Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 88

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 88
Publication Date: August 2000

Now that the video game adaptation mandated by the corporate overlords is finally over, Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic can get back to business as usual. Karl Bollers basically picks up right where he left off too. He gets the Freedom Fighters back to Knothole immediately. Sally’s mom is still sick. Uncle Chuck is still an evil robot. There’s still plenty of royal intrigue. If Amy Rose wasn’t suddenly a teenager, it would be like that “Sonic Adventure” business never happened.

I guess Nate Morgan and Tails fixed the Freedom Fighter Special while nobody was looking. The plane touches down in Knothole Village. The gang barely has time to unwind from their trip though. Prince Elias has been imprisoned by Robotnik, after fleeing the village back in issue 80. King Acorn and Geoffrey St. John immediately recruit Sonic and Tails on the rescue mission. While storming Robotropolis, Sonic encounters something far more disturbing: His Uncle Chuck and beloved dog Muttski, still under the influence of Robotnik’s diabolical control.

“Family Matters” – Steve Urkel reference presumably unintentional – is primarily a straight-ahead action story. King Acorn spends the entire issue decked out in some genuinely bad-ass looking armor. He leads an army right to Robotnik’s door. Once there, the King even slashes through some robots! Meanwhile, Sonic is tearing ShadowBot’s to pieces. Tails tosses Bomb like a valley ball, making short work of the machines. Geoffrey St. John even gets in on the action, deploying some of those bolts of his. James Fry’s artwork is a little overly angular but he’s the right guy for this story, lending an energetic, high velocity feeling to the plot.

Even in a story this action-packed, Karl still makes time for some character moments. While Sonic and her dad are off fighting the war, Sally is concerned with her mother. An amusing moment early on has her raking the King over the coals for not telling her about Elias’ capture sooner. Before exiting, there’s a really sweet moment of Sonic comforting Sally in her time of need. After he goes, there’s a fantastic panel of her covering her mouth, concerned and anxious. A similar moment has her collapsing onto Rosie, crying, the stress bubbling. Sally’s not the only one who gets these small, personal moments. It only occupies one panel but Sonic still gets a sweet moment with his parents, welcoming him home from his long journey.

Yet the meatiest emotional arc pertains to Sonic and his Uncle Chuck. In the middle of Elias’ rescue mission, Sonic comes face-to-face with his brainwashed uncle. Chuck, naturally, doesn’t recognize him at all. He attacks his nephew. Even Muttski gets in on the violence, dog piling on Sonic. It’s distressing for Sonic. What’s more distressing is when a wave of King Acorn’s magical sword briefly restores Uncle Chuck’s personality. Before he can re-connect, a trap door swings Chuck and Muttski out of the room. Sonic comes this close to saving his role model and gets that chance dragged away from him. Yeah, it’s probably just a stopgap until Karl can give this subplot a proper resolution. But it’s also good drama.

Of course, Karl isn’t just including these scenes for the sake building up the characters. He’s also setting up some new subplots. Following the plane crash a few issues back, Antoine’s foot is in a cast. While recuperating, he decides to look for his dad – the still robotocized General D’Coolette – in Mercia. Bunnie and Amy Rose, eager to reconnect with her uncle Rob O’ the Hedge, also tag along. Karl also makes sure to get Mina in a few panels, during a mostly unnecessary flashback that opens the issue. He also ends on a cliffhanger, leaving the fate of both of Sally’s parents up in the air, making sure the reader comes back next month.

For the back-up story, Ken Penders and Steven Butler continue the Knuckles story that began in the “Sonic Stew” special. After seeing the population of the entire Floating Island get zapped into an alternate zone, Knuckles is raging in the ocean when Athair’s floating ghost head appears to him, telling him that Albion will provide the answers he craves and that his magical Guiding Star Gem will get him there. Meanwhile, in Mercia, Rob o’ the Hedge runs into Antoine, Bunnie, and Amy.

This is so typical of Ken. “Best of Time, Worst of Times” set up so many tantalizing plot details. Julie-Su, the Chaotix, Knuckles’ mom and everyone in Echidnaopolis got zapped into another zone. Gee whiz, what’s going to happen to these guys? I can’t wait to see Knuckles resolve this plot point! Well, they're going to have to wait. Instead of following up on this, Knuckles spends this entire story chatting with Athair, getting vague answers and mystical mumbo-jumbo shoveled his way. Booo. (Also, Athair appears as a fucking Force Ghost, implying that Ken killed him off at some point. I managed to have missed this plot point.)

In truth, Knuckles barely appears in his own back-up story. Most of “Best of Times, Worst of Times” is devoted to Antoine and his party running into Rob o’ the Hedge. The two trade a lot of dialogue, all of it very technical. Rob is quickly caught up on Amy’s growth spurt. He somewhat belligerently introduces himself to Antoine and Bunnie. Right before things get violent, Knuckles swoops in. The Guardian must really want to rescue his loved ones but he has to resolve Athair’s mystic fetch-quest first. Jesus, reel it in, Penders. At least Steven Butler’s artwork is nice.

The cover story is a solid yarn and a mediocre back-up story can’t take that away from us. If nothing else, issue 88 is a good looking book too, all the artists providing quality work. I have no idea if Bollers can catch all the balls he’s tossed up in the air. (I know Penders can’t.) This comic is still worth reading, for the set-up and emotional bricks being laid. [7/10]