Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 27

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 27
Publication Date: March 25, 2020

Here I am dropping back into the IDW “Sonic” comic after half a year away from it. I actually had to go back and re-read the last few issues, as I had forgotten where I left off. While my interest in this particular series has always kind of wavered, it’s easy to see why I had to step away from this book in 2020. When an actual pandemic is thrusting your country to the edge of armageddon, you don’t really feel like reading about a fictional pandemic. While there are no signs that the actual virus fucking up America is going away any time soon, my desire to be an all-knowing “Sonic” nerd apparently outweighs my apocalyptic anxieties. So here I am back in Metal Virus country.

“All or Nothing, Part Two” follows the segmented narrative structure I figured Ian was going with last time. With the Restoration broken up into various teams, the rest of this arc will be following those various team efforts. This issue is focused on Amy and Tails taking on the glutinous Zeti, Zomom, while Cream and Gemerl face down the manipulative Zeena. Zomom’s mixture of dim wits and brute strength proves difficult for Amy and Tails to strategize against, forcing them to think fast. Zeena’s ability to control machines seems to prove fatal for Cream and Gemerl but the robot’s will proves stronger. Yet the fight is far from over, as the Zombots close in and the Zeti’s cruelty remains inescapable.

I’ve never found the Zetis to be especially compelling villains and Flynn has only proven why over the last few issues. The Deadly Six are evil for no apparent reason, their simplistic personalities leaving little room for character development. So there’s no joy to be had in Zavok’s thirst for power, Zor’s nihilism, or Zeena’s sadism. They are just assholes and I hate them in a boring way. Yet Zeena’s truly senseless cruelty, displayed here in her teasing and tormenting of Cream, at least accomplishes one goal. When she finally gets thrashed, it’s pretty satisfying. One suspects that Flynn genuinely hates this character too, as Gemerl’s dispatching of her — swinging her around by the hair and tossing her to the Zombots — is vicious. 

With the Zetis heartless by design, Flynn does attempt to add some depth to the heroes on this journey. With mixed results. Because the author has become addicted to shocking finales, this issue ends with Cream getting infected. While a literal little girl turning into a zombie should be a hopeless event horizon, Gemerl’s final act of mercy — staying with her until she finally changes — is sweet and touching. It almost makes up for the ham-fisted way Gemerl wills himself out of Zeena’s control. Really, that’s some lazy “the power of love” writing right there. It feels like Ian really did forget Gemerl’s robotic nature put him at risk around the Zetis and he had to sloppily write himself out of a corner. 

While Gemerl and Cream’s conflict with Zeena at least provides something for us to chew on, the other half of the book is less interesting. Zomom is dull as can be. His hunger and stupidity are the only things to him, with nothing for the reader to latch onto. So Flynn tries to ramp up tension by having Amy and Tails breathlessly outrun the guy. Obviously, a character as dumb as Zomom will be outwitted eventually, so there’s no tension to the chase. All you’re really left wondering is why it takes Amy and Tails as long as it does to take the guy down. Tails drops a medieval style gate on him but it could have been anything. Who cares. Let’s move on from this boring plot point. 

Many times, I’ve felt uncertain if Flynn wants to write a character driven series but is forced to insert action scenes or if he really does have a childish obsession with fight scenes. I still don’t know for sure — though leaning more towards the latter — but at least this story arc incorporates action organically. The fight scenes based around Zomom don’t amount to much. The big guy spins around and smashes through shit, truly acting like a video game boss in an early level. Zeena’s scuffle with Gemerl and Cream is a little more inventive. Once Zeena entangles the robot with lasso like energy beams, he has to redirect her own blows back at her. We also see Cream spindashing around, a reminder that she was singlehandedly blowing up robots in “Sonic Advance 2” once. 

Evan Stanley and Adam Bryce Thomas trade art duties back-and-forth on this one. Thomas handles Tails and Amy’s story, while Stanley draws Gemerl and Cream’s pages. Weirdly, Stanley ends up outshining Thomas. While Thomas’ action remains dynamic and beautifully shaded, there’s just no way to draw Zomom that doesn’t make him look hideously awkward. Stanley’s gift for character work really helps those pages, since there’s more emotion in the story of Cream and Gemerl's bond being tested. She’s good at action too, of course, and there’s a nice swerving quality to the fight scenes. 

And, of course, there’s a big flashy cliffhanger, promising more rumbling next issue. Being a story essentially split in two, I guess it’s not surprising this is an uneven issue. Flynn does a decent job of balancing the two and he seems to have really straightened the ship when it comes to pacing. This issue moves and I hope the rest of “All or Nothing” does as well. It’s probably just because this ongoing saga is picking up momentum as it finally comes to an end, after months of this shit. Anyway, as a stand alone issue, I’ve got to give this one a [6/10.]