THE 2008 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG COMIC BEST/WORST LIST!

By the end of 2008, Ian Flynn was coming up on three years as the head writer of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” book. Within that time period, he had managed to take the comic book from barely-holding-on status to something fans could really get passionate about again. Yet 2008 was also the year that Flynn's flaws began to really show. Which isn't necessary a slam against the guy. Even at his weakest, Flynn is still the most consistent writer who ever worked on Archie's “Sonic” series. 2008 still featured plenty of really strong stories.

2008 was also the year that Archie put a bullet in the head of “Sonic X.” That book was rarely worth reading and, in its final year, floundered wildly. Rumor has it “Sonic X's” ending was unplanned, which the comic certainly provides evidence of, but I can't imagine Archie getting another year's worth of stories out of a series so terminally out of ideas.

Anyway, the issues covered in this retrospective are:

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 184-195
Sonic X: Issue 28-40

BEST COVER STORY:
Ian Flynn, "Mister Popular" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 187)

Narrative wise, “Mister Popular” is just fine. The plot, involving Mogul hiring a number of mercenaries to hunt down Sonic, allows Flynn to include the action scenes and old school references he loves so much. These elements are not the reason this was my favorite story of 2008. What makes this one special is the emotional interludes. Tails bids a tearful farewell to his Uncle Merlin, who is off on more mystical business. Easily, the stand-out segment is devoted to Sonic and Sally finding the common ground in their fractured relationship. Both apologize for mistakes made and forgive the other. The romantic scene is eventually interrupted by another attack – which is intentionally funny – but that intimate moment between shows that Flynn really knew how to write Sonic and Sally, to keep that love alive.

WORST COVER STORY:
Ian Flynn, “Fool Party!” (Sonic X: Issue 34)

I was entirely ready to give the Worst Cover Story “Prize” to issue 195's “Hedgehog Havoc: Part 1,” a strangled mess of a story that was easily Flynn's weakest contribution to the book up to this point. But then I remember that “Sonic X” still existed.

Even in its final year, Archie's “Sonic X” continued to be my personal whipping boy. There were multiple weak stories in “Sonic X” during 2008. 31's “The Return of El Gran Gordo!,” 33's “Meteor Madness,” and 40's “The End” were all seriously lacking. Yet Ian Flynn's “Fool Party!,” from issue 34 was by far the most groan-inducing edition from the misbegotten series' final year.

There's absolutely no reason for this story to exist. The central premise – Sonic and Eggman have a pool party! – is imbecilic. In order to get this wafer thin idea to occupy an entire comic book, Flynn throws in a bunch of half-baked comedic sequences. Like Tails accidentally turning Eggman's henchmen into blood-thirty murder-bots, Sonic disinterest in swimming and, most horrifyingly, Eggman developing a crush on Ella, the Thorndyke's fat, old, stereotypically Latina maid. (Worst yet, that last one would become a running joke over the comic's last few issues.) It's dire, dire stuff.

BEST BACK STORY:
Ian Flynn, "Sleepless in New Megaopolis" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 194)

There were a couple of candidates for Best Back Story this year. Flynn successfully explored Knuckles' guilt over his villainous actions in 186's “Honor Bound.” Jules got some much needed character development and we learned more about Scourge's past in 192's “Father and Son.”

Yet my favorite was “Sleepless in New Megaopolis.” The focus was turned on Snively, delightfully playing up his pathetic existence and desperate need for someone to respect him. This also made the final pages, devoted to Snively being tempted by an on-line romance, make a lot more sense. Snively's bitter outlook added to the depiction of the Eggman Empire's crumbling state. His sort of grimy cynicism was something the book maybe needed more of.

WORST BACK STORY:
Ian Flynn, "Sonic Unleashed" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 193)

2008 continued Archie's habit of sticking tie-in stories to Sega's latest "Sonic" games – extended advertisements – in the back of the book. On one hand, this habit kept Sega's corporate mandates from derailing the cover story. On the other hand, the reader was still left with a lame story.

