Sonic Universe: Issue 37

Sonic Universe: Issue 37
Publication Date: February 2012

The rivalry between Robotnik and Snively has been going on for years. It's built into the DNA of the series, inherited from SatAM, where Snively openly despised his uncle and would eventually attempt to usurp him. In the comics, I can't even recall all the different times Robotnik's nephew has betrayed him, attempted to kill him, and overtake his empire. It's fertile ground for a story and Ian Flynn would bring that relationship to the front with the “Scrambled” story arc, beginning issue 37 of “Sonic Universe.”

A normal day aboard the Death Egg is interrupted when Eggman gets locked out of his own computer system. The Death Egg is completely locked out and Snively makes a daring escape. Soon, the mad doctor discovers that Snively has broadcast a message to the Dark Egg Legion that the Death Egg is destroyed and Robotnik is dead. Furious, Eggman sets out to capture Snively but he's already escaped. He moves on to his next plan: Assembling the Grandmasters of the Legion and sending them on a quest, to find a missing Chaos Emerald. Meanwhile, the former Ivo Kintobor sets out to get some payback at his nephew.

It's sort of surprising that “Sonic Universe” has been running as long as it has without attempting an Eggman-centric arc before. Out of all the bad guys it could've focused on, it's odd that Scourge and the Babylon Rogues got that honor before Sonic's oldest enemy and supporting cast member. Flynn paints Eggman as an especially ruthless villain protagonist. After pulling all the Grandmasters together, he reiterates his complete control over them, reminding them of their explosive implants. Moreover, he emphasizes that they are enslaved to him, even beyond the circumstances of his death, even though he doesn't care about their individual lives at all. Pretty fucked up, dude. It's a stark reminder that the Eggman is not to be trifled with.

“Scrambled” also seems to be setting up a “men on a mission”-style story. You know what I'm talking about. Movies like “Ingloruious Basterds” or “Kelly's Heroes.” “The Dirty Dozen” and “Suicide Squad” – two movies this set-up vaguely resembles – have built stories around a band of unlikely guys, tossed together, usually against their wills, in order to achieve some sort of goal. What's especially neat about this is how we know some of the Grandmasters already while others are new characters. Lien-Da, Duck Bill, Conquering Storm, Uncle Beauregard, and Drago – who, in a very morbid touch, is zapped away by Eggman while seemingly sexually harnessing a female Legionnaire – are all familiar faces. (Then there's Hugo Brass, Ripklaw, and Akhlut, undefined characters who might as well be new additions.) New characters include a leather-bound snake named Mordred Hood and two riffs on especially obscure Archie “Sonic” lore. There's a nerb grandmaster, the Foreman, because Ian seems determined not to forget about those guys. There's also Diesel, a bear biker seemingly inspired by the bear biker gang Knuckles fought way back in the “Chaotix Caper” story arc.

It's a fairly dark story, as far as “Sonic” comics go, so I guess Flynn felt it necessary to throw in some comic relief. And I'm not sure how I feel about this. After getting locked out of his computer system, Robotnik calls on Orbot and Cubot, two Sega-approved robotic lackeys that only previously appeared in game tie-ins. When I was first reading these comics, I hated these guys, finding their shtick annoying and thinking they don't contribute anything to this book's universe that it didn't already have. Must Eggman have comic relief sidekicks? Did Sega demand these two appear, instead of, I don't know, Crabmeat or Scratch and Grounder or something? With age, I've softened a little on these two – their shenanigans, like making tea and cookies for the assembled Grandmasters, are mildly amusing – while still finding them a mostly unnecessary addition to the world.

And let's not forget Snively, Eggman's original comic relief lackey. What I've always found most endearing about Snively are his dueling qualities of ambition and incompetence. He's desperate to have power, having spent his entire life without any. Yet he lacks the cunning necessary to become a major leader like his uncle, which is why all his previous takeovers were doomed to fail. At the beginning of “Scrambled,” Snively shows off one of his best schemes yet. He fills the Death Egg with explosive robotic doubles of himself, cast-offs from the old Infiltrator/Auto-Automatons line-up, allowing himself to escape in the space capsule from “Sonic 2.” It certainly sets up the possibility that Snively might actually have a chance of success this time, even though we know he doesn't, opening this story with some nice dramatic tension.

Jamal Peppers is back on pencil duty. It's pretty good, in many ways. Peppers' attention to facial expressions are especially nice. Matilda's lack of a reaction to Beauregard vanishing into thin air, along with the somewhat disturbing blank stares of the Snively infiltrators, make both of those moments really pop. However, I'm a little disappointed to see that Peppers seems content to ape Yardley here. In truth, if the opening page didn't tell me as much, I would've assumed Yardley drew this one. This is why I've expressed misgivings about Yardley's style becoming the default look for the book, as it shackles artists like Peppers, who are talented in their own right.

It's a really fun issue that I only have one problem with. Eggman assembling the Grandmasters, just to send them on a mission to grab some random Chaos Emerald, seems like a misstep. They should all be pursuing Snively, since he's the adversary driving the plot. Flynn probably ties those two threads together, I'm thinking, along with the last page reveal that Mecha Sally is now leading a whole squad of Metal-series robots. I can't remember if he does or not. Beyond that, this is a really fantastic first issue, setting up an exciting scenario with big stakes and an interesting ensemble cast. [8/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 234

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 234
Publication Date: February 2012

Antoine is prominently placed on the cover of issue 234 and there's good reason for that. “Unthinkable,” 234's cover story, begins with Elias and his family preparing to be escorted out of Mobotropolis. Following Naugus' rise to the family, the royal family no longer feels welcomed. As they pile into the Mobo-Cruiser – first time in a while we've seen that – the Freedom Fighters gather around as their personal bodyguards. But Eggman is ready, his Death Egg looming in the sky above. He sends a small army of Egg-Swats, led by Mecha Sally and a Metal Sonic, to ambush the motorcade. Elias and his family get to safety but the Freedom Fighters pay a horrible cost.

