Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 216

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 216
Publication Date: August 2010

August of 2010 wasn't a very good month for me. In fact, that entire summer was a hellscape of depression and misery for me. By this point, I was beginning a downward spiral that I wouldn't even begin to pull myself out off for several years. During this really shitty period of my life, one of the few things that genuinely gave me pleasure was reading Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic every month. In fact, I'm sometimes certain that my nerdy passions were the only thing that kept me going during that dark time. So that's where my mind was when this comic book was new.

Part two of “Family Matters” picks up where the first one left off. Rotor and Silver briefly tussle among the frozen tundra. This goes on until the walrus convinces the telekinetic hedgehog that his aim is true, the two forming a truce. Meanwhile, Sonic and the Arctic Freedom Fighters lay siege to the tower sending the mind control signal. What makes this especially difficult is the army of brain-washed walruses protecting the tower. Sonic and the Arctic Freedom Fighters have to figure out how to topple the tower without hurting any of the innocents involved.

As I mentioned last time, the first half of “Family Matters” was devoted solely to setting up the heroes' plan. The second half of “Family Matters” primarily concerns this plan playing out. Disappointingly, this isn't much more compelling. Sonic and his pals bumble through their plan, generally getting their asses kicked. That is until Rotor and Silver fly in, like a pair of airborne deus ex machina, and resolve the plot in a few panels. During these action scenes, the most Ian does is toss a little character development towards the Arctic Freedom Fighters. We learn that Erma the Ermine can apparently turn invisible somehow. There's some brief, cute interaction between Sonic and Flip the Penguin. Ahklut the Whale, a pretty cool orca sub-boss, gets a quicky introduction. That's about it.

However, there is one thing about “Family Matters: Part Two” that I sort of like. The back-and-forth between Rotor and Silver is mildly amusing. Once again, I enjoy the way Ian writes Silver. The futuristic hedgehog barges in, flinging Rotor around with his psychic powers, acting like he's a big badass. As soon as Rotor points out how stupid the entire basis of Silver's plan – assuming Rotor must be the traitor because people used to call him Boomer – is, Silver's tough guy exterior cracks. He begins to stutter and second-guess himself. Aww, that's cute. No matter how hard he tries, Silver is still an endearing screw-up. For the rest of the issue, he's very apologetic, his obvious lack of confidence showing.

The extended conclusion to “Family Matters” makes the entire purpose of this two-parter clear. As I mentioned during my review of issue 215, the fate of Rotor's herd has been a dangling plot point for years. Silver performs some psychic mojo upon Robotnik's mind-control tower during the issue's climax. Afterwards, the writer makes sure to point out that Rotor's herd can never be mind-controlled ever again. So this repetitive, often forgotten subplot is finally resolved once and for all, never to be mentioned again. Thank goodness for little miracles.

As far as stories go, the “Family Matters” two-parter isn't too exciting. At least it's looks really nice though. Steven Butler's artwork continues to be totally bitchin'. It says a lot about Butler's skills that he can take a nothing character like Erma the Ermine and make her interesting just based on the visuals. The action scenes, such as Rotor tackling Silver or Gunther flipping a walrus though the air, look pretty neat. Butler also manages to sneak some nice character moments in there, like the look of panic on Sonic's face as the gets attacked by Rotor's mom. The underwater confrontation with Akhlut also looks super intense.

Silver the Hedgehog goes back to the future for the second part of “Future Tense.” After his trip to the past, he discovers the future has changed slightly. The guardian, Edmund, recalls events a little differently than Silver does. The hedgehog explains that he's protected from the changes in the timeline, due to his status as a time traveler. The conversation is interrupted when Silver's master telepathically summons him to a meeting.

“Future Tense: Part Two” doesn't have too many story reasons to exist. Primarily, the back-up feature's purpose is to establish some more factoids about Silver's future world. Yes, we learn a little bit more about time travel. None of this is especially pertinent but it's mildly interesting. The big reveal at the end is that Silver's master is Mammoth Mogul, who has seemingly mellowed out in his old age. How or why this happened has yet to be explained. Not too much to discuss beyond that. Oh yeah, Jamal Peppers' pencils are still pretty sharp.

So the “Family Matters” two-parter was a bit underwhelming. I suppose it's not unexpected that a Rotor-centric story arc would be disappointing. Still, at least his herd is protected once and for all, for the handful of people who cared about that stuff. Ian develops Bunnie's backstory next, a story that I remember being way better. Stay tuned for that, faithful readers. [6/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 19

Sonic Universe: Issue 19
Publication Date: August 2010

Aw, that's a cute cover, isn't it? We can't forget that, during “SatAM” and the comic's early days, Antoine D'Coolette was basically the “Sonic” crew's goofy comic relief. In the intervening years, Antoine has been redefined as an honorable soldier, driven by his sense of duty and his love for his wife, Bunnie. Sometimes recently, Antoine has gotten a little too serious. So it's refreshing to see a silly cover of the coyote posing dramatically with a goofy inner-tube. It speaks to the depth of the book's cast that Antoine can be both a comedic character and a serious one without loosing a beat.

The third part of 'Trouble in Paradise” begins with Antoine's seemingly fatal plummet from the doorway. The comic clues us in early that this may not be what it appears to be, since Bunnie smiles upon looking out the door. She tries to uphold her double agent charade with the Battle Bird Armada but Speedy is suspicious. Consulting Eggman's network, he discovers that Bunnie is a Freedom Fighter. He has Dr. Fukurokov, the Armada's resident mad scientist, whip up a special weapon for him. Meanwhile, Tails and Antoine re-team with Bunnie, pursuing a plan to sink the Armada's base into the sea.

I've generally been enjoying “Trouble in Paradise” but there's been one problem with the story arc thus far. I'm not super invested in the actual plot. In this issue, Tails makes a discovery about the architecture of the Battle Bird Armada's base. Something about it being built on tunnels above the ocean. Listen, I don't give a shit about this. This is revealed to us through clunky narrative techniques, Bunnie handing T-Pup a USB full of info she swiped. Moreover, the Armada still isn't a particularly interesting threat, striking the reader as a mostly incompetent mini-diaspora. Flynn should have focused more on the rivalry between Tails and Speedy, as that's more compelling. At least Speedy has a definable personality.

