Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 64

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 64
Publication Date: August 1998

After screwing around for seven issues, Sonic and Tails remember why they’re traveling around the world in the first place. As the cover declares, our heroes are finally going to confront Ixis Naugus. Set up as the new major villain after Robotnik’s defeat, a precedence set by SatAM’s unmade third season, Naugus has been a bit underwhelming thus far. He turned some people to crystal and threw Sonic’s plane off-course. Finally, the heroes get to take the new big bad on, head-to-head.

Sonic and Tails have tracked Naugus to the frozen Northern Tundra. Unlucky for them, the Power Ring that charges the Winged Victory has crapped out on them. The two are stranded in the ice and cold. Things get worst when Naugus appears. Showing off his elemental powers, the evil wizard proceeds to blast the hedgehog and the fox with snow and ice. Just when things are getting bad, unexpected help appears in the form of a cyborg yeti. (Cyeti?) The abominable snow-creature takes the unconscious heroes to a mysterious new figure called Nate Morgan.

“In Search Of…” is mostly an action story. Most of the pages are made up Sonic and Tails tumbling with Naugus. For the first time, the evil wizard really shows off his abilities. He transforms into a giant fist of snow, pinning Tails to a cliff. As Sonic races towards him, Naugus changes into air, the hedgehog charging right through him. Not only does this show off Naugus’ unique abilities, it also shows how different a bad guy he is when compared to Robotnik. The doctor didn’t like to get his hands dirty. He usually sent robots to do his bidding, outsmarting Sonic and friends. Naugus, meanwhile, wants to get up close and personal with his prey. That’s cool. More importantly, it’s different.

Steven Butler continues to provide the artwork for the book. For such an action heavy story, Butler gets to show off. He’s portrayal of Naugus looks like he step right out of the cartoon show. Sonic races through the snow, kicking lots of flakes when he has to stop suddenly. A cool panel has the hedgehog flipping up over a cliff, which is a neat image. Butler’s artwork also brings Eddy the Yeti to life. Say what you will about the character but Butler’s design for him is immediately appealing and neat looking. In short, this is a good looking issue.

While there’s lot of action to be had, Karl Bollers still sneaks in some honest emotions. While standing on the icy mountain, Tails bemoans their current situation. He starts to loose hope, without a mode of transportation and hundreds of miles away from home. Sonic tries to build up his little buddy, informing them that they can’t loose hope. If they do, the terrorists Naugus wins. It’s a slightly heavy-handed moment. Compared to recent stories that have been heavy on plot but light on character development, I appreciated Bollers pausing long enough to inform us how every one’s feeling. It’s certainly more compelling than the sudden reveal of Nate Morgan, a character that remains contentious for fans.

In the back pages, Ken Penders continues the current story arc involving Geoffrey St. John’s Secret Service. After Sally asks her dad what the hell has been going on, she gets another curt dismissal. Afterwards, the King briefs Geoffrey and his new team. Just as the Great War was heating up, King Acorn trusted St. John’s dad with his queen’s safety. While in route to the Floating Island, her transport was shot down. The Queen has been missing ever since. So that’s the team’s new mission: Find Sally’s mom.

First off, props: Art Mawhinney’s pencils are fucking awesome. I love the look on Sally’s face after her dad shoots her down. Unfortunately, Ken Penders once again pushes the story’s emotion to the side in favor of relentless plotting. Sally is frustrated that her dad is leaving her out of the loop. The reader is frustrated too. I suppose the fate of the Queen is something readers were wondering about. Considering St. John’s squad has yet to prove themselves properly compelling, I’m not super excited for their further adventures.

Still, issue 64 is a good one. A whole issue of great artwork is not something this book always has. I really like Bollers’ cover story even if Penders’ back-up could’ve used some work. [8/10]