As far as “Sonic the Hedgehog” comics go, “Unthinkable” is a very tense action story. The stakes seem higher than ever, with the future of the monarchy and our four-color friends hanging in the balance. There's actually something ominous about the way the Death Egg appears in the sky, dropping enemy shoulders. Maybe things feel so serious because the Freedom Fighters get their asses kick. The newly weaponized and even more powerful Mecha Sally completely catches them off-guard. The Tornado is destroyed, yet again. Bunnie is still adapting to her newly wholly organic state, which means the Freedom Fighter is down one of their strongest members. Things escalate as more and more enemy robots converge on the location, the hero's feeling genuinely overwhelmed.

Another reason this conflict feels more weighty than usual might be due to the extra emotional weight. The Freedom Fighters are still not use to their beloved Princess being a killer robot enslaved by their greatest enemy. Mecha Sally is cruel and efficient, slicing through enemies with wrist-mounted laser swords. (An addition Flynn would keep after the reboot undid everything else.) As Mecha Sonic did, she also retains just enough of her normal personality to make her robotic state even more shocking. Such as when, in a nice touch, Flynn has her quote SatAM classic “Sonic's Nightmare,” by asking Sonic where he was when the brain's where passed out. At this point, Mecha Sally is still a shocking development and the book is using her excellently.

Usually, the comics open with a brief narration box, introducing readers to the comic's world. This issue is a little different. It opens with an excerpt from Antoine's journal, talking about the days' events. This is a memorable approach, giving us a look into the mind of one of the most complex Freedom Fighters. He continues to express annoyance at the direction the kingdom and his wife's current state has taken but remains optimistic about his friends. About how besides them is always an honor. This is especially poignant considering what happens near the end of the issue.

Because this is the issue where Antoine dies. I mean, sort of. When Robotnik orders an about-to-self-destruct Metal Sonic to attach itself to Elias' Mobo-Cruiser, Antoine races over on a hover board, grabs the robot, pulls him away, and receives the full brunt of the explosion. In a shocking series of panels, he's tossed to the ground in a heap. Bunnie cradles his body and begins screaming wildly. Sonic is stunned and silenced, forced to do a very rare thing: Stand still. It's a shocking, powerful event. As originally planned, it was meant to be Antoine's death. Flynn ultimately just put him in a coma instead, realizing fans would be royally pissed if he killed one of the book's most beloved character. (And the whole ordeal ended up being unresolved because of the reboot.) If Antoine really had died here, it's a heroic and weighty death, one worthy of him.

Helping sell this serious moment is some excellent artwork from Steven Butler. His more humanoid features on the furries look a little odd, especially Mecha Sally's weirdly shapely robo-hips. But when the book needs serious mood and grit, Butler can provide it. Eggman looks especially intimidating aboard the Death Egg. The panels devoted to Antoine's sacrifice are obviously the most important. You feel the impact of the blast leap off the page, before Butler pulls back, showing Antoine's lifeless body bouncing across the battlefield, his sword landing in the ground. Which leads to a panel of Bunnie, watching horrified, the panel around her crumbling as she watches her love be fatally wounded. It's great stuff. Butler even manages to make the somewhat silly Egg-Swat design – a combination of Robotnik's old SWATBots and the sillier Egg Pawns from the Sega games – actually kind of intimidating.

Next up in the back pages is “Dark Hearts.” The story takes place slightly before the cover story. Naugus uses his staff to contact Eggman. He promises to give the doctor some intel in exchange for further information. Naugus realizes that this Robotnik is not technically the same one he knew and asks to hear the former Robo-Robotnik's previous encounters with the presumably identical version of Naugus that existed in his dimension. Eggman happily tells him, describing a brief adventure in the Zone of Silence. Naugus, in return, informs him about Elias' caravan leaving that day.

“Dark Hearts” mostly exists to inform us of two things. First off, no, despite what he's said, Naugus is not putting his villainous past behind him now that he's king. He's colluding with the enemy to help assassinate the former ruler, and apparently doing so behind St. John's back. The story is also here to inform new readers of Eggman's convoluted origins. Beyond that, “Dark Hearts” is devoted to a mildly amusing encounter between the classic SatAM version of Robotnik and all of Naugus' various weirdos. And there is a certain degree of novelty in seeing that Robotnik again after so many years. Mostly, it's worth reading for Ben Bates' artwork. Bates has fun with the Zone's fantastical world and Naugus' bitching crystal throne.

I remember having pretty mixed thoughts about this issue and the surrounding story arcs when it was new. I mostly remember feeling like my heart was being jerked around, watching these characters I love get tortured by fate. In hindsight, and mostly because the reboot I didn't know about then is just around the corner, this issue plays a lot better. Yes, it's an emotional gut punch but it's not done cheaply or simply for shock value. In fact, the emotional weight of this story makes it one of the best in a while and an early contender for best of 2012. [8/10] 

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 233

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 233
Publication Date: January 2012

2011 ended on something of a cliffhanger, with the announcement that Geoffrey St. John would be going on trial for his obvious treachery. Surprisingly, that reveal got the first cover of the year. I guess that shows you how niche an audience this series always went for. That it could drop a bunch of obscure references and get away with it. While I certainly recognize Hershey, Warlord Kodos, and King Acorn in his Black Rider armor, even I had completely forgotten about Hip and Hop. Those are the kangaroos from “Sonic Spinball” who had a one-panel cameo back in issue 6 before appearing briefly as judges in issue 40. Enjoy this while it lasts, because most of this shit won't be around much longer.

