Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 121

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 121
Publication Date: March 2003

It only seems like a few months since Prince Elias exited the book. Considering he never contributed very much to the book anyway, Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series didn’t exactly loose very much when Elias ditched the castle. Yet I guess it was inevitable that the book was going to get back to that plot eventually. At the very least, issue 121 makes it clear that Elias isn’t in any hurry to make it back to Knothole.

In “The Prince and the Revolution,” King Max assigns Sonic and Sally to track down Prince Elias. Even though Geoffrey St. John and Hershey are already on that mission, the King is getting impatient. The Secret Service agents find Elias first. The Prince has found peace in Feral Forest, marrying a young woman and getting her pregnant. St. John tries to get the Prince to return to Knothole but he has absolutely no interest in that. Around that time, Robotnik and a fleet of robots attack. He’s happy to stumble upon the aloof Prince. Luckily, Sonic arrives in time, saving everyone’s asses.

“The Prince and the Revolution” is interesting as a Sonic story that barely has Sonic in it. The blue hedgehog shows up in the opening pages and then runs back into the story for the big finale. Later in the book's life, a story like this would be slotted into “Sonic Universe.” Before that spin-off title existed, Archie either had to force Sonic into every story or shove plots like this into the back pages. So there’s definitely a novelty value to this one, a story that basically utilizes the title character as a plot device, using its time to focus on some other cast members.

Prince Elias is either an uninteresting character or woefully underdeveloped. Knowing this book, either accusation would probably be fair. For the most part, he was defined by disinterest in being royalty. In “The Prince and the Revolution,” we see the depths of Elias' hatred for politics. When St. John tries to recruit the locals in the battle against Eggman, Elias slinks off,  grumbling. When the skunk directly confronts him, he packs up his wife, getting ready to leave. When the agent presses the issues, Elias leaps at him. He probably would've throttle the guy if an army of robots didn't bust through the walls. The point is clear: Elias is happy as a simple lumberjack, with his wife and forthcoming child. He has no time for governing countries and shit.

Once Robotnik's killer robot army – who are suppose to resemble E-102 Gamma but Ron Lim can't draw things – busts in, the story takes a less interesting direction. Minutes before Robotnik executes Elias and St. John, Sonic speeds in, smashing some machines. The action beat is brief, Sonic and the crowd of villagers decimating the robots off-screen. Robotnik flees the ravaged battlefield, the heroes letting him get away for some reason. Sally has even less to do then Sonic and the story ends on a lame joke about chili dogs. Oh well.

In the second story, Ken begins another Knuckles epic. The first part of “Afterlife” focuses on Knuckles' funeral. While his family and loved ones grieve, Knuckles watches the proceedings as a motherfucking ghosts. The ghosts of seemingly every other proceeding Guardian join him. They inform the echidna that, when a Guardian dies, he “evolves” into an intangible spirit, unable to interact with the world but able to hang out with a bunch of old, dead guy. Which seems more like a karmic punishment then some sort of heightened state. Anyway, this ghostly family reunion is interrupted when two Chao – emissaries of the echidna goddess Aurora – usher Knuckles into what one can only assume is echidnan heaven.

“Afterlife – Part One” was almost a great story. After putting it off for at least one story, Penders has gotten around to focusing on how Knuckles' friends respond to his death. Vector blubbers in the crowd, wrecked that his secret gay crush is dead. (He even refers to Knuckles as “my main man.”) The other Chaotix quietly consider how their lives will never be the same. Julie-Su cries quietly, finding it difficult to accept the truth. Lara-Le, meanwhile, is totally inconsolable. Only Constable Remington's response – that things could've been different had he intervened – reads untrue.

If “Afterlife” had focused exclusively on the mourning, it might've been a stand-out story. But, once again, Ken Penders has to hijack the plot for typical Ken Penders things. A lot of page time is devoted to the echidna preacher at Knuckles' funeral. While this does provide some world-building, giving us a further look at echidnan religion, it bogs the story down in obtuse dialogue. Once Ghost Knuckles and his ghost grandpas show off, “Afterlife” devolves into characters monologing at him about various mystical bullshit. Art Mawhinney's art work is nice, though the Chao angels that grab Knuckles are pretty goofy looking.

For the third story, Romy Chacon picks up the plot point about Mina's singing abilities that Karl let hang last issue. Sonic has organized a concert for Mina in Knothole. The mongoose is uncertain at first but Sonic's confidence in her gives her the needed boost. Mina aces the performance, winning over the skeptical crowd. Even Sally is impressed with her singing abilities. That is, until she sees Sonic and Mina share a hug and meaningful eye-contact.

Writing a comic book about music should be a self-defeating act. We can't hear how great a singer Mina is. We have to take everyone's word for it. Lyrically - “Star light! Star bright! The feelings all right!” - the song doesn't impress. But “Songoose” isn't really about the music. Instead, it's about Mina finding joy in doing something new. Her enthusiastic reaction is sweet to see. Considering Mina has been bumbling around the book for a while, it's finally nice to see her find her place in society. Rebels fighting a war against a genocidal dictator need pop music too.

So “Songoose” works pretty well... Up until the very end. Though it seemed like a moot point, Chacon resurrects the Sonic/Sally/Mina love triangle. It's a small moment that's handled pretty well. Nicole declares Mina's music overrated, presumably based on a critical algorithm salvage from Pitchfork. After Sally catches her boyfriend and the mongoose making goo-goo eyes at each other, she agrees with her computer's statement. Steven Butler really gets a lot out of that panel of Sally sulking. But I'm just tired of the comic dragging this plot point around. Sonic and Sally are lovers, okay!?

So what we've got here are three stories that try to rise above the comic's standards but can't quite make it. I guess I have to give the creative team kudos for trying something different, even if their worst qualities hold them back. Issue 121 is about half of a really good comic book. [7/10]