Sonic Boom, Episode 1.10: Dude, Where’s My Eggman?

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.10: Dude, Where’s My Eggman?

Original Air Date: January 24th, 2015

Episode ten of "Sonic Boom" begins with Cubot and Orbot waking up in a situation that has befallen many hardcore alcoholics and overly enthusiastic college students: They wake up one morning with pounding headaches and no memory of what happened the night before. As they search the lair, they find no evidence of their master. They head to Sonic and Knuckles' head, wondering if maybe the heroes defeated Eggman in a fight the day before. They did but this information brings the robotic lackeys no closer to locating their boss. The two wander through town, follow a number of leads, and head off on some digressive adventures as they attempt to locate their creator. 

For the zoomers who might be reading this, "Dude, Where's My Eggman?" episode takes its title from a mostly forgotten 2000 comedy. That motion picture is about two imbecilic dude-bros attempting to locate their missing automobile after waking up with no memory of the day before. It's a terrible movie but an actually pretty funny premise, so I'm happy to say "Sonic Boom" makes better use of it. This story is a mystery, as absurd as that sounds, and it hands out clues in a compelling fashion. The robots go from lead to lead, like detectives, collecting evidence and coming to conclusions. Each clue leads them to the next step of the story, whether it be a tip from a shop owner, a confused reaction from a cop, or a hint from another criminal. I actually found myself genuinely invested in finding out what happened. That's the sign of a well-constructed mystery, even if this is an eleven minute cartoon that knowingly bends towards the ridiculous. 

It's also a testament to how surprisingly well written this one is that I was even compelled by the episode during its silly sidebar. As you'd probably expect from a story structured like this, Cubot and Orbot end up pursuing a number of dead ends. After becoming convinced that Eggman is in prison, they try a number of goofy schemes to rise bail money. The highlight of which is an attempt to sell the EggMobile, which doesn't go very well and comes back around nicely in the final scene. Cubot and Orbot are clueless dunces – they never guess that an obvious shyster, a P.T. Barnum-like wolf named T.W. Barker, would defraud them – but they are still compelling protagonists. You don't mind watching them go on this meandering adventure that, naturally, ends up being a big goofy shaggy dog story. The journey itself is the point, as the old saying goes.

Recently, I was critical of two episodes in a row involving Orbot and Cubot asking Sonic for help. I still think that's kind of a lazy solution and the robots do it again in this episode. But it kind of works for me here. If "Boom" is the sitcom version of "Sonic," and this version of Eggman is closer to Newman than Emperor Palpatine, it makes sense that his henchmen would be in friendly terms with Sonic and the gang. Moreover, this episode makes it abundantly clear that Cubot and Orbot are villains in-name-only. They are too incompetent to be dangerous and are even rather kind-hearted. They pose as a charity in order to fleece Amy out of some money. When she explains that she's raising money of her own, in order to send sweaters to baby penguins (a solid gag the episode runs with), the two robots are quickly moved to tears and gave her all their money. Their boss may be a would-be world conqueror but these guys are total softies. 

Having such goofy but ultimately sentimental machines as the lead characters creates a lot of opportunities for solid jokes here. There's a number of amusingly subtle physical comedy gags here. Such as Cubot attempting to kick over a trash can, despite his lack of feet. During a flashback, we see Eggman try and knock over a surprisingly sturdy display of canned tomatoes. A really funny bit has a crab-bot attempting to complete a party game but is far too short to do so. None of these bits are lingered on or commented upon, making them way funnier than they'd otherwise be. These quiet gags contrast nicely with some wackier bits of comedy, like a predictable conversation in a helium warehouse or the reveal of an unrelated criminal who just happens to have the same silhouette as Eggman. (And a passing resemblance to an old Archie/SatAM fave, though that was probably a coincidence.) The episode then ends on a note of mild existential dread, the robots understanding that their memories are totally unreliable, which blends well with this balance of the wacky and the subtle. 

By far the wackiest gag in the episode occurs when the bots ask Knuckles what happened to Eggman. The echidna proceeds to share a wild wish fulfillment fantasy, in which he has "Dragon Ball Z" like superpowers, is adored by women, is elected governor, and Sonic is the buffoon. I appreciate the show taking this joke – which may or may not be poking fun at the mainstream "Sonic" series' debt to "DBZ" – as far as they do. I like that it also gives us are most detailed look at Knuckles' personality thus far. He's not just a big dumdum. He has a child-like view of the world, imagining himself as a perfect superhero despite his obvious flaws, and seems maybe a little egotistical. (Also, he may or may not have a thing for Amy and Sticks.) It's hard to say if Knuckles actually believes this stuff, or simply wants to believe it, and I doubt "Boom" will ever get that deep into it. But I appreciate the effort nevertheless. Most amusingly, a later flashback to Eggman's situation implies that at least part of Knuckles' fantasy actually happened. 

Since Sonic and the gang take a backseat through most of this episode, it also gives us a deeper look at the community they call home. While it the village on Seaside Island seems idyllic, I'm starting to think it really isn't. It seems Eggman isn't the only supervillain threatening this small, seaside village. Apparently, crime is so out-of-control in this area that a large, castle-like prison had to be built. Maybe this is because the sole police officer Cubot and Orbot meet on their journey seems to be a sputtering incompetent, who repeatedly spits coffee everywhere. No wonder they have to rely on the skills of a bunch of outsiders, like Sonic and the others, to actually keep people safe! Considering what we saw in "My Fair Sticksy," I'm getting the creeping suspicion that Seaside Island is actually a terrible place to live. Whether this is just a result of interlocking gags or me reading too much into it, I guess we'll see as "Sonic Boom" evolves. 

As for "Dude, Where's My Eggman?," it's pretty funny! It mixes quiet absurdity with more exaggerated silliness, while relying less on worn-out one-liners and pithy asides. It's a surprisingly fully formed eleven minutes. Making Cubot and Orbot the protagonists ends up really working for this one, while allowing some of the main characters to shine in brief scenes. It's not as consistently hilarious as "Translate This" but it still proves to be one of the stronger episodes of "Boom" I've thus far seen. [7/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.11: Cowbot

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.11: Cowbot

Original Air Date: January 31st 2015

The eleventh episode of "Sonic Boom" begins simply enough: With Knuckles tossing Sonic through the air on the beach, in an attempt to dislodge as many coconuts from the trees as possible. This joyous activity is interrupted by Eggman appearing with his latest machine of mass destruction: Cowbot, a slow-moving droid patterned after our bovine friends. While Sonic and the others are initially unimpressed, Cowbot's fearsome cud missiles and the fact that he's full of "Mootonium, a pun-based radioactive compound" that threatens to contaminate the entire island if he's exploded, makes him a more serious threat than assumed. Tails' attempt to reprogram Cowbot instead reverses his programming, causing the mechanical cattle to seek out and destroy Eggman. Amy convinces Sonic and Tails to protect their greatest enemy, leading to an unexpected evening of bonding as the duo help Eggman rebuilds his defense capabilities. 

