Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 82

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 82
Publication Date: February 2000

For quite some time now, I’ve been talking about Archie and their “Sonic Adventure” adaptation. The truth is, the last several issues haven’t truly been a part of that adaptation. Instead, the comic book has been setting up the various narrative changes necessary to fit the new video game components into the comic’s world. With issue 82, the “Sonic Adventure” adaptation begins in earnest.

“Night of Chaos” starts with Sonic enjoying his stay in Station Square. He goes for a late night run across the rooftops of the city, pretending to be his favorite superheroes. Instead, he comes upon a collection of cop cars heading in one direction. He follows them, discovering a strange creature fighting the police. A being made of liquid, Sonic has a brief battle with the creature. From a distance, Dr. Eggman observes.

“Night of Chaos” is a direct adaptation of the opening boss battle of “Sonic Adventure.” The cover story even features some direct quotes from the video game. When the Station Square police officers attempt to shoot Chaos, their bullets harmlessly lodge in the creature’s watery body, falling to the ground. The fight, we discover, has been a way for Robotnik to test his newest weapon against Sonic. What Karl Bollers adds to this pre-existing plot line is some goofy opening narration, where Sonic talks about superheroes with names like the Rush, the Dark Bat, and the Super Surfer.

In other words, “Night of Chaos” is basically an action story. It’s a short one too, only running seven whole pages out of the book. An interesting hodgepodge of artist worked on the story. James Fry and Patrick Spazinate did the outlines. Nelson Ribeiro finished the pencils. This means there are individual panels that are clearly Fry or Spaz’s work. Such as anime-esque eyes and mouths on Sonic and the Station Squarers. Or nicely detailed panels of Sonic fighting off Chaos. The most distinctly Ribeiro touch is Chaos himself, who looks somewhat odd. His surface isn’t smooth but choppy, looking like a raging oatmeal monster instead of a being of animated water. Still, “Night of Chaos” is mildly entertaining for what it is.

The second story, “Door to the Past,” is this month’s Knuckles adventure. The writer and artist go uncredited but it’s clearly the work of Ken Penders and Steven Butler. Anyway, the plot: Knuckles’ exploration of the Ancient Ruins comes to a pause when he’s possessed by an ancient spirit. Calling herself Tikal, the entity explains the history of the area, its connection with the echidna race, and what happened to destroy that civilization. Meanwhile, the Chaotix continue to negotiate with the cat people on the near-by mainland.

If “Night of Chaos” was mostly a single action set-piece, “Door to the Past” is basically an exposition-fest. Once Tikal gets in contact with Knuckles, the story becomes devoted to parsing out the Ruins’ history. It turns out the area was colonized by some echidnas. The scientists left after fighting the felines while the warrior class stayed. In hopes of defeating this enemy, the warriors attempted to steal some Chaos Emeralds from a local shrine. This enraged Chaos, the protective spirit of the shrine and the peaceful Chao that lived there, who destroyed the echidnas. If you played “Sonic Adventure” back in 1999, you knew this already. Once again, the video game mythology fits roughly with Penders’ established Knuckles mythology. It would be years before Ian Flynn tied these two sources together in a more logical manner.

Knuckles is given nothing to do but respond to this information, making “Door to the Past” a fairly passive story. What about the Chaotix? It seems like Knuckles’ buddies have been in the same situation for months now. They remain captured by the residents of the Mysterious Cat Country. There’s some loose attempts at negotiation but it doesn’t amount to much. Just when things are threatening to get interesting, Penders has Locke wonder in. Because that always works out so well. In other words, “Door to the Past” feels mostly like narrative wheel spinning then actual story telling.

Issue 82 continues Archie’s recent habit of stuffing three stories into one comic book. “Double-Crossed Circuits” follows E-102 Gamma. We see his “Sonic Adventure” back story play out. Robotnik sends Gamma and his brothers to collect Froggy. Only Gamma succeeds, causing Robotnik to scrap the other robots. Afterwards, Gamma is sent to interrogate Amy Rose. Instead, the frightened girl moves something in the machine. He rescues her and now must face the consequences of his sudden sentience.

I have a soft spot for E-102 Gamma. Out of all the additions that “Sonic Adventure” made to the hedgehog’s universe, he’s my favorite. A robot learning to love is a standard tale but the game imbued it with a surprisingly amount of grace. Archie more-or-less follows the same outline as the game. What it adds is an interior monologue for Gamma, which is the primary dialogue in the story. The narration boxes are overdone but it still provides some insight into Gamma’s sudden change. Unlike the other two stories in the issue, at least this adds something to the video game’s story. “Double-Crossed Circuits” isn’t a lot but it’s still probably my favorite story in this issue. (By the way, this one is also uncredited. Since Bollers and Chris Allan handled the last Amy Rose-centric back story, I’m assuming they did this one as well.)

You can’t fight progress. Sega would not be denied their “Sonic Adventure” tie in, no matter how poorly it fit Archie’s already established world. With Issue 82, the comic hews more closely to the game, making this probably the most direct adaptation in the series’ history. It’s hard to judge, since it’s more-or-less just a transfer from one media to the other. I suppose this is an okay issue, as the first story is a swift action piece and the last is a mildly interesting character study. Only that exposition-laden middle story is a problem. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 81

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 81
Publication Date: January 2000

If you’re wondering why the cover to issue 81 of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series is so damn awkward looking, I have an answer. Issue 80’s similarly awkward cover was originally intended for issue 33 of “Knuckles the Echidna.” Considering Manny Galan also drew 81’s cover and it prominently features Knuckles, I suspect the same is true of this issue. I’m a big defender Galan’s artwork but, when you’re used to Spaz’ stylish pencils, it’s a big step down. Anyway, what about the stories contained within?

Last time, Sonic and friends discovered that the Lost City of the Ancients was not a cobweb strewn collection of ruins. Instead, it was a modern city, bustling with life and technology. At first, the human residents attempt to arrest the Freedom Fighters, assuming them to be weirdo animals or something. However, Nate Morgan knows the police chief and keeps them out of trouble. Soon, the gang discovers the city’s true name: Station Square. Mayor Bullyani – a pop culture reference that’s going to age great, Archie – takes them on the tour of the city.

