Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 64

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 64

Publication Date: September 13th, 2023

IDW's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series does, for the time being anyway, seem committed to the structure of a cover story and a back-up story in each issue. That worked out nicely for the book last month, so let's see how issue 64 did... The cover story, “Misadventures, Part 2,” begins with Silver and Whisper spying on “Duo,” looking to see if their suspicion that the new recruit is actually Mimic will be fulfilled. Lanolin quickly sees the two sneaking around and blows their cover. Silver and Whisper decide to go on the offensive then, chasing after Duo. All they manage to do is sprain the cat's ankle, turn everyone against their mission, and get Silver kicked out of the Diamond Cutters. Afterwards, in “Two of a Kind,” Blaze and Sonic are returning to Restoration HQ when they notice Silver sulking out by the victory garden. The pyrokinetic cat and the telekinetic hedgehog have a heart-to-heart, realizing they have a lot in common. 

In my review of issue 63, I commented that Mimic/Duo didn't strike me as a very talented or patient assassin. Maybe this was fitting, as issue 64 reveals that Whisper and Silver are not very talented or patient spies. Instead of carefully watching Duo for days on end and gathering evidence, they immediately get their cover blown. Alright, Silver sucks at sneaking. Sure. Yet instead of staying committed to a stealthy approach, the two go from zero to sixty in the opposite direction. Silver chases Duo down and threatens him, in hopes that this will force Mimic to reveal himself. That does not seem like the most sensible decision. 

I suppose you could say that Silver isn't in a sensible mood, after almost getting killed last time... But why doesn't Whisper – the epitome of a calm, watchful combatant – ever tell him to cool it? Instead, she ends up fighting Lanolin while Silver takes chase. Alright, I guess Mimic is a sore subject for Whisper as well, prompting her to act rashly. To me, however, it really seems like both characters are blundering into this mission, totally convinced of what they must do, instead of acting reasonably and making absolutely sure Duo is Mimic before striking. Whisper even says they have to be certain before going right along with Silver's crazy plan. 

If you have to resort to the explanation of “The characters are acting like jack-asses because they are upset,” you should definitely emphasize that this is what's happening more keenly. Otherwise, it just makes our heroes seem like impulsive dimwits. However, it's not like Silver and Whisper are the only ones acting like damn fools here. Once again, I must ask the question: Why does Lanolin trust Duo so much? She doesn't know this guy! Does the Restoration even do background checks on their new recruits? The fact that Lanolin is willing to go fisticuffs to defend this guy, against a friend and team members of her's that she's fought alongside, makes this entire sequence of events rub me the wrong way. Everyone is acting like a moron in this issue. 

This story reflects on everyone poorly, honestly. We, the reader, know for a fact that “Duo” is Mimic. Lanolin going to bat for this guy makes her seem like an idiot. The final sequence has Jewel apologizing to Duo as he recovers from, I don't know, a sprained ankle or whatever. I guess she's fooled too, even offering him a job in her office. This doesn't make Mimic look like a cunning strategist or master manipulator. It makes him look lucky, to stumble his way into a better position like that. To be surrounded by people who so totally uncritically buy his deception. The longer this particular arc goes on, the more I think it would've been a lot better if it hadn't been revealed that Mimic is Duo before things got rolling. 

But, you know, characters acting ridiculously head-strong and not thinking things through, falling into contrived events just to facilitate an action sequence... That is a proud tradition in comic books. “Misadventures, Part 2” seemingly even sets up such a big fight. Whisper and Lanolin are going to duke it out, right? Well, they do... For about four panels. Whisper grabs Lanolin's wrist, she gets tossed tot he ground, there's some kicking and punching. That's it. Come on, Evan, if you're going to stretch this dumb-ass plot out for multiple issues, at least have the good sense to give us a pulpy fight scene between two established characters! 

Of course, the back-up story makes it clear why this rather weird, off-center cover story plays out the way it does. By the end of “Two of a Kind,” Silver and Blaze have run off together. Silver leaves behind the Restoration and decides to go on a seemingly unrelated adventure with Blaze. That's kind of annoying, if only because the previous few issues have been trying to make a point about how Silver belongs in the Restoration. Seems to kind of defeat the purpose, doesn't it? Why do all that development about Silver trying to fit in with the Diamond Cutters just to break them up? 

Then again, Silver and Blaze being paired up is not without precedent. Not within this comic book, where they haven't interacted much outside of the “Victory Garden” story a few annuals back. (Which this issue references extensively.) In the fandom, however, Silver and Blaze are an incredibly popular ship. With the exception of insanely common ships like Sonic and Amy or Rouge with anyone, I think “Silaze” is probably the match-up I see the most frequently in artwork and fanfics. I think this is probably just because “Sonic '06” paired them up or they are both from alternate timelines or whatever. Yet they do have a cute chemistry here. Silver is shy and awkward. Blaze is also awkward, though for totally different reasons. Both characters are looking for their purpose in the world, or the present anyway. 

Even Sonic agrees that they are a cute couple, more-or-less telling them that's exactly what they are. Which is about as explicit a ship-tease as I think we're likely to see in this comic book. Ultimately, “Two of a Kind” isn't much of a story. Almost the entire thing is devoted to Blaze and Silver's little conversation. I support small scale, character-driven stories like this. I think I like the back-up story last month, if only because Sonic and Blaze have a better rapport. Yet I must, philosophically, support this story exist. Even if the seams of the plot here – pairing these two up for an adventure for some reason – is showing very obviously. 

Last time, I worried that the plot involving Duo/Mimic would get dumb really quickly. Those fears are already starting to show themselves. Admittedly, I do continue to like dividing the issue between a cover story and a back-up. Especially if the back-up stories continue to be more character driven than the more action oriented cover stories. By the way, this is another issue that barely has Sonic in it, which is turning into an interesting trend. [6/10]