Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 78

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 78

Publication Date: May 7th, 2025

I've made this observation often but it never fails to amuse: The "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic book can function perfectly fine without Sonic the Hedgehog in it. For years, I had to hear clueless jack-asses complain about how Sonic had "too many friends." That the games needed to go back to featuring him and only him. Or that the Archie Comics had too large a cast. There might be some valid criticism hidden within these statements but the truth is apparent to "Sonic" lifers like you and me. The hedgehog has a great supporting cast, one more than strong enough to support stories without him, stories that are sometimes all the better because of it. That case is proven again with issue 78 of IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog." It wasn't until after I was done reading it that I realized the Blue Dude with 'Tude never appeared within its pages. The guy's name is on the cover but he didn't bother to show up this month and I didn't even notice. That definitely says some things about me and this comic. 

So what of this "Sonic the Hedgehog" story that pointedly does not feature its title character? "Shattered Pieces, Part 3" focuses on Tails, Amy, and Blaze as they travel the country and check in on various communities in the aftermath of Restoration HQ's destruction. They find places like Barricade Town and Glass Hill functioning fine on their own, the local Restoration chapters strong enough to support themselves. They don't get a whiff of trouble until arriving in Turtleshell Island, a floating city kept above water by several support buoys. The trio encounter Surge and Kit there, all on friendly terms... Unaware that Kit has planted a bomb on one of the buoys, to create another crisis Surge can play hero in. Soon, the whole gang is running around the island to try and keep it from sinking and rescue anyone who hasn't gotten to safety yet. 

All throughout IDW "Sonic's" run, I've bitched and moaned about the lack of world-building, which I continue to blame on Sega's vague vision for what Sonic's home world is like. 78 issues in and we still don't have a firm idea of how these scattered villages function or how any of these cartoon animals got here. However, "Scattered Pieces" represents Flynn finally fleshing out the setting a little more. Despite all the random sci-fi super-tech utilized here and there, "Sonic's world" seems to mostly be a series of small towns and cities, isolated apart from each other by rural expanses of nature. It increasingly seems as if there was no type of government body or prevailing social structure before the Restoration came into existence. As we discover in this issue, that seems to be because these towns don't need it. All these places seem to be doing fine on their own, operating independently of each other. My needlessly nitpicky brain still has a lot of questions here – where do they get their food? Their building supplies? – but the growing implication seems to be that Sonic's society is practically a utopia. Before Eggman showed up, it seems these little clusters of communities existed largely without conflict or problems, everyone happily functioning. 

I don't find this to be a particularly satisfying answer. Compared to the conflict filled history of Mobius, full of wars and conquests and competing superpowers, this presentation seems... Ya know, boring. All the furry animal people that live on these islands mostly existed in an Eden-like bliss and tranquility with nature – even though they also have cities and infrastructure and cars and shit??? – before the corrupting influence of Eggman entered into their paradise. And if he went away forever tomorrow, they'd go right back to that? I guess that tracks with the depictions in the video games but it doesn't make for an especially compelling setting. There's some cool touches here, such as the aforementioned floating city or an ice-spewing firetruck powered by Wisps, that represents Flynn adding some color and quirkiness to this world. That shows a distinctiveness but does little to make this location feel fully realized. I guess I hoped, by this point in the "new" comic's run, I would have more of an idea of what the hell Sonic and his friends are fighting to protect. 

The book seems to be moving towards something that I have a very bad feeling about. During IDW "Sonic's" entire existence, our good guys have been aligned with the Resistance and then the Restoration. They functioned as something like a replacement for the Freedom Fighters and Mobotropolis, a uniting and centralized force that gave Sonic and friends some sort of motivating goal. They had an objective, of rebuilding society after Eggman's conquest of the globe in "Sonic Forces." Sonic, kind of a capacious hero who simply runs around when left to his own devices, was given direction and a regular supporting cast. All things you need if you want your comic book to feel like an actual narrative and not stuff just happening for no reason. Since the destruction of Restoration HQ, this feeling has crept into the book. This storyline kicked off with everyone going their separate ways, lots of the character seeming dissatisfied with what their lives have become. In this issue, we see that society seems pretty well restored. These towns don't need the Restoration anymore and Ian Flynn seems well on his way of writing the whole concept out of the series. 

Where does that leave "Sonic the Hedgehog: The Comic Book?" Sonic running around wherever he wants, running into disorganized groups of friends that he otherwise doesn't stay in touch with, until everyone has to unite to stop Eggman's next plan for world domination? I think that's exactly what Sega wants this comic book, and the entire "Sonic" franchise to be, a vague collection of mascots in a vaguer world that don't do anything in-between the new mainline video games. Archie "Sonic" was weird. It stood on its own, perhaps as the most fleshed-out version of Sonic and his friends. Should I still be comparing this comic book, 78 issues in, to the one it was designed to replaced? My fear that this comic would exist only as a promotional device for Sega's corporate goals, thoroughly strip-mined of any deeper personality, has never gone away. Are we really headed towards that? What about G.U.N.? Angel Island? Is this series truly going to be a collection of random elements that get thrown together randomly? 

I think I managed to depress myself a little. My growing concern over the Shape of Things to Come has sort of overwhelmed my thoughts on this individual issue. Which, by the way, I did like. The first half feels somewhat uneventful. Amy, Tails, and Blaze are going from town to town, trying to resolve a crisis they then discover doesn't actually exist. Makes you feel a little like your time is being wasted, ya know? However, there is a hang-out vibe to these scenes that has some value. Once everyone arrives on Turtleshell Island, and the entire city is threatened with submergence into the sea, a fire is lit under the ass of this issue. At that point, "Shattered Pieces: Part 3" becomes a compelling and exciting adventure story. We've got our gang, they've got a problem to solve, and the clock is ticking. Let's watch them put their heads together to save the day. The solution that arises – of Kit making a huge air bubble and floating Blaze under the island, where she generated heat vents to hold the island up – is novel. Good shit. I enjoyed that part. Imposing a time limit on our heroes is always a good way to build suspense and the image of an entire town sinking into the sea is dramatic enough to catch the imagination. 