I know this is all I’ve been bitching about for several days now but it still needs to be said. Karl Bollers and Archie’s plan to integrate “Sonic Adventure’s” story into the comic universe was sloppy, at best. In “Sonic Adventure,” Sega made a decision that I still complain about to this day. It transformed Sonic into an urban creature, having his adventures in a big city populated with regular people. Since nothing like this existed on Archie’s Mobius, Bollers cooked up a half-baked solution. Now, Station Square is an extant colony of humans. The city is built inside a mountain, with an artificial sky and weather. It’s the textbook definition of an ass pull, the writer basically forcing something that has no business being in this universe into the story.

When Sally asks the Mayor how come the Stationers have never attempt to contact the outside world, he gets pissed and tells her that they felt no need to. They’re perfectly happy living inside their simulated city within a mountain, like something out of “The Matrix.” If the Mayor’s anger seems like it’s setting up a plot point – perhaps the Stationers are hiding some horrible secret? – it’s never followed up on. (Also never brought up again: How Nate Morgan knows the chief of police.) These guys are just content to live their lives, frozen at the end of the 20th century, in total isolation. No, I have no idea where they get materials to build their sky scrapers and make their food and goods.

The Freedom Fighters have come to the city to warn the residents about Robotnik’s encroaching invasion. You’d think this would add some tension or suspense to the story. Instead, the Mayor says they haven’t noticed anything unusual. The Freedom Fighters spend the rest of the story goofing off. Tails flies the Tornado through the fake sky, impressing the locals. Sonic eats chili dogs, plays his guitar by the hotel pool and seemingly prepares for an off-panel orgy with a whole bunch of hot anime girls. The rest of the gang are given a tour of the city via monorail. Obviously, Bollers is trying to introduce Station Square to the reader. In practice, it just makes the story seem like a waste of time that barely advances the plot. Because Archie was still sticking three stories into one comic book, it also ends prematurely, right when something interesting appears to be happening.

How about this month’s Knuckles story? As he had done many times before to little success, Ken Penders splits the limited page count among several different subplots. Robotnik tries to feed his little Chaos some Chaos Emerald shards, only to discover that what he’s mostly got are some green rocks. Knuckles flies around some ancient ruins, collecting shards himself. Meanwhile, the captured Chaotix continue to be hassled around by a bunch of asshole cat people. (As opposed to the cool Natasha Kinski/David Bowie cat people.)

“All You Need is a Bit of Chaos” is basically just a series of plot updates. About the only motivating things that actually happen in the story is Robotnik deploying E-102 Gamma and his brothers to retrieve Froggy. Knuckles flies around, sticks emerald shards inside his gloves, and spends four pages having a verbose conversations with himself. Once again, Ken reduces the Chaotix to captives. They’re tied up on a boat, poked by the cats, and bitch among themselves. This isn’t a horribly interesting story, the plot lifelessly marching through its expected narrative beats. Like the cover story, it also ends just when the plot looks like it might actually be going somewhere.

The second back-up story is also pretty weak but still manages to be my favorite story in this issue. Maybe that’s because the splash page said it was about Big the Cat when, in actuality, it’s about Amy Rose. The rather suggestively entitled “A Rose Plucked” is not about Amy loosing her virginity. Instead, it’s a standard adaptation of her “Sonic Adventure” storyline. A green bird with some sort of magical amulet around its neck is pursued by an asshole robot. Amy swears to protect it, using her newly granted access to hammer space to fight the robots. Instead, she’s captured, forcing the bird to rescue her instead.

It’s a fairly useless story. Amy’s split second decision to protect some random bird is hasty, to say the least. Her sudden super power, of producing a big ass mallet out of nowhere, is not explained. Chris Allan’s artwork continues to be horribly off-model, as he draws Amy with triple the cup size she usually has. But at least something actually happens in this story, even if the reader has little reason to care. Amy is introduced reveling in the joys of capitalism, by buying a whole bunch of shit. Yes, this further establishes her as a girly girl stereotype. It’s also kind of funny, considering she’s been living in a war torn village of grass huts most of her life. The action beat is less compelling, as it occupies all of one panel. Amy being captured at the end doesn’t make her look very effective but it’s also in keeping with the character, up to this point.

James Fry draws the cover story and it’s solid work from him, even if his Station Square residents are far too anime-esque. Steven Butler handles the Knuckles story and seems to be having a slightly off-day, as there’s little of the dynamic action that characterizes his best work. Mostly, 81 is a sub-par issue. “Sonic” is not being served well by the “Adventure” adaptation or Archie’s decision to stuff three stories into one issue. Here's some Sonic/Dragon Ball crossover artwork from the fana rt section. [4/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 79

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 79
Publication Date: December 1999

In the early months of 1999, Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comics were littered with mysterious ads. They were black stripes, with Sonic’s green eyes and somewhat manic grin being the only visible sight. It took me a few more months before realizing these were teaser images for “Sonic Adventure,” the latest Sonic game for Sega’s latest system. By December of 1999, thanks to a Christmas present from a dad eager to buy my love, my passionate affair with the Dreamcast had already begun. I quickly put two and two together and realized Archie had been planning a “Sonic Adventure” adaptation within the pages of their comic for months. Yet Sega’s “Sonic Adventure” featured a markedly different world then the one of the comics. Archie’s somewhat awkward attempt to blend the two continuity began here, in issue 79.

The cover story is even subtitled “A Sonic Adventure Tie-In.” “The Discovery” begins with Nate
Morgan hacking Dr. Robotnik’s computer network from the comfort of Knothole. The scientist soon learns that Robontik is planning an excavation of the Hidden City of the Ancients. Hoping to prevent this, King Acorn orders Sonic, Sally, and the other Freedom Fighters on a mission to stop the doctor. Amy Rose, Sonic’s biggest fan, wants to join the trip. However, Sally deems her too young. Meanwhile, Prince Elias worries for his comatose mother’s safety. He hopes to use the magical Ring of Acorn to restore her health… But somebody else has gotten to the ring first.

