Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 54

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 54

Publication Date: October 26th, 2022

Which method do you prefer? A constant deluge of new content, always dropping down on your head all the time, or a slow drip-release of shit to talk about? This is a debate people have been having for a while and Netflix, a long time proponent of the "binge method" of release, seems to be moving towards the weekly release schedule. It really does seem a slower release, that gives people more time to think about and discuss things, keeps stuff in the public consciousness longer. I don't know if the comic industry has learned that yet though, as IDW has put out two "Sonic" comics this month. I guess last week's "Scrapnik Island" issue made me reset my brain or something because I forgot a new issue of the regular "Sonic" book came out this week until I saw it was released. Well, I guess I'll just talk about it today. 

Anyway! Let's pick up where we left off last time. Sonic and Surge are still rumbling in Central City, the hedgehog starting to feel overwhelmed. Whisper gives Sonic her last wisp but that only leads to Surge completing her collection, making her even more powerful. Tails MacGuyvers a device to slow the villain down out of random shit he found in a hardware store. When Kit arrives and sees that his waifu is still alive, he gets all sore at Tails and runs off with the incapacitated Surge in his arms. Meanwhile, Eggman is cooking up his own evil scheme. 

I guess, the older I get, the less patience I have for the action comic story structure. What was the point of the "Overpowered" story arc? Sure, it added a little more character development to the new villainous duo. Yet it seems to have mostly existed to tell us things we already know, in preparation for more important events further down the line. Surge got more powerful by swiping Whisper's little floaty alien friends, an event that will surely be undone in time. Kit spent a little time with the heroes before ending up back with his partner-in-crime, making his recent character development seem like a waste. Surge announced to the world that she's a bad-ass threat that equals, and maybe surpasses, Sonic in power... But we knew that already, didn't we? 

Honestly, these last two issues really just seemed like an excuse for Sonic and Surge to duke it out, for this comic to fulfil its requirements as an action series. Unfortunately, as I've previously stated, Evan Stanley's writing shows its greatest weaknesss during her fight scenes. This is another rumble that feels over dependent on what power-ups the characters have at this moment. Whisper loaning Sonic her last remaining wisp, just for Surge to suck that one up too, feels like a totally pointless moment. It has no effect on the story and achieves nothing but fill page space. Why not just have Surge grab all of Whisper's wisps at once? It really feels like Stanley was thinking "Oh, we haven't seen Sonic get a wisp power-up in this comic, let's do that." And that kind of fanboy driven speculation almost never leads to valuable storytelling. 

All this fight scene really does – and I genuinely don't know if this is a good thing or not – is undermine Surge's qualifications as a badass. Sonic's ankle is still fucked-up and he has to stall for time, so Tails can slap together a gizmo to save the day. This leads the battling duo into a hardware store, where Sonic just repeatedly punks Surge. He trips her by throwing nuts and screws on the floor, causing her to do an epic face plant. He slams a bucket down on her head. This is after a frankly hilarious panel of Surge shooting a laser beam from her eyes, like she's cosplaying as Cyclops or something. I'm still internally debating whether humiliating Surge like this makes her less of a threat or if it's funny and, therefore, good. 

But let's talk about Kit for a bit. The fallout of issue fifty really made it seem like Surge's soggy sidekick would be hanging around with the good guys for a while. The idea of the fidget pity fennec learning that the people he has was programmed to hate weren't so bad, and being forced to confront his devotion to Surge, would've been a compelling story arc. Instead, this issue immediately has him teaming back up with Surge. The minute he sees that onee-chan is still alive, he immediately falls back into his old programming of hanging onto everywhere word she says and being totally devoted to her. He even scornfully sneers at Tails, about why he would ever want to hangout with him when he's got a supercool big brother of his own to look up to. 

On one hand, I guess this is realistic. We can't expect Kit's entire personality to change overnight. In my experience, people usually keep doing the things they've always done. Of course Kit will continue to be a huge, pathetic simp to Surge. It's literally what he's been programmed to do. Yet it does seem like a waste of a good plot point. I think Kit being forced out of his comfort zone, and challenging the preconceived notions he has in his brain, would've been more interesting to watch then immediately getting these two back together. 

Then again, maybe these two screwups need each other. After Kit rescues Surge, there's a cute scene of the two of them hiding out in Starline's old base. (While Kit holds up a lantern with a water tentacle.) Surge is tormented by another ghostly vision of Starline that only fades once Kit gives her a great big hug. It's nice to see this character, who prides herself upon being a perpetually edgy bad-ass all the time, show a little vulnerability. She even cries a bit! She puts a hardened exterior back up as soon as possible but it just further established that, yes, Surge is a sad hurt little kid deep inside. Plus it's cute. 

Ultimately, that's when this issue really started to work for me. Once the formulaic fighting is all over, and things slow down for some interaction between these characters, that's when the issue starts to become good. For example, there's a really cute series of panels where Belle attempts to comfort Whisper. I like that. I even kind of like the joke about Cubot having a Vocaloid style action figure, as out-of-place as that particular moment is. (Feels like Stanley was getting a little "Boom" in our IDW there.) I guess at this point, it should come as no surprise that the little character beats are more compelling to me than the characters beating on each other.

Issue 54 reveals itself as one of those issues that exist mostly to pad the story out until the next big action beat. It seems the next series of issues will involve Eggman in this tussle, which is set-up here. It's frustrating that the smaller moments are so compelling when the book seems more preoccupied with deeply pedestrian fight scenes. I guess that's just the name of the game when you're reading a kids' book ostensibly targeted at seven-year-old boys. [6/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.29: Curse of the Cross Eyed Moose

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.29: Curse of the Cross Eyed Moose

Original Air Date: July 15th, 2015

Moose is a funny word. It’s like “pickle” or “goober” or “mukluk," where the combination of various phonetic sounds just tickles our funny bones in a way that's hard to describe. Wikipedia has a whole article about "inherently funny words," so we know this is a very real lingual phenomenon. The double o sound in "moose" stretches out in an odd way, followed by the curt conclusion of the "se" sound, makes a simply goofy word that is fun to say. Just roll that around in your mouth a couple of times. Moose. Mooooose. See, it's fun! It's also one of those wacky words, like fish or sheep, that singular and plural. "A moose" and "A herd of moose" are both correct phrases. 

