Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 204

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 204
Publication Date: September 2009

I guess, in the world of comics, the appeal of two friends seemingly turned against each other is evergreen. Issue 203's cover seemingly featured Bunnie betraying the Freedom Fighters. Issue 204's cover shows Sonic and Monkey Khan about to fight it out. The difference is, issue 204's cover is far less misleading. “Heavy is the Head: Part 2” picks up with Monkey Khan totally under the Iron Queen's control. The simian cyborg wages war on Mobotropolis, until Sonic can grab a replacement Power Ring. Even afterwards, Khan's conscious continues to weigh on him.

In the past, I've criticized Ian's love of fight scenes. In 2008, his obsession with having various characters duke it out nearly disrupted the book. Yet, sometimes, a huge fight scene is just what you need. Flynn utilizes Monkey Khan's former status as Frank Strom's Gary-Stu very well here. Khan's over-the-top strength is especially dangerous, now that he's a threat. The scenes devoted to the cyborg tearing through the Freedom Fighters are effective. Vector and Mighty are tossed through the air. He even nearly stomps the orphans. Which is pretty fuckin' evil. It helps that the entire fight scene takes place under heavy storm clouds, giving these panels a foreboding atmosphere.

In order to make the fight even more compelling, Flynn draws attention to the Freedom Fighters' emotions. Sally's still-growing crush on Monkey Khan – still am really not sure how I feel about that – makes her pleas to the ape, to fight the Queen's control, more meaningful. Even better is Antoine's reaction. The coyote is super pissed off about Bunnie's injuries last issue. He takes that rage out on Khan, facing off against a super-strong cyborg with just a sword. Pretty ballsy. (After the fight is over, Sonic jibs Antoine about his once cowardly ways, which is a nice way to show how far he's come as a character.) Just adding some emotional stakes to the action makes all the difference.

This is also a fairly well paced issue, as the big fight scene only occupies about half of the cover story. After Sonic fishes a Power Ring out of the lake, he immediately slips it on Khan's head. Once he's restored to normal, we learn why the simian has had so much self-loathing here of late. This isn't the first time the Iron Queen has taken control of him. Apparently she pulled the same shtick in Dragon Valley, forcing Monkey Khan to destroy his own kingdom. Well, geez, I guess that is a good reason to feel a little sorry for yourself. Ian plays this reveal subtly too, simply through dialogue, without any flashbacks to the destruction.

Ian's focus on emotion might actually weaken the story a little though. After Khan is restored to his normal self, Sonic and the other Freedom Fighters come to assure him that he can still make wrongs right. Sonic tries to reassure him. Sally gives him a big hug, which is dripping with connotations I'd rather not entertain. Things get a little too earnest when the trio of orphans that threw rocks at Khan last time let him know that everyone is here to help each other. Yeah, the lisping little kids probably took this too far. Antoine's initial reaction – to yell in Khan's face, pissed that he didn't inform the Freedom Fighters he was a liability – seems the most realistic reaction.

The Iron Queen is starting to grow on me. The ruthlessness she displayed last time continues here, as she cackles while Khan tears through Mobotropolis. The joy she takes in watching her enemies fail certainly is entertaining. And this two-parter has, if nothing else, established how flexible her powers are. She still suffers from Brain-Dead Villain syndrome. After Sonic restores Monkey Khan, Regina and Snively just leave. Gee, wouldn't that have been the best time to attack, when the Freedom Fighters were exhausted and demoralized? These Dragon Valley villains have a weird sense of honor.

During the last two pages of the cover story, Flynn gives us another peak at Dr. Robotnik. Yes, the doctor is still confined to a padded cell, babbling incoherently to himself. Among the random math equations and total nonsense are a few references to the book's past. He says “hate that hedgehog” a few times, as well as mentioning his brother Colin, Warlord Kodos, Crabmeat, and the Ultimate Annihilator. Which, I suppose, confirms what Flynn has been insisting for a while: That this Robotnik, formerly known as Robo-Robotnik and mostly known from now on as Eggman, is more-or-less the same character as the Robotnik that died during Endgame. Being the stickler I am, I'll always consider them separate characters.

So how 'bout that back story? “Friend In Deed” also picks up from last month's cliffhanger. Espio still has Knuckles dangling off the edge of Shrine Island. The ninja chameleon is totally ready to kill him before saying he has “conflicting orders.” The two then discuss the specific phrases the Archie-verse's ninjas use, such as “Bride” and “Four Houses,” before Espio slinks away. Knuckles is left with more questions than answers.

“Friend in Deed: Part 2” has exactly one sequence that justifies its existence. While Espio has Knuckles by the dreadlocks, tittering on the edge of the island, the chameleon asks if the Guardian truly is willing to die to protect the Master Emerald and the island it keeps afloat. Knuckles, without missing a beat, calmly, tersely admits he is. It's not new information. Knuckles' devotion to his duties as Guardian is well understood. But it's still a striking moment. Otherwise, “Friend in Deed” is devoted to nailing down the specific terms the ninjas use and telegraphing Espio's eventual return to the good guys.

Well, at least the artwork is nice. Jamal Peppers' pencils remains sharp and clear. He makes good use of the island's wide-open setting, building visual tension between the characters. Everybody continues to look as if they could've step right out of official Sega artwork. Steven Butler's work on the cover story is also bitchin'. He makes Monkey Khan, all lit up by Regina's magic, actually look intimidating even if it should be a ridiculous sight. His handle on the action scenes are, of course, excellent. The more I look at his art, the more I realize how much Butler's work defined my conceptions of these characters and their world.

So the cover story is mostly pretty good. The back-up could've used a little more work, even if it has one really effective moment. The artwork is roundly great and there's some stuff in this that really sticks in my mind. I guess I'm feeling generous tonight because I'm thinking this one is a [7/10.]