“The Discovery” is essentially seven pages of set-up. We begin with a heavy-handed inciting incident, where Nate Morgan learns of Robotnik’s latest plans. What exactly the Hidden City of the Ancients is would remain a mystery for a while. That Sonic, King Max, and seemingly everyone else – but the reader – has heard of the legend strikes me as slightly lazy.

Yet it’s almost okay. For all his flaws, Karl Bollers had a solid grasp on pacing. Just when the comic threatened to fall back into the formula of the Freedom Fighters of Knothole striking back at Dr. Robotnik’s industrial empire, he mixes things up again. Sonic is headed back on the road, as in issue 57. The big difference is that everyone is coming with him this time. The Freedom Fighters going on an adventure together is something I always welcome.

“The Discovery” also hides some solid emotion inside its meager page count. When Sonic informs the King about the villain’s latest plan, the hedgehog can tell that something else is bothering the monarch. King Max is still reeling from the news that his wife’s illness is progressing. He’s also grappling with his decision not to tell Sally. Elias, the sneaky bastard, already knows his mom’s status. Though it only takes up a few panels, it’s still nice to know this story has some emotional stakes. Characters are conflicted, feeling complex things about their love ones. It’s not a lot but Bollers is trying.

Plot wise, “The Discovery” doesn’t just exist to get Sonic and friends on the road. Up to this point, Amy Rose has been a fairly minor player. She had a decent sized role in issues 25 and 40. Since then, she mostly been appearing in bit parts, crowd scenes and the like. Her role in “The Discovery” reflects this minor status. Amy joins the going-away party in Sonic’s hut – a really cute scene – and pesters the other Freedom Fighters with questions. She’s tired of being excluded and wants to join the quest. Instead of pointing out that her only prior contribution to this team was getting kidnapped, Sally and Bunnie instead politely points out that Amy is too young to be adventurin’.

Sega, meanwhile, had very different plans for the character. The game company pulled the character form obscurity and made her the primary female lead in “Sonic Adventure.” Amy got a drastic redesign, an age boost, her own story path, and a giant hammer she could smash shit with. In the first of many awkward attempts to fuse game and comic canon, Amy had to change. Which is why Bollers pulls that bullshit ending involving the Ring of Acorns out of nowhere. Last appearing in issue 67, the ring has apparently gained magical, wish granting properties since then. How come Nate Morgan or the King would’ve mentioned that before now? But that’s what happens when corporate mandates put you in a corner.

The cover story in issue 79 runs a little short, in order to make room for two separate back-up stories. The first of which stars Knuckles. The Guardian has been haunted by reoccurring nightmares, where the Floating Island falls from the sky after a strange, watery creature snatches the Master Emerald. Upon awaking suddenly, he realizes that this nightmare has come true. That’s because Robotnik has freed Chaos, an ancient being made of water, from its prison. While Knuckels was snoozing, the dictator smashed the Emerald and fed it shards to Chaos.

Following the cancellation of his solo title, Knuckles’ adventures would shoved into the back of Sonic’s book. Despite getting top billing, Knuckles plays a small role in “The Chaos Factor.” This might also be attributed to the differences between Sega and Archie’s visions for the franchise. Following Ken Penders’ extensive expansion of his world, Knuckles’ life is wildly different in the comics when compared to the games. Moreover, the number of Chaos Emeralds across the two medias vary. So “The Chaos Factor” changes quite a bit from the source material. Chaos is now imprisoned in a black jewel. Instead of being fed different colored emeralds, Robotnik gives the ancient entity the shards of the Master Emerald. And because Penders always has to keep a hundred mythological balls in the air simultaneously, this act also frees Mammoth Mogul.

So what does Knuckles do in “The Chaos Factor?” Fall asleep on the job. As the Guardian, making sure the Floating Island stays afloat is his number one priority. Yet somehow he sleeps through Robotnik invading the Island, attacking Echidnopolis, breaking into the Chaos Chamber, and smashing the Emerald. Damn it, Knux, why didn’t you just rent an apartment in the city? In truth, Robotnik is the star of this story. It’s devoted to him hunting down Chaos, freeing him, and seeing his plan go off without a hitch. I’m still not sold on the new Robotnik but it’s hard to imagine the classic variety getting his hands quite this dirty.

Tucked into the very back of the book is the final chapter of “Tales of the Great War.” In this entry, Bernie reveals how she became robotocized. After explaining that Robotnik did it after she started asking too many questions, we see how the disappearance of his brother and sister-in-law affected Uncle Chuck. Lastly, the short story concludes by showing how Uncle Chuck restored Jules and Bernie’s free will, finally reuniting the family.

After spinning its wheels for three issues, “Tales of the Great War” finally gets back to filling in some narrative spaces. One always assumed that Bernie was robotocized by Robotnik at some point but it’s nice to finally see that play out. Likewise, the precise moment Sonic’s parents regained their consciousness is another often referenced but up until now unseen moment. The answer to that mystery?: A magical Power Ring did it. Though “Life Under-Ground” is fairly lacking in pathos, there’s one minor moment. We get a glimpse at the guilt Uncle Chuck feels, knowing that his creation was responsible for his brother’s disappearance. (Unfortunately, this also makes Chuck look like a fool. How many people disappearing would it have taken before he started to suspect Warlord Julian was up to something?) The story ends on a limp note, as Jules present a decoded disk that belong to his brother. Considering “Tales of the Great War” had gone on for so long, concluding it would another cliffhanger is not a great idea. Still, at least the story circled back around to a solid point before ending.

