It seems to exist to build up the mythology Penders was only starting to build and boost Sally’s character, despite her not really needing it. A story about Sonic and friends fighting a bunch of monsters really should’ve been a lot better.

The second story, “The Mirror Zone,” isn’t worth discussing much if not for one thing. The story only takes up two pages. Sonic and Tails chase a SWATBot into a parallel dimension – Mobius is crawling with parallel dimensions – where everything is backwards. Basically, the two-pager is another silly attempt to get fans involved. You’re supposed to read the pages in front of a mirror. What makes this one notable is the artist. Patrick “Spaz” Spaziante contributes the pencils. Spaz would soon move on to doing cover art for the series, which he would do for years. His highly stylized character work, incredibly dynamic action sequences, and anime-esque energy would also largely define the look and feel of the series.

The final story is a silly if fun short revolving Tails. (Archie pushed Sally and Tails very hard in the early years of the comic. Both characters would headline their own mini-series within the next year.) Tails is invited to a local convention for Sonic fans, full of nerds arguing about shit. While wildly exaggerating an encounter he had with a frog, Robotnik attacks the con, incensed that there’s an entire convention devoted to his enemy. Tails has to leap into action, outsmart the villain and save the innocence.

Though it’s unlikely, “Tails’ Tallest Tale” is maybe my favorite story out of this one-shot. Scott Shaw’s artwork has been sorely missed. It’s cartoony and exaggerated without being rough and jagged, like Dave Manak’s stuff. The plot is silly without being ridiculous and actually functions as a fairly cute little adventure. It also allows some more character development for Tails. His budding genius is shown in the way he outsmarts Robotnik. The convention location also allows for some good-natured jabs at comic fandom. I even like Posey Possum, the earliest love interest the comic would introduce for Tails. Disappointingly, she would never be seen again, not even as an in-joke. It’s a fun little story and shows how much better the comic has already gotten at balancing goof-ball comedy and more serious issues.

I wouldn’t normally comment on this but, in the SonicGrams, someone sent in a new character. Like most fan-created Sonic character, it’s an awful idea. Trigger is gimmicky, being a pirate, and obviously grimdark, wielding a gun and being a crack shot. (At least he’s not a brightly colored hedgehog.) I suspect the character was based off the writer’s dog. Instead of ignoring this like they would most fan ideas, Archie saw fit to draw a little illustration of Trigger. Weird. Let’s see Flynn fit in a reference to that one!

As for "In Your Face," the art work is nice but only one of the three stories contained within are very exciting. [6.5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 18

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 18
Publication Date: October 1994

Back in 1994, I had never heard the term “shipping.” I had no idea that there were people on the internet intensely passionate about the romantic lives of fictional characters, even when the pairings had little to no foundation in the original text. I didn’t know about this but, in my own way, I was already a shipper. As a kid, I shipped Sonic/Sally in a serious way. It’s not like I came up with that on my own. There were plenty of hints in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” cartoon, whether it be the belligerent sexual tension between the two or the peck on the cheek Sally gave Sonic in every opening sequence. The comic ran with this even more, frequently teasing a serious romantic attraction between the two. When Ken Penders came on the comic, he especially pushed Sally and Sonic’s romantic attraction. Right there on the cover of Issue 18, there was the two of them, seemingly getting married. Since this was one of the first Sonic comics I ever owned, that blew me away.

Of course, that cover image is more then a little misleading. The first story, “Wedding Bell Blues” runs with it. The Freedom Fighters appear to be preparing for Sonic and Sally’s wedding day, despite both of them being teenagers. The news even trickles back to Robotnik. Disinterested in letting this union go forward, the robotic tyrant crashes the ceremony, sending a whole fleet of killer robots with him. This, it turns out, was exactly what Sonic and friends planned. The wedding was a stunt, designed to draw Robotnik out.

So, yeah, Sonic and Sally were never going to get married, at least not yet. (These days, SEGA explicitly forbids any sort of romance between their characters, because SEGA is a wet blanket.) However, issue 18 does build upon the mythology in little ways. More of Robotnik’s badniks are on display then ever before. Moto Bug, Slicer, Roller, and Bat Brain all put in prominent appearances. Robotropis is looking more and more correct every day. Knotholle Village was suggested last time and, this time, we actually see a whole community of Mobians hiding out in the forest. The other Freedom Fighters aren’t given much to do but everyone is present.

Another thing to like about “Wedding Bell Blues” is that it’s not focused on silly puns. Oh, there’s plenty of them. Sonic rips off a SWATBot’s arm, prompting the machine to say he’s “unarmed.” That’s just one example. That’s not where the story’s focus is. The entire second half of this one is devoted to action. When Robotnik and his army of machines invade the church, Sonic swings into action. We get six solid pages of Sonic wrecking robot shit, tearing through metal and smashing bots. Sally gets in on it too, dropping the curtain on Robotnik. There’s no real threat here but getting to see Sonic be such a pure bad ass was definitely a fan-friendly sight at the time.