In fact, the cover story is even called “The Trial of Geoffrey St. John,” cause Flynn wanted this to feel like an event. Sonic and Tails clean up some of the wreckage from the Battle Bird Armada's recent invasion of Mobotropolis – hope you were reading Sonic Universe to figure what the hell that was all about – and quickly rush over to the courthouse. There, Antoine has Geoffrey on the stand, questioning him about his allegiance to Naugus and his years of deception. Things get pretty heated, especially once the topic of Hershey comes up, but the trial does not go the way the Freedom Fighters were hoping.

“The Trial of Geoffrey St. John” is essentially Flynn attempting to justify his somewhat asinine plot twist about St. John being both a traitor and a wizard. While on the witness stand, St. John reveals some previously undisclosed info. That, following his father's death, he found a magical ring in his belongings and began communicating with Naugus, who was still trapped in the Zone of Silence. That he was working with the Freedom Fighters and the Rebel Underground to stabilize Mobotropolis, preparing for Naugus' eventual return. (And, by night, training to be a wizard.) This also gives him a chance to cover the character's long, convoluted history for those you weren't there at the time. In fact, a lot of “The Trial of Geoffrey St. John” is recap of ten year old comics.

It's pretty sloppy, as far as retcons go. Naugus being able to communicate between dimensions strikes me as unlikely, considering what a pain in the ass it was to get from Mobius to the Zone of Silence. Geoffrey working with the good guys in order to set up a stable kingdom for Naugus is... Convenient. By far the sloppiest retcon is Naugus just going on a rampage when first brought back to Mobius. Flynn has St. John admit his boss acted “rashly” and decided to lay low until he regained his cool. Uh-huh. And St. John suddenly pulling magical abilities out of his ass remains widely out-of-character, no matter how much glue Flynn applies.

There's a couple of things I do like about this story. First off, Antoine points out that everyone who was on St. John's secret squad were former Badniks, outside agents, and someone who attempted to assassinate the Princess. All of whom would've been viable patsies if Geoffrey needed one. That's a pretty elegant solution to Ken Penders' baffling character picks. I also like young St. John's rage at the Overlanders who killed his father, giving some grief and emotion to this story. And, despite most of what we know about the character being a lie, he really did love Hershey. That eases over her blunt, off-screen death a little. (Though Flynn leaves Hershey's fate a bit open-ended – no body was found – suggesting he could've brought the character back if he wanted to.)

And, hey, we've got a back-up story too. “From the Shadows” does not star Shadow. Instead, it's about Prince Elias. Faced with a city turned against him and a usurper to the crown, he turns to his parents and wife, hoping to move back to the safer Feral Forest. King Max is too senile to react while Megan wants him to stay. Frustrated, Elias turns to a shadowed figure on the outskirts of Mobotropolis. It turns out to be old spy master Harvey Who, another very obscure character who had one appearance in the book's early years and has since been forgotten, who is quickly talked into helping dethrone Naugus, suggesting Elias form a team.

What's most entertaining about “From the Shadows” is Harvey Who ripping into King Max. He blames the King for pretty much every misfortune that befell Mobius. Who warned him about Kodos, Naugus and Julian, only to see all three would-be conquerors be promoted. Yes, what we've suspected for years is true: Max was a terrible fucking king. If nothing else, this biting re-introduction makes us like Harvey immediately, which is pretty good for a goofy Dave Manak character that showed up in one panel ten thousand years ago. I also like the first scene, which shows Elias' dismay at his father's degenerating state. That's a nice touch. So it's a solid prequel to the Secret Freedom Fighters story arc Flynn was already cooking.

I have mixed feelings about the cover story. It's actually pretty good but deals with a plot point I still think is really dumb. And it's ending, where St. John is found guilty and then immediately pardoned by Naugus, kind of invalidates the whole thing. Still, it's not a bad issue I guess. The back-up is decent and the artwork, from ever-reliable Steven Butler and a quickly improving Evan Stanley, is solid all around. (Also, the fan art section in the back features a pretty bitchin', custom Mecha Sally action figure. I wish I had one of those...) Hopefully I'm not this conflicted about all the other comics that came out in 2012. [6.5/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 36

Sonic Universe: Issue 36
Publication Date: January 2012

Some people thought the world was going to end in 2012. Looking back on it now, it seems even sillier than most bits of mass hysteria, as the concerns were based entirely on pseudo-scientific nonsense. What does this have to do with Archie's “Sonic” comic book series? Not too much, other than we're about a year and a few months away from the comic being rebooted. As for “Sonic Universe,” the year started up with the conclusion to the Babylon Rogues' underwhelming story arc.

Part four of “Babylon Rogue” is subtitled “Resurrection” but don't get too excited. Busta Rhymes does not kung-fu fight Michael Myers in this comic book. Instead, it begins the Battle Bird Armada blowing up Castle Acorn. The Babylon Rogues leap down into the crater, looking for the Babylon Gardens. Sonic quickly takes chase. Soon, Speedy gets in there too. All five soon uncover some intergalactic bullshit and then some more stuff happens.