Despite my misgivings about where this is all headed, I do enjoy spending time with these characters. That is despite the book's increasing insistence on reducing everyone to a static series of characteristics. For example: Must we mention Blaze's acrophobia every single time she shows up? Is she claustrophobic now too, as depicted by her nervousness inside the bubble Kit creates? Tails makes sure to point out Blaze is too hard on herself, that she's a good friend and shouldn't spend so much time trying to make up for her self-perceived mistakes. I like that Blaze is anxious about stuff and struggles with confidence and believing in herself. I dislike that being reduced to basically a gimmick that defines her solely, one of set if stats that are never allowed to change. Sure would be nice to know where that anxiety comes from! Or to see her grow and overcome these changes with time! What happened to Blaze to make her like this? Is she always going to be this way? That's depressing to consider! 

In fact, all of the characters come off as a little one-note in this issue. As Blaze is defined solely by her lack of self-worth and phobias, Kit and Surge are stuck in a specific mode. Kit can't live without Surge and must see her succeed, which he is engineering through clandestine crisis. Surge wants to be a hero now... But she also wants to be better than Sonic and the others, despite her inexperience and natural inclination towards mayhem. The latter element results in her making the situation worse, severing another one of the cables holding the island aloft. I like Surge being well-intentioned but inexperienced, struggling between her desire to be better and her impulsive, destructive nature. And if Kit is a little neurotic and obsessive about Surge, that makes sense. Starline literally programmed him to be that way. The internal battle between these two misfits trying to turn over another leaf and everything about their lives up to now telling them they are villains: That's good! Let's see more of that. 

Unfortunately, there's this frustratingly futile air around this entire issue. Blaze helps save the day but her fears remain. Kit wants to make Surge a hero but these interlopers resolve the disaster he created. If this is building towards a schism between Surge and Kit, the former actually wanting to change and the latter sticking to his programming, that would be interesting... But just as Blaze's fear of heights can never go away, I'm increasingly feeling like none of this matters. These individual events are not building towards something and the comic is merely killing time until the next event kicks in. "Scattered Pieces" is such a cool idea for a story arc but now I'm worried that it's less about growing all of the characters on their own and more about simply keeping the status quo intact until the next anniversary issue. Are we going to see any of these dangling plot points wrapped up any time soon? 

All of this shows the differences between the concerns I have about "Sonic" as a series and what must people seem to take away from this book. When the preview pages were posted on Twitter the other day, everyone got excited about the cute brown bunny girl with glasses working at the public information office in the first village Amy visits. This issue is full of colorful background extras like that. In Barricade Town, we get glimpses of a fox guy with a pierced ear strumming a guitar and a purple cat chick with an umbrella and distinctively cut bangs. On Turtleshell Island, a portly bear dude with a Tom Selleck mustache and red-rimmed sunglasses gets a few choice appearances. Aaron Hammerstrom, whose pencils are excellent like always, clearly enjoys designing these OCs. Since Lanolin rose from peripheral background extras to featured cast member, the book clearly enjoys introducing neatly designed nobodies who could, if picked up by readers and writers, become the next new OC. 

In fact, issue 78 is trying just that. While Glass Hill, a familiar-ish face is found among the volunteer firefighters. It's the monkey guy from issue 22, the shifty motherfucker who hides his infection once he's inside a shelter that is seemingly required in every zombie story. I think Flynn might be trying to redeem this primate a bit. Now that I get a second look at him, I'm even wondering if he's inspired by the random ass monkey that was hanging out with the Freedom Fighters in the "Sonic Spinball" special stage. While a natural growth of the supporting cast like this has its benefits, I'm not begging to find out more about Shifty Monkey here. We did not meet him under good circumstances and that is influencing my opinion of him. I assure you that's the root of my dislike of him and not because monkeys have the ability to scare the shit out of me What about the raccoon girl with the perm and red eyeshadow standing behind him in one panel? She seems cool. Let's turn her into the next Lanolin instead. 

Anyway, this arc continues to feel despondently directionless. Considering Clutch's embrace of loser-dom in the previous issue, I'm kind of worrying about Ian Flynn's health. Somebody check on him, make sure he's alright. I'm not happy at all where it seems the story is pointing either. Having said all that, the action sequence in the second half rocks pretty hard and that makes up for the sluggish first half. Next issue promises to focus on Whisper and Mimic, so hopefully some meaningful resolution will actually occur there. Or maybe I'm hopelessly holding a torch for this series to become something it clearly never will and all the time I spend writing these reviews are a massive waste for both me and anyone reading this. Oh well! See ya next month, disappointing comic book that I'll still read! [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 76

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 76

Publication Date: February 5th, 2025

From more-or-less the beginning of IDW taking over the "Sonic the Hedgehog" comics, there's been people out there reporting that the company was on the verge of collapse. Some of this was definitely driven by sour grapes over Archie "Sonic" ending and other weird, anti-"woke" coalitions that I do not care to mingle with. However, the recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Diamond Distribution – who, at one point, had a monopoly on comic book distribution in America and remains seriously wrapped up in the industry – seems to have caused serious problems for IDW. The situation has a lot to do with creditors and debt and Wall Street bro shit that I personally don't understand. But the salient part is this: The predicament "may have a significant negative impact on our future financial results and cash position" and cast "doubt about the entity's ability to continue as a going concern," according to a recently released annual investor's report. So, uh, that sounds bad! 

In the wake of that news, IDW has already reassured people that the publisher is "not at substantial risk" and seems confident they'll survive up through the end of 2025, at the very least. In other words: The company that publishes the "Sonic" comics might be going out of business. Or, alternatively, it could all work out fine. I imagine none of this news feels great for the freelancers who actually make the books IDW publishes. One has an image of everyone writing and drawing normally, totally unaware if what they are working on will ever see the light of day or if they'll even be paid for it. Probably a lot like what Ian Flynn and the gang went through when Archie's legal clusterfucks led to the abrupt end of the previous "Sonic" comic universe. Is this what life is like in the comic industry, your entire livelihood at risk any minute from byzantine business dealings totally beyond your control? Sounds stressful! I guess we won't know for sure what will happen until something happens. If the books mysteriously start getting delayed, I suppose we'll see the red-inked writing on the proverbial wall. Until then... It's business as usual, the train operating normally while the fear that it may crash into the station remains ever-present in the minds of all aboard. Ain't late stage capitalism swell?! 

