Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 7

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 7
Publication Date: July 25, 2018

IDW has been publishing their “Sonic” comic for only four months now but one difference between Sonic’s new home and his old home at Archie is already apparent. The San Diego Comic Con was this month. Though now devoted to a hundred other forms of popular culture, actual comic book news is still frequently announced at SDCC. In the two decades Archie was publishing “Sonic,” I can recall exactly one occasion of them ever announcing any “Sonic” news there. IDW, meanwhile, had a big panel devoted to “Sonic.” They announced an upcoming one-shot devoted to promoting that new racing game that’s coming out. They showed off a new character - the terribly mysterious Whisper the Wolf - and released a version of this issue with two special covers exclusive to convention attendees. Whether or not IDW will still be putting this much effort into promoting the book after it’s been running for a few years remains to be seen. However, it already seems to me that IDW cares more about getting the word out than Archie ever did.

Though big shot comic con people got to read issue 7 early, we plebeians had to wait for its physical/digital release earlier this week. Contained within is “Meet the New Boss.” Hopefully, I wasn’t the only Who fan who Pavlovianly responded to that with “Same as the old boss!” This was likely Ian Flynn’s intention, as the issue begins with Sonic and Tails intercepting an Eggman Empire airship. Sonic quickly runs to the cockpit and sees Dr. Eggman inside. However, he quickly deduces this is a copy. The clone reveals its true identity: Metal Sonic. And the robotic hedgehog intends on carrying out his old master’s plans.

I’ll give Flynn this much. His double zig-zag plot twist did catch me off guard. After seemingly setting up Infinite as the new big bad, he reveals that it’s actually Metal Sonic behind the Badniks' activity. This is still disappointing, as Metal Sonic was everyone’s first guess as to the true identity of the new mastermind. So, after making it look like the book was going to go in a different, more interesting direction, it then heads in the direction that all of us were expecting. The big mystery that the first half of the book’s first year revolves around dissolves in the least interesting way possible.

Metal Sonic - who has relapsed back into his high school “Matrix” phase, as he’s wearing black leather and insisting people call him “Neo” - does not distinguish himself as a villain right out of the gate. In fact, Metal’s goal is to make sure Eggman’s plans run exactly as the doctor intended. I’m sure Flynn is going somewhere with this. A confrontation between Metal and Eggman’s newly benevolent persona is surely forthcoming. However, if a villain that was going to act exactly like Eggman was what he was going with, why didn’t he just use Eggman in the first place? The only differentiation Metal Sonic brings to this role is his laser-focused need to prove his superiority over Sonic. It’s just further proof to me that Metal Sonic is kind of boring.

Moreover, the book justifies Neo Metal Sonic’s reappearance in an awkward way. When the robot is revealed, he takes a minute to espouse on his origin. Using some very clunky “as you know” style exposition, he explains that something similar to this already happened, during the “Sonic Heroes” video game that I am now forced to acknowledge as canon. He then goes on to say that Eggman removed his rebellious tendencies before rebuilding him. Why Eggman would rebuild a robot that previously tried to kill him is not addressed. So, within a few panels, Flynn admits that this plot point is derivative and doesn’t make much sense.

But maybe I’m overthinking it. It wouldn’t be the first time. Because, like quite a few of his Archie issues, this one is heavily focused on action. The book skips right to Sonic and Tails flying over the new Egg Carrier, dispensing with any set-up whatsoever. He goes racing across the landing strip of the ship. He speeds pass explosive rounds being fired by cannons. Naturally, there’s a big fight scene with Metal Sonic, the robot proving more than capable of catching up to his organic counterpart. Some Egg Pawns get smooshed. I’m not really complaining, as it’s all entertaining, but Flynn’s desires to get to the fighting and exploding does seem to take precedence over character or plot some times.

It all looks really cool, which helps. After blowing the doors off with his work in issue 2, Adam Bryce Thomas returns to illustrate another issue. His work is not quite as graphically overwhelming this time. There’s even one coloring error, when Sonic grows a weird oval shaped mouth. (Like last time, Thomas does all his own inking and coloring, so that one is totally on him.) However, Thomas is still the best artist working on this book so far. He continues to handle action in a highly cinematic fashion. He truly conveys a sense of speed, as Sonic and Metal blur around each other during their fight. The artist is committed to making sure every image makes as much of an impact as possible. Which really pops in a book where, thus far, a lot of the art has felt a little phoned in.

The book’s best moment are not focused on punching and kicking though. After Metal Sonic catches up with the original, the two have a tense exchange. Holding Sonic by the throat, he gives him the option of telling him Eggman’s location or falling to his death. Sonic grins back and says he “never fears the fall.” He’s not just referencing Tails and the Tornado being right below, ready to whisk him to safety. He’s letting the villain know that not even the threat of death will keep him from doing the right thing. It’s a brag that doubles as a clear declaration of Sonic’s morals and heroic strength. And I like shit like that.

I also like the way the book concludes, with Sonic regrouping with Tails, Knuckles, and Amy. He informs them of this new info and they change their plans accordingly. Considering Sonic has been such a loner so far in this book, it’s nice to see him interacting with his friends as a team again. This just might be because I miss the Freedom Fighters but giving the hero a core group of friends, people he cares  about and depends on, makes him a more fully fleshed out being. Amy also says she’s going to call on the Resistance to help them. Hopefully, this means we’ll be seeing more of Sonic working with his friends (including Tangle) in the near future.

By the way, this issue has five variant covers and they’re all pretty nice. My favorite is the regular cover, which ominously depicts Sonic as a super fast wrecking ball racing up the deck of the Egg Carrier. The B cover, also from Bryce Thomas, is also pretty nice. The colors are pretty and the image is dramatic. Though the other covers aren’t as striking, they’re all pretty cool. As for the issue itself, I generally liked it while still being very disappointed in the villain’s true nature. [6/10]