Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 144

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 144
Publication Date: December 2004

The “Mobius: 25 Years Later” story arc has been running in the back pages of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series since December of 2003. After a year of getting half the book to itself, which lead to a sometimes overly relaxed pacing, the possible future of Sonic and his friends gets a cover story to itself. Probably because this promised to be the final story in that setting for quite some time. Let's get to it.

Rotor and Cobar have finally figured out a way to possibly avert the incoming apocalypse. The Royal Family and Knuckles travel to the Badlands, which appear to be the radioactive remains of Old Robotropolis. Under the blasted out wastelands, they crawl towards Robotnik's time displacement machine, the device which will toss Sonic into the past and hopefully save the world. Unbeknownst to Sonic or her father, Lara-Su is a stowaway on their plane, eager to join the adventure.

“The Die is Cast” is mostly concerned with barreling towards “25 Years Later's” quasi-conclusion. However, the issue does sneak in some cute moments between the characters. At the story's start, Knuckles informs Lara-Su that her training to become a Guardian will officially begin as soon as he gets back from this mission. Her reaction, to leap excited into his arms and give him a big hug, seems very genuine and charming. When Julie-Su hears Knuckles is going on this one without her, he defuses the tension with a big meaningful kiss. I'm not sure why Knuckles excluded Julie-Su on this mission but it's nice that Ken took the time to ask her opinion.

If “The Die is Cast” provides a satisfying conclusion to anything, it's King Sonic's recent bad mood. The hedgehog hero has spent most of this story arc in a funk, feeling neurotic about his status as royalty. In “The Die is Cast,” he finally gets over himself. Rotor informs Sonic that there might not be a way to get him back to this time line, that he might end up stuck in the past. Sonic leaves no doubt that he's willing to do this. It's nice to finally see Sonic man up and act like the hero we all know he is. Should've happened a lot sooner, if you asked me.

Archie would be putting the “Mobius: 25 Years Later” alternate universe on the shelf for a while after this story line, not returning to it until after Ian Flynn came onto the book. I'm not sure why they picked this particular point to table things for now. It ends on a huge cliffhanger. Something goes wrong with the time displacement machine, Sonic being tossed to unknown whereabouts. Simultaneously, Lara-Su begins to fade from existence like Marty McFly's siblings in “Back to the Future.” The exact cause for this is still up in the air and we won't get any answers for a while now. Which is a disappointing conclusion to one of a hugely uneven but intermittently touching story arc.

The back-up story returns to the present timeline. “Love and Loss” focuses on the wildly popular Knothole News, a publication that apparently someone in Knothole has the time and resources to assemble, publish, and distribute. The paper is so popular because of a romance advice column called “Dear Aly.” The story covers four letters written to the columnist. The first is from Bunnie, still torn up over Antoine's personality shift. The second is from Mina, who is debating over ditching Ash or attempting to pursue the newly single Sonic. The third is from Amy, who is still struggling to get over her crush on Sonic. The last letter is from Sally... Which is funny, since Sally is Dear Aly.

By focusing on emotion, “Love and Loss” addresses a few of the things “Sonic” fans have actually been wondering about recently. Such as “Is Bunnie okay?” The answer seems to be “Maybe not.” She's a mess, weeping openly, desperate for answers, her heart torn up by Antoine's cruel rejection of her. Something else fans are wondering is what the hell Sally has been thinking. “Love and Loss” confronts this as well. She regrets slapping Sonic, realizing she overreacted. It provides some insight into her rejection of Sonic, that she's afraid of loosing him again. (This is still bullshit, as I refuse to believe Sally would be that petty, but it's something.) The story concludes with Sally hoping to talk things over with Sonic, to reevaluate the changes in their lives. Moreover, she promises not to let this relationship drama hold her back. It's a positive change, if nothing else.

Because just focusing on Bunnie and Sally's strife probably wouldn't be enough, “Love and Loss” also devotes some page to Sonic's stalkers admirers. That Mina is still holding a torch for Sonic is not surprising but somewhat disappointing. Seems to me that love triangle was murdered and buried a while ago. I guess Mina's feelings die harder than John McClane though. Still, Mina's reaction to Aly's response – tossing a photo of Sonic over her bed into the trash and calling Ash up for a late night booty call – is cute. As for Amy, I do like her ignoring Aly's answer, which the advice columnist predicted. Seems realistic for a girl that is physically a teenager but emotionally still a ten year old. It also must be really easy for Sally to figure out who wrote each letter.

Jon Gray, who I'm no fan of, draws “Love and Loss.” Gray's loose, cartoony style is far better suited to a low key character story like this than a big action epic like “Return to Angel Island.” Considering it's a story focused on emotions, Gray's tendency to exaggerate everyone's facial expressions actually works in this one's favor. Bunnie's face twisting in tearful agony is effecting. A panel devoted to her holding her tear-strewn face really gets to me. Amy's blunt dismissal of the Aly's response works equally well. I even like the kind of cute opening scene, devoted to people swarming the newsstand. Gray should stick to stories like these, is what I'm saying, I guess.

That back-up story makes up for some of the cover story's shortcoming, though it's not enough to boost the entire issue to a generally positive rating. “25 Years Later” wraps up for now and some characters' hearts still aching proves a little more compelling. Over all, issue 144 is another deeply uneven issue, bringing a deeply uneven year to its conclusion. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 143

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 143
Publication Date: December 2004

Before getting to the heart of the review, let's talk about that cover. Last time, it made sense for Sonic and Hope to be seated before a scroll depicting the Original Freedom Fighters. This time, Sonic is shown gasping in front of another scroll showing the Original Freedom Fighters' final mission. There's a disconnect between the two images and, for once, I really have to question Patrick Spaziante's design decisions. Text says Sonic will be in danger, which is hugely misleading. Sonic doesn't see any action in this story. So I'm really not sure what's up with that. Anyway, on with the review.

