Sonic Universe: Issue 23

Sonic Universe: Issue 23
Publication Date: December 2010

I'll say this much about issue 23 of Archie's “Sonic Universe:” It's got a great cover. In his ill-fated solo game, Sega doubled down on Shadow's quote-unquote badass image by giving him guns and a motorcycle, even though he can already run super fast. Ian Flynn would recognize the pointlessness of Shadow getting a motorcycle in this issue. (And Archie's corporate censors vetoed Shadow wielding any realistic firearms.) In fact, he seems to actively mock the vehicle, both in this amusing cover and later when the bike is shackled with a sidecar. And we all know that nothing deludes the coolness of a motorcycle like a dorky sidecar.

What's our ridiculous subtitle this time? “The Llevada?” Geez, Flynn, you really hit Wikipedia hard, didn't you? Anyway, the issue begins with the Hooligans on the run from their mysterious pursuers. Inside are the Babylon Rogues, who proceed to swap the Sol Emerald. Meanwhile, Team Rose and Team Shadow put aside their differences in order to retrieve the Emerald. As they arrive, the Emerald is up for grabs. All four teams turn on each other as they fight over the treasure.

In my review of “Sonic Universe: Issue 22,” I wondered how the hell Flynn was going to extend this story arc out for two more issues. Seemingly as a way to pad this out, Flynn brings in a fourth team. The Babylon Rogues had yet to make much of an impression in the comic book but, because they are beloved by the video game fans, Flynn kept trying to insert them into the book. So here they, the fourth corner in a story line that was already heavy on characters and low on narrative forward-momentum. There's zero reason for them to want to Sol Emerald. But, in service of making this fight-fest bigger and ostensibly better, Flynn throws 'em in.

Yet, in its third part, “Treasure Team Tango” finally finds a purpose of some sort. By making the situation more farcical, an amusing comedic streak emerges. Nack reveals that he's not working for Robotnik and only wants the Emerald so he can sell it. Which makes the increasing difficulty of this mission aggravating for him. In the course of this chase, Nack's prized hover bike nearly gets exploded. This makes him especially annoyed, his frustration showing, and decides to take it out on the Babylon Rogues. I appreciate that grouchiness.

Also funny is the interaction between Cream and Omega. Pairing a cute little bunny rabbit and a giant murder-bot together is a solid idea and pays off well enough. At first, Omega seems somewhat cautious around Cream, concerned about squishing her while holding her in his claws. Later, when the two are jammed into the sidecar together, Cream's overwhelming cuteness seems to aggravate the robot. This only amounts to a few panels but they made me laugh, which briefly brings this slog of a story back to life.

After a while, it becomes apparent that letting the characters bounce off each other is a way for Flynn to extend this thin story further. This is most obvious in the interaction between Shadow and Blaze. The two talk about how they previously worked together. Shadow feels a tinge of guilt for wanting to take the Sol Emerald from Blaze, as it literally keeps her world from falling apart. However, his sense of duty to GUN keeps him from giving up the chase all together. This seems slightly out of character for Shadow, who probably wouldn't make himself look that vulnerable. Moreover, it doesn't really add anything to the narrative. It's an awkward moment.

In other ways, the evident sloppiness of this story arc becomes unavoidable. The Babylon Rogues attempt to drop bombs on the Hooligans from their airship. Bean waves his fingers, causing the bombs to explode in mid-air. Okay, can someone explain this to me? I know Bean has a preference for explosive but has, thus far, not displayed any psychic domain over bombs. It's a really dumb moment and suggests Flynn was just making shit up for this one.

Issue 23 concludes by setting up a huge fight between the four teams, which is presumably what will dominate the next installment. It's increasingly feeling like this entire story arc was cooked up just to justify that fight. Though there's one or two funny moment in this comic book, it's mostly a bit of a slog. [5/10]