Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 110

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 110
Publication Date: May 2002

During 2002, my fandom for Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic did not burn its brightest. I was still reading the book, because I really do love the characters and their world. But, I’ll admit, I was having a harder time caring about what was happening during this period. My passion would ebb and flow wildly during the long Dork Age. The only thing I remember about issue 110 is how much I didn’t care about it, how inconsequential the story seemed.

So what of that story? “Station Square Attacks!” follows up on the events of the “Crouching Hedgehog, Hidden Dragon” arc but in the least interesting way. After giving Station Square some vital information on Robotnik, the city’s computer system decided the best way to handle the mad doctor is to nuke him. The Royal Family realizes that the fall-out from a nuclear blast that size would destroy the continent’s ecosystem. (Never mind that Robotropolis was already nuked once before.) Sonic and Tails ran into the doctor’s city, hoping to reason with him. Instead, he threatens to put up the city’s shield, protecting Robotropolis while screwing the rest of the area.

“Station Square Attacks!” leaves me with a lot of questions. Where did Station Square, a city hiding inside a mountain for centuries, get nuclear weapons? How do they have access to uranium, much less a factory to manufacture the warheads? Did they take the missiles with them over 10,000 years ago? If so, why? Up until recently, the city had no enemies, much less anybody they needed to wipe off the map. Moreover, the computer system launching weapons of mass destruction without the president’s approval seems unlikely. You’re telling me there’s no fail safe, nothing to prevent Station Square’s insane super computer for dropping nukes on a foreign power? 

The script doesn’t get any less convoluted once Sonic and Tails get to Robotropolis. The idea of the heroes willingly coming to Robotnik and attempting a truce is interesting. Yet far too much time is devoted to the characters arguing about the position of a force field. It’s all set up for another underwhelming Ron Lim action scene, where Robotnik chases Sonic and Tails, each trying to prevent the other from reaching the force field controls.

The conclusion of the story also raises some questions. Sonic gets the timing just right, so Robotnik puts the force field up right after the missiles have flown inside the city limit. But if all of Robotropolis goes up in a mushroom cloud… Wouldn’t the shield generators get incinerated too, causing the fallout to affect the local area? I also dislike how casually Sonic allows his greatest enemy to get nuked. I mean, I know Robotnik’s evil but Sonic shouldn’t have made that decision so lightly. After Tails points out that Mobius’ capitol city has been destroy, Sonic laughs it off, pointing out Knothole is better anyway. The whole story is poorly organized, to say the least.

Ken Penders takes this month off, as issue 110 only contains two stories. The second of which is another Bollers’ joint, focused on Sally. “One for All” has the Princess being possessed by the Sword of Acorn. While in a trance-like state, Sally communicates with the Source of All. Robotropolis getting nuked has apparently evaporated the Source, leaving the Sword and Crown of Acorn as the last link between the monarchy and God, I suppose. Whoever is speaking for the Sword tries to convince her that she’s destined to take her father’s place but Sally isn’t having it. At that point, Queen Alicia snaps her daughter out of the trance, ending the story.

It’s all a bit of (hedge)hogwash. Back in Sonic Super Special 11, Sally told the mystic forces behind the Source of All to get bent. Whoever controls such things clearly didn’t get the memo. Once again, the Source tries to push Sally around but the Princess remains uninterested in someone else controlling her fate. Considering how inactive Sally was in 2001, it’s nice to see her being tough and not giving any fucks. Maybe the mystical pool of molten gold is just desperate, since the near-by nuclear blast dried it up, somehow. Which may be the entire point of this story, for Karl to kill off another ill-conceived plot point. Considering I’ve always thought the Source of All was dumb, I’m not going to miss it.

The story is a bit of nothing but the artwork is awesome. I don’t know why Archie let a chump like Ron Lim draw the cover story and stuck the clearly superior J. Axer on the back-ups. This might be Axer’s best work, thus far. Sally and the others look incredible, with the right balance of detail, expression, and proportion. Axer is the first person to draw the Sword of Acorn like an actual magical relic, by detailing strange runes on its blade and handle. The story also allows Axer to draw some trippy visuals. The shot of Sally standing before a streak of space looks like something Steve Ditko might’ve drawn. The same effect is utilized for the talking sword, which helps sell a ludicrous premise. So, mildly dumb story but boss artwork.

Benny Lee’s run of mildly good story breaks with 110’s seriously lame cover story. The back-up story isn’t much better, falling back on the book’s weakness for mystical bullshit, but at least the artwork is great. So it goes. [5/10]