Sonic Universe: Issue 7

Sonic Universe: Issue 7
Publication Date: August 2009

During my previous “Sonic Universe” review, I expressed some concern over whether King Shadow re-entering this story would derail it. Up until his release at the end of last issue, the “30 Years Later” arc had been about the Dark Presence trying to sabotage the peace King Sonic has established over the planet. Shadow butting back into the plot changed the arc's priority. Now, it's another story about the evil future version of Shadow and his tendency to rule the world with an iron fist. Which is fine but Flynn already told that story, during the last future set arc. Well, turns out the writer's entire objective for this story was different from what I was expecting.

In “What's Old is New Again,” Lara-Su and King Sonic seek out Vector's son, Argyle. Skye and Melody, Mina and Tails' kids, tag along. Afterwards, Argyle introduces Jacques and Belle, the cyborg children of Antoine and Bunnie. Sonic immediately christens the group the Freedom Fighters. They race off to the Castle, sneaking inside and successfully beating up some Dark Presence's agents. Meanwhile, in the castle's depths, King Shadow unleashes a terrible threat that totally derails Lien-Da's plot and endangers the entire world.

Yep, turns out this story arc wasn't about how peace is hard to keep in the long term, how the past is never really done with the present. Instead, “30 Years Later” is about forming the Future Freedom Fighters. Yes, there's something irresistible about the kids of the current Freedom Fighters forming a new team. I mean, “Sonic the Hedgehog: The Next Generation” is a fan fiction just begging to be written. I guess, in my elderly dotage, blatant fan-baiting like this is less interesting to me than exploring the sociopolitical ramifications of the good guys actually winning.

Sadly, the introduction to this new team is very rushed. We're just getting to know Melody and Skye at this point, though both seem promising. We already know Argyle but, like too many of Ken Penders' creations, he wasn't developed much during his last appearance. Here, Ian Flynn turns Argyle into the Smart Guy of the group, a computer hacker and an expert in surveillance. The writer than dumps Belle and Jacques on us. No, he doesn't explain why Bunnie's children would also be cyborgs. (Or how Bunnie, whose reproductive organs have presumably been replaced with machinery, can even have children.) From the little we've seen of Jacques and Belle, they're basically clones of their parents. I just wish Ian would've introduced these two sooner, instead of dropping them in the last third of an already busy story arc.

Really, the only character development of the Future Freedom Fighters we get are romantic in nature. It's already been hinted that Lara-Su and Argyle have feeling for each other, an idea Flynn runs with. Flynn hints at a potential love-square or something when Jacques makes goo-goo eyes at Lara-Su and Belle suggestively rubs Argyle's chest, making the others jealous. Later, Jacques swoops in and rescues Melody Prower, making the mongoose swoon. And least we forget that it's already been established that Skye has a little crush on Lara-Su, a point Flynn can barely bother to include this time. I've got no problem with shipping but let's actually develop the characters before we give them a half-dozen potential pairings, please.

Future, pissed-off Lien-Da made for a strong villain for this arc. Reintroducing King Shadow essentially removes Lien-Da's purpose from the story. Then Flynn has Shadow literally remove Lien-Da from the story. He crunches the special bracelet that keeps Lien-Da in this time line or something, wiping her from existence. I'm going to miss Lien-Da with extra evil but this move is so ruthless, so sudden, that it reestablishes Shadow as a hardened, threatening villain. It's rare that we see a character outright murder another person in this comic, so the scene certainly makes an impression on the reader.

The horrible, world-threatening monstrosity that Shadow unleashes in the castle's basement is also a new character... Kind of. In an amusing panel, Queen Sally references dangerous objects Sonic and the gang encountered at some point in the future. Such as an Anarchy Beryl Bomb and E-107 Theta. But the most dangerous artifact is Tikhaos. Yeah, at some point, Tikal and Chaos were merged into a drippy villain that hungers for Chaos energy and turns into a giant monster when it gets too much. No, this doesn't make too much sense. However, I'm a sucker for stuff like this, obscure references to long past stories. The idea that Sonic and the others have trophies or artifacts from previous, unseen adventures – like Batman with his giant penny and robot dinosaur – is irresistible. And Tikhaos, with a body half-way between a liquid and a solid, is a memorably grotesque enemy.

If you're just reading this story for action scenes, “Sonic Universe: Issue 7” does satisfy. There's a pretty cool bit where Skye, still trying to control his tails, is unleashed on some Dark Presence soldiers. He spins around the room, like the Tasmanian Devil, and knocks everyone unconscious. There's also some neat panels, displaying the Future Freedom Fighters' various super powers. Yes, Jacques and Belle can fly. And have a sword and blaster hand, for some reason. Melody has super speed, obviously inherited from her mother. I guess Mobian genetics, which obviously make no damn sense anyway, work that way.

I guess I should be happy that Flynn manages to juggle so many characters and not totally loose the reader. In addition to the multiple villains and new heroes, Sally, the kids, and Silver are still floating around the plot. Sadly, this quartet spend the entire issue hiding in a panic room beneath the castle. This obviously serves two purposes. To get the really young kids out of danger, so Flynn doesn't have to write the uncomfortable inevitability of toddlers being shot at. The other purpose is to remove Silver from the main story for a while, since the time traveling hedgehog's psychic powers could probably resolve the plot in a few minutes. This is awkward but it does lead to one good moment. While Sally is getting the kids the panic room, she uses special language so her children don't get too scared. That's nice parenting.

