Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 69

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 69

Original Publication Date: May 29th, 2024

Before taking four months off to give "Fang the Hunter" time to shine, IDW "Sonic" was clearly in a transitional period. Some characters had been written out of the book. Others had reappeared. A bigger narrative was brewing but things hadn't really escalated yet. #68 genuinely felt like the first real filler issue that IDW has ever put out over its "Sonic" run. But, hey, we're back now! And what's the big event storyline that's going to get fans excited for the ongoing series again? 

It's, uh, a homage to the "Sonic Rider" series. I know, for some fans, the hoverboard racing spin-off games are a beloved part of the franchise. Elements like the Extreme Gear boards and the Babylon Rogues have basically become fixtures of the series. But I've never actually played any of the "Riders" games. I basically checked out of "Sonic" games after "Heroes" and didn't start to creep back until "Generations." (And, if I'm being totally honest, I didn't really come back until "Mania.") Honestly, it's always been kind of confused and annoyed me that Sega has kept making "Sonic" that focus on vehicles, instead of Sonic's actual speed. Seems counterintuitive to me! Once again, I just have to admit that the "Riders" sub-series is another one of those "Sonic" things a lot of fans cherish that, simply, aren't for me. 

Honestly, considering the intrinsic role speed plays in the series – and how easy it is to build long story arcs around a competition format – I'm surprised IDW "Sonic" hasn't done a "Riders" inspired arc before! And so, this issue kicks off with the Restoration and Clean Sweep Inc – otherwise known as Clutch's shady as fuck company – teaming up on a big public race. Sonic, Tails and Amy shit talk with the Babylon Rogues before their hoverboards all malfunction, leading to the central trio being disqualified from the race. They quickly suspect some funny business is afoot. They're right, as Duo has recruited Surge and Kit to intentionally sabotage their boards. The heroic trio find an unlikely alley in the form of... Eggman?! Say it ain't so. 

If I'm being cynical, I don't think the gameplay is the main reason the "Sonic Riders" series has remained a fan favorite over the years. Most reviews suggest the games are fine, not bad but not spectacular. Instead, I honestly suspect a big reason fans keep going back to that setting is the cute racing outfits the established cast wear in them. Until the rise of mobile games that constantly sell players new skins, there weren't that many official alternate looks for Sonic and friends. There's no doubt that some fans really do love to dress up their favorite characters like little dolls, especially on a fandom like this obsessed with surface-level aesthetics. "Riders'" racing gear allowed for the first real such opportunity in the games. And, yeah, Rouge's sports bra and Amy's bell bottoms are pretty slick designs. I can see why the style stuck with people. 

Unsurprisingly, it's been a common trend in fan art to design "Riders" outfits for characters that never appeared in the games and OCs. Issue 69 feels like an attempt by Evan Stanley to canonize this practice. The very first page features a set of panels displaying all the story's principle players in their racing suits and accompanying modes of transportation. Lanolin gets a yellow and green jumpsuit. Whisper has an adorable, high-collared parka. Surge wears a super cute puffy jacket and some bitchin' sunglasses, while riding what looks like a green version of Kaneda's bike. Considering a few of the IDW cast members are playable in the aforementioned mobile game designed primarily to sell players new skins, it wouldn't surprise me if some of these threads are incorporated there some down the line. Perhaps Stanley's Corporate Overlords even demand these outfits be put into the comic.

All of that aside... What do I think of the actual writing in this issue? It's okay. Kind of says a lot about how memorable this issue that the main conversation it's prompted in the fandom is whether Lanolin is too bitchy. She's essentially operating as the race's referee, stepping in to report technical infractions. This matches the strict, rule-obsessed personality the lamb has developed recently. Some people seem to think this makes Lanolin an obnoxious fuddy-duddy, existing to tell the other characters to stop having fun, going a long ways towards making the sheep unpopular. I think Lanolin is still a new enough character that the book hasn't quite figured out a role for her yet. Hopefully she finds a purpose beyond being the official team buzzkill in the future. An anal retentive field leader has more potential than that.  

Maybe fans are picking up on this interaction because... There's not a lot of actual racing here. Sonic and the gang zip around on their boards some but there's a shocking lack of tension in these moments. Instead, these panels seem to mostly be focused on the hedgehog trash talking with Jet. I've said before that I find Jet to be the most boring of Sonic's speedy rivals. Unlike Shadow or Scourge, who have compelling back stories and motivations of their own, Jet really is strictly defined by just wanting to be faster than Sonic. IDW has frequently characterized him as a spoiled brat with an annoyingly fragile ego. Beyond that, the trash talk here just isn't good. "Hope you all enjoy headlines on papers!" What a weird way to say you'll be reading about us tomorrow. Amy's snippy comeback to Storm is actually better than any of Jet and Sonic's banter. 

The truth is, I found this scene so lacking in tension that I actually considered something that has never crossed my mind before. If Sonic and Jet are racing around each other at high speeds... How can they even hear each other? The roar of the engines and the wind racing around them would probably make it really hard to have a conversation. It's not quite as egregious as folks having conversations while free falling from an airplane. Yet, if you tried to talk to someone while racing them in a motorcycle, it would probably result in a lot of "Huh? What? Wha'd'ya say?" Now, I'm wondering how Sonic can talk to anyone while running around at high speeds. Does he have super-fast hearing too? This is absolutely nitpicking and, if this scene was good, I probably wouldn't have had this thought at all. Yet here we are. 

Truthfully, if issue 69 feels a little tedious, it's not hard to figure out why. This comic isn't really about the race. It's actually one of those issues that exist largely to set up the plot for the rest of the arc. And so you have Clutch floating around the race, trying to ingratiate himself with Jewel as part of his on-going attempt to undermine them. Though the scene where he uncomfortably puts his hand on her shoulder and she immediately, awkwardly leaves afterwards makes him seem more like a touchy sleaze ball than a criminal mastermind. I doubt that was Stanley's intention but it does end up raising the tension in the scene. I'm still not sure how everyone can obviously tell Clutch is plotting something shady. Motherfucker carries a pimp stick and wears a fedora. He might as well have "I'M A BAD GUY" written on his forehead. Yet the plot dictates that he be taken seriously as a businessmen for now...