Having said that, what I do like about this story arc is the interaction between the established characters. After Tails rescues Antoine from his dive, the two return to the island. While wandering around the island's underbrush, Antoine begins to reminiscence about Tails' earlier days as a Freedom Fighter. How he had to be rescued twice while in Downunda, how he was once a helpless little kid. This scene, amusingly, concludes with Antoine ruffling Tails' hair. Which seriously pisses the young fox off. This further shows how far Tails has come since the book's earlier day, further establishing himself as a more fully defined character.

Bunnie gets some cool moments in this one too. I like the scenes between her and Speedy. How she has to double down on her spy lie, pointing out how Antoine's apparent death would blow her cover. This leads to a fantastic sequences, a little later, where Bunnie swoops into the caverns with Tails, unexpectedly saving them. She's super-happy to see Antoine and, compared to her husband, ribs Tails in a cute, funny way. Like I said, the history between these characters is such that simple dialogue like this becomes delightful.

The Battle Bird Armada still isn't very developed as an organization. We got to see a little bit of the BattleKukku in the previous issue, though we don't have much of a bead on the guy. This issue also introduces Dr. Fukurokov, one of the bosses from the “Tails Adventure” game, a kooky inventor with an unpronounceable name. He's supposed to be an owl – his name is a pun on the Japanese word for “owl” – but looks more like a parrot. He's deeply annoyed by everyone's inability to pronounce his name and pretty insecure about his contribution to the Armada. This makes the character come off as a bit annoying, a series of simple comedic gimmicks. And it's not as if the book doesn't already have a mad scientist with a somewhat child-like personality.

Honestly, the most interesting about Dr. Fukurokov is a throwaway line. While going over Bunnie's history with Speedy, it's mentioned that the rabbot was partially robotocized many years ago. Fukurokov denounces robotocization as “rule-bending, pseudo-science magi-tech malarkey.”  Now, Flynn might be trying to cast aspersions on Fukurokov as a lesser scientific mind than Robotnik. Yet referring to robotocization as “magi-tech” is interesting. Is that reference to the technology initially being powered by Power Rings? Or is this one little line shedding some light on the somewhat mysterious way the process actually work? I don't know but it intrigues me, especially since Robotnik himself would dismiss all magic in the future.

There's some decent action beats in issue 19 of “Sonic Universe,” such as Bunnie matching a giant robot punch for punch. Or an earlier scene where Tails and Antoine punch out some Battle Bird Armada stoodgies. There are some elements in this one that allows me to like it but, overall, Flynn is spending a little too much time developing a new threat without making the audience care about it any. Maybe the pieces will really come together in the final part. Or maybe not. We'll see. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 215

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 215
Publication Date: July 2010

Ian Flynn concluded issue 214 of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” by dangling two potential stories in front of readers. The first of which was suggesting the Ancient Onyx the Wolf Pack and Felidae were fighting over had some greater significance, though it pointedly wasn't a Chaos Emerald. He pretty clearly meant it to be the same black jewel Chaos was kept inside of. Secondly, he concluded the comic by Hamlin giving Rotor some news about his herd.

Ah, yes, Rotor's herd, one of the book's longest dangling plot threads. Rotor's walrus-y family was introduced in issue 15 of “Sonic,” back in December of 1995. Over the next fifteen years, Rotor would occasionally swim off to rescue his family from Dr. Robotnik, who had brainwashed them into slavery. They were briefly freed, after “Endgame,” just for Eggman to come along and enslave them again. The book would periodically remind readers that Rotor's family was still out there, either enslaved or floating aimlessly on an iceberg, without ever resolving the story. Continuing his goal of exploring Mobius' more obscure areas, Flynn would finally return to this plot point in July of 2010.

“Family Matters” – presumably named after the sitcom “Family Matters,” which brought Sonic's Jaleel White to the world and ran for 215 episodes – begins with the Council of Knothole deliberating on the Arctic Freedom Fighter's message, which is also a chance to rescue Rotor's herd. The walrus insists he's staying behind in Mobotropolis but this is a deception. Instead, Rotor has Nicole build himself a suit of armor made from nanites, allowing him to fly up to the Frozen Tundra on his own. Meanwhile, Sonic races up north, meets with the Arctic Freedom Fighters, and scopes out the area.

“Sonic” fans, and Archie “Sonic” fans especially, tend to hold onto minor details other fandoms would overlook. The Arctic Freedom Fighters previously appeared only once before, way back in issue 26. This was presumably because they weren't especially memorable characters and there was little reason for Sonic to explore the colder corners of the globe. Despite that, fans didn't forget the Arctic Freedom Fighters, probably because of their catchy name.  So it's fitting that Flynn would reintroduce them eventually. He does what he can to expand on their nonexistent personalities. There's some sort of conflict between Gunther the Wolf and Erma the Ermine. Sealia greets Sonic with a big hug. He cracks some jokes with Flip the Penguin. Augustus the Polar Bear is still left out in the cold, as it were, but at least some effort is made to develop these guys.

Yet reintroducing the Arctic Freedom Fighters isn't even the main point of this comic. “Family Matters: Part One” is mostly about getting Rotor back out in the field. Which the book does by giving the walrus a bad-ass super-powered armor, made from the shape-shifting nanites. Flynn's inspiration for this story is obvious. “Iron Man” was released to theaters in 2008. The film did many things: Launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe, by far the most influential film series of the last decade. It also made Marvel a powerful brand, rebooted Robert Downey Jr.'s career, and made a perennial comic B-lister into one of the most popular superheroes in the world. Tony Stark hardly has the copyright on flying suits of powered armor but come on. The way Super Rotor flies and moves are obviously inspired by Iron Man.

This give the walrus, a pretty overlooked character for a long time, a defining gimmick. It also allows Flynn a chance to get inside his head. During the “Journey to the East” story, Flynn took the time to help re-rail Princess Sally's personality, after a few slips. In “Family Matters,” Flynn applies the similar treatment to Rotor. While flying toward the tundra, the walrus thinks about his life. How he used to make weapons of mass destruction but later changed his mind, following an incident that occurred while Sonic was in space. This seems to align Rotor's old habits of making BFGs with the entire Mobian race's distaste towards guns. Rotor pauses to call himself a hypocrite, specially pointing out that time he helped make an army of killer Metal Sonics. Since Flynn sidelined Rotor almost immediately after joining the book, it's nice of him to sort out the walrus' history.