The previous comic ended on a cliffhanger, revealing that the Original Freedom Fighters were betrayed by one of their own. We see this betrayal play out. While journeying into Robotnik's fortress, hoping to pull the King from the Void, Robotnik corners them. He robotocizes the heroes and tosses them into the Void as well. Uncle Chuck records the events, making sure others – including little Hope, born years afterwards – know what happened to Col. Stripe and his men.

One of the reasons I regarded this story arc with such disdain, originally, is because of the identity of the traitor. As previously discussed, the Original Freedom Fighters have barely been developed, meaning any betrayal would barely affected the reader. Yet Romy Chacon finds a way to drain any power from this reveal, by going with the most obvious answer. Trey Scales, the snake, sold the group out to Robotnik. Why? Because he's a snake and treachery is in his nature. What the fuck? That's the lamest justification possible.

Moreover, the comic has to bend over backwards to justify how the Original Freedom Fighters disappeared. The five get robotocized – even Scales, because Robotnik is a bastard without honor – which is a natural decision. He then blows the Original Freedom Fighters into the Void. Which is obviously a messy way to justify why Stripe and the others weren't turned organic along with the other Robians. It also explains why the Freedom Fighters never attempted to rescue Stripe and his friends, why they've never been mentioned before. Yet other characters had to learn of their sacrifice somehow. So Uncle Chuck is awkwardly inserted into this scenario, recording their deaths. Considering he was still brainwashed at the time, I don't how he was able to do this.

Even while dealing with these issues, Chacon does manage to sneak in a few likable moments. A young Sally is visiting Stripe when Sir Peckers gives him news concerning the King's disappearance. This upsets little Sally, causing Stripe to chastise Peckers some. That's a mildly interesting moment. After news of the Original Freedom Fighters' passing, we see a few panels devoted to characters mourning. Such as Julayla and Rosie crying among themselves or others standing around tombstones.

Sonic brings us back around, his re-telling concluding with Sally's decision to form their own Freedom Fighter team. Yet, weirdly, Sonic isn't the one framing this particular story. Instead, it's an off-panel character that, at the end, is revealed to be Hope's history teacher. The teacher is also, apparently, Col. Stripe's widow. Which is a real random decision that comes out of nowhere and doesn't build on anything we saw prior.

Instead of squeezing in three stories, the entire second half of issue 143 is devoted to a new “Mobius: 25 Years Later,” entitled “Father's Day.” Knuckles disappears into the forest without telling his wife and daughter. It turns out, this day is the anniversary of his father's death. Knuckles kneels before Locke's grave, reflecting on the sickness that took his dad's life and how it affected him. Afterwards, he makes the decision to agree to Lara-Su's request, to begin her training as a Guardian.

“Father's Day” was clearly a personal story for Ken Penders. The story is devoted to his father's memory. (Though weirdly, this dedication is cropped out of the digital version.) Perhaps due to this, Ken draws this one by himself. His work is still very stiff but more serviceable than usual. I suspect Locke's death was heavily inspired by how Ken's own father passed. Locke doesn't die via magical shenanigans or from a super villain attack. He instead succumbs to a sick pancreas. On his death bed, Locke does something I would never expect of him. He apologizes. He admits to his son and ex-wife that he made mistakes, that he wasn't the best father and husband he could've been. Considering Locke's staunch refusal to own up to his asshole decisions, this is a surprising turn of events.

Ken being Ken, the story doesn't progress without some obnoxious moments. Knuckles' flashback begins with a superfluous scene where he parts ways with Archimedes. Locke's doctor repeatedly clarifies how strong Locke is, how unusual his illness is. Because Ken's self-insert can't even die humbly. A random explanation of “Ascension Day” - an echidnan holiday – is tossed in. Knuckles and Lara-Le forgive Locke for his mistakes a little too easily, glossing over how complicated their relationships truly are. It also bothers me that Lara-Su has such a small role in a story concerning her. The story also ends on the hilariously overwrought image of Locke and Aurora looking down from heaven on Knuckles.

But it's clear a lot of feeling went into “Father's Day,” that this was an important story for Penders. That sincerity comes through in the final product, even with its flaws. The back-up is, at least, more interesting than the cover story. Still, I came away from this re-read with a little more appreciation for what happened in these two issues. Things weren't all shitty – just mostly shitty – in 2004. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 142

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 142
Publication Date: November 2004

Around November of 2004, my fandom for Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series was not burning so bright. For the first time, I was actually considering not reading the book anymore. I'd like to say this was because I was in high school at the time and had more important things to worry about then cartoon hedgehogs. (I didn't.) Rather, it seemed to me the book had hit a terminally lame spot. The Original Freedom Fighters two-parter, running in issue 142 and 143, was just the latest in a long line of weak stories for the book. At least, that's what I thought back then.

The issue focuses, at first, on Hope, a character we haven't seen in a few months. While working on a book report about the history of the Acorn Kingdom – there's your once-every-six-months reminder the characters still go to school – she comes upon the Original Freedom Fighters. A chance encounter with Sonic has the hedgehog explaining who these previously unheard of characters were and how they inspired Sonic, Sally, and the others to fight Robotnik's tyranny.

The Original Freedom Fighters are, admittedly, an awkward insertion into Sonic history. In-between the “Sonic Kids” one-shots and the “Tales of the Great War” arc, the fall of the Kingdom of Acorn, Robotnik seizing power, and the formation of the Freedom Fighters is seemingly well trotted ground. At the very least, you would've expected the Original Freedom Fighters' names and faces to have been mentioned before. The five characters that make up the team don't strike the reader as especially inspired. They all have ridiculous names inductive of their species. Tig Stripe is a tiger, Bull Bones is a bull dog, Trey Scales is a pink snake, Spot Long is a purple giraffe, and Sir Peckers – jeezus – is a robin. It combines to give the impression that the Original Freedom Fighters, and their corresponding story line, where thought up on the spot by writer Romy Chacon.

