Sonic Archives: Volume 5

Sonic Archives: Volume 5
Publication Date: September 2007

In the four years it took me to read and review all of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comics, I didn’t talk about the Sonic Archive series much. The digest-sized reprint collections were kind of a big deal for Archie fans in 2006, because it was the first time many of those early stories were being republished. However, nowadays, this means a lot less, as the individual issues were available as digital purchases for many years. (And now available forever as illegally pirated scans.) Since I reviewed the issues on a one-by-one basis, I figured there was no need for me to ever talk about the Archives. Even a “Sonic” reviewer as obsessively comprehensive as I figured that unnecessary.

But, it turns out, I should’ve been paying a little more attention to the Archives. Long after I was knee-deep into this project, I discovered the fifth Archives volume featured an exclusive “lost” story. Yes, a story that was written and illustrated circa 1995, but never published, was dug back up and shoved into this collection. Due to the aforementioned obsessive comprehensiveness, I knew I was going to have to look this story up and tag it onto the end of the entire retrospective.

And how did I discover the existence of this missing story? It was because, naturally, I was looking up UniverSalamander on one of the “Sonic” wiki. Yes, “Everything Old is Newt Again” features the second (and last) appearance of the giant, invulnerable, amphibious android. It seems the story was originally planned for inclusion in issue 20, as it begins with Robotnik bemoaning how Sonic’s apparent death was less permanent than initially assumed. While yelling at his army of Badniks, the not-so-universal salamander demands to be put back into the fray. Robotnik pumps the little lizard back up, this time giving him a new ability to reverse any shrink ray’s effect on him. He immediately tracks down the Freedom Fighters, kicks Sonic into the middle distance, and starts to wreck havoc.

UniverSalamander is a very silly character I have a bit of affection for, if only because he’s basically a giant robot dinosaur that Sonic could fight. I always thought he had a little more potential, outside of what we saw in his first appearance. Sadly, “Everything Old is Newt Again” doesn’t exactly deliver on that promise. His threat level seems to have been downgraded. Last time, only Super Sonic was enough to stop him. This time, the combined efforts of regular Sonic, Bunnie, and the other Freedom Fighters is enough to hold him off for a while. The shrink ray having the opposite effect this time is an easily reversed plot dilemma, as Rotor quickly deduces an embiggening ray will have the intended effect and proceeds to build one. Apparently even Mike Gallagher thought the character was played out after its second appearance, as the end has UniverSalamander being shrunk down to microscopic size. A fate he could potentially return from, I suppose, but one that seems pretty final nevertheless.

Mostly, reading “Everything Old is Newt Again” made me appreciate how much the comic evolved during its twenty-four years in print. As you’d expect from an early Mike Gallagher story, this comic is goofy as hell. Over the course of twelve pages, there's a lot of silly gags. Robotnik's Badniks treat their job like it's some sort of menial office work, softballing compliments at their boss and planning an office party. Later, Robotnik breaks the fourth wall to describe his new plot device as if it was a televised medication advertisement, with a list of side-effects at the bottom of the panel. During an inexplicable game of flag football between the Freedom Fighters, Sonic snatches Antoine's boxers. After being kicked into the desert by the salamander, Sonic lands face-first in an anthill, disrupting the place's very annoyed insectoid resident. The characters largely talk in puns and one-liners. All of this was standard practice for the book's early days but revisiting it after finishing up the book's entire run does leave the reader with some whiplash.

The artwork belongs to another era as much as the writer does. We are looking at some Dave Manak pencils, the first we've seen in quite a while. I highly suspect Manak only had loose sketches of this story laying around, forcing him to actually finish the illustrations in 2005. And you can tell he was rusty. His Freedom Fighters have overly long limbs, the angles of their faces looking incredibly jagged even by Manak's standards. Even UniverSalamander is off-model, appearing lankier than before. The panel of Sonic landing nose-first in the anthill is among the ugliest Manak would ever draw. You can definitely tell the story was hastily colored years after the fact, as the bright and flat digital colors contrast badly against the artwork.

