Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 80

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 80
Publication Date: December 1999

Issue 79 of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series began to lay the bricks for the forthcoming adaptation of Sega’s “Sonic Adventure” game. Issue 80 continues in much this matter. Now that Amy Rose’s age and appearance matches her video game counterpart’s re-design, the book can get down to introducing the more urban environment video game Sonic would soon find himself in.

Using the Ring of Acorn’s previously unmentioned ability to grant wishes, Amy Rose has wished herself into a more mature body. While Sonic points out that this doesn’t make her any more mature mentally, Nate Morgan still insist Amy accompanies them on their latest adventure. Soon, the gang piles into the Freedom Fighter Special and heads towards the Lost City of the Ancients. As they approach, Sonic and the gang discover the city isn’t a collection of ancient temples. Instead, it’s a bustling metropolis.

The cover story, with its somewhat baffling title of “If Wishes Were Acorns,” quickly resolves the previous issue’s cliff hanger. Yes, Amy Rose is now physically the same age as everyone else. Yes, she’s tagging along on this adventure. There’s no real plot reason for this but the Sega Corporate Machine would not be denied. “Sonic Adventure” would show Amy Rose going from an obscure member of Sonic’s supporting cast to the primary female face of the franchise. Archie had to follow suit, even if they would never let go of Princess Sally. The entire story change is awkward but let’s accept it and move on.

Even with a primarily plot-driven story such as these, Karl Bollers has gotten increasingly better at sneaking in small emotional weapons. Before leaving on their latest missions, Sonic and Sally bid their parents farewell. There’s a somewhat touching scene of Sally talking to her still comatose mother, hoping she’ll be well someday. Sonic has a heart-to-heart with Jules and Bernie. The hedgehog is worried, considering what happened to mom and dad last time he left town. His parents assure him they’ll be fine. This, once again, provides a more sentimental side to the speedy hedgehog. (Mina, who otherwise contributes nothing to the story, takes note of this.) It’s nice that Bollers continues to find room for emotional beats like this, even when tasked with moving the video game adaptation ahead.

One of the biggest problems with Archie adapting “Sonic Adventure” was how different the video game was from the comic book. Archie’s series still had its root in the anti-industrial SatAM, where Sonic and friends hung out in a forest and fought against Robotnik mechanizing the world. “Sonic Adventure,” meanwhile, had Sonic living in a thoroughly urban city and interacting with human beings. Bollers’ solution was not exactly seamless. After hyping it for an issue, issue 80 reveals that the Lost City of the Ancients is... A modern day city, populated by five fingered Overlanders. This plot development gets even more awkward before it’s over. But more on that next time. Needlessly to say, I’m not a huge fan of the role Station Square would play in the franchise’s history.

That “If Wishes Were Acorns” still manages to be an alright story is even more impressive, considering it has to share book space with two other stories. “Land Fall” shifts the focus to Knuckles the Echidna. After witnessing the Floating Island falling from the sky, he asks the Brotherhood of Guardians what the hell is up. True to form, his father and grandfathers evade direct answers, belittle Knuckles, and argue among themselves. Meanwhile, the Chaotix notice the Floating Island has touched down with a near-by terrestrial land mass… And the locals aren’t friendly.

Karl Bollers manged to keep the plot moving forward while still sneaking in some heart. Ken Penders, meanwhile, is not very good at that. “Land Fall” is all plot set-up and no heart. Mostly, the story seems to exist to correct a plot hole from last time. The Brotherhood didn’t notice Eggman invading the Island because their defense measures were still suffering from Hunter’s meddling. Considering how unhelpful the Brotherhood is in this scenario, as they immediately begin to bicker among themselves, it’s no wonder Knuckles quickly glides out of there. The Chaotix, meanwhile, are reduced to a cameo. There’s not much to it, the result being fairly disappointing. Art wise, Steven Butler is still adapting to the Knuckles cast. His Thunderhawk and Vector look a little off. Unlike Spaz and other artist, he does draw Julie-Su with her canonical flat chest. These things are important to me.

“Land Fall” is mediocre but it’s still better then Pender’s second contribution to issue 80. “Swallowing Trouble” has an embarrassing title as well as the embarrassing duty of introducing Big the Cat and Froggy. These two are easily the most useless additions “Sonic Adventure” would make to the Sonic cast. The short story basically adapts Big’s first scene from the game, showing Froggy leaping from his chest, swallowing a bit of Chaos’ body, mutating, and wandering off. Before Big can save him, Froggy is abducted by a robot.

Ken Penders’ attempt to flesh out this brief story outline is not compelling. Froggy was silent in the video game but, for some reason, Ken gives the frog an interior monologue. These dialogue balloons make Froggy seem disproportionately bitchy, as he spends most of his page time criticizing his big, fat, sleeping friend. Big, a doofus in canon, is further humiliated by his attempt to rescue Froggy. Basically, you’d get more out of this story just by watching the Dreamcast cut scene. Further contributing to the story’s uselessness is Jim Valentino’s typically hideous artwork. I do not know why Sega keeps inviting this guy back. His artwork is loose, off-model, and cartoonish.

Issue 80 is somewhat compromised, as the story momentum is totally devoted to setting up the up-coming game adaptation. Despite that, Bollers still makes the most of it, creating a decent cover story. The two back-up stories, however, range from forgettable to outright bad. That evens out to a [6/10.]