Knuckles: The Dark Legion: Issue 1

Knuckles: The Dark Legion: Issue 1
Publication Date: January 1997

Out of all the “Sonic” spin-offs Archie would test-drive in the mid-nineties, only one was popular enough to warrant a follow-up. The “Knuckles the Echidna” mini-series would produce a second three-issue mini called “Knuckles: The Dark Legion.” Before 1997 was over, these three comics would be rolled into an on-going “Knuckles the Echidna” series. Though far more short-lived then the “Sonic” book it sprang from, for a time the “Knuckles” series was better regarded then the main book. (These days, due to the Frightful Pendering, the opposite is true.) That Knuckles would get his own series isn’t shocking. For many years, he was easily Sonic’s most popular supporting cast member. Within the pages of this comic, Ken Penders and his team would latch a deep, complex mythology to Knuckles. For better or for worst.

“The Dark Legion” begins not long after Knuckles’ first solo adventure wrapped up. (How this ties into the “Knuckles Quest” story arc, I don’t know. Presumably, this takes place after it.) Knuckles and Archimedes are chillin’ on the island. This is interrupted by a salvo of tanks, floating platforms, robots, and black robe-clad villains breaking through the underbrush. Knuckles and the Chaotix attempt to defeat these newly appeared bad guys but still wind up captured. What Archimedes doesn’t tell Knux is that these men are the Dark Legion, a long thought vanished secret cabal of echidnas that embrace technology to tyrannical levels.

This first issue is entitled “Army of Darkness” and, sadly, Bruce Campbell is nowhere to be seen. In the past, Penders has felt the need to heap exposition on the reader, awkwardly explaining events that happened in the past. Even his flashbacks sometimes felt like info-dumps. “Army of Darkness” rather cleverly incorporates flash-backs into the main story. While Knuckles is tangoing with the Dark Legion in the present, we see the organization’s origins in sepia-colored pages. The book cleverly contrasts the events of the distant past with the present. As Dimitri angrily storms out of the meting with the echidna counsel, Knuckles angrily storms towards his mysterious new opponents. As Steppenwolf dodges laser fire from the Dark Legion, Vector does the same some four hundred years later. “Army of Darkness” is a straight-forward action story but, by criss-crossing back and forth in time, it makes it a more interesting read. At the very least, this is a more elegant way to give the readers’ backstory then a wall of text.

What’s interesting about the Dark Legion is that they aren’t totally wrong. After the defeat of Enerjak, the first Guardian Edmund decided that all echidna-kind most abandon technology. However, not every citizen was willing to do this. Part of the flashbacks are devoted to scenes of government enforcers entering private homes and taking people’s stuff. That’s kind of fucked up. Edmund points out that democracy has spoken on this matter but it still seems like a draconian, tyrannical step for a government to stand against its own people. No wonder a revolt would arise.

I’m not totally sure this complexity was intentional on Penders’ part. The Dark Legion are obviously bad guys. They meet in secret while wearing dark robes, looking like cultist in a seventies horror movie. When Steppenwolf investigates what’s going on, he is immediately shot at, a race above the city starting. Luckily, the story also adds a personal aspect to this conflict. The founder of the Dark Legion was Menniker, Dimitri’s son. He was there to witness his father’s death, shocked by what happened. This is almost a mission of personal revenge, rooted in all-too-real feelings of loss. Menniker and Steppenwolf are cousins and were best friends as kids. Seeing the family turn against itself is the kind of mythic storytelling the writers frequently aimed for and only sometimes got.

In the present, Knuckles is mostly busy smashing heads. But that’s okay too. The present portion of the story is a simple, captivating action adventure. Knuckles and Archimedes attempt to avoid detection by the Dark Legion, creating some okay tension. When he gathers the Chaotix, each team members use their special abilities to fight back against the attackers. Espio sneaks onto one of the floating saucers and disables the pilot. Mighty tosses Legionnaires around like bowling balls. Knuckles cracks lame puns and beats the shit out of people. Vector does nothing of importance while speaking in badly mangled hip-hop slang. And like the middle of a James Bond movie, the story ends with the heroes captured by the villains. Good stuff and good fun.

Last time we saw Manny Galan, in issue 46 of the “Sonic” book, his artwork had improved some. Here, Galan finally comes into his own as an artist. Everyone is on-model. The faces are expressive and memorable. The action is fluid and flowing. The panels are clear to follow. I like the Legionnaires looking like red faces inside their hoods. Unlike Ken Penders, Galan also knows how to visually distinguish each echidna. Even the random citizens in the flashback have their own visual personality. The lay-outs are still slightly bland but overall this is a good looking book.

Though it’s just starting, it seems like Knuckles’ mini-series got off to a much stronger start then his first. Let’s hope it can keep it up. [7/10]