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]