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]