So why did Archie decide to rescue “Everything Old is Newt Again” a whole decade after it was first conceived, other than being a cool extra for long time “Sonic” nerds? I think I answered my own question there but the story is significant for one reason. This story was the originally planned first appearance of Nicole. But don't get too excited there. The computer does not get some sort of epic introduction. While Sonic and the salamander fight overhead, Sally shows Rotor the new handheld computer she recently ordered from some business. Yep, as originally conceived, Sally just bought Nicole from a by-mail store, as if she was an collection of encyclopedias or a Clapper. It's a hilariously anticlimatic introduction for a character that would eventually prove important to the comic's lore.

I initially assumed this story had been shelved for eleven years because nobody was especially eager to revisit UniverSalamander. But that first appearance of Nicole was probably the real reason. It stands to reason Ken Penders already had his origin for the handheld computer in mind for the 'In Your Face” one-shot while this story was in the planning stages. I'm guessing the Archie top-brass decided that was a more dignified introduction for another SatAM element than this story would've been. Interestingly, one of the first things Nicole – who looks more like a ham radio than her usual form - does here is warn the characters that their world is about to get darker and more dangerous. As if the comic was announcing to readers that more serious stories would be coming soon enough. Just going ahead and actually doing that was probably a smoother way to prepare readers for the tonal change though...

So what value does “Everything Old is Newt Again” have? Not a whole lot. It does provide an mildly interesting “What if?” scenario as an alternate origin for Nicole, even if that ends up not being the main point of the story. Beyond that, there wasn't much reason for Archie to dig this up and polish it slightly, even if seeing UniverSalamander again after all these years was sort of neat. Nevertheless, the “Sonic” historian in me is glad this rarity was made available to the public. [5/10]

Sonic Free Comic Book Day 2008

Sonic Free Comic Book Day 2008
Publication Date: May 2008

In 2007, Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series participated in Free Comic Book Day for the first time. For that special occasion, Archie had Ian Flynn write up an original story. Sonic fans were essentially getting a totally new adventure, free of charge. It was a pretty cool deal. So what did the company do for the 2008 Free Comic Book Day edition? Reprints! Ah, that's more like the tightwad, cheap-ass Archie I know and tolerate.

Specifically, 2008's Free Comic Book Day special contains a reprint of the very first issue of “Sonic the Hedgehog” Archie ever published. No, I'm not talking about issue 0 of the original mini-series, which was previously reprinted in “Sonic Firsts.” I'm referring to the literal first issue from the on-going series. It's almost an exact reprint too. We get “Meet Me at the Corner of Hedgehog and Vine,” where Robotnik attempts to choke the Freedom Fighters out of the Great Forest with the robotic Krudzu weed. We get all of “You Bet My Life!,” where Sonic is lured to the Casino Night Zone just to get shoved into a giant pinball machine. This reprint even includes the goofy one-page gag comics and the free bookmarks.

Last time I reviewed a reprint, I used it as an opportunity to comment on how much the book had changed in that time. Amazingly, this particular comic was published a whole eleven years after that last batch of reprints. So the question has to be asked again: How much has the comic change? Tonally, not quite as much as you'd expect. During the grim Penders/Bollers years, the slapstick of the earlier issues seemed totally out of place. Though Ian Flynn's run didn't lack serious action, he returned a light touch and comedic energy to the book that had been missing for a long time. You wouldn't find Robotnik being harmlessly exploded in the book in 2008 but you probably could spot a one-liner or a moment of goofy physical comedy.

The years have also shown a change in target audience. I think Archie was always hoping the seven-to-twelve year old crowd would be picking up “Sonic.” I'm sure that has always made up a portion of their buyers. Yet the book in 1992 and the book in 2008 seemed to be aiming for very different readers. The 1992 stories were full of broad physical slapstick, simplistic plots, and characters acting like dumbasses to advance the story. The 2008 stories were more serialized, focused more on the character's relationships, and devoted to building up Sonic's world. Ian's stories seem to skewer slightly older, in the moments when he outright wasn't aiming for the series' long time fans.

The characters represent by far the biggest difference between the book when it started and the book as it existed in 2008. In 1992, Sonic speaks exclusively in self-aggravating “cool” comments. He rarely misses a chance to annoy his enemies and rivals. He makes quite a few fourth wall breaking comments. Over all, he's more of a jerk. Sally was the girly straight man to Sonic's shenanigans. Antoine is a total coward, totally ineffectual and ridiculous. Rotor – excuse me, Boomer – has a snarky wit that would largely disappear. Tails is a complete moron, nearly helping the Krudzu attack Freedom H.Q. in the first story. Robotnik, meanwhile, was an egotistical buffoon who comically tormented his robot servants and cooked up goofy plans to defeat his enemies.