As in Issue 17, only the first story carries on in the comic’s usual goofball tone. The back-up story, “In the Still of the Night,” continues Sally’s adventure from the last issue. Rotor and the other Freedom Fighters continue to experiment upon the mysterious orb, still unable to crack its secrets. Meanwhile, Sally is called away by Rosie, her nanny. Sally’s childhood teacher Julayla, who taught her everything she knows, is on her death bed. Teacher and student have one more heart-to-heart before she passes.

So this is a serious change of pace. Up to this point in the comic, death was an unheard concept. Robots would be smashed and the villains would threaten the heroes’ lives but nothing was very serious. Here, not only does Sally face death but it is the death of a loved one. The story does a rather clever thing. Sally and Julayla’s conversation makes the reader privy to more of the character’s back story. Here’s why Sally is such a bad ass, it says, because she was trained in all this shit from her childhood. However, this is more then just exposition, though it does feature some of Penders’ tin-eared dialogue. Instead, the story is rooted in emotion. The panel of Sally alone by Julayla’s bed, after her passing, is quietly effective. The memories of her childhood, of dancing with Sonic as a kid or weeping as her father’s kingdom fell, also resonate emotionally. The final page is composed of Sally sitting up at dawn, still processing her mentor’s passing. Sonic greets her and tells her “Tonight is almost yesterday and there are many more tomorrows ahead.” Would Sonic actually say that? I’m not sure. Is it a surprisingly touching note to take the story out on? Yep.

See guys, Penders wasn’t always bad! “Wedding Bell Blues” is a goofy if mildly exciting bit of fun. “In the Still of the Night” is one of the legendary Archie Sonic stories, showing what the medium was capable of and how this version of Sonic was distinct from all the others. I’m hesitant to say it but, what the hell, I’ll say it anyway: This is an early classic from the series’ history. [8/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 17

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 17
Publication Date: September 1994

And so we come to my very first issue of Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog. In my introduction to this project, I explained how I discovered the series – My sister’s boyfriend at the time brought them over from his comic shop job – so I won’t bore you with nostalgic details. Let’s just say that this issue, and many of the ones we'll be discussing in the near future, I have thumbed through more times then I can imagine. Stepping away from childhood memories, Issue 17 shows the two identities the comic had at the time. The first story is a goofy, lame joke-filled bit of comedic nonsense. The backup story could have easily come right out of an episode of SatAM.

As you probably guessed from the title, the main story is a spoof of King Kong. Robotnik has been absent for a few weeks, a change that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Freedom Fighters. Turns out, he’s been searching Skoal Island for his earliest creation: A giant, yellow, mechanical ape named, for some inexplicable reason, King Gong. After apprehending the ape, Robotnik immediately goes about training him to kill the hedgehog. Things don’t go quite according to plan and King Gong instead develops an infatuation with Princess Sally.

It’s a silly story. If you hadn’t guessed by now, this is another one from the pens of Mike Kanterovich and Ken Penders. An aspect that characterized the teams’ work is present and accounted for here. That is pop culture reference likely to fly over the heads of anyone reading this comic back in the day. Aside from all the obvious “King Kong” references, the story also references the Universal Studios’ version of “Frankenstein,” “Gorillas in the Mist,” “Home Improvement,” and Pavlov’s dogs. Reading this story as a kid, I definitely hadn’t seen “King Kong” yet but, like everyone else, had adsorbed the broad strokes version of the story through pop culture osmosis. And that’s exactly what this is, the broadest of silly parodies, following the thinnest outline of the original. Giant ape is found on island, giant ape kidnaps woman, giant ape climbs tall structure, giant ape is shot down by biplane(s) and falls to his death. Never mind that tall structures are not exactly common on Mobius.

As a story, it’s not that funny. Even as a kid, I knew it wasn’t funny. My comedic palette was far from developed in 1994 but I could still tell this shit was corny as hell. Instead, I read the comics impulsively because Sonic and his friends were in it. Issue 17 definitely delivers on that. This is the most the comic has emulated SatAM thus far. Over the last month, Snively has slowly become a regular presence in the stories. Last issue, Sally finally became a redhead. And now the Freedom Fighters have finally moved out of Freedom HQ and into Knothole Village, though we barely see any of it. An element taken from the games, Tails’ bi-plane, also puts in an appearance, after its last appearance in Issue 14. Now if only the comic hadn’t, once again, forgotten about Bunnie being a cast member… These little moments of recognition is what you have to settle for in a story about King Gong.

Speaking of elements from the cartoon making it into the comic! The back-up story is much better and far more serious in tone. It’s a brief four-pager, also written by Penders and Kanterovich. In it, Sally wishes upon a flower, thinking about her childhood in golden Mobotropolis, before seeing a mysterious orb falling from the sky. The object is cold to the touch and very unusual indeed.