I was mostly with the “30 Years Later” story arc up to this point but Flynn starts to slip a bit with this one. I like a couple of the individual scenes, especially that shocking moment when Shadow callously exterminates Lien-Da. However, the script is just trying to do too many things. Flynn is shoving a story into four issues that probably should've been told over six or eight. That would've given us time to get to know Belle and Jacques more, at the very least. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 203

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 203
Publication Date: August 2009

It's been a while since we've had a really misleading cover. I don't think anything will ever top issue 41. That cover made the comic look like it was about Sonic, Sally, and Geoffrey St. John fighting off a white void full of monster arms. Instead, it was a totally incoherent jaunt through the Phantom Zone or something. Issue 203's cover isn't that bad but it does come close. The cover makes it look like Bunnie has betrayed the Freedom Fighters and is about to murder Sonic. This is, needless to say, a gross exaggeration of the comic's actual contents. This kind of thing fooled me in 1996 but not so much in 2009.
203 begins a two parter named “Heavy is the Head.” The story begins with a nice day in New Mobotropolis, Rosie's orphans teasing and throwing rocks at Monkey Khan because he sucks. Sonic's attempted pep talk to Khan is interrupted when Snively and the Iron Queen sneak into the city. The Freedom Fighters immediately counterattack. Which turns out to be a bad idea because the Iron Queen uses her technomagik to take control of Bunnie's body. Sonic and friends' priority changes to protecting their dear friend. When Monkey Khan swoops in to save the day, his robotic implants make him a liability as well.

You read that right. Issue 203 begins with Rory, Snaggle, and Sasha pelting Monkey Khan with stones. At this point, Flynn has made Khan's status as a lame character a running gag. See, he's such a fucking joke that even kids know it! The constant abuse achieves the impossible: You actually feel bad for Monkey Khan. Flynn uses this plot point as a launch pad for an odd scene. When Sonic attempts to cheer the guy up, he freaks out, screaming once again about how badly he has screwed things up. At this point, Ian has made Khan such a chronic looser that he's gone from pathetic to self-loathing. That constant moping is starting to ware on the reader a bit. When part of the comic depends on Monkey Khan getting out of his funk and actually doing something, it makes the character look inactive and up his own ass.

Luckily, “Heavy is the Head: Part One” does get readers to care about what happens. The Iron Queen's technomagik puts a character we're deeply attached to, maybe even love, in direct danger. When Bunnie's robotic limbs go crazy, it's against her will. She's forced to attack her friends and loved ones, a nightmarish scenario. Yes, this is the second time Flynn has used that situation, after A.D.A.M. infected Bunnie's cybernetics in “Order from Chaos: Part One.” But, shit, when it works, it works. It makes this a gripping tale.

It also forces our heroes to rethink the situation. Instead of just beating the enemies into submission, Sonic and the others have to think of a way to stop Bunnie without hurting her. The rabbit's life is directly put in danger, since the Iron Queen forces her to constantly attack, draining her life force. This leads to some cool action sequences too. The panel of Bunnie clocking Tails in the stomach is fittingly startling. Later, Tails gets blasted in the face but Bunnie's jets. She takes swipes at Amy and even Antoine. Really the only thing that saves Bunnie and the Freedom Fighters is the Iron Queen letting her go, instead of just killing her when she had the chance. Then again, the villains in this book do that kind of stuff all the time.

That's hardly the only plot hole in what is otherwise a decent little story. Honestly, the Freedom Fighters never should have brought Bunnie to a battle with the Iron Queen anyway. It's not as if Sonic doesn't know what the villain can do. He's fought her once before. Monkey Khan should've known better than to barge into this fight too, even with his magical crown protecting him. Then again, the only reason Snively and Regina made it into the city is they somehow made it past Nicole's defenses. Not sure how that would've happened. Then again, how come Regina didn't realize the entire city around her was made of microscopic robots? Well, that doesn't happen because Ian wanted to save that dramatic moment for later in the arc. Like I said, these holes drag down what is otherwise a decent story.

 
Steven Butler is back on penciling duties. The slight bumps I noticed in his art last time are totally gone now. This is a great looking story. Butler draws the entire second half under cloud-strewn skies. This not only implies Khan's lightning abilities, which become important later, but cast an eerie glow over the proceedings. Mostly, Butler's character work remains incredibly strong. Sonic's expression of exacerbation after talking to the orphans is hilarious. Monkey Khan's looks of rage and self-doubt are touching. The sheer panic on Bunnie's face during the attack really sells her fear and loss of control. I also love how determined and focused Sally looks while barking orders on the ground. It's good stuff.

The back-up story is a two-parter as well. “Friend in Deed” begins with Knuckles on the Shrine Island, thinking over the news of Espio's betrayal. Right on cue, the chameleon leaps onto the island. The two trade some terse dialogue about how valuable a power source like the Master Emerald could be to a budding dictator like the Iron Queen. That's when a fight breaks out, Espio turning on his closest friend.

In my review of 203, I mentioned how Espio's betrayal would've been more powerful if made before Knuckles. Well, “Friend in Deed: Part One” is more-or-less devoted to that very confrontation. Of course, Knuckles already knows Espio is a turncoat, making his sudden violence far less shocking to the Guardian. So, instead of being about a hero betrayed by a close friend, “Friend in Deed” is about the tension of waiting for Espio to strike. Which, sure, is fine. The dialogue the two trade before attacking is mildly tense. Yet I can't help but wonder if this would've been a more powerful story if Knuckles had no idea Espio couldn't be trusted anymore.

For its flaws, “Friend in Deed: Part One” at least looks awfully nice. Jamal Peppers returns to draw another back-up story. His pencils remain incredibly smooth and on-model. Knuckles and Espio practically look right out of Sega stock art. Peppers' panel construction is also really interesting. He foregrounds Knuckles and Espio's conflict by drawing them in opposing panels, visually illustrating the psychological struggle between the two characters. The inking and coloring is really strong too, bathing the fight in some fading sunlight.

203's cover story has some narrative flaws but has a strong enough grasp on the emotions of the characters that it almost makes up for it. If nothing else, this issue certainly makes the Iron Queen more of a threat then ever. The back story I'm less sold on, since it follows a recent plot thread I'm no fan of. But, hey, at least the artwork is all-around good looking. I'll give that a [7/10.]

Sonic Universe: Issue 6

Sonic Universe: Issue 6
Publication Date: July 2009

It recently came to my attention that, at least among certain corners of the Sonic Tumblr fandom, that the future set story lines are not well regarded. Consider me surprised. Back in the day, I remember Archie Sonic fans generally enjoying “25 Years Later.” When Ian Flynn revisited the setting with the “Sonic Universe: 30 Years Later,” I wasn't hanging out on Sonic forums very much. But I enjoyed it at the very least. That story line would continue to roll along solidly in issue 6.