Archie choosing to republish this particular issue at this time is interesting. It's obvious that Ian Flynn went back to these early stories for inspiration and minor details. Some of the obscure bits of lore he dug up for his then-current run first appeared here. Flynn would bring back Freedom H.Q., which would be forgotten as the series started to hew more towards SatAM. Just the other day, I was reviewing a story set in the Casino Nights Zone, which first appeared here. It would be a while longer but Flynn would also soon bring the Krudzu, by far one of Sonic's most obscure enemies, back. Ian clearly knew his “Sonic” history.

Looking back at these old stories, it's hard to miss the book “Sonic” once was. The first “Sonic” stories Archie published were nothing more than fluff designed to promote a video game and separate a kid from his two bucks. I have no illusion that “Sonic” in 2008 was high art but at least it was trying to tell emotionally resonant stories, with fully formed characters the reader was invested in. Having said that, occasionally the free-wheeling early days did provide some fun stuff. Book marks and chili dog recipes certainly weren't anything you'd see in “Sonic” in 2008.

I certainly do not miss Dave Manak's artwork. Archie had seen a lot of subpar artwork in their “Sonic” book over its long run. After Flynn had established his vision for the series, the artwork suddenly became pretty consistent. Tracy Yardley and Matt Herms weren't perfect but they usually delivered a decent looking product. I don't even hate Dave Manak's pencils but they are undeniably sloppy. Characters are jagged but loose, not sticking to on-model most of the time. Manak made great use of cartoon motion lines to hide detail. This just draws attention to the sad facts: The “Sonic” book was originally a quickie product, made with minimum care and effort. It would take a few years for it to evolve into something more interesting.

You'd think Archie would've at least stuck some extras or goodies into this reprint. To give older fans some reason to pick this up, right? Not really! The only really cool addition we get is the cover. Patrick Spaziante redraws Manak's original issue 1 cover, using the then incarnations of the characters. And it's a pretty neat cover, full of Spaz's trademark details and sense of motion. Aside from that, we get an introduction from Flynn that boils down to telling readers to buy the books Archie actually charges money for. This promotional mood continues in the back, as the last page also encourages readers to pick up the various paperback collections Archie was publishing at the time.

In fact, the book going out of its way to promote the archive collection that Archie was rolling out back in 2008 makes me suspect this entire Free Comic Book Day special was an extended ad for those books. “Like this old shit? Here's some more! But you actually have to pay for these!” 2008's FCBD special would set something of a precedent. The free books would frequently alternate between containing new stories and reprints. I guess we really couldn't expect Archie to give away a brand new comic book every year, now could we? Anyway, there's zero reason to pick this up if you own the original issue one, unless you absolutely have to have that cool new Spaz cover.  I really don't know why I reviewed it either. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 185

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 185
Publication Date: February 2008

It seems increasingly likely one aspect of Ian Flynn's legendary run on Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” will become notorious. He'll be remembered for story arcs that just go on and on, sometimes for years. This is a bit of a shame since, in the earlier days of his run, Flynn was really good at pacing. His event storylines usually only lasted four issues. He often spaced shorter stories between the longer ones. Issue 185 would begin a short, two-parter called “Mogul Rising,” attempting to reestablish Mammoth Mogul as part of Sonic's rogue gallery.

This story is subtitled “Needful Things” and, sadly, doesn't feature Max Von Sydow as a satanic antiques dealer. Anyway, the comic begins with Mina and Ash arriving in New Mobotropolis. After getting a look at the remains of Knothole, something that shocks Mina, Sonic shows her the new city. Next, Mammoth Mogul calls the hedgehog to visit him in prison. He issues a vague threat, which Sonic laughs off. That night, Mogul enacts his latest villainous scheme. He activates latent curses he's marked three characters with in the past, turning them into his sleeper agents. Soon, Mina, Tails, and Mighty the Armadillo are descending on Sonic.