That’s all there is to this one yet something about it resonates. Sally’s memories establish for the first time what was lost when Robotnik took over. We see her playing with a young Sonic and spending time with her father only briefly but it reinforces what’s at stake. Sally hasn’t mentioned her missing dad since the original mini-series and it’s nice to see the comic reference that again. As for the mysterious orb, we now know that’s NICOLE, another valuable supporting character taken from SatAM. The comic doesn’t tell us this. Instead, this story is – gasp! – an example of serialization, of introducing elements that will be built upon later, creating an on-going story and a richer universe. Soon, my dear readers, soon.

Dave Manak’s artwork in the first story is broad and cartoony, matching the tone. Art Mawhinney’s artwork in the second story is rich and dark, some of his best work so far, emphasizing the sadness Sally feels when thinking about her father and the isolation of the night scene. That back-up story boosts the rating for the entire comic and gives us a peek of things soon to come. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 16

 
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 16
Publication Date: August 1994

Look at that, a cover that actually relates to the story within! This is only the fourth time that’s happened in the comic’s run but, from now on, would become business as usual. Took ‘em long enough. Also, Sally’s hair is finally red, which also took way longer then it should have. And Uncle Chuck and Muttski are actual robots, instead of simply hypnotized! Robotropis is now consistently a hellish city scape. Now if only this comic didn't seemingly forget Bunnie was a main character. Otherwise, we’d actually have a status qua.

Well, the cover is slightly misleading, as it looks like Sonic and friends have been miniaturized again. Instead, the glass they’re under is much more insidious. Using a very stupid plan that involves the promise of unlimited chili dogs and sleeping gas, Robotnik has captured the Freedom Fighters. Instead of just murdering them right then and there, a conclusion so obvious even Crabmeat makes it, Robotnik has captured the Mobians in a virtual reality machine, where they are stuck in an idealized existence, perfectly content and unable to topple Robotnik as he crushes the real world.

Considering Robotnik is still kind of a klutz at this point, this is actually a surprisingly, genuinely evil plan. It’s not practical, no, but it shows a sadism on the villain’s behalf that hasn’t been explored much yet. Peanders and Kanterovich have an opportunity to explore the characters’ wants, dreams, and secrets desires. And they sort of do that. The story begins with Robotnik defeated and the heroes celebrating, a decent fake-out opening. From there, Sonic and Sally immediately get married, which is presumably a G-rated version of what two 16-year-olds' actual utmost desires would be. (It’s also another example of Penders’ willingness to explore romance in a kid’s comic. Some people hate this but I don’t mind.) Next, Sonic gets Uncle Chuck and Muttski back. The comic reveals very quickly what is actually happening and it would’ve been easy to figure out anyway. But it’s still a fairly daring place to start, for this series.

What inevitably happens in all stories like this happens next. Sonic begins to realize something isn’t right, that it’s too perfect. He immediately plans to return to the real world but wonders if it’s worth it, if it’s right for him to pull his friends out of a paradise of their own making. A better comic would have explored this dilemma, one Sonic can't solve with his speed or wits, more. Because this is a kid’s comic, it takes him all of a page to make up his mind. The ending to “Sonic Under Glass” is borderline incoherent, as Sonic hacks into Robotnik’s computers from inside the simulation, turning his war machines against him. It’s a disappointing end to a plot that showed a lot more promise. It’s not exactly “For the Man Who Has Everything” but for a few pages, it looked like Archie’s “Sonic” might have gotten a little more cerebral.

I have a lot less to say about the second story, “The Man from H.E.D.G.E.H.O.G.” (Wouldn’t “The Hedgehog from U.N.C.L.E.” made more sense?) Robotnik creates a wheel with random schemes on it, figuring unpredictability could work in his favor. All of this is to root out the mole that’s spying on him for the Freedom Fighters. Anyway, it doesn’t work, Sonic and friends easily foiling each plot.

Despite the title, the story isn’t really a Sonic-fied riff on spy movies. There’s some lame call-outs to the various Bond movies. Sonic and Sally stop by a casino, briefly play a card game that certainly doesn’t look like Baccarat, before Sonic dodges a razor-edged hat. But that’s about it. Mostly, the story is devoted to random pop culture references unlikely to be understood by the target audience. Someone who looks a lot like Winnie the Pooh puts in a single panel appearance. Penders paraphrases the Shadow again, with a note that reads “Who Knows What Evil Lurks in the Hearts of Robots.” Another note reading “The Owls Are Not What They Seem” later appears. Yes, that’s a “Twin Peaks” reference in a Sonic comic. How much more random could you get? Mostly, the story delivers silly slapstick and lame visual puns. It also introduces Harvey Who, a character that would appear here and not appear again for eighteen years. (I honestly think everyone but Ian Flynn had forgotten about him.) In his first panel, he makes a Tootsie Pop joke. Yeesh.

So Issue 16 starts off promising but ultimately ends in the middling zone. So it goes. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 15

 
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 15
Publication Date: July 1994

How inconsistent the quality of Archie’s comic during the early years is honestly kind of impressive. The last few issues have been getting better, showing the comic slowly sliding out of the silliness that characterized the series’ beginning. Issue 14, especially, was the best the comic’s done so far. Issue 15 shows the series sliding back into its weaker territory. The weird part is that the exact same creative team was involved in both. It’s like one day they said, “We’re going to elevate the material!” and the next day they said “We’re going to do the same thing we always do!”