And, no, the Original Freedom Fighters are not well developed. Trey, Peckers, and Spot barely get any dialogue. The only glimpse we get at Bones' personality is his interest in striking back at Robotnik. Tig Stripe does make something of an impression. Chacon writes him as a cross between Abraham Lincoln and Optimus Prime. He cares more about saving lives than saving face. During a flashback to the fall of Mobotropolis, he makes a conscious decision to get as many people out of the city as possible, after realizing regaining the city is a lost battle. Around a table, he delivers a speech about how it's a moral duty to fight evil. How they will do everything possible to fight for freedom. It's... Genuinely kind of stirring? At the very least, you can see why Stripe would be so inspiring to Sonic.

Which brings us back to the framing device. Sonic inserts himself into his own story. He and Sally, still youngsters, eavesdropped on the aforementioned speech. In other words, Sonic and Sally were there when the Freedom Fighters were born, an interesting idea. There's even an anecdote about the original quartet rescuing Sonic once. The story telling device allows Chacon to cover a long stretch of history in only a few pages. Moreover, I like it whenever Sonic sits down and tells a story. We're so used to seeing other characters fanboy/girl over Sonic – Tails and Amy have both served that purpose in the past – that it's refreshing to see Sonic have a similar reaction.

Speaking of Amy Rose! Issue 143's second story, “I Wanna Be a Freedom Fighter,” is devoted to that character. Beginning with a flash back to Amy's childish early days, Sally tells an audience about Rose's recent victories. How she played a huge role in the Freedom Fighters' most recent success. Amy is given a medal while also being offered official membership into the Freedom Fighters.

Beginning with that flashback is a smart idea, as it shows how far Amy has come. Amy's transition from fawning fangirl to hammer-swinging warrior certainly made her more interesting. I've never been a huge fan of the character. (And I'll certainly never understood while some are so passionate about pairing her with Sonic, considering the entire point of their relationship is that Amy's feelings are one sided.) However, “I Wanna Be a Freedom Fighter” makes a strong case for her. She's still young and girly, such as when she corrects Sally about what her hammer is called. She's not above embarrassment, when reminded of her youthful behavior. Yet she's certainly has earned her place among the Freedom Fighters. In other words, Karl does more for Amy's character over this brief five pager then the comic has done in 118 issues.

The final story in the issue takes us back to the future. In “Moment of Truth,” the latest “Mobius: 25 Years Later” installment, Cobar and Rotor finally give Sonic and Knuckles some grim news. The only solution they've been able to cook up involves flinging King Sonic into the past, in order to prevent the events leading up to the forthcoming disaster. This means using some of Robotnik's old technology, which takes some asking. Sonic, still feeling some anxiety about being King, agrees to go on this adventure, heading out immediately.

The stuff concerning Ken's latest apocalypse, time travel, and all that stuff doesn't interest me very much. Instead, it's the character interactions that draw my attention. Lara-Su corners her dad on the stairs, further attempting to convince him to train her in the ways of being a Guardian. This strikes me as realistic. As a teenager, I can certainly recall not letting specific debates go, even after my mom told me no. Later, Sonic and Sally have a heart-to-heart. The hedgehog admits he's been acting like a dick because he's still insecure about being king. How he feels like this latest mission is a job better suited to Sally, who has always been more of a leader. It's a little moment, grounding Sonic's character some and reinforcing his bond with Sally, but helps elevate a story otherwise dominated by exposition.

Turns out issue 142 isn't too bad after all. Compared to what's around it, this one actually comes off pretty well. The cover story and the final back-up have some serious weaknesses but are both propped up by a few, stray good moments. The story in the center is actually decent! Art Mawhineny and Steven Butler provide some fantastic artwork for the whole issue. During the Dork Age, even a relatively subpar issue can seem above average. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 141

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 141
Publication Date: October 2004

These days, Archie tends to really stretch out its story lines. Ian Flynn has become notorious for penning arcs that stretch on for a year or more. Say what you will about 2004 – I certainly have – but at least Archie wrapped stuff up in a timely fashion then. “Return to Angel Island” concluded in October of 2004, with its fourth issue. That might have been one issue more then was needed but at least the thing is finally over.

Sonic and Knuckles' celebration over rescuing Locke is short-lived. Robotnik has beamed Hunter onto Angel Island, with the express purpose of capturing the Master Emerald. Since the heroes are away at the moment, the villain easily penetrates the Dark Legion's defenses, heading straight into the Hidden Palace Zone. Luckily, Knuckles arrives in time but the young echidna is still torn up inside over the loss of his magical powers.

I know I've done pretty much nothing but shit on Jon Gray's artwork for the last week but, with issue 141, Gray's work degrades to a previously unseen level of incoherence. Gray portrays Hunter tossing star-marked bumpers around, zapping echidnas with green electricity. This is meant to teleport them away but Gray doesn't clearly draw that. The action scenes remain that chaotic. I honestly have no idea what's happening in a panel devoted to the Chaotix fighting some dingoes. Through it all, Gray sneaks in some of his trademark ugly facial expressions. What is his obsession with giant mouths, agape in horror or agony or excitement?

Story wise, part four of “Return to Angel Island” packs in the dramatic reveals. After focusing most of the arc on rescuing Locke, it gives the reader a bit of whiplash to return to capturing the Master Emerald as a major plot point. Both Remmington and Finitevus are seemingly captured by Hunter. This is kind of a major event but the script doesn't treat it importantly, shoved in-between other business. It's also revealed why Archimedes was hanging around the Master Emerald. Apparently, Locke gave him the mission of observing the Emerald while it was in Lien-Da's hands. This makes sense, I suppose, but Archimedes' reappearance into the story is still overly sudden.

Squeezed between helter-skelter action sequences is one genuinely interesting character moment. After Robotnik's forces siege the Hidden Palace Zone, Lien-Da snipes at Julie-Su and Locke. Julie-Su, never one to hide her opinion, snipes back, leading to a full-blown argument. She lets her step-sister know what a bitch she's been. The argument is only cut short because Vector – you know shit is bad when Vector is the voice of reason – points out that a battle is currently happening. After so much heavy plotting, it's nice to see a purely emotional response like this. Then Karl Bollers' pushes it too far, by devoting a whole panel to Lien-Da saying Dad liked Julie-Su more. It's a melodramatic, overly on the nose conclusion to an otherwise decent scene.