Roughly a hundred times, I've referenced how Flynn devoted himself to clean up the book's mess and reestablish character's personalities. Amazingly, one somewhat contentious character didn't need that treatment. Mina the Mongoose, once an extremely controversial character, had actually found her place in Sonic's world before Flynn's soft reboot. As yet another love interest for Sonic, she was frequently aggravating. As the biggest pop star on Mobius, she suddenly found a purpose. Mina has been on her world tour for a while but this issue brings her back home. The panels devoted to her shock and confusion over Knothole's ruins are quietly touching.

Still, Ian does manage to fix one problem with Mina. One of the silliest aspects of the character Karl Bollers cooked up, in a desperate attempt to give her and Sonic something in common, was giving Mina super speed. It never made much sense and, after music became her life, her quick running was quickly forgotten. Flynn, meanwhile, cooks up a reason while this silly plot point existed. A wizard did it. Mammoth Mogul placed his mark on Mina during the Second Fall of Mobius, gifting her with superspeed so she'd get close to Sonic. It's a little thing but I appreciate it.

We have gotten a peak into the past of the Chaotix before, albeit mostly devoted to how they met Knuckles. While Mogul is activating his latent control over Mighty, we get a little peak into the Chaotix's history. Turns out, Mighty is the child of two professional thieves. He also has a little sister, a plot point that Flynn would eventually get around to expounding on, sort of. His parents were eventually incarcerated, separating Mighty from his family. This explains a lot about his character. His bond to his friends, his need to help people, the balance between his great strength and kind heart. (Mighty's strength was also a gift from Mogul, an interesting choice.)

In the past, Mammoth Mogul's evil schemes have boiled down to saying vague things, making awkward attempts at attacks, and getting his ass kicked. In “Needful Things,” the villain actually cooks up a decent plot. Yes, revealing that the elephant wizard had some sort of magical hold over three of Sonic's friends for years is slightly sloppy. But at least this scheme leaves the villain with some leverage. He's forcing Sonic to fight his own friends, forcing the hedgehog to make some difficult decisions. It shows that, under Flynn's pen, Mogul would rise to a higher level of bad-guy-ery.

Back in issue 170, Mike Gallagher dropped a goofy back-up story about Sonic fighting some long forgotten Badniks. In this issue, for some reason, Gallagher trots out a sequel. In the deeply awkwardly entitled “The Misfit Badniks' Salty, Soggy Sequel,” the Misfit Badniks have found a way to double Pseudo-Sonic to King Kongian proportions. They hope to use this to get their revenge on Sonic. Instead, the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters swim and dismantle their scheme extremely quickly.

This is a Mike Gallagher joint revolving around the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters. Archie “Sonic” readers with long memories will know what this means: A shit ton of puns. Get a load of this crap: A robot says “Holy 10W-40!” “Drop in for a bite,” said while someone gets bitten. “Let me show you how you conduct yourself,” said during an electrocution sequence. “Ouch! Rabbit punch!,” which is said after someone is punched by a rabbit. “You must be in shell shock,” said to a creature with a shell. In-between this shit, Gallagher sneaks in references to Bottlenose being a ninja and the secret plankton spy network present in the ocean. Don't act like you forgot about this. Mike Gallagher sure as fuck didn't.

However, “Soggy Sequel” at least ensures we won't see the Misfits Badniks again. After a brief fight, Fluke the Whale floats in, crushes Pseudo-Sonic and the rest of the Badniks. To prove to the reader that these characters are super duper dead, Fluke then folds their remains into a cube. Yes, all that talk about Pseudo-Sonic being a giant now amounts to exactly nothing. While I do have some affection for the comic's earlier, goofier days, I won't be missing these guys. Gallagher being who he is, he still ends this story by asking the reader if they want to see the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters again. Surely, this was a story that had been sitting on a shelf somewhere, for years, right?

So anyway, the cover story is solid. There's some good story telling there, expanding on the mythology in meaningful ways. It certainly made me want to pick up the next month's issue, though I probably would've done that anyway. Hey, the back-up story is totally useless but, eh, sometimes those are the brakes. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 170

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 170
Publication Date: December 2006

By the time 2006 came to a close, Ian Flynn had wrapped up the big two story lines he planned for the year. Instead of spending the last month of his freshman year setting up another big plot line, he decided to take things a little more slowly with issue 170. The new head writer continued his habit of resolving plot points other writers left hanging and simplifying a universe that had, perhaps, gotten a little too unwieldy.