Issue 15 contains three shocking mediocre stories. In the first, “Rockin’ the ‘Bot,” Sonic rescues a frog from a mudslide. As an act of gratitude, the frog gifts Sonic with three magic stones, each one granting him a different ability. This comes in handy when Robotnik attacks with a giant robotic bug. In the second story, “What’s the Big Idea?,” Sonic and friends comically wonder what Rotor is up to in his laboratory. In the third story, “Animal Magnetism,” Robotnik attacks with a vehicle equipped with a powerful magnet. This is especially dangerous for Bunnie, what with half her body being made of metal.

I just read this issue a few minutes ago and it’s already starting to fade from memory. The first story is built around Sonic not remembering which magical stone does what. Thus, he becomes elastic or performs a super-jump when he wants super-strength. When he finally finds the right stone, the situation doesn’t seem to call for super-strength. It’s a pretty limp comedic set-up, especially since it ends up working out for him every time. The super-elasticity saves his life for one. (Also, Bunnie always has super-strength but the story conveniently forgets that.) There’s lots of expected bug puns when Robotnik shows up in the bug-ship, as you’d expect. Mostly, this story is notable for a few visual coincidences. The frog looks a lot like Froggy, who wouldn’t appear until “Sonic Adventure,” and the magic stones look a lot like Chaos Emeralds, which still didn't exist in the comic in quite the form they do today.

 
The second story is a silly joke three-pager from the Penders/Kanterovich team. Rotor has locked himself up in his room, masturbating working on a new invention. The other Freedom Fighters idly wonder what he’s up to. In concept, it’s a cute idea. What the characters imagine says a lot about their personalities. Tails thinks Rotor is making a Universal Fratistat, an poorly defined device that does… Something. Bunnie expects a self-watering, self-caring garden. Sonic wants a bad ass hover board. Sally wants glow-in-the-dark popcorn, which really doesn’t fit her personality. Mostly, the strip is devoted to silly gags, like exploding milkshakes, a PB&J sandwich in a jar, or the goofy reveal of what Rotor is actually working on. Art Mawhinney’s artwork is great but the story is neither funny nor insightful.

The last story is the one that tries the hardest. Though Bunnie has been given plenty of things to do, we still haven’t gotten a story that really probes her personality. Unfortunately “Animal Magnetism” isn’t it. Mostly, Bunnie is just a distressed damsel, endangered by Robotnik’s machine. The way Sonic defeats the tyrant – tricking him into pointing his super magnets at Robotropolis – is an incredibly dumb finale. Since Angelo DeCesare wrote this one, it’s also got it’s fair share of puns. Once again, Art Mawhinney’s pencils are lovely. Sadly, they are in service of an immediately forgettable story. The whole issue is forgettable. I’ve forgotten it already. What was I talking about? [5/10]

DO-IT-YOURSELF SONIC

In the early years of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic, they would frequently encourage interaction with the reader. One issue presented multiple choices to a question, fans asked to pick the best answer. Stories written by Mike Gallagher that introduced new characters or concepts would often end with those characters directly asking if the readers wanted to see more of them. I can remember one future issue that left a magic spell blank, readers encouraged to think up their own. The only remnant of this “Hey readers, here’s a treat!” attitude is the fan art and fan letter columns that still appear in the book to this day. (Though the fan art sometimes gets the axe.)

Probably the most gratuitous use of this came in Issue 14. Sandwiched between two actually pretty good stories is a three-pager showing Sonic and Tails encountering Robotnik’s robotic whale. The main gimmick is that the story has no dialogue. The idea was readers would fill in the word bubbles, send them into Archie, and the best ones would win prizes. The winners would eventually appear in Issue 23, the lucky few winning subscriptions or signed artwork. The idea mostly strikes me as lazy page filler and, yeah, pretty much. However, we here at “Hedgehogs Can’t Swim” aren’t above lazy filler sometimes. Naturally, I couldn’t resist myself and had to make my own wildly inappropriate version of “Do-It-Yourself Sonic.” If this comes off as overly crude or obnoxious, I apologize. It’s all meant in good humor.

I present to you “Thank God the Internet Hasn’t Been Invented Yet,” my twenty-five years too late entry into the contest. For some reason, I suspect this would have been swiftly rejected by Archie’s staff. Embiggen to appreciate and probably download too, as I sure-as-fuck packed those word balloons with as much verbiage as possible.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 14

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 14
Publication Date: June 1994





As I’ve mentioned roughly ten thousand times since starting these reviews, the early years of the comics were closer in tone to the “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” weekly cartoon, despite being based on “Sonic the Hedgehog,” the Saturday morning series. People like to say that, as time went on, more SatAM elements would creep into the comic. This isn’t necessarily true. As time went on, the comics would become their own weird thing. However, issue 14 does feel a lot like an episode of SatAM and does include a handful of elements from that show. If the script cut down on some of Archie's trademark puns, it’s very easy to imagine this fitting in with the Saturday morning cartoon show.

