Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 1

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 1
Publication Date: April 4, 2018

Following the unceremonious cancellation of Archie's long-running “Sonic the Hedgehog” comics, fandom speculation ran wild. During the months long hiatus when Archie refused to confirm whether or not the book was canceled, fans started supposing shit. With the inevitable death of the original book widely assumed, readers soon wondered if a new 'Sonic” comic might follow. After all, this is a franchise that is ostensibly still viable, with a nearly twenty-five year long legacy in comics and a loyal – perhaps too loyal – fan following. “Sonic” going back to comic shops, newsstands, and your e-readers makes sense.

During this time, some even suspected that IDW or Boom! Studios, two comic publishers that handle a lot of licensed kids books, would be the likely new home for “Sonic's” four colored adventures. So I wasn't surprised when it was announced that IDW Publishing was picking up the license. What did surprise me was the haste with which it happened. A day after it was finally, formally announced that the Archie series was dead, the official Sonic Twitter shouted that a deal had been signed with IDW.

It was also widely presumed that Ian Flynn and most of the other Archie staff, all being freelance workers, would follow Sonic to a new publisher. This has also come to pass, as almost the entire Archie crew is now working on IDW's new book. What was also supposed and has, thus far, not come true was the hope that IDW would continue the post-reboot continuity Archie started, since Sega owes all the characters anyway. I always figured that was a long shot. IDW, following many fan questions, has currently confirmed that the Freedom Fighters won't be appearing in the new book within the first year. I suspect Flynn is actively fighting for their inclusion and has hinted that they may appear further down the line. (Assuming there is a further down the line...)

So where does that leave me, a hardcore Archie “Sonic” fan that is largely ambivalent to Sega's current output and was mostly left cold by the rebooted Archie book? It probably says a lot that the rumors that IDW may be facing financial hardships of their own – that the new “Sonic” book may be smothered in its cradle before it even starts running – filled me, not with disappointment, but relief. It's hard for me to get invested in a new universe starring only a few of the characters I loved from the old one. I'm mostly reviewing it because you fucking people want me too. Okay,  also because of my wholly narcissistic desire to make this blog a comprehensive guide to all non-video game Sonic media. (Also because of my OCD, which is why these reviews will be coming out as bonus weekend content, so as not to fuck up my perfectly planned schedule.) The point is: The new “Sonic” comic has an uphill battle ahead in convincing me to like it.

So, how did they do? “Fallout” seemingly follows the conclusion of “Sonic Forces,” Sega's latest mediocre 3D Sonic game. Dr. Eggman – I guess he's really, truly just Eggman now? Robotnik seems to be a forgotten alias – has vanished following his latest defeat. Sonic is now traveling the world, cleaning up the remaining pockets of Eggman's robotic forces. He zooms into a new town, saves the uninspiring local resistance, and starts smashing robots. Soon, Tails joins him. Afterwards, both wonder if something more organized is going on. If the final panel is any indication something, naturally, is.

Initial impression: Well, it's not bad. This first issue is mostly focused on action. With that goal in mind, it comes off as very zippy. Excuse the pun but this one hits the ground running. We're treated to many panels of Sonic smashing robots, of both small, large, and moderate sizes. It's fairly fun but, at times, the action comes off as too choreographed. Sonic and Tails sawing a huge, hammer-swinging robot in half with a homoerotic, hugging double-spin dash may be a little too cool for school. So is the scene where Sonic does a three-point landing after smashing through the head of another huge hammerer bot. This shit is pretty cool but it feels a bit forced, don't you think?

Sonic seems to be in-character. The hedgehog's sarcastic and light-hearted personality is intact. He runs into the village smirking. He winks and points finger-guns at Mobians random cartoon animal people after saving them. He cracks a Bugs Bunny joke and seems generally nonplussed by the robotic threat. The only time Sonic seems upset is when he nearly gets crushed, before Tails saves his ass. And, sure, that's pretty typical of Sonic. Yet hopefully the book won't always be this flippant. Scenes of grateful villagers being starstruck by Sonic's presence is cute now. But hopefully it won't be this super-duper light when the world is eventually in peril.

It's hard to say how much Ian Flynn's heart is in this one. “Fallout” is such a boilerplate standard Sonic adventure, seemingly by design, that I can only speculate about Flynn's quirkier, stronger attributes coming to the forefront. Credit where its due, there is one moment of genuine emotion in the book. After saving the village, and wondering if Eggman is planning something new, Sonic asks Tails to join him on this adventure. Tails pauses and gets a little misty-eyed, basically admitting that seeing his best friend face possible death again is too much for his little heart to handle. Okay, so the characters (and, by extension, the author) at least seem to care about each other. That bodes well.

In many ways, the first issue of IDW's “Sonic” series really feels no different from the latter-day Archie book. With most of the same creative staff coming back – right down to inker Jim Amash and colorist Matt Herms – it looks identical to the old Archie book. Tracy Yardley's pencils are the solid, if slightly samey, cartoony style we're all very use to by now. If it wasn't for the references to a video game that wasn't out last time Sonic was on the page, and the lack of the Freedom Fighters, this could slot into the Archie continuity pretty easily. For all these reasons, I suspect the enthusiastic fans of the Post-Super Genesis Wave continuity will happily eat this up.

But what about the rest of us? I have my reservations about IDW. Their love of gimmickry is already apparent in the book, with its ten thousand variant covers and strategy of debuting four weekly comics in the month of April, before going to a normal monthly schedule next month. (Though that, helpfully, will give me a whole year's worth of comics to talk about come January, when I do a new Best/Worst list, a tradition I'm absolutely continuing with the new publisher.) I'm dreading the day when IDW reboots or relaunches “Sonic,” splintering the title into numerous mini-series and stand alone books, as they've done with other properties, like “Godzilla” or “Transformers.”

Putting those fears aside and just looking at this one comic book by itself, I'm still not sure what to think. It's thoroughly okay. Not bad, not mind-blowing. Looks good and there's one moment that rises above the rest. Will the whole book be like this or will an actual emotional heart and core take root eventually? Will Flynn be content to follow Sega's bylines going forward or will the series soon form a weird, elaborate mythology of its own that could rival Archie's series? Are Princess Sally, Bunny, Rotor and Tommy Turtle gone forever? All these questions and no forthcoming answers. I guess all we can do is wait and see, dear reader. A “Sonic” comic is back in my hands. I wish I felt more confident about it. [6/10]