“Dark Siege” is densely plotted, as far as these things go. It concerns the Dark Presence's multi-pronged attack on Sonic's kingdom. Tails and Mina are attacked in their hotel room, the kids barely escaping. Lara-Su leaps into action just as Silver, who was trying to explain his mission to King Sonic and Queen Sally, gets knocked unconscious by an undercover agent. Lara-Su, Sonic, and the Prower kids run off to fight against the attack just as Lien-Da digs into the castle's bowels and frees Shadow. That's quite a lot of story for a short comic book.

In 2009, Silver the Hedgehog was still regarded by most fans as an unfortunate symptom of the widely loathed “Sonic '06.” The time tossed, telekinetic hedgehog's previous appearance in the ass end of the “Hedgehog Havoc” story line did little to change the image fans had of him. He was another self-serious, super powerful, ambiguously allied character. With issue 6 of “Sonic Universe,” Flynn begins his rehabilitation of Silver. After announcing his serious goal, saving the world from some catastrophe brought about by a traitor, Silver immediately stumbles. He's not certain he's in the right era. When he questions Sonic about the mechanics of time travel, the King tells him not to worry. Later, he's face-palming, realizing he's screwed up. In other words, Silver is an inexperienced kid, uncertain what to do and prone to frequent mistakes. This humanizes the superpowered character, suddenly making him likable.

Something Flynn did well during his last stop over in the “25 Years Later” setting was establishing the bond Sonic and Sally have as husband and wife. You certainly got the impression that they loved each other, unlike the clear resentment that boiled under their conversations when Penders wrote the couple. One of the highlights of “Dark Siege” is a conversation Sonic and Sally have in the middle of the book. Sonic insists Sally take the kids and flee. She is resistant to this idea, refusing to be the damsel in distress. This leads to a brief argument that ends with a big kiss. Awwww. They argue because both are worried about each other's safety, their frustration is based in love. That's how you do it.

We don't have as much of a bead on Tails and Mina's relationship but Flynn still handles their one scene together in this issue well enough. After Tails is gassed by a Dark Presence agent, Mina grabs the kids and speeds out of the hotel room. (Which is a nice reminder that Mina has super speed.) It says a lot about Mina that her first instinct is to make sure her children are safe. Mina also shows some strength when heading back to rescue Tails. She still gets knocked unconscious but angry and driven are moods that fit Mina surprisingly well. I kind of wish Flynn brought that same attitude to modern day Mina a little more often.

There's some decent action sequences in this one too, mostly devoted to showing that King Sonic still has it. After the family maid reveals herself to be a double agent, Sonic slams her into the wall with surprising ferocity. Seems he doesn't appreciate someone endangering his wife and kids. Later, he teams up with Lara-Su. She's already taken some soldiers out off-screen but Sonic spin-dashes the sole remaining agent into unconsciousness. This leads to a potentially absurd moment. The Dark Presence has hacked the castle's security system. Which includes, for some reason, laser cannons in the wall. It's a silly sequence but watching Sonic and Lara-Su dodge some red laser blast of death is, admittedly, an arresting visual.

The second part of “30 Years Later” rolls along very nicely. Except for one detail. We still don't have much of a bead on the story's enemies. Yes, it's established that Lien-Da's grudge against the royal family is entirely personal. Yet the rest of the Dark Presence seems to be acting evil strictly so the story can have a villain. The closing scene, where Lien-Da awakens King Shadow, is strictly perfunctory. However, the Dark Legion subplot does produce one scene I like. After the assassination attempt, Lara-Su immediately confronts Rutan, Lien-Da's son. The argument between cousins is defused when Dimitri enters the scene, talking some reason into Lara-Su. I continue to like Future Dimitri's characterization as a mellow elder, whose days of villainy is far behind him.

The second “Sonic Universe” story arc isn't balancing character development and action as deftly as the first did, thus far. Still, I like the little details we've seen and generally enjoy how lived-in this universe feels. It's clear that Flynn is so comfortable with the “Sonic” cast by this point that he has no problem writing older, more mature versions of them. Will King Shadow's reemergence derail this story line? Well, I guess we'll find out. Until then, I'm sticking with the positive score. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 202

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 202
Publication Date: July 2009

There's a moment late in issue 202 of “Sonic the Hedgehog,” the issue where the Iron Dominion event really got rolling, where Sonic admits to the council of Knothole that the Iron Queen has adsorbed Robotnik's forces. The face of their villain has changed but, otherwise, Mobotropolis remains as under threat as always. This points out my serious problem with the Iron Dominion story. Yes, there's a certain novelty to seeing another villain replace Robotnik as the book's reigning Big Bad. Yet, for the most part, the book's world remains unchanged. Compare this to the direction Archie took “Sonic” in post-”Endgame” and maybe you'll understand my disappointment. The phrase “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss” has never been truer.

Anyway, the plot. “Dangerous Territory” picks up where 201 left off, with Sonic and Monkey Khan heading towards Megaopolis. Their entrance into Robotnik's former city is not as gentle as they hoped. The two are attacked by, in succession, the Dark Egg Legion, the Iron King, and a group of ninjas, including Espio and Lightning Lynx. Sonic and Khan remain totally unprepared for this attack and slink back to Knothole after getting their asses kicked.

As that plot synopsis suggest, issue 202 is primarily composed of a long action sequence. The book gets right to it, with a pretty cool panel of Monkey Khan deflecting laser fire with his staff on page two. In fact, Khan's various powers are well utilized. He tosses Lien-Da back with a lightning blast and later shocks Lightning Lynx right in the crotch. He also uses the staff as a projectile in one eye-catching panel. There's also plenty of leaping, punching, kicking, and spin-dashing throughout. The fist fights with Lightning Lynx, Espio, and the bat ninjas are all neat visuals.