“Comings and Goings” begins with King Acorn still in an unconscious state, have never recovered from the poisoning Anti-Antoine delivered. Uncle Chuck, Tails, and Dr. Quack have cooked up a machine that might wake the King up. The problem is they need a Chaos Emerald to do it. Using a new device Rotor has invented, Sonic and Tails enter the recently transformed Special Zone and grab a Emerald. Afterwards, Merlin uses that Emerald and Knuckles' guiding stone to travel across the galaxy and rescue Tails' parents.

I'm not sure why, post-”Endgame,” Archie decided that everyone of the main characters needed to have living parents. Before being introduced to Tails' parents in “Sonic Kids 2,” I sort of assumed they just perished in the Great War. For whatever reasons, the writers chose to build this bizarre space epic around the elder Prowers. Ever since Sonic got back from “Tossed in Space,” Tails' mom and dad being on the other side of the galaxy has been referenced from time to time. Well, the fox finally gets his family reunion. Ian doesn't overdo the emotion. Tails is shy about approaching his mom and dad, which is a cute moment. Rosemary Prower is overwhelmed with emotion, fighting back tears as she sees how much her boy has grown. It's a pretty good moment.

Ian also uses this opportunity to conveniently do away with the wildly unpopular science-fiction elements that had crept into the series recently. After being zapped away to Argentium, Sonic and the gang notices the planet is in the middle of the war zone. Turns out, the Xorda and the Black Arms are deadlocked in a war above the planet. Amadeus Prower suspects they'll be fighting each other forever. This makes sure the Xorda, already widely disliked by the fanbase, won't be appearing in the book again anytime soon. It also prevents the Black Arms from showing up too. Rumor has it this was actually a Sega mandate but it works out either way, as most fans were eager to disregard the relatively recent but critically reviled “Shadow the Hedgehog” game. For that matter, the outer solar system being fraught with combat meant Sonic didn't have much reason to travel outer space either.

“Comings and Goings” is almost evenly cut in two halves. The important business with Tails and his parents occupies the second half. The first half deals with retrieving the Chaos Emerald. This confirms what was widely foreshadowed last time. The Zone of Silence has been transformed into the Special Zone. It most heavily resembles “Sonic the Hedgehog 2's” special zones. There are long, winding tunnels littered with rings, bombs, and Chaos Emeralds. This is another attempt by Ian to reconfiguration the comic book universe so that it resembles the video games a little more, while simultaneously cutting down on some of the book's repetitive moments. There's no longer the Zone of Silence, the Void, and scattered around Special Zones. There's just one of those.

Yet Flynn doesn't just tossed unneeded comic elements. He also respects this book's history. He takes Feist, that giant panda bear creature that briefly appeared back in issue 66, and brings him back into the story. Now Feist has transformed into a god-like entity, overseeing and controlling the Special Zone. Luckily, the cosmic panda has no ambitions to rule over Mobius. Instead, he simply reshapes the Special Zone, allowing Sonic and friends to race through its traps for prizes, just for his own amusement. This allows Flynn to revisit any of the other Special Zones from the video games but in a way that makes sense for this book. (Compare to the post-reboot attempts to integrate video game canon with comic canon and see how much more elegant this is.)

Last time, Flynn wasn't just determined to kill Tommy Turtle off again. He was determined to make the turtle's second death mean something. This mission continues in “Comings and Goings.” After most of the plot business is over, Sonic and Knuckles meet each other in Knothole's graveyard, whose occupancy has really gotten a boost recently. This re-emphasizes how Tommy really was a childhood friend of Sonic, how he's hurt by his passing. Yet Sonic is too much of a manly man to tearfully express those feelings. Instead, he works through his pain with some good old fashion homoerotic posturing joking around with Knuckles. This provides a candid moment for the two heroes, which is mildly touching.

After two whole pages of Off-Panel stripes for some reason, we are presented with another... Mike Gallagher story? In “The Island of Misfit Badniks,” Sonic is racing through the Great Forest when he literally stumbles upon a hidden alcove Robotnik would use for sneak attacks. Inside, he finds a map to an island where damaged badniks – those easily disposed robots Sonic jumped on in the original video games – automatically returned to when damaged. After tracking the island down, Sonic discovers a bunch of D-list baddies eager for revenge. Among them is Pseudo-Sonic, the very first mechanical copy of Sonic.

