Sonic: Lost World

Sonic: Lost World
Publication Date: October 2013

I know what you’re thinking. “Zack, tonight is New Year's Eve. Why are you reviewing a comic book with the word “Halloween” on the cover? Do you really start planning for your favorite holiday the day at the end of the year?” To answer your question, haha, I start planning for next Halloween on November 1st. As for this comic book, “Sonic: Lost World” was Archie’s entry into 2013’s Halloween Comic Fest, which is kind of like Free Comic Book Day except in October and also you have to pay for the comics. (As far as I can tell, this is also the only time Archie participated in Halloween Comic Fest.)

As for why I’m reviewing this comic in the ass end of December, it really doesn’t have anything to do with Halloween. There’s some monsters in it, but they are generic, Pokémon looking things and not remotely spooky. So nothing about it especially jives with the Christmas holiday. I’m also reviewing these comics roughly in the order they came out and this special appeared at this point in the series’ chronology. So, fuck it, it’s the last day of the year and I’m reviewing a sort of, kind of Halloween special. Deal with it.

Anyway! “Sonic: Lost World” begins with a Eggman discovering a continent floating in the sky. It’s neither Angel Island nor Little Planet but a new world called Lost Hex, because the Sonic-verse is overrun with floating landmasses. Eggman decides to exploit this new location, like he always does. He’s countered by Zavok, the leader of Lost Hex’s native species, the Zeti. Eggman quickly subdues the technokinetic beast with a magical conch shell he literally pulls out of nowhere. Utilizing the Zetis as his new shock troops, Eggman begins rounding up animals for his takeover of Lost Hex. Sonic and Tails follow the fat man to the new world, setting up an adventure you’ll have to buy the video game to see the rest of.

Yes, “Sonic: Lost World” is another one of the those comic stories produced solely to advertise Sega’s new video game. An exclusive to the Wii and 3DS, the game was apparently not very good, saddled with an awkward control mechanic and a dumbass story. The comic basically plays out like one of Flynn’s “Another Time, Another Place” stories, the quickly thrown together script acting as a prequel to the game’s plot.  Despite that, Flynn has said this story is canon to the comic’s main plot, taking place at an undetermined point in the future. Presumably, he had plans for the Zetis after he wrapped up the Shattered World Crisis. That never came to be but he did use them in the next “Mega Man” crossover.

Those Zetis were “Lost World’s” primary contribution to Sonic lore. Like all new additions to Sonic’s cast, fan reaction was divisive. Most found them to be lame but a few immediately clung to them. (Years later, only the disconcertingly curvy female, Zeena, seems to have made much of an impact. For obvious, pervy reasons.) I’m utterly ambivalent to the Zetis. They have boring designs that barely fit the “Sonic” style. Each one gets some gimmicky superpower, such as Zevok’s ability to control machines. Besides that, their personalities are one-note, easily deduced from their appearances. Zavok is the only one we really meet in this issue and he makes no impression on me whatsoever.

The only time Zavok is interesting at all is when Eggman forces him to grovel, following his use of that inexplicable conch shell. The proud Zeti doesn’t take this indignity well. The bad guy formally known as Robotnik is unusually sassy in this outing. Finding a new world to subjugate and exploit puts him in a very chipper mood. Even after Sonic gets on his trail, he remains grinning and chuckling. It’s fun to see the villain in such an upbeat, hammy mood.

Eggman’s glorious villainy is pretty much the only thing this comic has going for it. Sonic and his friends are reduced to their most basic versions here. Sonic is fast and quibby. Tails does machines and responses to his friend’s sarcasm. Knuckles is short-tempered and prone to punching. Amy is super girly and bonds with the animals. The world they live in blank and nondescript. This is the broadest, blandest version of Sonic’s world possible. Which, sadly, makes it pretty in line with Sega’s vision at the time and possibly even now.

The artwork is from Ryan Jampole, whose only prior “Sonic” artwork was during “Worlds Collide.” Jampole’s Eggman looks pretty great. The artist gives him a dignified air until his temper gets the best of him, at which point he twists into a crazy cartoon figure. His Zetis are fine, like right out of the Sega artwork, and his Badniks look really cute. However, his depiction of Sonic and friends are super lifeless. Their facial expressions are bland and his action scene lack any energy. So it’s a split decision in the artwork department.

And, like I said, “Lost World” lacks any zip as a holiday special. I think Archie dropped this thing when it did strictly because it lined up with the release of the video game. The comic itself is forgettable and lacking meat, much like the video game it’s based on. One or two funny Eggman moment is pretty much the only thing entertaining about it at all. By the way, if you missed this one-shot when it first came out, it was reprinted in issue 9 of “Sonic Super Special Magazine.” Its cover says it’s a “super collector’s issue!” [5/10]

Oh yeah, by the way, happy New Year. See you in 2019, true believers.