Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 23

 
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 23
Publication Date: March 1995

Oh shit, kids. This one brings back memories. As a youngster, I thumbed through my growing Sonic comic collection countless times. As previously mentioned, I read issue 20 and the In Your Face special so much that the covers actually came off. Issue 23 was another one I remember reading and re-reading countless times. I can recall a long trip to my grandparent’s place where this issue was one of the few things I brought to occupy myself with. It’s not an especially great issue of “Sonic the Hedgehog” but, never the less, I have a certain nostalgic affection for it.

 

While out gathering medicinal berries on the outskirts of Robotropois, Rotor looses the ants from his ant farm. This puts him, Sonic, and Sally in a dangerous position, once Robotnik and Snively puts their sights on them. That is until a giant metal tube extends out of the sky, sucking all of them up into an alien spacecraft. Manned by an enormous being calling himself Car-Heem (of - sigh - the planet Weeet.), the alien throws everyone into a glass tank, watching and observing them. If they plan to escape, the Freedom Fighters and Robotnik have to work together.

“Ivo Robotnik, Freedom Fighter” tosses together two well-worn story types. The first which is the Alien Collector, a powerful being from another planet who collects people, planets, or mysterious objects for whatever reasons. Other examples include Pyron from “Darkstalkers” and, uh, the Collector from Marvel Comics. (Car-Heem wouldn’t be referenced again for 11 years, when Ian Flynn started making occasional shout-outs to him because Flynn is a huge fucking nerd.) The second trope the story includes is the Enemy Mine scenario, where hero and bad guy are forced to work together for whatever reason. The script isn’t especially clever in the way it mashes these two cliched situations up but I suppose it gets points for combining both instead of just running with either as they are.

This is an Angelo Decesare script, so expect plenty of goofiness. There’s lots of loose comedy, like characters being itched by ants, Robotnik trying to sell the alien a book, or Robotnik outright refusing to work because he’s a lazy bastard. The puns aren’t numerous as they could’ve been yet still exist. First off, the villain’s name is a pun on Cream of Wheat for no discernible reason. Robotnik is forced to recite the Freedom Fighter pledge and a few jabs are made at his clothing, weight, or the shape of his head. The story also includes a forced-in moral lesson for the kids. When Robotnik sucks Car-Heem out the airlock, Sally insist they rescue him because a Freedom Fighter never leaves anyone to die.

Okay, so it’s cliched and corny. There’s still something satisfying about watching this story unfold, even if we always know where it’s going. Car-Heem’s spaceship isn’t a cliched flying saucer but instead a square-shaped Phoenix Lights-style craft. You know that Robotnik is going to try and betray the Freedom Fighters at some point, so there’s some minor suspense waiting for that to happen. I also like the parallels the story draws between the character’s situation and ants in an ant farm.

The back-up story, also by Angelo Decesare, turns its focus on Antoine. After Tails left a power ring in Robotropolis, Antoine volunteers to go retrieve it. Obviously aware of how dead he’d be if he attempted something like this alone, Bunnie Rabbot discreetly tags along, rescuing the coyote several times. It’s a silly tale, devoted to the hero stumbling into seemingly fatal situations only to be pulled out at the last minute. The escalating scenarios are nicely ridiculous, climaxing in Robotnik attacking Antoine while in his pajamas. Mostly, the back-up story will be of most interest to shippers, as this is the first story to portray Bunnie and Antoine as being attracted to each other. The final panel, which shows Antoine laying a smooch on a blushing Bunnie, is pretty cute truthfully.

(The issue contains the winners from issue 14’s “Do-It-Yourself Sonic” contest. Caulder Bradford wins the top prize, probably because his pages are indistinguishable from what would’ve normally been published in the comic anyway. Breman Welch’s second place winner is hilariously awkward as it features such sterling dialogue as “Good lunch!” and “Let’s give them a fishing present!” He also calls what is obviously a whale a shark. The third place winner was Kenny Janda who earns points for redrawing the entire fucking comic. His dialogue is hard to make out but it seems about on par for this type of story. Also, both the first and third place winners reference Pinocchio. Anyway, mine was better.)

Dave Manak draws the entire issue. As usual, his work is silly, cartoony, and loose but works for this stories. It’s rather middling, especially compared to the better stories that have been appearing the book around this point. But, I don’t know guys, I still kind of like it. [6/10]