If you are my age, you may recall a time when cows were positioned as these inherently funny animals. They were the perfect avatar of Gary Larson's absurd humor in The Far Side. "Diablo II" included a secret joke level populated entirely with cows. Aside from the occasional anatomically incorrect Nickelodeon cartoon, the only remnant from this bovid obsessed era is the mascots for the homophobic chicken restaurant. Maybe this was more of an American obsession, where cattle farms are pretty much everywhere and you can easily stare into the mindless eyes of a common heifer just by stepping outside of your city. Or maybe the various mad cow disease outbreaks rendered pop culture unable to laugh at our dairy producing friends.

I get it though. There is something about cows that are kind of innately funny. They are big, slow, simple-minded creatures that don't seem to do much beyond eat grass and get milked. They have big silly looking udders and make a goofy noise. The average Bessie's docile nature gives them a certain deadpan quality that amuses me. A cow is never going to respond to anything with more than a blank glare and possibly a random moo. Building an entire episode of "Sonic Boom" around a large robot cow may seem like a reach but, ya know, it works. The contrast between a giant missile spraying machine and a common cow, as nonchalant and plodding as ever, is pretty funny. It helps that the script is filled with above-average puns like "cud missile" and "mootonium." 

Of course, only about half of the episode is devoted to the eponymous udder robot. The second half is largely focused on Eggman hanging out with Sonic and Tails. At first, this whole sequence is kind of weird. Eggman is being really nice to Sonic and Tails. He serves them hot cocoa and cookies, even if the hedgehog finds the recipes distasteful. They play the same cocoanut related hurling game that Sonic played with Knuckles earlier. They roast marshmallows together. It's all very un-Eggman-like behavior and this, of course, is exactly the joke. At this point, "Boom" has exaggerated the hero/villain codependency in the Sonic/Eggman relationship that it barely counts as antagonism now. These two are just weird-ass friends of some sort. Even though this buddy-buddy stage is just part of another extremely petty plan on the villain's behalf, I really am getting the impression that Eggman just wants to be friends with Sonic. 

It does not, however, appear to be a mutually exclusive feeling. In fact, Sonic comes off as far pettier in this episode than Eggman does. As soon as Amy goads him into rescuing the doctor, Sonic is acting extra pissy. He snarks at the doctor's offering of cocoa. He snarks as the doctor gets excited while watching a horror movie. His eyelids are at half-mast for nearly the entire episode, as he just grouses through the adventure. Again, I get that this is the point. Sonic is being forced to interact in a friendly way with his archenemy and he hates it. In execution though, this just makes him look like a grouchy jerk. A gassy little bitch. I think there was a better way to execute this admittedly funny idea. 

Which isn't to say this episode didn't make me laugh. In fact, there's a number of funny, small gags here. An awkward pause occurs during the first fight with Cowbot, at which point Sticks randomly mentions that she believes her breakfast is plotting to kill her. A scene where Sonic sneaks up to Eggman's door, fearful of a defense system, made me laugh way too hard. As did the reoccurring gag of the villain doing his laundry. Mad scientists: They're just like us! Of course, the presence of Cowbot leads to an inevitable gag about cow-tipping. The absurdity keeps mounting throughout this one, building to molten marshmallows being plot point in the last act. Funny stuff.

This episode also, at least in passing, confirms that the "Boom" version of the "Sonic" cast does share some similarities with their video game counterparts. While Tails is doing a fake sportscaster thing in the first scene, he mentions that Knuckles is from Angel Island. Granted, that doesn't tell us if he's still the Guardian of the Master Emerald or if the Chaos Emeralds even exist in this universe. Hell, for all we know, this version of Angel Island doesn't even float. But it's interesting to think about. This is also, far as I can tell, the first time that "Boom" Sonic has lusted in his heart for a quality chili dog. There's also a pretty funny mention about Sonic and Amy, continuing to imply there's some sort of romantic tension between those two. In a series that makes so many alterations to established lore, little nuggets like this are appreciated.

This is the second episode in a row with a story credit from Alan Denton on it. It's also the second episode in a row to be pretty good, with a nicely goofy perspective of its own. Is "Sonic Boom" finding its groove now? It's definitely too soon to decide but I liked this one a lot. Like, how am I suppose to resist the charms of Cowbot? Simply impossible. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 52

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 52

Publication Date: August 24th, 2022

IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic, it seems to me, spent so much time building up to issue 50. The book's marketing department really wanted to emphasize how much of a key issue that was. It wasn't just the actual climax of the "Imposter Syndrome" story arc, it also paid off a number of plot points from the comic's last few years. Which brings us to an important question: What's next? If the series' status quo has been permanently shaken up – or at least as shaken up as Sega will allow it to be – where does the story go from here? There's plenty of hints of what the comic's direction will be in the near future. It certainly seems, if nothing else, Eggperial City is Eggman's new base of operation. (I imagine it'll be serving a similar role to what Robotropolis/Megaopolis did in the original Archie continuity.)

Yet the truth is that we don't know what the All New, All Different direction of IDW "Sonic" will be because the series is still dealing with the aftermath of issue 50. Issue 51 directly followed up those events and issue 52's story continues that cliffhanger. Sonic and his twisted ankle, Tails, Belle, and the still unconscious Kit flee through the city. Metal Sonic is in hot pursuit. Once Kit awakens, he uses his hydrokinesis to stall Metal Sonic long enough to allow the heroes to escape. Meanwhile, Surge digs herself up from the depths of Eggperial City, ready to begin the next stage of her evil plan.

I really loved the last issue, because it was a continuously tense escape scene. Our heroes had to scramble on their feet to escape a tight situation, pushing them to their limits. And just when they were out of the proverbial frying pan, Metal Sonic almost literally plunged them into the fire. That lead us into a set-up for an even more intense scenario. Sonic has a fucked-up ankle, the heroes are still deep behind enemy lines, and a pissed-off Metal Sonic is right on their tails. The opening pages really makes it seem like that's going to be the whole issue. Sonic and the others flee into a tight alley, hoping that'll slow Metal down, but he just slams into the wall right behind him, Just twenty pages of our hopelessly outmatched heroes trying to outrun a murderous machine. The original "Terminator," but with "Sonic" characters. 