Issue 79 features some divisive artwork. James Fry’s work on the cover story is fine, if slightly on the loose side. His anime style artwork is energetic but sometimes a little too stylized for its own good. Steven Butler draws the Knuckles story. Robotnik and his robot looks awesome in Butler’s style. Knuckles, meanwhile, is a bit more of an awkward fit, going slightly off-model. As for the final back-up story, Chris Allen remains a rough fit for Sonic and friends. By this point, Allen has seemingly gotten use to drawing Bernie and Jules. Once we return to the present, we’re treated to some seriously deformed versions of Antione, Elias, and Bunnie. I’m glad that Allen wouldn’t return to the book too often, as he clearly didn’t have a grasp on these characters.

Issue 79 is stuffed full of new story developments. Not all of them would pay off but Bollers and Penders do a decent job of stacking them up. The Adventure awaits. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 78

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 78
Publication Date: October 1999

The cover art of issue 78 of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” certainly brings back some memories. The issue is the first to use the newly redesigned “Sonic” logo, which the book retains to this day. Secondly, a blurb on the cover assures readers that their subscription is Y2K compatible, back when the world was terrified calendars switching over would bring about the computer apocalypse. Moreover, the cover gives me a waft of nostalgia because it features a number of characters mostly exclusive to this era of Sonic. Even if the reboot hadn’t happen, I kind of doubt that Dr. Quack and his kids would be featured on a cover today.

The cover story, “Changes,” is another more low-key effort from Karl Bollers. With most of the free Mobians relocated, King Acorn officially designates Knothole Village as the new center of the Kingdom. He also knights Sonic and recommissions the Freedom Fighters, now that freedom must be fought for again. Despite these changes, Sonic and friends are troubled by the losses they still feel. Meanwhile, Dr. Robotnik makes movements on his next master plan.

“Changes,” which I feel compelled to sing as “Cha-Cha-Changes,” continues Bollers’ efforts to make King Max less of a dick hole. By knighting Sonic and recognizing that the world needs the Freedom Fighters again, he essentially recognizes that the kids were right along. That’s right, it only took the reemergence of their greatest enemy for King Acorn to actually respect the heroes. I know the King will be acting like an asshole again before too long but it’s nice to see some positive developments in his personality, even if it’s temporary. Sonic becoming a Sir also provides some humor to the proceedings. It even forces Geoffrey St. John to acknowledge the accomplishments of his long term rival.

“Changes” is a story without any big conflict or action beats. Instead, it’s a story focused almost exclusively on characters. Uncle Chuck’s recent abduction by Robotnik continues to weigh heavily on Sonic’s mind. Despite being knighted and reunited with his parents, Chuck’s loss makes our hedgehog hero feel like a failure. He’s not the only Freedom Fighter feeling some parental angst. Antoine’s own father remains a robotocized member of Robotnik’s army. The comic smartly contrasts Antoine’s childhood memories of his father with his dad’s current state. Lastly, Elias continues to worry about his mother, who remains comatose, and his future responsibility as King. Compared to Sonic and Antione’s very real problems, Elias’ concerns seem far pettier.

For that matter, kids missing their parents is the primary emotional heart of this story. When yous top and think about it, a startling number of Freedom Fighters are orphans. As the former residents of Mobotropolis move back into Knothole, the newly introduced Mina feels sorry for herself, since her mom was left behind. That’s when a stray run-in with Rosie – who I don’t think we’ve seen since issue 54 – has Mina shepherding a trio of orphans around. The comic wouldn’t know what to do with Mina for years, eventually making her yet another love interest for Sonic before she found her calling as a pop star. However, this scene at least shows her as a good kid with a kind heart. It’s certainly more touching then the moments devoted to Nate Morgan. Morgan moves into Uncle Chuck’s old laboratory. I doubt he intended it this way but it looks like Bollers has replaced a beloved, established character with his own, far more contentious creation.

While the story turns its attention towards the characters in Knothole, Robotnik is still planning for the next story arc. In a handful of panels, we see the robotic dictator planning ominous, wicked things. (He’s also still doing that creepy thing with his arm.) These scenes are, of course, setting up the “Sonic Adventure” adaptation, which would begin next month. We also get another scene of a shuttle traveling through space, headed towards Mobius. If I remember correctly, that’s a story element that wouldn’t be resolved for quite a bit longer. I can’t blame Karl for planning ahead but these scenes feel like unnecessary distractions from the main story.

Speaking of unnecessary distractions! In the back pages, Ken has continued to belabor the “Tales of the Great War” story line. Jules and Bernie continue to tell their story around the camp fire to the younger Freedom Fighters. We see Jules become the first victim of the Robotocizer, Uncle Chuck immediately regretting his invention. Meanwhile, the Mobians win the Great War after King Acorn defeats the Overlander leader in a duel. This, however, is just a prelude to Robotnik’s takeover of the city.

As I mentioned last time, the “Tales of the Great War” story line was interesting as long as it was chronicling rarely explored bits of the backstory. Now, Ken has more-or-less caught up with himself. There’s little room left to be filled in but he’s continuing anyways. We now see, in detail, how Jules became a robot and how Charles became a chili dog stand owner. About the only new piece of information here is how King Acorn won the war. It’s a fairly useless story, hampered by some of Ken’s most melodramatic dialogue in a while. Chris Allan’s artwork has improved slightly but still seems far too cartoonish and loose for this story.

James Fry’s pencils for the main story are fine, by the way. “Changes” doesn’t match Bollers’ previous high water mark, issue 54’s “Running to Stand Still,” but it’s in a similar mold. As mentioned many times before, Bollers’ best work wasn’t his action and plot heavy story. Instead, his writing shined when turned towards the more personal moments. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 77

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 77
Publication Date: September 1999

By this point in the history of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series, the comic was thoroughly serialized. Issue 77 follows up immediately where the last book left off. However, while the previous month’s offering was action-packed, September of 1999’s release is a more character focused story.

“Rebel Without a Pause” – another referential and punny Karl Bollers’ title – begins with the Freedom Fighters returning to Knothole Village. Except for Sonic and Sally. Tails, Bunnie, and Antoine fear the worst has happened. Luckily, Sonic and Sally escape a Shadow-Bot ambush with Dulcy’s help. Upon returning to Knothole, the Princess and the Hedgehog both have a more personal encounter with King Acorn.