The only reason I'm ranking issue 193's “Sonic Unleashed” lower than 191's “Invaders from Beyond” – the “Sonic: The Dark Brotherhood” tie-in – is because of how much I hate the Werehog. You'd think a monster movie fan like me would appreciate the sight of Sonic becoming a werewolf. Yet Sega tried to play this ridiculous premise as brutal and bad-ass while making the Werehog himself as goofy and fluffy looking as possible. Flynn's adaptation of a senseless video game brings absolutely nothing to the table.

BEST STORY ARC:
Ian Flynn, "Mogul Rising" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 185-186)

“Mogul Rising” was a good story arc not just because it finally made Mammoth Mogul into an intimidating enemy. Flynn retroactively rewrite the wizard as responsible for the special abilities ofa  few superpowered characters, a clever turn. He used this as a chance to expound on Mighty and Mina's background. Most importantly, he made Sonic's feelings for his friends the backbone of the story. The hedgehog was challenged not just by three of his closest pals attacking. He also had to find some way to save all three of them. Throw in a touching scene of Mina reflecting on the ruins of Knothole and you've got a pretty good story.

WORST STORY ARC:
Ian Flynn, "Metal and Mettle" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 191-192)

Keep in mind, I actually liked both parts of “Metal and Mettle” enough to give them positive scores. The scenes devoted to Knucles and Julie-Su experiencing some growing pains were worthwhile, so was the subplot about the Suppression Squad turning against Scourge.

What made “Metal and Mettle” the weakest story arc of the year was Flynn's focus on mindless fight scenes, to the exclusion of other elements. Scourge and Metal Sonic end up fighting strictly because the comic wants them to. Sonic naturally gets involved before Flynn tosses Metal Scourge, a quickly thought-up and then quickly disposed-of character, into the mix just for the hell of it. It's a story arc a little too heavy on comic book-y, cool-for-cool's-sake, action-for-action's-sake writing.

BEST COVER ART:
Sonic the Hedgehog 192 - Tracy Yardley

Patrick Spaziante only did cover art for “Sonic X” this year – his dramatically lit cover for issue 31 was my fave – but Tracy Yardley happily filled his spot. The covers for 188 featured a fearsome Sonic while 184's cover was dramatically assembled. But the strong contrasting colors of issue 192's cover stole my heart. Sonic and Scourge, both cocky assholes, are mirrored against each other. The visor-like eyes of Metal Sonic and Metal Scourge, both made up in effectively stark red and black, fill out the rest of the image. It's a simple cover but works extremely well.

WORST COVER ART:
Sonic X: Issue 36 - Patrick Spaziante

Yardley's covers for 186 and 191 were both set against searing orange backgrounds, one featuring a Mogul with an overly long torso and the other showing Sonic and Scourge posing in a blank void. But neither of those covers were nightmare inducing.

Spaz's cover for issue 36 of “Sonic X” has seemingly gained sentience and wants you to end its miserable existence. Photo-realistic animals, highlighted by a disturbing level of detail, take up much of the cover. That alone is creepy but, shoved into the middle of this menagerie of horrors, are Sonic and Eggman. Sonic's mouth is being forced open by a leash strap while Eggman grimaces in discomfort while a bull terrier chews on his mustache. Both appear to be in utter agony. Spaz's strength for detail and facial expressions really betrayed him here, resulting in a cover that is technically exquisite but deeply unpleasant to look at.

BEST STORY ART:
"Mogul Rising Part Two: Devil's Due" - Tracy Yardley and Matt Herms (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 186)

Separately, Tracy Yardley and Matt Herms were talented artists that might not blow you away. Yardley's work, while still very good, became a bit too uniform in 2008. Herms' overly round style was pleasant but took some getting used to.

When you put them together though? You get one sweet looking comic book. Yardley and Herms complement each other, leading to fluid but expressive action scenes. Honestly, inker Jim Amash and colorist Josh Ray deserve a lot of credit, as the atmospheric shadows and blue, moonlit night is what makes this story really pop. It all adds up to an excellently assembled comic book.