That's the macro view and stressing out about things beyond our control isn't fruitful, or so my therapist tells me. Let us instead focus on the matter currently at hand. Issue 76 of "Sonic the Hedgehog" sees the various groups of heroes picking up the pieces – rather literally – in the aftermath of the Clean Sweepstakes disaster. Sonic seeks out the Chaotix, in hopes of finding where Clutch has disappeared. Tails and Amy plan to check on the international branches of the Restoration, to make sure they aren't thrown into turmoil by the destruction of HQ. Blaze, who recently concluded her tour of the globe with Silver, is interested in helping. The Diamond Cutters have a heart-to-heart and go their separate ways. Jewel quits as boss of the Restoration and decides to help Lanolin rebuild the town destroyed in the crash. Silver decides to join Whisper on her quest to hunt down Mimic, with Tangle tagging along to make sure her girlfriend doesn't murder the guy. Belle ventures out with Motobud to explore the world. 

Ian Flynn is back in the writer's chair for Issue 76 and it features him doing something he's made a habit of over the years. The first issue right after a massive event storyline wraps up is devoted to catching up with where the characters are in the aftermath, while also laying the groundwork for the future stories that will lead to the next massive event storyline. This tendency has survived into IDW after Archie and is definitely on-display right here. “Scattered Pieces: Part One” checks in on our major players. Sonic, Tails, Amy, Silver, Blaze, and the Diamond Cutters all get scenes devoted to them, in which they lay down what they plan to do next and put to rest what has come before. When Ian is having a good day, he can make stories like this touching reflections of the emotional states of our heroes and their relationships. On his bad days, this story feel like a mechanical process of standing the dominos back up before they can be knocked over again in a year or two.

The first part of “Scattered Pieces” feels a little bit like both of those instincts are at work. On one hand, Flynn is very focused on preparing the reader for the next fleet of stories. The characters are being broken up and repaired in new combination, with objectives clearly laid down. Sonic is with the Chaotix, Tails and Amy are with Blaze, Silver goes with Tangle and Whisper, Lanolin and jewel are staying behind to plan some urban development, and Belle is off on her own. (Well, she has Motobud, I guess.) It definitely feels somewhat overly structural at times. The worst example of this is Tails' repeatedly mentioning his missing Chaos Emerald, as if to make sure the reader doesn't forget about that dangling plot point. This is obviously an issue about putting every in place for the next motion and, sometimes, that stiffness is keenly felt by the reader.

At the same time, you can feel Ian Flynn specifically addressing some of the concerns people had with the previous arc. The Chaotix interrogate Sonic about his time as the Phantom Rider, with his working with Eggman so willing, which the hedgehog dismisses with a few well placed lines. Meanwhile, the Diamond Cutters get together for a sequence that feels a lot like a group therapy session. Everyone is even sitting in chairs in a little circle! You half expect Tangle to stand-up and admit she's an alcoholic, a clearing in the woods standing in for the church basement. Jewel cries about the pressure she's been under. Most prominently, Lanolin apologizes for the way she acted during the last year of issues. 

I don't know what kind of working relationship Flynn and Evan Stanley have. One would assume they collaborate closely, to make sure all the stories flow together and make sense. However, this issue feels undeniably like a reaction to what Stanley's writing. Here comes Ian Flynn again, to clean up the mess left by the last writer. Let's resolve the tangled morality of Sonic doing undercover as a villain, Lanolin being a hideous bitch to everyone, and Jewel repeatedly fucking up in her leadership role. This is what Flynn has always excelled at... Though it probably doesn't feel great for Evan. To have the next writer come in and sweep up all the changes she made, not many of which were all that well-received by fans. I guess that is what comics are like though. Maybe it was all planned this way and I'm seeing an animosity between the two writing styles that simply isn't there. 

A while ago, I saw a funny image on the hellscape Nazi website. Someone had drawn Sonic responding to Surge trauma-dumping with him saying, bluntly, “I'm not your fucking therapist.” I have no idea if this illustration was made by someone in the pro or anti-Flynn camp. I've seen criticism of the guy's writing that reflects this opinion, that maybe he's double-down on the psychological angst too much. I'm very much in favor of giving your cartoon hedgehogs some mental depth. However, I will admit that Flynn displaying this by having a character drop a massive word balloon, loaded with observations and insight, is starting to show its strain. Having the Diamond Cutters get together in a sharing circle, with Lanolin monologuing about what she's done wrong and how she wants to make amends, maybe makes the therapy parallels a little too evident. 

But it's not bad either! Sure, Jewel crying and yelling about the pressure she's on or Lanolin extensively saying sorry probably is not what I'd prefer to see when I open up a “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic book... However, Flynn does sneak in some good moments in-between the tears and moaning. Sometimes it's as simple as Sonic making fun of Espio using the word “cahoots,” which is brought back in an amusing manner. Other times, it's a big dramatic gesture of Tangle scooping Jewel up with her tail and giving her a big hug. The comic has made these characters fleshed-out enough that moments like this feel like proper pay-off to what has come before. “Scattered Pieces: Part One” is definitely a little too stiff in its structure. Literally having the Diamond Cutters go around a circle and talk stuff out isn't very exciting to watch. It's well enough realized though. 

Weirdly, the moment that works the best in issue 76 are the ones that are a little less heavy. I was hoping we'd see Silver and Blaze's world tour actually play out. Instead, they are back at the Restoration hub, their vacation already having come and gone. I have no idea if this was intentional but the conversation the two have ends up having a romantic tension to it.I mean, the idea that they spent several weeks together on a trip brings certain connotations with it. There's some meaningful glances here, as Blaze says she admires Silver. A flashback of Silver munching on two apples has Blaze looking over at him in a somewhat suggestive manner. I know Silver and Blaze is a popular ship – with a cutesy couple name of their own, the only mildly awful sounding “Silvaze” – so I doubt these panels weren't assembled without that idea somewhere in the creative team's minds. 

It's not exactly an action packed issue, leaving little of the flash-and-bang that allows artist to truly show off. Despite that, Aaron Hammerstrom contributes some very nice looking pencils. Espio scooping Sonic up in an office chair and Vector shining a lamp in his eyes are still really good looking, with the same sort of dynamic movement Hammerstrom brings to action sequence.  Drawing characters making sad faces and looking at each other aren't very exciting on their face. However, Hammerstrom does a good job of making these glances properly expressive and meaningful. Valentina Pinto's colors are nice and warm too, giving a further sense of emotional resonance to these pages.