And a cool fight scene is all well and good. What makes the extended action theatrics more meaningful is the conclusion to the fight. Sonic and Monkey Khan don't win. They get beat badly. The only reason they walk – or rather fly away, on Khan's magic nimbus – is because the Iron King refuses to kill his enemies when they're down. (He does it because he wants to see them humiliated. We all know the real reason is because comic book villains are dumb.) Considering Sonic's cocksure attitude, and he's extra snarky throughout this adventure, seeing him get trounced so totally makes for a compelling turn of events. It certainly establishes the Iron Dominion as a serious new threat, even if they are just taking Robotnik's place.

The conclusion of the battle isn't the only thing that gives this fight scene actual meaning. The self-doubt Sonic feels once he realizes he's outnumbered is a good moment. More powerful is when Espio walks up to Sonic, seemingly gives him a helping hand, before socking him hard in the jaw. Espio's betrayal would certainly have more meaning if Sonic and the chameleon were closer friends. Imagine how shocking that punch would be if Knuckles were on the receiving in. Still, it's a good moment and almost justifies Espio's convoluted reasons for switching sides. (Less interesting is Flynn heaping exposition on the reader, Khan letting us know about the various Brides and Clans found in his home country. It's a yawn.)

Even if I could care less about the mythology surrounding Monkey Khan, I do admire Ian Flynn's continued attempt to humanize Frank Strom's formerly perfect hero. First off, Sonic's loss is Khan's too. Again, I can't imagine Strom allowing his self-insert to be so totally bested. After informing the Council of their defeat, Khan confesses that this is just the latest in a long string of failures for him. (He also admits that his real name is Ken, another humanizing touch.) I continue to have mixed feelings about Flynn hinting at a romance between Khan and Sally. However, making the monkey a pathetic loser certainly goes a long way towards actually making the reader invested in him. At the very least, he's not an unstoppable badass who spews lame catchphrases.

“Dangerous Territory” sees Steven Butler return to pencil the main book. If you discount his occasional contributions to “Sonic X,” this is the first time Butler has illustrated the comic in quite some time. And it's clear he's a little rusty. You can tell Butler is trying to fuse his grittier, sexier style with Tracy Yardley's more cartoony pencils, which have become the default look for the book by this point. This results in a few panel where it looks like a super-cute head is stuck on a more detailed body. (He still manages to make Sally and Lien-Da look curvier than Yardley ever has.) Still, Butler finds his footing pretty quickly. The action scenes look great. The ruined city setting certainly leaves plenty of room for Butler's love of grimy detail. It's still a really great looking comic, even though Butler has done better work in the past.

So we get a back-up story too. “A Lonely Girl's Story” begins with Snively and the Iron Queen lounging on a couch somewhere in New Megaopolis. Presumably before getting down to some disproportionate nooky, Snively asks Regina about her childhood. She regales him of a childhood within a “technomagic” cult, where she was taught how to manipulate robotics and electronics with magic. She also reveals that such practices were outlawed by the Overlanders, leading to Regina's family being executed and her being exiled from the city. She wandered the world, honing her abilities, before arriving in Monkey Khan's corner of the world and taking it over.

Flynn has made an effort to expand on the backstories of various obscure characters. Since the Iron Queen is going to be an important character within the book's next year, it's certainly a good idea to provide some context for her actions. The quasi-tragic beats of Regina's troubled youth seem like standard attempts to give the villain some complexity. Considering the Iron Queen is still a cackling she-beasts in the present, that doesn't count for much. What I ultimately like about this peak into Regina's past is the insight it gives us into Overlander society. That all magic was banned in their city certainly makes sense, further contrasting him with the mystical Kingdom of Acorn.

“A Lonely Girl's Story” is also the debut credit of Jamal Peppers. Handing this story to a new artist might've been a deliberate move. This one mostly revolves around non-furry people, something Tracy Yardley is just passable at. Whatever the reason, it's a good debut for Peppers. The panels devoted to a young Regina mastering control of a goofy looking robot is cute. Peppers conveys Regina's emotions nicely. A panel which shows her smiling evilly upon discovering Khan's valley is awfully atmospheric.

It's a good, not great, issue. The opening story features some nice action and a few decent emotional beats, though none of it is as powerful as perhaps it could've. The Iron Dominion story remains a little overly invested in its own mythology. The back-up story has a few decent moments but still can't quite get me to care about the Iron Queen. The artwork is pretty good though. Eh, I'll take it. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 5

Sonic Universe: Issue 5
Publication Date: June 2009

I have no idea how popular the “25 Years Later” setting was when it first appeared in the Archie “Sonic the Hedgehog” comics. Now, of course, the story line is regarded very poorly, as the internet hates everything Ken Penders has ever done. Even I have mixed feelings about it and I liked it a lot more than anybody else did. The fact that Archie kept revisiting the setting suggests to me that the “25 Years Later” period must have been popular. The second “Sonic Universe” story arc would take place in this possible future, focusing primarily on Lara-Su.

Flynn has skipped the clock ahead five more years, which makes this the “30 Years Later” setting, I guess. After usurping King Shadow, Sonic and Sally have ruled in peace. Lara-Su is fully established as Angel Island's Guardian. Yet the peaceful period means she's got so much free time, she can babysit Sonic and Sally's kids, Sonia and Manik. All is not well, however. The Dark Presence, led by Lien-Da, is plotting a comeback. Just as Lien-Da puts the king in her sights, an unexpected visitor saves the day.

One of the elements of Penders' original “25 Years Later” plot I wasn't too crazy about was Prince Manik and Princess Sonia. Sonia was a complete non-entity, an identical copy of her mother. Manik, meanwhile, was an obnoxious asshole and budding sexual predator. Flynn completely revamps the royal children. Due to the timeline getting rejiggered by Sonic's time travel shenanigans, the kids are only five years old now. (Which suggests Sonic and Sally got right to continuing the royal bloodline.) So now Manik and Sonia are hyper-active kids, with active imaginations and more energy then they know what to do with. This, too, could've come off as annoying but the writer manages to keep the kids cute, rather than irritating.