WORST STORY ART:
“The Mistfit Badniks' Soggy, Salty Sequel” - Dave Manak (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 185)

There wasn't too much weak art in the book this year. I'm no fan of Jon Grey but his pencils, while still grotesquely cartoonish, had come a long way by the time he drew 192's “Father and Son” and 194's “Sleepless in New Megaopolis.”

Luckily, we still have ol' Dave Manak to kick around. Manak's jagged, loose, and sloppy artwork looks especially out of place in 2008, when the quality of the book's art had come way, way up. His decision to draw the giant Pseudo-Sonic as a vague silhouette, composed entirely of sharp points, was especially unfortunate. Manak had gotten really rusty by this point. His characters frequently veer off-model. Some panels, such as the flashbacks showing Pseudo-Sonic's broken up state, appear totally flat. It is not the veteran Sonic artist's best work, to say the least.

BEST NEW CHARACTER:
Rosy the Rascal

Conceptually, if not in execution, Rosy the Rascal was a brilliant creation. Rosy was a biting deconstruction of Amy's obsessive Sonic fandom. Instead of her infatuation being cute, it's a dangerous fixation that pushes into psychotic compulsion. Instead of harmlessly chasing Sonic, she's actively stalking him. And instead of magically growing into her teenage body, she has a broken mind locked inside a child's body. Flynn immediately started playing her for goofball comedy after introducing her but, at least in that initial appearance, Rosy made a creepy impression.

WORST NEW CHARACTERS:
Metal Scourge and Milan Ramada

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a tie! Who was worst? Metal Scourge was a lifeless copy of both Metal Sonic and Scourge, making him a copy of two separates copies, lacking the personality of either. The character displayed zero interesting or intriguing qualities before quickly being killed off. Even his design was goofy, as sticking a leather jacket and sunglasses on Metal Sonic did not make him more intimidating.

Over in issue 36 of “Sonic X,” Joe Edkin brought us Milan Ramada. Being a facile parody of Paris Hilton, a joke far past its expiration date, probably would've been enough to earn Milan the Worst New Character slot. Yet Edkin also wrote her as an absolutely obnoxious, totally hateful little cunt. An entitled bitch through and through, Milan spent all of her page time flouting her supposed superiority and being a massive asshole to every other character. I guess Edkin succeeded in making a hate-worthy villain but he quickly crossed the line between a character you enjoy watching be evil to a character you want to see tossed into an industrial wood chipper.


BEST IDEA:
Developing the Rogue Gallery

Ian Flynn's main goal in 2008 was fairly easy to identify. The writer set out to develop the non-Robotnik corners of Sonic's rogue gallery. Thus, Mammoth Mogul became a villain with an actual agenda, whose master plans seemingly matched up with his immortal intellect. Scourge the Hedgehog, meanwhile, grew more and more unhinged. His Suppression Squad gained personalities that differentiated them from their Mobius Prime counterparts. Dimitri and the Dark Legion became an integral part of Robotnik's empire. As for the rotund one, his obsession with crushing Sonic reached perilous levels. It was a good year for Archie's bad guys.


WORST IDEA:
Combat Over Character... Again

2008's Worst Idea is the same as 2007's Worst Idea. Once again, Ian Flynn fell to his greatest weakness. Instead of really exploring the great characters he's created or the interesting world he's built up, he just had everybody fight it out. Sonic fought the Destrutix, the Suppression Squad fought the Freedom Fighters, Sonic fought Scourge, Scourge fought Metal Sonic, Sonic and Scourge fought Metal Sonic and Metal Scourge, Scourge fought the Suppression Squad. On and on it went. This tendency reached its nadir with the first part of “Hedgehog Havoc,” a chaotic story devoted totally to a rumble between nearly every hedgehog in the book. Half of those characters had no reason to be there and others, like Silver, where hastily introduced just to make the fight possible. 

I know the adolescent boy market demands action but Flynn has already shown us he knows how to balance character development and fight scenes. That balance lean towards the fisticuffs too often in 2008. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt, and suppose that the monthly deadline was getting to him, but Flynn has shown repeatedly that he's too eager to have characters beat up on each other.