Like most issues at this point, issue 14 is split between two stories. In the first, “Tails’ Taste of Power,” Sonic leaves Tails to take care of Rotor’s greenhouse. For some reason, Rotor is in possession of the Tree of Wisdom, which is introduced with no explanation or reasoning. Anyway, Tails’ duty has him feeling a little unappreciated and, on a whim, he eats the sole fruit from the Tree. This, naturally, makes him an immediate genius. Using his newfound intelligence, Tails defeats one of Robotnik’s robots with ease. His brilliance also goes to his head, as he begins to act like a snobbish prick. Deciding he’s smart enough to defeat Robotnik on his own, Tails flies into Robotropolis… Just as the super intelligence given to him by the fruit wares off.

Angelo DeCesare, the most inconsistent writer working for Archie at the time, starts with a cheap sitcom premise. Tails becoming super-smart could have been played for the easiest of lame jokes. The comic does feature some easy gags, such as Tails using overly long words, which at one point crowds the other characters out of a panel. However, the jokey dialogue is kept to a minimum. The plot is mostly played for character development and tension. Tails’ becoming super-intelligent is enough to defeat the Shredbot, a machine left over from “Hooked on Sonics,” a SatAM episode. However, the Tree of Wisdom gifts knowledge, not maturity. Subsequently, Tails turns into a pretentious asshole, bossing his friends around. He learns this lesson the hard way, when the effects of the fruit wares off, forcing Sonic to save his ass. It’s a slightly preachy lesson but DeCesare’s script handles it in a really smart way, sneaking a message about not being a prick and respecting your friends into an exciting story.

That excitement mostly manifests in how “Tails’ Taste of Power” treats Robotnik. Considered a joke throughout most of the comic at this point, Robotnik is suddenly a threat. Earlier, the Shredbot comes dangerously close to shredding Sally and Bunnie. When Tails marches into Robotnik’s lair, he’s immediately captured. The villain announces his intentions to kill the youngster. Notably, Sonic defeats Robotnik not by smashing shit with his spines but by outwitting him. He convinces the dictator that the medal Tails is wearing is a bomb. During a surprising tense series of panels, we wonder whether or not Robotnik will buy the hedgehog’s bluff. Later in the series, I doubt he would. But at this point, it’s still probably. For a comic that was cracking jokes about muck covered moons last month, this is surprisingly balanced, mature writing.

The second main story embarks on a similar tone, though it’s a little less successful. “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” is a Penders/Kanterovich joint. While playing with his officially licensed Freedom Fighters marionettes, Robotnik gets an idea. Together, the Freedom Fighters are a force to be reckoned with. Separated, they’ll be easier to pick off.  He puts up a fake mall front, which attracts Sally and Bunnie. Underestimating them because they're women, the villain expects to crush them easily. Turns out, not so much, as they easily defeat him.

Something Ken Penders gets criticized for – one of many things he gets criticized for -  is his tendency to write female characters that are tough and have lots of action but are still marginalized in a stereotypically feminine way. “Faux Action Girl” is what TVTroupes would probably call it. And, yes, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” is very much in that cheesy “Girl power!” mold. Despite all the attempts the script makes to paint Sally and Bunnie as capable action heroes, they’re still lured into a trap with the promise of shopping. Once the ass-kicking begins, they spout empty platitudes like “Male chauvinist pig!” Or “Girls can do anything!’ Or “Never underestimate the Power of a Princess!” It’s ladled on a little too thick, especially the final panel where the two say Sonic thinks too much about shopping.

(In addition to that, Penders and Kanterovich are still striking a weird balance between action and the comic’s goofy humor. Robotnik is a bit of a joke. He’s introduced playing with toys, a joke taken straight out of “Spaceballs.” In general, there’s a bit too many puns and quips in the dialogue. I’m not sure if this is Penders or Kanterovich’s fault.)

Yes, it’s a little heavy handed. But that doesn’t mean I dislike the story. Just a few issues ago, Sally was a moody drama-queen and Bunnie’s biggest aspiration in the world was to be a hairdresser. (or, uh, a haredresser.) In this story, they’re facing down Robotnik with courage. They flip SWATBots over their shoulders and smashes the machines to pieces. Sally is even seen performing a back-kick, which would become something like her combat trademark. They even tie up Robotnik and his lackeys. (They don’t murder him there and end the war single-handedly, probably because this is a kids’ comic.) What I’m saying is there’s a definite novelty to seeing the female leads cut loose like this. It’s satisfying to see both characters kick ass like we all know they’re capable of.