It's a transitional issue in a very obvious sense, transitioning us from the last arc to the next one. The rest of “Scattered Pieces” seems like it well devote an issue to each of these separate story threads, perhaps another direct reaction to Stanley leaping back and forth between groups of characters within one story. I think that's a much smarter idea of how to handle things going forward. As for this particular issue, it's a bit dull in spots. The script can't quite make these emotional moments as important feeling as he probably wanted. Still, it's not all bad either, with one or two little touches making this one worth reading. A very mixed bag, this one. Hopefully it doesn't end up being the last issue IDW publishes, he says morbidly chuckling in a joking-but-not-really way. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 74

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 74

Publication Date: October 30th

In various places around the internet, both here and elsewhere, I've talked about the benefits and detriments of serialization in storytelling. In the modern age of comic books, serialization is the rule of the land. Few stories are allowed to stand alone and every comic connects to the next one. Telling a story across multiple issues is usually a good thing. It is certainly healthier for world-building and character development. However, sometimes you truly do feel the weight of someone Writing for the Trade doing a disservice to the monthly installments. 

We see that keenly in issue #74 of IDW'S "Sonic the Hedgehog." The tangled mess of incidents and subplots that comprise the Clean Sweepstakes arc battle for dominance here. Amy, Tails, Belle, and the Chaotix fight with Clutch's forces deep within his ship. Charmy manages to get away from the fight and hand Nite a thumb drive full of incriminating evidence against Clutch and Clean Sweeps. He broadcast it to the public and Clutch, in desperation, looses his damn mind and decides to crash his massive flying fortress into the stands full of people. Sonic races off to save the day while everyone else argues among themselves. The issue then ends abruptly. 

Do you see the problem here? This is not a satisfying comic book to read on its own. This is a graphic novel chopped up into chapters, ending at almost random points. I certainly don't expect this comic book to tell a whole story in each issue but it would be nice if so many of IDW's individual floppies didn't feel like advertisements for the next installment. #74 is made up entirely of connective tissue between story beats. We're transferring from the end of the second act to the third here and, boy, can we feel it. Rather than a natural evolution of the story so far, this plays like a prologue to the next episode, when the really exciting stuff is going to happen. It says a lot about how out-of-whack the pacing for this arc has been, when an issue full of as much action and dramatic reveals as this one still feels so narratively inert. 

I know I ranted about this for most of the last review but the point still stands: Cutting back and forth between a bunch of different subplots does not a compelling story make. Evan does a slightly better job of juggling all these balls this time. Mostly because she focuses on one story strand for the majority of the issue. That would be the Chaotix and the others fighting Clutch and his eventual public exposing and breakdown. If the issue has been only about that, it probably would have made for a much more satisfying read. Instead, Stanley feels the need to check in on what everyone else is doing too. The race is seemingly called off but Jet refuses to let go of his petty rivalry with Sonic. Lanolin wants to bring Sonic to justice for his crimes as the Phantom Rider, while "Duo" reveals that Tangle and Whisper knew about it for a while. That happens solely so Mimic can cover his shifty ass, because the good guys still haven't noticed how obviously suspicious this dude is. Every time the story starts to build up a little momentum, it stops to give us a momentary update on some other thread. 

The biggest example of how badly this effects the overall flow of the comic is that Surge and Kit get a showcase scene, to remind us they still exist, where they don't actually do anything. They banter ominously with Duo/Mimic before staying in place, commenting on the action as it happens. Considering Surge's slow embracing of her better nature after becoming a fan favorite has been the best thing about this arc, it's frustrating that Stanley devotes a scene to these two that does nothing meaningful to move their development along. You do not get extra points simply for putting the good characters on the page! They have to actually do something for their appearance to mean anything. We all know Surge is a bad bitch who doesn't care what anyone thinks about her. (Despite actually really caring a lot.) Her picking her teeth and sitting around on her hover-bike while Clutch attempts a Colony Drop on the spectators doesn't add anything. This scene did serve one purpose though: It reminded me that Surge and Kit know "Duo" is Mimic, which I had forgotten about with everything else going on. She does this by calling him the humiliating nickname "Tentacles." Aww, I love it when Surge bullies the other kids. 

Let us step back and discuss another aspect of issue 74 though. From time to time, you see some jack-ass on social media claim that the "Sonic" franchise isn't politic. This is in defiance of the obvious environmental and anti authoritarian subtext that has been there since the first game. Evan Stanley, whether intentionally or not, does provide a big "fuck you" to that corner of the fandom with this scene. When the drive full of dirty laundry on Clutch and Clean Sweeps Inc. is revealed to the public, is it info about how Clutch is a former crime boss and has committed kidnapping, illegal imprisonment, and attempted murder within this issue alone? Not so much! Instead, the infodump focuses on Clean Sweep Inc. improperly dumping toxic waste, poisoning groundwater supplies and the air people breathe. Falsified records, extortion, and silencing whistleblowers, and using all their funds to manufacture weapons. In other words, it is revealed to the public at large that Clutch and his company have been participating not in comic book bad guy crimes but in regular, real world, corporate crime. That's right, kids. Clutch isn't a supervillain. He's something much worse: A capitalist! Maybe the Restoration should work on restoring some government agencies to provide regulations and laws that big companies are forced to follow...

I'm slightly surprised that a comic for little kids would go in this direction. I think it's great to teach children that corporations are not your friend. However, IDW "Sonic" isn't prepared to grapple with the real world ramifications of events such as these. If the post-Trump era has taught us anything, it's that a lot of people don't give a shit about corporations doing horrible things. Some people actually make excuses for such events! Clutch refers to this breaking news as a "smear campaign" and that the amount of money he makes justifies whatever crimes he's committed. That it is "good business" and that "nobody cares about a few sick kids." The comic has Clutch do this on-camera before a crowd, who boo him immediately. He sees the consequences of his criminal disregard for the safety of the world right away. Here in reality, when evidence that CEOs have committed serious crimes leak to the press, the execs lawyer up. Usually, they have enough cash to pay whatever fines exist for their infractions, meaning the bad guys see no consequences for their actions and the infrastructure that allows them to do these things never changes. This is a comic book for little kids. After being exposed, Stanley has Clutch loose his mind and immediately become homicidal. This is either the author realizing that corporate criminals like Clutch rarely pay for their actions, causing her to write him immediately doing something obviously and blatantly evil to remove any doubt in the public's mind... Or this is merely a funny book for grade-schoolers and that much thought was not put into it. Either way, Clutch's mental breakdown is probably the best moment in this issue. 

