Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 189

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 189
Publication Date: June 2008

After taking some time to develop Mammoth Mogul, Ian Flynn returns to one of his pet characters for issue 189 of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog.” Scourge the Hedgehog had already proven himself to be a worthy opponent in the previous year. Beginning with this issue, Ian would spend most of the rest of 2008 allowing Scourge to dig out his rightful place among Sonic's greatest enemies, among other changes to the book's world.

Sonic, Knuckles, and the Chaotix strike against Robontik's lair. Knuckles hopes to reason with Lien-Da, the Kommisar of the newly formed Dark Egg Legion. Instead, the group is only attacked. Meanwhile, in New Mobotropolis, Tails and Rotor are startled when the inter-dimensional Goal Post activate by themselves. The Anti-Freedom Fighters, who have re-dubbed themselves the Suppression Squad, bust through and being to wreck everyone's shit. Sally and the others hold off the attack as long as possible until Sonic can return. Just in time for Scourge, who has crowned himself king, to make his big entrance.

When Ian transformed Evil Sonic into Scourge, he turned a relatively indistinct bad guy into a villain that actually had some personality. With the first half of the two-parter, “A Bold New Moebius,” he intends to do the same with the rest of the Freedom Fighter's evil doppelgangers. Since “Anti-Freedom Fighters” makes no sense, the team has been renamed the far catchier Suppression Squad. Mostly, it's a cosmetic change focusing on giving these guys unique names. Evil Sally is now Princess Alicia, Evil Rotor is now Boomer (and sports some cybernetic implants), Evil Antoine is now Patch.

However, Ian does slip some tiny character moments in here. Evil Tails is disgusted by his Mobius counterpart, refusing to accept a degrading nickname and going by Miles. The resentment Alicia feels against Fiona, Scourge's new queen, also helps distinguish her a little. Patch displays unerring loyalty to Scourge. It's not a lot but it's still more character development than these characters have gotten in their first twenty years of existence.

What most of this story is devoted to is the same thing that usually happens when the Freedom Fighters meet their Mirror Universe counterparts: A big ol' fight. Still, there's something to be sad for how Flynn sneaks small character aspects into action scenes. Sally continues to act as a keen tactician, devising a plan in the middle of the fight. She also just gets to kick some ass, like when she lays a spinning jump kick on Fiona. Bunnie isn't concerned about the Suppression Squad at first, before the villains show how dangerous they now are. Antoine questions Fiona's alliance shift. Some of these panels are funnier than others. Such as Amy Rose threatening Patches with her giant hammer, a genuinely amusing moment.

If there's any weakness with this otherwise serviceable story, it's Ian's decision to split it into. The Suppression Squad invading Freedom H.Q. Is what we're really invested in. Sonic and the Chaotix's trip into Robotropolis is less interesting in comparison. Still, there's some values to those moments. Just seeing Sonic play off the Chaotix is fun. Mostly, Ian continues to realistically write Knuckles' guilt over his actions as Enerjak. Even though Lien-Da has done nothing but antagonize him throughout their entire history together, Knuckles still tries to reach out to her for the betterment of their sequences. I was worried Flynn would brush Knuckles' guilt aside so I'm pleased that he's taking the time to address that point.

The political changes inside the Dark Legion are less compelling. It seems unlikely to me that Robotnik and the Legion's forces would integrate so instantly. Also, “Dark Egg Legion” is a really silly name. And speaking of silly things! Near the end of this story, Dimitri lands in a rocket before Lien-Da. He exits the ship, his floating bubble head attached to a very goofy looking robotic scorpion body. This version of Dimitri didn't stick around very long, so I guess Flynn even realized how silly it looked. I'm also slightly disappointed in Dimitri's backsliding towards typical evil antics, considering he had developed into one of the comic's more complex bad guys.

The script is flawed but still mostly fun. On the artwork side of things, Tracy Yardley really brings his A-game. His page construction comes off as especially dynamic in this issue. He alternates between typical box-shaped panels and more angular, swooping panels. This help sells the action aspect of this issue. The character expressions are very strong, the frustration and anger felt by both teams coming through. There's also some nice shading. A panel of Knuckles rearing up a punch or Saffron grimly noticing an approaching army look very moody. The same can be said of the final page, devoted totally to a truly sinister looking Scourge appearing on Mobius.

It's not a great issue but the author sneaks in enough small, expressive moments that elevate what would otherwise be just another issue of fight scenes. The cliffhanger works surprisingly well too. I'm pumped to read the next issue, even if I vaguely recall where this story is going. Some times a [7/10] isn't a bad thing. Some times it's a pretty good thing!