The mystery of the Babylon Gardens is resolved in a fairly un-spectactular way. In fact, Jet and the Rogues do not seem all that impressed by the generic sci-fi fortress they walk into at the end. When they enter, the Tesseract-looking cube flies out of Jet's hand and activates the artificial intelligence aboard the ship. A robot wakes up, dumps a boatload of exposition on a reader, and then threatens to suck the entire world into a black hole.

And it's super fucking boring. The robot that pilots the Babylon Gardens, which is naturally a space ship buried deep in the ground, is not even that interestingly designed. It's a generic looking robot. Moreover, it's revealed that the Babylon Rogues are descended from aliens. Because, the last time this comic book brought aliens into the story, fans fucking loved it. Yardley attempts to tie this into the book's lore. Apparently A.D.A.M., while teleporting Chaos Emeralds from all over the universe, drew from the power of the Babylon Gardens. It does not make the reader anymore interested in this super lame plot twist.

A little more compelling is the rivalry between Sonic and Jet. You see, Sonic just watched his village get a big chunk of it blown up. So he's pretty pissed off at Jet. Seeing Sonic totally loose his cool, drop the quips and the jokes aside, and just focusing on being super angry has a certain novelty. His dismissal at the end of the story, smashing the control key and dropping directly out of the ship's airlock, is easily the best moment in this comic book. Of course, the rivalry is pretty one-sided. Sonic is way more angry at Jet, while Jet has pretty much no reason to have any problems with Sonic.

That's not the only rivalry thrust into the story here. The Battle Bird Armada has uncovered the secret of their subspecies, that they've been trying to find for centuries. Somehow, they do not send a thousand soldiers and ships down into the crater. Instead, Speedy is sent down alone. There's more of a reason for the two green birds to hate each other. Both are eager to claim the Gardens first, eager to impress or shame each other. Speedy needles Jet at one point and he nearly grabs him back. However, this fight fizzles out, as Sonic resolves the plot and the two make a temporary truce in order to safely escape the crumbling ship.

Last time, the drama in Mobotropolis was more compelling than any of the bullshit to do with the Rogues. The birds and their self-contained drama takes center stage again in this issue but there's still a few peaks at Knothole politics. Naugus slinks away from the battle, sinking into a shadow. This suggests that his humiliating loss last issue actually does have to with his mental turmoil right now. The Freedom Fighters remain concerned about Nicole, who remains a no-show following her trauma from Sally's disappearance. Other than that, there's not too many interesting stuff happening here.

Sorry, guys, I really wasn't feeling this one. Yardley brings back more of that awkward comic relief, by giving Storm – by far the least well defined of the Rogues – some really dumb dialogue. The plot reveals, involving aliens and robots, is super lame. (Apparently the alien bullshit came from Sega, which is another reason to fuck those guys.) It's a disappointing pay-off to a story that was not especially compelling to begin. I can't recall the Babylon Rogues doing much in the book after this and I can't say I will miss them. [4/10]

THE 2011 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG COMIC BEST/WORST LIST!

2011 was the twentieth anniversary of the “Sonic” franchise. As an unusually morbid kid with an unusually deep connection to this franchise, I often wondered when the “Sonic” franchise was going to come to an end. Post-”Endgame,” I remember getting really sad thinking about the series potentially ending. Little me's fears were misplaced, as the series was still running over a decade later. (And continues to run, in one form or another.) To celebrate this impressive milestone, Sega released “Sonic Generations,” one of the better modern “Sonic” games.

It was a banner year for the franchise in many ways. However, focusing solely on Archie's comic series, things were less certain. The main book was in a slightly awkward area, floating between the end of the Iron Dominion series and the dreaded forthcoming reboot. In the middle came “Genesis,” a bright spot during a time where Flynn was juggling a lot of different ideas, not all of them sticking. “Sonic Universe,” meanwhile, was rocketing between some of its best and some of its worst story lines.

So let's get to it. The issues covered in this retrospective are:

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 221-232
Sonic Universe: Issue 24-35

BEST COVER STORY:
Ian Flynn, "Genesis - Part Two: Friends and Fate" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 227)

There were some good runner-ups to this title. “Changing Tempos” from issue 221 and “The World Can Wait” especially from issue 222 were probably more complex, interesting stories. However, they were also dragged down by some of the lame subplots bothering the book this year. In comparison, the second part of “Genesis” was so much simple fun. Seeing Sonic and the Freedom Fighter getting close during an adventure, running through the second half of Sega's original “Sonic” game. There's even some surprisingly effective emotional stuff, when the heroes believe they've lost Antoine. It's a really fun issue.

WORST COVER STORY:
Tracy Yardley, "Babylon Rising - Part One" (Sonic Universe: Issue 33)

I feel bad for beating up on Tracy Yardley's proper debut as a writer. However, “Babylon Rising” was a fairly weak story line. Its first entry was especially poor. Yardley's dialogue is ridiculous. His narrative structure is too much like a video game, characters walking through formulaic action scenes. When that wasn't the focus, the comic was instead bogged down with exposition. The worst part is that it stars the Babylon Rogue, an uninvolving trio of bland, flat characters.

BEST BACK STORY:
Scott and David Tipton, "Fragile" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 232)

There weren't too many back-up stories this year, barely enough to fill out these two categories. “Fragile” really stood out that. Bunnie going organic again is a plot point still hasn't gone much of anywhere yet. However, this story builds on the emotions of that event, focusing on Bunnie's fears of being all flesh again and Antoine being her dedicated, understanding spouse. It's a simple, character-focused story but one that maybe means the most to me out all of 2011's “Sonic” stories.

