Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Free Comic Book Day 2022

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Free Comic Book Day 2022

Publication Date: May 7th, 2022

It's easy to see why the "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic series has been a semi-regular participant in Free Comic Book Day since 2007. Free Comic Book Day is a way for comic companies to promote their product and attract new audiences. (As well as drawing new business to small local comic shops.) "Sonic" has appeared across numerous medias, so it's a well-known franchise that can grab the attention of folks who maybe don't otherwise read comic books. "Sonic" is also popular with kids, exactly the audience that can be transformed into life-long fans (and buyers) of the medium with just a single book. So I was not surprised when IDW continued Archie's tradition of including a "Sonic" book in all the FCBD goodies. 

What did surprise me is that Free Comic Book Day is in its traditional homelands of May this year, after COVID related shenanigans had it moving to April last year. I went on vacation last week – Universal Studios was fun, by the way – and wasn't reminded that FCBD had been the weekend I left until later in the week. So here I am playing catch-up, like I too often am doing. That's also why I'll have a review of the final issue of "Imposter Syndrome" next time. 

Anyway, "Sonic's" 2022 FCBD issue contains mostly new content in the form of two stories. The first of which is called "Deep Trouble." It involves Knuckles calling Sonic and Tails to Angel Island. While the guardian is still crabby about the Metal Virus endangering his home, he concedes he needs the duo's help on this new mystery. There's been strange earthquakes throughout the Marble Garden Zone and the echidna isn't sure what do make of it. As the trio explores further, they soon uncover the responsible party: Eggman, in a fancy drilling machine. 

One of the more common criticisms I've heard of IDW's "Sonic" stuff has been the lack of appearances of a certain character. Presumably because Sega mandates insist he constantly be chained to the Master Emerald, or weariness over comics using the echidna after the whole Ken Penders debacle, Knuckles hasn't had as big of a role in these comics as many fans would like. Flynn's best reasoning for this has been to write Knuckles as an isolationist, fanatically devoted to his job and resentful of the rest of the world for endangering his beloved island. I find this whole ordeal kind of lame but "Deep Trouble" at least rolls with it in as annoyance-free a manner as possible. Knuckles is still grumpy about the Zombot outbreak but he's willing to put all that aside when he needs a little help from his friends.

Ultimately, "Deep Trouble" is really kind of a nothing story. Sonic and Tails show up on Angel Island and Knuckles tells them about a problem. They immediately run into the source of that problem and, within the span of five quick pages, defeat it. You get the impression that not a lot of time or resources are allocated for these Free Comic Book Day issues. (After all, Archie frequently would just throw some reprints together for the day.) I imagine Flynn wrote this whole story in an afternoon and didn't out too much thought into it. Perhaps realizing how thin the gruel is, the author at least enlivens the proceedings with a little witty banter. Stern and serious Knuckles and flippant Sonic, as always, make ideal foils for each other. The hedgehog and Tails prattle a little about how to pronounce the name of "Sonic 3's" second zone. Eggman and the good guys trade some amusing quips. It's not a lot but it at least makes a story that doesn't amount to much more than "Sonic and friends find Eggman and then beat him" worth reading.

And this brief little story May gave us a preview of what the comic could get up to once its current story arc is resolved. We are told a little bit about what Knuckles has been up to in the nineteen months since he last appeared in the comic. He's been scouring Angel Island for any remaining trace of the Metal Virus and has, along the way, discovered numerous hidden passageways and secret spaces on the island. His dialogue reemphasizes that there's still a lot of mysteries surrounding the island. Is this a suggestion that Sega is finally allowing Flynn and the gang to flesh out the backstory of Knuckles' home land a little bit? Or is it just a tease for information that the company will never allow the book to elaborate on, least it disrupt Knuckles' status as a vaguely defined corporate mascot? I guess we'll found out eventually. Either way, I'm intrigued by the bread crumbs left here. 

If I have any complaint about this story, aside from it being short and simple, is that Eggman goes down like a little bitch. When exactly this story is set isn't specified. Obviously, it's some point after the end of the Metal Virus Saga and presumably a bit before the current storyline the comic is wrapped up in. I suspect the story might be set slightly after "Recovery," that period in the comic when Eggman clearly had no idea what he was doing. He says he's drilling on Angel Island for precious materials of some sort. (Maybe to help build whatever the thing in the "Test Run" arc was.) All Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles have to do is whack his EggMobile a couple of times, Swiss cheesing his armor, before the villain flies off with his tail between his legs. I guess this is what happens at the end of every stage in the Genesis games but it doesn't deflect the perception of Eggman as an aimless, incompetent supervillain. 