Otherwise, part one of “Family Matters” is all about setting up part two of “Family Matters.” Sonic gets to the north and the Arctic Freedom Fighters tell him about their plan. About how Robotnik has a tower set up that broadcast the mind-controlling signals to the subservient walruses. Their plan, about attacking the tower from both above and below, is laid out. Just as the Freedom Fighters arrive at the tower, surrounded by mindless walruses, the comic book ends. Despite some nice character details here and there, this comic book is mostly fifteen pages of set-up.

Oh yeah, Silver the Hedgehog shows up too. That's another example of how this comic primarily exist to set-up the next part of the story. The psychic hedgehog ambushes Rotor during his flight and starts accusing him of being the traitor he's been looking for. Now, I don't dislike Silver the Hedgehog, at least not the comic version. I've enjoyed Flynn's characterization of Silver as a clueless bumbler, desperate to prove his worth but sorely lacking information. Yet I can't help but sigh with his sudden appearance. I fail to see how Silver will improve this story in any way.

Silver's sudden appearance in the cover story sets up the backstory, which is devoted to him. “Future Tense” begins in Silver's post-apocalyptic world. While consulting some old books, he comes upon an inconsistency. History references somebody named “Boomer” while Silver only remembers somebody named Rotor being among the Freedom Fighters. He begins to wonder if this Rotor is the traitor to the Freedom Fighters. The hedgehog wonders if this is enough to justify another journey to the past before deciding it's the only lead he's got.

Plot wise, “Future Tense” is thin gruel. Using Rotor's old nickname as an excuse for Silver to believe the walrus is the traitor is pretty dumb. However, two smaller details somewhat justify this one. First off, the series of panels devoted to Silver's self-doubt about his mission are nice. That fleshes out Silver's personality as a doofy would-be world saver. Mostly, what I like about this one is the bits of world building. In Silver's future, Angel Island has fallen, part of the island sticking out of the ocean. There's a huge, but crumbling, statue of Lara-Su. In the ruined library, we also see a picture of the Future Freedom Fighters. All of this hints at the cataclysm that happens 200 odd years into the future. And are pretty neat visuals too.

The artwork is nice too. Steven Butler's work on the cover story continues to be great. Jamal Pepper's work on the back-up is also quite nice. “Family Matters,” thus far, doesn't have the emotional in that Flynn's previous arc did. But my overall opinion on this one will largely depend on whether or not the writer can nail the landing in the second half. So we'll see. [6/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 18

Sonic Universe: Issue 18
Publication Date: July 2010

Boy, that cover is super dramatic, isn't it? I don't want to say it's inaccurate. Technically, the cover does depict events that do happen in this comic book. Tails and Speedy do indeed fight through a wall of flames. However, that happens in the first few pages. The rest of “Sonic Universe: Issue 18” is devoted to other things. And it's not as if this comic lacks dramatic events. There's an underwater submarine fight! That would've made a cool cover! But I guess Archie wanted to spotlight Speedy, a new character.

The second part of “Trouble in Paradise,” “The Honeymoon's Over,” begins with Tails escaping Speedy, after some more battle banter. After sleeping the night away under a rock, the fox sets out on locating his friends and getting to the bottom of things. Meanwhile, Bunnie and Antoine cook up a scheme, tricking the Battle Bird Armada's leader into thinking that she's a spy for Robotnik and that Antoine is an unwilling dope.

Ian Flynn has a decent grip on Tails' personality. He may be a genius who can fly at super speeds but he's still just a kid. After besting Speedy in a race, Tails fantasizes about how Sonic would've handled this situation. Later, he compares himself to his mentor/hetero-life partner again, while blasting Battle Bird Armada submarines. After a busy day of running from bad guys, Tails has to catch a nap. And then he proceeds to oversleep. All of these are nice reminders that Tails, brilliant though he may be, is still only 10 years old.

Ian Flynn does lean on Tails' hyper-confidence pretty hard though. In fact, Tails comes a little too close to becoming a cocky asshole. After T-Pup gets the drop on Speedy, Tails flies off, the villain chasing after him. It only last for a few panels but Tails does lob some mockery in Speedy's direction. For some reason, it's fine when Sonic does that but makes Tails look like a jerk. Then again, I guess Tails does have the right to be a little cocky. He cooks up knock-out gas bombs, putting four Battle Bird Armada stooges to sleep without breaking a sweat. After jumping in the Sea Fox, he decimates the Armada's entire underwater army with a few well placed laser shots. It's almost as if Flynn is making up for Tails spending most of his own mini-series unconscious, turning the fox into a huge bad ass here. Which might be overcompensating but, eh, it's still fun.

But not as much fun as the stuff involving Bunnie and Antoine. If the Battle Bird Armada being bested by a ten year old wasn't proof enough of their incompetence, Bunnie and Antoine seem awfully relaxed in captivity. The two are scheming how to get out the moment they wake up in their prison cells. They just assume Bunnie is a Legionnaire, due to her cybernetic parts. Shit, doesn't the Dark Egg Legion have membership cards or something? A henchmen guild badge the Armada could've asked for? The script is a little shaky but watching Bunnie pretend to be a villain is fun. She feeds the Armada's leader – more on him in a minute – a line of bullshit about being a double agent and he totally buys it.

Antoine is having some fun too. In an especially amusing series of panels, he's discussing cooking with his guard. This affords Antoine a chance to escape. He quickly runs into Speedy, forcing Bunnie to intervene. What follows is a really funny moment. Antoine acts appalled that his wife is a double agent. Bunnie seems genuinely upset. Antoine is so dismayed that he tosses himself from a door that leads to a steep cliff, a location so unlikely the coyote comments on it. Normally, a hero being betrayed by his wife and committing suicide would be as grim as a story can get. But we can tell Antoine doesn't mean it, mostly because he's acting so melodramatic. It's all part of the plan but watching it unfold is fun.

As I mentioned earlier, this issue introduces us to Battlekukku XV, the leader of the Battle Bird Armada. Design wise, he's pretty goofy looking. The green and red color scheme clashes. He wears a stereotypical pirate's hat, big goofy goggles over his eyes, and very feminine looking high heel boots. I can't blame the odd design on Archie, as it's a fairly direct adaptation of how the Battlekukku looked in “Tails' Adventure.” Personality wise, the Battlekukku strikes the reader as a bit of a foppish dandy. For example, he has polite conversation with Bunnie while sharing a glass of mineral water. This is a standard villain type but, amazingly, not one that has been featured in the Archie “Sonic” series before. So Battlekukku XV has that going for him which is nice.