WORST BACK STORY:
Ian Flynn, "Sonic Generations" (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 230)

This, on the other hand, is utterly forgettable and completely disposable. I can't really blame Flynn for not putting much effort into these video game tie-ins. They are extended ads. As long as he informs the readers that the video game the story's promoting exists, he's done his job. “Sonic Generations” is a true zero effort back-up. It's basically a rushed version of the game's prologue, telling us little about the game's premise. “Generations'” central gimmick – a team-up between modern Sonic and classic Sonic – isn't even covered.

BEST STORY ARC:
Ian Flynn, "Fractured Mirror" (Sonic Universe: Issue 25-28)

We got two of my favorite “Sonic Universe” story arcs this year. “Inside Job,” from issues 29 to 32, turned Scourge into a lovable loser before rebuilding him as a major villain. However, that one had some pacing problems in the middle and fumbled at least one character's back story. A little more smooth, over all, was “Fractured Mirror.” A showdown between Silver, the original version of Lara-Su, and an evil version of Knuckles was both a solid action story, with huge stakes and some decent emotional roots. It's also cool to see some events, set-up a decade ago, paid off on. Considering how ambivalent I was to him initially, it says a lot that Flynn eventually made Silver such a likable lead.

WORST STORY ARC:
Tracy Yardley, "Babylon Rising" (Sonic Universe: Issue 33-35)

Giving “Babylon Rising” the Worst Arc award probably isn't fair, considering there was still one part left to publish at the end of 2011. “Chaos and the Crown,” an underwhelming two-parter devoted to my least favorite subplot this year, probably should've gotten this distinction. However, those two parts of “Babylon Rising” are such clunkers. I don't care about the Babylon Rogues and Yardley's hacky execution did not make me care. The plot was sloppy and the action uninspiring. Sorry, Tracy.

BEST COVER ART:
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 221 – Ben Bates

There were so many beautiful covers in 2011! Do I go with Spaz' gorgeous rendering of the “Sonic 3” box art? “Sonic Universe” 30 was funny and 27 was really dynamic. However, ultimately I gave the art to Ben Bates' cover for “Sonic: 221.” It's a collage that beautifully blends four characters. It flows together so nicely, being really nicely assembled and in such an eye-catching manner.

WORST COVER ART:
Sonic Universe: Issue 33 - Tracy Yardley

You know, there's very few covers I didn't like this year. The Free Comic Book Day special was pretty uninspired. “Sonic Universe: Issue 24” was a little crowded. What grabs this dubious distinction was issue 33 of “Sonic Universe.” Not because it's a bad image but mostly because Yardley throws in some unseemly blur effects, which just come off as tacky.

BEST STORY ART:
"Genesis - Part Two: Friends and Fate" - Patrick Spaziante and Tracy Yardley (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 227)

Likewise, there was some great artwork this year. Steven Butler's work on “The Rematch,” from the FCBD special, and Ben Bates work on “Chaos and the Crown” was both fantastic. But there was pretty much no way Spaz and Yardley's work on “Genesis” wasn't going to grab this honor. For the anniversary book, Archie really pulled out all the stops. Spaz and Yardley's artwork is crisp, detailed, and dynamic. The images leap off the page with life and energy. It's such a fucking pretty comic book, you guys.

WORST STORY ART:
"Haunted" - Evan Stanley (Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 231)

Gone are the days of Ron Lim and Many Hands. All the artwork in the book these days are good. However, occasionally something hits the page that isn't quite good as the rest of the stuff. Evan Stanley would soon grow into a very reliable penciler. Her work on “Haunted,” a back story from issue 231, needed a little extra work. It's a little too anime-esque, Naugus looking a bit silly. It says a lot that a still pretty good looking story is the worst art the book had to offered in 2011.

BEST NEW CHARACTER:
Dark Enerjak

For years, the book teased the possibility that Knuckles was going to turn evil some day. There was this fear that his powers would grow too vast to control. While regular Knuckles ended up as Chaos Knuckles or Enerjak before, he was ultimately always redeemed. With the “Fractured Mirror” arc in “Sonic Universe,” we saw Dark Enerjak, an epically evil version of Knuckles that would receive no redemptive arc. A truly intimidating and powerful – and not to mention fantastically designed – villain, he would certainly become one of the most memorable if short-lived addition to the book.

WORST NEW CHARACTERS:
King Maxx

To be totally honest, there were no new characters this year that I truly disliked. Looking through the crumbs of introductions in 2011, King Maxx came up. An evil version of King Acorn? Eeeh, did we really need that? The character mostly existed as a plot device in “Inside Job” and didn't add much to the overall lore of the book.


BEST IDEA:
Genesis

There was so much change happening in the book in 2011. Political turmoil and upheaval in Mobotropolis was followed by Eggman's return and concluded with Sally's transformation into a soulless robot. Coming in the middle of all this insanity was the “Genesis” story line, a four-part breath of fresh air that got the franchise back to basics. Was it the best, most innovative, or dramatic story of the year? Nah. However, “Genesis” was an event that mostly lived up to the hype, getting readers excited for the book. Most importantly, it was a lot of fun and fantastically assembled.


WORST IDEA:
King Naugus

If you've been reading my reviews recently, you're probably aware of how much I dislike Ixis Naugus returning to Mobotropolis and convincing the population that he's the proper King. It just makes everyone in the city look like idiots, believing that this obviously evil villain actually has their best interests at heart. It leads to the Freedom Fighters being forced to deal with someone that is a pain in the ass. It's an awkward, unnatural attempt to create drama in the story and one that, at this point, was already dragged out for too long.