According to those hedgehog scholars at the Mobius Encyclopaedia, “Island of Misfit Badniks” was published in order to drum up interest in the Sonic Saga trade paperback that Archie was finally beginning to publish at the time. This suggests to me that this was an old story that was sitting on the shelf for some time. It's not as if Mike Gallagher has contributed a non-”Off-Panel” story to the book in a while. Considering the multiple callbacks to the comic's early history, and its vague placement in continuity, there's no reason not to think this story could've been written years ago.

As far as the actual content goes, “Island of Misfit Badniks” is typical Gallagherian silliness. Sonic easily bests the badniks. Though there might be a certain novelty to seeing Sonic fight Pseudo-Sonic – seeing as how the characters never actually fought back in issue 9 – the scuffle only lasts a page. The fight ends with the two guys running directly at each other, not unlike Gallagher's “Super Sonic vs. Hyper Knuckles” one-shot. The island is also a metal submarine. When it sinks at the end, the Badniks have actually just hidden themselves. The story concludes by promising that these ancient villains will return. (Mike, somehow, resists the temptation to have the characters directly beg the readers to request their return.)

By the way, Tracy Yardley's artwork continues to be high quality on the cover story while Dave Manak's illustrations on the back-up are as loose as you'd expect. Issue 170 takes 2006 out on a fairly strong note. It tells a meaningful, emotional story while also embracing the new writer's stated goals for the book. [8/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 167

 
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 167
Publication Date: October 2006

Before I get on with my review of “Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 167,” which contains the second half of Ian Flynn's first stab at the “Mobius: 25 Years Later” setting, let's talk about the two most recent covers. Yes, for some reason, Archie invited Sanford Greene back to do some covers. Greene would mostly be a transitional artist between Patrick Spaziante being the main cover artist and Tracy Yardley taking over cover duties for the most part. While Greene's covers for issues 166 and 167 are slightly better then his past works, his take on the Sonic cast still look a little off. On this cover, for example, everyone's head is a little too big and the perspective is kind of weird. I'm pretty sure Greene would only do one more cover for the series but don't quote me on that.

The main story in issue 167 is subtitled “Tempus Aetenrus,” because Flynn loves his Latin apparently. Anyway, after being cornered by Knuckles' forces last time, Sonic, Tails, and Lara-Su are tossed in the dungeon with Rotor. Luckily, it's just a trick, as Knuckles reveals himself as a double agent for the resistance. Now free, Sonic marches into the throne room, ready to confront King Shadow head on. Yet the middle-aged Sonic isn't as much of a match for Shadow as he was in the past, forcing an unexpected hero to emerge.

Even though they are currently having adventures in the main timeline, I still get a rush out of seeing Sonic and the gang go on an adventure together. The opening scene of issue 167 is devoted to Sonic, Tails, and Lara-Su cracking jokes in the dungeon. That sets the light tone of adventure and fun that characterizes the entire issue. The image of Sonic and Knuckles running through the hallways, sniping jokes at each other, is something that always amuses me. The straight-ahead plot flow of this story – heroes attempt to overthrow evil king – makes for a smooth, quick moving script.

There's really only one major action beat in this issue, though it comprises the entire second half of the script. However, the story features another great bit of action illustration from Tracy Yardley. Sonic races forward and slugs Shadow in the face. He shrugs this blow off. Afterwards, he throws his cape off. Before the cape hits the ground, which is brilliantly illustrated in a series of isolated panels, Shadow has beaten Sonic into submission. Not only does this emphasize the raw power Shadow has, his often boasted abilities as the Ultimate Lifeform getting an actual display, it also gives Sonic another far-too-rare vulnerable moment.
The ending to “Tempus Aetenrus” comes off as slightly sudden. After Sonic takes the fall, Lara-Su leaps into the battle. After trading blows with Shadow for a minute, she utilizes Chaos Control to freeze the black hedgehog in his place. It's a slightly underwhelming conclusion, as King Shadow is defeated far too easily after so much build-up. Though Lara-Su is clearly powerful, it's also somewhat jarring to see a teenage girl opposing such an unstoppable character with so little effort. Still, it is nice to see Knuckles' daughter get a victorious moment to herself.