Once again, Art Mawhinney does the art for nearly the entire book. His expressive faces are put to good use in “Tails’ Taste of Power.” His aptitude for action comes into play in “Girls Just Wanna Fun.” Most importantly, all the characters look like they’ve stepped right out of SatAM. The only complaint I have about his artwork is that he draws Crabmeat kind of weird, giving the robot overly expressive blue eyes. The only story he didn’t pen is “Do-it-Yourself Sonic,” a three pager conceived by Ken and Mike and drawn by Dave Manak. But we’ll get to that on Wednesday. Until then, I’ll say that Issue 14 is probably the best issue of Archie’s Sonic series yet, the comic finally fulfilling some of its potential. [8/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 13

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 13
Publication Date: May 1994


The first year of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic was almost entirely disposable. In its second year, the tone didn’t change very much. The stories remained very silly, with low stakes. However, the comic started to introduce more elements entirely unique to it. The last two issues saw the introduction of Anti-Mobius and comic-exclusive characters, like Cyril the Eagle and Larry the Lynx. Issue 13 gives us something that would long mark the comics as a unique bit of “Sonic” media. Knuckles the Echidna, of course, didn’t originate in Archie’s comic. Despite being one of the most important characters in the Sonic legacy, Knuckles would only appear in video games for years. Just seeing Knuckles in animation was enough to redeem divisive cartoons like the “Sonic” OVA or “Sonic Underground.” Before those cartoons came along, Knuckles had been doing his thing in the comics for years, having adventures and even holding down his own series for a while. And that all started here.

The issue opens with “This Island Hedgehog.” (The title is another Penders’ style reference to a bit of pop culture unlikely to resonate with kids in 1994. Disappointingly, there are no Metaluna Mutants in this comic.)  Anyway, Sonic and Tails are flying around Mobius, scoping out new Robotnik developments, when they stumble upon a floating island. Their plane is shot down, crashing on the island. They discover how dangerous a place it is and soon come face-to-face with Knuckles, the echidna guardian of the location. Robotnik has misled Knuckles, convincing him that he’s a hero and Sonic is a villain, out to steal the Chaos Emerald that keeps the island afloat. Eventually, Sonic and Tails open Knuckles’ eye to the truth.

Issue 13 is typical of this era of Sonic. There are silly jokes sprinkled throughout. Knuckles shoots down Sonic and Tails’ bi-plane – which is pointedly not the Tornado – with a rocket-propelled punch, an “Unwelcome Mat” attached to it. For some reason, there’s a reference to Batman on page 7, a Gotham City sign appearing on the island for no reason. Robotnik’s lie to Sonic is pointed out with an editor’s note. The dictator’s ship bounces off the water at the end, in a very silly sight gag. There’s plenty of silly puns in the dialogue. “This is just “plane” crazy,” “This Tarzan stuff is for the birds – not for foxes!” So on and so forth.

However, “This Island Hedgehog” is definitely a much better adaptation of “Sonic 3” then Issue 6’s “The Spin Doctor” was of “Sonic Spinball.” The general plot of the game – Robotnik manipulating Knuckles and attempting to steal the Chaos Emerald – is maintained smoothly. Instead of emphasizing the different levels like that story, Issue 13 mostly focuses on the major points. We get brief shout-outs to the game, like the appearance of the Battle Blimp (which is amusingly typo’d as a “Batter” Blimp.), Sonic randomly gaining a Lightning Shield, and a short stop in the Hydrocity Zone. Considering how Chaos Emeralds would become the most important MacGuffin in Sonic history, it’s funny how this is the first time they’ve appeared in the comic. Weirdly, everyone already knows what the Chaos Emeralds are.

The story is a bit too slim to truly give him much room to breathe but the basics of Knuckles’ personality are here. He’s gullible, brass and aggressive, but ultimately has a heroic heart. Robotnik isn’t much of a threat, still being a silly comic relief villain at this point. The plot is resolved very quickly, with Sonic quickly grabbing the Chaos Emerald back and quickly kicking Robotnik off the island. To Penders’ credit, his dialogue is better here then in his last few issues. “This Island Hedgehog” is not a great story but it’s a decent one, giving Knuckles a swift, solid introduction.

I don’t have much to say about the second story, the atrociously named “Space in Yo’ Face.” Robotnik builds a spaceship, equipped with a long-distance roboticizer beam. The Freedom Fighters sneak aboard, flying into space. Robotnik and Snively pursue them, their ships landing on the Mobius’ moon, which is covered with muck. Shenanigans ensue.

After bouncing back with a pretty decent story last time, Angelo DeCesare slips back into his goofy, pun-filled style with this one. It’s 14 pages of goofy space, moon, and sand related jokes. It’s inessential, to be kind, and really dumb, to be honest. Art Mawhinney’s artwork remains excellent in many ways. Compared to the first story – where Dave Manak’s pointy art cannot adapt to the Sega house style – Mawhinney does much better. However, even his pencils seem slightly embarrassed by the story. When Robotnik’s shuttle transforms into a giant robot, he slips. I can’t blame him.