The script being simple isn't the only sign that this issue was maybe rushed out. Bracardi Curry does the artwork here. Curry's work is usually of a pretty high quality. And it's not bad here either. But it is slightly looser than his pencils usually are. The expressions are a little cartoonier. The body language is a bit more exaggerated. I don't mind any of this stuff and it's a fun-looking story. A panel of Eggman looking all stretched out while stressing in his cockpit is notable. But it's also a little goofier, a little less studied and fleshed out, than the art usually is in this comic. I get the impression that there just wasn't time for Curry to do a second pass on these pages. 

As in last year's "Sonic" Free Comic Book Day edition, the second story here isn't really much of a story. "Prelude to Disaster" is, instead, basically a clip show. It's just a short summation of the book's first four years worth of stories. It runs us quickly through the Metal Sonic takeover, the Zombot outbreak, the "Bad Guys" mini-series, and the run-up to the current "Imposter Syndrome" arc. At the very least, the story is not just a primer for any novices picking up an IDW "Sonic" comic for the first time. It is framed as a conversation – or maybe more of a monologue – from Starline to Surge and Kit. Occasionally, Surge will pipe in with some smart-ass comment or Kit will stutter through a line. It's still a glorified recap. There's no new art here, as far as I can tell, but at least some attempt was made to make this more than just an advertisement for IDW's various collection of back issues. 

Though there are literally several advertisements for collections in this comic book. Including one seemingly thrown together to cash in on the second "Sonic" movie, devoted to stories focusing on Sonic and Tails' friendship. Also, in the fan art section, there's a pretty cool Belle custom action figure. As for 2022's FCBD issue, it's pretty inessential. I would've preferred another cute Classic Sonic story like last year. But this is an inoffensive comic with one or two cute moments, even if it's clearly pitched at newcomers. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 43

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 43

Publication Date: September 1st, 2021

One of the various "Sonic" fan corners I hang out in features a person who complains loudly and obnoxiously every time an issue of IDW's "Sonic" comic is delayed. I blocked him a while ago but, before that, I would futilely attempt to explain that delays are common in the comic industry. IDW, in particular, is notorious for missing deadlines. This is the very grown-up and mature perspective I try to take but, I'll admit, IDW's fucked-up release schedule threw me for a loop today. I turned on my PC, ready to review an episode of an old cartoon, when I saw a notification that the new issue of IDW "Sonic" was out today. Issue 43's release date has been shifted so many times I forgot it was actually coming out on September 1st. So I got out of my comfy office chair, grabbed my tablet, booted up Comixology, and here we are now. 

Sorry, each of these recent comic reviews have opened with me complaining what an old man I am. Anyway, issue 43 is devoted to "Zeti Hunt, Part 3." We pick up where we last left off, with Sonic locked in a small room with the entirety of the Deadly Six. The hedgehog brawls with the six Zetis but eventually finds himself overwhelmed by their raw brute strength. Whisper helps out and Tails, with his electronic Zeti stopping devices, eventually arrives to help. Even after beating the monsters into submission, the trouble isn't over. Sonic is informed that Starline has kidnapped Belle. 

Almost this entire issue – as in 19 out of 20 pages – is devoted to the fight between Sonic and the Deadly Six. I like action in my action comics as much as the next guy. Flynn and his team find some novel moments to include in this lengthy brawl. Such as Zaz getting increasingly unhinged as he takes more of a beating from Sonic. Or Zavok picking up Zor, when he refuses to participate in the fight, and literally throwing him at Sonic. Still, there's only so much novelty to watching cartoon characters wail on each other for page after page. I wish there was a little more dramatic meat on this issue's bones. 

In fact, I didn't find myself becoming involved in this issue at all until Sonic started to loose the fight. Sonic is mostly able to handle the big colorful monsters but, after Zavok lands a lucky sucker punch on him, the tide of the fight starts to turn. I've said this before and I'll probably say it again, as it's a fact the "Sonic" franchise has trouble remembering sometimes: Fights are way more compelling when it looks like the hero might actually loose! When Zavok has his hand around Sonic's head, squeezing it like a stress ball, that's a compelling image. The issue needed more stuff like that. 

