Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 3

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 3

Publication Date: December 21st, 2022

Man, the release schedule for IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island" really has me conflicted. Releasing the first issue of this horror adjacent story in October was the most natural move the company could have made. I heartily approve of that. Yet the monthly release schedule means the mini won't conclude until January, really fucking with my OCD. (And the yearly retrospective I do.) The series launching in October might just be a coincidence, as the fall is when the last two IDW “Sonic” mini-series also began. I don’t know the nuances of comic book scheduling and I assume there’s a reason it’s like this. The last issue if this story coming out next month either gives you something to look forward to in the new year or mildly irks you, depending on how anal retentive you are. 

Anyway! Part three of “Scrapnik Island” begins with Sonic strapped to a table deep within the Death Egg. It seems the events in the last issue have awoken something in the rebuilt Mecha Sonic, who is now planning vengeance on his former enemies and his creator. A little Scrapnik spies on this conversation and gets the information to Tails. The fox immediately assembled a rescue team and goes into the Death Egg to save his friend. Yet Mecha Sonic is more dangerous than he appears. 

As the main cover for this one makes clear, Sonic actually doesn’t have a lot to do in this issue. He’s only on a few pages and spends all of them strapped down to an examination table in a make-shift laboratory. Instead, Tails gets all the heroic moments. He slaps a bunch of cool looking gear on and leads a team of Egg Robos into the Death Egg. They are all wielding big guns too, which they fire quite a bit as well. That makes this feel slightly like a throwback to the edgy “Shadow the Hedgehog” era of this franchise. Ya know, Tails packing heat brings certain connotations to mind.

Now, I’ve been critical of depictions of Tails as some sort of hyper-confident bad-ass before. The “Sonic” comics definitely have shown a tendency to overcompensate for Tails’ cutesy, kid sidekick demeanor in the past. Here, Tails does dress up like a commando and blast a killer robot with a giant gun. Even after being disarmed, he rolls into a spin dash and takes on Mecha Sonic directly. Yet his legit action hero credentials – he's been studying Sonic's special moves since the Genesis era, after all – are balanced nicely here with his innate vulnerability. Tails is obviously nervous while tracking Mecha Sonic, sweating in one panel. The villain catches him off-guard and leaves him panting on the floor quickly. The little fox stutters while delivering boastful battle banter to Mecha. It's a small detail that makes all the difference. Tails is capable of kicking ass but he's also still just a kid, who isn't always very confident in himself and makes mistakes.

This scenario also brings something else to mind. Tails and a gang of disposable robots head into a dark, industrial series of tunnels where they are pursued and eliminated by a red-eyed villain. Yep, "Scrapnik Island" recommits to the horror vibes prevalent in the first issue. Tails even has a beeping radar, that adds to the tension in these scenes. That seems like a deliberate homage to "Aliens" to me. In fact, I'd wager this entire issue was inspired by James Cameron's seminal sci-fi/horror sequel. I also love it when the "Sonic" comics dip outside of the reference pool you'd expect. 

As in the previous two issues of this mini-series, the spooky atmosphere is helped along by some truly spectacular artwork. Jack Lawrence's pencils are great, his characters expressive and his action animated. But Nathalie Fourdraine's colors once again really makes this one shine. The interior of the Death Egg are depicted in shades of blues, blacks, and greens. The glow from Tails' tablet adds an especially eerie feeling to these panels. Panels devoted to Mecha grabbing an Egg Robo, looming over Tails while his red eyes glows, or the fox's descent down a trash chute all emphasize a dreary, claustrophobic horror movie ambiance that elevates an already good comic. 

In my review of the previous "Scrapnik Island" issue, I said that this version of Mecha Sonic had the potential to be a very complex villain. Part three supports this while also backtracking in some slightly disappointing ways. Last time, it seemed like Mecha Sonic's villainy during this mini-series would almost be unintentional. That he would be driven to act violently simply because his brain was so scrambled, he wasn't even aware of his actions. Instead, this issue clarifies that he has a deliberate evil agenda. He steals Tails' handheld computer, having specific plans for it, and seems to have something nefarious in mind for Sonic. 

We know this because the issue gives Mecha Sonic the ability to speak. His words are a bit jumbled at times but he can still express himself clearly. He expresses a desire to get revenge on Eggman. He feels like he's been discarded by his creator, betrayed by the world, and that pisses him off. Not only is this motivation kind of similar to what Surge is going through in the main book right now, it's also a little less compelling to me than someone merely acting erratic because their mind has betrayed them. We'll see if that anxiety about being treated like trash goes anywhere interesting, I guess. 

It's possible this mini-series will nail the landing in regards to that particular plot thread. If only because "Scrapnik Island" continues to show an excellent handle on memory and visuals. A flashback, which occurs while E-117 Sigma's systems are rebooting, shows Mecha Sonic came to be on Scrapnik Island. A number of panels are without dialogue balloons, such as when Tails goes digging through a pile of junk to find the parts he needs. This series has done such a good job of showing why comics are a visual medium, how a focus on those visuals can express a feeling of melancholy or urgency all on their own.

While I have some misgivings about where this issue takes Mecha Sonic, and how that might play out, I still really liked this one. "Scrapnik Island" continues to be really strong in general. I might be partial here because I just love the horror movie vibes. But the characterization is strong, the art is fantastic, the story is moving along at a compelling pace. Gotta say, I'm really enjoying it. Also, some extremely talented "Sonic" fans made plushies of Scrapnik Mecha Sonic and Mecha Knuckles, on display in the letters section at the back of the book. And that's the kind of fanatical resourcefulness that I love about this fandom. [7/10]