That would've been great. Unfortunately... A mere four pages in, Sonic notices a catwalk overhead overloaded with crates and junk. How convenient! Tails flies him up there and, despite his twisted ankle, he pushes it into Metal Sonic's path. Following that, the quartet take a breather next to a series of water tanks, just after Tails points out that Kit's reservoir is empty. After escaping the city, Metal Sonic remains relentless, tracking the heroes down on the outskirts of town. Instead of getting a fight between an exhausted Sonic who can only use one leg and an angry Metal, the robotic hedgehog is called away by a separate crisis. Every time it seems like this issue is about to escalate the tension, our heroes get lucky. They don't survive because of their quick thinking or ingenuity. Improbable circumstances occur that allow them to get away.

Evan Stanley wrote this one. Remember the very first Archie "Sonic" story arc she wrote, "The Silver Age?" Even though that one is widely loved by most fans, I was very critical of it. Throughout that story, Stanley showed a bad habit of relying on coincidence and contrivance to move the plot forward. Stanley has improved as a writer in the seven years since those comics. Yet this issue shows her backsliding into this tendency in a big way. Sonic and the gang having a run of good luck while running from Metal aren't the only examples. As Surge is escaping the junkyard level of Eggperial City, she just happens to surface in a storage room. Inside that room, there just happens to be a discarded weapon that harnesses energy. What a useful object for a supervillain with electricity powers to stumble upon! Writing like this is amateurish and, frankly, I thought the "Sonic" comics had grown pass it. 

Having random luck repeatedly direct the plot so much is not my only problem with issue 52. Unlikely solutions like this also kills the pacing. Instead of building on the tension of those first three pages, Stanley is constantly pausing here. Sonic and the others delay Metal long enough for Kit to wake up and switch sides. Instead of focusing on the fight between Kit and Metal, the script then cuts to Surge. Instead of getting an exciting climax, the issue abruptly ends with Metal Sonic turning around and leaving. It's a wet fart of an ending, an unsatisfying non-conclusion to an issue with pacing that, ironically, never gets up to running speed. 

But I'm not surprised. She's unquestionably gotten better over the years but narrative construction has never been Evan Stanley's strengths. Instead, she excels at character development. When she shifts her focus in that direction is the only times this issue finds its footing. Kit's allegiance shift happens over the course of a few panels. Yet it doesn't feel unnatural, as the book has long since established the fennec as a sympathetic figure. When he wakes up, of course, his first thought is about Surge. It seems the water-bending vulpine isn't just predisposed to take orders from his belligerent big sister/domme figure. He immediately snaps into line after Sonic starts bossing him around. It's about as natural as a heel-face turn as the little guy could get. He's even a little reluctant and nervous after taking Sonic's hand, which is a nice, in-character touch. 

Before her attention turns to bullying Cubot – Cubot is in this issue, by the way – and acquiring a new power-up, Surge gets a good moment too. While climbing through the junkyard, she stumbles upon Dr. Starline's glove. This not only serves an indicator that Starline is really, most sincerely dead but also gives us further insight into Surge's personality. She tosses Starline's glove onto an electrical rail, causing it to burn. If her creator is dead, she's totally free of his plan for her. She can do or become anything now. Yet Surge immediately switches back into her bitter, disaffected teenager persona. "He was weak. I can do better. I will," she gruffly says. She's still stuck in that entitled rage, unable to move pass the pain of her origins. A few pages before this moment, she was stopped just before declaring that she wouldn't be thrown away like trash. Surge still feels abandoned and betrayed by the world. She's still determined to master and destroy it as revenge, to vindicate the hurt she feels. It's nice to see that, in just a few issues, Surge has grown from a catchphrase spouting delinquent to a complex villain clearly, but subtly, motivated by her psychological trauma. 

I’m compelled by Kit and Surge’s continued growth. It remains to be seen if whatever the comic is building towards between Metal Sonic and Belle is going to get interesting. It's clear the comic is going somewhere with these two. They interact again in this issue, Bella throwing herself in of Sonic to block his metal doppelganger. She gets a metal-plated bitch-slap for her troubles, suggesting that whatever connection they have clearly isn't very deep. I'm increasingly getting the sinking feeling that this potentially intriguing plot point – what if a little bit of Belle's humanity rubbed off on cold, emotionless Metal Sonic? – isn't going to amount to much. Not anytime soon, anyway. Clearly Surge is the focus for the present, as the previews for upcoming issues make clear. Either way, I am already feeling impatient over the suggestion that this comic might push Sonic's most two-dimensional adversary in a more complex direction, instead of just going ahead and doing that. 

It's a frustrating issue. That short little moment with Surge is absolutely the high-light. Otherwise, a script that is heavy on deus ex machinas keeps this one from being satisfying or even building up a decent head of steam. Hopefully Evan – who also draws this issue and it looks completely fine – actually has a solid outline next time and plans to do more with Surge then just give her a new batch of superpowers. The comic has a lot more potential than that and I'll be grouchy if it's all squandered. [5/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.09: Guilt Tripping

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.09: Guilt Tripping

Original Air Date: January 17th, 2015

Episode 9 of "Sonic Boom" begins with Sonic and Tails racing along some tree branches on homemade hoverboards. This might seem like a set-up for an adaptation of the "Sonic Riders" games, the hedgehog's most hover board adjacent subseries. However, Sega decided early on that "Boom," owing to its many differences from established "Sonic" lore, would be its own weird little off-shoot that sparingly referenced other branches of the franchise. Outside of the core cast, only two other established "Sonic" characters would appear throughout "Boom's" run. (The Babylon Rogues have, in fact, yet to appear in any "Sonic" cartoons. "Prime" is coming out soon so all you Rogueheads can get your hopes up for that.) Whether the presence of hoverboards here was a deliberate attempt by "Boom's" staff to reference the "Riders" games or if it's just a big ol' coincidence is unknown to me. 

Instead of doing something you'd expect from the video games, "Guilt Tripping" follows the lead of every other "Sonic" cartoon by going off on a weird digression. After falling off his board, Sonic spots a group of bandits robbing primitive villagers called the Gogobas. The heroes immediately dispose of the villains and the Gogobas are thankful.. A little too thankful. Anytime Sonic and Tails attempt to leave, the Gogobas guilt them into staying longer. The good guys are soon trapped into a web of emotional manipulation that's hard to escape, even after they head back home. Luckily, a respite comes from an unexpected place...