And if any animal looked exactly like how its name sounds, it's the moose. They have these long, awkward looking snouts that narrow down to doofus-y lips. Their coats are shaggy, their legs are scrawny, their ears are cute, their bodies are lumpy. They are these big, lumbering creatures that usually docile. (Though there are many exceptions.) The velvety, "open-hand" look of their antlers are a lot less threatening than your typical horns. All of this makes it unsurprising that, since at least the time of Bullwinkle, moose have occasionally shown up as figures of frivolity in animation. The same gangly physicality is probably by there aren't too many moose "Sonic" fan characters, as far as I can tell. This did not dissuade Natalys Raut-Sieuzac from giving a moose title billing the second time she did double-duty as both a "Sonic Boom" director and writer. 

Of course, the titular cross-eyed moose – who has also briefly appeared in a few previous episodes, confusing me why this normal moose is just walking around – doesn't have much to do in this episode. He doesn't appear again outside of the first scene. Which means that rambling two paragraph introduction might have just been an excuse for me to talk about how much I like the word "moose." Anyway, Sticks is out fishing when she crosses oath with a cross-eyed moose. She believes this to be a grave omen and becomes convinced a curse now afflicts her and her friends. Sonic and the gang are not so sure, even as bad luck begins to befall them. They still go along with Sticks' plan to traverse the dangerous forest and meet a marmoset mystic, who can remove the curse. Shenanigans, as they often do, ensue. 

As I've watched my way through "Sonic Boom," I've noticed that how an episode turns out really depends on who's writing it. I don't just mean whether an episode is funny or not. I mean the style of humor it employs. The best episodes of "Sonic Boom" tend to be self-reflective about sitcom tropes, action/adventure clichés, or at least the roles its own characters play in these stories. Like half the episodes of this program are built around subverting the limits of the hero/villain relationship Sonic and Eggman have in every other branch of this franchise. Other episodes favor wackiness over sarcasm, seeking to revel in the cartoon absurdity of these characters and scenarios. And yet other installments reflect another comedic sensibility, that's more about kid-friendly silliness and goofy puns. 

"Curse of the Cross-Eyed Moose" is squarely in the last category. In fact, this one frequently feels like an extended homage to old-time-y vaudeville slapstick. There's a montage midway through, of our heroes encountering spider and log related bad luck through the woods, set to jaunty ragtime music. I half-expected the Keystone Cops to show up. A lot of comedy here is derived from Sticks reeling off paragraph about her kooky conspiracy theories, while in that (still inexplicable) goofy Brooklyn accent of her's. When the gang finally tracks down the marmoset mystic – whose name appears to be "Mr. Monkey-Face" – he speaks in a similar Borscht Belt fashion. Considering his blasé attitude about the curse lifting business, I'm reminded a lot of Miracle Max from "The Princess Bride." It definitely feels like a throwback, a bit corny, though not in a way that isn't amusing. 

In fact, this episode has got some decent gags in it. After finally finding Mr. Monkey-Face, who is none too pleased to see them, he assigns tasks to the heroes that will supposedly lift the curse... And it becomes apparent quickly that he's dictating a guacamole recipe to them. The idea of a mystical healer who is seriously fed up with the entire thing is a decent gig. So is Eggman coming to his door because he wants to "diversify" his evil career. Sticks leaving moose traps out around everyone's cabins, in an attempt to capture this cursed moose, leads to a couple of funny moments. There's also a pretty good beat in the action scene where Sticks jumps on a Bee-Bot and directs it into another Bee-Bot, a rare clever action beat in this show. 

For an episode this goofy, there's not much for even an overly analytical nerd like me to dig into. This is just a bit of slapstick silliness. However, I think there is an interesting theme of sorts here: Sticks' beliefs are, obviously, completely disconnected from logic and reason. Considering she's already a completely unhinged conspiracy theorist, having Sticks also believe in any number of bizarre and imaginary magical practices doesn't seem unreasonable. Her friends, less crazy than her, don't really believe any of this shit. They humor her, go along with it, just in case she's right. Yet Tails, the super-genius inventor of the group, constantly points out how illogical the whole ordeal is. I feel like a show with more time or depth probably could have develop a funny and deeper story out of the debate between magical thinking and straight logic.

Compared to the last episode Natalys Raut-Sieuzac wrote, this one is a lot smoother. It still feels kind of weirdly off-key and out-of-date with the rest of the show. I still get this lingering vibe that Raut-Sieuzac did not have a clear grasp on the American sense of humor. Yet, instead of just being unfocused and awkward like "Let's Play Musical Friends" was, this one comes off as kind of charmingly old fashioned. I didn't know I wanted an old vaudeville bit reenacted with "Sonic" characters but I sort of liked it. I don't know if that's a thing that needed to exist either but, if "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" could do all the random and stupid shit it did, I think "Boom" is entitled to a few episodes like this too. [6/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.28: Blue with Envy

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.28: Blue with Envy

Original Air Date: July 14th, 2015

Despite the last episode being all about how much Meh Burger sucks, the 28th episode of "Sonic Boom" begins with the gang eating lunch there and enjoying it. But never mind that minor continuity error, because here comes Swifty the Shrew! The green shrew rides a super-fast skateboard, spouts inane dialogue, and does everything with bitchin' panache. After he rescues a baby -- and humiliates Sonic in the process – Swifty becomes the village's new favorite hero. Sonic is thoroughly annoyed by this and challenges Swifty to a race, with the loser being banished from town. After Swifty wins, and Sonic is escorted to the village's limits, the truth is revealed. Swifty is a robot built by Eggman, specifically to discredit Sonic. Can our blue hero arrive in time to undo this deception? 