Flynn also uses this moment to clarify a few other points. The Armada is allied with the Eggman Empire but not his servants. Their goal is to rediscover their forgotten home land. Also, the Babylon Rogues defected from the Armada. Weirdly, Flynn doesn't connect Bean to the Armada, despite the obvious resemblance he has to both Speedy and the Armada henchmen. (I think he would eventually, though. I can't remember for sure.) I'm not especially interested in any of this bullshit but it was nice of the writer to fill in some holes. People were curious, probably.

“Sonic Universe” isn't breaking any new ground with the “Tails' Adventure' arc but, thus far, it's pretty entertaining. Flynn is keeping this one light and goofy, action-oriented fun. After the fairly heavy Knuckles centric “Echoes of the Past” and “Journey to the East,” which was loaded down with political hand wringing, a story line like this is probably what “Sonic Universe” needed. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 214

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 214
Publication Date: June 2010

I probably shouldn't open a review this way but, hey, it's my blog and I'll do things how I want. Let's give a hand of applause for Steven Butler. The guy's been working since the late eighties, drawing stuff for a variety of companies. DC and Marvel, of course, but also smaller companies like Malibu or Valiant. He's probably most famous for his work on Spider-Man and Silver Sable. He drew most of the latter character's 35 issue solo series.

Yet “Sonic” is the book he's done the most work on over the years. And, as I've done this retrospective, it's always been a good sign when Butler draws an issue. Issue 214 looks fantastic. Butler brings a humor to Sonic and Drago's facial expressions while also lending weight and seriousness to the book's more dramatic moments. Butler's style is wildly different from Sega's corporate look of these characters and that's one of the reasons why I like it. Butler's “Sonic” illustrations were more detailed, grittier, sexier, and overall more pleasing to the eye.

Anyway, the plot: “Reigning Cats and Dogs: Part Two” begins with the Wolf Pack and the Felidae about to go to war. Lupe accuses Queen Hathor of sabotage, while Hathor believes the wolves sent Sonic and Big as spies. That's when Sonic reasons out that Sally has gone missing in the Knuckles Clan ruins and that something must be up in that location. He's right, of course. Drago and Razorklaw, now Dark Egg Legion Grandmasters, have kidnapped the Princess and stolen the Ancient Onyx. This allows for a temporary truce, the two sides working together to reclaim the Onyx and rescue the Princess. Once she's free, Sally uses her famous way with words to barter something like peace between the warring tribes.

You know the Wolf Pack and Felidae have worked out some of their problems because, this being an action book for young boys, they team up to fight a mutual enemy. “First they fight, then they team up.” That is one of the golden rules of comic books. The fight scene that follows has both sides leading an attack on the Dark Legion hide-out. That's cool but smaller moments prove more fruitful. Like Leeta and Lyco, the twins in Lupe's clan, talking shit with wolf-turned-Dark-Legionnaire who was apparently attempting to two-time the twins.

In my previous review, in a rather lofty example of reading-too-much-into-it, I mentioned how the conflict between the Wolf Pack and the Felidae seems to parallel the never-ending Israel/Palestinian conflict. This is a comic book about two rival nations who both feel they have an inherent, ancestral right to a shared area of land. Which is a very simplistic reading of the real life war but I can't help but notice the similarities. In the time between me writing that review and this one, I flat out asked Ian Flynn on Twitter if this was intentional. He responded with bewilderment so I'm guessing it wasn't. However, the comparison seems obvious to me anyway. I mean, there's even a prominent, shiny black stone featured in this story! I guess derision from the comic's actual writer is what I get for taking this book too seriously.

All that aside, there's another unexpected, hidden joy in this issue. Drago, in his previous appearances, has been such a rotten scumbag that the audience has only wanted to see him get his comeuppance. The writers seem to share this opinion, as Drago usually ends up humiliated. Now that he's a Grandmaster, Drago's unwarranted sense of self-importance has grown even hotter, turning him into a delightfully amusing, clueless dumbass. He taunts the Princess and she sarcastically insults him but Drago is too dumb to recognize the sarcasm. Sally then tricks Drago into explaining his entire scheme to her, playing on his ego. He degrades his partner in crime and laughs manically, only to see his plan fall apart. Yet he's still a nasty enough villain to threaten to kill the Princess. Add it all up to make Drago a delightfully hammy bad guy, one we enjoy watching lose.

Yes, Sally spends most of this issue tied up, if you're into that kind of thing. Flynn, however, keeps the Princess fiery and strong even while at the mercy of her enemies. Like I said, Sally easily outsmarts Drago, All she has to do is bat her eyelashes and pay the villain a compliment for him to spill his guts entirely. Flynn is seemingly aware that Sally waiting for Sonic to rescue her is not the most empowering writing decision. So he essentially has her save the day. After being freed, Sally gives an affecting speech to the Wolf Pack and Felidae, suggesting they keep the Ancient Onyx in this abandoned ruins between the two clans. This way anyone can use it when they want but the relic doesn't truly belong to either party.

Big the Cat got a spot on both covers, probably to draw the attention of Sega fans who like that character for some reason. Big's role in the story is mostly superfluous. His brainless dialogue doesn't change my perception of the character as a mindless doofus. He doesn't understand simple phrases like “Take five.” Yet Big does get one or two amusing moment to himself. Such as when Sonic has him stand between Lupe and Queen Hathor, the cat's massive girth coming in handy for once. Or, in the back half, when he helps save Sally and punches Drago through a wall. I'm still not sure Big the Cat really needed to be in this story but Flynn at least found some funny stuff for him to do.

“Reigning Cats and Dogs” proved to be a pretty satisfying two-parter. Sonic and Sally were dropped into a situation they couldn't punch their way out of, forcing them to think of a more elegant solution. (“Journey to the East” was probably trying something similar but this works far better.) The Mysterious Cat Country developed into an actual culture. Drago has grown into an amusing villain and both sides got a few good moments. Add in some great art and I'm satisfied. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 17

Sonic Universe: Issue 17
Publication Date: June 2010

Let me tell you a story. This is relevant to today's subject, I swear. Anyway, when I was a kid, my local superstore kept the video games behind a locked, glass case. You still see them sometimes. I guess they were worried about youngsters with sticky fingers slipping the cartridges out of the cases. Anyway, my mom would frequently drop me off by the video games while she went grocery shopping or what have you.