The Gogobas previously appeared on the last episode, in a weird reality show Sonic was watching. Which feels like a gag that only would've made sense if you've seen this episode first, so maybe "Boom" aired out of order or something. I'm not surprised an in-universe reality show producer would check out the Gogobas because they are, like all reality show personalities, incredibly annoying. In a franchise with no shortage of obnoxious characters with ugly designs, these buck-toothed, bat-eared things are super irritating. This is on purpose, of course. The Gogobas' tendency to always place themselves as the victims, to put themselves in danger, and to force people to stay with them via extensive emotional blackmailing is annoying to Sonic and Tails. However, the writers maybe did too good of a job making the guilt tripping creatures a nuisance. Every time these assholes opened their mouths and spoke in that dopey, patronizing tone, I found myself wishing each one of them would meet up with the business end of an industrial meat grinder. 

Since each episode of "Boom" only runs eleven minutes, there's no explanation for why these jerks' existence revolves around guilting total strangers into spending time with them. It's just a simple gag that is universally relatable, as we all have an irritating family member or coworker that tries tactics like these. Yet reading too much into children's cartoons is what I do here. So, seriously, what the fuck is the deal with these guys? Are they a cult or something? I kept waiting for a reveal that the Gogobas were trying to get Sonic and Tails to stick around in order to sacrifice them or something. Considering their grass headdresses and primitive huts, there's certain colonel overtones here that are mildly uncomfortable. Maybe that directed my thoughts in this direction. Later, the Gogobas show up at Sonic's house, so maybe this is all an elaborate con job to exploit people's generosity... Though that doesn't explain why they have their own village and food earlier in the episode. With the limited information we are given in this episode, I can only conclude that the Gogobas are fucking weirdos that get off on emotionally manipulating people. Considering the habits of real life guilt trippers, I guess no explanation more complex than that is necessary. 

Either way, it's kind of a weird premise for a children's cartoon. I don't know if really young kids will pick up on whatever debatable humor there is in this set-up. I would hope grade schoolers haven't encountered too many folks like this in their young lives. Yet the execution is too broad to truly appeal to adults. Real life guilt trippers tend to be a little more subtle than this, in my experience. However, I think kids are smart enough to pick up on the moral of the story here. Which is: Never help anybody. I kept expecting a plot twist, that the bandits seen earlier in the episode are knowing collaborators of the Gogobas, as part of their weird ploy to lure people into their village. Since that never happens, we just have to accept that Sonic's heroism, this one time, led him to rescuing very annoying people looking to take advantage of his good nature. Which, ya know, would probably happen but it still feels like an odd story to tell here. 

Like I said, the biggest flaw here is that the Gogobas' behavior is more annoying than amusing. This is probably why "Guilt Tripping" is funniest when it goes the dryer route. Sonic eventually decides that the best way to defeat the Gogobas is to use their own tactics against them. This leads to a pretty funny scene where Sonic and the Gogoba leader attempt to out-guilt one another, while music that sounds close enough to Ennio Morricone's "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" theme to be recognizable plays. (This is not the only reference to a well known piece of film/television score here, as I'm pretty sure a bit of incidental music earlier in the episode is supposed to sound like "The A-Team" theme song.) After returning home, Sonic finds a series of annoyed messages from Eggman that he hasn't shown up to fight him yet. That continues the passive-aggressive ideas in this episode and also sets up the amusing conclusion. 

Naturally, Eggman does show up. (Though Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks never do.) This leads to the episode's required action scene. Which is, even by the standards of this program, extremely lackluster. It features Tails using his hover board to misdirect some Buzz Bombers, the robotic bees flying into each other. If that makes you doubt the intelligence of Eggman's robots, wait, it get worst. Sonic and Tails' big finishing move is to grab each other and spin around into a tornado shape. They don't go twirling around the beach, smashing the Badniks apart. Instead, each of the machines fly right at this cyclone of destruction. It really feels like the writers or the animators weren't even trying on this one. I starting to hope that "Boom" will ditch the action scenes altogether and just focus on the comedy. 

Not that the comedy is top-shelf in this episode either. The best gags made me chuckle but I just found the Gogobas too annoying to be funny. Maybe that's because I have a low tolerance for manipulation tactics like this here in my real life, keeping me from being amused by its presence in a blue hedgehog cartoon. The Sonic News Network Wiki informs me that the Gogobas will appear in future episodes of "Boom" as well, so hopefully their tactics are depicted with a little more edge too them. Otherwise, I dread the reappearance of these nuisances. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) Annual 2022

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) Annual 2022

Publication Date: August 17, 2022

Here we are again, IDW "Sonic" fans. It's Annual season once again! The tradition of a yearly one-shot full of stories took a break in 2021, to make room for the 30th anniversary special. That was delightful but the regular annal is back this year. Past annuals had no real connecting theme between their stories. (Unless you count 2020's taking place knee-deep in the Metal Virus Crisis.) This year, however, a pretty cool thematic idea links all the stories: Unlikely partnerships! Considering IDW has built-up a fairly diverse cast of characters over its five year run thus far, this is a clever way to get some fresh interactions out of cast members who don't spend much time together. We've got six stories to dig into here, so let's get started. 

"Guardians" stars Blaze the Cat and is about her being told to go on vacation after defeating the Sol Dimension's last pirate. Yet the pyrokinetic kitty is so responsible, she doesn't know how to do that. She consults Knuckles for advice. In "Weapons," the newly rebuilt Omega decides to test his abilities out by sparring with Gemerl, while arguing about their purposes. "Hero Camp" has Vanilla dropping Cream off at summer camp, which is actually a ruse run by Orbot and Cubot to get intel on the Restoration. The young heroes quickly realize something is up. "Future Growth" concerns Silver, back in the past, uncertain about his next objective. Espio helps him out. "Another Grand Adventure for Jet the Hawk" throws the Babylon Rogue and Whisper into conflict, after one of her Wisp steals his lunch. Finally, "Rough Patch" sees Rough and Tumble temporarily dissolve their duo. The two skunks unknowingly seek the same prize, with Rouge and Tangle as their replacement partners. 

"Guardians" is the longest, and most nuanced, of this year's Annual stories. With the exception of the opening page, where Blaze burns up the final pirate, it's a story totally without action. Instead, Flynn's script focuses on dialogue-driven interactions between the characters. What makes this especially sweet is how the focus is on how much everyone cares for each other. Blaze is so goal centric, she can't even imagine taking a break. Yet everyone can clearly see she does. Her friends really care about her, which is also evident in her tearful farewell to Marine or the way Cream greets her with a big hug. It's awfully nice just seeing how much these guys like each other. 