From the minute Swifty the Shrew shreds on screen, it's apparent what "Sonic Boom" is doing. Swifty is a pitch-perfect parody of the early 90s totally rad Mascot with Attitude. He speaks exclusively in surfer dude lingo that is peppered liberally with meaningless catchphrases. He does totally x-treme stunts with a skateboard, tips shade, and makes finger guns. We see him chug a soft drink in one scene. I don't know if it's Surge Soda but I have to assume it is. He's brightly colored, with a devil-may-care attitude and outrageous fashion, and is always posing for the camera. Everywhere Swifty goes, he is accompanied by blaring rock guitars on the soundtrack. The "Boom" producers even got Robbie Rist, the voice of Michaelangelo in the '90s "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movies, to voice Swifty. The character encapsulates everything that was considered cool, hip, and highly marketable in the pastel-filled early days of the decade of my youth.

What makes Swifty an even funnier parody is that, obviously, Sonic himself was the original '90s Mascot with 'Tude. Swifty is clearly an example of this franchise goofing on itself. Like Sonic, he's a super-fast and brightly colored small woodland creature. (Shrews are in the same taxonomical order as hedgehogs, for anyone reading this that isn't a zoologist.) You can tell writer Doug Lieblich watched some episodes of "SatAM" and "AoStH," because Swifty spits off catchphrases with a similar frequency to Jaleel White's Sonic. This is in contrast to "Boom's" version of Sonic, who is depicted as baffled by everyone's love of Swifty and even unable to formulate a pithy saying in time. I don't know if "Blue with Envy" is an example of the "Sonic" franchise cynically looking back at its past and saying "look at how stupid we used to be" or just a good-natured ribbing of how dated much of Sonic's original personality seems now. Either way, I enjoyed it. 

Swifty isn't just a clever parody of 90s trends and a self-reflective goof on the series' own history. He's a clever piece of satire too. The residents of the village are immediately won over by Swifty's act and that's all by design. The character is literally manufactured. His appearances, his one-liners, every gnarly thing he does is programmed to make him appealing to people. There's not a scene of Eggman market-testing Swifty's attributes for maximum commercial reach but it's easy to imagine such a moment. To make this point even sharper, Swifty isn't even unique. Multiple copies of him, which presumably rolled off an assembly line somewhere, exists. "Blue with Envy" mocks how we (and by "we," I mean old people like me) all fell for a processed and carefully calculated version of "cool," a characteristic that is supposed to be natural and unpredictable. 

And who profited from all us dumb, impressionable kids falling for this manufactured idea of "cool?" Evil corporations, of course. "Blue with Envy" returns to the often-overlooked idea that one of Eggman's goals in life is to build an evil theme park based on himself. When the Swifties drive Sonic out of the village, he sets about doing that. We don't learn much about what the “Boom” version of Eggmanland would look like but here's two things: People will be able to buy little dome-shaped hats of Eggman's head and the entrance to the park features a bronze statue of Eggman and Swifty holding hands. 

I'm doubtful that this is a genuinely hostile jab at Disney. The show writers probably just thought it was a silly, absurd gag, contrasting Eggman's supervillain tactics with the Happiest Place on Earth. Maybe the thought process went as deep as simply noting the similarities between Eggman's desire to take over the world and the Mouse's own plans for cultural domination. (I'm going to assume the villagers pulling down the statue of Eggman and Swifty after he's defeated recalling Iraqi citizens toppling a statue of Saddam Hussein is just me reading too much into it.) Nevertheless, it's another sharp bit of satire. The '90s concept of kid-friendly cool wasn't just designed in a board room. It was in service of making money and furthering a corporate agenda.  

I do have a slight objection to all of this though. I'm a little confused by Sonic being put-off by such public displays of radness. Even "Boom" Sonic, by far the most laid-back version of the character, is a snarky adrenaline junkie. If anything, you'd think he'd be friends with Swifty. Ultimately though, as is the rule with this show, I can overlook it if it's funny. Which it is. As has been noted before, "Boom" Sonic's greatest weakness is his ego. Someone sailing into town and immediately becoming more popular, by doing more-or-less the same schtick, attacks Sonic's ego in a big way. Seeing the hedgehog bitterly mutter under his breath at Swifty's popularity, and completely stumble every attempt to seem cooler than him, is a very funny gag. We are not use to seeing Sonic be this way and that contrast is amusing. Honestly, seeing the blue hero be this vulnerable is not just funny but another example of "Boom" humanizing him. We've all felt jealous of a rival at some point in our lives. Sonic's failure to dethrone Swifty at first also proves that he's not infallible. All this makes him a more compelling hero. 

Sonic's bitchy reaction to a copycat usurping him in popularity is not the only decent gags here. This is another really funny episode. Sonic's friends totally falling for Swifty's radness leads to some solid sight gags. Such as Swifty romantically feeding Amy a Meh Burger, which causes the pink hedgehog to swoon. Sticks catches her and then also swoons, forcing Tails to catch both of them. When the race happens, everyone in town cheers for Swifty before the camera cuts to Sonic's friends, who quietly wave flags in isolation. I also like the visual of Sonic waiting right over the village lines (a literal line, in this case), slowly testing the cops sent to watch him, until he's finally allowed to have his big hero moment. Sonic's pals eventually learn Swifty is a jerk, even before he's revealed to be an Eggman robot. That's the "Sonic Boom" moral of the day: Value your friends more than fads. But there's some laughs along the way to that. 

Naturally, I can't overlook that Swifty is yet another green rival for Sonic. This was after Jet and Scourge were created. (But before Surge obviously.) I have no idea how aware of that the writers were. It's just funny to me that people keep making green characters that are fast like Sonic but also not like Sonic. I guess that's simply the next most obvious bright color after blue. Swifty doesn't seem to be the fan favorite that those other characters are. This appears to be his only real appearance. That's a bummer, as I think he's a really funny idea that could've been exploited further in future stories. 