One day, I noticed a game behind the glass that caught my attention. It was a Sonic game I had never seen before, seemingly a spin-off focusing on “Tails.” This idea was tantalizing to me and seemed like a natural extension of the “Sonic” brand. I convinced the lady at the counter to let me look at the case. On the back, I saw a picture of Tails piloting the Sea Fox, which I recognized from Archie's “Tails” mini-series. I begged Mom to let me have the game but a pricey purchase like that wasn't in the cards that day. I never saw the game at retail again. Years later, I would learn that “Tails' Adventure” was a Game Gear exclusive, meaning I wouldn't have the correct system to play the game even if we could've afforded it that day. (For a long time, I swore it was a Genesis title but kids remember shit wrong all the time.) Even more years later, “Sonic Universe” would adapt that very game.

The fifth “Sonic Universe” story arc is entitled “Trouble in Paradise,” with part one being subtitled “No Rest for the Weary.” Tails, steering a Sea Fox with two sidecars, carries Bunnie and Antoine to a private island. Tails discovered this uninhabited island on his journey to Downunda. During the year when Sonic was tossed in space and believed dead, Tails would build his “Sonic Adventure”-style workshop on this island. Now, he's taken the newly married coupled to this island for their honeymoon. Sadly, those plans are interrupted. A mysterious group of feathery villains attack, forcing Tails to leap into action.

Even among Sonic fans, “Tails' Adventure” is a relatively obscure video game. I knew one kid who had a Game Gear and I suspect that was the case for many people my age. I imagine most people probably hadn't heard of “Tails Adventure” until the internet age. (That game was actually a sequel to “Tails' Skypatrol,” an even more obscure title that didn't even get an American release until much later.)

Despite this, adapting “Tails' Adventure” is a pretty cool idea. Tails usually co-stars in various adventures. Even his three-part self-titled mini-series had him mostly playing second banana to the Downunda Freedom Fighters. But the young fox is strong enough, especially by now, to star in his own story. So fans may not have heard about the Battle Bird Armada but the game would prove a solid starting point for Tails fans.

This may be the case but, honestly, what interests me most about “No Rest for the Weary” revolves around Antoine and Bunnie. This arc continues the theme established in “Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 213,” where the characters are mostly relaxing a little bit, now that the Iron Dominion is gone and Robotnik hasn't really reappeared yet. Bunnie and Antoine haven't had time to celebrate their union much, what with the fall of Knothole, the renewed war with Eggman, and the rise of the Iron Dominion happening since then. So seeing the couple be sweet to each other in an idyllic setting is nice. Flynn even nods towards the not-so-kid-friendly antics couples usually get up to on their honeymoons, in a cute way where Bunnie and Antoine chuckle about Tails' child-like nativity.

After building the tent where they presumably will be having some sweaty cyborg sex, Bunnie and Antoine have a cute scene around the fire. Antoine wonders if the two married too young. Bunnie counters by pointing out they are teenagers in the middle of a war. Facing death every day makes you appreciate the things around you more, I guess. When the Battle Bird Armada attack, Flynn maintains that cute rapport between the married couple. In fact, Antoine is downright pissed that these assholes are ruining his honeymoon. The two wail on the bird soldiers during a pretty cool two page spread. Sure, they still get captured but that fight is pretty neat. It feels like we haven't seen Antoine and Bunnie fight side by side in a long time.

Of course, Tails has to get his hands dirty eventually. Once the action starts, Tails flies around, dunking the Battle Bird stooges with ease. But he's not alone. In “Tails Adventure,” the young hero is occasionally assisted by a little gizmo called the Remote Robot, which resembled his head. For some reason, Ian Flynn transforms this accessory into a full blown sidekick. Called T-Pup, the robot resembles a dog, leaping around on four legs and panting. When Tails takes flight, T-Pup sprouts little helicopter blades. Now, I love dogs. I'm pretty fond of robots too. But did this comic really need another robot dog? We've already got Muttski and he barely appears already! I've always disliked T-Pup, an unnecessary and overly cutesy addition to the comic's universe.

Issue 17 of “Sonic Universe” also introduces another new character. The Battle Bird Armada have yet to establish themselves as an interesting adversary. We're not even sure how they fit into the world of Mobius, concerning the Eggman Empire was still kicking around. However, a spirited young solider goes after Tails. He's called Speedy, due to how quickly he can fly through the air. Speedy is apparently an avian supremacist, as he believes only birds have the right to fly. Which gives him a fundamental reason to hate Tails. The book is obviously setting out to make Speedy Tails' new archenemy, since Mammoth Mogul's role in the comic has changed a lot. He's pretty pissed and fairly strong, making a decent impression on readers.

There's just one problem. Speedy's design is terrible. He wears what we can only assume is half of an eggshell around his waist. Which is weird enough but, in affect, it makes Speedy look like he's wearing a diaper. That makes him a much harder threat to take seriously. Speedy's design was so bad that fans, many of them talented, saw fit to redesign him. After the reboot, Archie would follow suit, giving Speedy a less embarrassing and more streamlined flight suit. I don't know why they didn't do that much sooner.

After the last two arcs of “Sonic Universe” were disappointing, the book seems to have found its footing again. The scenes with Bunnie and Antoine are great. Watching Tails cut loose and kick some ass is a nice change of pace. Speedy may look goofy but his first appearance is otherwise fitting. If only T-Pup had been excised. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 213

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 213
Publication Date: June 2010

Probably my favorite period in all of Archie “Sonic” history was the immediate aftermath of “Endgame.” Following the defeat of the original Dr. Robotnik, Sonic and the Freedom Fighters had to rebuild their world. It was a time when the book was experimenting and trying new things, cut short by Robotnik's Sega-mandated reappearance. Now that the Iron Dominion arc is resolved, and Eggman has yet to make his next bid for power, Ian Flynn has ushered in a similar age for the comic. Much like Karl Bollers and Ken Penders before him, Flynn would use this time to develop obscure corners of Sonic's world and make Ixis Naugus a major villain again. And we start with, of all characters, Big the Cat.

Issue 213's sole story is entitled “Reigning Cats and Dogs,” because this comic still occasionally indulges in some top rate punnery. Sonic and Princess Sally are visiting Lupe and the Wolf Pack. The canines have recently reestablished themselves as a community but can't do so fully until they retrieve the Black Onyx, a ceremonial jewel of great importance. Lupe believes the Felidae, who inhabit the neighboring Mysterious Cat Country, to be responsible for the theft. An impromptu appearance by Big the Cat prompts Sonic to investigate. The Black Onyx is also important to the Felidae and they believe the Wolf Pack has stolen it. Meanwhile, Sally uncovers a new chapter of the Dark Egg Legion has cropped up in the area.