I have two minds about the Freedom Fighters returning to Knothole. On one hand, it’s disappointing to see the series backslide after “Endgame’s” conclusion. Seeing Sonic and friends take back Mobotropolis after fighting for it for so many years was worthwhile. On the other hand, I’m a bit of a traditional when it comes to “Sonic.” Seeing the Freedom Fighters operating out of the forest, entering Knothole through a hidden slide, and converging inside grass huts hits a sweet spot for me. Yeah, they’re hiding from a mad dictator but there’s still something homey about being back in Knothole.

The action beats in “Rebel Without a Pause” are fairly minor. Sonic, Sally, and Mina (along with a furry patterned after “Tenchi Muyo’s” Aeka) travel the desert between Robotropolis and the Great Forest… Which is a thing I guess exist. Sonic and Sally share some cute dialogue, both showing that they care for the other, before the robots show up. Dulcy saving the day is only sort of a cheat. After all, we saw her fairly recently, back in 74. Mostly, I like that Karl Bollers is remembering that Dulcy is still around. It’s good to see the comic dipping into its extensive cast.

“Rebel Without a Pause” is a fairly brief story but it does feature one very satisfying moment. After Sonic and Sally return to Knothole, both are expecting a stern lecture from King Acorn. Instead, the King is just happy Sally is alive. When talking to Sonic, the King points out all the times the hedgehog has directly disobeyed his orders… And then congratulates him for getting the job done anyway. Even after being freed of Ixis Naugus’ negative influence, King Acorn has spent way too much time being a prick recently. To see him see past petty bullshit and actually appreciate the heroes for what they accomplish is way overdo. Sadly, the King’s characterization would continue to shift between these two extremes for quite some time.

“Rebel Without a Pause” is a pretty solid story. Except for its bizarre interlude, which is literally referred to as an “interlude.” Two whole pages are devoted to Robotnik continuing his quest for the location of Knothole Village, while still suffering from the virus Snively infected him with last time. Meanwhile, a one-page spread is devoted to a space ship flying towards Mobius. It’s been so long since I read this section of the comic’s history that I do not remember where this particular plot thread is headed. Even if I did, it still breaks up the flow of an otherwise decent story.

Even though the main storyline is featuring lots of change, Ken Penders is still finding time for his “Tales of the Great War” back-up feature. At night, Amy Rose and friends gather around a camp fire. Jules and Bernie regale them of a story from the Great War. This time, they talk about Bernie, Chuck, and Jules heading out on a secret mission. Jules is injured by an Overlander and his situation looks grim. That is until Uncle Chuck considering using a risky new technology to save his brother’s life.

In other words, this entire seven page story is devoted to foreshadowing Jules being robotocized. Which, you’ll notice, is something we all ready know about. Instead of using the “Tales of the Great War” stories to fill in Mobius’ distant past, Penders has reached the more recent past. We already know that Uncle Chuck invented the robotocizer, that it had the unforeseen side-effect of sapping people’s free will, that Julian “Soon To be Robotnik” Kintobor would use it as a tool of suppression. Penders is re-trending old ground.

He’s also gratuitously extending the page count. We get unneeded panels devoted to Bernie blasting an attacking Overlander or Rotor’s dad driving a weird vehicle through the forest. The last page shows Robotnik’s schemeing more and more to overthrow King Acorn, something that has been repeatedly foreshadowed. It’s all unneeded at this point. Exploring the origins of the war was interesting but now “Tales of the Great War” has seemingly outlived its usefulness.

James Fry’s pencils on the cover story are solid, though his overly anime-esque artwork will still take some getting use to. Chris Allan draws the back-up story. While his pencils are getting slightly better, he still draws the Mobians like “Tiny Toon Adventures” cast members. The back-up story is weak but the cover story is strong, making issue 77 worth reading. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedeghog: Issue 76

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 76
Publication Date: August 1999

During my review of issue 75 of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series, I expressed some disappointment that the series was returning to the established formula of Robotnik ruling over Robotropolis, while Sonic and the Freedom Fighters hide in Knothole Village. I can’t help but wonder if head writer Karl Bollers’ attitude was similar. The cover story for issue 76 is entitled “Business as Usual.” Do I dare detect a hint of sarcasm there, Karl?

Following the end of last month’s issue, Robotnik 2.0 and his fleet of powerful ShadowBots have successfully taken over Mobotropolis, reestablishing Robotropolis. Luckily, most of the Mobian citizens, including the King and Nate Morgan, have escaped to Knothole. Sonic and the Freedom Fighters, meanwhile, have crashed their space shuttle in the middle of the city. Snively reminds the Freedom Fighters that, since this new Robotnik has access to the old Robotnik’s files, he knows the location of Knothole Village. (The doctor, you may recall, finally located the village during “Endgame.”) Sonic distracts the robotic army while Sally and Snively hack into Eggman’s computers and deletes the aforementioned information.

“Business as Usual” may be business as usual but at least its entertaining business. Issue 76 has a solid foundation for its story. If the population of Mobotropolis is going to relocate to Knothole Village, making sure Robotnik can’t find the village is important business. It’s a matter of time too, as Sally and Snively have to race to delete the info before Robotnik thinks to check it. Bollers’ script builds a decent sense of suspense from this race against time. Yes, there’s no reason Robotnik couldn’t just scan the forest with aerial drones until he pinpoints the village’s location. Then again, there’s no reason the original Robotnik couldn’t have done that too. Considering this is a story element – the doctor’s search for Freedom HQ – the series ran with for nearly fifty issues, I’m use to justifying it.

Issue 76 also breaks the team into units, which is a good way to maximize story function. Half of the script is focused on Sally and Snively sneaking into Robotnik’s fortress and hacking the computers. Snviely remains an uneasy ally. As soon as they land on Mobius, he wants to skedaddle but Sonic guilts him into staying. While inside the Egg Dome, Sally is attacked by a ShadowBot. Since Bollers has seemingly forgotten that Sally is more then capable of taking down SWATBots by herself, Snively has to rescue her. The Princess outright comments on how weird it is to be working with someone who previously tried to kill her. However, considering Snively’s cowardice, and the fact that the new Robotnik is even more psychotic then the old one, I like his temporary alliance with the Freedom Fighters.