Something else this issue got me thinking about... Isn't it funny how, when Lanolin was nothing but a background character, when we knew nothing about her, she was beloved by the fandom with multiple people demanding more appearances from her? Now that she has become a featured player and been gifted with an actual personality, she has quickly become one if the most loathed characters in the book? Almost as if deciding you like someone based solely on their outward appearance is shallow or something. Anyway, considering the production cycle for comic books, I assume Stanley was not aware of the fan reaction to Lanolin when she wrote the script for issue. At this point, however, it feels a bit like the writer is actively trying to make us dislike Lanolin. When Duo reveals that Tangle and Whisper knew Sonic was the Phantom Rider, the sheep gets extremely offended. She attempts to track down Sonic and arrest or something, I guess, when he's in the middle of saving the day. It's only after Tangle and Whisper talk her out of it that she changes her mind, deciding to put this debate on-hold until after the crisis is resolved. And so Lanolin is revealed to reside on the most annoying corner of the Character Alignment Chart: Lawful Neutral, the designation for people who think the law – or, at least, their personal interpretation of it as it aligns with their own morality – is an inflexible facet of the world and that any violation of it must be immediately and swiftly punished. 

In effect, this accomplishes two things. First off, Tangle's defense – that Sonic was doing the wrong thing for the right reason and we should just trust the guy the comic book is named after – does not feel like a justifiable position. "He's my friend, my friends are good and would never do anything bad, therefore my friend doing a bad thing must be good" is not the ethical position you think it is, Tangle. Generally, the comic acting like Sonic can do whatever he wants and not face any consequences for it is, makes our hero look like an unaccountable vigilante who can do no wrong. And that's not compelling. More pressingly, all of this makes Lanolin look like a bitchy straw man. She has a good point. 

We should hold those we have designated as our defenders to a strict set of rules! However, Lanolin reacting to this information in a moody, impulsive, and frankly illogical fashion makes her seem like, ya know, an idiot. Obviously saving the lives of thousands of innocent civilians is more important right now, lady. Which raises the question of if we are supposed to dislike Lanolin, of this is building towards some sort of growth or change for her. Or if we are heading towards a tedious courtroom arc where Sonic is put on trial for crimes that he will obviously be cleared of, because he's the default good guy of this universe. I don't know if that would be better or worse than the comic simply moving on past these events and hoping we forget they all happened. 

In general, it's another very frustrating issue. I've already pointed out how frequently any tension or momentum the script builds up is immediately undermined by switching focus to something else happening, usually via slow dialogue scenes. We see this in the action sequences too. The opening rumble between Clutch's goons and the Chaotix is decently executed, mostly thanks to Aaron Hammerstrom's bad-ass pencils. However, there is a moment that bugs me. Clutch grabs Charmy, puts his cane-gun to his head, and demands the Chaotix hand and the thumb drive get back in their cage. At this point, I would imagine Clutch would simply kill these guys – which he was attempting to do only a few panels earlier – rather than imprison them again. But, okay, whatever, this is a G-rated comic book. What happens instead is much more depressing. Vector pretends to concede, only for Espio to toss a shuriken into the debate and Charmy to sting his way out of Rough's grasp. What was the point of this moment? We already know that Clutch has no qualms about hurting children, as he's already tried to shoot Charmy. It adds no suspense to the sequence, as the situation is immediately resolved without any stakes being raised. This sequence simply makes the heroes look like they can easily wiggle their way out of any dilemma or makes Rough look like a bigger joke than he already is for forgetting that bees have stingers. 

I'm not convinced that this beat wasn't inserted strictly to make the comic book longer, in order to guarantee that this arc wraps up in the big anniversary issue next time. The awkward, stop-and-start feeling this entire arc has had makes me suspect that is the case. That action scene wraps up with Clutch running after Charmy as he flees the room and, right as he leaves, the villain perfectly shoots the control panel. Which means a not-small portion of the sprawling cast are, once again, stuck in a fucking boiler room. Throughout this storyline, Stanley has become obsessed with inventing these contrived reasons to keep the teams apart. Before, it was Tails and Amy being stuck on the other ship, looking for Belle. Maybe this story shouldn't have had twenty-one central characters? You don't have to include everybody in the team in every story, Evan. You don't need four or five dramatic things happening at once. "Urban Warfare" had this same problem, this need to shove in as many of the beloved cast members as possible and march each of them through constant action scenes and contrived subplots. That's not how you write an epic. It's how you write a shitty epic. Wasn't this storyline supposed to be about hoverboard racing???

People seem to like this on-going story, so I guess that problem must be with me. Still, I've seen this comic book, this exact same writing, do things in a much smoother and far more satisfying manner. In her Archie days, Stanley would shove in random events without setting them up. Now, she feels compelled to create these elaborate and unbalanced soap operas that weave through far too many characters and shove in far too much unconvincing action scenes. All of which ignores Stanley's strengths, which are in character interaction. A little aside here where Amy points out that both her and Don have a hammer for a weapon, and he cracks a joke about the boots she's wearing, will stick in my memory far longer than any of the other bullshit that happens in this issue. That's the benefit of having a big group of characters to draw from, seeing these different personalities bounce off each other, not insisting that every single one of them must participate in this meandering narrative. 

