Sonic Super Digest: Issue 11

Sonic Super Digest: Issue 11
Publication Date: March 2015

It’s time to talk about another one of those wacky digest again. Perhaps to coincide with the then-running “Spark of Life” arc, Nicole would be the next Freedom Fighter to get the Sonic Comic Origins treatment. But we’ll talk about the story in a minute. Instead, let’s look at the digest’s cover. It sure looks like a generic piece of Spaziante art, the kind of thing he could’ve scribbled in a few minutes, doesn’t it? I was certain it was a piece of Spaz stock art Archie had lying around and, indeed, that’s exactly what it is. It’s a cropped image of Sonic from “Sonic Universe: Issue 76’s” cover.

I just assumed Archie was being lazy but there’s evidence to suggest this was a last minute replacement. The original solicitation said issue 11 of the Digest would have a Lamar Wells cover. You can find it online. It’s a fitting image of Sonic, Sally, and Nicole posing in front of a supernova. I can only assume Archie got cold feet at the last minute about featuring comic exclusive characters on the cover of the mass-market digest. Or, worst, about putting female characters on the cover of a book partially aimed at seven year old boys. Or maybe they just didn’t want to pay Lamar that week. So they threw a somewhat awkward Sonic image Spaz drew in his sleep on there instead. I have no actual evidence that any of this is true but, knowing what a slapdash business Archie is, it wouldn’t surprise me.

Anyway, “Sonic Comic Origins: Nicole” concludes the loose story arc that began in the previous year’s Free Comic Book Day Special. Apparently Sonic and the Freedom Fighters weren’t the only ones running through Nicole’s “Sonic Spinball” themed training simulation. Team Rose  – Amy, Big, Cream and Cheese  – are about to take on the Machine Zone boss. As the action goes down, Nicole reflects on her early years as a handheld computer. She thinks about how her friends made her more human than she originally was.

Nicole’s tale is definitely the thinnest of the thus-far published origin stories. Despite the title, “Sonic Comic Origins: Nicole” doesn’t actually get into how the holo-lynx came to be. This is presumably because the “Spark of Life” arc, the last part of which would be published two weeks after this digest, actually details the A.I.’s backstory. Instead of spoiling the ending to his own story, Flynn focuses on character development. We see Nicole watching the Freedom Fighters grow, growing along with them. Apparently, observing her furry friends helped Nicole realize her own humanity. (Furmanity?) Only being five pages long, this story can only hint at the loneliness Nicole felt at first, being unable to truly interact with anyone. It doesn’t even have the page room to show how Nicole developed the hard-light hologram technology that makes her physical form possible.

It’s fairly thin stuff but Flynn does include some substance. We learn that both of Antoine’s parents are dead in this timeline, thanks to a chilly panel were Bunnie and Antoine cry in his bed, while Nicole’s screen displays the death announcement. We see Sonic and Tails appreciate a sunset, Rotor and Tails joking around, Nicole present as a silent observer. These colder moments are contrasted with what we see on the next page, where Nicole actually interacts with her friends: Playing chess with Sally, rocking out with Sonic, cooking with Antoine, putting a blanket over a napping Rotor. It conveys a lot of emotion in just two pages.

Lamar Wells’ artwork is up to the task of conveying this emotion. Admittedly, Nicole looks a little odd in his style. He always draws her at an angle that causes her feet to taper off to a smaller point. However, his command of mood and expression is strong, helping to sell the emotional flashbacks. I also like the especially cute way he draws Sally. Wells’ version of the Princess always looks extra fluffy and cuddly. His action scenes are squeezed into small panels, which does them a disservice. (His original cover is fine too, even if Sonic, Sally, and Nicole all look a little like melting ice cream bars.)

The rest of the digest is, of course, filled with reprints. We’re long past the point when Archie could actually pull from their history of back issues, for fear of angering Ken Penders' or anyone else’s lawyers. So all the reprints are from the comic’s very recent past. The only preboot content here is “Sonic Generations” from issue 230 and the first two parts of “Treasure Team Tango.” The themeing is weak, as the only stories here to feature Nicole are 267’s “The Grand Tour” and all of “A Light in the Dark.” (Including “Consequences.”)  Otherwise, we get all four parts of “Total Eclipse,” part four of “Waves of Change,” “Knuckleduster” from issue 2 of “Sonic Boom,” “A Nice Day to Start Again” from 264, and a very random appearance from the “Sonic Dash” adaptation.

The only bonus content is a few pin-up illustrations and one coloring page, most of which are reused cover art. In other words, aside from the Origin story, there’s no reason for Archie Sonic fans to track this digest down. I would never suggest anyone resort to piracy but, if you really want to read the Nicole story and have no interest in owning a bunch of random reprints, it’s probably the best option. Anyway, the cover story gets a [7/10], mostly for being so darn cute.