"Guardians" also gives Flynn a chance to develop the IDW version of Blaze and Knuckles a little more. Due to Sega's insistence that these two can only leave their posts as absolute last resorts, Knuckles and Blaze haven't had as much page time here as in past comics. By letting them talk here, we get insight into how they perceive their responsibilities. Both frame their lives totally around their destinies as guardians. Yet Knuckles is practically shackled to the Master Emerald, knowing what it's like to miss out in simple pleasures. He encourages Blaze, a micro-manager who can't stop imagining the worst scenarios, to relax while she can. It's a nice little beat of character building. 

If "Guardians" features almost no action, "Weapons" is essentially one long action sequence. After a little brief set-up, the rest of the story is totally devoted to Omega and Gemerl duking it out. Writer Daniel Barnes, making his "Sonic" debut ahead of the upcoming "Scrapnik Island" mini-series, has the two machines toss each other around and deploy lots of explosives. Thomas Rothlisberger's artwork is dynamic and energetic, a real sense of movement being brought to the various ways the bots wail on one another. He really makes Omega look like this towering tank of a character, which makes the slimmer Gemerl seem like even more of a David to his Goliath. 

As much as "Weapons" is a long fight scene, it also doesn't skimp on the character development. The story zeroes in on two fundamental differences between these teen robots. Omega is a war machine, single-handedly focused on his quest to destroy Eggman's empire. He sees Gemerl learning to care for Cream and Vanilla as a weakness. Gemerl, meanwhile, thinks his bond wit the bunnies has made him stronger than ever. It's a good way to contrast two conflicting attitudes about warfare, crystallizing the debate over whether human connections make you a better or more vulnerable fighter. It also allows Omega to call people "meatbags" and be a petty little shit, which is always fun. 

"Hero Camp," from new writer India Smith, is not so concerned with character development. Instead, this short story represents the Annual in a goofier mood. There's essentially one gag here: Cubot and Orbot are hoping to exploit the kids for information, which they do a very bad job of disguising. The kids – which include the Sonic Fan Club, from previous Annuals – have expected a day of summer fun and don't appreciate being worked like this. It's a simple enough set-up and one easily utilized for goofy little gags. Cubot and Orbot's sloppy attempts to cover up their robotic nature or the reveal that all the children have been tied up in one panel got a grin out of me. It's also funny that what finally pushes the kids over the line, and sees them turn against their camp masters, is the lack of s'mores. I can relate to that. 

So this is definitely a cute, soft little story. I mean, of course it is. It stars Cream the Rabbit, the cutest and softest of this comic's extensively cute, soft cast. Cream does get a tidy little character arc here, even if it's the same arc she's been going through since the comic began. That would be a desire to prove herself as a hero. That's why she's at Hero Camp, to learn to become a real Freedom Fighter Restoration-er. Of course, by this point in the series' history, Cream has already faced down Zombots and battled Zetis. I would think the preschooler's hero certification would be confirm by now. And that's exactly the point, as Cream hasn't come to understand that in the beginning. She does by the end, which is a cute enough wrap-up ti a cute little story. 

Silver is another character whose appearances in the IDW books have been limited by Sega mandates. Evan Stanley actually cooks that idea right into "Future Growth." Silver can only appear in the past when he has a post-apocalyptic future to avert, right? Except, this time, everything is just peachy-keen in the future. Instead of satisfying the telekinetic hedgehog, this makes him more nervous. He doesn't know how to function without an impending apocalypse hanging over his head. And it's freaking him out. Silver is on the edge of a full-on existential crisis here, questioning his entire purpose in life. Who is Silver the Hedgehog if he doesn't have a far-off doomsday to undo? 

You could either play this set-up for awkward comedy or full-on dramatics, Stanley commits to an unsteady balance between the two. The contrast between dorky, anxiety-ridden Silver and the typically stoic Espio does lead to some funny panels. Yet Stanley's script mostly revolves around that most age-old of solutions to Silver's uncertainty: The power of friendship! Espio assures the time traveler that, with his friends by his side, he can face down whatever is coming up the tube next. I wish it was a pay-off that got a little more time to breathe. The build-up to Silver's emotional outpouring is good but Espio resolving it with just a few well-placed word bubbles is disappointing. This one needed a few more pages. (It's also a bit similar to "Guardians," considering this is another story about a stressed-out superhero needing to learn how to relax. Espio literally has him do a breathing exercise at one point!)

Most of the buzz I've seen about this year's Annual has concerned the fifth story, "Another Grand Adventure for Jet the Hawk." And it hasn't been of the positive variety. I'm not a big enough of a nerd to give a shit about Jet the Hawk as a character but, for those that do, this story apparently amounts to a hate crime. (And has fueled more IDW hate on at least one Discord server I'm in.) I have to say, Ian Mutchler – who is making his IDW debut here, after working on the Sonic Youtube animations – does not make a good first impression here. This is essentially a one-joke comic. The central premise here is that Jet has a self-inflated ego. Whisper snatching his microwavable calzone upsets his relaxed afternoon, causing him to bitch endlessly at Whisper. Even after she attempts to rescue him from a giant Eggman robot. The joke is that the quiet, reserved Whisper couldn't be more different than the loud-mouthed, braggadocios Jet... And that's, ya know, not really much of a joke. It's barely an observation. 

As noted above and elsewhere, I've never really cared much for Jet or the rest of the Babylon Rogues. I consider them among the more generic additions to the "Sonic" franchise in recent history. (And by "recent," I mean sixteen fucking years ago because I'm an old man now.) I do think Flynn managed to give Jet a little more personality during his few appearances in the IDW books. He's been improved enough that even I'm a little blindsided by how badly Jet is written here. He's incredibly fucking annoying! He spends the entire story sniping at Whisper in the most juvenile, self-aggrandizing way possible. It's not out of a sense of smug superiority, like Jet's bragging usually is. Instead, he just comes across as a spoiled little child, mad that his Mama didn't make him tendies or something. When Whisper screams at him to shut up, the closest thing this thin story has to a punchline, it's a sentiment I can share. I hate to admit this but I think the hardcore Rogue-heads are right to be pissed off by this story. It's definitely the stinker of this year's Annual. 

Luckily, the issue bounces back with its final story. Rough and Tumble aren't much more than dumb muscle and goofy comic relief in this series but "Rough Patch" manages to get a degree of (goofy, ironic) pathos out of their relationship here. The two briefly break-up over exactly the stupid shit you'd expect two dudes like this to argue about: The quality of their rhyming introductions. Aaron Hammerstrom, on scripting duties for the first time, provides some absurd dialogue about slant-rhyming and gratuitous usage of the phrase "bro." As goofy as it all is, there is something sweet about the way these two dudetastic skunks get over their differences. In a knowingly ridiculous, O. Henry-like twist, they discover they had both targeted the same Chaos Emerald. The two realize they need each other more than they disagree, leading to an amusingly tear-strewn reunion. Honestly, I think this is the funniest I've ever found Rough and Tumble, whose schtick usually has limited appeal for me. 

