Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 227

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 227
Publication Date: August 2011

After a brief delay of one month, the main “Sonic” book – and the “Genesis” event happening within – was back on track in August of 2011 with issue 227. While I love Spaz' homage-riffic cover, I must point out that it is very misleading. The cover is a stylish recreation of “Sonic 2's” American box art. The comic story inside adapts the second half of the original “Sonic the Hedgehog.” Tails is present on the cover. Tails is not present in the story. Lastly, Eggman does not transform into a mountain destroying giant monster. But that didn't happen in the video game either. I guess the temptation of making the first three issues of “Genesis” each a homage to the next game in the original series was too overwhelming. I probably would've done it that way too.

Part two is subtitled “Friends and Fate,” a pretty accurate summation of the story's theme. Having apparently skipped right over the Spring Hill Zone, Sonic and the Freedom Fighters arrive in the subterranean Labyrinth Zone. They continue to face challenges as they fight their way through the rising water and enemy Badniks. They make it through to the Starlight Zone but not without seemingly loosing Antoine to a waterfall. The loss of a friend motivates them further and they take the fight to Eggman, in his base inside the Scrap Brain Zone.

As I mentioned last time, “Genius' continues to be a highly satisfying adaptation of the original “Sonic” game. Yes, Spring Hill Zone is a no show. As much as I love that level, it never did fit the narrative flow of the original game very much, did it? Truthfully, seeing the watery peril of the Labyrinth Zone, the windy turbines of the Starlight Zone, and the booby traps of the Scrap Brain Zone brought to life made me smile. Flynn does a really good job of cooking every iconic stage down to its most iconic elements. There's not much story wise to heroes walking through perilous areas but the environments still provide plenty of tension, action, and adventure.

Last time, I also mentioned how everyone's personalities have been slightly simplified for this quasi-alternate universe story. That's still true here but it works in its own charming way. I got a real SatAM vibe from “Friends and Fate.” Antoine is still the somewhat cowardly load, though his courage is already starting to show through and he proves useful in other ways. Sonic and Antoine spent a few panels jibbing at each other for Sally's affection. (Which just acts as more flirting between the hedgehog and the heroine.) Everyone is on an adventure, working together and fighting against the bad guy to survive and save others. It's simple, sure, but I fucking love SatAM. I cannot dislike a comic that invokes it so strongly.

Flynn even attempts to incorporate some pathos. While escaping the Labyrinth Zone, Antoine seems to fall to his death. Sally is shaken to loose a friend and a fellow Freedom Fighter. We all know Antoine isn't dead. He comes back before the issue is over, in a comical and not entirely well explained well. Sally and the others even believe that they're going to be reunited with their friend, through a nebulous feeling that is actually the aftereffects of their lives in the prime universe. But it's still a decently emotional moment. Flynn invokes it again when Rotor nearly falls down a trap door in Scrap Brain. If nothing else, these scenes show how much this ragtag group of characters care about each other, providing some decent heart to what is otherwise a straight-forward action story.

As I've mentioned before, I believe “Genesis” might have been seen as a chance to bring some new readers into the book. So the Freedom Fighters having strange feelings or strange shared thoughts isn't just Flynn acknowledging the cosmic shift that recently took place. It's also a hint to new readers to maybe check out the main book some time. Yet these moments of deja vu and unexplainable connection among the characters is also the issue's weakest element. By constantly referencing this, Flynn is making it feel like the characters really are just being pushed through a series of checkpoints. Maybe “Genesis” would be stronger, or at least more natural feeling, if the Freedom Fighters' truly had no memory at all of the Prime Zone.

Spaz continues to provide the main pencils, with some help from Yardley, on the issues. Once again, Spaz' work is of the absolutely highest quality. The second part of “Genesis” looks even more exciting and dynamic then the first. Spaziante really employs a near-cinematic panel construction. Panels like Sally looking over a ledge, a Badnik rushing through the water,  Sonic lunging for the falling Antoine, or Sally sliding to grab Rotor have such an incredible sense of movement. Spaz also says a lot with a little. One page, showing the Freedom Fighters' run through the Starlight Zone, struggling with fans and cherry bombs, is full of so much personality. Visuals like these are one of the things that made me fall in love with this comic in the first place.

“Friends and Fates” still has its flaws. Eggman's defeat is a bit of a cop-out and the expectation that he'll be back next time, heavily lampshaded, draws even more power from the ending. But it's a fleetly written issue, with some decent character moments. It's a really fun adventure that is fantastically brought to life by some great artwork. The first half of “Genesis” is quite a solid comic book. [8/10]