The first part of “Reigning Cats and Dogs” has a strong central premise. Sonic and Sally have been thrust into the minutia of a centuries-old conflict between two geographically adjacent cultures that couldn't be more different. The Wolf Pack and the Felidae hate each other because both have a claim to a local piece of history. I doubt Flynn was intentionally bringing the Israel/Palestine conflict to mind – this is a story, after all, based on the cartoon logic rivalry between cats and dogs – but I thought about it anyway. More generally, the story of two differing cultures with a genuinely good reason to dislike each other is a good basis for a story.

As I said, this issue and many of the others that would come in the next year would feature Sonic and friends visiting areas they haven't seen in a while. Flynn clearly hoped to develop both the Wolf Pack and the Felidae in this two-parter. Despite being a part of Sonic lore that dates back to SatAM, the Wolf Pack have still barely been developed as characters. We have a decent grasp on Lupe's personality but the other wolves – even the Overlander girls they adopted a while ago – are still thin sketches. It's a noble goal but Ian only has room to focus a little of issue 213 to the Wolf Pack. There's a cute scene between Lupe's kids, both her canine ones and her human ones. We get brief re-introductions to Lobo and Lyco. But that's about it.

Flynn has a little more success with the Felidae. The mysterious cat people are a more recent addition to the comic's world, appearing during the “Sonic Adventure” adaptation. They've pretty much disappeared since then, another obscure bit of lore Ken Penders threw out and subsequently abandoned. So, really, any develop about the Mysterious Cat Country is an improvement over what came before. We learn that the cat people assign position in their society with clothing. When someone wears an interpreter's robe, for example, they become an interpreter. We also learn that the previously unnamed Queen of the Cat People is named Hathor, which is a cute joke.

It's all pretty interesting stuff. So it's a shame Big the Cat is in this story. In recent years, as Sonic fans who were introduced to the franchise by “Sonic Adventure” have grown up, Big the Cat has become a (possibly ironically) beloved supporting member of the “Sonic” cast. I, for one, do not share this love. I hated him in “Sonic Adventure,” because his slow-paced fishing levels were totally at odds with the rest of the game's tone and also because the game's fishing mechanics were terrible. I find his personality irritating. Big is a monosyllabic and deeply boring gentle giant. His limited vocabulary and child-like understanding of the world is irritating. His only defining personality trait is his friendship with Froggy, his amphibian life partner who also doesn't talk. So his character presence is non-existent, his personality is flat, and he contributes nothing to the book. And for some reason he's in this issue.

While Sonic is trying to convince the Felidae not to murder Big the Cat – I don't know why either – Sally is off sleuthing. Which leads to a fun sequence. The Princess explores some old ruins related to the echidna tribe that populated this area millennia ago. (These guys also haven't been referenced since the “Sonic Adventure” tie-in, even though Tikal has shown up once or twice since then.) Inside the ruins, Sally sees a gang of Dark Egg Legion members. This sets up what will be the main conflict in the book's coming issues: Robotnik may be in hiding but his crumbling empire is carrying on without him. More importantly, it's a fun series of pages devoted to Sally sneaking around, leaping through windows, jumping over walls, while an internal monologue shares her thoughts.

 
That sequence is pretty cool but, sadly, it climaxes in Sally going down like a bitch again. Just recently, Flynn was apologizing, via Sally, for the Princess recently being emotional. So it's weird that Flynn would write a conscious failure for Sally so soon afterwards. When Drago and Razorklaw appear to attack her, both sporting spiffy new cybernetic body parts, Sally just surrenders. Come on, she's tougher than that! I get that she's outnumbered but at least let he back kick somebody! She's taken down SWATBots with her bare hands before! She can handle these goons.

Steven Butler has been contributing regular pencils to book for the last few issues. However, Butler really outdoes himself here. Maybe because the change of scenery allows him to stretches his muscles a little more. The Felidae, and Drago and Razorklaw especially, look even more monstrous than usual. Butler's love detail is apparent in how elaborate Lupe's new headdress and the Felidae armor looks. It must also be said that Butler clearly enjoys drawing Sally being all sneaky and sexy.

Though flawed, the first part of “Regining Cats and Dogs” is a solid little comic book. It's nice to see Lupe again and the new info we get on the opposing clans is worthwhile, as is the conflict building between. Sally's subplot is very enjoyable up until it isn't. Still, even with Big the Cat showing up, this is a comic book I would gladly read again. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 16

Sonic Universe: Issue 16
Publication Date: May 2010

As I said at the start of my “Journey to the East” reviews, I always thought this was a weird idea for a “Sonic Universe” arc. This is a series about Sonic's supporting cast, right? It's right there in the title. We're exploring the other corners of Sonic's universe. So why is a story arc starring Sonic being published in this book? I have a theory. “Journey to the East” is a pretty slow story arc, low on action and heavy on backstory. Maybe Flynn was nervous about putting such a low-key story in the main book? I don't know, I might be giving that guy too much credit.

So the last part of this four-parter is subtitled “A World Under Constant Vigil.” Espio has revealed himself to Sonic, Monkey Khan, and the others. He offers to bring them to the Bride of his clan, though he has to prove he's serious about this whole ninja thing first. Once they get to the cave, the guys have to get through some boobie traps. The negotiations with the chameleon ninjas are very successful and everyone goes home happy.

Flynn mixed it up last time, squeezing some action into a dialogue heavy issue by throwing in an encounter with the Destructix. This time, he leans back on lots of talking. Obviously, I'm not opposed to stories relying on dialogue over action. Some of my favorite “Sonic” issues are entirely character-driven. However, there's a difference between focusing on character and building an entire issue around exposition. That's what I feel like Flynn did with “Journey to the East.” This was an arc devoted to expanding on an under-explored corner of Mobius, which I guess fits the mission statement of “Sonic Universe.” The problem is I don't care about these ninjas. I only like the awesome ninajs that kill people with ninja stars and samurai swords. Not the boring Sonic ninjas!