More so then Robotnik's occupation of Angel Island, the driving point of this arc has been Knuckles' depression over loosing his powers and his discomfort with being hailed as a messiah. Part four tosses that shit right in the blender. It turns out Knuckles never lost his Chaos Powers. They were merely in remission until he made contact with the Master Emerald again. After doing so, Knux transforms into Super Knuckles – a super form seemingly identical to the previously seen, equally pink Hyper Knuckles – and immediately murders the fuck out of Hunter by tossing him into the ocean below. (Knuckles casually killing an enemy might be a bigger deal if anyone gave a shit about Hunter.) I, personally, would have rather seen the further consequences of Knuckles struggling with his lack of powers, realizing he doesn't need them to be a hero. Instead, he gets them back through no action on his part and everything is hunky-dory. What a let down.

Even when not written by Ken Penders, Locke can't help but be a dick. After freeing the Island, Knuckles informs his dad that he doesn't intend to stay. Knuckles believes he should use his powers to protect the whole world from Robotnik, not just the Floating Island. This is a direct jab at the Brotherhood's isolationist politics. In a better story, Locke would gain some character development and admit his son is right. In “Return to Angel Island,” Locke rips Knuckles a new one for daring to care about places other then his home land. True to form but still pretty shitty.

Meanwhile, “Mobius: 20 Years Later” continues in the back pages. In “Scenario” - that had to have been a temp title that Ken forgot to update, right? - Sonic and Knuckles are informed of the gravity of the forthcoming catastrophe. Apparently, Sonic is to blame. All that zone hopping he's done, in addition to his fight with Robotnik in “Endgame” and destroying the Xorda's Quantum Dial, apparently weakened the dimensional barriers around Mobius or something. Cobar and Rotor are working on cooking up a solution but outlooks' not so good. Meanwhile, Lien-Da continues to sneak around like a sneak. I don't know what she's up to.

One could read into Sonic being so flatly blamed for kick starting the latest armageddon. Ken really seems to have it out for Sonic in “Mobius: 20 Years Later.” The King has been acting slightly childish throughout. We learned that Sonic blew out Knuckles' eye. The hedgehog didn't even get a chance to finish off his own arch-enemy. Now, Sonic is directly responsible for the ominous event the entire story line has been foreshadowing. I don't think Ken was intentionally putting down the comic's titular hero in order to further boost Knuckles but... It can't help but come off that way, a little bit.

There's not much else to “Scenario” besides explaining the mechanics of the upcoming cataclysm. The final scene with Lien-Da isn't as ominous as it should be because her future version has been portrayed, not as a devious villain, but as a totally domesticated citizen. Only one scene in the story is focused on something else. Neither Julie-Su nor Sally can sleep, as both are too worried about their husbands. This characterization of both women – as doddering wives who seemingly only care about their men – is starting to grate on me. Perhaps a better solution would have them trailing Sonic and Knuckles, if they're so worried about them? At least that would've given the Queen and Ms. Guardian some level of agency, some role in the plot.

As a whole, I didn't care for “Return to Angel Island.” It had a handful of decent moments outdone by an uninteresting plot, terrible artwork, and a number of awkward story reveals. “20 Years Later” continues to loose me, with Penders once again revealing some of his worst habits as an author. 2004 remains an experiment in mediocrity. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 140

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 140
Publication Date: September 2004

It seems like Archie considered “Return to Angel Island” the big “Sonic” event of 2004. “Home,” after all, began in 2003. The return of Tommy the Turtle was only deemed big enough to occupy three issues. For some reason, Knuckles' liberation of his home land got four roomy issues to explore its story. That's more than Knuckles' original mini-series got! Well, let's get on with this shit.

Having been reunited with his mom, Knuckles goes about reuniting himself with his dad. Combing the equal forces of Sonic, the Chaotix, and the Dark Legion, they storm the Dingos' stronghold. Making short work of Kage von Stryker's forces, Locke is rescued. Enraged by his general's failure, Robotnik pulls a villain out of cold storage.

“Return to Angel Island” has been skirting the issue for a while now. The story arc has presented plenty of moments for Knuckles to get emotional but has managed to bungle each one almost every time. In part three, the troubled young Guardian almost gets through a touching moment without being interrupted. Kneeling before the Master Emerald, he confesses how impotent he feels, especially when compared to what those who believe in the Avatar think he is. Even this revealing moment has a few derailing elements. Knuckles has to pause and explain the claws and sunglasses he's wearing now, two objects taken from “Sonic Adventure.” The scene ends with a bizarre panel of Archimedes, looking very ominous, saying everything is going according to plan. By the way, this moment is totally unrelated to everything else that happens in this story.

Yet this moment is one respite from the constant action that makes up “Return to Angel Island.” The rest of the issue is made up of action sequences. Sonic leaps around quickly from the Dark Legion's floating platforms, a moment that gets a whole page devoted to it. Jon Gray devotes nearly an entire page to the Chaotix raiding Kage's fort. This is, notably, the only moment the Chaotix appear in this one. The issue seemingly builds up towards a confrontation between Sonic and Stryker. When that fight comes, it ends extremely quickly. Which is either a deliberate comment on how much Kage sucks or just a seriously underwhelming moment.

Locke does get rescued, by the way. Knuckles and his dad share a weary exchange, the teenager getting teary-eyed. Yet Locke is mostly just a prop to drive the heroes. The story is seemingly over at this point. For some reason, it continues pass this logical conclusion. Robotnik, realizing Kage is incompetent, sends another agent to the Angel Island. What fearsome former villain has Eggman pulled out of obscurity to get a second chance...? Hunter. Yep, that lame Kraven rip-off from the final “Knuckles” comic arc. Yeah, you can tell I'm real enthused to see this jack-ass again.

