Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 73

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 73
Publication Date: May 1999

In May of 1999, the launch of the Sega Dreamcast was three months away. The release of “Sonic Adventure” was coming with it. For Archie’s comics, that meant the interesting world they had built up since Robotnik’s death was about to be washed away. Sonic had already got his new eye color and shoes. The return of his archenemy was quickly forthcoming. Issue 73 is primarily devoted to further laying the groundwork for that reunion, story momentum be damned.

In Knothole Village, Princess Sally and Prince Elias have a heart to heart. The prince reveals to his sister that he has no interest in taking the crown of Mobotropolis, which comes as a surprise to Sally. The personal moment is interrupted when Sally calls a Freedom Fighter powwow. She reveals that Nicole has noticed strange satellites assembling above the planet’s surface. Each time one of the strange events that have been plaguing the heroes happen, one of these satellites activated. At that very moment, Snively finds himself inside one of those satellites, which assemble themselves into a proper space base.

Once again, I wonder if Karl Bollers’ was struggling to find some emotional truth inside the comic’s forward marching plot. Issue 73, whose cover story is obnoxiously entitled “The Truth is Out There…,” begins with an emotional moment. Jules and Bernie renew their vowels, wearing Power Rings around their wrists designed by Uncle Chuck. It’s a sweet moment, another attempt to establish Sonic’s frequently sidelined parents as real characters. Meanwhile, the discussion between Sally and Elias provides some insight into the prince’s personality, another character still thinly developed at this point. Of course Elisa doesn’t want to be king. He’s a teenager. Both characters are still reeling from the shock of discovering their siblings. These aren’t crystal clear moments but their good examples of the book trying.

However, these emotional moments have to be pushed to the margins by the demands of the on-going story arc. Half way through the issue, Sally and Nicole drop a bucket load of exposition on her fellow heroes. The worst part about this elongated sequence is the reader already knows this stuff. We already know that the mysterious satellites are responsible for the strange things that have been happening. Was it necessary to painstakingly detail each development? Did Bollers think the reader might have forgotten? Couldn’t the Freedom Fighters discovering this information been covered in a few panels, instead of several pages?

If that wasn’t enough, several word balloons in the early pages are devoted to correcting a fucking continuity error. Early reports that Uncle Chuck invented the Power Rings were mistaken, as he simply learned the art from Nate Morgan. Yeah, Karl, that was pressing.

Maybe the book was trying to build suspense for the easily predicted reveal on the last page. The Freedom Fighters believe him dead but we already know that Snively is on the space base. We also already know that Robotnik is alive and living in space, considering issue 72 basically revealed it. Despite that, “The Truth is Out There…” plays coy before devoting an entire page to Robotnik’s full-color return at the end. He’s back, you guys, like it or not.

That reveal steals power from the story’s better cliffhanger, the mysterious disappearance of Sonic’s parents. At the very least, issue 73 features some fine Steven Butler pencils. His version of Sally looks fantastic. The decision to show the satellites hooking up one side of the page, while the Freedom Fighters talk on the other side, was an interesting choice.

In the back pages, Ken Penders continues his “Tales of the Great War” saga. Uncle Chuck enters the library where Tails, Amy and Jeremiah are reading Kirby’s account of the Great War. Chuck picks up the volume and continues where we left off. A period of unsteady peace between the Kingdom of Acorn and the Overlanders lasted for several decades. Unbeknownst to the King, people inside his own kingdom where plotting against him. Ixis Naugus manipulated Warlord Kodos into brutally murdering two peaceful emissaries from both countries. The dead bodies where then sent back to each country’s leader. War is eminent.

The history of Mobius continues to be dark as fuck. And I love it. The second volume of “Tales of the Great War” shares many annoying Penders-isms. The first two pages are devoted to Ken, via the proxy of Uncle Chuck, lavishing praise on Jack Kirby, via the proxy of the Mobian Kirby. Also, Amy and Tails seem way to enthusiastic about hearing a story full of bloodshed and treachery.

Having said that, a “Sonic” comic is probably the last place you’d expect to see two people having their necks crushed. Yes, the violence happens off-panel. Yet seeing Kudos’ face twist in anger, hearing the crunches, and seeing the mangled remains somehow makes the act more disturbing. The Great War was a - duh - war. Lives were lost. Inhumane acts were committed in the name of patriotism. It’s heavy stuff for a kid’s book and not even Ken’s rusty words can disguise that.

That’s pretty much what the book was during this era. Daring, powerful, personal moments shoved alongside awkward writing and story construction. Both the cover story and back story of Issue 73 have some strong moments and their weak moments. It’s an uneven book and all the more frustrating, considering how close it was to being really good. Aw well. [6/10]