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 8

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 8
Publication Date: August 15, 2018

You know, IDW’s new “Sonic” comic has been running for about five months now. That should be enough time to adapt to its existence but I still keep forgetting this series exists. Every time a new issue becomes available, my reaction is a muted “oh yeah, right.” Did my Sonic fandom die with the Archie series? Or has IDW’s book just not managed to hook me yet? Either way, my devotion to you, dear reader, is the main thing that keeps me posting these weekend bonus updates.

“Silent Support” begins with Sonic bashing his way into one of Eggman’s bases, hoping to find information about what Metal Sonic’s next step will be. He’s quickly joined by two friends, one old and one new. Silver floats in, telekinesis ablazin’. He informs Sonic that defeating Eggman in “Sonic Forces” only managed to fuck up his future more. The two are soon joined by a mysterious figure known as Whisper the Wolf, who snipes out robots with Wisp powered weapons. After clearing out the base, the heroes uncover the next step in Metal Sonic’s plan... Which is already in progress.

Issue 8 reintroduces “Sonic” comic readers to Silver the Hedgehog. I have never cared about the Sega version of Silver, another lame character defined solely by his superpowers. In the Archie comic, however, Ian Flynn managed to turn Silver into a lovable bumbler, someone eager to help but inexperienced and lacking resources. The IDW version of Silver does not seem too different, I’m happy to report. If anything, Flynn has made him even dorkier, as he’s caught nerding out several times. He’s desperate to save his messed up future world but has no idea how, giving him a sense of melancholy to go along with his super-duper abilities.

The book also introduces Whisper, whose existence was announced at Comic-Con a few weeks ago. We learn very little about Whisper in her debut appearance. During the War, she helped out the Resistance without directly interacting with them. We don’t learn why she was so shy then, as she’s happy to openly help Sonic and Silver on this adventure. She wears a very awkward mask, speaks in hushed tones, and seems to have a close bond with the Wisps that power her weapons. Her eagerness to destroy Eggman’s base suggests she has a personal grudge against the Doctor. Despite being introduced as a hyper-confident Guardian Angel, Silver has to save her ass at least once. (Making me wonder how long it’ll take for fans to start shipping them.) In other words, Whisper is introduced with many mysteries surrounding her but little in the way of actual personality. Flynn better develop her some real soon if he wants me to give a shit.

As for the issue itself, it’s primarily devoted to action. Sonic, Silver, and Whisper smash a lot of those spinning bat Badniks. (Which the credits page informs me are called Spinas, good lord.) They then take on E-107 Theta, a giant, tank-like entry in the E series. A Theta was referenced in the Archie series but never shown, so now we might have an idea what it might’ve looked like. The action scenes are at least fairly creative. Sonic smashes robots like he always does. But Silver’s telekinetic abilities and Whisper’s Wispon - which can shoot fire, ice, and malleable laser beams - keep the action varied. It’s mildly entertaining, as far as these things go.

Aside from introducing some old and new faces, “Silent Support” mostly seems to function as a prologue to the next story arc. At the end, Sonic and Silver discover that Metal Sonic plans to invade Angel Island and use the power of the Master Emerald. If the last page, which shows Metal sitting on a cool steampunk throne atop the Emerald, is any indication, he’s already done it. Which makes it odd that Knuckles’ echidna spidey sense tingles only after this has occurred, as is shown right before Resistance HQ gets Sonic and Silver’s phone call. But whatever. Clearly, the Resistance is taking the fight to Metal Sonic and Angel Island starting next month. It’s a nifty enough cliffhanger.

Evan Stanley, last seen in issue four, returns to the drawing board. Stanley’s best attributes continue to be her expressive use of facial features. Silver’s big goofy grins, when he realizes the legendary Guardian Angel is helping them out, are worth the price of the comic alone. Stanley’s action is also quite good, making sure the lengthy battle scenes are interesting to look at. Colorist Matt Herms also does some cool stuff, by including some cross hatching and Ben-Day dots in the shading. That adds a stylish and atmospheric feeling to the book.

It’s an alright issue. The action and art are solid, Silver is amusing, and I’m invested enough in the comic to wonder where it’s going. (It looks like Tangle is coming back next month too, so I’m looking forward to that.) At the same time, Whisper makes an unimpressive first impression. Generally speaking, it still feels like IDW’s series is lacking in the heart department. I wish Flynn would focus more on the characters’ relationships than his big important plot, which we all know is going to end with the bad guy defeated. Once again, I’m handing out [6/10.] I swear I don’t want to.

Sonic Universe: Issue 35

Sonic Universe: Issue 35
Publication Date: December 2011

Is this a petty complaint? “Sonic Universe” was a series launched to explored the other corners of Archie's Sonic-verse, away from the main book and its main characters. For the most part, the series focused on that objective. From time to time, the book would forget its own mission statement and have Sonic and the Freedom Fighters play a major role in the story. Such as in the “Journey to the East” arc and now again here. It bugs me a little, because I feel like the book is violating its own gimmick in these moments. I guess that's nerdy nitpicking. But whatever, this is my blog.

“Baby Rising” begins with the Battle Bird Armada arriving above Mobotropolis. Using Dr. Fuckuorokov's latest device, the Armada quickly breaks through the city's force field. The Freedom Fighters quickly mobilize to protect their community from the latest invasion, while King Elias rushes the by-standers to safety. Sonic and Naugus stand up to the Armada but they prove more difficult to overcome than expected.