Anyway, this is a fun episode of "Sonic Boom." This show is really at its best when it picks a goofy premise and sticks with it all throughout the eleven minutes, trying to squeeze as much out of that concept as it can. Also, Sticks says the word "booby," like three or four times, so [7/10] right there.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 1

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 1

Publication Date: October 19th, 2022

Owing to my status as both a horror buff and a lifelong "Sonic" nerd, I've bemoaned the lack of official creepy "Sonic" content a lot in the past. I think I've probably written about the limited crossover between "Sonic" and horror more than anyone, at least outside the realm of creepypasta authors. Specifically, there aren't many "Sonic" Halloween specials. The comics and various Sonic Channel artists have nodded towards the holiday's existence a handful of times but that's about it. If you want something to satisfy both your spooky, autumnal needs and your "Sonic" fandom, your options are limited. (Again, outside the realm of crappy creepypastas. Tails Doll isn't scary, you guys.)

At least in the realm of comics, IDW has been working hard to rectify this problem. During the Zombot arc, the on-going book essentially became a horror comic for more than a year. There was also a recent issue with some distinctively creepy vibes. And now, the company is publishing a new mini-series with a spooky bent, kicking off just in time for Halloween. "Scrapnik Island" is a new four-parter and, everything we've seen of the mini up to this point, has made it look like a full-on "Sonic" horror comic. Bitchin'. Let's get into it. 

To further confirm the announcement that this is a spooky-scary Sonic story, issue one of "Scrapnik Island" even starts with "It was a dark and stormy night." Sonic and Tails are flying the Tornado to one location or another when it's caught in a bad storm. They happen to fly over the remnants of the first Death Egg before a lightning bolt takes out the plane's wing. Awakening from the crash, Sonic finds himself inside the desolate remains of the space station, with a metal brace on his foot and a sore ankle. Soon, he's pursued by old Badniks that have been hastily patched together. Frightened, the hedgehog runs for his life. But is everything as it seems? 

I am pleased-as-punch to confirm that, yes, the first issue of "Scrapnik Island" is a "Sonic" horror story. The plot here builds upon well-known horror tropes. Essentially, this is a haunted house story presented within the "Sonic" framework. Instead of a creaky old building, it's a derelict battle station from Eggman's past. Instead of moaning sheet ghosts and spectres banging chains around, it's cobbled together Badniks chasing after Sonic. The seemingly mindless way the incredibly strange, mixed-up machines pursue Sonic also brings a zombie movie to mind. In fact, the mix-and-match approach to the beings – who we learn call themselves "Scrapniks" before the end – even bring Frankenstein's monster to mind. 

The issue doesn't just use horror trappings for flavor. I think part one of "Scrapnik Island" is actually trying to make a shiver run up your spine. A surprisingly large amount of this issue is devoted to Sonic wandering around the dark, dusty Death Egg. His only illumination is a small light from Tails' tablet computer, furthering the feeling that he's out-of-his-depth here. The hero is as clueless as the audience is, creating a sense of isolation and disorientation. There's even a pretty cool series of panels where the Red Eye from "Sonic and Knuckles'" Death Egg Stage spies on Sonic and cast the area in ominous red light. Establishing a sense of shadowy atmosphere makes the appearance of the Scrapniks, and the subsequent chase scene, more intense than it otherwise would've been. You just know, if this was a cartoon and not a comic book, it would be heavy on discordant musical cords and loud banging noises coming from off-screen. Writer Daniel Barnes clearly knows the basic elements of telling a suspenseful camp fire story. 

Barnes, who previously wrote the "Weapons" story in this year's annual, seems like a smart guy. To further up the tension, he gives Sonic a fucked-up ankle with a big metal brace on it. This is a great way to put Sonic at a disadvantage, unable to run or spin-dash with his usual efficiency, so it's a shame that a regular issue of the main series did something similarly not that long ago. I'm still giving Barnes points for being so willing to write Sonic as vulnerable though. The hedgehog actually gets scared in this issue. He's caught off-guard, outnumbered, confused and a little freaked out. It's a testament to Barnes' grasp of the character that Sonic is convincingly frightened without undermining his status as a snarky superhero. One word balloon about how he's happy Knuckles isn't here to see this goes a long way. 

Even though Sonic fans clearly like to see their hedgehog hero mashed up with horror tropes – see, once again, the proliferation of creepypastas based on the franchise – there's an obvious reason why official content rarely goes in this direction. "Sonic the Hedgehog" is for the children. It's generally frowned upon to scare kids, even though they love it. After a pretty fun spook house approach through most of this, the conclusion makes it clear, once again, that "Sonic" is a kid-friendly series. Sonic runs into Tails, who explains that the Scrapniks are not violent. In fact, their leader – an E100 unit with a monocle – is friendly and soft-spoken. The storm lifts, the sun comes out, Tails smiles like a dork. Everyone is happy by the end. I definitely would've liked to have seen the horror vibes stretched out longer but I get it. 

This issue doesn't just appeal to me because it's dropping Sonic into a Halloween-worthy setting. It's also full of shout-outs to the series' golden age. The appearance of the original Death Egg is the first sign that this story was crafted with a love towards the Genesis era. The Scrapniks are assembled from classic Badniks. Just based on a cursory glance back through these pages, I spot parts of: Cocoanuts, Caterkiller, Buzz Bomber, Newtron, MotoBug, Chopper, Crabmeat, Ball Hog, Bat Brain, Grabber, Octus, Clucker, Chop Chop, Buzzer, Kama-Kama, Noro-Noro, Dragonfly, and Madmole. I think there's bits of Jaws, Turtloid, Grounder, and Toxomister in there too. I’m sure there’s some ones I missed too. I eagerly await seeing the trivia section on this issue’s Wiki page filled out. 

Obviously, the star of the show is the “Sonic & Knuckles” version of Metal Sonic. (Which this comic calls “Mecha Sonic,” in what I guess is accordance with the modern fandom consensus.) He gets an anime antihero poncho, a cool rusty red coloration, and a buzz saw for his one leg. There’s other callbacks to series lore too, like a fun bit where Sonic hides inside an old Egg Prison. Considering the sheer number of references here, I'm not surprised the reader, decided to create a new E-100 unit, in the form of Sigma. What fan could resist, ya know? 