That's just one of several plot points introduced here. Duo, Surge, and Kit – other examples of obviously villainous characters being allowed to run around the Restoration, unobserved – are part of this wicked plan. It all comes to a head in the final scene, where Eggman plops himself down next to Sonic in what appears to be the Mobian version of a Denny's. The two form a truce of some sort in order to facilitate a daring break-in into the floating raceway, in order to see if the Extreme Gear had been tampered with. Plots with a lot of moving parts like this are not Stanley's strong suit. It was part of why the "Urban Warfare" arc collapsed into incompetent action sequences by the end. I'm already not entirely following what Tails and Eggman's scheme is here. 

However, the set-up at least has potential. First off, it sounds like we might be moving towards a heist plot. Those are always fun! Secondly, Sonic and Eggman being forced to work together is usually a compelling premise. There's always a decent degree of tension to be mined from lifelong enemies being forced into a situation where they have to team up. I prefer this to happen when they must unite against a greater threat. Instead, Eggman offers Sonic some assistance because a Clean Sweeps commercial mocked him and he took that personally. Still, there's some interesting directions this could go in, other than just more tedious racing and trash talking. We shall see.

The credits page of the issue doesn't actually list anyone under pencils, just crediting Min Ho Kim with "Inks." But it would appear that the linework is his. Maybe Kim just does everything in ink? Whatever the format, it is naturally a very smooth looking issue. The action feels fairly inert, such as in a very posed panel where a wall explodes before Sonic and Jet. Yet the characters still look cool as fuck. You can tell Kim had a good time drawing the various alt outfits on display here. Meanwhile, comedic details – like the libelous commercial or Cubot hugging a pillow with his waifu on it – are well done. By the way, fellow ASO Discord member Jonathan Dobbs did some colors work on this issue. Always beat when a "Sonic" fan artist upgrades to official artists, especially when it's someone you got to see coming up. Don't forget us when you're huge, J-Dobbs!

Ultimately, I feel compelled to give this issue a negative rating. Which may not be fair. Installments that this, that function primarily as the set-up heavy first acts of longer stories, really aren't meant to stand on their own. I guess this is one of the big weakness for Writing for the Trade, individual issues rarely being allowed to stand on their own as satisfying works of art. I'm really feeling a [5/10] on this one but, if what happens next makes this issue better in retrospect, I might bump it up a score. Until then, the rating stands. Look at that, I got through this whole review without cracking a single "Nice" joke... 

A Sketch from Tracy Yardley!

We interrupt whatever passes for a regularly scheduled update for something a little different. This previous weekend, the girlfriend and I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to attend Momocon. I've been to a number of local cons up north but none of them compare in size to an event like Momocon. First off, you had to ride down about six escalators just to get to the proper convention floor. Secondly, once you finally arrive, you are greeted with a car show. That included – and this is going to matter to exactly nobody reading this – a screen-used Herkimer Battle Jitney from the 1999 motion picture "Mystery Men!" It's the finest non-lethal military vehicle ever made! Considering the Ben Stiller starring superhero parody flop is a minor cult classic at best, I can't imagine anyone else in attendance was excited by this. But I was. Because I think "Mystery Men" is one of the funniest movies ever made. You can ask the GF. I actually shouted "Is that the Herkimer Battle Jitney?!" when I first saw it. 

So, anyway, why am I bringing this up? Because it made me happy. But mostly because one of the reasons I traveled to Momocon is because it had a few "Sonic the Hedgehog" related guests. Jason Griffith was probably the main attraction for the hedgehog-inclined crowd. I know Griffith is the iconic voice of Sonic for many fans, having been tenured as the English voice actor for the hero from 2003 to 2010. I was basically checked out of the games during that period and have barely watched the dub of "Sonic X," so I can't say Griffith has much personal significance to me. Says a lot that the game I've played the most featuring him as Sonic is "Super Smash Bros." Besides, we were only there for Saturday and the lines were long.

No, I basically only had one goal at Momocon. I wanted to meet Tracy Yardley – should I spell that with an exclamation point? – and get him to draw a sketch for me. The dealers' area was massive and filled with people selling all sorts of stuff. Some of which, like home-made fudge or tea bags, were barely connected to the anime/animation/gaming focus of the convention. Not too much specifically "Sonic" related stuff for sale, though I did spy one booth selling Eggman and Werehog body pillows. Did the girlfriend have to talk me out of buying one? I'll never tell. 

After much walking around and navigating of crowds, I finally found the aisle where professional artists and comic people were shilling their wears. Seated under a little sign featuring the blue hedgehog was Mr. Yardley. After a few people ahead of us asked their questions and left, I approached the table. I said my piece, about how I had been a lifelong reader of "Sonic" comics and how I felt Yardley and Ian Flynn's arrival on the Archie book really revived a faltering series. Finally, I sheepishly admitted I run a small "Sonic" blog called Hedgehogs Can't Swim. And that I would like a sketch of Sonic drowning to, ya know, fit the theme. Yardley was happy to oblige and drew it up in about ten minutes. I stood by awkwardly and watched, not sure what else to do but really impressed that he whipped up something so professional looking in such a short amount of time. He even asked if I wanted modern or classic Sonic. What a pro!

Here it is. Pretty cool, right? Probably the closest I'll ever come to having my little endeavor in this fandom acknowledged professionally. I assured Mr. Yardley that this wouldn't be even in the top ten weirdest things he'd draw that weekend and he agreed. I can only imagine the dumb-ass shit people have asked him to sketch at conventions...

In an attempt to squeeze a few more words out of this post, I'll say this as well: There were quite a few Sonic related cosplayers at the convention. Most of them, it seemed, were femme versions of Sonic, Tails, and Shadow. I'm sure there are interesting psychological reasons for why that is. Probably because most any lady looks cute wearing little hedgehog or fox ears. I'm too shy to ask cosplayers for pictures usually and the Saturday crowds were massive enough that trying to single out someone was  awkward. I did convince a very nice Rouge cosplayer to pose with my partner, who was dressed as Lilith from "Darkstalkers," since they were both bat-themed. For that reason and that reason alone, I assure you.

We were only there for a few hours, mostly to meet friends and people watch, so I can't pretend I got the full breath of the Momocon experience. Still, it was pretty cool to visit a con far larger than what I'm used to. If nothing else, I will probably treasure the sketch from Yardley for years to come. Think I can convince the missus to let me frame it and hang it up in our bedroom? It'll go great next to my Eggman body pillow...

Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter: Issue 4

Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter: Issue 4

Original Publication Date: May 1st, 2024

Audiences, as we know, are impatient. In our world of streaming and social media, everyone demands instant gratification from everything. Corporations have totally rewired their release strategies to feed this ever-constant demand for new dopamine hits among the phone-addicted populace. TV shows seasons are dropped all at once. The release of any big movie is proceeded by a constant drip-feed of new clips and trailers. Updates on upcoming video games appear regularly, lest players forget they exist. That's just the world we live in now. Yet the comic book industry, being typically behind the times, mostly sticks to the same old monthly schedule as always. This truth in hand, I'm intrigued to see how IDW deciding to put the "Sonic the Hedgehog" on-going on hold for four months to make room for a miniseries starring a bunch of C-lister baddies worked out for them. "Sonic" fans are psychotically loyal, so I have no doubt that the hardcore readers have stuck around. Yet what of the casuals? Did they feel the need to pick up all four issues of "Fang?" Or will they forget about the "Sonic" comics during this brief hiatus in the storyline? I know I've already forgotten but I'm old and my memory ain't what it used to be, ya whippersnappers. 

In fact, what was I supposed to be reviewing? "Finnegans Wake?" Oh no, it says issue 4 of "Fang the Hunter" here. Easy to mix those two up... Anywho, we begin with Fang's gang surrounded by the Hard-Boiled Heavies. The trio of flesh-bags make a run for it, Warp Topaz in hand. The robots pursue, the team splitting up and confronting each of the Heavies on their own. The tide really turns when Fang's Marvelous Queen is called in and the weasel/jerboa/"Hunter" incorporates the Warp Topaz into his hovercraft. Things play out chaotically, with Sonic and Tails arriving on the phantom warship eventually too. 

When introduced in "Sonic Mania," the Hard Boiled Heavies got a lot of hype. Which is funny, as they operated in game as not much more than level bosses. It's not like any of the individual bosses in "Sonic & Knuckles" have ever gotten much attention. I suppose the Heavies have a little more personality than a generic rock guy or a floating red eye. The egg-shaped mini-boss squad have remained fairly well-liked in the fandom, as far as Eggman's henchmen go. Maybe that speaks more to recency bias and how Sega promotes their games today versus how they did in the nineties. Still, here in 2024, I think your average "Sonic" player would deem the Heavies more memorable than Hei-Ho or whatever. 

You can see that aspect in the prominent role they're given here. Each of the Heavies get a little action scene to showcase their special abilities and personalities. Heavy Shinobi swings his freezing katana and throws some Asteron shurikens. Heavy Magician creates an illusion of Fang, in the issue's best surprise. Heavy Gunner fires missiles, Heavy Rider swings his mace. These scenes go a long way towards establishing more quirks for each of these guys. Heavy Rider speaks in grandiose Ye Olde English, to match his knight persona. Shinobi performs a haiku in the middle of battle. Gunner is trigger happy. Magician is crafty. It's nice that these guys are more than just generic goons, that they have individual thoughts and feelings.

Whether you think the Heavies are neat or interesting here, I guess, depends on how much a villain's competence level matters to you. Despite being introduced as formidable foes, the Hooligans take them all out fairly quickly. One assumes that's because they are the stars of this book. Yet these scenes have an unexpected side effect: Guys, are Fang and Bean... Cool? When Fang grabs Shinobi's sword and quickly turns the robot's freezing power against him, I thought to myself "Damn, that was slick." As any long time "Sonic" fan artist can tell you, nothing makes a character instantly look like a bad-ass like handing them a katana. Likewise, Bean producing a massive bomb, exploding Heavy Magician, and walking out wearing her snazzy top hat... Kind of makes the wacky duck look like he actually knows what he's doing. Meanwhile, Bark goes toe-to-toe with Heavy King for far longer than expected, making him at least a fraction as powerful as Sonic according to the power scaler loonies. This is supported by a rad panel of him superhero posing. 

In my review of this mini-series' first issue, I said Fang's status as a constantly foiled chump made him a lovable loser. The successive issues have increasingly shown the trio as actually not bad at their jobs. Was part of the purpose of this mini-series to rehabilitate Fang's image among fans, to make his transformation into a creditable threat in "Superstars" plausible? Or is this just a natural aspect of shining a spotlight on them? Obviously, Fang had to level-up if he's going to be the protagonist of his own series. Whatever the cause, Flynn and his team get major points for actually pulling this off. By the end of this series, my perception of Fang has gone from thinking of him as a springy simpleton to acknowledging that he's an occasionally skilled warrior. If nothing else, this series has gone a long way to bringing IDW's Fang closer to his pre-reboot Archie Comics "Nack the Weasel" characterization. (Though I doubt he'll be murdering anybody again anytime soon.)

None of the above invalidates Fang and the Hooligans as comical figures. This is still an issue full of wackiness. Bean remains a snark-ass who sarcastically rebounds many of the things Fang says. Bark scolds his tush on one of Heavy Gunner's rockets and Bean's tail feathers casually burn at one point. Once Fang installs the Warp Topaz into his hovercraft, we get multiple panels of the trio being rendered dizzy and nauseous by the teleporting process. The most obvious humorous element remains Fang's fixation on the Marvelous Queen. He hugs the bike, praising it like it's his girlfriend and giving it the Topaz like he's feeding a beloved dog. I'm on record as thinking that the people who baby-talk their vehicles are a little weird. Ian Flynn at least thinks that the same habit is funny. Does Fang fuck his bike? We can only speculate... And envision the horrifying fan art I'm projecting into your mind's eye by writing these words...

Aside from turning these three into something like action heroes, this mini-series also had the running arc of Bean and Bark threatening to walk out on Fang. I expected this to lead to an ending about the bounty hunter learning to appreciate his team a little more. How the real Eighth Chaos Emerald would be the Friends We Made Along the Way. To this prediction, Ian Flynn responds "lol no." Fang is lackadaisical about reaching Bark after powering up his hover-bike. Bean talks him into saving the mute polar bear, though the weasel is still pretty nonplussed about it. Upon defeating the Heavies and escaping the aircraft, Bean gets pissed at Fang not caring that the eighth emerald turned out to be a fairy tale. The duck and the bear storm off in their cute little rocket-powered side cars, feeling unappreciated and ready to seek out greener pastures. Fang has learned nothing from this experience. If anything, having a magic teleporting rock has now made him more of a conceited asshole than he was before. 