Oh yeah, the Babylon Rogues are there too. Putting Sonic and Tails on the “Independence Day” inspired cover wasn't just to give this spin-off book some more sales rack recognition. They are essentially the main characters of this issue, along with the rest of the Knothole team. The Babylon Rogues have been reduced to bit part players in what is ostensibly the story arc all about them. If you picked up this book expecting some hot Babylon Rogue action, you were probably disappointed.

Maybe it's just me but sidelining the super bland Sega-created lot actually causes this sluggish four-parter to perk up a little. The focus here is definitely on action. You've got Rotor slipping back into his Nanite suit, flying around and blasting bots. Sonic is taking the fight directly to the Rogues. Tails and Speedy get another confrontation. Maybe it's just because characters I actually give a shit about are now involved in the action but this is the first part of the “Babylon Rising” arc that really works for me at all.

Yardley's writing skills are already showing improvement. Aside from a few groan-worthy lines, including a really embarrassing “Angry Birds” shout-out, his dialogue is evening out. It seems shifting the focus to characters we have a pre-established connection to is doing wonders for this story. Nicole's fragile emotional state is a reoccurring point. She can barely bring herself to try and protect the city. When Elias reaches out to her in the woods, she quickly withdraws her holographic lynx form, which is a really touching scene.

I'd say Yardley's narrative skills have improved a lot except for two fairly important points. First is his continued attempts to make the Battle Bird Armada a creditable threat. He goes too far trying to portray them as bad-asses. Previously, the Armada was single-handedly defeated by an eleven year old. Now, they are cracking Mobotropolis' defenses in seconds and blwoing up Castle Acorn. Worst yet is the treatment of the Battle Kukku. Once again, Yardley shows this ridiculous looking character being an unstoppable physical force. He punches Ixis Naugus, one of the most powerful supervillains in the book, into submission within a few panels. As in last issue, having the Battle Kukku suddenly display such immense strength is startling and unintentionally funny. It's the worst kind of overcompensation, taking a previously childish threat and suddenly having them act like big-dick deals.

The second problem is that the story is a little overcrowded. The Battle Bird Armada's invasion of Mobotropolis comes at a pretty awkward time. Yardley has to insert his story into an entirely unrelated story arc. So we get passing references to Bunnie loosing her cybernetics, Naugus' continued struggle with the voices in his head, the people of Mobotropolis turning against the Acorn monarchy, and Geoffrey St. John's arrest. Keep in mind, the issue also has to make room for the Rogues' continued presence in this story. It's just shy of being overstuffed. If you were reading this series a few issues out of sync, you would be really confused.

If I actually gave a shit about the Babylon Rogues, I would probably be annoyed by them being sidelined in their own story. However, as annoying as “Sonic Universe” abandoning his gimmick suddenly can be, this shift in focus doesn't bother me too much. For the first time, the “Babylon Rising” arc doesn't feel totally perfunctory. It's still a pretty busy, shaggy story but I'll give it some points. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 232

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 232
Publication Date: December 2011

As Archie's flagship “Sonic” title wrapped up in 2011, the book was going in all sorts of new directions. Issue 232's cover story, “Dark Tidings,” begins with Naugus happily accepting love from the populace of Mobotropolis. This greatly annoys Sonic but he has a lot of other things on his mind. He races around, informing others of Sally being roboticized and trying to set things right. Meanwhile, Bunnie faces a new discovery of her own.

I have no idea if Ian planned it this way. Honestly, considering he's complained about “Genesis” being a rushed development, I suspect things were originally suppose to go differently. Either way, it seems “Dark Tidings” is here to set up an entire year worth of story arcs. The citizens of Mobotropolis are crying out for Naugus to become their new king, giving Elias a headache. Sonic is trying to consolidate the Freedom Fighter forces in the face of their latest loss, eventually heading to the Floating Island to get Knuckles' help. Geoffrey St. John ends up getting arrested for treason. Bunnie has been resorted back to a fully organic state. It's a lot to take in and, to Flynn's credit, he balances it pretty well.

Ultimately though, this is not the most important development. Sonic, in a moment of anger, reveals to Elias what happened to his sister. Elias responds in abject shock. When Sonic explains the circumstances to Knuckles, the echidna's reaction is hot-headed anger. The conversation gets so heated that Sonic and Knuckles nearly come to blows. Sonic is processing his grief in his own way. His drive to solve the problem, to push through his pain and anger to a viable solution, is certainly in character. By far, the most touching sequence comes when Sonic attempts to talk to Nicole. The A.I. responds with a simple text screen, explaining that she watched her closest friend sacrifice herself. It's a powerful moment and the kind of raw emotion this issue needed a little more of.

As for the continuing intrigue of Mobian politics, I'm not sure how to feel. The citizens of Mobotropolis come off incredibly badly here. Their willingness to turn so completely on the heroes they've known and supported for decades, in favor of a clearly shifty motherfucker who has previously been a villain, makes them look like idiots. This may be intentional on Flynn's behalf. At one point, someone in the crowd with a clearly uninformed grip on what a monarchy is asks why the city can't pick their own kings. Yet it's mostly another month of a pretty shaky plot point being pushed through. Flynn was determined to follow this “Naugus is the true king” plot point out until its logical conclusion the reboot.

Ben Bates is still on penciling duty and his work looks notably different from the last issue. The artwork is a little looser and more cartoony than Bates' previous work. The character's facial expressions are more exaggerated and comical. Usually this works pretty well, especially when focused on everyone's highly emotional states. However, when the focus turns to Naugus' villainous proclamations, his threat level is underminded a little by looking so goofy. Bates' work is energetic and, I guess in a story low on action like this one, that kinetic focus went to the looks and appearances of the cast. It works all right.