If the cover story is, arguably, moving too quickly, the back-up is arguably moving too slowly. “A Difference of Opinion” has Sonic and Knuckles finally talking to each other in private after dinner. This allows the two heroes to level with each other. Before discussing the forthcoming apocalypse, the two look back on the reason why their friendship is so strained these days.

“A Difference of Opinion” should've been about two guys who were once close friends coming together for the first time in years and figuring out what when wrong. It's not an uncommon scenario, as even the best friends drift away or come to blows. Instead, “A Difference of Opinion” heaps exposition on the reader. Not-so-casually, Sonic and Knuckles detail past events. Apparently, at some point in the past or future, depending on how you read this, Knuckles becomes a living Chaos Emerald again. He then flat-out murders Robotnik, who was trying to steal the Master Emerald again. Power mad, Knuckles went about rewriting the world, prompting Sonic to blast him with some sort of doo-hickey. This restored Knux to normal, at the cost of blowing his eye out. Hence the fancy cyborg deal he sports in “20 Years Later.”

You're probably tired of hearing me doing this. Let's rake Ken over the coals once more for his most common writing flaws. Why is he telling us these past events, instead of showing us? Would a full-blown flashback have been too much to ask, instead of having the characters awkwardly bring up this information? Then again, maybe this summary saved us from having to see Knuckles go all green again, a change that was super tiring when it first happened and we only recently got rid of. Yes, one must point out how odd it is that Knuckles is the one to definitively defeat Robotnik, Sonic's archenemy. Once again, Ken does nothing to dispel his obvious echidna favoritism.

Flaws and all, there are a few decent lines of dialogue in “Difference of Opinion.” I do like the palatable tension the story has, as the conflict between Sonic and Knuckles is something this entire story arc has been building towards. Steven Butler's artwork is as top-of-the-line as usual. His strength for facial expressions gets a good workout here, since the story is primarily devoted to two guys standing around and talking. Though Butler's involvement does kind of make me wish Knux and Sonic weren't authority figures in the future and could beat the shit out of each other, for old times' sake.

As for Jon Gray's art on the cover story... Well, I'm still not a fan but I think I'm getting use to it. Gray does make interesting use of lighting and shadow. He frequently places a character in partial darkness in order to emphasize their expression. As for his action scenes, some of his visuals are striking while others just look like shit. Sometimes on the same page! Ray leaping over enemies, smashing their heads together, looks quite cool. Lien-Da's legs flying into the air like limp noodles, on the other hand, looks awful. This suggests that Gray isn't a bad artist so much as a sloppy one.

Anyway, issue 140 ain't terrible but is still far from good. That's a [6/10], for you.

Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” Comics: 1992-2016?

If you're reading this blog, you've certainly heard the news already. Archie has not published a “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic book for six months, since the end of last year. After months of resoliciting titles to comic shops, the company has started quietly canceling pre-orders on the book. There's been no official word on why this is happening. Indeed, officially the Sonic comics – which includes the flagship “Sonic” title, “Sonic Universe,” the “Sonic Megadrive: Overload” one-shot – have only been mysterious delayed. But, for many fans, the writing has been on the wall for quite some time. The comic book, the current subject of the blog you are reading right now, is almost certainly canceled.

Initially, I was reluctant to jump to this grim conclusion. The hullabaloo started this past January, when fans noticed that Archie removed subscriptions for all “Sonic the Hedgehog” books from their online store and had a sale on all the back issues. This struck me as odd but not exactly concerning. The books were still being offered to comic shops. Next, upcoming issues started to be delayed. Fans were freaking out but I remained calm. After all, this was hardly the first time Archie delayed books. There was a lengthy delay in 2015, thanks to the company moving to a new printing facility. But then the delays kept coming, the books being held back for months and months. By that point, it was apparent that something was going on with Archie's “Sonic” series.

Fans really started to freak out when someone called Archie's office, asked about the subscriptions becoming unavailable, and was told the book was probably canceled. Sonic fans being the exceptionally passionate people they are, Archie's call centers were floated with questions about “Sonic's” fate. The initially grim statement about the book's future was immediately rolled back. Archie said that news about “Sonic” would be coming soon, that they were discussing stuff with Sega. As weeks turned into months, this statement remained unchanged and the comics still weren't coming out. Most recently, the writers and artists working on the book – who were just as surprised by this news as the fans were – have started looking for other work, seemingly confirming our worst fears about the comic's future.

By now, it's abundantly evident that no official answer about the book's fate is forthcoming. Some have speculated that Archie is intentionally withholding an answer so they won't have to refund subscriptions to the book. This is likely the same reason their “Megaman” book went on an “extended hiatus,” instead of being outright canceled. This is also, it's become increasingly clear, the kind of greasy tactics Archie is far too fond of employing.

If Archie isn't even willing to tell us whether or not the book is actually canceled, it's clear that we won't be getting an explanation for why this happened in the first place any time soon. This has, naturally, led to lots of baseless speculation from fans. At first, fans were eager to blame Ken Penders and Scott Fulop, the former writers who successfully sued Archie for ownership of the characters they created for the book. Archie faithfuls already hate Penders for necessitating the total continuity reboot that happened in 2013. It seemed reasonable to some, with Archie's mishandling leading to two separate lawsuits, that Sega would resend Archie's license to their characters.

This struck me as unlikely. If Sega was going to cut ties with Archie over this stuff, it probably would've happened in 2013, when Penders sued. Other theories have abounded. We know Archie has had money problems in the past. Some have wondered if launching the TV show “Riverdale” meant the company had to cut coast, leading to “Sonic's” cancellation. Maybe but I suspect that Archie is also making a decent amount of money from “Riverdale,” since they are licensing their characters to the CW and Berlanti Productions. (And the TV show has been successful, at least as far as CW shows go.) The theory that made the most sense to me was that, maybe, Sega wanted to take more control of their flagship property. Following a series of highly visible failures, and with two high profile video games and a possible movie coming soon, perhaps Sega wanted to make sure all their Sonic eggs where in one basket.