One could read this as a subversive flipping of the expected ending moral. He might have been the protagonist of these four comics but, at the end of the day, Fang is still basically a mercenary. He'll work for whoever will foot his bill, few questions asked. The jerboa is ballsy but that doesn't mean he has any moral scruples. He doesn't actually care about Bean or Bark. As he said over and over again: They are just mooks to him, disposable and interchangeable. I doubt Fang can care about anyone besides himself. (And his bike, an inanimate extension of his own pride.) That this fundamentally selfish, greedy person ends the story unchanged – just as if not more rotten than he was before – is pretty funny. And good on Bark and Bean for having the strength to leave an abusive relationship. You go, duck friend.

But I think there's another explanation for this ending that isn't based so much on Flynn intentionally upending our expectations. IDW "Sonic" is still operating under the somewhat hopeless delusion that it can be canon to the video games. The comics can do a lot of things but they can never directly contradict the video games. And, in "Sonic Superstars," Fang is ridin' solo. These three being a trio is still technically a factoid relegated to the B-Tier canon of the comics, that Sega's actual game developers are free to ignore. From the beginning, I assumed this mini-series was an extended ad for "Superstars." It ends by directly prompting the reader to pick up that game, promising the story continues there, proving my suspicion correct. Flynn handled it in a funny, interesting way but I imagine that "Fang must break up with Bark and Bean by the end, in order to lead into our recent game" was a direct order from his corporate overlords. 

Another obligation, one assumes, is that Sonic had to appear in this comic book too. The subplot of Sonic and Tails investigating the vanishing warship has been farcical from the beginning. That continues here, the duo showing up and not actually doing anything but taking credit for saving the day anyway. As it was last time, Sonic is depicted as a whiny teen eager for action and movement. I actually like Sonic being depicted this way, as a hyperactive kid. If his need for speed isn't being fed, he gets a little bitchy and melodramatic. If we are to assume that Fang starring in this comic redirects its perspective to his values, this makes sense too. Fang is more competent, even cool, in his story. Sonic, as Fang's rival, is depicted less heroically than usual. I'm sure the prickliest of fans, who demand Sonic's personality constantly matches a set of pre-determined attributes, will object to this. But I like it. It made me chuckle. 

Indeed, this whole mini-series made me chuckle. Thomas Rothlisberger's art remained excellent throughout. His big, expressive, cartoony faces sell the comedy while the action is kinetic and coherent. The panel of Heavy King slamming Bark to the floor is especially bitchin'. I doubt Fang the Hunter could support an on-going series. However, as a four-issue long goof, I had a lot of fun with this. IDW's detours into the Classic side of this franchise remain some of their most fleet-footed and joyously composed work. The rename is still some Captain Marvel/Shazam! shit as far as I'm concerned though. You'll always be Nack the Weasel to me, buddy! [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter: Issue 3

Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter: Issue 3

Publication Date: April 3rd, 2024

As I sit down to catch up with IDW's "Fang the Hunter" mini -series, I noticed that the Hard Boiled Heavies were featured prominently on the various covers for the third and fourth issues. This gave me a thought about the structure of this series that I hadn't thought of before. Would each issue of this comic pay homage to a specific Classic Sonic game? The first issue featured some scenes in the classic Green Hill setting. The second was heavy on Mushroom Hill and Sandopolis, from "Sonic & Knuckles." Since that issue ended by establishing the island from "Knuckles' Chaotix," I figured the third installment would revolve around that. While the fourth would drop us back into "Sonic-Mania" territory. Flynn loves to include references to the classic games, so this seemed plausible. But... Nah. Issue three goes off on its own thing pretty quickly. Probably for the best.

Anyway! Issue three actually begins with Fang, Bark, and Bean trapped in a prison pod by Eggman. He's ready to feed them to some mechanical piranhas but Fang's theory about an eighth Chaos Emerald intrigues the doctor. He explains that he loaned an airship to the Hard Boiled Heavies recently but it literally vanished. A new power source like a previously undiscovered emerald might explain such mysterious powers. The Hooligans are tasked with finding the ship, disciplining the Heavies, and returning whatever magical plot device they find to Eggman. 

In my review of issue 1 of "Fang," I mentioned how the bounty hunter's failure rate has made him something of an admirable loser. Fang is always humiliated by his attempts to be a bad-ass but he keeps trying, yadda-yadda. In the second issue, I noted how Fang actually could be quite competent when not up against a threat greater than him. Maybe he's not a loser after all! In issue three, the jerboa/wolf thing successfully tracks down the vanishing airship, something both Eggman and Tails have failed to do up to this point. He sneaks aboard with his team and, within minutes, they have fought their way into the bowels of the ship without sustaining any injuries. When faced with Heavy Rider, who is guarding the engine's core, Fang even successfully strategizes a plan to quickly disable the robot.

All of this presents a frightening possibility: Guys, what if Fang doesn't suck? What if he's only a complete joke when going up against Sonic? I think the truth is actually way less interesting than that. Fang, Bean, and Bark's competence varies entirely upon how funny it is for them to eat shit in whatever given situation they might be in. If Fang sets up a booby-trap for Sonic and it immediately backfires on him, that's because this is a classic, Looney Tunes, Coyote Vs. Roadrunner gag. If it serves the plot for Fang to go toe-to-toe against Knuckles or fend off a bunch of enemy robots, then that will happen instead. This is why power scalers are the absolute worst, most annoying idiots in any fandom. How strong or weak a character is depends entirely on whatever story the writer is telling at that moment. Fiction is not a list of stats. 

There's another reason why Flynn depicts Fang and his gang as actually semi-confident enforcers in this issue. Remember back in the "Sonic: Mega-Drive" one-shots, where Flynn basically dreamed up a bunch of levels for a 16-bit "Sonic" that doesn't actually exist and then had the cast run through them? He did the same thing in "Seasons of Chaos" too. Well, that trend continues here, albeit in a much briefer capacity. When Fang, Bark, and Bean sneak aboard the ship, we are greeted to a page-long spread of them running through a number of obstacles and taking out a bunch of Egg-Robos. You can tell this is meant to invoke the classic platformers in the series because each panel is framed in a left-to-right, horizontal pattern. The Flying Fortress and Flying Battery Zones are clearly the big inspirations here but, mostly, what we are seeing here comes straight from the writer and artist's imaginations. So maybe that's why Fang is kicking ass in this issue. Somebody who's good at video games is controlling him. 