However, one thing remains consistent no matter how bad of a beating Sonic is taking: He's always a smart-ass. Some people complain about this too and it can definitely drain the dramatic tension from situations sometimes. However, here it is used well, I think. Sonic mocks Zavok's tendency to monologue about his grand, grim purpose by referring to it as failed poetry or rambling. It shows Sonic's tenacity, his unwillingness to give up, that he's still cracking jokes even when getting the shit beat out of him. It is what is commonly referred to as a "personality trait" and it helps enliven a fight-fest issue like this. 

Something else that keeps the pep up in this issue is when Sonic's pals help him out. Tangle goatses a hole in the steel door, whacking any Zeti that wanders by with her tail until Zavok yanks back. Whisper, always so whispery, fires some Wispon bolts into the room before Zavok uses his technopathy to scramble her mask. When Tails drops in, we get a good moment where he saves Sonic's ass by spindashing into Zavok's chest. It's nice to be reminded that Tails isn't just the tech guy but can do all the same special moves as Sonic. Again, brief moments like this add some color to an issue otherwise totally devoted to fisticuffs. (Also, the Chaotix get stuck in traffic and that made laugh while also raising some questions about the infrastructure on Sonic's world.)

In the past, we've seen multiple artist work on a single story, which I frequently suspect is to help lighten the work load of whoever the primary artist was supposed to be. This issue is split evenly between three different artists. And the shift in style is a bit jarring. Jamal Peppers does the first ten pages. I used to love Peppers' work on the Archie series but have been underwhelmed by his contributions to IDW so far. It seems Peppers has dropped the slightly sketchy pencil lines from his work, which always invoked a somewhat gritty feel. Without that, his art comes off as overly smooth and stationary. Or maybe he's just bad at drawing the Zetis. The Deadly Six come off as especially weightless, with wide-eyed and blank facial expressions, on his pages. 

When Bracardi Curry takes over on page eleven, it's really obvious. Curry's art has a fantastic sense of motion. His character work is stylized, and a little more jagged than the traditional "Sonic" artwork, which makes his action sequences even more distinctive. After five pages of excellent art from Curry, Thomas Rothlisberger takes over. After doing impressive work on the 30th Anniversary special and this year's FCBD issue, this is Rothlisberger's debut in the regular series. His talent really lies in facial expressions. Which is probably why panels devoted to Sonic and Tails being defiant while Zavok squishes them, or the clear masochistic pleasure on Zor's face after getting zapped with Tails' gizmo, really shine. It's a good looking book but having three people, each with such distinctive art styles, work on one issue does make for a slightly disorientating read. 

As we reach the end of the "Zeti Hunt" story arc, I do have to wonder what the point of all this was. Did Flynn just want to remind readers the Deadly Sox where still out there, doing zeti shit? Did he bring the colorful monsters back simply to occupy the main cast while setting up the upcoming "Imposter Syndrome" mini-series in the background? That really feels like where this is going but I guess we still have more issue in this arc for it to justify itself. This isn't a totally useless issue and the script does what it can to spruce up a story devoted totally to a fight scene... But it's still just an extended fight scene and only so much can be done with that. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 39

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 39

Publication Date: May 12, 2021

In the two months since the last IDW related post on this here blog, there's been some interesting news related to the comics. First, among a flurry of really neat merchandise announcements, there was a pretty creditable rumor that Whisper may be turned into an adorable plush you can buy and snuggle. Shortly after that nugget sneaked out, an official line of Tangle and Whisper related merchandise – shirts and pillows and a weirdly expensive blanket – popped up on Sega online store. This makes Tangle and Whisper the first comic exclusive characters to ever be merchandised. (Though they also showed up in a mobile game last year, so I guess they aren't strictly exclusive to the comic anymore...)

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, Tangle and Whisper are really cool and I think it's great that Sega is embracing them. Honestly, I'm shocked and amazed that Sega is acknowledging anything that isn't from the mainline games. At the same time, I can't help but feel a slight sting. Archie Sonic ran for twenty-four years and never received so much as a nod from Sega. Sally and Julie-Su walked so Tangle and Whisper could run. I can't help but be slightly peeved that Sega merely begrudgingly allowed the original comic to exist but is now happily embracing its follow-up. As if this is a corporate acknowledgment that the new thing is better than the old thing I've spent my whole life obsessing over. I guess that's more my problem than anyone else's. The old, bitter nerd in me is talking. 

