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]