It looks like it would be a fun game too! I bet Bean's bomb abilities would make for some interesting mechanics in a classic Sonic game. Of course, watching somebody else play a video game is not so much fun. (An opinion I continue to hold in defiance of the enormity of the Let's-Player/VTuber industrial complex.) Seeing Ian sketch out his dream Genesis game is not what makes this issue fun. Instead, the banter between these three characters really makes it worth reading. Or, really, the banter between Fang and Bean, considering Bark remains as quiet as ever. In the leap from Archie to IDW, Bean really went up a level in his snarkiness. He still calls Fang cutesy nicknames and makes wacky faces, in accordance with his goofball characterization. However, the green duck bites back with a lot more snide comebacks. He mocks Fang saying "mook" so much and makes numerous sarcastic statements about his teammate. It's not bad. Considering Archie Bean's constant kookiness could get irritating, it's not bad at all. I am simply still getting used to Bean being altogether more sardonic than he's been in the past.

Comedy really does seem to be the main goal here. Fang trying to convince Eggman of an eighth Emerald's existence reveals the lack of evidence the Hunter has on his side. The Hooligans threatening Heavy Rider's Motobug steed is obviously a somewhat jokey set-up, playing off the idea of a seemingly heartless robot displaying a pet-like attachment to his ride. The conversation that follows between Fang and Heavy King is similarly full of absurd statements, which follows an earlier bit where the robot attempts to ghost Eggman in the most blatant way possible. We're not meant to take much of this seriously at all. 

That comedic tone is furthered by some likably goofy artwork from Thomas Rothlisberger. Maybe my favorite thing about this issue are the little, physical jokes Rothlisberger slips in, that only work because of the playful quality his art has. Such as Eggman's mental imagining of the eighth Chaos Emerald getting more like a child's scribble as Fang's case for it falls apart. Or a suffering Shellcracker Badnik straining to carry Eggman's golden throne of himself around. Some even add to the character's personalities, such as Bark knitting while the trio waits for the airship to appear. I'm sure some of these were in Flynn's script but most feel like the little jokes the artist would throw in if their own accord. Overall, Rothlisberger's extremely expressive faces and nicely cartoonish sense of motion goes a long way towards making this issue a winner. 

I don't feel every piece of "Sonic" media has to contribute to the overall lore of the universe or anything. I think some people out there do genuinely hold that opinion but it's fine by me if a comic or cartoon episode is just fun. However, the third issue of "Fang the Hunter" does see Ian Flynn expanding the Classic Sonic universe a bit. The big reveal here is that the airship the Heavies stole isn't powered by an eighth Chaos Emerald... It's powered by the Warp Topaz. As in, the same magical rock Dr. Starline used to give himself and the Imposters superpowers. Assuming Sega hasn't changed their minds about the Classic and Modern Sonic continuities existing in parallel universes, I would assume that this is just the Classic version of the Warp Topaz. There's a Master Emerald in both universes, right? But comments from Flynn suggest that this is the same Warp Topaz. Meaning its portal generating abilities means the Topaz has jumped between worlds or the Classic/Modern divide has been done away with... Not that I ever expect Sega, and by extension IDW, to ever fully explain this. But I guess the point is that the Warp Topaz can warp it up anywhere. 

All that is well and good. However, the last third of this comic is kind of a drag. After having a lot of laughs and fast-paced action, Heavy King and the other Hard Boiled Heavies step out and explain their master plan. I can see what you're doing here, Ian. The issue ends with Fang and his gang surrounded by the robots. This is set-up for the climatic royal rumble in the final part of the mini. Yet it also kills the forward momentum of this particular issue. Just hits a wall of exposition and scowling egg robots. Oh well. It was a pretty good comic book up to that point. 

Anyway, this is a Sonic the Hedgehog comic book, right? His name is still on the cover, even if he isn't. It feels like some sort of running joke in this mini, that the creative team has to include at least one scene of Sonic, to justify the book's existence. As if he's contractually obligated to appear. The scene has Tails cooking up some doo-hickey to track the Amazing Vanishing Airship, while Sonic impatiently paces the workshop. This series has really drawn into focus how Classic Sonic is different from his Modern counterpart: His ADHD is worse. He isn't as patient. He doesn't listen as well, giving Tails a blank state when he explains the science behind his latest gizmo. He's more of a smart-ass in general. And I pointed out last time, this definitely lines up with 90s portrayals of Sonic. So I probably like it for nostalgic reasons. Yet I do find a slightly edgier Sonic, who really doesn't do well when he can't Go Fast, a good take on the character. Gives him a little more texture, ya know? 

Anyway, this mini-series is shaping up to be a pretty solid affair. Great art all the way through, a good mixture of comedic shenanigans and an actual forward-moving story, and overall a compelling take on the characters. Having the Heavies show up and take all the credit for the storyline's events is a little disappointing but I'm not going to let it bring me down. Fun comic book! Now, let me go back and re-read this review to see how many times I wrote "Nack" instead of Fang... [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter: Issue 2

Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter: Issue 2

Publication Date: February 28th, 2024

At his busiest, Ian Flynn was writing four monthly series for Archie. That's a lot for anyone, so it has not been surprising that Flynn has slowed way down since making the jump to IDW. (Though he is still, by any normal measure, prolific.) This has been reflected in IDW's release schedule for their "Sonic" titles. While Archie spent years trying to launch a second "Sonic" book, IDW has been reluctant to do so despite publishing quite a few mini-series and one-shots. You can see this in the trend the company has followed, of alternating months between the main book and miniseries. Or, in the case of the "Fang the Hunter" mini, actually having the main title go on hiatus for a couple of months while the other book runs. IDW is either determined not to oversaturated the "Sonic" comic market or too cheap to pay multiple creative teams at once. You pick. Either way, it is an interesting strategy to bring some variety to their hedgehog-themed slate of books. 

The second part of the "Fang the Hunter" series begins where the first left off, with the titular villain-for-hire trying to avoid Knuckles' booby traps in the Mushroom Hill Zone. He soon tracks the echidna to the Sandopolis Zone, coming to blows with the guardian and finding the captured Bark and Bean. After the required amount of fisticuffs, Fang informs Knuckles that he's not trying to steal the Master Emerald. That he's after a mythical eighth Chaos Emerald, which Knuckles doesn't believe exists. Having exhausted all other plans, the Hooligans head to the last lead Fang has: An obscure and dangerous island that Eggman once attempted to colonize.

