Sonic Universe: Issue 91

Sonic Universe: Issue 91
Publication Date: October 2016

In the past, I’ve bitched about how much I disliked the changes Sega made to the Chaotix in “Sonic Heroes” without really expounding on why they bug me. Since we are coming up in the end of the comic, and the last “Sonic Universe” arc starred the Chaotix, now seems like a good time to discuss this. Like the majority of people, I didn’t own a Sega 32X and didn’t play “Knuckles’ Chaotix” until years later. In my brain, the Chaotix always included Mighty and were always Knuckles’ supporting cast. So cutting the team down to a trio, and casting Mighty into the void, felt intrinsically wrong to me.

It didn’t help that the re-characterization of the remaining Chaotix were so half-asses. Archie’s Chaotix were never that well defined. However, Sega reduced each one to childish, ridiculously simplistic archetypes. Espio was now a broad ninja stereotype. Charmy was now an annoying little child. (His comic counterpart was married by this point.) Vector was now the team’s buffoonish leader and they were acting as detectives... Goofy, cartoon version of detectives anyway. Not a lot of thought was put into these changes and that was obvious to me, even as a teenager playing “Sonic Heroes.”

The change reduced characters I was fond of to highly marketable concepts that they had next-to-no relation to previously. Worst yet, the team was frequently treated as no more than comic relief. Making the team detectives also became a lazy way for the writers to involve them in the plots of various games and cartoons. Since this iteration of the Chaotix was how most fans got introduced to them, the comic eventually had to adapt to this change. The comic still largely favored the Chaotix’s status as Knuckles’ oldest friends, usually, but started to play up the detective element more and more. (And incorporated all the personality changes over time.)  After the reboot, this became the standard mode for the Chaotix. And, yes, it still bugs me.

And now that my opening rant is done, we can get down to the business of reviewing issue 91 of “Sonic Universe.” The-Chaotix-as-Private-Detectives concept is very much a part of “The Case of the Pirate Princess: Part One — Dial C for Chaotix.” (Why pick that subtitle? Is Vector going to blackmail somebody into murdering his adulterous wife?) Lt. Echo, the previously introduced dolphin member of Meropolis’ army, steps into Vector’s office. Apparently, Meropolis’ princess, Undina, was kidnapped by pirates some time ago. Yet no one appeared to claim the ransom money. Though Echo has followed a trail of clues, she now needs help. Eager for the paycheck, Vector immediately jumps at the offer. The Chaotix are soon underwater, meeting up with Razor the Shark along the way, but Princess Undina and her pirate “captors” find them first instead.

“Dial C for Chaotix” is characterized by a largely comedic tone. While the Chaotix’ are operating in the comic relief mode I usually dislike, Ian Flynn and Aleah Baker present a series of fairly funny gags. The issue opens with Vector attempting, and failing, to do some film noir style narration. Vector is aghast at the flyer that brought Echo to their office, as Charmy drew it in crayon. Upon finding the dock worker that seemingly knows something about the pirates, Vector intimidates him... With evidence that implements the shipper in insurance fraud. He immediately cracks and spills his guts at length, a solid chuckler of a sequence. My favorite joke in the comic is its most surreal. Echo has been traveling the world in a car on-loan from Meropolis’ tourism department. Yes, I said the “world,” as the vehicle is amphibious. The car maintains its humble, Volkswagen-like appearance even while underwater, a likably absurd sight. I even like the shout-out to the ancient “pirates vs. ninjas” meme. Flynn did decent comedic work on “Sonic Boom” but I’m giving Baker credit for these jokes, as the last time Flynn wrote the Chaotix, it was pretty miserable.

The humor goes a long way towards selling an issue that’s otherwise devoted to brass-tack plot construction and exposition. When Echo enters the Chaotix’ office, she has to explain her journey thus far. This triggers a lengthy series of flashbacks, Vector increasingly annoyed by how much research the dolphin has already done. After the group rather literally bumps into Razor, the shark also delivers a long flashback. (Which further hints at Razor’s crush on Coral, which remains adorable.) While delivering all this story in such a direct manner is distracting, covering it up with some funny jokes makes it all go down a lot easier.

“The Case of the Pirate Princess” is also the first (and second-to-last) post-Shattered World Crisis story in the reboot. This allows the comic to actually build on the groundwork Flynn has been laying for the last three years. Sharp-eyed readers will recognize Princess Undina, as she’s had several background cameos in the past. Echo herself is a minor player now being upgraded to starring status. Over the course of her flashback, Honey and Rouge put in appearances. When Razor shows up in the book’s back half, it’s only natural. After taking so long to painstakingly set up all his toys, it’s good to know Flynn actually intended to use them.

And what of Echo? We didn’t get much of a peek at her personality during her previous, brief appearance. Here, she emerges as a young woman that is determined to do a good job, to be perceived as a serious professional, but struggles with her self-confidence and lack of real world experience. At the same time, she’s more resourceful than she realizes, which is apparent in how she has already done lots of investigating by the time she comes to Vector. She’s cute. I like her. Another quality Aleah Baker created female cast member.

The end may be neigh but “Sonic Universe” at least seems determined to get out of the Shattered World Crisis’ shadow as quickly as possible. (I don’t think the world recently being restored is mentioned at all in this issue.) The issue ends on an intriguing high note, the Chaotix and friends being scooped up by the pirates they are searching for. The kind of ending that makes you eager to pick up next month’s installment. This is an amusing comic book and I enjoyed reading it. [7/10]