The first story is as about as good this series got during this point in its run. The second story is utterly disposable piece of badly timed goofiness. So it’s an even split. Remember it for Knuckles’ first appearance, not the pointless back-up tale. [6/10] 

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 12

 
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 12
Publication Date: April 1994

Issue 12 would be a good-looking if mildly unremarkable issue of “Sonic the Hedgehog” if it wasn’t for one thing. It features work from all three of the head writers at the time. The first story is from Mike Gallagher. The second is from the Penders/Kanterovich team. The last is from Angelo DeCesare. This allows us a good opportunity to compare and contrast the different style and approaches of three of the voices who would define the comic’s early years.

Mike Gallagher’s “A Timely Arrival” opens the book. After scraping the shit out of multiple Robotnik robots, the dictator thinks up a way to erase the hedgehog once and for all: Send him back in time! Casually cracking the secrets of time travel, Robotnik dumps Sonic back in prehistoric days. There, Sonic befriends his distant ancestors, a boghog name Sonugh, who has problems with a rotund madman named Robughnik and a group of friends that include Princess Sal-ugh. Eventually, the Freedom Fighters get him back to his own time.

Like all of Gallagher’s work, the tone is incredibly silly and light. The premise basically recalls a sitcom. Sonic going back in time and fighting dinosaurs is one thing. That’s cool actually, even if the dinosaurs talk and crack jokes too. Meeting a group of identical ancestors is a little much though. Many of the jokes are very silly, especially the entire bit about Robughnik. An earlier gag about Sally watching soap operas is also groan-worthy. Another trademark of Gallagher is self-reflective jokes. Sonic breaks the fourth wall when crashing back in his own time. The entire story is built around pre-exisiting familiarity to the “Sonic the Hedgehog” universe. Having said that, this is actually a pretty good Gallagher story. Another trademark of the author is a ecological slant. Sonic is so enraged by Robotnik cutting down trees that he catches the roof on fire on his way out. The joke about Sonic inventing hedges, and thus inventing hedgehogs, is amusing. I like the Freedom Fighters being dependent enough to rescue Sonic all on their own. It’s silly but rarely actively bad, just light-weight and disposable. (It also features the Prehistoric Freedom Fighters asking the readers if they want to be seen again, another Gallagher quirk.)

The second story, “The Bold-Headed Eagle,” is from Penders and Kanterovich. While racing through the mountains, Sonic accidentally runs off a cliff. He lands in the nest of Cyril the Eagle, who believes himself to be the last eagle and spends his days hiding from Robotnik. Sonic attempting to teach the eagle to fly again alerts them to the dictator, who is then undone by his own hubris.

If “The Bold-Headed Eagle” is a Penders work, it’s definitely an early Penders work. The writers’ typically verbose dialogue is on display, which is a problem. The story hews closer in tone to “SatAM,” as Robotropis looks more like the cartoon and Snivley plays a big role. It also introduces a new character, Cyril the Eagle, who is then revealed to have a nearly identical family, another thing Penders would become notorious for. However, it’s interesting to see Ken’s style co-exist alongside the comic’s early, goofy tone. Robotnik appears to stop Sonic inside a ram-shaped vehicle, which looks like something out of “He-Man,” while wearing lederhosen. Cyril, who is literally bald, wears a cardigan, and walks with a cane, is a pretty silly character too. Notably, he wouldn’t appear much as the comic got more serious. Though badly hampered by Penders’ puffy dialogue, it’s not a bad story. After being a quipping jerk for the last eleven issues, it’s nice to see Sonic evolving into a compassionate, helpful person.

The third story is entitled “The Lynx is a Jinx” and was written by Angelo DeCesare. Robotnik’s SWATBots are performing another sweep of the forest, forcing Sonic and company to clear out the innocent animals. While there, Sonic meets Larry, a lynx whose bad luck is contagious, usually leading to catastrophe for those around him. Fearing for his friends’ lives, Sonic follows Larry alone, hoping to find a place for the feline. Naturally, Robotnik soon attacks.

Okay, my thesis is wrong. “The Lynx is a Jinx” is actually much better then Angelo DeCesare’s previous work. There’s not quite a tidal wave of puns. Sally is mean to Larry but she actually has a good reason for it. It’s also not an entirely light-weight story. The threat of Robotnik harming the inhabitants of the forest is very real. Larry’s depression about being an outcast is treated seriously. However, the crux of the story is still pretty silly. Magic doesn’t exist yet in the Archie comic, so Larry’s weird ability to affect the luck of those around him seems really out of place. The way it plays out, with Larry using his jinx abilities to defeat Robotnik’s latest scheme, is sadly predictable. Another definite DeCesare element: the rat-rod Robotnik attempts to run Sonic down with. That is, as the kids would say, random.

(Notably, both of these stories would introduce characters that would rarely be seen again. Under Ian Flynn’s pen, Larry would eventually develop into something of a fan favorite but that’s 226 issues from now.)