If Ian Flynn can be said to have one uniting quirk across all his work, it's his love of shout-outs to continuity. This made Ian the ideal guy to re-assemble Archie "Sonic's" grabasstic soup of random ideas and unresolved plot points into something like a coherent whole. Since IDW "Sonic" didn't have a decade of back issues to pull from before he came on, the series has sometimes felt frustratingly lacking in world building. Whenever Flynn gets to play in the Classic Era though, he actually does have a toy chest full of lore and obscure bullshit to play with though. The fact that a perpetual C-lister like Fang is headlining his own book at all is a testament to how this miniseries is being allowed to reference overlooked corners of the "Sonic" legacy. And so we have an issue devoted largely to running through two "Sonic & Knuckles" stages that then ends by arriving at a location from "Knuckles' Chaotix," a game I'd wager most "Sonic" nerds still haven't actually played. 

You can argue whether tickling long-time fans' nostalgia bones is a worthwhile purpose for a comic to pursue. In fact, you can probably make a good case about how comics – and nerd leaning properties in general – are slowly destroying themselves by largely catering to forty year old dorks with way too much attachment to a children's franchise. Yet, I'll admit, I got a kick out of seeing game play features and obscure enemies putting in a brand new appearance here. Whole panels are devoted to Fang rappelling down the rope ladders, climbing up the sandy waterfalls, and sliding around on the sand chutes. When the little ghost guys from Sandopolis Zone Act 2 showed up, I knew I was having a good time with this issue. I'm old and I reserve the right to smile, point, and chuckle when someone else references an obscure thing I like. And how often does a piece of media get you to think about the 32X, ya know? 

Honestly, some loving shout-outs to little details like this would probably be enough for me to enjoy this comic book. Yet this structure actually serves a greater purpose. By showing Fang travelling through the perils and pitfalls of this zone, it winds up making this issue feel very eventful. The main attraction of this issue, if the images featured on the covers are anything to go by, is Fang and Knuckles rumbling. It definitely feels like past "Sonic" comics would have built an entire issue around this fight. Instead, we get a satisfying little brawl in the middle surrounded by a bit of build-up, some mild world-building, and then a whole other set of events afterwards. I really expected this issue to end after Fang and Knuckles' fight but it keeps going, introducing some new problems for our motley band of anti-heroes to deal with it. I felt like I got my money's worth from this comic book is my point. 

If any complaint can be leveraged at IDW's Classic Sonic stories, it's that the setting doesn't allow for the characters to show much depth. The Classic versions of Sonic and the gang, even more so than their modern counterparts, are static characters. Yet Flynn does manage to give us some insight into Fang's personality here. That he manages to track Knuckles down, avoiding his traps, and surviving the various perils of the Sandopolis Zone shows that Fang actually isn't a chronic fuck-up. He actually does have a degree of cunning, which he shows when he uses the Marvelous Queen to free Bark and Bean. Or when he counters Knuckles' strength by bouncing around on his springy tail. Is it possible that Fang doesn't actually suck and that the universe really is just constantly shitting on him? Even if that's not the case, it's still nice to see Fang actually does have a degree of confidence. It explains why Eggman keeps hiring him, if nothing else. 

We get even more insight into the guy during a moment when he describes his future plans once he sells this mysterious eighth Chaos Emerald. I've always clocked Fang as a guy desperate to be taken seriously by the world and that's still true. However, his biggest dream in life is to kick back, relax, and trick out his hovercraft in even fancier ways. This is the first peek we've really gotten at Fang's motivation, beyond simple greed, and it's a nice touch. Honestly, don't most of us want to pull One Perfect Score that would allow us to relax the rest of our lives? Either Flynn was making a genuine effort to expand Fang as a character here or it's just a goofy joke about how much he loves the Marvelous Queen. Either way, it grounds the character some more in a way that makes him more relatable for all of us. 

Bean and Bark don't get that much character development in this issue. They spend half the book tied up inside an underground temple, so there's just not room for it. It's also not like these two can be expected to grow much anyway. Bean will always be the goofy henchman for hire. Bark will also be his strong, silent partner that is secretly kinder than he appears. However, Flynn is still pushing forward the idea that these two are unsatisfied with Fang's leadership. Once again, they threaten to walk out on the guy if this mission continues to be a flop. I don't really expect this plot thread to go much of anywhere. The idea that these guys that have been hanging out together for years, to the point that they are a branded team now, will go their separate ways is unlikely. But it is nice that Bean and Bark are actually motivating some element of the story here, instead of just following Fang around and being his wacky comic relief. 

And speaking of wacky comic relief... Most of the IDW version of the "Sonic" team aren't all that different from their Archie counterparts. Especially when written by Flynn. However, I will say that IDW Bean is a lot less aggressively goofy than his previous four color iteration. He still says random shit – he calls Fang Wampus at one point – but the entirety of his personality isn't devoted to being super silly comic relief all the time. Bean is even allowed to be sardonic at times, such as when he mockingly cheers when being rescued twice in this comic book. Maybe Flynn just realized that it's not 2006 anymore and nobody thinks squishy little goofball sidekicks who just scream bullshit are funny anymore. Or maybe grouches like me have been complaining about it enough that Flynn altered his plans accordingly. Whatever the cause, I'm glad Bean is allowed to be funny outside of being obsessed with "teh shiny" now. 

By the way, Sonic the Hedgehog is in this comic book. Yes, it's a good sign of how much story is shoved into this issue that Sonic and Tails' little subplot barely registers. The duo only get one scene, as they continue to chase a mysterious airship just to watch it vanish into thin air right in front of them. That is, admittedly, a pretty cool hook for a story. Considering Eggman shows up at the end of this issue, one assumes that this particular story thread will take up more focus in the second of the miniseries. Is this phantom airship connected to Fang's fabled eighth Chaos Emerald? Seems likely to me.

Adding to this story working as both comedy and an action/adventure comic is some fine artwork from Thomas Rothlisberger. His talent for motion makes the scuffle between Knuckles and Fang a joy to read. His ability to say a lot with a character's face goes a long way here too. Two of the issue's biggest laughs come almost from that alone. Such as Knuckles' face when doing the mental math on Fang's claim of an eighth emerald. Or Sonic's outrage upon seeing the airship disappear. Never underestimate how funny someone making a goofy face can be. Also, the inking and colors – by Rik Mack and Valentina Pinto – must be commended. When Fang flies into the underground temple, the use of lighting and shadows establish the right kind of foreboding atmosphere immediately.

