Sonic Universe: Issue 60

Sonic Universe: Issue 60
Publication Date: January 2014

Is there a comic book story tactic more common than making it look like a hero has gone evil? Okay, yes, probably. But the temporary heel-face turn is pretty common in comics. Especially in Archie’s “Sonic” books. Over their long run, they made it looked like Bunnie, Sally, Monkey Khan, Knuckles, Uncle Chuck, and Sonic himself (at least twice) has switched sides. This technique is so common that the few times a morality shift has actually stuck - Fiona, Geoffrey St. John I guess - it’s been a genuine surprise. With issue 60 of “Sonic Universe,” Shadow joins that list of characters. Has “Shadow Gone Evil?!” the cover asks. What do you think?

Part two of “Shadow Fall” is subtitled “A Shadow in the Dark,” which has got to be one of Flynn’s dumbest titles. A shadow in the dark would pretty much just be more dark, don’t you think? Anyway, the big cliffhanger last time - Team Dark and the space marines paralyzed by the Dark Arms’ nerve agent - is quickly undone. Turns out they have gas masks. The team journeys deeper into the comet, looking for the perfect place to plant their bomb. Meanwhile, Eclipse the Darkling and Black Death attempt to corrupt and control Shadow’s mind,

Ian Flynn would introduce roughly a hundred new characters during the reboot. One that certainly seemed well received by certain corners of the fandom was Eclipse the Darkling. I, personally, can’t agree with this enthusiasm. Eclipse is the Black Arms’ attempt to replicate Shadow... who was already a darker, edgier version of Sonic. That makes Eclipse a counterfeit of a counterfeit. His personality is stock-parts evil invader. He longs to convert Shadow over to the Black Arms’ side, a typical “we could rule together” motivation. That entitlement also gives Eclipse a petulant brattiness, not the most endearing attribute. So the character doesn’t do much for me.

If Eclipse tried to get Shadow to switch sides with his words, perhaps by appealing to the alienation the black hedgehog feels among the G.U.N. soldiers, maybe that would’ve been interesting. Instead, he simply attempts to psychically brainwash Shadow. This makes Shadow an inactive protagonist in his own story, as he spends almost the whole issue at the bad guy’s mercy. It’s also not a very interesting plot development. Obviously, Shadow will not stay brainwashed forever. This is a temporary status, likely thrown in so the so-called ultimate life form can wail on his friends for a while. There’s no suspense to this development.

At least it does lead to some kind of cool artwork. Eclipse’s attempt to overtake Shadow’s self-control leads to a battle in the center of the mind. Jamal Peppers clearly enjoyed drawing this. He depicts events from Eclipse’s and Shadow’s video game as floating between massive red blood cells. It concludes with Shadow attempting to fly out of a giant Eclipse’s hand, before being blocked by Black Death’s mad, staring eye. The visuals are kind of trippy and fun to look at.

The space marines continue to be a big problem with this story arc. They continue to be lame, one-note characters. Here, they crack wise a few times but display no real personality. I’m actively rooting for them to get eaten. The weird, first-person-shooter antics they bring with them continue to appear grossly out-of-place in this comic book. At one point, they’re fighting giant worms with spider faces and weird butthole mouths. (Apparently, these critters are from the “Shadow” game so blame those unfortunate designs on Sonic Team.) Get this macho bullshit out of my “Sonic” comic.

At least Rouge and Omega get more to do in this issue. Not a lot, mind you, but it’s something. Rouge yells out the lead space marine for his refusal to help Shadow. Omega gets a couple of quips about his lack of lungs and his love of explosions. Hilariously, his machine guns make the goofy onomatopoeia of “budda budda” when firing. That may not be much but at least it gives the reader some grounding in this far out story.

So the “Shadow Fall” continues to suck pretty hard. Part two is slightly better than the first, if only for some neat artwork and focusing less on tedious alien fighting. This story is still primarily showing why the comic book’s decision to not bother with Sega’s increasingly convoluted lore was a good idea. [4/10]