Most recently, a new theory has arisen suggesting this clusterfuck is entirely on Archie. A wholly unsubstantiated rumor has some corporate higher-up at Archie claiming the company, in the aftermath of “Riverdale” getting renewed for a second season, wants to focus on their own characters. That “Sonic” isn't really their thing. This is probably bullshit, since it strikes me as a little too neat, and now some Archie-verse comics are also getting delayed.

Truthfully, I imagine a mixture of all of the above is probably responsible for the book ending. Sega wants to tightly control “Sonic's” public image going forward, the lawsuits have made them weary of Archie, Archie is currently putting a lot of time and money into their own characters, and the company's fiances have always been mishandled. It's the perfect storm of bullshit to get a comic book that has run for twenty-four years suddenly canceled.

So that's the facts and the likely bullshit. How do I feel about this news? When cancellation rumors first started circulating, I was shocked. My initial unwillilngness to accept the comic's termination may very well have been an act of deliberate denial. As I've said in the past, I've been reading this comic book since I was six year old. The adventures of Sonic and the Freedom Fighters have accompanied me for nearly my entire life. These characters and their world mean way too much to me. “Sonic” was my fandom ground zero, the first fictional universe I was ever passionate about. That passion wasn't born through the video games but SatAM. And the comic book has kept the spirit of SatAM alive for much longer than the cartoon show ever ran, birthing its own weird, incredibly elaborate mythology. Archie's “Sonic” comic is one of my favorite nerdy past times. I mean, it must be if I've written so many damn words about it.

So, yes, I was bummed out by the idea of the comic book ending. It made me feel weird, almost as if a relative or exceedingly long lived pet had died. However, in many ways, the comic book I loved ended in 2013. And just as abruptly too. The reboot universe, given the unwieldy name of “The Post-Super Genesis Wave” continuity by fan historians, garnered a passionate fan following over its three year existence. There's no doubt that the rebooted continuity was far more consistent than what came before. Yet I found its attempt to latch the comic to the video game's frequently vague lore unsatisfying. Devoting most of the last three years to adapting “Sonic Unleashed,” a game I didn't like very much, was a bad decision. In truth, the rebooted comic was just beginning to win me over, thanks to characters like Jian the Tiger, Relic the Pika, or Shellcrusher's band of merry pirates. So the comic ending now only saddens me so much. Most of the stuff I loved about this book was abandoned quite a while ago.

(Another reason why my sadness over the book ending was measured has to do with how Archie has handled things. We fans have been waiting so long for some sort of official announcement concerning the cancellation that I've had plenty of time to get use to the idea.) 

Even with that being the case, it sucks that “Sonic the Hedgehog” should end this way. If the book had ended because the creative staff decided the series had run its course, that would be understandable. If the book had been canceled because it wasn't selling well, that would be another thing. Instead, the plug was pulled suddenly and without explanation. That's an inglamorous way for the longest running licensed comic book, not to mention the longest running comic to never be relaunched or renumbered, to end. The main series was just shy of three-hundred issues too, while “Sonic Universe” was about to cross one hundred. Granted, the reboot universe did conclude with a  bit more closure than the pre-boot universe. The “Sonic Unleashed” arc was finally wrapped up. The original continuity ended on a fucking cliffhanger.

Some fans have tempered their sadness over Archie's “Sonic” comic ending by hoping another publisher will pick up the license. And it's certainly possible. Assuming this entire ordeal hasn't soured Sega entirely on the American comic market, starting a new “Sonic” comic makes financial sense. The character has a faithful following in that medium. One that has kept the series running for over two decades, in a world where most licensed comics only run a few years. Publishers like IDW, Boom! Studios, and Dynamite Entertainment primarily specialize in licensed properties, so there are avenues to explore.

It's been noted that the entire “Sonic” creative staff, from writer Ian Flynn on down to every artist, is freelance. (Archie pays very few writers and artists a salary because they're cheapskates.) There's nothing stopping them from jumping publishers with “Sonic.” Sega, in fact, has final ownership of every character and concept to appear in the book, at least post-reboot. It's theoretically possible that IDW or Boom! could pick up the comic book right where it left off.

Possible but unlikely. We're talking a long line of successively more far-fetched Maybes here. Maybe another publisher will grab the license. Maybe Flynn and others will follow them. Maybe they'll continue the old book's universe. But let's consider the facts. Archie obviously signed some deal with DiC when the comic started, allowing them use of SatAM and “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” concepts. This agreement has apparently lasted in perpetuity. Sega, meanwhile, has discouraged the comic company from utilizing elements from other “Sonic” shows, like “Sonic X,” the OVA, and “Sonic Underground.” Presumably because there are complicated agreements and deals in place. Sega ultimately owns the Freedom Fighters and other Archie stuff but utilizing it for a new company would probably required cutting through a lot of legal red tape.

Would Sega  be willing to do this to promote a comic book that isn't being published anymore? And a cartoon show that's been off the air for twenty years? From where I'm standing, a new “Sonic” comic being published some day strikes me as likely. Ian Flynn writing it even strikes me as plausible, considering his obvious passion for the characters and their universe. But a new series continuing the Archie continuity, or even featuring SatAM elements, seems unlikely to me. And I don't know if I care enough to read a Sonic comic book that doesn't feature Sally and the gang. I mean, I probably would, strictly so I could write about it for this blog. But my heart wouldn't be in it.

Speaking of which, how does the comic book's widely presumed cancellation affect Hedgehogs Can't Swim? Simply put: It doesn't. Other than giving me a clear end point for my comic book reviews. I don't plan on abandoning this blog any time soon. Even after I wrap up my coverage of Archie's “Sonic” series, there's plenty of other hedgehog-related media to keep me occupied for years to come. I hope to keep Hedgehogs Can't Swim going for a while, assuming I don't impregnate some poor woman or get eaten by alligators or something.