Also, I still have to stop myself from calling him "Nack" every time I write the character's name. I'm sorry, Sega, my brain is still running software from 1999. I'll always sort the purple, pointy bounty hunter guy with the hat and floating bike under "Weasel, Nack the." Anyway, this is a pretty good comic book! I'm looking forward to reading the next issue. See you guys again in six weeks. [7/10]

Knuckles, Episode 1.06: What Happens in Reno, Stays in Reno

Knuckles, Episode 1.06: What Happens in Reno, Stays in Reno

Original Release Date: April 26th, 2024

In the final episode of "Knuckles," our favorite spiny anteater and Wade Whipple face their mutual enemies. Knuckles and Wade trick Agent Mason and Willoughby, before rescuing Wade's mom and sister. Next, it's time for Wade to match-up against his dad on the lanes in the final round of the bowling tournament. While this is going on, the Buyer takes to the streets of Reno in a fearsome mech with the ability to directly drain Knuckles' special energy. The weakened echidna comes crashing through the walls of the bowling alley, forcing Wade to stand up not just against his father but for the life of his best friend and mentor. 

I found myself annoyed with the cliffhanger of the previous episode of "Knuckles." One could assume that Wade hadn't actually betrayed his best friend. That he would find some way to turn the tables on the rogue G.U.N. agents. Yet Wade Whipple is such a feckless schlub of a protagonist – and Adam Pally is so much better at playing a defeated sad sack than a clever schemer – that it really felt like Wade might have sold Knux out. Of course, this is not the case. Yet the solution that is cooked up isn't really satisfying either. Turns out Knuckles had his ear piece in, listening to the conversation with the agents the whole time. I guess Wade and Knuckles figured this out off-screen or something? It feels like a cheat. Wade couldn't have slipped a note into Knuckles' hat or whatever? I guess this development is still less of a cheat than Knuckles using the big red mascot outfit briefly introduced last time as a decoy. Now how the hell did he lug that up there in time? Moments like that make me feel as if the writers of this show – John Whittington is credited with the screenplay of this one – don't respect our intelligence. 

As unbalanced as "Knuckles" approach to its characters has been, at least the show knows which side its bread is buttered on. The final episode does feature its fair share of action featuring Knuckles. The opening battle with the agents is pretty good, with lots of laser beams getting tossed around and people thrown through stuff. By this point, it's clear that Mason and Willoughby have personal grudges against Knuckles, explaining why they run into hand-to-hand combat with someone that outmatches them. If nothing else, this sequence does feature Knuckles actually using his gliding and hand spikes, two of his trademark abilities that have been mostly ignored in this show. The climax of the fight, involving two Warp Rings being opened right next to each other, was kind of cool too. 

However, there is a moment during this penthouse pummeling that really speaks to the entire problem with the "Knuckles" show. When Knuckles is wailing on the henchmen, something we've been waiting to see again since the first episode... The scene cuts away to Wade trying to save his mom and sister. What follows is another very dumb series of jokes about Wanda Whipple grossly overestimating her FBI training and bickering with her brother. It feels as if we're finally getting some satisfying pay-off when the show decides it's time for Stupid Whipple Tricks again. What Wade and Knuckles are doing never feel connected. Knuckles does the cool stuff, the Whipples do the schtick, but the two never truly meet. For what was supposed to be a buddy show between these mismatched characters, it feels very strange. 

This frustrating separation is present all throughout this last episode. Ya know, when I was in screenwriting class, I was taught that something a properly structured script should always try and do is integrate its main story line and any subplots by the finale. I don't think this is a rule you have to follow and there's plenty of great films that don't. However, it's also not a bad piece of advice. Generally leads to a more even-handed, smoothly flowing narrative. I kept waiting for Knuckles' final fight with the Buyer to connect with Wade and his dad's bowling match. Maybe the big scary mech smashes through the alley right as Wade is waiting for the last line to fall over. He'd rush to Knuckles' rescue, realizing that his bond with his new friend is more important than any lingering issues he has with his dad. Or maybe Pistol Pete would attempt to sell his boy out to the final boss, proving to Wade definitively that his father isn't someone he needs in his life. And maybe something Wade taught Knuckles would help him defeat this new adversary, really bringing everything together. 

Instead... These two plot threads simply never meet. Wade and Pete have their bowling match, with son defeating father. Knuckles is then tossed through the wall, causing our chubby hero to rush outside and help in the fight against the Buyer. After the big, action packed, special effects filled final fight, the show gets back to re-emphasizing what a – to burrow the term Little Susie uses to describe him – "turd bucket" Pistol Pete is. It's like a really hacky comedy about a clumsy man-child confronting his shitty dad on the bowling lanes and the "Knuckles the Echidna" solo movie are randomly cut together. 

The bowling match is played pretty straight, all things considered. Yeah, there are awkward jokes. Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel deliver some underwhelming banter as the sports commentators, those two truly having a thankless job. Pete and Wade snipe at each other before the younger Whipple rips his pants off, male stripper style. (Don't worry, he has bowling shirts on underneath.) Yet the typical sports movie melodrama – Pete scoring a spare and Wade waiting for the last pin on his throw to slowly tumble over – is fully intact. This is the kind of shit that turns me off so many sports movies. It's especially out of place in a show that has treated the sport of bowling so derisively up to now. And, ya know, what the fuck is any of this shit doing in a "Knuckles the Echidna" show... But I think we're past the point of asking that question being a fruitful practice. 

I spent a big chunk of the previous review complaining about how the Buyer was, thus far, not an especially compelling villain. Mostly because he's barely been in the fucking show. Obviously, the idea was for this guy to be the ominous Man Behind the Man, the one pulling the strings of the secondary villains that keep mucking things up for Knuckles and Wade. The Thanos to the show's Loki, who decides "Fine, I'll do it myself" after Mason and Willoughby are defeated. That should be a big deal, this super powerful baddie who presumably has more important fish to fry stepping up to get his hands dirty, going fist-to-fist with Knuckles. Yet this guy has been such a consistent non-entity, that it's hard to get too hyped about the final boss battle. We know almost nothing about the Buyer, not even his name! His motive never developed beyond wanting Knuckles' power for his own. He simply has no personality, being nothing but a blustering generic bad guy who doesn't do much. This is the first time he's even interacted with Knuckles! So much for a big, meaningful clash between hero and villain. Wade's shitty dad was a more prominent antagonist than this guy! 