This fluffy bit of silliness is made further effervescent thanks to Tangle and Rouge's unexpected team-up. Tangle's boundless enthusiasm bounces off Rouge's cool exterior nicely. The lemur's excited shouts of "Undercover buddies!" made me audibly chuckle. That line of dialogue comes back on the final page in just the perfect way. That's a pairing the comic definitely needs to return to, as there's more comedic potential there. Hammerstrom's pencils are very smooth and professional, with Rouge looking especially bad-ass in several panels. But its Hammerstrom's talent for big, expressive, teary eyes that does a lot of heavy-lifting here. Rough and Tumble are definitely characters that lend themselves to big, over-the-top expressions of emotion like that. 

The artwork is, of course, solid over all. Adam Thomas Bryce draws "Guardians." Bryce's typically excellent work includes the detailed faces and stylized action we've come to expect from him. When combined with Joana LaFuente's soft but controlled colors, it creates a very lush looking story. Abby Bulmer, who also worked on 2020's Annual, draws "Hero Camp." Her art is a bit looser and cartoonier than the pages around her. Everyone is a little rounder and more simplistic looking than usual. Yet it certainly fits for a story this goofy and light-weight. Evan Stanley also does the art for "Future Growth" and it has to be some of the best work she's done for IDW. There's a painterly quality to a lot of the panels here, rich with details and full of depth, that truly impresses me. Natalie Haines, who has only done cover art before, draws the Jet the Hawk story. Haines' sense of movement is pretty stiff, the character's definitely looking like pre-posed dolls in several panel. There's not as much detail on her pages as the others. Her facial expressions are pretty good though, so she'll get better with more practice.

Like all annuals, this year's edition is uneven. However, I would say that this is a pretty well-rounded installment. "Guardians," "Weapons," and "Rough Patch" are all quite good. "Hero Camp" is a little too light-weight to fully succeeded, while "Future Growth" is a little underdeveloped. Only the "Jet the Hawk" story is a true-blue mess. Still, I'm going to give this one a recommendation. It looks pretty good and is easy to read. If nothing else, it's nice to see some of these unexpected pairs. It's sort of funny that Sonic and Tails, ostensibly the main characters of this franchise, have almost no role in these stories. They could easily do this again next year. [7/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.08: Eggheads

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.08: Eggheads

Original Air Date: December 6th, 2014

Eggman is cooking up something evil in "Eggheads." Literally, as the first scene reveals his latest villainous scheme: Cookies. He leaves four specially engineered cookies on Sonic's doorstep but, before the hedgehog can eat them, he's called away to help Tails fight an out-of-control vacuum cleaner. In the interim, Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks eat the cookies instead and then Sonic willingly gives the last one to Tails. The sugary snacks immediately take effect. Sonic's friends all sprout mustaches and begin to act like Eggman. The doctor decides to give the newly villainous heroes a crash course in evil. Orbot alerts Sonic to what is happening before the plan can reach fruition, leading to our action-packed climax. 

In the previous episode, there was a neat little sequence where Orbot discovers Cubot's dismembered body in a darkened room. It was clearly a moment influenced by the horror genre and, as a lifelong monster movie fan, I appreciated that. "Eggheads" also begins with an even longer homage to the creepy, spooky genre. Before revealing that Eggman is baking cookies, we are greeted to an extended bit of mad sciencery. Lightning crashes repeatedly behind the fortress, as if it's Frankenstein's tower. The doctor cackles wickedly in a shadowy, foggy room while ranting about his creation. The henchmen cower amid shifting shadows. The melodramatic build-up to an oven beeping and a plate of baked goods popping out is amusing... Yet, honestly, I wish they had done a full episode devoted to riffing on classic horror imagery. I don't know if anyone else would love that but I would!

Honestly, the episode that follows that nice first scene is fairly underwhelming. I know this is a comedy show and we are not meant to think about these things that hard but... What exactly was Eggman's plan here? Originally, he had hoped Sonic would eat the cookie, presumably turning the hedgehog into an evil copy of him. Okay, so Eggman wants Sonic to be like him? I thought he wanted to defeat, if not destroy, him? Is Eggman actually lonely and wants someone of equal evil genius to assist him in conquering the world? If so, why make this companion out of his greatest enemy? And if he only wanted Sonic to eat the cookies, why did he bake four of them? Didn't he presume that his friends would come to Sonic's rescue? Or did he just assume that two Eggmen would crush all opponents? I guess it's clear that the villain – and the writers – didn't think this through. 

While I'm complaining about the script in a goofy eleven minute cartoon, I have another grievance. This is the second episode in a row where the entire last act happens because Orbot tattle-tales on Eggman to Sonic. Here, the minions get sick of being tortured by five evil geniuses and decide the hedgehog needs to intervene. If Eggman's lackey hadn't inform Sonic of what happened, the story never would've come to a head. I mean, presumably Sonic would eventually notice that his friends weren't around and figure out that his archenemy is responsible. Or the evildoers would attack. The episode should've just jumped to that point, instead of getting distracted by the subplot of Eggman training his little copies. Having two episodes in a row conclude with the hero being told by a henchman that he should resolve the plot is sloppy. I guess plot structure like this is inevitable when you stick action/adventure characters into a laidback comedy show.

I'm willing to excuse half-assed writing in a comedy show, if it's funny. Sadly, this episode is severely lacking in the jokes department. Aside from the reveal that Eggman is baking in the first scene, there's exactly one line that made me chuckle. That's when, during an argument between the mustachioed heroes, Knuckles shouts out that he's shouting. Otherwise, this episode leans a little too hard on the characters just acting the way you expect them too. Sticks is crazy and paranoid! Knuckles is dumb! Tails likes gadget! It results in some underwhelming gags, like Knuckles sitting in a cake or trying to impress Eggman. Or a random, non-anthropomorphic moose appearing. Where did that moose come from?! As always, the "funny" dialogue is "Boom's" weakest element. Eggman trying to shift blame or Cubot not knowing what "assistance" means is limp. 

I understand that reducing these characters to sitcom archetypes is the entire point of "Boom" but that strategy definitely led to a phoned-in episode here. Honestly, I think this premise would've worked better in service of a serious story. I don't mean the part about evil cookies or the heroes' brainwashing being signaled by them sprouting mustaches. (Where mustache jokes still considered funny in 2014? I feel like they definitely couldn't have been but the "Boom" writers certainly didn't get that memo.) instead, the idea of Sonic being forced to fight his friends after they temporarily turn evil would make for a strong issue of IDW or Archie. I mean, I guess Archie did stuff like that – via alternate universes or Sonic getting easy amnesia and turning bad for two issues – but it's a premise richer with dramatic potential than comedic potential.

