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]