Tying all these stories together is Art Mawhinney’s outstanding artwork. This is especially notable in the final story, where the Great Forest seems like a lush, alive place for the first time in the comic’s run. Mawhinney’s action is excellent, Sonic’s running and fighting seeming especially lively. Sonic burning off the page and his scuffle with the dinosaurs are both nice moments. The expressions are brilliant, especially Larry’s perpetual sad sack frown. I love how Mawhinney’s artwork shows a clear connection to SatAM but he also adapts brilliantly to comics. It’s cartoony, lively, and silly during Gallagher’s story. It’s more focused and serious in DeCesare’s story. 

While still on the “good, not great” side of the critical divide, issue 12 may very well be the most balanced “Sonic” comic yet. The writing is pretty good from all four scribes, the artwork is great, and the issue progresses smoothly and satisfyingly. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 11

 

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 11
Publication Date: March 1994

I don’t think there’s a more divisive name in “Sonic the Hedgehog” fandom then Ken Penders. Especially following his asinine lawsuit that made the complete universe reboot necessary, Penders has become widely hated, to the point where his last name is best spoken when scream to the heavens in a fiery rage. (Try it. PEEENNNDDDEEERRRS! Feels good, right?) Even before then, Penders’ overly-wordy writing, ass-ugly artwork, and preferences towards melodrama and convoluted plotting were widely criticized. Yet I often find myself in the unlikely situation of being a Penders Defender. The guy invented most of the comic’s mythology, broadened its supporting cast considerably, and I honestly love a lot of the stories he wrote. Little of what would make Penders’ such a controversial name is noticeable in Issue 11, the first time he ever wrote a “Sonic the Hedgehog” story. For the most part, it reads and feels like the goofy comedy that characterized the comic’s early years.

 
In the first story, the Freedom Fighters sans Sonic encounter a Robotnik factory polluting a local river. Sonic is elsewhere, having just beat the shit out of Scratch and Grounder. Over to the factory, he takes a short cut through an inter-dimensional highway that cuts through time and space itself. But he takes a wrong turn and winds up on Anti-Mobius, where good is evil and evil is good. Thus, Robotnik is a kindly veterinary and Sonic and the Freedom Fighters are violent, tyrannical hooligans. Sonic scuffles with his evil double before making it back home.

When I said that “The Good, the Bad, and the Hedgehog” mostly plays like a regular Sonic story from this time, I was being honest. However, it’s easy to see the signifiers that would soon become Ken Penders’ trademark. Firstly, the story is sprinkled with references to subjects slightly outside Archie’s reader base. Sally calls Sonic with her Super Secret Sonic Signal Watch, an object never heard of before or since and obviously based on Jimmy Olsen’s Signal Watch. The Cosmic Interstate is peppered with references to Beatles’ lyrics, even giving the Yellow Submarine a cameo. One panel name-drops Lois Lane and Margo Lane. Kids in 1994 probably knew who Superman’s girlfriend was but the Shadow’s girlfriend? (I mean, the movie wouldn’t even come out for another four months.) Another mentions Cosmic Rays, the shit that gave the Fantastic Four their powers. “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” is sang at one point. Most obviously, the whole concept of Anti-Mobius is obviously pulled from Star Trek’s Mirror Universe. Even an off-hand shout-out to “Wizard of Oz” skews slightly older then the six year olds that were buying these comic books at the time.

Aside from the gratuitously peppered references, Penders’ love of somewhat awkward dialogue is noticeable. Seems like there’s more word balloons, editor note boxes, and wordy signs in this issue then the last two combined. This becomes intrusive when panel space is taken up by notes explaining the mirror universe concept. Once Anti-Sonic shows up, the dialogue becomes especially groan-worthy. “What’s the hassle, Schmassle?” “I know the deal, Schlemiel?” Keep in mind, the comic was still characterized by puns and lame jokes at this point. Also, the main story ends with Sonic and Sally kissing, foreshadowing Ken’s more prominent use of romance.

Still, it’s not all bad. Anti-Sonic is a fairly ridiculous character. Only a grandma would identify sunglasses and leather jackets with ruffians in 1994. Yet at least he’s a threat. When Robotnik so often feels like an incompetent clown, a character that can actually keep up with Sonic makes more of an impression. Making Robotnik a kindly veterinary in the mirror universe is also mildly clever.

The two back-up stories aren’t worth writing about much. The first has Coconuts capturing the other Freedom Fighters (except for Bunnie, who is once again absent from this entire issue.) and planting them on a cartoonish collection of explosive. Coconuts underestimates his enemy’s main attribute, his speed, which does not speak well to his villain credentials. Mostly, the issue seems written around a silly maze gag. The last story, “Food for Thought” is most noticeable for just being fucking weird. Sonic eats too many chili dogs before bed and has a bizarre dream in which his friends become food items. Sonic is a chili dog, Sally is an ice cream cone, Tails is a box of French fries, and Robotnik is a giant hamburger. Who is also a chef, preparing the Freedom Fighters as foods. Aside from the barrages of laid-on-thick food puns, the story is mostly just weird. Art Mawhinney’s gorgeously penned artwork actually pushes the story out of the realm of funny to slightly disturbing. Mawhinney’s talents were probably better used when not drawing odd fever dreams.

That rounds up to about a six, I guess. [6/10]