Honestly, I don't think Flynn was that interested in the ninjas either. “A World Under Constant Vigil” is more about expanding Espio's back story than anything else. Since the introduction of this ninja curve ball, there's been an open question about how this fits into what we already know about Espio. There's some circular dialogue between Espio and his ninja clan leader that results in a two page spread exploring his background. How the chameleon ninjas have observed the Floating Island for years. How Valdez previously held that position, taught Espio, and got him grounded with the locals. How it became more than just a mission when Espio genuinely became Knuckles' friend. This not only confirms what has long been suspected – Espio and Valdez have some connection – but also establishes that this ninja thing is basically a sloppy retcon. Espio is still the guy we've always known and love. (Also the female clan leader is his mom, a nice touch briefly mentioned in dialogue.)

Since there's little action here, Ian attempts to spruce things up. After arriving at the home of the Clan of Constant Vigil, the gang have to jump through some hoops. In order to talk to the clan leader, they must navigate a valley filled with traps. Saws and flamethrowers, things of that nature. Turns out there's an invisible pathway crossing the gab, which can be identified if you toss dirt on it. Okay, Flynn, I've seen “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” too! I actually don't mind the blatant rip-off. It's actually kind of cute how we get a Sonic spin on it. The hedgehog quickly navigates the path, tossing dirt down as he goes, while cracking some trademark Sonic snark. But I think it does speak to how thin this story arc actually was, if Flynn was cribbing from Spielberg to pad it out to four issues.

Whatever problems this one has, the whole issue is nearly redeemed by one page. In order win the trust of Sonic and the others, Espio promises to reveal all the dirt he has on them. It boils down to the chameleon telling Sonic and friends some embarrassing secrets. He mentions the Sneak to Sonic. He points out Captain Super-Fox to Tails, the fan-comic the fox drew back in the “Tails” mini-series. He reveals that he knows about Sally's embarrassing birthmark. (Considering Sally is practically naked at all times, I'm not sure where she could be hiding such a thing.) It's a cute, funny moment that displays Flynn's mastery of this book's obscure, bullshit lore and brings our characters closer together.

Aside from teaching us a little about Espio, all issue 16 of “Sonic Universe” really does is set the stage for the end of the Iron Dominion. In fact, that's what this entire story arc has been about. It hasn't really been a natural story development. Instead, it was a way to wrap up some loose ends that the writer didn't feel like dealing with in the main book. Espio is told to grab the magical fan capable of defeating the Iron King before he leaves. Because it's not technically a deus ex machina if we set it up first, right guys? All of this may serve its purpose but I sort of wish Flynn had found a less dry way to accomplish this.

Well, the covers have been pretty neat, right? In fact, Tracy Yardley's artwork has, generally, been fairly strong for all four of these issues. Now that “Journey to the East” is finished, I guess that means we are really, truly done with this ninja/Monkey Khan business for now. And that's something to be thankful. [5/10]

Sonic Free Comic Book Day 2010

Sonic Free Comic Book Day 2010
Publication Date: May 2010

Time flies when you get old. I'm not just regurgitating a pithy metaphor there. It's scientifically true. As you age, your perception of time speeds up. 2010 was eight years ago, nearly a decade. It feels like yesterday to me. The joys and pains and memories of that year still linger in my brain as if they were fresh. It's hard for me to realize that 2010 saw Archie publish the fourth Free Comic Book day edition of “Sonic.” Seems to me that they only recently started participating in that comic shop tradition. Presumably, by the time I finish this project, I won't believe I've wasted three years on this.

Now that my rambling introduction is out of the way, let's get on with the review. Sonic's 2010 FCBD issue is entitled “Hide & Seek & Destroy.”  Sonic is still searching the Egg Dome for Robotnik, running around the radioactive city without even a hazmat suit. The doctor continues to observe him secretly from afar. Sonic's search is interrupted when the Hybrid Krudzu Hydra, a super-badnik created by the original Robotnik, emerges from the ground and attacks him.

You've got to remember that these Free Comic Book Day issues aren't really intended for the series' faithful readers. Because everyone in the comic shop gets one of these, they are primarily intended to interest non-readers of the series. So, naturally, “Hide & Seek & Destroy” spends a decent number of pages recapping recent events in the “Sonic” book. As Sonic races through the city's ruins, he thinks about his long history with the Doctor and Robotropolis. As he approaches the Egg Dome, he thinks about defeating Eggman in issue 200. After that is a one page visual summary of the Iron Dominion story arc. It's fine, for what it is, but I don't think dumping a boatload of info on new readers will hook them.

And that's not really what “Hide & Seek & Destroy” primarily does. Most of the free issue is devoted to the fight between Sonic and Krudzu. It's odd to bring the mechanical plant back for a free edition. The pest hasn't appeared since the very first issue of the series. (Then again, considering 2009's FCBD issue reprinted that story, maybe this strategy does make sense.) The lengths Flynn goes to get the creature in the story are a bit much. The original Robotnik was working on resurrecting the plant years ago, leaving him buried deep within the Robotropolis soil. After the city was nuke, it's taken all this time for the organic machine to rebuilt himself. Which he's done by grafting the parts of shattered Badniks to his body. It's not the smoothest idea but at least it's something different.

Robotnik may be technically sane but he still seems a little goofy. The scenes between the Eggman and Snively are mostly comedic in nature. The gags vary. Robotnik chastising his nephew for daring to take a lunch break got a chuckle out of me. So did the Doctor shouting “Great Googly-moogly!,” suggesting Eggman is a Frank Zappa fan. Other jokes are less amusing. Robotnik taking notes on the fight, like he's never seen his hedgehog adversary battle a robot before, is odd. Snively getting super into the fight also strikes me as slightly out of character. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that, in a FCBD issue, Robotnik's personality veers more towards the goofy character he is in the Sega games than the more sinister villain he usually is in the Archie-verse.

The issue is worth reading for the fight between Sonic and the Krudzu. As you'd expect, there's lot of leaping and dodging around the plant's tentacles. Sonic swings the plant's own tendrils back at it, in an elastic manner. There's a cool panel of Sonic ricocheting off the various robot heads the creature is equipped with. However, it all leads up to a real flop of an ending. Robotnik decides that a neigh-unkillable plant monster will be too powerful to control. He also dictates that, if anyone is going to kill Sonic, it should be him. So he cooks up a golden hummerbird that bites the Krudzu, causing it to explode. That's an underwhelming conclusion and so is Sonic just leaving afterwards, tuckered out from the fight.

