Knuckles the Echidna (Original Mini-Series): Issue 2

 
Knuckles (Original Mini-Series): Issue 2
Publication Date: June 1996

Look, I know hating on Ken Penders is what Archie Sonic fans are supposed to do. The law suit pissed me off too. Yet, re-reading these classic stories, it’s become clear that Penders built the mythology of this universe. Sometimes, I feel like he was the only writer who truly took these characters seriously. Still, some of his writing quirks annoy me. His stilted or exposition heavy dialogue, for one example. His frequently stiff artwork, for another. Or how about his reliance on pop culture references, something I never do? Issue 2 of the “Knuckles” mini-series features a few too many of those. A giant killer sandworm is killed when he runs head-first into a rock, like in “Tremors.” The spirit of the hero’s father appears before him, giving him some sage advice, like in “The Lion King.” A group of robotic guards chant the march from “Wizard of Oz.” Later, they yell “Crush! Kill! Destroy!,” like the robot in an old “Lost in Space” episode. We get it, Ken. You like things.

Anyway, the plot. Knuckles and Archimedes are lost in the desert, where Enerjak stuck them at the end of the last issue. It’s a hazardous place, as they face the danger of giant sandworms and heat exhaustion. Meanwhile, Enerjak uses his powers to build a city in his own image, a twisted place known as Nekronopolis. Knuckles arrives at the diabolic city only to discover that the villain has turned his own friends against him.

I’m starting to think that three issues really isn’t enough page space to get a proper story out. The “Tails” mini-series felt rushed and condensed. Now, “Knuckles” is facing the same problem. In the space of a few pages, we go from Knuckles surviving the bad guy’s evil plan to immediately crashing it. Only having three books to get everything out cheats the second act, lending the story an anemic middle section. It doesn’t help that Ken spends three whole pages on summarizing the events covered in the “Knuckles” back-up stories. Really, did he think the people who read this weren’t going to read the “Sonic” comics as well?

So what does part two of “Rites of Passage” have going for it? How about the quasi-comedic antics of Knuckles and Archimedes wandering the desert? The scene with the sandworm is moderately well done, mostly thanks to Art Mawhinney’s action-packed artwork. That Knuckles and Archimedes eat the animal’s remains afterwards is an awfully morbid, amusing gag. Another amusing moments comes when, in hungry desperation, Knuckles attempts to eat Archimedes. This doesn’t work out for him. That he would even consider it shows that this hero still has a lot of growing to do.

Still, Penders’ script takes it too easy on Knux. Just as he’s on the verge of dying from heat exhausting, a vision of his dad appears to him. The spectre guides Knuckles to an oasis in the middle of the desert. Even at this point, we know that Locke isn’t dead. What do we make of this moment? Like-wise, why does the oasis immediately vanish after Knuckles and Archimedes leave? The ending of the issue has Knuckles coming upon Enerjak’s evil city. He doesn’t intentionally seek it out. He stumbles upon it. If the mini-series had just been one issue longer, the story structure probably would have seemed less messy. As it is, Knuckles survives his enemy’s plot solely because others help him. He then discovers the villain’s lair purely through luck.

The issue is a bit short on action, being mostly devoted to Knuckles in the desert. Where exactly Enerjak got his robot army isn’t explained but Knuckles smashing the bots does lead to some okay action. Still, considering he’s obviously meant to be his arch-enemy, I would’ve liked Enerjak to get some more page-time. He’s the main baddie of the book and Knuckles has only met him once so far. (Also, why does every city on Mobius have to end in “–opolis?” Couldn’t Enerjak have just called his hide-out the Dead City?)

Mawhinney’s artwork remains fine but I’m beginning to suspect that Knuckles’ mini-series will disappoint just like all the others. Maybe we’ll get a bitchin’ final act? I’m not holding my breath. [5/10]