Overall, this is a very fun first issue. Jack Lawrence's art is a bit looser than I prefer but still excellent. Nathalie Fourdraine's colors really fucking pop, making all those shadowy scenes look amazing. There's enough plot points raised here to provide meat for the rest of the mini: a mysterious sunflower in a pod, an appearance from the Egg Carrier, some tension between Sonic and this Mecha Sonic, and a before-the-end tease of what's presumably the series' real villain. I'm ready to say that Daniel Barnes knows what he's doing. (I mean, he's doing the "Adventure" pose in the photo in the back of the book, so clearly he does.) I think we could've stayed in Spooksville a little longer but I can't complain. This is a properly Halloween-y installment and a fine "Sonic" story on its own merits. [7/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.27: Chez Amy

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.27: Chez Amy

Original Air Date: July 13th, 2015

I mentioned in my introduction to "Sonic Boom" that it sure seemed like Cartoon Network wanted to bury this show. "Boom's" schedule was incredibly inconsistent throughout its lifespan. First, they aired two episodes every Saturday morning. Then they switched to just airing one episode every Saturday, followed by a rerun. Which is a weird thing to do when you're just a couple episodes into your series. The show went on an expected hiatus at the end of 2014, before returning to its Saturday morning time slot at the start of January. After sticking with this pattern up through May of 2015, "Sonic Boom" would disappear from the schedule for an entire month before reappearing in July... At noon, on weekdays. This was not even the last of "Boom's" wacky, unexplained time slot shifts. When you consider that the network also did zero promotion for the series, one can't help but conclude that Cartoon Network just inexplicably hated "Sonic Boom" and wanted it to fail. 

While CN screwed with "Boom's" time slot, fans continued to show up and the creative staff continued to make a decent program. Such as in "Chez Amy." The episode begins with Amy visiting Meh Burger and receiving a live fish on a bun, instead of her actual order. Fed up with the lousy service, she decides to start her own restaurant. Chez Amy prides itself on quality customer service. While the strategy is successful at first, Meh Burger lures dinners back with promotional gimmicks. As Amy continues to chase success, her methods begin to drive away her friends. 

Obviously, the intended moral of "Chez Amy" is to never lose sight of your ethics. Amy starts her business with a clear objective, that is altruistically motivated. She's tired of getting bad service at what is apparently the island's only restaurant, so she seeks to save other people from that frustration. Yet she soon becomes obsessed with success, vindictively hoping to top Meh Burger and remain the island's favorite dining establishment. She forgets her original goal and alienates her friends in the process. The message to kids is clear: Stick to your principles. You might not be as successful as the other guys but you'll be happier in the long run. 

Of course, I look at this and see a slightly different message. Pinko rant incoming: Capitalism corrupts everything pure it touches. Amy has a dream with good intentions. She wants to help people, really. We never see any money trade hands in this episode or even a mention of people being paid in exchange for goods and services. Yet cutthroat business tactics clearly exist on this island. Amy's desire to be number one, explicitly motivated by petty emotions, causes her to forget the pure directive that drove her initially. Wanting to master the free market ruins Amy, changes her for the worst, and eventually leads her to collaborate with Eggman, who obviously uses violent means to get what he wants. This probably was not the intended moral here but I think it's pretty evident anyway. 

Being a cartoon show, where normal behavior is exaggerated for comedic effect, "Chez Amy" also ends up sending another message of sorts: Customers are fucking stupid. Chez Amy is obviously the superior establishment to Meh Burger. The service is obviously better. The staff is much friendlier, as Dave the Intern is apathetic. The conditions are a lot cleaner. (Dave actually drops Eggman's burger on the floor at one point and just picks it back up and gives it to him.) Yet Meh Burger repeatedly draws its customers back with stupid gimmicks. There's a big announcement of a drive-through window, even though nobody on the island has a car. Later, Dave designs a gun that launches food right into people's mouths. Obviously, this is not an ideal way to eat your meals but the people love it anyway. 

Amy has to resort to similarly grimy tactics to compete, such as including toys (literal rocks) with the meals. But the people love that too. They probably would've loved whatever weird feeding tube apparatus Amy was designing to compete with the burger blaster. Honestly, people's buying habits are ridiculously fickle and driven by utterly irrational impulses. So "Boom" actually seems to be saying that the restaurant business, and by extension all business, really isn't worth getting into. 

I was just saying, not too long ago, that "Sonic Boom" still hasn't done too many episodes focused squarely on Amy. Well, she's the protagonist here, from the first scene on, and that exposes how the show is still defining her. So who is the "Boom" version of Amy Rose? She's super girly, with a penchant for interior decorating. Except when she's smashing shit with her hammer. Usually she's the straight woman to the wacky antics of the guys. Except when she gets fed up and pushed to her limit, at which point she might freak out and scream some. 

That last mood largely characterizes her here, as she feels an increasingly vengeful wrath towards Dave the Intern every time he starts to outsell. It seems like Amy is a woman of contradictions. Or maybe the show has just failed to give her an established gimmick, like everyone else has. This is another Reid Harrison script and I've pointed out before that he tends to simplify or exaggerate characters to suit whatever would be most funny at any given time, so maybe Amy is simply a victim of that here. 

And, yes, this is episode is pretty funny. In fact, it's funny in a distinctly different way from the previous episodes Reid Harrison wrote. Instead of focusing on rapid fire absurd gags, this one packs in the fast-paced dialogue. There's several unexpected bits of amusingly dialogue, such as when a customer at Chez Amy mistakes Dave's announcement for a "voice from the sky." The script is packed full of colorful monologues too. Such as Amy's increasingly unhinged rant about destroying Dave, which causes Sticks to respond with "This is nuts." Or Eggman's various villainous statements, one of which sneaks the phrase "Simpering jackanapes" into a kid's show. 

