Sonic Superstars: Fang's Big Break

Sonic Superstars: Fang's Big Break

Publication Date: September 25, 2023

The hype train is a precarious beast. Because of the nature of our current pop culture landscape , where new “content” is constantly being shoveled at us, it's become almost impossible for any one release to dominate discussion for an extended period of time. A new movie, video game, song, or TV show has to really capture people's imagination or else it's going to get buried immediately. Sometimes, the best major corporations like Netflix and Disney can hope for is a 24 hour period of talk before some new hot release comes along to overshadow their latest tentpole blockbuster or multi-millionaire dollar streaming series.

Long-running and well-established franchises are not exempt from this at all. When “Sonic Superstars” was announced, it was greeted with quite a lot of excitement within the “Sonic the Hedgehog” fandom. This was basically the closest thing we're ever going to get to a “Sonic Mania 2,” right? There was a decent amount of pre-release buzz, through the various trailers and game play teases. Finally, after months of anticipation, “Sonic Superstar” came out in October and... Yep, that was it. The new game generated some discussion for about a day and then the internet was on to the next thing. I think I've seen more talk within the “Sonic” fandom about “Frontiers,” a year old game at this point, in the last few weeks than I have of “Superstars.” I haven't played the game yet. Those who have say it's cromulent enough. Yet I'm kind of shocked more people don't seem to care. Even Sega immediately pivoted to the Next Big Thing after “Superstars” release, announcing a new “Sonic” title a few weeks later.

Despite the seeming lack of enthusiasm over the new video game now that it's actually out, there was some standard attempts to get people excited. It seems Sega continues to see comic books as a valuable way to promote their products. Much like they did with “Sonic Frontiers,” they recruited Ian Flynn and Evan Stanley to create a short comic promoting “Superstars.” The comic was released for free through Sega's various social media channels, four pages coming out weekly in the three weeks leading up to “Superstar's” release. Due to the connection it has to the mainline “Sonic” comics, I feel compelled to give this a closer look.

The ten page story is entitled “Fang's Big Break” and, as that implies, essentially re-welcomes Fang back to the video game branch of the “Sonic” franchise after a long absence. (Even longer if you discount his appearance in “Mania” as an illusion.) It concerns Eggamn hiring Fang to explore Northstar Islands, a newly discovered island that surely contains some sort of MacGuffins that the mad scientist will want to get his hands on. As Fang journeys around the island, he discovers massive bird tracks in the ground. This soon leads him to an enormous Flicky bird, that Fang quickly manages to apprehend. That's when a mysterious stranger in armor makes themselves known to the bounty hunter...

Much like the “Sonic Frontiers Prologue” comic that came out last year, “Fang's Big Break” is frustrating to read as an actual narrative. This is not a self-contained story. It is simply a prequel to the “Superstars” video game. Quite a lot of interesting plot points are set-up here. What mysteries does Northstar Island hold? What is the deal with this giant Flicky? Who is Trip and what does she plan to do about Fang appearing on the island? And if you want answers to any of these questions... You're going to have to play the fucking video game. “Fang's Big Break” exists to reveal the general premise of "Superstars," introduce younger fans to Fang, and then prompt the reader to go out and buy the game. I understand that this is inevitable with a comic like this but it is disappointing. Just when the story starts to really move, it ends in the most abrupt way possible.

Despite that annoying short-cut, I did enjoy “Fang's Big Break.” That's largely because I'm a fan of Fang as a character. Ever since his introduction in “Sonic Triple Trouble” all the way back in the day, he's always been one of my favorite minor “Sonic” antagonists. Most of the baddies in the “Sonic” video games have their eyes on world domination, usually via obtaining some ultra-powerful plot device. Fang, meanwhile, is only looking out for himself. He just wants to get paid. At most, his evil plans extend to petty vengeance. This comic makes great use of that element of his character. We are privy to the guy's thoughts as he bumbles around the island, stinging with embarrassment from his past defeats and eager to re-establish himself as a creditable threat. Fang might be a bit of a dumb-ass in the Sega video games but you can tell Flynn is doing his best to push the bad guy in the more serious direction he had in the Archie comic books. In other words, Fang is a shifty fuck who greatly overestimates his own value. That's a pretty good villain protagonist to follow for ten pages.

If you're a long-time reader of this blog, you might have noticed something unusual about this review though. When Fang was first introduced to American “Sonic” fans back in the nineties, he was introduced as Nack the Weasel. That's how he was referred to throughout the Archie “Sonic” comic books that ran for twenty years after his debut. Since I've always been a loyal reader of those comics, in my brain, this guy will always be called Nack the Weasel. However, as Sega has attempted to integrate the Eastern and Western “Sonic” canons more, they've started referring to him as Fang – always his Japanese name – worldwide. This can't help but make me internally tense up a little, even if “Fang the Hunter” is probably a cooler name than “Nack the Weasel.” To most “Sonic” fans, who haven't been around for nearly as long as me, this obscure character might as well have always been known to them as “Fang.” It's like a much smaller version of the Eggman vs. Robotnik controversy that continues to generate the occasional argument within this fandom.

Being the slut for franchise lore that he is, Ian Flynn devotes several panels to cheekily acknowledging this debate over the character's name. Eggman calls Fang “Nack the Weasel” very early in this comic, prompting the crook to reveal that was one of several fake identities he assumed in order to get the authorities off his crooked, pointy tail. This is not dissimilar to the rarely acknowledged solution that Eggman is a nickname and Robotnik is his actual name. Alright, fine, I'll begrudgingly accept this. The light purple bounty hunter who rides the Marvelous Queen, wears a hat, and wields a pop-gun is called both Nack and Fang, with the latter being his currently preferred nomenclature. I reserve the right to still refer to him as Nack whenever I feel like it though. Also, still no word on if he's a jerboa, a weasel, a wolf, or some freaky genetic hybrid...

Anyway, it's easy for a long-time “Sonic” comic fan like me to pick up this promotional shorty and read it. With Flynn writing and Evan Stanley doing the illustration, it fits in very easily with IDW's current comic book. Really, there's nothing stopping you from assuming it's more-or-less canon with the comic book's Classic continuity, as rarely as the book acknowledges that. Stanley's artwork is charming and well-done, like always. You can tell she delights in drawing Eggman with big, goofy, facial expressions. A character as tricky as Nack – shit, I mean Fang, look I'm already doing it again – lends himself nicely to all sorts of grumpy, suspicious glares and grimaces. His encounter with the oversized Flicky provides some solid chuckles too. Min Ho Kim's colors are bright and crisp, further establishing the mood of this light-hearted little story.

I guess, if nothing else, “Fang's Big Break” succeeds at what it sets out to do. It makes me even more curious to play “Superstars.” If only because Trip has a really cute design and I would like to know what her deal is. (The character does nothing but spy on people and fall on her face in this comic book.) I mean, I was going to play the game eventually anyway but this might prompt me to do it a little faster. Either way, looking at it strictly as a freebie meant to promote their latest release, “Fang's Big Break” is well done. More thought and effort was put into this by Flynn and Stanley than was probably necessary. I can appreciate that. If nothing else, as a long time fan of the story's crooked protagonist – whatever you call him – I had a good time with this. [7/10]