Meanwhile, Sonic goes about doing what he does best. No, not running fast, eating chili dogs, or cracking puns. He smashes through a crap ton of robots, wasting fifty ShadowBots in several minutes. A clever action beat has him melting the ShadowBot’s feet into the asphalt below. Showing that he has a lot in common with his predecessor, the new Robotnik takes the time to curse that hedgehog.

After wrecking some shit, Sonic takes the time to make a new friend. He spots Mina the Mongoose, who is futilely attempting to sneak inside Robotropolis and rescue her captured parents. Since Sonic is still bumped that Uncle Chuck and Muttski are brain-washed again, the two bond over their shared angst. Mina would quickly become a controversial character, since a new potential love interest was the last thing Sonic needed. Still, their little conversation provides a decent emotional beat to what is otherwise an action-centric story.

Issue 76 also introduces a new regular artist into the Archie fold. James Fry, who is credited only as “Fry,” would quickly become a regular artist within the book’s pages. Fry’s style is heavily anime influenced. He draws the characters with giant, shining eyeballs. They all have noodle legs, huge hands and feet. However, Fry’s work is still quite good. Once you adapt to his style, you see that Sonic and the gang are all on-model. The anime style artwork allows for a decent amount of expression on the character’s faces. Fry also has a solid grasp on action, as the scenes devoted to Sonic taking out the ShadowBots are well done. (Fry also has a tendency towards random in-jokes. In a crowd scene, you can easily spot Mr. Snuffleupagus, Bean the Duck, Donald Duck, and furry versions of “Tenchi Muyo’s” Ryoko, Sasami, and Mihoshi.) Not everyone is a fan but Fry does decent work in his premiere issue.

Despite the story seemingly leaving little room for it, Ken Penders continues to include some “Tales from the Great War” in the back story. Antoine, Bunnie, and Tails escort Sonic’s parents out of Robotropolis. Along the way, Tails insist on checking out the library and making sure Jeremiah is okay. While inside the library, Jules pulls one of Kirby’s volumes from the shelves. Despite the group being on the run from Robotnik’s forces, he still pauses to read a story from the book.

Sadly, this is hardly an essential bit of backstory. The flashback that unfolds details a young Jules, Charles, and Bernie encountering a small band of Overlanders. Among the attackers is Colin Kintobor, Julian “Robotnik” Kintobor’s brother. (And Snively’s dad.) That’s mostly the purpose this story has. In addition to giving Colin Kintobor a proper introduction, it also introduces Cocoa the Cat, Hershey’s mom. Which isn’t very interesting. What’s more amusing is seeing teenage versions of Jules and Bernie flirt. Otherwise, this Tale is a totally unneeded addition.

A mediocre backstory can’t distract from the solid cover story. If Robotnik must be back, this is the kind of story I prefer to see. [7/10]

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 27

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 27
Publication Date: June 1999

As I mentioned last time, the promise of focusing on Knuckles and Julie-Su’s relationship made me eager to check out issue 26. I enjoyed that comic book but never picked up the other two parts. This was less an intentional choice and more because I don’t think I made it to the comic shop that month. So now, eighteen years later, I finally get to read the rest of the “First Date” story arc. This is a momentous occasion, I’m sure you agree.

The second half of “The First Date,” which is verbosely subtitled “Who Wrote the Book of Love?,” does not satisfyingly follow-up on the first part’s cliffhanger. Yeah, Knuckles has walked in on Julie-Su having brunch with some other echidna. Instead of confronting her, he looses his cool and has Archimedes teleport him back out of there. Of course, Julie-Su has no feelings for this Raynor dork. After both Knuckles and Julie-Su angst about the relationship – and Knuckles nearly beats up Vector – he finally gets up the cajones to asks her out on a date.

On paper, issue 27 unnecessarily stretches the storyline out further. The entire cover story is, more or less, based around the two teens wondering anxiously if their feelings are reciprocated. And, yeah, some times the story feels like its dragging its feet. When Knuckles is having slapstick antics inside the restaurant, nothing is added to the story. Knuckles bumping into the Chaotix at an arcade, and nearly giving Vector the beating he has long deserved, is mostly unneeded. However, I go to bat for Knuckles agonizing over his asking Julie-Su out. We can’t forget that the Guardian is 16 years old. Agonizing over whether or not a girl likes them is exactly what sixteen year olds do. Yes, Penders’ writing is as inelegant as always. However, I think he handles this particular plot turn alright.

Knuckles’ story is natural if bumpy. Julie-Su’s part of the story seems a little more compelling. Being a hot and bad ass young woman, it’s totally expected that she would attract male attention. While Knuckles stumbles into his feelings, like the awkward bruiser he’s always been, Julie-Su gives it more thought. She’s got a guy making goo-goo eyes at her but he’s not the one she wants. Poor girl. You really feel for her. A panel devoted to Julie-Su sitting in her apartment, distraught, is definitely my favorite moment from this issue. Naturally, Knuckles does eventually ask Julie-Su out, ending this story on a triumphant moment. Of course, now the anxiety about the actual date begins.

The script for issue 27 is pretty good, all things considered, but it wouldn’t be an issue of “Knuckles” without some obnoxious business with the Brotherhood of Guardiands. The various Fire Ants and Knuckles’ granddads seem way too invested in Knuckles and Julie-Su’s romance. They all basically demand to spy on the boy. Locke, in an unexpected moment of clearheadness, decides to protect his son’s privacy.

Naturally, that ridiculous “Soul Touch” business crops up again. Archimedes explains that particular plot contrivances thusly: Echidnas suck at romance as a species. Therefore, sexual attraction is attributed to magic. Is it just me or does all of this feel like a big excuse to justify Locke and Lara-Le’s dysfunctional relationship? No, Ken, Locke and Lara-Se broke up because Locke is an asshole. Anyway, it’s dumb and puts a damper on a story I otherwise enjoy.

