Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 20

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 20
Publication Date: November 1998

Boy, it feels like its been a while since I’ve read a “Knuckles the Echidna” comic. In this case, a reminder might actually be in order. LAST TIME ON “KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA!” Remington was air-lifting Knuckles and Julie-Su towards Lara-Le’s location. Locke had found his ex-wife, stranded because of a freak snowstorm! Geoffrey St. John and his secret service discovered a thought long-lost person on the Floating Island!

Picking up we’re we left off, Locke and Lara-Le attempt to reconcile but it doesn’t work. As he flies her off in his craft, the snowstorm outside turns into a lightning storm. Meanwhile, St. John tries to determine if Elias – lost prince of the Acorn Crown and Sally’s brother – is who he claims to be. Meanwhile, Knuckles has enough of Remington’s bullshit and wanders off into the Forbidden Zone on his own.

As always, Ken continues to juggle multiple story lines at once. Despite his name being on the cover, Knuckles’ plot is actually the least important arc going on at the moment. Most pressing to fans is Locke and Lara-Le’s interaction. Issue 20 gives us lots of insight into their marriage. In flashback, we see Lara-Le leaving her husband, demanding their son come with her. Once again, Locke yells about Knuckles’ important destiny as a Guardian. In other words, a mother’s perfectly reasonable request is shot down by Locke being a prick.

For that matter, Locke is perhaps at his prickiest in this issue. Upon finding Lara-Le in the down ship, he kisses her clearly against her will. When Lara-Le points out what a shithead her ex-husband is, he outright says she’s wrong. This has to be intentional, right? Even Penders isn’t so clueless when he’s writing his character as a total knob? Right?

The introduction of Prince Elias is the issue’s biggest contribution to the mythology. Long lost relatives of established characters is a cliche for a reason. Did Sally need a brother? Elias certainly doesn’t make a case for himself. He babbles about a stick with an emerald on top, some sort of locator ring. Instead of discussing the emotional resonance of Sally having a brother, Geoffrey and the bulldog guy argue about how it’s possible King Acorn didn’t know he had a son. This is a valid question yet not especially compelling.

The story lines shows Queen Alicia was on the plane when it went down. The comic treats the Queen’s location like it’s a big secret. The readers have all figured out that she’s in the care of the Brotherhood by this point.

So what is Knuckles up to, this issue? Mostly bemoaning his fate as a helpless pawn of his family’s machinations. Aboard the plane, he yells at Remington for keeping secrets concerning his mom. Julie-Su worries a little about Knuckles but her part is so small in this story. After the lightning storm downs the plane, Knuckles wanders off into the Forbidden Zone, literally stumbling upon Haven. Now that’s interesting! Will Knuckles finally realize the depth of his father’s lies? That he’s being manipulated by his extended family? Probably not but it’s the most captivating aspect of this issue.

Well, there’s some more shit about the Days of Fury, explaining the freaky weather conditions. I can’t say I care about that. Issue 20 is pretty lame. It’s a bunch of story lines, arguing for space. Locke is a cock, Elias is boring, and Knuckles’ emotional arc is pushed aside by his own family. Bummer, man. [5/10]