Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 74

(My internet was out all day yesterday which is why this is so late. I am greatly ashamed of myself and can only hope my begs for forgiveness are enough for you.)

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 74
Publication Date: June 1999

With issue 74, Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series finally pays off a plot point that it’s been building up for about two years. Since at least issue 62 – only twelve issues after his initial defeat – the series has been hinting at the inevitable return of Dr. Robotnik. Well, the wait is finally over. Issue 74, whose cover story is actually entitled “Don’t Cal It a Comeback!,” - presumably because Robotnik has resumed rockin' peers and puttin' suckas in fear - features the most expected and unavoidable resurrection of Dr. Ivo Robotnik.

Picking up were issue 73’s cliffhanger left off, Sonic reports to King Acorn that all the Robians in Knothole Village – including his parents, Uncle Chuck, and even Muttski – have vanished. Sonic correctly assumes the mysterious satellites in the sky are responsible. Because he’s an asshole, King Acorn forbids Sonic from investigating further. He ignores him, of course. So do the rest of the Freedom Fighters. Before the day is over, Nate Morgan has retro-fitted an old Robotnik built space shuttle to launch the Freedom Fighters into space. They sneak aboard the villain’s astral platform and discover two things. Robotnik is alive and well and living in space. He’s also kidnapped all the Robians and is using them for slave labor abroad his station. This, naturally, really pisses Sonic off.

Sonic’s parents vanishing was admittedly a last minute twist Karl Bollers pulled out of his ass this time. However, it at least provides issue 74 with some decent emotional drive. It makes the conflict personal for Sonic. (The hedgehog figuring out that the mysterious space devices are connected shows that Sonic’s thinking is occasionally as fast as his feet.) Once again, there’s no reason for King Acorn to be acting like such an asshole. However, I do like the Freedom Fighters defying orders and doing what needs to be done anyway. Since getting Sonic and Tails back in Knothole, Bollers definitely seems to be making an effort to get the team together on missions.

Either in the name of sustaining suspense longer or adding some narrative breathing room, Sonic and friends don’t immediately fly into space. A cool moment has Sonic calling on Dulcy the Dragon to carry their shuttle into the upper atmosphere. This is the first time Dulcy has appeared in the book since issue 68 and the first time she’s actually contributed to a plot since “Endgame” ended. She would continue to be an inconsistent presence throughout the book going forward. So it’s nice that Karl brought Ducly back for a brief role, right on the eve of the comic’s sixth anniversary. (Also, where else are you going to see a dragon lift a rocket ship full of furries to the edge of space?)

While the cover promise Sonic and the Freedom Fighters going on adventures in outer space, that actually compromises a brief portion of the story. While drifting towards the satellite, the gang rushes into a crowd of space junk, which is a mildly amusing gag. Once aboard the platform, Robotnik makes himself known. Sally, Bunnie, and Antione take the time to point out how angry this makes Sonic. And I can imagine how furious he must be. After fighting Robotnik for ten years, he finally defeats the guy… Only for him to return less then a year later. And to make a dick move even dick-ier, the asshole has also kidnapped and brainwashed his family. However, I wish Sonic’s rage was given more page space. The fight between the reunited hero and villain is brief before the story crashes into yet another cliffhanger.

Still, Steven Butler’s artwork remains impressive. He makes good use of the character’s faces, showing the complex mix of emotion Sonic must be feeling. The panel of Dulcy carrying the shuttle into the upper atmosphere is really impressive. The interior of Robotnik’s satellite feels appropriately sinister. Butler also makes the sudden appearance of the Shadow Bots, Ivo’s newly updated robotic warriors, memorable.

After an incredibly awkward one-page spread with artwork from Chris Allan, Amy Rose flashes back to a few days ago, when Uncle Chuck was regaling her with Tales of the Great War. In this installment of Ken’s backstory filling arc, Chuck explains how Robotnik came to live in Mobius and how he plotted his eventual take-over.

Robotnik’s path from exile to warlord to tyrant has been explained in the book before. Issue 72’s “I, Robotnik” covered much of the same ground. However, “Enter… Robotnik” nicely provides a close-up on some of the events. Most of the back-up story is devoted to how Robontik betrayed Kodos. It once again establishes how big of a bastard the villain is. He strikes Kodos in the head from behind and drops his unconscious body into the Zone of Silence. Ruthless. However, the story doesn’t make the Mobians look very intelligent. Chuck outright admits it was in their nature at the time to take people at their word. In other words, if King Acorn had been a little more skeptical, Robotnik’s rise to power might have been avoided. Still, it’s a solid story. Art Mawhinney’s artwork is as strong as ever, even if his rendition of pre-Robotnik Julian looks super weird.

While the stories could’ve done a lot more, issue 74 is fairly satisfying. We see Sonic and the gang do some prime adventuring while one of the comic’s most extended story arcs is finally reached its turning point. I may not be a huge fan of where the comic is going in the near future but this is still a solid issue. [7/10]