Anyway, none of that has much to do with the actual focus of today's post. Let's talk about part three of "Test Run." Sonic, Tails, and Amy remain trapped in Eggman's weird pocket dimension. The villain turns the gravity off, causing our heroes to float towards the sky. Sonic races upward into the void, egging Eggman on to try out some new boss machines on the good guys. Which doesn't exactly work out for them... Meanwhile, Tangle and Belle interrogate Cubot and Orbot in hopes of helping their friends.  

Last time, I applauded Evan Stanley for taking her story in increasingly weird directions. At first, part three of "Test Run" continues to operate in this more surreal direction. Cubot and Orbot pump monstrous Badniks out of a machine, each one an unholy abomination mashes together from different parts. Inside the pocket dimension, Sonic can't even trust the basic fundamentals of psychics like gravity. Our heroes are sent floating off into space. It continues the fun sense that anything can happen in this story. 

Which makes it all the disappointing that this is all a prelude to another simplistic boss battle. The trio floats upward until Eggman forms a room out of thin air – okay, cool – which becomes the place to test out his new death machine. It looks a lot like "Sonic Adventure 1's" Egg Viper and later splits into three smaller machines, each one with mastery over a different element. (Stanley might have stolen this from an old issue of the "Sonic X" comic, though it's a pretty basic idea too.) It's just another battle between Sonic and an Eggman vehicle with an easily identified weakness. We've seen this exact scenario a hundred times before and it's disappointing that, after stretching its imagination last issue, we are back to the usual Sonic business. 

The B-plot, last time, was devoted to Belle questioning her humanity, wondering what it meant for her that she was an Eggman creation. It was good character development. That is also put aside here, as the Tangle and Belle scenes are largely devoted to humor. It's not all bad though. Tangle attempting to psych out Cubot and Orbot, tricking them to reveal crucial information via increasingly wacky techniques, is funny. There's room for humor in this comic book about cartoon animals fighting robots. And watching Tangle be a goofball is always delightful. 

Even if this is an issue that takes some steps backwards, Stanley still finds a few emotional moments. When Tangle decides to leap into a portal, to save her friends, Belle tries to talk her out of it, that the risk isn't worth it. It's an interesting development, showing how much Belle cares about her friend but also showing there's a limit to her heroics. If Stanley takes this character in the direction I think she might, with Belle eventually joining up with her "dad," this could be an intriguing angle to explore.

Also, there's no doubt about where Stanley's shipping interests lay. Once again, Amy shamelessly flirts with Sonic even as they leap upward into the sky. It should be well known that I'm no fan of Sonic/Amy but, mostly, I'm just bugged that Amy's character development has receded so much recently. I really liked tough, field commander Amy from the book's first year. Seeing her backswing more and more towards fawning fan girl is a little underwhelming. I loved Amy's characterization in the "Chao Races and Badnik Bases" arc, so I guess I just prefer her interacting with other girls. 

On the artwork front, Stanley and Bracardi Curry continue to split duties. Evan draws the Tangle and Belle scenes, while Curry does everything deal with Sonic, Tails, and Amy. Both are very good at what they do. Curry really gets to show off his skills at sketching action scenes here, during the big showdown between Sonic and Robotnik's new robots. I especially like the way he frames the reveal of one machine splitting into three. Stanley, meanwhile, is a pro at this point at mining humor and personality out of simple dialogue scenes. Her Tangle is always so sassy and personable.

All together, it's an issue I'm not too sure how to feel about. It seems like this arc is taking a step back just when it was heading in some really interesting direction. Couldn't we had held off on the inevitable boss battle next time, to enjoy some low-key weirdness a little more? I guess we'll see if Evan can pull it all together next time. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 38

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 38

Publication Date: March 24th, 2021

I commented on this in my last IDW "Sonic" where I'm not just enjoying reading it, I'm actively curious about where it'll head next. Issue 37 ended on a really interesting point, having set up some wild ideas. I'm happy to say that issue 38 happily plays off that set-up. This story arc is going in some truly unexpected directions and it feels like it's been a while since I've said that about a "Sonic" book. 