After all the action theatrics are wrapped up, Sonic and Sally take the throne once more. This leads to easily the most touching moment in the issue. The hedgehog and the chipmunk sit together in a private area. Slowly, they draw closer. After so many years apart, their reunion is awkward. Yet, as their hearts take the lead, they pull each other into for a kiss. (Which Yardley sweetly draws attention to, framing the kiss in a heart-shaped panel.) This sequence features some of Flynn's best dialogue thus far. I especially like Sonic's sheepish admission that he wants kids.
The back-up story is another contribution from Romy Chacon, who was less retired than I guess. In “Hedgehog Day,” Sonic is awoken by his alarm clock. After Scourge and CroctoBot crashed his previous birthday party, Knothole is throwing him a second one. And he's late. While rushing to get to the party, he trips and breaks his leg. Sonic awakens the next to the exact same situation. The day is seemingly repeating itself until Sonic finally makes it to the party without incidence.

Yes, this is a take-off on “Groundhogs Day.” No, it's not an especially good one. Unlike Harold Ramis' famous film, Sonic isn't trapped in repeating loop because he needs to become a better person. He's trapped, for reasons that are never explained, to facilitate the moral of setting your alarm clock for the right time. Chacon's script features mostly lame jokes. Such as Mina's latest hit being entitled “Soldier Boy” - presumably she implores us to crank dat? - or each day concluding with Sonic in the hospital, a new citizen threatening to file a frivolous lawsuit against him. The most outrageous of these scenarios is, after Sonic decides he's just not leaving his house, when a group of paparazzi climb onto his roof and fall inside, all of them ending up in the hospital together.

Drawing “Hedgehog Day” is Dave Manak, one of the series' earliest artists returning after a long hiatus. I'll give Manak this much. He's finally made some attempt to update his style. Sonic and the gang are portrayed with the longer torsos and more anime-esque facial designs that they gained in the franchise's later years. Otherwise, Manak's artwork is as angular and cartoony as always. Panels devoted to Sonic spitting out his toothpaste are unintentionally grotesque. The nosy reporters have instantly forgettable designs. Sonic's hut looks entirely different from previous portrayals. (So does the Race Car Bed, which I guess didn't get thrown out after all.) It's about the same level of quality Manak has always contributed: Decent, but still kind of ugly.

A lame back-up story can't take away from the quality of the cover story, which is quite good. Flynn continues to redefine the comic, cranking out solid action yarns that respect the characters and their universe. Though intended to be the final “25 Years Later” story, this arc would prove so popular that Flynn would give the setting more chances in the future, devoting a “Sonic Universe” arc to far flung future versions of Sonic and the gang. In other words: In two comics, Flynn manage to entice fans more then Ken Penders' did over an entire year. Go figure. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 158

 

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 158
Publication Date: January 2006

2006 would be the year that Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” book would finally pull itself out of the pit of mediocrity it had been simmering in for quite a few years. Soon, enough, a new creative staff will come on board and revitalize the title. But we're not there, not quite yet. We still have two more issues before Ken Penders' reign comes to an end. Though Ken would leave for other reasons, you can't help but wonder if he was running out of ideas. Issue 158 promises yet another fight between Sonic and Shadow. Don't these guys do anything else? The book hasn't been this fight crazy since the early days, when Knuckles was still a new character. Anyway, let's get on with the show.

“System Reconfiguration” continues where we left off. A group of Metal Sonic robots has invaded Robotnik's city. The doctor assumes Snively is behind this but the true culprit, the mysterious force hacking his system, remains unidentified. He quickly gets Mecha back on his side. Just as the machines look like they'll overrun the villain's lair, they instead head out for Knothole City, destroying everything in their path. Sonic and Shadow just escape the chaos, heading into the forest to fight the invasion for different reason. Both hedgehogs will soon learn some startling information.