Truthfully, opening “Five Years of Peace” with Lara-Su babysitting the prince and princess is a nice way to ease readers back into the setting. “25 Years Later” had a slice-of-life style that was badly bungled by Penders' typically glacial pacing. Flynn does the same thing much better here. The kids dancing and singing when Lara-Su walks through the door is sweet. Getting the kids in bed is such a task that Lara-Su has to employ her Guardian superpowers to restrain them. Later, she interrupts a pillow fight and gets whacked in the face for her troubles. It manages to endear the children and Lara-Su to the reader.

“Five Years of Peace” also builds on a previous pairing that was established in this future setting. It was previously mentioned that Tails and Mina got married at some point. We actually get to see the future mongoose now, who is sporting a super cute paigeboy haircut. We also meet their offspring: Melody the Mongoose and Skye the Fox. We don't get much more than an introduction to the kids, though Melody appears especially sassy and Skye seems shy and insecure. (And might have a crush on Lara-Su.) Sonic shippers being who they are, some dislike the Tails/Mina pairing but, honestly, I can't be bothered to be bothered. These two are together in the future. Get used to it.

In a not-too-subtle example of exposition, Flynn opens this story with a news reporter filling the reader in on what's happen over the last five years. (In a cute touch, the reporter is an adult version of Sasha the Cat, one of the orphans Rosie takes care of.) In Penders' “25 Years Later,” King Sonic was so precarious as to come off as a real jerk. Flynn shows Sonic enjoying his royal status a little more. His general love for the world lets him rule with a balanced hand. We get a peek at his orating skills during a big speech he makes in this issue's back half. This is a more mature Sonic, one who has accumulated to ruling the free world.

Lien-Da's assassination attempt provides the big action set piece for this issue. But there's a little more to it than that. The sequence of Lara-Su gliding around, stopping a pair of assumed assassins, only to realize they're decoys too late, is mildly suspenseful. What makes this scene really work is the real anger and resentment Lien-Da feels towards the king. Apparently, as part of King Sonic's restructuring of the world, Lien-Da has been separated from her son. That's a pretty good reason to be pissed off. The assassination isn't motivated just because of politics or because Lien-Da is naturally evil. That adds some much appreciated depth.

“Five Years of Peace” concludes with Silver dropping in, being the deus ex machina just needed to save Sonic's ass. I don't remember where Flyyn goes with that one or how this story turned out. I do think this first part is quite good, balancing the details of this future world, moving along nicely, and making you actually care about the characters. Hey, man, that's all I really ask from this book. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 201

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 201
Publication Date: June 2009

Issue 201 of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” would begin the Iron Dominion saga. This story line, featuring the Iron Queen taking over Robotnik's city and waging war with the Freedom Fighters, would last for a whole year, stretching from June of 2009 to June of 2010. This story line would be he first time “Sonic” fans would really criticize Ian Flynn's writing. And it has less to do with the actual story and more to do with the event dragging on for so long. Sadly, Flynn wouldn't learn his lesson about inflating the length of big story lines. Having said that, having Robotnik be replaced by another major villain seemed, at first, to be a refreshing change of pace. So was the Iron Dominion event good or bad? Let's find out.

Issue 201's cover story, “Change in Management,” begins with the Freedom Fighters celebrating their defeat of the Eggman Empire. Mina and her band, the Forget-Me-Knots, are performing a concert for New Mobotropolis. The celebration is short-lived, as Monkey Khan arrives to interrupt the festivities. After Sally calms the typically fiery ape down, Khan informs the group that his old archenemy, the Iron Queen, has moved into Megaopolis and is intent on continuing Eggman's tyranny.

“Change in Management” begins with Sonic in an unusually introspective mood. He still feels bad over breaking Robotnik's sanity so totally. It's an interesting place for the hero to be. Sonic's been fighting for this moment for over a decade. Now that he's finally won, he feels... Guilty. Flynn could've used this as an opportunity to explore how unsatisfying victory can be or Sonic questioning his own role as a Freedom Fighter. Instead, the hedgehog's good mood immediately perks up when he learns there's a new Big Bad in town. This is also in-character. We know from the post-”Endgame” years that Sonic doesn't do well when there isn't a villain around to fight. Yet I feel like Flynn is glossing over the most interesting part of the story.

“Change in Management” also reintroduces Monkey Khan. Now, I've said some not-so-nice things about Khan in the past. Yes, I'll admit, I hate that stupid monkey. Yet Ian Flynn has shown a real talent for rehabilitating lame concepts in the past. He begins working on Monkey Khan quickly. Within a few pages, Khan has been acknowledged as a blowhard. He also gives the simian an moment of self-doubt, when Khan admits he failed to protect his home region. It's hard to imagine Monkey Khan's creator, Frank Strom, ever giving him these flaws. Strom always wrote Khan as a totally tubular Gary Stu who specialized in being better than all the other characters. So maybe there's hope for the primate after all.

During the latter half of 2008, Flynn started to lean a little hard on fight scenes between various characters. Issue 201 looks to be going in this direction at first. As soon as Monkey Khan shows up, Sonic immediately begins fighting with him. This last for all of one page before Sally breaks up the commotion, a nice moment. There's also something in me that just really loves Sally disciplining both Sonic and Khan like ill-behaved children. This leads to an amusing series of panels where Sonic is super eager to run off and fight the new bad guy, and Sally informs him to reel it in a little. That concludes with Sally face-palming at Sonic and Khan's continued macho posturing. It's funny!

Discounting their cameo at the end of issue 200, this story is also our proper re-introduction to the Iron Queen. She doesn't do too much in this issue besides sit on her new throne, flirting with Snively and consolidating her new power. However, her interaction with Snively provides the character with more personality than Frank Strom gave her in her previous appearance. That she openly flirts with a boyfriend while in front of her husband says a lot about Regina. There's an especially cute moment where Snively leaps in her lap, showing how close these two already are. It's not a lot but it's a start.