One of the many plot points introduced in “Dark Tidings” is the reveal that Naugus' magic has inadvertently returned Bunnie to an organic state. “Fragile” focuses on Bunnie's reaction to this change. Antoine notices his wife sulking in a corner. Antoine is happy that Bunnie has finally been returned to normal, a goal they've been running towards for years. Bunnie, however, is feeling uncertain. She no longer has her super powers. She can no longer be the team's muscles. She feels newly fragile and weak.

The emotional core that only showed up a little in the cover story blossoms in a serious way with “Fragile.” Bunnie's reaction to her changing state is totally natural. At this point in her life, she's been a cyborg longer than she hasn't been. So suddenly loosing her powers and abilities is a big shock. Mostly, “Fragile” is focused on Bunnie's doubts and Antoine showing her love and reassurance. And that's why these two are maybe the book's best couple, due to how much they clearly love and support each other. Jamal Peppers' artwork is really strong. He smartly contrasts Bunnie's superpowered past with her currently weakened present. His grasp of facial expressions and body language further roots this story in emotion and meaning. The story was written by entities calling themselves Scott and David Tipton, who were not seen before or after, but the duo clearly knows these characters extremely well.

So there you go. You've got a cover story that's not too bad. There's a lot of plot going on and not all of it is horribly interesting. However, when the emotional core shows itself, it's pretty good. That same element is what makes the back-up story probably the year's best. So I guess that even outs to about a [7/10]. About a third of that positive score is thanks to “Fragile,” though I liked “Dark Tidings” okay as well. Sometimes, that's how it goes.

Sonic Universe: Issue 34

Sonic Universe: Issue 34
Publication Date: November 2011

You know, guys, going back and reading a bunch of old comic books and then writing around 900-words-on-average about them should be an easy job. Sometimes, however, it can be a struggle just to read these fucking things and then write around 900-words-on-average about them. Especially when it's an issue that I don't really have any strong feelings about. Is this that mythical point, when doing this stops being fun and starts feeling like work? Thanks for that, Tracy Yardley. Anyway, let's get on with it.

“Babylon Rising: Part Two – Reunion” picks up where we left off last time. The Rogues have been cornered by Speedy and a fleet of Battle Bird Armada soldiers. They sure as hell want the cube-shaped key the Rogues have pilfered from the temple. The Rogues lead them on a chase through the near-by snowy mountains. However, once the Battle Kukku drops in on the fight, the Rogues are quickly subdued. Once the key is grabbed, the map to the Babylon Gardens is revealed.

The first half of “Babylon Rising” was mostly devoted to setting up the story with some heavy-handed exposition, plus a lengthy break for an action sequence. Part two is devoted almost entirely to action. The majority of the issue is based around a chase scene, with the Rogues trying to evade the Armada's forces. And there's some genuinely decent action beats here. At one point, Storm tears a tree out of the ground and swings it at a robot. My favorite bit is a panel devoted to Speedy wailing on Jet.

However, there's definitely a preoccupation with gimmicky in this issue. There's plenty of gadgets introduced here. The Armada's forces now include laser shooting robot birds. Speedy also whips out a laser-shooting watch at one point. The biggest inclusion is a magical ring that can create barriers that the Battle Kukku wields here, which he has never wielded before. That ring ends up being part of the puzzle to uncover the map to the Garden. I'll say this: These new elements are well designed. The robot birds look cool. But it feels to me like Yardley is filling a narrative hole with nifty gear.

Last time, I was hard on Yardley's dialogue, which struck me as stiff and awkward. Here, in issue 35, his dialogue takes a further weird turn towards shaky attempts at comedy. It seems to me that Yardley set out to write an action issue but swerved halfway through to write comedy. The only joke that really hits for me is the two time Speedy is mocked for the ridiculous egg-shell diaper thing he wears. (Though they call it “undies.”) Otherwise, a lot of it seems out of place. Like, there's a line about how the Battle Bird Armada goonies are getting better at shooting. That's a decent joke but doesn't fit in during a chase scene. Storm makes a super awkward baseball pun while swinging that tree, for another example.

The intentional comedy is pretty out-of-place. The unintentional comedy is fairly high on the charts. There's a sequence where the Battle Kukku drops out of the sky and proceeds to beat the Rogues up. Now, keep in mind, the Battle Kukku has never shown himself to be especially apt at hand-to-hand combat. Even in the “Tails Adventure” video game, the final boss battle only has him walking around and tossing bombs. Here, Yardley has the Battle Kukku slamming Storm into the ground and karate-kicking Wave in the face. He even does the superhero landing at the beginning of the fight. Keep in mind, this is a seven foot tall parrot wearing a pirate hat and lime green, high-heel boots. He's maybe the most ridiculous looking character in the comic. It's hilarious and for all the wrong reasons.

About the only thing I really liked about this issue, besides the jokes about Speedy's stupid underwear, is the growing rivalry between Speedy and Jet. Speedy was a mildly compelling villain before hand, with a defined personality and some complexity. We discover here that he has a resentment towards Jet, annoyed that he managed to accomplish his secret goal of leaving the Armada behind. This amounts to all of a few exchanges and panels. It's not the main point of the story. But it's a crumb of emotional honesty in a storyline thus far devoid of it.

Am I being too hard on Tracy Yardley here? Or is my total ambivalence towards the Babylon Rogues influencing my opinion here? Either way, I'm really not feeling this one guys. We've got two more parts to get through, so I'm not done just being a grouchy asshole who hates everything. I'm so sorry, guys. [5/10]