And so I bring this rambling eulogy for Archie's “Sonic” comic to an end. The book means a lot to me. There's still a lot of it left for me to re-explore. I have a lot of cherished memory connected with this silly, four-colored world. The series ending suddenly, even with a boatload of reservations, makes me a sad. So let's pour one out for Sonic's longest lasting adventure, one that may be gone but will certainly not be forgotten any time soon.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 139

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 139
Publication Date: August 2004

Issue 139 has got to be one of the most Knuckles heavy issues of “Sonic” Archie ever published. Sonic barely features in this one while the Freedom Fighters are nowhere to be seen. After the "Knuckles" book, mostly thanks to Ken Penders, built up the echidnas and the Floating Island to be such a pivotal part of Mobian history, it was inevitable that the series would have to deal with Angel Island again, even after Knuckles' solo book got canned. I'm not complaining, as I've got no beef with Knuckles' corner of the universe. It's just surprising to see Sonic reduced to a supporting character in his own book.

I guess I didn't mention this but the first part of “Return to Angel Island” ended on a cliffhanger. After wrecking a Dingo prison camp and freeing a number of echidnas, the heroes were ambushed by the Dark Legion. After scuffling with the Legionnaires, Knuckles receives some upsetting news. The Dark Legion, the still missing Brotherhood, and the regular echidna citizens all formed a truce, in hopes of deflecting the Robotnik backed Dingo army. There is an up-set to this: Knuckles is reunited with his mom, his stepdad, and his new baby brother, Knecapion.

Part 2 of “Return to Angel Island,” subtitled “The Avatar,” is not as action heavy as the first installment. Yes, the issue opens with a big fight between the heroes and the Dark Legion but eventually it settles into a calmer groove. Knuckles' reunion with his mom could've been a big moment. So could've his discovery that he has a new little brother, which is pushed into the back as a bit of comic relief. (Knuckles' biggest emotional reaction occurs after he hears Dimitri has died. His cries of anguish are weird, considering Uncle Dimitri sure spent a lot of time trying to kill Knuckles.)

These moments are pushed aside in favor of this whole Avatar business. Many of the echidnas Knuckles rescues, including his stepdad, bow to him. They praise him as the Avatar, the hero prophesied by the Ancient Walkers. Maybe the story's best moment occurs when a couple with a blinded child comes to Knuckles, hoping he'll heal the sick little girl. Knuckles, of course, denies being their messiah and bemoans the continued loss of his powers. This is fine, I guess. Knuckles' interior conflict over his destiny has always been a big deal for him. Yet the stuff with his family is a little more pressing for me.

The supporting cast continues to mostly be players in the action scenes. However, the script does make room for one interaction among the Chaotix. While Knuckles and Sonic are given a tour of the Hidden Palace Zone, Vector and Julie-Su get into one of their classical scuffles. Vector is incensed that Julie-Su is willing to accept the Dark Legion's help, as the crocodile clearly doesn't abide by the old “enemy of my enemy” adage. Sure, we've seen Julie-Su and Vector argue before, lots of times. Yet at least Karl provides a more concrete reason for their words, aside from Vector's general misogyny. This is more than Sonic or the other Chaotix get. They each only have a few lines.

“The Avatar” does spend a lot of time setting up the changes the Floating Island has undergone. The Master Emerald Shrine has been moved into the Secret Palace Zone, undoing the nice Sega-accurate Emerald Shrine the book cooked up not too long ago. This fits in with the game accurate redesign the Secret Palace Zone has undergone, including the tapestry of Sonic fighting Robotnik, which seemingly has no meaning now. Lien-Da has assigned herself leader of the Dark Legion, claiming Dimitri is dead. (Though his presence in the “20 Years Later” back-up story immediately reveals this as a lie.) The Brotherhood is missing. Most prominently, a mysterious new echidna named Dr. Finitevus, with an evident grudge against Knuckles, puts in his appearance. The book would try to build up Finitevus as Knuckles' arch-enemy, following Dimitri's rehabilitation. I never quite bought that but Finitevus' ranting and raving are amusing.

It's a slight improvement over the first part but there's still one serious problem. Jon Gray is still drawing it. Gray's ridiculous cartoon style pitches the emotions to the roof. When Finitevus yells at someone, his jaw unhinges as if he's a snake ready to swallow an egg. When Knuckles mourns Dimitri, his reaction is similarly over the top. Everyone is a loose collection of squiggles and circles. Lien-Da looks awful. Knecapion's appearance at the end is especially comical, banging Knuckles on the head with his rattle. Maybe Gray's artwork would've suited a lighter story but it jives badly with “Return to Angel Island.”

“Mobius: 20 Years Later” brings us back down to earth while remaining on the Floating Island. In “Slumber Party,” as the title suggests, is focused on Knuckles and Sonic's kids retiring for the night. Manik attempts to play Spin the Bottles with the girls but they rebuff him. Instead, they relax to a board game and Manik joins his dad in a game of pool. Knuckles broods in another room.

Some people bitch about “Slumber Party” because it doesn't advance the plot any. Which is a fair criticism. Even Dan Drazen, a fan of the “20 Years Later” setting, expressed frustration with this one. The Royal Family has just been informed that a planet shattering cataclysm is coming. What's their reactions? To play a bunch of games. Sure, that's probably not the most appropriate response. Then again, how many times has Sonic and Sally faced down an apocalypse? You'd probably react in a laid back manner after enough of those too.

Having said that, I still like “Slumber Party.” It works as a character piece. Letting the character sits back and unwind for a bit is worth doing, especially when the book has been so plot heavy recently. It gives some further character development to Lara-Su, her friend Salma, and the future versions of their parents. There's a cute moment, where Lara-Su reveals Salma's relationship to Rutan. Now to be fair, Prince Manik is still rather obnoxious while Princess Sonia remains a thin sketch at best. And Lara-Su's friend Riki-Le, who looks nearly identical to Julie-Su, doesn't even get that much. Still, I sort of like this one. (And it's not just because Steven Butler draws all the girls in slinky pajamas.)