So, yes, the Buyer – arrgh, why couldn't he have had an actual name?! – sucks. I didn't hate the climatic showdown though. The live action "Sonic" franchise focusing so much on the game cast gaining their abilities from a nebulous, mysterious "power" within them continues to strike me as odd. Yet Mr. Buyer's mech having the ability to drain this electric strength from Knuckles' body at least raises the stakes for the final fight. If he could do that all along, I don't know why Mr. Alonzo Buyer was depending on his two chumps to bring Knuckles in. Why he didn't just attack with his big smashy robot – Wade calls it a "metal onesie" and I’m going with that as the official name until something better is announced – to begin with. But that's a pretty standard action trope. 

Knuckles' defeat of Sir Alonzo Lancelot Buyer isn't the most satisfying duel in the world. After grabbing a hold of the Metal Onesie's whip/tentacle accessories, Knuckles just takes The Glow back. He boots up the Flames of Disaster and that's about it. Yeah, Knux saves the day by deploying a special ability that he's never mentioned before. Wade and Michael Bolton did all the foreshadowing for this particular super move. That's not the most suspenseful, dramatically sound pay-off... But, ya know, it's still a cool fight scene. The whippy waldo thingydos are dynamic weapons. Knuckles is given enough of a challenge that it's not a totally inert climax. This actually feels like something you'd expect to see in a "Knuckles" TV show. Could've been a lot better! But I didn't hate it. 

Wade does get involved in the final fight. As is all too often the case with the live action "Sonic" stuff, the human co-star mostly stands around and watches before contributing in some way. Wade trash-talks Sir Alonzo Lancelot Buyer, DDS long enough for Knuckles to recoup. His mom swings by in a bowling pin shaped go-cart – not set up by any previous scene, by the way – and hands Wade the rocket glove he previously failed to master in episode two. He then uses that to help Knux win the battle. (Though you get the impression that he probably could've handled it on his own, at that point.) This, I guess, is the real conclusion to Wade's character arc. The realization that his mom and sister, no matter how much they annoy him, have been here for him in a way his dad never was. Yet it is not, ya know, an elegant merging of these two story threads. 

The final shot of "What Happens in Reno, Stays in Reno" before the credits roll is a freeze frame of Knuckles and Wade doing an enthusiastic high-five. This really clarifies that the entire show was something of a gag, not to be taken too seriously. I'm fine with comedy in the "Sonic" franchise. I'm a certified "Boom" defender, after all. Yet Paramount+'s "Knuckles" definitely felt too flippant overall. The aggressive wackiness of its first four episodes sour most of the attempts at sincerity in the last two. The first episode promises a story about Knuckles training Wade to be a warrior. Yet that's not really what we got, is it? Whipple completes his training in episode four, via a magical dream sequence, and spends the rest of the show bowling and putting his Daddy Issues to bed. Wade is still, at the end of the day, not a character I have any desire to spend more time with. Yet the scenes of him interacting with Knuckles were still the best moments of the show. It's so odd that their banter is sidelined so often to focus on – and I cannot stress the randomness of this enough – motherfucking bowling. 

Ultimately, it's hard to escape the impression that the "Knuckles" series was a rush job. Paramount's attempts to relaunch the "Transformers" film franchise, building a shared cinematic universe with their "G.I. Joe" series, flopped. (Though they are still trying, apparently.) The "Sonic" movie, meanwhile, was a surprise hit and its sequel was even bigger. A rush happened to prioritize this one I.P. over the other ones. The producers looked around at what they had easy access to, realized Adam Pally's phone probably wasn't ringing off the hook, and conceived of The Wade and Knuckles Show. The connection to the game was loose. Fusing the demands of a big budget streaming show, with enough special effects spectacle to draw more eyeballs to Paramount+, with lowbrow comedy and half-ass family drama never truly gelled. The excessively wacky splurging of the third and fourth episodes felt like desperate attempts by writers given very little to work with trying to cook up something interesting. I don't know if this speaks to regarding the source material with a certain degree of contempt or simply a lack of time and money. I can't say. But that's my theory. 

Despite the boatload of reservations I have about this show, I also didn't hate "Knuckles." Idris Elba's take on Knuckles still feels a little unfinished. A "why are you punching yourself?" joke in this episode struck me as out-of-character. Yet I still enjoyed spending time with him. Hell, as utterly unnecessary as I think elevating Wade Whipple to co-lead status was, I didn't even hate him either. The action is solid. Stockard Channing was an unexpected highlight. We got a little more expansion on the universe's mythos. Basically, a show that ends with Knuckles developing a love of Challah bread can't help but charm me a little. That musical was, ya know, bold. Some big swings were taken here. Is it "Knuckles?" I don't know. It's certainly not any version of "Knuckles" that I would've expected. But at least it wasn't six hours long. 

Initially, the "Knuckles" show was referred to as a mini-series. Suggesting this was a one-and-done deal. There's since been a little bit of chatter that a second season isn't impossible. Considering this show couldn't have been cheap to produce, and the complexities of your star being a CGI cartoon character, I'm not expecting a season two anytime soon. Considering Paramount's commitment to making "Sonic" an actual cinematic universe, and their continued quest to make Paramount+ successful, I think we probably will see another "Sonic"-adjacent streaming event. Maybe Tails and Crazy Carl can go looking for Bigfoot together. Or perhaps Shadow will latch onto Jojo as a Maria surrogate in the third movie, setting up a cross-country adventure to a sneaker designing contest. Or, ya know, maybe Paramount will get a fucking clue and just greenlight an animated series set in this universe, finally dispensing with the meat bags. Kind of doubt that though... 

In conclusion, "Knuckles" was a not entirely unsuccessful attempt to weave something entertaining out of unpromising ingredients. I don't know if the live action "Sonic" series will ever stop feeling like there's a serious disconnect in it, between what fans want to see and what the producers want this franchise to be. The second movie proved a smoother blending of these attitudes is possible. Hopefully the third movie will continue down that route. Because six episodes of Take the Echidna Bowling as another weird one-off in a multi-media franchise full of them is one thing. But I don't want it to be the future of the series. Anyway, "What Happens in Reno, Stays in Reno" gets a [6/10]. The title probably refers to Knuckles and Wade definitely committing a crime in the final act, which they don't seem to face any consequences for. There's a post-credits scene but it's another dumb joke, not these two consulting a lawyer and Knuckles struggling to understand the legal definition of manslaughter. Just one missed opportunity after another with this show, let me tell you.