Perhaps the opposite is true as well. The episode concludes with Sonic using Eggman's evil oven to bake cookies containing the essence of his own personalities and those of his friends. Force-feeding Amy, Tails, Knuckles, and Sticks these chocolate chip discs – via another stiffly animated action scene – is what returns them to normal. Eggman is given the Sonic flavored imbued cookie and temporary turns into a blue, fast, hyperactive, and do-good version of himself. Hey, that's a cute gag and seeing Sonic-style dialogue come out of Eggman's mouth is interesting, if nothing else. Sadly, this happens at the end of the episode and the status quo must be reinstated by the credits, so a potentially funny set-up doesn't get to stretch its legs any. 

Honestly, "Eggheads" is an episode that feels slapped together. I don't know much about "Sonic Boom's" production schedule. I've never heard any horror stories about it the way I have "Sonic Underground." (Most of the writers are on Twitter and seem to have nothing but good memories of their time on the series.) Yet one assumes that having to crank out 52 episodes, even if they were only eleven minutes long each, couldn't have been easy. All writers – to say nothing of children's television writers – are underpaid and out-of-time. I feel confident in saying that some of "Sonic Boom's" episodes must've been rush jobs and this definitely feels like one. It's an easily thought-of set-up and plays entirely off the characters' already established personas. You could write that in an afternoon and it feels that way. [5/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.07: Double Doomsday

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.07: Double Doomsday

Original Air Date: November 29th, 2014

We still don't know a lot about the island our heroes live on in "Sonic Boom" but this episode makes one thing about it clear: Workers are still exploited here. Sonic and Amy are rudely interrupted by Eggman at fast food joint Meh Burger. The cashier there, a teenage capybara named Dave, is an Eggman fan. He heaps praise on the villain, which impresses Eggman enough to hire the kid as his unpaid intern. The two get along great at first but Dave's lack of patience in learning the ways of evil soon leads to tension. Eventually, the two have activated competing doomsday device. Sonic and Tails have to rush in and stop these antics before they spiral out of control and bring about the actual doomsday. 

One of the things I love about the "Sonic" multimedia franchise is how different the same characters can be across various mediums. Is Eggman a cruelly calculating dictator? A frequently humiliated goofball with delusions of grandeur? A legit super villain with a manic sense of humor? Or is he, as "Sonic Boom" portrays, an antagonist whose evildoing is really secondary to his pettiness? This Eggman is capable of building planet-destroying devices. He likes to wreak havoc with his army of evil robots. But he would much rather harass his archenemy by cutting ahead of him at a shitty fast food restaurant and taunting him afterwards. It's a pretty funny interpretation of the villain, keeping the rampant ego of "AoStH's" Robotnik but pairing him with a much dryer type of humor. 

Eggman's pettiness is used to great effect in the second half of this episode. After Dave becomes impatient, we see the villain butt heads with an ambitious kid. The scene of Eggman demanding Dave come out of the lab obviously evokes a spat between a fussy teenager and a grouchy parent. Like I said, petty ego drives this version of the character so the idea that someone else might destroy the world is intolerable. This leads to the funniest twist in the narrative, where Eggman decides to build a dueling doomsday device to the one Dave activates. He only wants to destroy the world because he can't stand Dave doing it first, which is an amusing twist on your typical super villain motivations. 

Sticks is probably "Boom's" most significant contribution to the "Sonic" legacy. Yet Dave the Intern definitely seemed to be a real fan favorite for a while. Initially, he seems to simply be "Boom's" version of "The Simpsons'" Squeaky-Voiced Teen. He's got acne, a nasally voice, braces on his buckteeth, and works a demeaning job at a fast food joint. Yet his ambitions towards supervillainy gives him a defining gimmick all his own. He embraces interning for Eggman to get his start in mad science, happily doing menial labor for him. Even as his own schemes grow more devious, he can't entirely leave behind his humble roots. He's still acting like a fast food employee when Tails drops in to save the day. In other words: I like Dave. He's a clever, funny idea for a character that is executed well.

There's a lot of good jokes about Dave's status as an unpaid intern, which once again has me focusing on the plight of the lowly worker. Cubot and Orbot don't get paid either. Dave's appearance has them fearing for their safety, which is the right instinct. In a well executed horror movie-inspired sequence, Orbot finds his robotic brother has been dismembered. (Motor oil stands in for blood and makes this scene seem grislier than all the other times these guys have been torn apart.) Of course, even after being rebuilt and kicking Dave out, Cubot and Orbot still receive no respect and are expected to do demeaning labor for no pay. Like Coconuts before them, Cubot and Orbot are beleaguered workers caught in a system that doesn't favor them but which they can't escape. I love it when "Sonic" cartoons decide the kids can have a little Marxist theory, as a treat. 

This is an episode with a really funny premise and a strong narrative construction. What about the actual jokes? There are some good ones, for sure. The appearance of a litter box is subverted in an amusing goofy way. Even though they should be racing against time, Eggman has Sonic do menial things for him while perfecting his own doomsday device. This includes running on a rug to build-up static electricity, peddling on a stationary bike to power a tiny fan, and bickering about PB&J sandwiches. As is becoming increasingly common with "Boom," solid gags stand alongside trite dialogue. Quips about Sonic not understanding science or a doomsday device having an off switch are as leaden as can be. I'd still say the majority of the humor here is successful though. 

This episode continues what seems to be the "Boom" formula, of being 90% comedy and 10% action. The climax has the competing doomsday machines opening a vortex in the sky. Tails open to build a reversing doohickey earlier in the episode, which comes in handy here. This leads to a scene where Sonic has to run upwards into the black hole, bouncing off the debris that flies past him. It reminds me of that neat, very brief tornado sequence in "Sonic Adventure's" Windy Valley stage. it's a cool idea for a finale and in a better animated show, it would probably look bitchin'. Since "Sonic Boom" is stuck with its stiff, CGI animation, we are instead greeted to an action finale that sounds a lot niftier than it actually looks. Dems the brakes, I guess. I appreciate the idea, if nothing else. 