I'm still not feeling the “Return to Angel Island” arc but issue 139 is, admittedly, superior to the issue that proceed it. There's little flecks of character development and emotion amid the absurdly drawn fight scenes. The back-up is seriously flawed but I still enjoyed it. In 2004, I'll take what I can get. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 138

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 138
Publication Date: July 2004

My memories of the year Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series had in 2004 are not, shall we say, positive. I remember it being awfully shitty. This opinion extends to the “Return to Angel Island” story arc, which begins in issue 138 and would run through the next three installments. For reasons I can't elaborate on, certain sections of the Archie Sonic fandom actually like this story arc, considering it a highlight of the book's dark years. I'll be the judge of that!

King Acorn, Queen Alicia, and Uncle Chuck leave Knothole for a diplomatic tour around Mobius. This puts more pressure on Sally and Sonic, as the Princess assumes de-facto rule of the kingdom. Around the same time, a beaten and exhausted Charmy Bee and Saffron arrive in Knothole. After recuperating, they inform Sonic and Knuckles that Robotnik and the Dingoes have taken over Angel Island, turning it into a dystopia. The Freedom Fighters and the Chaotix, minus Sally and Bunnie, jump in a plane and head towards the Island, looking to liberate Knuckles' people.

What exactly has been happening with the Floating Island has been a mystery since Sonic has gotten back to Mobius. We knew Robotnik took over the Island but, beyond that, we haven't learned very much. At the very least, the first part of “Return to Angel Island” finally answers this question. Turns out, the Dingoes immediately aligned themselves with Robotnik and helped him take over the island. In exchange, the doctor outfitted the dingoes with high-tech weapons and suits. All the echidnas have been rounded up into interment camps. Except for Knuckles' dad, Locke, who is being imprisoned and tortured by Kage Von Stryker, Helmut von Stryker's cyborg son. This last point pisses Knuckles off, who loves his dad despite Locke being a massive tool.

A big problem with “Return to Angel Island” is that it has a huge cast. Sonic teams up with the Chaotix. With Charmy and Saffron rejoining the team, that brings the total number of heroes up to nine. Keep in mind, Saffron and Ray the Stuttering Squirrel have still received zero character development. Espio and Julie-Su are reduced to cameos, while Mighty and Vector are reduced to spouting one-liners. Instead, the focus is on the moving plot and the heavy action, with most of the pages devoted to Sonic and the Chaotix barging into the prison camp and fighting back the Dingoes.

A focus on action isn't exactly a problem, usually, as I enjoy some head-smashing as much as the next guy. However, there's something else preventing me from enjoying even that. Jon Gray has returned to pencil the issue. As last time, Gray's pencils are totally cartoonish. The expressions he draws for King Acorn and Sally when they're angry are hideous, the characters' jaws unhinging as they scream. All the expressions are exaggerated to extreme degrees, stretching far pass acceptability. The action suffers especially bad. It's hard to take the fight scenes seriously when Gray draws everything like a Loony Tunes cartoon. This is displayed when we see Espio strangle a Dingo with his tongue or the bees stinging another one in the ass.

There's no room for emotion in this story. Remington, traumatized by his time in the prison camp, has led a new religion hailing Knuckles as the savior, a prophesied avatar. Knuckles' reaction is pushed to the margins. Charmy's grim statement about what's happen on the island occupies one panel. As for the continuing turmoil between Sonic/Sally, I continue to hate how the book is handling this. The Princess continues to scream hatred at Sonic, demanding that he stop caring and that their relationship can never work, as long as Sonic insists on being a hero. Which is, as I've pointed out before, complete bullshit. The two fought on the battlefield together for years, for fuck's sake. Why are you toying with our emotions, Karl?

We stay on Angel Island for the second story, another “Mobius: 20 Years Later” installment entitled “My Dinner with Sonic.” Disappointingly, Wallace Shawn is a no show. Instead, the story focuses on the tension between Sonic and Knuckles. Despite being older and wiser, the two still don't get along. These tensions arise over the dinner table. The wives convince the two guys to put aside their differences long enough for Knuckles to explain how fucked the world is, unless immediate action is taken.

Ken Penders, let we never forget, sometimes writes his heroes as assholes. King Sonic gets the worst of it in this story. We learn that, for some reason, Sonic has isolated himself from his friends and loved ones. When Tails moved to Downunda – disappointingly, not to marry Barby Koala, as he's paired up with Mina now – Sonic didn't even bid him goodbye. Early on, he dunks his son's head under the pool water for hogging the volleyball net. (Not that I can blame him too much for that one, especially since Manik attempts to grope Lara-Su later.)

While Sonic and Knuckles are friendly in the current timeline, something has happened in the future to force them apart. The two argue cattily a few times. Sonic makes fun of Knuckles for learning about food. They argue about some past conflict, an Overlander uprising, that Knuckles didn't assist Sonic with. While I don't know why Ken is writing Sonic as such a jerk, I do like the two rivals sniping at each other. After all, there's a history of Sonic and the Guardian not exactly getting along swimmingly. Some of Penders' more natural dialogue is on display here. It leads up to a nice payoff, with Sally and Julie-Su insisting the two put aside their macho pissing contest and get along. That's funny.

While I have been enjoying “20 Years Later” more than the cover stories recently, I'll admit the story has been moving at a snail's pace. In this installment, the story finally circles back to the conflict at hand. Mainly that Mobius is on the verge of tearing itself apart, via some dimensional instability or something, which is manifesting as shitty weather. Knuckles grimly delivers this news over the dinner table, asking the Kingdom of Acorn for its assistance. From what I remember, this point still isn't resolved for quite some time, what with Penders being who he is. But it's nice to see some movement around these parts.

The beast that is 2004 continues to roll forward. The back-up is okay – Steven Butler's pencils are up to his usual excellent standards – though it has its problems. The cover story is another weak addition from Karl Bollers, who I once claimed was a good writer. [5/10]