Oh, by the way, the Iron Queen also screws over the Dark Legion. Spider-crab Dimitri – who, in a nice touch, crawls his way into the throne room in such a way that it suggests his obedience – assumes the Iron Queen will remove the explosive implants Robotnik hid in every Legionnaire's robotics. The Queen then informs that she simply can't do this and gives him a very insincere work around. At this point, Dimitri has graduated fully to anti-villain. He keeps getting screwed over. You feel bad for him, even though this is the same guy who, more than once, attempted to take over the entire world.

The cover story briefly features Espio running off to join the action before he disappears from the story. Flynn picks up the chameleon in the back-up story, “Devotion.” While talking with Nicole about what's going on, Espio is attacked by Lightning Lynx. Through the course of the story, we learn that Espio's ninja clan has been adsorbed by the same ninja clan that Lightning Lynx is apparently part of. And now, both clans are ruled over by the Iron Queen. So Espio is honor-bound to serve the new bad guy in town, even though that means betraying his friends.

When Sega re-introduced Espio to the video gaming public in “Sonic Heroes,” the company suddenly decided the chameleon was a ninja. On one hand, that makes sense, since chameleons are naturally associated with stealth. On the other hand, it's total hacky, lame-ass bullshit, a cheap gimmick stapled onto a character that never displayed that attributes earlier. Without too much explanation, the comic followed Sega's lead, giving Espio shinobi abilities that he never previously had. And now, out of nowhere, Ian Flynn has decided Lightning Lynx is a ninja too. This is less of a big deal, since Lightning's never had much back story or personality before. But all this sudden business about ninjas and clan loyalty feels like a real ass pull.

I'm also no fan of Espio suddenly betraying his friends. Like I said, Espio's background as a ninja has never really come up before. So these new details of the chameleon being honor bound to some obscure leader comes out of nowhere. Espio has always been deeply loyal to Knuckles and the other Chaotix. To have him turn his back on his friends, due to some previously undisclosed alliance, is very sloppy. Not to mention annoying to fans of the character, who like him specifically because of his loyalty to his friends. Ultimately, the “Espio works for the bad guys now” was one of the those lame, comic book reversal the book just had to roll with for a while before it was finally undone.

Issue 201 is a mixed bag. The cover story has some fun stuff and seems to point towards Monkey Khan actually becoming a useful character in the near future. At the same time, the issue is mostly devoted to setting up the new plot development the book will be grappling with in its next year. The back story, meanwhile, I straight-up do not like. It's a bit of a step down after issue 200 but I'd still give this one a somewhat positive rating. [6/10]

Sonic Free Comic Book Day 2009

Sonic Free Comic Book Day 2009
Publication Date: May 2009

In 2009, Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series participated in Free Comic Book Day for the third time. The first year, the company published a brand new “Sonic” story for the annual give away event. For the second year, Archie got lazy and just republished the very first issue of the series. For the third Free Comic Book Day edition, the company would put in slightly more effort than that. In fact, a book like this might've been vital for newcomers to the series at the time. The book is subtitled “Evolution of a Hero” on the cover, which should give you a good idea of what to expect.

“Sonic of the Ages” is what the “story” contained in this book is called. Instead of being a narrative, it's a collection of Date Files. You know, those biography the comic would publish from time to time, explaining the back story of characters and places. In many ways, it's like a shorter and less detailed version of the encyclopedia Archie would publish in 2012. The issue gives a brief history of Sonic and the Freedom Fighters, their trials and tribulations, Knuckles, Shadow, Dr. Robotnik and other enemies.

2009's Free Comic Book Day issue doesn't tell long time Sonic fans too many things they don't already know. Ian mostly recounts an extremely truncated version of the book's convoluted history. However, he does sneak in a few tidbits that we've never heard before. Such as the original Freedom HQ being build in a natural limestone cave. Or Bunnie powering her projectiles and force fields with her own life force. Some bits of info are rather crucial, things we probably should've learned by now. Such as Charmy's change in personality – becoming closer to the more child-like characterization Sega used, instead of the more knowledgeable kid that appeared in the “Knuckles” series – because Robotnik tampered with his brain at some point. Other details are more esoteric. Such as Robotnik hating Sonic partially due to his perceived “coolness.”

Stuff like this is kind of neat but, other times, “Sonic of the Ages” fills less like a character explanation and more like a list of attributes. An entire page, for some reason, is devoted to Shadow the Hedgehog's various superpowers. You know, maybe it's because I've seen too many fan characters defined solely by their countless special attacks. But this kind of thing rubs me the wrong way, however slightly. Shadow can project his Chaos energy into a number of attacks. I don't really need to know the difference between the Chaos Spear and Chaos Blast or what have you.

Honestly, my favorite thing about this little book might just be an extra included in the back. After the handful of biographies are concluded, we are presented with a gallery of the comic covers. This gallery includes every issue of “Sonic,” all the spin-offs, one-shots, and mini-series. It even includes some of Spaz' covers from the various collections released up to that point, such as “Sonic Archives.” Considering this comic book's covers were sometimes superior to the stories contained within, it's nice to peruses them all. Even if they're shrunk down to a small size.

Free Comic Book Day is ostensibly about encouraging people to seek out their local comic shops. In practice, though, the tradition is often a way for comic companies to promote whatever they have going on at the time. It's not like Marvel or DC is going to give a real story away for free or anything. Archie indulged in this too. Twice, this comic tells readers to go out and buy the issues of the still new “Sonic Universe.” It also implores readers to subscribe to the main “Sonic” book if they want to know what happens next.

