THE 2007 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG COMIC BEST/WORST LIST!

In his second year as head writer on Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series, Ian Flynn continued to kick ass. Ian spent most of his first year making the book, you know, readable again, chopping through the narrative debris left by writers past and rebuilding what was left into something that made sense and was fun to read. Flynn continued to do this in his second year, turning abandoned plot point into meaningful elements and smoothing out convoluted mythology.

Yet 2007 was also devoted to something else. With a world partially remade, Flynn could start doing new things. Giving Sonic and friends a new city, essentially allowing them to retrieve their long lost capital, changed the dynamic of the series in an interesting way. This changed Robotnik's goal too. Characters became more pivotal. Ian even found a way to make G.U.N. make sense.

Add it all up and you have a year of amazingly consistent stories, probably the most overall even twelve months of quality the book ever had. Also, uh, the “Sonic X” series continued. Let's get on with it. The comics covered in this retrospective are:

Sonic the Hedgehog 171-183
Sonic X 16-27

  
BEST COVER STORY:
Ian Flynn, "Union" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 174)

This was a hard choice. “I Am” from issue 171 is a fan favorite, a really good comic book that actually gave Shadow the Hedgehog some personality while running super smoothly too. As good as that issue was, my heart belonged to issue 174's “Union.” Devoted to Bunnie and Antoine's wedding, Ian presents a series of wonderfully charming character interactions.  Bunnie's joy, Antoine's anxiety, Sonic and Sally's still awkward relationship, or Knuckles and Julie-Su discussing their future: All of these things are on display in a way that isn't convoluted but natural. I wasn't a huge fan of the subplot involving Espio's trip to Megatropolis, but otherwise this was such a touching, well executed story.

WORST COVER STORY:
Joe Edkin, "Muerta! Las Vegas!" (Sonic X: Issue 19)

I hate to keep beating up on “Sonic X” but it's easily the more uneven of Archie's two series. While the main “Sonic” book was having a great year,  “Sonic X” spent most of 2007 stuck in a mediocre quagmire. Probably the least appealing issue was 19's “Muerta! Las Vegas!”  It had writer Joe Edkin leaning on the lame formula for the series that was mostly left behind by this point. Sonic and friends to something wacky, Eggman builds a giant robot based on this event, and Sonic saves the day after he grabs a power ring. Add to this some bizarre character beats – Sonic spending most of the issue out of the city, Chris getting cocky, Amy getting mean for trivial reasons – and you've got a slog of a read.

BEST BACK STORY:
Ian Flynn, "Worth the Effort" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 172)

I've never denied my blatant favoritism towards Julie-Su. She got some good moments to herself this year, especially once the “Enerjak: Reborn” arc began. Yet 172's “Worth the Effort” cast her in an interesting role: Mentor to Amy Rose. Through their interaction, we learn a lot about both characters. About Julie's devotion to Knuckles.

Ian also uses this story to justify two conflicting portrayals of Amy Rose. He successfully combines the hammer-wielding warrior woman she's become in the comic with the Sonic-obsessed fan girl she was everywhere else. Amy isn't a fave of mine but this is solid writing too, allowing fans to have both versions.

WORST BACK STORY:
Ian Flynn, "High Stakes on the High Seas!" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 180)

2006 was hampered by a few back-stories which existed just to sell video games. Ian backed off on this in 2007... Except for once. “High Stakes on the High Seas!” exists to inform readers that a new handheld “Sonic” game is available. The set-up – Sonic and Tails awaken on a beach! - is detached from the main plot. We quickly rush through the plot of the story, involving an evil robot named Captain Whiskers seeking a magical MacGuffin. While Marine the Raccoon has potential as a character, this back-up is so thin that there's no room to really develop here. “High Stakes on the High Seas!” is totally disposable.

BEST STORY ARC:
Ian Flynn, "House of Cards" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issues 178-179)

“Eggman Empire” was the big event story of the year and was, admittedly, quite good. Yet my favorite was “House of Cards.” Playing out in issues 178 and 179, the arc is focused squarely on Tails' anger and resentment – mostly based on him dating Fiona – boiling over. The conflict between the two friends plays out honestly, the two coming to blows for reasons that actually make sense. The resolution to that fight, where the two fight it out, is genuinely touching and sweet. Both characters admit that they've made mistakes.

This plays out alongside a story of political upheaval in Mobotropolis, where Amadeus Prower finally converts the society from monarchy to democracy. This story line isn't as well developed as the conflict between Sonic and Tails. Yet it's still pretty well done, especially the conclusion, where Amadeus and Elias also talk out their problems. The result is a satisfying action story that also makes room for character, allowing that interaction to resolve the plot.

WORST STORY ARC:
Ian Flynn, "See You Later Chao" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 173-174)

“See You Later Chao,” playing out in the back pages of 173 and 174, wasn't directly based on a video game. But it certainly feels like one of those stories quickly thrown together to advertise a product. The two-parter belatedly introduces the Chao into the Archie-verse. These digital pets don't have much of a purpose in the actual mythology, making this introduction trivial. The story also greatly simplifies Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Robotnik's personalities. It's forgettable at best, totally expendable at worst.

BEST COVER ART:
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 175 - Patrick Spaziante

There were a couple of decent runner-ups in this category. Tracy Yardley's cover art for issue 179, showing an enraged Sonic tearing through a poster of his former best friend, was certainly striking. Patrick Spaziante's cover art for issue 21 of “Sonic X” was really neat, depicting Sonic and his supporting cast as action figures on a toy store shelf.