Puns are in used to, like Sonic's early attempt to name a sandwich after Amy or Soar the Eagle – seemingly settled into his job as the village news reporter now – unfurling a whole paragraph of fast food puns. There's a few running gags here, that I enjoyed. Such as Dave's breathy repetition of "I'm on breeeeak," Tails being accused of patronizing people, or Eggman blaming his tendency to fall back on supervillain tactics on his "pretty limited playbook." About the only joke here I'm not crazy about is the repeated references to Knuckles' stupidity, which are starting to get a little over the top. In this episode, we learn the echidna can't even feed himself. 

Still, I laughed plenty and that's worth something. Seeing Amy get crazed and unhinged, at least about some topic besides loving Sonic, is amusing to me. Also, this episode reveals the village everyone hangs out in officially has no name. The Sonic News Network Wiki even refers to it as "Unnamed Village" in the episode synopsis. I don't know if that's a jab at Sega's insistence that nothing in this franchise ever have a back story or just an unrefined bit of silliness. Either way, I approve. [7/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.26: Eggman Unplugged

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.26: Eggman Unplugged

Original Air Date: May 16th, 2015

Eggman is spying on Sonic and the gang, managing to only capture them pranking Knuckles. After noticing Eggman's FlyBot watching, Sonic decides to pull a fast one on his archenemy. They concoct a ruse that ends with Eggman splattered with shaving cream. This humiliating defeat, when combined with a rambling anti-technology rant from Sticks, encourages Eggman to turn his back on all technology. (Well except for Cubot and Orbot.) As the good guys are somewhat unnerved by the doctor fully embracing a low-tech lifestyle, other villains, in the form of the Lightning Bolt Society, incompetently attempt to muscle in on his territory.

"Eggman Unplugged" has a pretty funny premise for an episode. The idea of Eggman, who has devoted his entire life to building robots and other advanced tech, turning his back on modern advances is probably an amusing enough idea to support an eleven minute cartoon. Some decent gags certainly arrive out of this set-up. Such as the good doctor churning butter, doing his laundry with a washboard, or threatening Sonic with bombs made from candle wax. One imagines an episode, based on that premise, where Eggman builds Rube Goldberg contraptions to thwart Sonic until he gets frustrated and gives up. Or, perhaps, until he circles back around to robotics again, making the point that "technology" is an ambiguous term.

Yet the script, once again from Reid Harrison, takes this simplistic idea and runs with it to some surprisingly funny places. I like this kind of "A leads to B" style writing, especially in comedy. If Eggman abandoned his super-science technology, that means his base is left unoccupied. And that means someone else, such as the wannabe supervillains, can move in. Of course, those guys don't know what they are doing, causing a whole other series of problems. I like when a story starts as one thing and then mutates into another. It reminds me of classic "Simpsons" and, not coincidently, Reid Harrison has written for "The Simpsons." (In fact, "The Springfield Files" was one of my favorite episodes as a kid.) There's something to be said for a rambling structure like this – also seen in the opening scene, with the spying and the pranking that doesn't really connect with the rest of the story much – in comedy. Feels a little bit like the writer started with one idea and then got distracted by another story thread altogether. But that looseness works sometimes.

There are problems with this style of writing. "Eggman Unplugged" probably could have come a little more full-circle with its ideas. By the end, Eggman re-embraces technology simply because seeing the Lightning Bolt Society misuse it frustrates him. It feels a little like those people who start a diet and then immediately fall back off the wagon and pig out the first time they have a bad day. Similarly, it would've been nicer if the episode played with the idea that the Sonic and the gang actually need Eggman to some degree. That his semi-competent villainy fills a void that would otherwise be occupied by less skilled, and therefore more dangerous, bad guys. Once again, I think I have to blame the short running time of each episode for the script not being as fleshed out as it could be. Or maybe Harrison and the rest of the team wanted to emphasize comedy over narrative structure. Or maybe there was an approaching deadline and this was the best they could do. I don't know.

The result is definitely not as funny as the writer's last two episode. The rapid-fire jokes of "Don't Judge Me" aren't as present. This concept simply isn't as focused and strong as "Into the Wilderness." Nevertheless, there are some laughs here. This is an episode that makes a good use of the deadpan response. When Eggman attempts to buy some low-tech weapons from a simple vendor in the village, the guy's responses are amusingly dry. So is Sonic's reaction to Eggman's less-than-impressive new arsenal. I wish there was a little more inspired wackiness here – when the Lightning Bolts first turn on Eggman's stuff, they activated some disco music too – but I laughed a few times.

There's also plenty of chuckles to be had in the Lighting Bolt Society's buffoonish co-opting of Eggman's tech. They argue over a control, opening and closing a missile silo like it's a garage door or something. The walrus guy mistakes a launch pad for a TV remote, activating a missile in the process. It's also funny that these guys, through their idiocy, end up being actually a little more dangerous than Eggman by himself. A rampaging Octopus Bot, a swarm of Buzzbombers, and a crashing missile all accidentally going off at once nearly overwhelms Sonic. It's Hanlon's Razor perfectly executed. Again, maybe a slightly stronger script could've run with this more. Maybe seeing how such chaos effects Sonic might've inspired Eggman to switch up his techniques some. Yet I'm not going to quibble too much about that. Like I said, there's only so much you can do in the time you're given.

I don't know if "Sonic Boom" will ever reach a point where it can have some real pathos next to its wacky comedy. The show is going to have to work a lot harder than it is now, if it ever wants to do an episode like "Jurassic Bark" or "Mother's Day." However, I do like the subtle emotional thread "Boom" has continued to develop. That, despite everything, these characters do care about each other. After Eggman turns his back on robots and computers, Amy says she's worried about him. She's worried about the guy that has devoted himself to killing them! Yet that line does speak to the weird relationship the characters have in this show, where they are as much friends as they are enemies. Though maybe they could be a little nicer to Knuckles... There's also the scene where Eggman reactivates Cubot and Orbot, after the Lightning Bolt Society unknowingly turned them off. There's a brief second where the doctor seems happy to see his lackies again before he immediately starts treating them callously again. But I still felt it, ya know? The mad scientist does love his slaves.