Oh yeah, by the way, this episode also confirms something fans have long debated: Sonic the Hedgehog shits. Tails tests out his reversal generating device on Sonic's toilet, causing the water to flow in the opposite direction and splash out of the commode. Why else would Sonic have a toilet, if he doesn't shit? Why else would he have a plunger, as the very next scene depicts, if he didn't occasionally drop massive monster turds that clog up his plumping? I am forced to conclude, at least in the "Boom" universe, that Sonic definitely poops. Anyway, I think "Translate This" is still the funniest episode of "Boom" so far but this one is a close second behind it. [7/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.06: Fortress of Squalitude

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.06: Fortress of Squalitude

Original Air Date: November 22nd, 2014

As you'd probably guess from that title, the sixth episode of "Sonic Boom" focuses in on Eggman's evil lair. While processing his mail, he receives a letter from Modern Lair Magazine, a publication apparently devoted to highlighting the best in supervillain strong-hold design. The finicky reporter from the magazine is underwhelmed by Eggman's fortress though, declaring it "retro," and gives him a week to spruce it up. Meanwhile, Amy is getting fed up with her friends. Their inclination towards rowdiness means they aren't very appreciative of her feminine interior design skills. That's when Eggman recruits Amy to be his evil decorator, which she appreciates at first. After the reporter loves what Amy does with the place, Eggman decides she's going to become his full-time employee/prisoner. That's when Sonic and the gang switch into rescuing mode. 

We’re six episode into “Sonic Boom.” In that time, we’ve had an episode to devoted to Sonic and Tails’ friendship, Eggman’s relationship with the heroes, Tails on his own, and two about Sticks. Since Knuckles’ role as the buffoon is easy to grasp, that leaves Amy as the least fleshed out of the main characters. “Fortress of Squalitude” is an episode ostensibly focused on the pink hedgehog. Sadly, it doesn’t really give us much insight into her motivations or inner life. Amy is still stuck in the role of the feminine one, with her pink clothes and propensity towards fashion. The contrast between that and her status as a hammer wielding bad-ass or hidden unhinged qualities, that other "Sonic" media has used to make her interesting, hasn't made itself apparent yet. Even her crush on Sonic has been downplayed. It's even worst when you consider that Amy is the straight woman to her friends' wackiness, sticking her in the mildly sexist role of Team Mom. I'm sure Amy will evolve has "Boom" goes on but it feels like the show may have to work harder than usual to make her interesting. 

Despite being a mediocre attempt at an Amy episode, "Fortress of Squalitude" is still pretty funny. That's largely because it understands something principal about character dynamics. In real life, our friends are people we have things in common with but also have attributes that are different. It's familiar but challenging and that's what you want from your buddies. Here, "Boom" plays with the ways its cast members contrast, but also align, with each other. Amy and the heroes don't seem to have much in common. This is made clear in an early scene, where her attempt to throw a nice party is wrecked by her friends' eccentric behavior but they all still care about each other. Likewise, Amy and Eggman don't seem to have much in common – he's increasingly uncertain about the womanly touch she brings to his lair – but they have their similarities too. Like the way they argue over how exactly to place a throw pillow on a couch. 

Amy may still feel underdeveloped but this episode does beef up another corner of the show's supporting cast. In all the years they've been a part of the games and comics, I've never given Cubot or Orbot much thought. Initially, I thought they were annoying but I've softened on them in the years since. They are simply Eggman's sometimes wacky but usually faithful, and much abused, servants without much room for further complexity. Yet, within "Boom's" sitcom version of the "Sonic" universe, a new angle has emerged. There were some jokes in the earlier episodes about how much Eggman doesn't care about his robotic sidekicks, which struck me as a little mean-spirited. Here, that joke has been elevated to Cubot and Orbot also not being too fond of their master. They are constantly tortured by Eggman, who treats them as disposable and frequently sees them torn apart. Cubot is literally used as a vacuum cleaner at one point. They're forced to shine every one of his identical boots. At one point, Orbot asks if a "48 work week" is in the cards, aligning these suffering machines with the common working average joe. They hate their boss and are in constant torment but what else can they do? They are stuck in a system that demands they work. Therefore, I now relate to and like these guys and hope to see more of them.

Anyway, the jokes are solid in this episode. This is an installment of “Sonic Boom” with a good sense of the absurd. When Eggman first appears, Sticks shatters two clam shells from the dinner table and threatens to “clam” the villain. There are repeated references to Eggman having a rollercoaster in his base. The actual ride is kept off-screen but we see the results, which is funnier anyway. Amy’s fashion sense includes lots of plaid, willowy drapes, and girly artwork. Eggman’s back-and-forth between being uncertain of and embracing this aesthetic produces a few good laughs. As does the specificity with which the magazine’s reporter criticizes his initial set-up. Mike Pollock, who had already been voicing Eggman for years by this point, really has a way with delivering his dialogue. 

Still, I feel like there's definitely at least one joke missing here. The idea of a magazine devoted to showing off supervillain lairs is pretty funny. That feels like something out of "The Venture Bros." That show would've developed that premise a lot more, leaning into the natural absurdity in world-threatening bad guys devoting so much time and energy into how their bases of operations look. This show doesn't have the time or inclinations to get that deep into it. However, it has the perfect set-up for a closing gag that simply isn't delivered on. Gunther, the accented and snooty reporter for the magazine, asks Eggman to add some "danger" to Amy's decorating if he wants the cover shoot. After Sonic and the others rescue Amy, her patterns remain up but are singed and torn. I was fully expecting Gunther to say he loves it and give Eggman the photo shoot. Instead, the photographer walks away in disgust and Gunther is simply stunned into silence. I guess rewarding the villain like that wouldn't work with this show's kid-friendly moral compass but it definitely feels like a missed opportunity.

If there's any element of "Sonic Boom" that it seems I'll be continuously critical of, it's the action scenes. After rushing in to save Amy, Sonic and the others smash some Badniks before getting out of there. I guess there's nothing necessarily wrong with this scene. It serves its purpose. Yet it feels so utterly lifeless. Not since "Sonic Labyrinth" has the blue hedgehog's spindashes seem so slow and plodding as they do here. Once again, I'm blaming this on the CGI animation, which is still on the stiff side more often than not. The best action moment comes when Knuckles slams some MotoBugs together and even that feels weirdly choreographed. It's definitely for the best that "Boom" is more focused on comedy than action theatrics, because it's becoming increasingly clear that the show simply doesn't have the budget to engineer inventive or fun fight scenes.

Still, despite some notable flaws, I mostly enjoyed this one. This is maybe, by far, the "Sonic Boom" episode I feel most settled in with. Ya know what I mean? it's not hilariously funny nor painfully dull. It exist in a pleasant little middle ground, making me laugh enough times to justify the eleven minutes it took me to watch it. The show's sense of humor is endearing enough to me that I'm willing to watch the rest of it. Which is probably good, because obviously I'm committed to watching and writing about the rest of it anyway. And since I still have over ninety episodes left to go, I imagine Amy will get an episode that's actually about her sooner rather than later. [6/10]