Tails (Mini-Series): Issue 1

 
Tails (Mini-Series): Issue 1
Publication Date: October 1995

Looking back, it’s impressive that Archie was so eager to launch a spin-off series out of “Sonic.” I guess Sonic was a still-hot property at the time, full of potential, and they wanted to take that to the bank. Earlier in 1995, they gave Princess Sally a three issue mini-series. Later that same year, Sonic’s sidekick Tails got a mini-series of his own. (It wouldn’t be until Archie’s next attempt, with the Knuckles series, that a spin-off would be successfully launched.) Released over the last three months of ’95, the “Tails” mini-series is perhaps less notable for starring everyone’s favorite two-tail freak and more for the ways it would continue to expanded the Sonic Archie-verse.

Still pissed about the way the Freedom Fighters infantilize him, and still smarting over having his heart broken by Fiona, Tails heads out on his own adventure. Jumping in the Sea Fox, he sails out over the island, headed towards Robotnik’s plan on the other end of the globe. Along the way, he stumbles upon the robotic dictator’s secret new blimp. Immediately afterwards, he swims into the path of Octobot. Luckily, a new team of aquatic Freedom Fighters come along to save his butt.

Tails slightly sucks at his job here… Which is precisely the point. He’s tired of being treated like a little kid but he’s really not ready to fight evil on his own. Upon discovering Robotnik’s stealth blimp, he’s immediately blind-sided by SWATBots. Afterwards, he falls directly into a trap laid by Octobot. Truthfully, the eight-legged robot has Tails’ goose cooked. He drags him underwater and chokes him out. This mini-series would’ve been a lot shorter if the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters hadn’t intervened. Despite being slightly incompetent, Tails has some tricks up his sleeve. He manages to take out a few SWATBots with a neat (if implausible) trick involving a water spout. See, he’s got moxy but not the experience to back it up.

Mike Gallagher, despite his usually comical style, was surprisingly willing to add some darkness to the back-up stories leading up to this mini-series. In the first part of “Southern Crossover,” he leans back on that goofiness. “Tails” opens with a peak at a comic Tails himself has written, which recast the fox as Captain Super FoX-Man the Mutant Cyborg Clone. (Jabs at the other, more popular comics were a reoccurring gag that I had hoped this comic had abandoned.) Robotnik’s blimp is literally cloaked. It has a camouflage tarp over it and can only be seen from below. Tails knows what Robotnik is up to because he swiped his list at the end of the last story. When confronted by the missing list, Robotnik denies it and destroys the descending machine. If any of the other writers handled this story, the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters probably would’ve been called the Aquatic or Underwater Freedom Fighters. Gallagher has to go for the pun.

 
Still, I do like the way the script continues to expand Sonic’s world. The comic moves away from Knothole Village and the Great Forest. Tails is on the open waves, headed towards Downunda, the Mobius version of Australia. Yeah, the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters are goofy. The jellyfish is named P.B., the manta ray is Ray. The dolphin and whale don’t even get puns for names, as they’re just called Bottlenose and Fluke. (Bivalve the Giant Clam doesn’t even get mentioned by name.) However, I still like the team. I like the idea that underwater Mobians are just as intelligent as those on land but maintain their fish-like appearance, that form being better suited for living under the sea. The appearance of Fluke the Whale actually has a bit of awe and wonder to it.

Truthfully, the biggest problem with “Tails” Issue 1 is that it’s all set-up and not enough story. Tails’ adventure on the high seas doesn’t really set the plot moving. The actual plot development takes place in Robotnik’s scenes. These sequence introduce CrocBot, the story’s actual antagonist. Downunda’s boss, CrocBot intends on taking over Robotnik’s forces and toppling the dictator as soon as possible. That CrocBot immediately announces these intentions does not make for the smoothest writing. (That his plan seemingly involves sticking Crocodile Dundee hats on the SWATBots is more funny then anything else.) Visually, CrocBot is pretty cool though. You can’t understate the appeal of a robot crocodile guy.

Dave Manak’s artwork is loose and angular, as always. His weakness for differing angles comes up. “Tails” Issue 1 has some problems but it’s also a first issue. It’s got plenty of wheels to set spinning. Will the series get better as it progresses? I’ll guess we’ll find out soon enough. [6/10]