"Test Run Part 2" picks up where we left off last time. Sonic, Tails, and Amy are still trapped inside the ever-expanding pocket dimension Eggman has built for themselves. After breaking the boundaries of this artificial environment, the trio believes they've found a way out... But instead enter into another obviously created environment. When Cubot and Orbot inform Eggman of this, he's actually pleased. He decides to really use the situation to his full advantage. Meanwhile, Tangle and Belle sneak into the control room of the base and the little puppet makes an unnerving discovery. 

Once again, this comic book continues to play out as something I didn't expect: A "Sonic" horror story. After Sonic, Tails, and Amy cross a portal into the second layer of the pocket dimension, they are faced with a seemingly mundane town. Yet the streets are empty. Everything about the place is disquietingly artificial. When the trio enter a seemingly ideal suburban home, they find it populated with lifeless dolls. Lots of films and TV shows have subverted the "constructed community" aspect of suburban life for uncanny creepiness. But I really didn't expect a "Sonic" comic to go down that path. 

And rather effectively too. When Sonic and friends enter the home, there's a panel of them slowly creaking a door open. The blankly staring test dummies are always bathed in shadows, to emphasize their uncanny quality. You can't tell me this stuff wasn't meant to be spooky. Stanley adds to this already unreal situation by later piling on the delightful surrealism. The heroes encounter a badnik, a giant Caterkiller with a mouthful of mandibles... In a bathtub. Just going for a swim, I guess. It's weird and funny and suitably dream-like. This continues when Eggman starts communicating with Sonic via the toaster and other mundane kitchen tools. Or weirder badniks, mashed together from different machines, appear. Stanley decided to embrace the oddness of this situation and it's really working for me. 

These issues, so far, are kind of a reversal of what I experienced with Stanley's last story arc. "Chao Chases and Badnik Bases" didn't have much in the way of new ideas but was redeemed by some truly lovable character writing. "Test Run" is inserting far-out and fun ideas into the comic while the characters - at least among the Sega cast - have been fairly simplistic. Sonic is the sarcastic, speedy hero. Tails is the smart one, who unfurls an especially loquacious ream of technobabble early on. Amy is Sonic's girly sidekick, who takes time to comment on how tacky Eggman's interior design is. They are reduced to archetypes, which works fine for this story. Though they definitely feel less complex than when Flynn writes them. 

This is only true of the game-based characters, which can't help but make me wonder if Sega had something to do with this choice. Belle and Tangle's interaction continues to be a lot richer. Belle discovers the truth that we, the reader, have known from the minute we met her. She's a badnik. Seeing the Eggman symbol on the base wall unnerves her. After accidentally falling into the path of some Egg Pawns, they simply nod and keep going. The comic is still reluctant to actually have Belle name Eggman as her creator. (Which may or may not be foreshadowing some sort of twist, though that's seeming increasingly unlikely.) 

Belle is so distraught about learning this information that she even tells Tangle she'll allow herself to be smashed, if that's what badniks deserve. Tangle, being a true bro, doesn't even worry about it. And this is why I love Tangle so much. She is accepting and loving, always seeing someone's best side. It's why she was such a cute pairing with Whisper, someone with a lot of baggage and guilt. Tangle doesn't give a shit about any of that stuff. If you're a good friend to her, she'll be a good friend to you. I'm intrigued to see if this growing bond with Belle will be tested in future issues. 

Stanley does the art for the Belle/Tangle scenes herself. Stanley's strength for expressions and detail is put to good use her. Part of why Belle's emotional moments work so well is because you really grasp her feelings from how Stanley draws her. Colorist Bracardi Curry makes his line art debut with the Sonic/Tails/Amy scenes. Curry, thus far, hasn't really distinguished himself. His work is very similar to a couple other "Sonic" artists and I assumed it was one of them at first. It's still good. The lines are clean, the faces are good, the action is coherent. But Curry doesn't seem to have developed a distinct style just yet. 

Once again, I'm left wanting more. Stanley has cooked up a genuinely novel situation for Sonic and friends to fight their way out of, and I want to see where that'll go. Meanwhile, the conflict that I've suspected will be built around Belle seems to be formulating. Good stuff! Honestly, a mix of unpredictable surrealism and involving character work is a balance this comic should utilize more often. [8/10]