Sonic Universe: Issue 50

Sonic Universe: Issue 50
Publication Date: March 2013

“Sonic Universe” reaching its fiftieth issue should be a cause for celebration. None of the various Archie Sonic spinoffs have ever reached that goal before. However, we are now in a new era of corporate meddling. The general impression I’ve always gotten is that, for years, Sega barely paid any attention to the comic books. This allowed the writers to get away with almost anything. As long as the book published the promotional tie-ins they demanded or didn’t turn Sonic into a blubbering weakling, Sega more or less left the creative staff alone.

However, following the Frightful Pendering, Sega realized they should probably pay more attention to what this comic book was doing. Most of these truly inane corporate mandates would rear their head following the reboot but a few went in to affect right before. Originally, issue 50 of “Sonic Universe” was going to feature the conclusion to the long-canceled cartoon “Sonic Underground.” (Which does, after all, exist as a separate dimension in the Archie multiverse.) You can even find Spaz’s original cover art online. Sega, seeing no point in promoting a cartoon that had been out of production for fourteen years, put the kibosh on that idea. Around the same time, the company declared that there was only one Metal Sonic and that all imitators had to go. This second mandate would clearly inspire Flynn to write today’s cover story.

“Forged in Fire” begins by flashing back to issue 240’s invasion of Mobotropolis, where Shard easily bested another model of Metal Sonic. Aboard the Death Egg, Robotnik is incensed at this defeat. He builds a new model of Metal Sonic, with a power gem core. He also downloads the memories and experiences of all prior versions of the robot into this new one. Eggman quickly deploys the machine into Mobotropolis. Shard, who has found it difficult to fit in, quickly rushes into action against his double.

One of the many differences between the Archie comics and the Sega games is the treatment of Metal Sonic. In the games, there’s only one Metal Sonic and he’s Eggman’s most dangerous robot. (He, naturally, spends most of his time training for the Olympics.)  In the comics, Metal Sonic is just another mechanical goon, having been destroyed and rebuilt countless times. Sega, determined to streamline their corporate vision, demanded the comic be brought into line. So Eggman builds a new Metal Sonic, closer to Sega’s ideas. Flynn even tried to give this new Metal a little more personality but his corporate overlords were adamant. The comic version must match the game version. Thus, Metal barely talks and has no motivation beyond wanting to destroy Sonic. Bummer.

Issue 50 is another issue primarily devoted to action. The fight between the two robotic hedgehogs takes up most of the issue. And it is, admittedly, pretty cool. There's a bitchin' two page spread devoted to the two smashing, clawing, and shooting lasers at each other. This Metal Sonic is more clever than previous models, using a rock to jam Shard's cannon and generating a shield around himself. Of course, Shard's versatility and intelligence makes this more than an even fight. If you're looking for hot Metal on Metal action, well, issue 50 of “Sonic Universe” more than satisfies.

But that's not the most interesting thing about the issue. Before Metal storms into Mobotropolis like an asshole, we're greet to a scene of Shard and Nicole playing digital chess. It seems that the two A.I.s have been spending a lot of time together. Shard still doesn't feel like he belongs among the Mobians, due to his past as a killer robot. Nicole, considering her recent exile, more than understands. Moreover, there's a cute chemistry between the two that definitely has a flirtatious edge. The issue ends by confirming that Shard at least has a crush on the computer program. I really would've liked to have seen that play out.

In fact, Shard is really what keeps this specific comic book interesting. Despite only existing for ten months by this point, Shard already feels like a fully developed, lovable character. During his chess game with Nicole, he acts like a big kid. He continues that jovial mood during much of the fight with Metal Sonic, cracking jokes and one-liners. Yet the robot has a vulnerable side too. He knows Sonic doesn't trust him yet – confirmed by the blue hedgehog's sole appearance in this issue, where he wonders if Shard has truly reformed – and just doesn't feel like he belongs. At the same time, he rushes right into battle to protect the city. That's the definition of a hero, right there: Someone who protects innocents even when he's not sure they like him. He even takes the fight out to the barren remains of Knothole, so as not to endanger anyone.

Shard is a great character. So, of course, they kill him off. I mean, basically. The fight concludes with Metal Sonic detonating his power gem core. The blast completely destroys Metal and tosses Shard far away, seriously damaging him. His body mangled, he goes offline shortly afterwards. (Though continues to quip and flirt with Nicole as he does.) Now, whether or not Flynn truly intended to kill Shard is unknown. That would certainly be inline with Sega's new mandate. However, the last panel here lingers on Shard's power gem core, showing it cracked but not destroyed. I wonder if his plan was for Shard to take on a new shape, possibly as another A.I., so he could keep the fan favorite around in some form without violating Sega's rules. Of course, we'll never know because the reboot happened.

By the way, the cover makes a big deal about this being a 48-page special issue, the first book of that length that Archie has published since the end of the “Sonic Super Special” quarterly series. However, the main story only runs twenty-four page. In order to pump the issue up to its trumpeted length, this comic also includes part of Metal Sonic's first appearance from “Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 25.”

Notice I said part. Only the second half of the story is reprinted. Even then, the ending is clipped short so Archie can shill for “Worlds Collide” some more. It's a really odd decision. I can't imagine new fans would be interested in checking out an old story after reading less-than-half of it. (And the differences in tone between what the series was back then and what it was at this point are very evident.) I don't know, maybe an extra-long issue had already been committed to when Sega canceled the “Sonic Underground” story, forcing Archie to throw a half-assed reprint into the back instead.

But, hey, at least we get to appreciate some vintage Spaz artwork. Yardley illustrates the cover story and does a really good job. It seems drawing transforming metal hedgehogs is really his forte. He clearly enjoys penciling the various weapons and abilities the two can activate. That two-page spread includes Shard swinging a mjolnier-style hammer, for one example. He also manages to get some emoting out of Metal Sonic just through his battle language, such as when Eggman has to rein in his overwhelming desire to murder Sonic. So it's a good looking issue.

Oh yeah, did I mention that cover? It's got a glossy, foil sheen to it! I didn't even know comic companies were still pulling that foil cover bullshit by 2013! It's also hugely misleading, as Sonic and Metal Sonic never actually meet in this issue. Either way, this issue represents one of the better examples of Flynn dealing with the Sega mandates. Instead of kowtowing to them like a coward, he writes around them in a clever way. It also gets us one more issue of Shard being a bad ass. As the final pre-boot issue of “Sonic Universe,” it's a pretty good one. Honestly, I probably enjoy it more than I would've a “Sonic Underground” conclusion anyway. [7/10]