Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 14

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 14
Publication Date: May 1998

After an excellent first issue, the “Chaotix Caper” story arc stumbles significantly in its second part. Issue 14 of “Knuckles” suffers from the same problem that has plagued many of the series’ stories. It tries to do too much, juggling too many storylines and concepts. The juggling not only distracts the reader from the captivating mystery the last issue was built on but it also prevents the plot from building up a decent momentum.

For example: Issue 14 splits its time between five or six different plots. While the rest of the Chaotix recover from the Lemonade Sunshine Dandelion dosing they received last issue, Julie-Su and Constable Remington attempt to track down the center of the conspiracy. Meanwhile, Renfield T. Rat and Ebony Hare argue about how much of the drug the rat should be slipping into Happyland’s food. Around the same time, the Chaotix begin to wake up in the hospital. The psychedelic effects of the drug has Charmy Bee reflecting on his recent life choices. Furthermore, Locke and Sabre continue to spy on Knuckles as he journeys back home to the island. ALSO, Harry and General Stryker have a meeting in his cab.

This is probably Ken Penders’ biggest problem, more so than his wooden dialogue or tendency towards self-adsorbed myth making. Most comic writers see a story arc as something akin to a TV episode. The arc can build on what came before, and add more to the world, but it should also be satisfying as an individual entity. Penders, meanwhile, sees his comic series as a very long, convoluted novel, always on-going and never truly ending. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of storylines are happening simultaneously. As a writer, he’s constantly juggling the different threads, making sure none of them fall too far behind the others. Instead of saying “Maybe I should save some of this shit for another time and focus on the pertinent information,” he has to keep all the plates in the air constantly. As exhausting as it is to read, I bet it’s more exhausting to write.

What’s most disappointing about issue 14 is how the crime story escalates. Julie-Su and Constable Remington do not come across as competent detectives. They head over the Happyland, asks Renfield T. Rodent some questions, and then leave. Since the amusement park is obviously the center of the poisonings, you’d think they’d investigate more thoroughly. As the constable of Echidnopolis’ police force, Remington should have various services at his disposal, to aide the investigation. Instead, he talks Harry into driving them over to Ebony Hare’s warehouse. There, Julie-Su finagles her way into a conversation with the bad guy. Hare immediately recognizes her as a narc and tosses her off the building’s roof, leading to our cliffhanger.

Instead of digging up evidence, our heroes bumble around desperately, cluelessly grasping at leads. It’s not satisfying to read. It makes Julie-Su and the Constable look like idiots. Mostly, it creates the impression that Penders was making shit up as he went along.

Also weirdly incompetent: The criminal conspiracy the story revolves around. Ebony Hare and Renfield T. Rodent are working together. Hare supplies the drug and Renfield laces the park’s food with it. How this benefits either of their operations isn’t clear to the reader. Why would Renfield want to poison his customer base? How does Hare profit from such an arrangement? Is the Mobian L.S.D. addictive, making the entire scheme a way to hook the island’s kids on drugs? Like Joe Pesci in "Moonwalker?" If so, that isn’t clearly explained either. The two can’t even agree on anything. A good portion of issue 14 is devoted to them arguing and fighting among themselves.

Probably the best part of issue 14 doesn’t focus on the poisoning conspiracy at all. The first part of “The Chaotix Caper” ended with Charmy embarking on a bad, psychedelic trip. Here, we get a glimpse into his memories. The backstories of the Chaotix are still undefined, so that’s fertile ground worth exploring. We discover that Charmy Bee is actually a prince of his local bee colony. Shaken by the responsibilities of being royalty, he flew away from home, eventually landing on the Floating Island.

Considering Charmy Bee has always been the most care-free and childish of the Chaotix, this information certainly characterizes his behavior in a new context. It also reveals why the death of Mello, his only friend in his old life, affected him so deeply. Manny Galan’s illustrations of Charmy’s flashbacks are appropriately creepy. (All of this is certainly more interesting than the slapstick comedy of the Chaotix waking up in the hospital.)

Since this is a “Knuckles” comic, the titular character is contractually obligated to appear. In the desert, a gang of bear bikers ride pass Knuckles. Even though they don't appear to be bothering him, he still spins into a cyclone, tossing the bikers into the air. Locke and Sabre watch, intoning gravely about Knuckles’ growing power.

The Brotherhood of Guardians stuff is always a bore. These few pages foreshadow one of the lamest aspects of Knuckles’ adventures. Yes, the Guardian has some great powers and a great destiny to go along with it. We’re going to spend the next eighteen issues of his solo series (and then some) hearing about it. As always, if Locke would just tell his son what the hell is going on, it would save everyone a lot of trouble. This stuff is lame on a good day and more so during a story where we’re more invested in what Julie-Su and the Chaotix are doing.

None of this mentions Harry’s encounter with General Stryker, which doesn’t contribute to the main plot in any way. It’s frustrating because issue 13 was easily my favorite issue of Knuckles’ solo series thus far. Maybe Ken can tie it all together for a compelling finale. But I kind of doubt it. [5/10]