Oh yeah, the artwork kind of sucks too. Once again, this Chris Allen guy handles the pencils. Allen doesn’t really have a grasp on the characters’ proportions. His Knuckles – and other echidnas, for that matter – often bend into shapeless blob. Archimedes shifts in size randomly. Julie-Su remains weirdly short and squat. Vector and the other Chaotix are obviously off-model. He doesn’t even seem to understand were the character’s heads and limbs are in relation to their necks and bodies. Why did Archie keep letting people like this to draw the book?

The back-up story continues Mighty’s quest to relocate Ray the Squriel. Along with Nic the Weasel and Fiona Fox, he explores the Robotnik work camp where he met Sonic years before. Fiona shows some resentment towards Mighty but goes along on the mission anyway. Mighty remembers rescuing the girl years earlier and later teaming up with Sonic to escape the place. In the present, the trio discovers deactivated Auto-Automatons of the Freedom Fighters. Then the story ends suddenly.

The story is called “Those Were the Days…,” which must be an ironic title. It has so much potential. Mighty feels guilt over abandoning his friend years before. Robotnik's recruiting organics to work in a mine, when he has plenty of robots at his disposals, seems like an odd story. Yet it provides an interesting set-up, of a young Sonic and Mighty having bad ass adventures before either became associated with their teams. Sadly, the story rushes through all these points, draining them of their emotions. Flesh-and-blood Fiona and Nic continue to be thinly sketched characters. Nic is mostly defined by her greed and Fiona is mostly defined by her anger. At the very least, the artwork is better then the cover story. Manny Galan draws the flashback sequences while Andrew Pepoy draws the present day scenes. Galan’s artwork is typically solid. Pepoy’s work is a bit too angular but he gets the job done.

The back-up story is fairly weak. Even the cover story has some serious problems. Still, I continue to like the emotional, comedic, and laid-back stakes of “The First Date” story arc. Let’s hope Ken doesn’t fuck it up in the third act. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 74

(My internet was out all day yesterday which is why this is so late. I am greatly ashamed of myself and can only hope my begs for forgiveness are enough for you.)

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 74
Publication Date: June 1999

With issue 74, Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series finally pays off a plot point that it’s been building up for about two years. Since at least issue 62 – only twelve issues after his initial defeat – the series has been hinting at the inevitable return of Dr. Robotnik. Well, the wait is finally over. Issue 74, whose cover story is actually entitled “Don’t Cal It a Comeback!,” - presumably because Robotnik has resumed rockin' peers and puttin' suckas in fear - features the most expected and unavoidable resurrection of Dr. Ivo Robotnik.

Picking up were issue 73’s cliffhanger left off, Sonic reports to King Acorn that all the Robians in Knothole Village – including his parents, Uncle Chuck, and even Muttski – have vanished. Sonic correctly assumes the mysterious satellites in the sky are responsible. Because he’s an asshole, King Acorn forbids Sonic from investigating further. He ignores him, of course. So do the rest of the Freedom Fighters. Before the day is over, Nate Morgan has retro-fitted an old Robotnik built space shuttle to launch the Freedom Fighters into space. They sneak aboard the villain’s astral platform and discover two things. Robotnik is alive and well and living in space. He’s also kidnapped all the Robians and is using them for slave labor abroad his station. This, naturally, really pisses Sonic off.

Sonic’s parents vanishing was admittedly a last minute twist Karl Bollers pulled out of his ass this time. However, it at least provides issue 74 with some decent emotional drive. It makes the conflict personal for Sonic. (The hedgehog figuring out that the mysterious space devices are connected shows that Sonic’s thinking is occasionally as fast as his feet.) Once again, there’s no reason for King Acorn to be acting like such an asshole. However, I do like the Freedom Fighters defying orders and doing what needs to be done anyway. Since getting Sonic and Tails back in Knothole, Bollers definitely seems to be making an effort to get the team together on missions.

Either in the name of sustaining suspense longer or adding some narrative breathing room, Sonic and friends don’t immediately fly into space. A cool moment has Sonic calling on Dulcy the Dragon to carry their shuttle into the upper atmosphere. This is the first time Dulcy has appeared in the book since issue 68 and the first time she’s actually contributed to a plot since “Endgame” ended. She would continue to be an inconsistent presence throughout the book going forward. So it’s nice that Karl brought Ducly back for a brief role, right on the eve of the comic’s sixth anniversary. (Also, where else are you going to see a dragon lift a rocket ship full of furries to the edge of space?)

While the cover promise Sonic and the Freedom Fighters going on adventures in outer space, that actually compromises a brief portion of the story. While drifting towards the satellite, the gang rushes into a crowd of space junk, which is a mildly amusing gag. Once aboard the platform, Robotnik makes himself known. Sally, Bunnie, and Antione take the time to point out how angry this makes Sonic. And I can imagine how furious he must be. After fighting Robotnik for ten years, he finally defeats the guy… Only for him to return less then a year later. And to make a dick move even dick-ier, the asshole has also kidnapped and brainwashed his family. However, I wish Sonic’s rage was given more page space. The fight between the reunited hero and villain is brief before the story crashes into yet another cliffhanger.

Still, Steven Butler’s artwork remains impressive. He makes good use of the character’s faces, showing the complex mix of emotion Sonic must be feeling. The panel of Dulcy carrying the shuttle into the upper atmosphere is really impressive. The interior of Robotnik’s satellite feels appropriately sinister. Butler also makes the sudden appearance of the Shadow Bots, Ivo’s newly updated robotic warriors, memorable.

After an incredibly awkward one-page spread with artwork from Chris Allan, Amy Rose flashes back to a few days ago, when Uncle Chuck was regaling her with Tales of the Great War. In this installment of Ken’s backstory filling arc, Chuck explains how Robotnik came to live in Mobius and how he plotted his eventual take-over.