A simple two or three issue race story line, focused on Surge learning to be loved, would have been a great idea. A three issue plot focused on the Chaotix exposing Clutch's crimes to the public probably would've been fun. Giving Jet some much needed character development by centering in on his obsessive desire to beat Sonic would have made for a solid one-off. Even Sonic cosplaying as a Psycho-Ranger or melodramatic in-fighting among the Diamond Cutters, by far the least interesting part of this saga, could have been redeemed. Instead, all of these ideas were rammed together and the result has been, unsurprisingly, a mess. At least it'll be over next month, right? Sorry to be so negative, as I know some folks have been enjoying this one. I swear, I never set out to be a humorless, pretentious old man that hates everything because he holds a book for little kids to too high of a standard. What do you expect this middle-aged man to do, not review the "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic book? Anyway, I'm really looking forward to this series moving on to something else soon. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 72

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 72

Original Publication Date: August 28th, 2024

 

I often refer to "Sonic the Hedgehog" as a multi-media franchise because that's exactly what it is. The fast blue rat exists as a video game series, a comic book long-runner, various animated adaptations, popular blockbuster movies, and a horde of merchandise. The nature of this multi-branch structure sometimes means "Sonic" stuff ends up competing with other "Sonic" stuff for the audience's attention. I had completely missed that a new issue of IDW "Sonic" had come out last Wednesday. I assumed this was simply because I was knee-deep in preparing for my two month long horror movie marathon over at my other blog. Upon second thought, I had seen zero chatter about issue 72 in the various "Sonic" fan communities I participate in. What other hedgehog news happened this week? Oh yeah, the trailer for the star-studded, multi-million dollar new movie. I'm sure the new comic being released two days after the "Sonic 3" trailer was a complete scheduling fluke. If IDW was hoping hype for the new film would draw eyeballs to their comic, it seems the opposite is true. Any discussion of issue 72 has been totally overshadowed – pun! – by the trailer drop. Luckily, there's always time to catch up. 

Where is the Phantom Rider/Clean Sweepstakes story arc taking us this month? Surge and Kit express their desire to quit Cleansweep to Clutch, who essentially laughs their announcement off. This enrages Surge so much that she generates a massive lightning storm above, at the same time a horde of flying car traffic is passing by. Coincidentally, Sonic is lurking around in the same traffic jam, his disguise malfunctioning. The Babylon Rogues swoop in, redirecting traffic in the storm and playing hero in hopes of rehabilitating their own public image. At least until Jet spots the Phantom Rider and that hyper-fixation takes over. Sonic is rescued by an unexpected ally: Nite the Owl and Don the Rooster, who also happen to be in this same traffic jam. 

In my review of issue 71, I referred to the current on-going arc as a collection of subplots all acting in their own lanes. Perhaps Evan Stanley was feeling that weigh on the plot too, fearful that it might collapse under the weight of so much happening at once. Her solution to bring some of these threads together in this issue is inelegant. Surge getting mad at Clutch results in a thunderstorm, that Sonic and the Rogues and Sonic's rescuers all happen to be caught in too. If this was depicting as Surge's atmospheric freak-out being so powerful, it stretches over an entire metropolitan area, that would be one thing. Instead, it seems almost all the current plot lines come together in the same spot by sheer coincidence. What makes this massively convenient fluke more frustrating is that it does little to push the overall arc forward. The last issue felt like the buffer between the middle of the arc and the finale. This issue feels like... More of that buffer. How much longer are we going to watch these various divergent plot lines bounce around each other before they come together for some sort of satisfying whole? 

This frustration is most felt in Sonic's portion of the issue. What does the blue hedgehog actually do this month? He lurks around a traffic jam, trying to hide his face. He has a brief interaction with Jet before getting yanked into Nite and Don's Space Winnebago. They talk and, after Don patches up his Henshin-A-Go-Go gadget, then he leaves! While forcing Sonic into a double life was interesting at first, now it's clear that isolating the hedgehog from his friends has also isolated him from the flow of the rest of the story. This issue feels as if everything is happening around the hedgehog. Which is not a great position for the titular hero to be in. 

If I were to be cynical for a moment – something I never am – I would say this sequence is only in the issue for strictly commercial reasons. First off, you've got to have Sonic the Hedgehog do something in the book with his name on the cover. The fans who complain about the comics being nothing but the author's O.C.s doing stuff will get mad otherwise. This sequence also allows an issue otherwise focused on character development to have an action beat early on. The minute Jet sees the Phantom Rider, he deviates from his plan and chases after the guy. It's the briefest struggle and there's a longer fight scene in the issue's back half. The feeling that Stanley is trying to make Jet and Sonic's rivalry a major lynchpin in this arc is starting to become a little sweaty. She wanted to do a racing arc and, if you're doing that, the Rogues have to be there. But the Rogues aren't that interesting on their own, so Stanley has seized on Jet's obsession with Sonic to beef up that particular corner of the story. However, you can always tell where Stanley's interest actually resides. And it's not with Jet's raging hate-on for Sonic. 

The rambling point I'm making here is... This scene feels like it's in this issue because it has to be. There has to be an action scene within the first few pages. Sonic has to do something. If the Babylon Rogues' dedicated plotline, of trying to reinvent themselves as heroes the way Surge and Kit have, went anywhere, this would feel less intrusive. It doesn't though. Jet is still determined to chase Sonic until the ends of the Earth and the hedgehog is more annoyed by it than anything else. The moment where Wave feels unappreciated that ego maniac Jet never allows her to take any credit for her ideas is the sole moment here that catches my eyes. Will that go somewhere? Will Wave become so fed up with Jet's bullshit that she leaves the team? That would be a good end to this story, Jet's obsession growing so great that the closest people he has to friends abandon him. I kind of doubt that will happen though. Would Sega allow Stanley to break up the band, even temporarily? Feels like that would violate their unified brand vision or something.

While you can feel the author struggling to make compelling fiction out of this part of the story, she's clearly more invested in other parts. Namely, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the comic exclusive characters that she's more-or-less defined. Surge continues to be the beating heart of this saga. Last month, an enthusiastic fan made Surge realize that she didn't have to be bad to be loved. This month, she stands up to Clutch, tells him to take this job and so on. He immediately fires back that the public coming around to love Surge was his work. He gave it to her, he can take it away. Being the angsty little marshmallow she is, Surge immediately has to have a temper tantrum about it. Has to bemoan how someone is always trying to control her. Kit gives her a big hug and it's absolutely fucking adorable. I do wonder why Surge wouldn't just shock the shit out of Clutch and call it a day. I suppose his villainous monologue is very convincing to her. Considering part of her thundering rage involves screaming how no one can tell her what to do, hopefully she will find a way to rebel. Still, I love when this unhinged psycho bitch shows her soft, squishy, vulnerable insides. There's no doubt in my mind at this point that Surge is one of the most psychologically fleshed-out characters in this entire series. 