Officially halfway through the first season, it's also apparent now that "Sonic Boom" has clearly established its own little supporting cast. I like that the writers didn't throw away the Lightning Bolt Society after one episode, that they realized these guys had more comedic potential that could be explore. And can obviously be explored again in future episodes. Similarly, "Sonic Boom" is now at the point where it can do callbacks to previous episodes. The Gogoba Chief shows up in one scene here. Cowbot briefly returns, just to be destroyed by a missile. There's... wait a minute, they killed Cowbot?! That's fucked up! Alright, I changed my mind. I was going to give this episode a [7/10] but they cruelly murdered Cowbot for no reason. So fuck this. Zero stars. Justice for Cowbot!

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.25: Into the Wilderness

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.25: Into the Wilderness

Original Air Date: May 9th, 2015

In the run-up to some sort of undefined holiday, Amy says she's going to gather berries from a secluded part of the forest to make wreaths. Sticks promises to teach Amy survival skills and show her the safest route for the isolated woods. This is a laughable proposition to Sonic and soon a wager is made. Sonic has to make Knuckles into a wilderness expert as well before the duos will race to the aforementioned spot in the woods. This, of course, goes off the rails very quickly and it's not long before Sonic and Knuckles' incompetence are endangering themselves. 

If you are looking to raise the stakes in your story and get the audience invested in the outcome of the plot, cooking a competition of some sorts into the narrative usually works. We can't help but be interested when two groups of people race against each other towards an easily understood goal of some sorts. It's just human nature to root for one side against another. How else can you explain sports becoming such an intrinsic part of modern society? While race episodes are common in "Sonic" cartoons, I'm kind of surprised more of the cartoons haven't done team competition episodes like this. 

Sonic can easily beat any of his friends in a speed race, as displayed early in "Into the Wilderness," so the episode has to base its competition in something else. When paired together, Amy and Sticks listen to one another's mutual fields of expertise. They learn from each other, focus on a common goal, pay attention to details, and work towards their achievements together. Sonic and Knuckles, meanwhile, race off wildly, not paying attention to anything around them, and decide they are naturally masters of their domain that need no further education or enlightenment. "Into the Wilderness" never frames itself as a "guys vs. girls" premise but that's exactly what it's doing. And I do think there is some truth to the idea that men, in general, tend to be more overconfident than women. Nothing but the most self-absorbed prick would deny that western society favors men and I think that goes to our heads sometimes. 

This makes women the underdogs in any "guys vs. girls" story, even though they are also usually the more reasonable gender in such scenarios. (I'm generalizing, of course. Please don't yell at me in the comments.) "Sonic Boom," being a very silly cartoon show, naturally exaggerates this for comedic effects. Amy and Sticks become uber-capable in the wilderness over the course of a montage. Sonic and Knuckles, meanwhile, become utterly incompetent in seconds, seeming totally incapable of taking care of themselves at all. Even when the females step in, because they're worried the boys won't survive without their help, the guys refuse to be reasonable. The macho need to be right at all times naturally leads Sonic and Knuckles to humiliation and allows Amy and Sticks to grab a much-earned win. 

This certainly contradicts things we've seen Sonic and the gang do in this cartoon before. But we excuse it, because it's funny. In comedy shows like this, the characters' competence absolutely varies depending on the needs of the plot. I'm sure some people – especially the nerds who are insistent that power levels are always consistently portrayed, as if life is a stats-based video game – will take issue with this. I don't mind it. The episode is making the point that dudes are usually doofs and women are frequently resourceful and mindful. (Something that will also upset the big boys who extol their intellectual and emotional masculine maturity over the crying womens at all times.) I don't mind Sonic and Knuckles' personalities being warped a little to facilitate that point, especially in a show that has already warped them far past their original characterizations already. 

Am I rambling off-topic? I do that sometimes. Anyway, another thing I like about this episode is that it pairs Amy and Sticks up. We are almost half-way through season one and we still haven't seen these two interact much. Once again, the script exaggerates certain character traits over others. Amy's girlish fashionista qualities take precedence over her hammering abilities, straight woman powers of observation, or occasional emotional outbursts. Meanwhile, Sticks' wacky paranoia is downplayed in favor of her status as an outdoorsy survivor type. Yet this makes for a compelling combination. It's rare to see Sticks being the reasonable one but we get just that in a very funny montage where Amy makes cute decorations out of every skill set the badger tries to teach her. Overall, Amy's self-control and Sticks' wildness contrast very nicely. I hope these two are paired up again at some point. 

If this episode sacrifices characterization for laughs, I'm willing to accept that because it's pretty damn funny. Reid Harrison doesn't pack in quite as many gags here as he did in "Don't Judge Me" but it's not for a lack of trying. A joke involving Sonic falling into a well in the first scene escalates nicely. You can see that same sort of rising wackiness in a moment where Sonic attempts to start a fire, an amusingly goofy bit of slapstick that just gets more delirious as it goes on. Objects bursting into flames is a pretty good reoccurring joke. Harrison has a lot of fun with the guys' idiocy, especially when presented with a TV show that would seemingly solve their problem or a compass pointing the way. The timing and dialogue is sharp, displayed in Amy rattling off a list of dangerous sounding locations, Tails imploring the two groups not to cheat, and the sole Eggman scene in the episode. (Which is also the last scene of the episode and cuts off at just the right moment.) Seems to me that Harrison is the "Sonic Boom" writer most adapt at squeezing in as many jokes as possible in eleven minutes and hitting that manic, "Looney Tunes" style comedic pitch the show frequently strives for but rarely reaches. 

