Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 211

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 211
Publication Date: April 2010

Issue 211 contains the second half of the “Home Invasion” story. This is, essentially, the climax of the year long Iron Dominion event. That's a tricky place for a writer to be. This issue has to wrap up twelve months of build-up. It also has to leave enough crumbs for wherever the book is headed next. I know other readers, obviously those that hated the whole thing, were eager for the story to be over. So here we go.

The second part of “Home Invasion” is given the lofty subtitle of “Security Measures” for some reason. We pick up with Sonic, Monkey Khan, Sally and Tails smashing through the dome of Mobotropolis. An enormous battle with the Iron Queen and the Dark Egg Legion ensues. Double crosses and dramatic reveals follow. The Yagyu Clan abandons the Iron Queen. Snively hightails it out of there. Lien-Da attempts a betrayal and is brutally rebuffed. At the end of the fight, the Iron Queen has fallen and New Mobotropolis has been reclaimed.

As I said, “Home Invasion Part Two” has the heavy goal of providing a satisfying conclusion to the last eleven-plus comic books. Over all, Ian Flynn mostly succeeds. This issue is packed with action. Both of the fisticuffs variety but also in the sense of plot movement. About half a dozen different plot points are resolved here. Most everyone gets something to do. Only Bunnie and Geoffrey St. John are left out the fray, as Bunnie is totally off the battlefield and St. John just leaps around in the background. Even Nicole gets a couple of juicy moments.

Probably my favorite moment in issue 211 revolves around Lien-Da. After Monkey Khan announces that the Yagyu Clan has severed ties with the Bride of the Four Houses – a reference to the boring shit happening in “Sonic Universe” – the bat ninjas vamoose. Lien-Da decides to take this moment to seize power. Because, of course, she does. Lien-Da is always power hungry, always looking for a chance to consolidate her power. And that's what we love about her. Honestly, the scene where she yells to the heavens on the battlefield, attempting to rally her own people to rebel, is oddly powerful. Lien-Da may be a shifty bitch but she's such an awesome shifty bitch.

I'm not too sure Ian Flynn agrees with that. He certainly seems to enjoy humiliating Lien-Da. Previously, he wrote the villainess throwing herself on Eggman's mercy, getting killed off by King Shadow in the 30 Years Later future, and seeing a betrayal by her brother in the “Birthright” back story. In “Home Invasion,” her attempt to seize power from the Iron Queen is interrupted when Regina activates the explosive implant that was hidden inside Lien-Da a while ago. (If there's any problem with this issue, it's that there's a few too many previous plot points resurfacing.) The explosion happens off-panel and Lien-Da's exact fate is left ambiguous, making you wonder if Flynn was flirting with killing her off. She would come back eventually though.

Over the last two issues, Robotnik's shattered psyche has started to reassemble. In this issue, the villain reverts back to his previously sinister personality. This revolts in an amusing scene, where Snively throws himself on Robotnik's mercy. Naturally, Colin's uncle takes him back... But not without humiliating him a little first. Man, these two have a pretty fucked-up relationship, don't they? Of course, the chaos of the battle allows the bad guys to escape the city, leaving both of them around for whatever the comic's next story will be.

Ian Flynn has done this before. The previous big story line, where the Freedom Fighters took the fight to Robotnik, concluded with the heroes resoundingly crushing their enemy. “Home Invasion” features a very similar beat. The Iron Dominion's defeat is sound and all consuming. Monkey Khan grabs the magical deus ex machina fan needed to stop the Iron King. I guess they grab that at some point in the on-going “Sonic Universe” arc. The Iron Queen uses her powers to create a fucked-up spider looking monster and, eventually, a giant robotic dragon. Yet Sonic and the gang take these efforts apart with ease. Dramatically, this shouldn't be very sound. And yet, somehow, it works. Again, Flynn employs a clever strategy. After a number of hard losses for the heroes, seeing them kick some serious ass makes for a gratifying read.

As I mentioned above, issue 211 is jam packed full of stuff. There's lots of action and plot points coming out. To the point that some story reveals get shuffled to the side. In the heat of battle, Espio shows up literally out of nowhere. This bluntly resolves the subplot about Espio's betrayal of the Freedom Fighters, which has been seriously sidelined recently. That only occupies a few panels. Would've liked to have seen more of that one. But maybe this overstuffed approach isn't too bad. Sally gives Monkey Khan a big hug at the end. The moment comes and goes without lingering on that odious ship any further though, thankfully.

Steven Butler is once again drawing the issue. It's clear that the artist realizes this is a key issue. He brings his A-game. There are a couple of key panels here that are just gorgeous. Such as the aforementioned spider monsters or giant dragons the Iron Queen assembles out of nowhere. (You can also tell Butler enjoys drawing the Iron Queen, a shapely human female, instead of the usual shapely furry females he draws for this book. He also adds some effective villainous touches to Regina, such as her glowing eyes or spittle-lined teeth.) The action scenes are, of course, top of the line. There's this panel where the Iron King is fighting off Antoine, Amy, Sonic and Monkey Khan at the same time that just looks great. Butler's work is always good so, when he really puts in the extra effort, that makes things even better.

Though it has some flaws, issue 211 works more often than it doesn't. A few minor details could've used some more exploring but, as the wrap-up to a long story line, it does most of the things you'd expect. And, if nothing else, it does provide us for that great moment of Lien-Da being an awesome bad guy. Best yet, the conclusion of the Iron Dominion mega-arc means we won't have Monkey Khan to kick around much longer. And thank goodness for that! [7/10]