This scene serves another purpose too, besides making all of us want to give Surge another hug. The longer the Clean Sweepstakes event goes on, the clearer it becomes what one of Stanley's big goals with this narrative were: To properly establish Clutch as a major villain. He's been floating around the sidelines for a while, being all untrustworthy and shit. Now he's making his big plan to rob the Restoration. The scene with Surge and Kit, meanwhile, show personally devious this guy is. He manipulates Surge perfectly with only his words, looming over her and breaking her will with a simple statement. When Starline would monologue at Surge like this, it worked. He "created" her, after all. I still don't 100% buy Clutch as a mastermind, high-ranking bad guy. He still seems like a petty crook trying to break into the big leagues. The comic needs to have him do some real bastard shit – engineer a public crisis, kill someone, run for public office – for me to see him as a truly S-tier antagonist. The comics have yet to develop him much beyond mildly foppish crime boss. Stanley clearly wants Clutch to be the Kingpin of the IDW Sonic-Verse but he still strikes me as more like the Crime Master or Big Man or whichever D-list Spider-Man villain best fits this metaphor. The narrative supports the idea that Clutch has graduated from wannabe to major threat but he still feels more like the latter to me. 

This issue also provides a chance for Evan to write two of her other creations into this on-going. Nite the Owl and Don the Rooster have been present since the Metal Virus Saga. Previously, I had no strong feelings about them one way or another. Don's grumpiness is mildly endearing. Nite's indefatigable peppiness is slightly annoying. However, these two didn't seem to fill any role other than a radio DJ and his sidekick. They added some color to the world but I didn't have any desire to know more about them. Why couldn't Kit the Capybara been the minor supporting character to take off? This latest appearance does give us a peek into Nite and Don's lives. Turns out the owl is a secret informer for the Restoration and they own a van together. (No word yet on if it resides down by the river.) I guess that means we'll be seeing more of these two guys in the near future, not only when Nite comes out of a goddamn up-tempo record when he has to talk about a fucking dog dying. 

Oh yeah, also, they're gay. Speaking of coming out! I mean, I guess Nite referring to Don as “my dear” could be totally platonic but the goo-goo eyes he gives the rooster in the same panel suggest otherwise. I had some vague recollection of some word-of-God confirmation that these two are lovers but doubted it would make it into the actual comic in any significant way. Revisiting the Tumblr post where Evan dropped this lore nugget confirms that these two are canonically a couple and have been from the beginning. As far as representation goes, this is still very subtle. It's not like they are pressing their beaks together in an awkward attempt to replicate kissing.. Considering how coy the comic has been with confirming Tangle and Whisper's really, really obvious relationship, it's nice to see these two being out and proud. That gay characters are allowed to exist in this universe without anyone drawing attention to it. (Though did Stanley consider the implications of making the “Sonic” universe's first confirmed bara a literal cock? Lol.)

Somehow, this does not cover all the fucking subplots in this issue. I still am not sure what timeline Tails, Amy, and Belle are operating on in comparison to the rest of the events. However, here they rush towards Jewel's office only to be stopped by the Cleansweep mascots, soon revealed to be Rough and Tumble in disguise. There is one adorable moment here, when Belle puts two-and-two together and realizes she's made a big mistake. However, this particular series of events still feels like it's being dragged out way too long. That Jewel doesn't hear the fisticuffs going on right outside her office is explained by her having some headphones on, which is very contrived. I'm beginning to think Evan is not great at actually pacing out her storylines, especially when there are multiple threads to juggle. 

Despite having some big problems, I still enjoyed this installment. Once again, the little character interactions end up saving the day. Surge having her wangsty cry session and Kit comforting her – and even Nite's tiny act of affection towards his boyfriend – make these convoluted action/adventure events feel a lot more meaningful. I would rather the forward momentum of the plot and the emotional events of the cast feel intertwined... But considering all the bad “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic books I've read over the years, I'm simply pleased that one of those elements exist. It looks like IDW is going to stretch this particular arc out for at least three more issues. Guess I better get used to complaining about all these subplots competing for time and attention. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Amy's 30th Anniversary Special

Sonic the Hedgehog: Amy's 30th Anniversary Special

Publication Date: September 27th, 2023

The “Sonic the Hedgehog” titles must be a big hit for IDW, as they are continuing to make a habit out of releasing one-shots on a regular basis. They just announced another one last week! Among their most persistent series of one-shots have been the anniversary editions. Sonic's 30th anniversary in 2021 was a big deal for the whole franchise, IDW honoring it with one of their best comics in the entire series. They continued the trend last year, giving Tails an anniversary special too. Showing that this is clearly going to be a tradition until they are out of 30th anniversaries, 2023 has brought with it a 30th anniversary special for Amy Rose too. (The fact that Sega has a new retro-platformer coming out soon was, no doubt, another reason to greenlight this special.) I bet Flynn is already drafting the script for Knuckles' birthday one-shot for next year. 

Of course, when you compare Amy to Tails or Knuckles, you notice she's a very different character. Amy Rose is probably the most popular female character in the “Sonic” franchise now, essentially being the female face of the entire series. Yet she didn't even debut in one of the numbered sequels. Amy Rose first appeared in “Sonic CD,” a game a lot of fans probably didn't play when it was new because not many people had a Sega CD. Tails was appearing in the American “Sonic” comics and cartoons and Knuckles would soon acquire a massive following in the comics. Amy, meanwhile, wouldn't appear in an animated series until “Sonic X” and was only a minor supporting character in the Archie books for years. 

Despite being the closest thing Sonic had to a love interest in the video games at the time, Amy Rose didn't really become a detailed character until the Dreamcast era. “Modern” Amy was still a fashionable, very pink girl hedgehog but she also wielded a big-ass hammer, while having personality traits outside of endlessly pursuing Sonic and being a damsel-in-distress. The Piko Piko Hammer has become such an ingrained part of Amy's personality that Classic Amy – the subject of this one-shot – has retroactively been given it as well. While Modern Amy has flourished and become a beloved member of the series, Classic Amy has just sort of hung around.  The reinvention of the character has overshadowed the rather vague original version. 