One such gag continues to raise questions about "Sonic Boom's" environment though. Sticks captures an adorable, and distinctly non-anthromorphized, little bunny rabbit with the intention of eating it. Amy immediately shoots down but, ya see, the joke is the bunny is more dangerous then it looks. It frightens off the weird moose from "Eggheads" right afterwards. The "Sonic" franchise has struggled with Furry Confusion in the past but it's really evident in "Boom," where "normal" animals are mostly isolated to brief gags like this. I guess if I can dismiss lots of other stuff as "it's a joke," I should be able to do the same thing with why relatively normal cartoon animals exist on an island alongside upright, talking cartoon animals. Anyway, "Into the Wilderness" is a pretty funny episode! I liked it! [7/10]

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.24: Late Fees

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.24: Late Fees

Original Air Date: May 2nd, 2015

The twenty-fourth episode of “Sonic Boom” gives our speedy blue hero a task that is, by itself, not difficult. Amy asked Sonic to return a library book for her, as it’s due at the end of the day and she wants to avoid late fees. The hedgehog has seven whole minutes, which for a super-fast runner like him, shouldn’t be any problem at all… Yet Sonic encounters one inconvenience after another on his way to the library, from the elderly to the insane to the excessively guilt-trippy. Eventually, even Eggman is distracting Sonic from completing this simple task. Will the hedgehog return the book in time or will Amy get stuck owing a few bucks? 

I’ve mentioned in my past “Boom” reviews that there is very little I find funnier than larger-than-life, fantastical characters being forced to interact with the most mundane of circumstances. In college, I wrote a one-act play about the Punisher being in line at the D.M.V., to give you an example of what I mean. “Late Fees’” premise aligns very much with my sense of humor. Building a whole episode about Sonic returning a library book is honestly the kind of shit I would pitch, if I had been in the “Boom” writer’s room. Forcing a guy who can spin-dash giant robots to pieces to instead deal with the much more common place challenges of awkward chitchat and long wait times at fast food places is just funny to me. 

In fact, “Late Fees” even gives us some insight into Sonic’s personality. There’s a little bit of “The Tortoise and the Hare” here, as Sonic thinks he has so much time to complete his task that he can slip into Meh Burger for a snack. Sonic is a little too overconfident in his own speedy abilities. Yet he’s also not an asshole. In fact, he might be too much of a good guy. He feels bad about cutting in line at Meh Burger, so he goes out of his way to get Eggman his chili dog. He helps the Gogoba chief repair a flat tire on his cart. He listens to old people ramble, even though he’s not obligated to do so. “Late Fees” shows that, despite his braggadocio, Sonic is still a consummate hero. 

It’s humanizing too. I’ve never battled a robotic double of myself or saved a city from an eldritch abomination. But I have had to grin and bear it as an old person continued to talk to me. Comedy like this is absurd, and therefore funny, but it's also down-to-earth in a way a lot of episodes of this show can't be. And I can’t help but relate to the hedgehog here as well. As someone who has pretty severe ADHD, I definitely know what it’s like to suddenly remember a task I was suppose to complete and rushing against the clock to get it done in time. I think we’ve all probably been there. "Late Fees" is goofy and funny but it also makes Sonic seem more real, more fleshed out. 

It's not just the sharpness of the writing in this episode that I admire. It's funny, in general. The episode opens with a great gag, of Tails working on some gizmo, while Sonic rushes in and asks for seemingly random tools. It's a nicely deadpan moment, as the shot remains on Tails' work beach, causing the viewer to wonder what shenanigans Sonic is getting into. When we see the aforementioned shenanigans play out, it’s worth the wait. That mixture of deadpan and silly continues in a montage of Sonic’s daily activity, each scenario ending with an explosion. The episode delightfully makes us wait for the final explosions. 

I think the episode hammers some of its running jokes a little too much. The first time Sonic encounters a sluggish elderly person, overeager to discuss their love of soda, it’s funny. When it happens a third time, I was a little bored of it. Still, the comedic pacing is mostly on-point here. Look at how the script perfectly sets up Sticks’ doing wacky Sticks things just for it to later become another roadblock in Sonic’s path. 

It's also funny to watch Sonic's increased aggravation with these everyday frustrations, his heroic persona pushed to its limits by annoying people. (Which also, now that I think about it, humanizes him more.) We see that in his interaction with Eggman here, which also returns to one of my favorite character traits of the "Boom" version of the villain: He's incredibly petty. At first, I thought Sonic would incur Eggman's rage but cutting in line ahead of him at Meh Burger. It's actually even worst, and therefore funnier, than that. Sonic goes way beyond the call of duty to get his archenemy a chili dog... And Eggman complains that there's no pickle relish on it. In fact, he stays mad about it for the rest of the episode. What an amazing asshole! I almost have to admire that level of pettiness! (We also learn in this episode that Eggman was bullied in middle school, explaining a lot about his depression and ego issues.) 

Another interesting thing about "Late Fees" is that it plays out more-or-less in real time. The goal of returning the book is introduced about two minutes into the episode. Sonic repeatedly says he has seven minutes until the library closes. Add in the dénouement and that covers the entire eleven minute runtime. I guess the episode still kind of cheats. There’s that montage early in the episode, featuring flashbacks to Sonic fighting Eggman or taking a(n explosive) selfie with Amy. I guess we don’t see every step of Sonic’s journey to and from the Meh Burger warehouse. Not that we need to, as we know he’s super-fast and can make it in a few seconds. Nevertheless, I admire the show for pulling off a fun storytelling gimmick like that without being too flashy about it. 

It’s also notable how much chili dogs play into “Late Fees’” plot. I’m so used to the way “SatAM” and “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” squeezed our hero’s trademark favorite food into almost every episode, that I’ve been surprised by “Boom’s” restraint in referencing it. I think “Cowbot” had a joke about Sonic eating a sauce-covered meat tube but this is definitely the first episode to really linger on his preference for the snack. Apparently Eggman and Fastidious Beaver enjoy them as well! Along with the reappearance of the Gogoba Chief, this continues “Boom’s” slow but steady formation of its own “lore” of sorts. 

While I think “Don’t Judge Me” is still the funniest episode of “Sonic Boom” I’ve watched so far, “Late Fees” seems destined to end up as another favorite of mine. It simply hits too many of my favorite style of gag for me not to really love it. Not every joke is belly-busting but it’s all really well done. And, if nothing else, we learn that Amy is into pirate books. [8/10]