In what is surely not a coincidence, this book is also packed full of advertisement for Archie's other books. There's full page ads for “Archie: Freshman Year: Book 1,” a collected trade paperback of Archie's then-latest attempt to reinvent their mascot character. (This was before Archie was allowed to fuck, you see.) There's also a page for something called “The Cartoon Life of Chuck Clayton,” a story line apparently about Riverdale's only black person. An ad trumpets a new story line in the soon-to-be-canceled “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” comic, about the “Magical Tales of Young Salem.” That story was written by Ian Flynn and seems like an especially desperate attempt to retrofit the comedy series as a fantasy adventure book. Considering the actual Archie characters have never been very interesting to “Sonic” readers, the only ad here that peaks my interested at all is for a collection of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” comics the company published back in the early nineties.

There's not too much to say about “Sonic's” 2009 Free Comic Book Day edition. In a lot of ways, this is exactly the kind of inoffensive, inessential, fluffy extra the company should give away on that day. It's an easy way for newbies to catch up. It's totally unnecessary for long time readers but is still enjoyable to read. Considering it was literally a free book, I guess that's all we can ask for. [6/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 4

Sonic Universe: Issue 4
Publication Date: May 2009

Issue 4 wraps up the Shadow Arc, the first “Sonic Universe” story line. This particular arc has been fairly episodic and I mean that in the best way. Flynn has been mixing and matching various video game elements, trying to figure out who the Archie version of Shadow is. Yet a few threads have connected the various issues. With number four, the author returns to the plot point that the series actually started with, bringing things full circle, I guess.

By that, I'm referencing GUN's continued desire to explore the Special Zone and grab some Chaos Emeralds. In “The Ultimate Lifeform,” Hope's teleporting machine do-hicky actually succeeds in that goal. After getting to the Special Zone, Shadow and Rouge are tested by all-powerful panda god, Feist. After failing a few of the god-like entity's test of strength, Shadow has to re-strategize. He also has to reconsider his own actions.

Many of Archie's “Sonic” writers actively fled from attempts to make the comic book a little more like the video games that inspired it. Flynn, on the other hand, was by far the most willing to embrace the series' digital roots. This tendency would eventually fail him during the ill-conceived reboot but, for a time, it worked out okay. By dropping Team Dark in the Special Zone and forcing them to play games for Feist's amusement, the main characters are given an easy objective. While Feist's tests don't seem very daunting for a superfast hedgehog – one's a race across a fiery bridge vaguely resembling the Genesis version of the “Sonic 3D Blast” special stage, the other is a cube-like maze loosely inspired by the “Sonic 1” bonus level – it does lead to some clean, concise plotting.

Then again, “The Ultimate Lifeform” isn't really about the various feats of strength Feist forces Shadow to compete in. The entire Shadow Arc has been an attempt to humanize Shadow a little bit. First, Flynn touched on his guilt over failing to contact Metal Sonic or save Gamma. Then, he showed how his feelings towards Sonic have evolved. In issue 4, Shadow has to deal with the fact that he's not infallible. His initial attempt to grab Feist's emerald fails. Partially because he got a little too cocky, relying on his Chaos Control abilities a little too much. It's a pretty good idea to challenge the so-called Ultimate Lifeform but diminishing his “ultimate” status.

The scenes that follow gives us a look at Shadow's inner life. For all his bluster about being a total bad-ass, inside his heart of hearts, Shadow is a whiny little bitch. He feels massively guilty that he failed to accomplish the goal GUN gave him. He slinks to sulk. While anger-sparring with Omega, he only speaks in monosyllabic grunts. This is pretty in character for Shadow, who has always had a degree of angst. It comes close to being insufferable but gets a past for fitting the character.

And it should be noted that Flynn balances Shadow's moodiness with some humor. That aforementioned sparring scene got a chuckle out of me when Shadow yells “Bah!” and throws Omega across the room. The so-called Ultimate Lifeform's confusion over not being able to use his Chaos Control abilities is amusing. As is a single panel devoted to Shadow's expression, after realizing he knows Feist's M.O now. Tracy Yardley gets a lot out of the character's facial expressions in this issue.

And it leads to a scene that should be too corny but actually ends up working. Hope finds Shadow brooding on a cliff overlooking the city. Hope tries to contact Shadow, who is still hurting over his failure. Hope opens up to the hedgehog, revealing how she guilty she feels about leading Snively to Knothole, eventually leading to the village's destruction. This touches the hedgehog and the two level. The panels devoted to Hope hugging Shadow, and the hedgehog imagining his beloved Maria looking down on him, probably should be cheesy. Yet Flynn summons up enough genuine emotion to sell the scene.

“The Ultimate Lifeform” also shows Team Dark – a team name so goofy that Rouge actually makes fun of it – really working together for the first time. It leads to some fun moments. After failing to navigate Feist's 4D Cube of Treachery, Shadow utilizes plan B... Which involves Omega blasting the panda god in the face with as much firepower as possible, distracting him so Shadow and Rouge can grab the Emerald. Okay, yes, that's cheating. However, it's still a satisfying moment. Moreover, these scenes also let us see the characters play off each other. So we get to see Shadow and Rouge tell the kill crazy Omega to lay off the wanton destruction.

Tracy Yardley isn't a master of surreal art like Jay Axer was. Can you imagine how Axer would've drawn the Special Zone? That would've be amazing. Yet Yardley does an okay job. The spinning colors, floating spears, and billowing mist make for a decent visual. Honestly, it probably says a lot about Yardley's ability that he makes Feist – a ridiculous character – actually somewhat intimidating. Giant pandas usually engender cuddles, not startled gasps. Also, let's give Yardley credit for drawing Omega really well. Some artist on this book really struggle with the giant robots.

All four issues in this story arc were pretty strong, making sure “Sonic Universe” gets off to a good start. The comic ends with a teaser of the next story line, a return to the “30 Years Later” setting. (We also get a full page “Off-Panel” comic, drawn by a way overqualified Steven Butler.)  While it lacks the emotional stakes of the last few issues, number 4 is still a solid comic book. Over all, Flynn has actually succeeded in making me like Shadow the Hedgehog, a character I was once totally ambivalent too. [7/10]