Sonic Blast

Sonic Blast
Publication Date: January 1997

Ah, the Sega Saturn, Sega’s ill-fated attempt to compete in the fourth generation of home video game consoles. Because of a bungled release date, corporate shake-ups at Sega, and the lack of a killer app, the Saturn would quickly fall behind the Nintendo 64 and Playstation. Naturally, Sega wouldn’t launch a new system without a new game starring their mascot. That game, “Sonic X-Treme,” had a troubled production and would ultimately not be released. In “X-Treme’s” absence, a game called “Sonic 3D Blast” was released later as the system’s trademark Sonic game. “Blast,” however, was developed for the Genesis so it didn’t really show off the Saturn’s abilities. Worst yet, it was a mediocre game, with sluggish controls and repetitive game play. Tossed in there somewhere was the Archie Comics’ adaptation, merely entitled “Sonic Blast.”

 
Emerging out of the ocean is a mysterious atoll called Flickie Island. Robotnik immediately deduces that a Chaos Emerald exists on the island. Setting off alone, partially because of Snively’s sabotage, Robotnik lands on Flickie Island. He immediately sets out robotocizing the island’s inhabitants, the Flickie birds. Sonic, Tails, and Rotor pick up on Snively’s leaked signal and head after the villain, hoping to stop his scheme.

“Sonic Blast” comes from the pen of Mike Gallagher. While he’s written some fairly serious stories over his run, including the “Mecha Madness” two-parter and the “Death Egg Saga,” Gallagher’s has his roots with goofier stories. Meanwhile, the main “Sonic” book had been getting relatively grim here of late. (And would be getting grimmer soon, with the up-coming “Endgame” arc.) So a relatively whimsical, light-weight story like “Sonic Blast” actually comes off fairly well. It’s a straight-ahead action piece, humorous without lessening the threat of its villain or the heroics of its hedgehog.

 
Robotnik is at his greediest here. He lands on Flickie Island to steal a Chaos Emerald. However, the island is covered with jewels, growing naturally from trees and flowers. Immediately, the tyrant begins coveting the gems. That’s not the evilest thing he does though. He brings with him a mobile robotocizer and immediately sets out turning the peaceful birds into mechanical monsters. That’s how evil Robotnik is: He has no problem transforming adorable little birdies into soulless, evil robots to further his goal. There’s no honor among thieves though. “Sonic Blast” continues to set up Snively’s growing hatred of Robotnik. In this story, he intentionally sabotages his boss’ plan. That particular plot point would pay off real soon.

As an action story, “Sonic Blast” is mostly focused on Sonic battling Robotnik on the island and Tails and Rotor fighting off the robot Flickies. The fight between Sonic and Robotnik’s escalates quickly. This nicely shows the differences between the two. Robotnik is a thinker, always planning, able to outsmart his opponent. Sonic isn’t much for planning but he’s quick on his feet – literally – and quickly deduce solutions to new problems. Robotnik shoots a wrist-laser at Sonic but he runs out of the way. He attempts to head-butt Robotnik but gets a shock to the nose instead. Sonic defeats Robotnik’s battle armor but the madman’s cape is weaponized, wrapping Sonic up. (In a move that would make Barry Allen proud, Sonic vibrates his way out of this pickle.) As for the Flickies, they get the drop on Tails, nearly drowning him. The Freedom Fighters quickly discover that salt water can re-robotocize the birds, somehow. Thus, Rotor and Tails load up a pair of super-soakers and get to work. It all works really well, moving ahead quickly and with grace.

The script is fast, light-weight, and fun. Flickie Island makes a fun setting and the finale, where Sonic and Robotnik end up within a pocket dimension inside the island, is amusing. Helping matters along is more excellent artwork from Art Mawhinney. Mawhinney could draw the hell out of serious stories but his roots are in cartooning. So his pencils work really well for a fun and loose story like this. His incredible detail, sense of movement, and expressive faces work fantastically. “Sonic Blast” is a bit of trifle but still a lot of fun and it looks great.

Keeping up the light tone is a pair of back-up stories that are equally silly, if less well organized. First is a two-pager called “The T.U.F.F. Awards,” in which Rotor bungles an award show for the Freedom Fighters. The jokes are silly, with a seal handing out the sealed envelope, or Bunnie being shown unscrewing a jam jar to show her strength. The second back-up is called “Bugged Bunny.” While Bunnie naps in the forest, Robotnik and Snively attached a tracking device to her. The villains track her but Bunnie, unknowingly, foils all of their attempts. The central joke here is that Robotnik and Snively are dressed as flowers for some reason.

Angelo DeCesare writes both of these and they’re full of silly puns. Dave Manak draw both back-ups. His pencils are typically jagged and goofy looking. That’s okay because both stories are very silly too. Basically, the entire 48 pages of “Sonic Blast” feels like a throwback to the book’s earliest, goofiest days. Sometimes that’s okay, as each of the stories are entertaining in their lightness. [7/10]