Sonic Universe: Issue 11

Sonic Universe: Issue 11
Publication Date: December 2009

“Sonic Universe's” strategy of four-issue story arcs should've left us with three complete plots within one year. But, due to the arcane rules that govern such things, the series didn't start until February of 2009. So the Knuckles-centric “Echoes of the Past” didn't get resolved until 2010, ending Archie Sonic's 2009 on a cliffhanger. Man, don't you hate when that happens?

Anyway, the plot: After running into Dr. Finitevus last time, Knuckles is fully ready to kill the guy. Until he explains that he's not responsible for chaining down Angel Island. At that point, Vector and Ray arrive on the scene, pursued by a fleet of angry Wing Dingoes. Luckily, the Downunda Freedom Fighters arrive to turn the tide in the battle. Afterwards, we learn that a splinter Dark Egg Legion group is still operating in Downunda. The teams, including Dr. Finitevus, have to work together if they hope to stop this villainous scheme.

I haven't been feeling “Echoes of the Past” much, up to this point, but I have enjoyed angry Knuckles. Sega's default characterization of the echidna has always been as a gullible bruiser. (With the gullible part being Flanderized over the years, to the point that “Sonic Boom” portrayed him as a total buffoon.) Archie's Knuckles has always been far more thoughtful, inquisitive, and generally angsty. Recently – in between returning from the dead, loosing his powers, becoming a super villain, and his dad dying – that angst has defined the character a little too much. So to see Knux cut loose and wail on Dr. Finitevus, to do some punching and yelling, is a refreshing change of pace. This issue's opening pages, where the Guardian spends a whole page throwing the mad scientist into walls, gives the arc a nice burst of energy.

“Echoes of the Past” also gets some much needed dramatic tension in this installment. Right before Knuckles crushes Finnitevus' head, Toxic Avenger style, the villain informs him that he's not responsible for the chains hooking Angel Island into place. He wants to get to the bottom of things too and request a temporary alliance. This, of course, is a pretty obvious trap. But Knuckles is talked into going along with it. And it's good for the story too. Knuckles being forced to work alongside someone he hates so much raises the stakes a little more, making for a more compelling installment.

Sonic Universe 11 also sees the return of the Downunda Freedom Fighters. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for that team and they haven't made an appearance since issue 105 of “Sonic.” So it's nice to see Barby, Walt, and the gang again. The addition of the Downunda Freedom Fighters also changes the story arc's dynamic in a pleasant way. Instead of being another issue of Knuckles, Julie-Su, and Mighty sulking around ruins, we've got a full fledged team-up between two separate Freedom Fighter teams.

Flynn spends a lot of this issue flipping around characters. Julie-Su and Ray are quickly written out of the adventure before the comic's last third, as Knuckles has them return to Angel Island to protect the Master Emerald. (Julie-Su isn't super happy about this idea at first but quickly concedes, in yet another example of Flynn showing his clear disinterest in her.) The big difference is that Duck Bill has defected from the Downunda Freedom Fighter and seemingly started a local chapter of the Dark Egg Legion. Still, the more some things change, the more they stay the same. Guru Emu goes out of his way to announce his non-violent beliefs, further drawing attention to how useless this filthy, unwashed hippy is in the middle of a battle.

Bill going evil is a reference to issue 61 of “Sonic,” where the platypus was brainwashed by Crocbot's dismembered torso. (Amusingly, Walt Wallaby says this happened “about a year ago,” suggesting the comic has a hyper-compressed timeline.) In order to fill Duck Bill's absence, a new member has been added to the Downunda Freedom Fighters. Thrash the Tasmanian Devil doesn't look much like the real or Loony Tunes Tasmanian devil. Instead, the character trades some barbed dialogue with Dr. Finnitevus. This is setting up a storyline, about the conflict between the echidna and nearly-extinct devils, that Flynn would only get to play out in a compromised manner years later. These scenes are okay but we never get much of a bead on Thrash's personality. And knowing that his destiny would never be entirely fulfilled makes it all feel like a wasted endeavor.

Tying together these story reveals and character beats are a decent string of action sequences. That opening smackdown Knuckles lays on Vector is nicely illustrated by Yardley. The Downunda Freedom Fighters barge in by tearing apart the Wing-Dingos, which is a neat sight. When Finnitevus' inevitable betrayal comes, we get a few more of those clever warp ring gags. There's even a brief panel of Barby putting the villain in a choke hold, proving her skills at pure ownage remain intact. (Yardley's artwork is over all very strong but there is one panel where Knuckles is yelling in rage so hard, that he appears to momentarily transform into a belching toad.)

After two slow issues, “Echoes of the Past” is finally starting to pick up some steam. And Flynn only had to completely redirect the narrative flow to make it work too! There are definitely still some major bumps here, most to do with Julie-Su's weak characterization and Thrash's sudden introduction, but this one worked a little better for me than the previous installments did. And, hey, this story arc does continue to have fantastic cliffhangers. I guess that's an okay way note to end 2009 on. [6/10]