2010's FCBD issue is penciled by James Fry. Fry is usually a reliable artist but he's been away from “Sonic” for a while. His work here suggests the lack of regular practice has caused his abilities to slip a little. “Hide & Seek & Destroy” looks a little rough. The opening pages, of Sonic running through the dead city, look cool. After that, things start to fall apart. Fry's rendition of Robotnik and Snively look seriously weird, both growing massive mouths full of ugly teeth. The Krudzu looks cool, with its grasping claws and snapping mouth. Yet, once the fight starts, Fry starts drawing Sonic with increasingly odd looking facial expressions. The hedgehog performing an uppercut while in a spin dash just looks strange. It's far from the worst art to ever be published in a “Sonic” comic. It's actually kind of cool looking occasionally. But it's also not Fry's best work.

It's a middle-of-the-road comic. I guess we should be happy we got a new story at all. Archie has been more than happy, before and after this, to just fill the Free Comic Book Day issue with reprints and cheaply thrown together walls of text. Actually going to the effort to pay writers and artists to pump out something new, and charge nothing for it, was a nice treat. I guess. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 212

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 212
Publication Date: April 2010

Why did Archie keep inviting Sanford Greene to draw covers for the “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic? I mean, aside from the obvious fact that they could barely be bothered to gave a shit about this particular series. I guess there were times when both Patrick Spaziante and Tracy Yardley were unavailable to pencil the cover. Yet, out of all the talented artists they could've contacted, why do they keep bringing back this guy? This guy who contributed only deeply off-model, ugly covers? Then again, this is the same company that employed Ron Lim for years, despite his obvious lack of aptitude for these characters. See my earlier point about Archie not giving a shit about “Sonic.”

“The Roads We Take” begins with its key players in different locations. Since they've defeated the Iron Dominion, Sonic has seen hide nor hair of Robotnik. Sonic believes the doctor (and Snively!) to be hiding out in the Egg Dome, the central building still standing among the ruins of Old Robotropolis. He's right, the doctor observing the hedgehog. Sally joins Monkey Khan as he assumes his new position as ruler of Dragon Valley. On the Floating Island, Espio informs Knuckles and the Chaotix of the secrets he gathered about them, as a ninja sent to spy on them years ago.

In the past, after wrapping up a big event storyline, Ian Flynn has devoted an issue to matters more low-key and character based. Issue 212 is one such story, which is even subtitled “Iron Dominion Epilogue.” “The Roads We Take” is a story about putting story threads to rest. The aftermath of Espio's betrayal and Sally's romantic tension with Monkey Khan get whole spreads devoted to them. The issue is also about setting up new story opportunities. Robotnik is planning something devious inside the Egg Dome, dragging Snively along with him. Sonic and Tails discover Dimitri's head inside a storeroom, though that reveal is kept off-screen for now. The book manages the divide between emotions and narrative structure fairly well.

Most importantly, for me anyway, “The Roads We Take” puts the damnable Sally/Monkey Khan romance to bed, once and for all. It's handled with a surprising amount of grace, even if it's still a romance that has no reason to exist. Their scene together acknowledges the growth that Khan has undergone over the last year, going from a totally obnoxious character to someone more well rounded. He low-key proposes to her but Sally turns her down, knowing she has business to attend to in Knothole. And, thus, Khan is out of the book, not to be seen for a while, without hurting anyone's feelings. (Sally also spends the night in Dragon Valley, suggesting she experienced some sweaty monkey love before going back to Sonic. You're welcome for that mental image.)

In the last few pages, Flynn reaffirms Sonic and Sally's status as soulmates. After she returns to Knothole, Sonic rushes up to her. In a cute moment, he surprises her by running up to her quickly. The Princess offers to buy the hedgehog lunch, which raises some questions about what currency they use in Mobotropolis. Sonic is surprised by the offer. As they walk off towards lunch, Sally reminds Sonic of the long history they have. It's a quiet, subtle moment, pointing out the unshakable connection the two have. And will continue to have, even if a cybernetic ape tries to come between them. (Seemingly to drive this point home, the entire fan art section is devoted to romantic Sonic/Sally artwork. Some of it, such as Brittany M. from Texas' dynamic piece, is quite good.)

The Monkey Khan/Sally romance wasn't the only dumb-ass plot point that sometimes made “The Iron Dominion” a slog to read. Espio's betraying the heroes, due to some loyalty to a previously unmentioned ninja clan, was a dumb idea. Worst yet, it had very little effect on the story. Flynn neatly rolls up and disposes of that point. Around a fire, by the Master Emerald, Espio throws himself on the mercy of his fellow Chaotix. He admits all his secrets. That he's been watching Knuckles, because his clan has always watched the Brotherhood. It gets plot stuff out of the way but in a way that emphasizes the bound between characters. The chameleon feels like shit about this, that his friends have no obligation to forgive him. It's a vulnerable moment that makes up for some of the previous mistakes.

There are moments of humor and pathos here. Espio reveals that Vector is from Downunda. That his entire persona as a hip-hopping cool guy is a put-on, meant to cover up his natural Australian accent. Charmy's scrambled mind comes up again, the newly child-like Chaotix still unable to accept his recent history. Most pressingly, Espio tells Mighty that he has a sister and that she's a Dark Egg Legion member. This leads to Mighty and Ray heading off on an adventure to rescue his sister. The story reason for this is to give Mighty, a character with a strong personality that is rarely explored, something to do. I also wonder if there's some editorial, Sega-mandated reason for this. In the video games, “The Chaotix” are just Vector, Espio and Charmy. Mighty and Ray aren't official Chaotix anymore. I wonder if Flynn separated Mighty and Ray from the main group to bring the comic closer to the games?

There's so much going in this issue that, honestly, Sonic doesn't get too much to do. Mostly, the hedgehog and Tails spend most of issue 212 running around the Egg Dome, looking for Robotnik, unaware that he's right under their nose. Dialogue reveals that Sonic has made a habit of returning to Egg Dome. He's almost become obsessed with finding the villain. I'm probably reading too much into this but I think Sonic's guilt about Robotnik – about breaking his mind in the first place, about letting him get away – is manifesting in an obsessive desire to track him down. Or, maybe, he's happy to have the chase back, to have their rivalry renewed. Either way, I suspect the hedgehog's feelings will be explored more in upcoming issues.

Issue 212 is a pretty good comic book! In fact, it might actually be better than any of the issues part of the proper “Iron Dominion” story arc. By focusing on the relationships between the character, Flynn almost justifies some of the sillier narrative wrenches he through into the proverbial gears. Sometimes, getting a bead on everyone's status is more important than fisticuffs and good guys fighting bad guys. [8/10]