Another Spaziante cover ended up claiming this category though. For this year's milestone issue, Archie lured Spaz back to the main book. The artist illustrates an intense image. Sonic, defeated and in chains, lifted into the art by Dr. Robotnik. It's a powerful picture, showing the comic's greatest hero totally vanquished by his greatest enemy. By high-lighting the cover against a totally black background, it makes the illustration pop even more.

WORST COVER ART:
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 182 - Tracy Yardley

Tracy Yardley isn't the cover artist Spaz is but he mostly did solid work in 2007. The only real problem with his cover for issue 182 is how crowded it is. The background features Enerjak looming above villainously, Dr. Finitevus reaching forward with an evil palm, some black squiggly lines, and Robotnik's Egg Fleet sailing through the sky. In the foreground, Sonic races forward awkwardly and Shadow goes radioactive. Any one of these images, by themselves, would've made a fine cover. All shoved together and it's a bit messy.

BEST STORY ART:
"Eggman Empire" - Tracy Yardley (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 175)

Tracy Yardley handled most of the interior artwork this year and most of it was really good. The use of shadows in “House of Cards: Part 1” added a nice atmosphere. The focus on character expressions in “Unite” helped sell that story. The disintegrating digital backgrounds in “I Am” were a really nice touch. The only runner-up not to come from Yardley was Steven Butler's work on “Undone,” a back story from issue 181. Butler brought his expected level of gritty detail to this story.

What ended up coming out on top was Yardley's work on issue 175's “Eggman Empire.” And you can thank a series of specific images for that. Sonic racing into Knothole, seeing the city blasted to flaming debris, is some of the most shocking images to ever appear in Archie's book. The shots that follow, heavily contrasted panels of Eggman crushing Sonic's strength and confidence, are equally impressive.

WORST STORY ART:
"Speed Lines!" - David Hutchinson (Sonic X: Issue 20)

I swear I'm not intentionally picking on “Sonic X.” David Hutchinson continues to be the comic's most uneven artist. When really on the ball, he's great. His pencils for issue 19's Rouge-centric story were quite good. His work on the series' very next issue was of opposing quality. The action scenes are a little too static. The character work was a little too scratchy. Sam Speed and Eggman look slightly sketchy. The giant robot at the story's center looks kind of odd, as if Hutchinson was clearly uncomfortable drawing a big mecha machine. I'll clarifiy that the artwork here isn't terrible, it's just slightly off. I suspect Hutchinson rushed through some of these pages.

BEST NEW CHARACTER:
El Gran Gordo

See! I don't hate “Sonic X!” Truthfully, there weren't very many new characters introduced in Archie's main “Sonic” book in 2007. Aside from Marine the Raccoon – who I like but had such a small role – there was no new characters in that book that year. Even picking “Sonic X's” El Gran Gordo is kind of a cheat. The pro-wrestler is, after all, actually Eggman. I still conflicted over whether the book's sudden interest in grappling was dumb fun or just dumb. Either way, seeing the villain get to embrace a previously unseen heroic side was fun. Eggman likes being a ham and receiving praise from a loving crowd changed him for the better. Amusingly, Eggman doesn't forget his bad guy side even while playing the hero. One funny panel had him defending Eggman's honor! All in all, it was a cute transformation.

WORST NEW CHARACTERS:
S.O.N.I.C.X.

The idea behind the egregiously acronymed S.O.N.I.C.X. was interesting. A group of humans that have all been wronged by Sonic, some intentionally, some unintentionally, ban together to defeat him. Yet Ian Flynn didn't use this as a chance to explore Sonic's unintended effects on this world or allow him to show any guilt at all. The bigger problem is that the S.O.N.I.C.X. members are all idiots. There biggest gaffs include monologuing at Sonic when they had the chance to kill him and marking their evil Sonic clones with their organization's name. Thus a promising idea is sunk by simplistic, juvenile writing. Oh well.


BEST IDEA:
Re-establishing Characters

In 2007, several important Sonic cast members had their personalities refocused. Shadow the Hedgehog finally found his purpose in life, breaking away from Robotnik and becoming a free agent. Fiona Fox becoming Scourge's amoral moll might've wasted some promising development for the character but at least she has a purpose now. Dr. Finitevus' formally unseen master plan was finally revealed. Amy Rose got to be both Sonic's number one fan girl and a bad ass hammer woman. Even Sonic got some work done, finally burying his moronic days as a swinging ladies' man.

Most importantly, the Princess Sally we know and love is back. Ian had her taking a bigger role on the battle field. He had her apologizing for her previously bouts of out-of-character-ness. He re-established her considerable skills as a leader and tactician. The bitchy, whiny, forlorn Sally we've been stuck with for too long is only a memory now. (In a nice symbolic touch, so her's long hair.) The People's Princess is back.


WORST IDEA:
Combat Over Character

For all the great character work he did in 2007, that year also revealed a bad habits of Ian Flynn's: His tendency to throw fight scenes into every story. How many match-ups get we get in 2007? Big fights between Sonic and Robotnik, Sonic vs. Tails, Amy vs. Julie-Su, Amy vs. Fiona, Sonic vs. Scourge several times, the Chaotix vs. the Destructix, Shadow vs. Enerjak, Sonic vs. Enerjak, and probably a few others I forgot. Usually, this was fine. Sometimes, it felt like Ian was pushing aside character to make room for these fight scenes. The balance between character work and the need to please the combat-happy seven-to-twelve boys crowd is something Ian would struggle with throughout his entire run.