Robotnik’s path from exile to warlord to tyrant has been explained in the book before. Issue 72’s “I, Robotnik” covered much of the same ground. However, “Enter… Robotnik” nicely provides a close-up on some of the events. Most of the back-up story is devoted to how Robontik betrayed Kodos. It once again establishes how big of a bastard the villain is. He strikes Kodos in the head from behind and drops his unconscious body into the Zone of Silence. Ruthless. However, the story doesn’t make the Mobians look very intelligent. Chuck outright admits it was in their nature at the time to take people at their word. In other words, if King Acorn had been a little more skeptical, Robotnik’s rise to power might have been avoided. Still, it’s a solid story. Art Mawhinney’s artwork is as strong as ever, even if his rendition of pre-Robotnik Julian looks super weird.

While the stories could’ve done a lot more, issue 74 is fairly satisfying. We see Sonic and the gang do some prime adventuring while one of the comic’s most extended story arcs is finally reached its turning point. I may not be a huge fan of where the comic is going in the near future but this is still a solid issue. [7/10]

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 26

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 26
Publication Date: May 1999

As a kid, I was unusually invested in Knuckles and Julie-Su’s relationship. Which is weird since, as I’ve previously pointed out, I barely read “Knuckles” solo comic at the time. Even from the few issues I had read, I became unusually attached to Julie-Su. I guess a tough, pink, cyborg echidna chick was a character I had been looking for. Or maybe I deeply desired Knuckles to have a love interest equal to what Sonic and Sally had. Either way, when I saw that issue 26 of “Knuckles” would revolve around his relationship with Julie-Su, I had to pick it up.

Following their reconciliation last issue, Knuckles and Locke are spending some father/son time together. Despite reconnecting with his long, lost dad, Knuckles’ mind is on another subject: Julie-Su. Locke explains the Soultouch to Knuckles, the bullshit psychic connection thing that draws echidnas to their mates. Meanwhile, Julie-Su is also wondering about her feelings with Knuckles. Even further meanwhile, Vector and the other Chaotix shoot the shit in a mall.

My biggest complaint about the “Knuckles” series is Ken’s self-involved, ridiculous, obnoxious mythology rail-roading any honest character interaction or development. “The First Date” story arc was a refreshing change of pace. There was no arch villains, convoluted plots, or stupid mythology to explain. It was just a story about Knuckles and Julie-Su coming to a decision about their feelings for each other, a way overdue development.

Okay, there’s no stupid myth-building… Except for one thing. For a while now, Ken has been hinting that Knuckles and Julie-Su’s connection isn’t so simple. Apparently, having them both be young, hot, tough, and relating over shitty parents wasn’t enough. Instead, Julie-Su has been compelled to pursue Knuckles for some reason. Now, we know that reason: The Soultouch. Yeah, there’s some stupid, psychic juju that goes on when echidnas give each other boners. It’s dumb. Why did you have to be so dumb, Ken?

Knuckles and Julie-Su wondering out loud about their feelings for each other is way more compelling. The two teens handle their emotions in very different ways. Used to having old people explain shit to him, Knuckles asks his dad. Per the average, Locke explains some vague spiritual nonsense and then disappears. Julie-Su, meanwhile, shoots a picture of Knuckles with a motherfucking gun. That seems pretty reasonable, considering Knuckles abandoned her in the middle of the city last time. After that, Julie-Su goes shopping. If this was Tumblr, I would accuse Penders of being sexist, by assuming all women love shopping or something. Instead, I’ll point out that retail therapy works for any gender. Moreover, both teens are kind of confused about their feelings. Which is accurate. Love does that to you.

Of course, there’s got to be a sting in the scorpion's tail. After his dad fucks off, Knuckles is left to brood in some Haven waiting room. Archimedes appears and teleports Knuckles to wherever Julie-Su is. The problem is Julie-Su decided to get coffee with some rando. Some fucking echidna in a Chewbacca bandolier who bought her a hat. It’s not smooth writing but Knuckles popping in on Julie-Su making goo-goo eyes with some dipshit makes for a hell of a cliffhanger.

Oh yeah, there’s more. The Chaotix are dealing with Charmy leaving the group. While hanging out at the mall, Espio reveals that he knows more about Charmy then the others. Somehow, this segues into a conversation about Vector’s ability to attract females. I don’t think Ken wrote it this way on purpose, but this is how it plays out: Vector is gay. That would explain why he hates Julie-Su so much. That would explain why he’s so terrified when he hears that Charmy is engaged. That would explain why his attempts to seduce women are so facile and shallow. Vector the Crocodile is deeply closeted, his internalized homosexuality manifesting as misogyny. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself, since it makes this stupid subplot more compelling.

Someone named Chris Allan provides the pencils for the cover story. The artwork is pretty off. Luckily, Manny Galan returns for the back-up story. Mighty the Armadillo teams up with Nic the Weasel, Nack’s previously unmentioned female sister. The weasel promises that she’s gotten a lead on Ray the Squirrel, Mighty’s long lost childhood best friend. On the way to their destination, Mighty flashbacks to his childhood adventure with Ray and Sonic... Before the last panel reveals the return of Fiona the Fox. But not the one you think it is.

Considering the Chaotix are kind of important characters, it’s good that Ken is finally filling their back stories in a bit. In “Friend in Need,” he even does a sort of clever thing. The obscure SegaSonic arcade game was the first appearance of Mighty the Armadillo, where he co-stared along side Sonic and Ray. So integrating both of these characters into Mighty’s origin is a neat idea. Ray’s stutter marks him as a different character, even if we get no other development on him. Showing that he let a friend down at some point explains Mighty’s deeper attributes. As for Nic the Weasal and not-robot Fiona, neither have proven compelling just yet. Maybe that’ll get better maybe.

I’ve given issue 26 a lot of shit but it’s not a bad issue. It might honestly be one of the better issues, considering Ken puts a leash on one or two of his ten thousand annoying quirks. The story has some emotional heft to it which counts for something. The backstory is short but not terrible. That pays off to a [7/10,] I guess.