Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 194

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 194
Publication Date: November 2008

One of Ian Flynn's gifts is the ability to get fans hyped up. Issue 193 concluded by introducing readers to Rosy the Rascal, the crazy anti-universe version of Amy Rose. The cover to issue 194 gives fans an even better look at the character, promising us that she would play a big role in this story. Yardley earns some serious points for making the classic Amy Rose design – by default, a super-cutesy character – and turning it into something genuinely unhinged looking. Anyway, on with the story.

Part two of “Other Side” begins with Sonic, Amy, and Buns attempting to deflect Rosy the Rascal's attacks. When this doesn't work out, Sonic runs back to Mobius through a portal hidden in the castle. What he finds is a three way battle at Freedom HQ. The Suppression Squad has turned against Scourge, bringing the Freedom Fighters around as back-up. The conflict continues until Sonic, Scourge, and Amy end up back on Moebius, right in the path of crazy Rosy's hammer.

Last time, I pointed out how Rosy the Rascal was a really neat concept. I've always considered Amy Rose's normal behavior to border creepy stalker territory. Introducing an alternate version of her that crosses that border was a fruitful prospect. Yes, watching Rosy being a creepy little nut case is fun. She sings weird songs and used incongruously childish language, all while threatening to smash people into paste with her hammer. Yet Ian mostly uses her as another obstacle for his heroes here, without exploring the implications of the character. Which is disappointing but not entirely surprising.

Once again, Flynn falls back on his worst tendency. The issue is primarily devoted to fight scene after fight scene. Yet again, I must preface this statement by saying I'm a fan of fight scenes. Some of the ones here are pretty cool. There's a neat panel of Sonic dodging Rosy's hammer, of the two Amys matching their battering skills. The three way fight that erupts in Freedom HQ is solid, showing Scourge successfully standing against two separate forces. However, I can't help but wonder if character development is being sacrificed for action sequences.

That weakness is emphasized because we do get some interesting glimpses at the cast member's inner lives. As everyone around him turns against him, it becomes clear that Scourge's mental state is deteriorating. He's become obsessed with his past victories, with his newfound status as “king” of Moebius. Yet conquering his own world hasn't made him happy. If anything, it's made him more paranoid and power hungry. The Suppression Squad turned against him because they are duplicitous by nature. On the other hand, you really get the impression that Scourge is starting to crack up to dangerous degrees.

We also get a peek into Fiona's inner life. I've been critical of how Ian's interpretation of Fiona has shifted from someone feeling guilty about their past to an actively amoral pleasure seeker. Flynn doesn't delve into this any more but he does show Fiona is a little more complicated than that. While racing through Freedom HQ, Sonic encounters the fox. She stands up to him, defending Scourge while claiming she has no other loyalties. Sonic points this out, which makes her pause. It certainly suggests that Fiona hasn't fully gone over to the dark side. Instead, she's simply confused and hurt.

The biggest flaw with “Other Side: Part 2” is simply narrative. Luck just has it that the abandoned castle on Moebius features a star post, allowing Sonic and Amy an easy escape back to their home world. The script just throws this out there without much explanation. This is, simply put, cheating. It also opens the door for a story that features a little too much mindless shuffling. By the end of issue 194, not too much has changed. Instead, the characters have just jumped back and forth in location. It's still not a bad story but Flynn better have a satisfying payoff to all this coming soon.

The back-up story continues this issue's habit of giving us little looks into the villains' inner lives. “Sleepless in New Megaopolis” follows Snively. Robotnik's nephew is increasingly dissatisfied with life in New Megaopolis. He feels like Robotnik's grip on sanity is starting to slip. He's annoyed that their army has been depleted, that the city is in ruins. Mostly, he's irritated that the new Dark Legion recruits refuse to respect him. While e-mailing other Eggman Empire employees overseas, Snively wonders if he's made a personal connection.

If anything has defined Snively over the years, it's his desperate need to be feared and respected. This is why he eagerly orchestrated the original Robotnik's death, why he immediately attempted to assume control of the empire. Which made the countless setbacks he's suffered since then hurt even more. Being belittled by the newly mad Eggman and the Dark Legion really infuriates him, furthering a frustration he's already feeling. All of this stuff is handled really well, proving an unusual factoid again: That Snively is one of the characters Flynn writes the best. The budding e-mail relationship with a mysterious somebody in another country is setting up an up-coming plot point but it's easy to see why this appeals to Snively so much. Just finding someone who treats him as an equal, who gives him some positive attention, is a big boost for the little guy.

194's cover story concludes by officially introducing Silver the Hedgehog into the Archie continuity. Silver is a character I certainly have some thoughts on and I'll save those for next time. I'll just say that, in 2008, his sudden appearance did not encourage me, especially with the current storyline quickly getting jumbled. Still, it's not a bad issue and has a strong backstory, even if some of Flynn's flaws are becoming more and more apparent. [7/10]