How did Ian Flynn go about resolving this issue? Let's see. “Amy's 30th Anniversary Special” begins with the pink hedgehog throwing a little party for her animal friends, also giving them a reading from her divination cards. The cards warn of danger and, soon enough, Metal Sonic barges into the area. Joined by a little blue Flicky, and guided by her magic cards, Amy sets out to get the bottom of things. She discovered a series of Egg Capsules, freeing Nack Fang, Ray, and Bark along the way. They soon follow a shipment of fruit to an island fortress, where Eggman has captured all of Amy's friends in similar Egg Capsule. Metal Sonic is right on their trail though, leading to a big showdown. 

You know what my first thought was upon finishing reading this comic book? “Ian Flynn should write a “Strawberry Shortcake” or “Rainbow Brite” comic or something like that.” This issue really captures the feel of “girly” Saturday morning cartoon shows from the eighties and I mean that in the best way. This one-shot is unapologetically girly. Pink is the primary color on many of the pages. Amy is constantly surrounded by cute, little animals – who look like stuffed toys, really – and pretty flowers. After quickly assessing that Bark, usually an antagonist, isn't such a bad guy, she gives him a big hug. The issue ends with the heroes having a tea party! The visual design for this comic shoots is designed to appeal to the audience of “cutest little girl you can imagine in the early 90s.”

Again, I don't mean any of this as a criticism. I'm not the target audience for “She-Ra” or “Jem” or “Care Bears” or whatever. Yet it's impressive that this comic marries to this specific aesthetic so unerringly without letting it effect the story any. Despite Amy, and Classic Amy especially, being defined largely by her devotion to Sonic, that's only a little part of this comic. Instead, there are some decent stakes here. Amy's friends have been captured and, gosh darn it, she's going to free them. She's a young girl, with young girl problems, but that doesn't hinder her from overcoming the specific challenges this narrative presents. Flynn's script argues that Amy's girliness is not a defect but an asset. 

Honestly, I think the character arc Amy gets here is really cute. All throughout the story, she expects to find Sonic or Tails or someone really famous like that in the Egg Capsules. Instead, she gets Nack, Ray, and Bark. All throughout, she attributes the extraordinary characteristics her magic cards points towards to other people. In the end, it's pointed out that Amy is the one who accomplished all these things. Honestly, I think this is a good message to send to young people. Young girls, especially, undervalue their own abilities because our society is so fucking sexist. Amy learning her own strength, that even she denies, is a sweet little arc that fits the character and also makes for a compelling narrative. 

Aside from her infatuation with Sonic, Classic Amy has one other characteristic. At least, she does in theory anyway. The manual to “Sonic CD” mentioned that Amy was into Tarot and this is a factoid that was widely ignored for years. These days, all out of a desire to make the modern/classic divide more distinct, Classic Amy's Tarot fixation is focused on more. This issue, in particular, hammers the fortune telling thing really hard. It proves a decent way to keep the story moving and also allows Aaron Hammerstrom to design some really cute cards. It's still weird to me that Sega pretends Amy has always been into divination though.

Though Ian Flynn has told fans not to worry about the Classic/Modern divide anymore, it seems this mandate is still in place for the comics. Mighty, Ray, and the Hooligans have yet to appear in the modern-set stories. Another way you can tell these characters are still off-limits for the rest of the comics is that, any time IDW publishes a “Classic” title, they tend to show up. Yes, this issue gives a plum supporting role to Ray the Squirrel. Mighty, Bean, and the Weasel Formerly Known as Nack all put in some appearances. Ray gets some cute little moments to himself, playing up his youthful nativity. (It's still weird to me that Comic Ray doesn't have a stutter anymore.) 

Yet Bark the Bear proves to be the secret MVP here. Because, really, who is Bark the Bear? In the Archie comics – where the extremely obscure character of Bark has been more defined, versus his sole appearance in a largely forgotten video game from 27 years ago – he's also been this silent bruiser.  While Flynn has always written Bark as an antagonist, he's mostly just been muscle for hire. Not really a dedicated villain in his own right. It's been suggested before that Bark actually isn't a bad guy and this comic runs with that. Maybe it's just because Flynn has a limited number of characters to work with in this setting, so Bark got selected. Yet to see the big quiet bear prove he's more teddy than grizzly is a nice touch. 

You know what another element of cutesy eighties cartoon is? Bad-ass villains that are always humbled by the soft, adorable heroes. Even “boy” cartoons have this element, where extremely cool looking bad guys like Skeletor, Shredder, and Cobra Commander were repeatedly humiliated. This contrast was even more obvious in shows targeted at younger kids and girls. Seriously, look at this guy. Could be a mascot for a metal band, right? And he got his ass kicked every week by Teddy Ruxpin. Meanwhile, this demonic looking motherfucker regularly lost fights to the Little Ponies. 

What is the point I'm making her? It's practically a tradition that, the softer the cartoon looks, the more disproportionately bad-ass the antagonist looks... Who is then, despite that intimidating exterior, totally defeated over and over again. This also accurately describes Metal Sonic in this issue. He blasts in, tears shit up, frightens Amy into hiding, but never actually does anything productive. In the end, he's left defeated in a comical fashion. As an old man who has been watching cartoons my whole life, it warms my heart to see this nostalgic troupe upheld in a comic clearly paying tribute to that era. 

That the Classic Sonic aesthetic is so readily apparent always makes these anniversary specials a treat for the eyes. Aaron Hammerstrom provides the pencils here, as he did for the Tails Anniversary special. He does excellent work too. The characters are expressive and adorable, fitting within the Classic house style while also coming alive within these panels. This is especially important for characters who don't speak, like Bark and Metal Sonic. They seem as lively and well-characterized as the rest of the gang. Reggie Graham's colors are bright and soft, furthering the feeling of a vintage cartoon. 

I don't think the “Amy 30th Anniversary” special is as good as the “Tails” or “Sonic” anniversary one-shots. Those stories were more action-packed, with more adventurous pacing. Yet I think this comic book is pretty good too. As it's probably clear by now, Classic Amy is not a “Sonic” cast member I'm especially attached to. Yet this issue managed to make her endearing to me. While I don't think this will replaced the later versions of Amy as my preferred take on the pink hedgehog, the one-shot does argue for Classic Amy's place in the franchise's history. [7/10]