Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 111

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 111
Publication Date: June 2002

First thing first, I want to talk about that cover art. It’s pretty good but that’s not my problem with it. Issue 111 would begin a strange trend with Patrick Spaziante’s “Sonic” covers. Most of the cover would be devoted to the main story, while a large image in the corner would feature the duel leads of the back-up story. I don’t know if this was Spaz’ decision or something ordered from on-high by Archie. Thankfully, this would only happen four times over the next year. It, however, seemed to point the way towards the lame “magazine cover” gimmick Archie would adopt in December. Mostly, it just distracts from the main image so I wonder why the decision was made.

With issue 111’s cover story, Karl Bollers continues to clean up dangling plot thread from the previous year. In the genuinely kind of cleverly entitled “Kids of the Spider Woman,” Uma Arachnis’ brood of ninja spider hatchlings attack Castle Acorn. At first, Sally and Sonic believe the royal family is endangered. Soon, they learn the truth. Driven by their mother’s genetic memory, the spiders are after the Sword of Acorn. Since the Sword has been getting increasingly clingy, Sally decides to just let the arachnids have it.

I’m not sure how to feel about Sally’s continued feeling towards the Sword of Acorn. It seems like Karl isn’t sure either. At first, Sally doesn’t want the Sword removed, thinking it’s possession is her destiny. This seems to contradict last issue’s “All for One.” Later, she’s afraid to let the Sword take control of her, resisting her destiny once again. In the end, she decides to ditch the blade, figuring the spiders are a better caretaker anyway. Giving Sally some doubts and uncertainty is fine, good even. Yet it also seems like the writer is uncertain of how to approach her.

Bollers attempts to build some suspense around the ninja spiders’ impending attack of the castle. Sally informs the King of her vision last time. As a precautionary measure, guards are stationed all around the kingdom. This leads to some mildly atmospheric panels of beefy soldiers standing around, probably some of Ron Lim’s best work. However, we already know from Sally’s vision last time that the spiders are going to attack Sonic and Tails. Which kind of drains any of the tension. Naturally, the ninjas get in with ease and start to tear shit up.

Uma’s kids also beat Sonic up really easily. I mean, I guess there are six of them and one of him. By the same accord, letting fresh characters wack the hero so easily seems like a lame attempt to boost the new additions. Sally just letting the ninjas walk away with the sword makes sense, from a narrative perspective. It disposes of that pushy plot point, at least for a while. Yet it’s not the most satisfying ending. Either way, we hopefully won’t see an obsessive magical sword and spider ninjas for a while.

During the cover story, Amy Rose and Rob O’ the Hedge return to Knothole. This wasn’t given much attention, because of ninjas, but Karl devotes a backstory to their arrival. Rob decides to stay in Knothole for a while. Not to watch out for Amy but because he spots Antoine’s Dad. That is, the robot general that Rob had been fighting for years. Except now the General’s free will has been restore. After some spying and snooping, Rob and the elder D’Coolette get to know each other, overcoming their differences.

“I’ll Shoot the Sheriff” is primarily a comedic story and mostly amusing. Rob’s hostile attitude towards the General actually makes a lot of sense, considering the characters’ history. A series of goofy panels are devoted to Rob spying on Antoine’s dad. By, for example, popping out of a lake or peering into his window. This turns on the next page, when D’Coolette promises to show Rob he’s not evil anymore. What follows is a montage devoted to the two becoming friends. By playing cards, telling ghost stories around a fire, and practicing archery. It’s silly but cute, addresses a viable plot point, and gets the job done in just a few pages.

Archie continues to stick Jay Axer with the back-up story. The artist makes the most of it. “I’ll Shoot the Sheriff,” typically, looks gorgeous. Part of the reason those silly panels devoted to Rob and D’Coolette bonding work is because the amount of expression Axer adds to his artwork. As always, the detail Axer brings to the character designs and the background are impressive. He's also good at emphasizing action, with speed lines and color circling the General slamming his fist on a window seal or Rob revealing a winning hand. Compared to Lim’s work on the cover feature, it’s like night and day.

Issue 111’s third story continues the character-focused but slightly comedic atmosphere. In “Trouble with Grrrls,” Sonic is pursued by a mob of wild fangirls, eager to get his autograph. The hedgehog and Tails retreat to the forest, where the young fox asks his idol about his feelings towards the female gender. Sonic admits that he doesn’t want a steady relationship, believing it’ll hold him down.

This isn’t the last time Sonic would be characterized this way. In an especially reviled future arc, Ken Penders would write the hedgehog hero as a serial dater, eager to abuse his fame to get with different girls. It’s never felt right for Sonic, considering he’s obviously been in love with Sally for years. Sonic’s reasoning to Tails just ends up reducing his personality. He doesn’t want to demystify his “cool” image. That she would slow him down or insist on eating first. Jesus Christ, Karl! Sonic’s a child soldier, not a rutterless teenage boy. (The story also suggests that Sonic does have some feelings for Mina, a plot point I thought had been buried.)

That aside, I don’t totally dislike “Trouble with Grrrls.” The opening scene, with Sonic running from the eager fan girls, is funny. (Though, once again, Archie forgets about Amy Rose, Sonic’s number one fan girl.) Sonic and Tails having a heart-to-heart is certainly appreciated, even if I’m not a fan of their conversation. Lastly, Steven Butler returns to draw this one. Seems like we haven’t seen his work in a while, doesn’t it? It’s as high quality as usual. Considering his strength for drawing sexy females, he was a good choice to draw a mob of horny fan girls. His character work on Sonic and Tails is valuable too.

The cover story of issue 111 has a good idea but isn’t executed perfectly smoothly. The second story is cute. The third raises some questions that I’m not sure needed asking. Overall, it’s yet another mixed bag. But let’s look on the bright side. At least we won’t have that dumb sword to kick around for a while, right? [6/10]