Besides old dog faithfuls like me, I don't know who the hell else was reading the comic book in 2006. Maybe the younger Sonic fans, driven to the comic by a mania for “Sonic Adventure 2” and “Sonic Heroes,” wanted to see Sonic and Shadow fight each other once again? If that was the audience Archie was targeting at the time, I bet they were disappointed in this story. Despite the cover promising a title bout between the blue blur and his latest rival, Sonic and Shadow do not fight in this issue. In fact, they are even working together – kind of – throughout part of it. Shadow spends about a third of the issue unconscious!

But covers always lie. What of the actual content? To his credit, Ken does make an effort to develop Shadow a little as a character. Robotnik attempts to manipulate the so-called ultimate life form. Robotnik points out his familial relation with Shadow's creator, making the hedgehog a nephew of sorts to the villain. Interestingly, Shadow doesn't buy it. Instead, he's driven to protect Hope. Considering his connection with Hope has been his sole humanizing element, I don't mind Ken returning to that one. It doesn't amount to much. Mostly, it's a story excuse to get the anti-hero fighting the horde of Metal Sonics. But it counts for something.

The robotic threats, called the Metal Sonic Troopers, are also potentially interesting. They sport the dorky black leather loincloth design from “Sonic Heroes.” They don't display a flick of personality. Instead, the troopers act like a zombie horde. They don't eat flesh but they do descend as a crowd, destroying everything around them. We learn their origin. Rotor and Uncle Chuck built them as a robotic police force while Sonic was in space. Once the hero came back, the Troopers were shelved. Sadly, both of these points are wasted. Sonic spends a little too much time relaxing after the robots are set loose, making them seem less dangerous. Our hero, meanwhile, has no reaction – good or otherwise – to learning that his uncle and friend are responsible for this new threat.

Among all this chaos, Ken once again makes an attempt to sneak in some pathos. Before the Troopers attack Knothole, Jules and Bernie have another conversation about their son. Bernie wonders if they've gone wrong, letting Sonic march into danger like he does. Once again, Jules recommends giving the boy some distance, that he's not a child anymore. This can't help but remind me of how Locke treated Knuckles, spying on him while refusing to actually father him. Maybe it's just residual annoyance with that plot point that makes these scenes stick out to me. Or maybe they really just don't have a place in this current story.

I know I bitch about Ron Lim's artwork all the time. In “System Reconfiguration,” Lim does some especially lousy work, just when he was showing some improvement too. The Metal Sonic Trooper look too much like a collection of pointy edges. When attacking as a crowd, Lim just draws a big blue, squiggly shape. His character work is okay in a few panels. Uncle Chuck and Shadow look okay, at least by the standards of Ron Lim's pencils. The action artwork, however, is dire. It's lifeless, messy, and shapeless.

For the back-up story, Archie forces us to suffer through another shitty “Off-Panel” comic. Mike Gallgher's script even admits that no one is actually interested in reading this. A gag claims Hugh – apparently the guy who changes the print cartridge – demanded another one of these. Anyway, the plot: Sonic and editor Mike Pellerito meet in a back alley for some reason. There, they are attacked by Blackstage, some Phantom of the Opera looking motherfucker who threatens to expose a bunch of behind-the-scenes footage to the fans, expecting this info to destroy sales. It doesn't work because fans enjoy stuff like this. So the villain essentially defeats himself.

It's so dumb, you guys. The script is derivative of “Better Read Than Dead” from 126, with a lame villain appearing to threaten the editorial staff in a really dumb way. Like in that story, Sonic is benched for most of the plot, making Pellerito the hero. (Because that's what people reading a “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic book wanted to see: The adventures of the editor.) Blackstage's plan doesn't even make sense. Why would behind the scene footage destroy a comic book's credibility? It's a comic, not pro-wrestling! Is Blackstage unaware of the popularity of DVD special features?

I guess that's to be expected, as this is a gag comic. Sadly, the gags aren't funny either. Blackstage's incriminating footage includes stunt doubles, camera tricks, special effect shots, and King Acorn being in a make-up chair for six hours. (I've always suspect Mike Gallagher stopped paying attention to the book years ago and this proves that, as all these story events are from the pre-100 days.) When the bad guy is informed that his plan is stupid and sucks, Sonic tears his clothes off, puts the mask on, and sings a bar of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Jeeeezus. Is this what Archie's comedy books were like at the time? No wonder nobody read them back then. I'll give the story this much though. It's slightly less embarrassing then “The Edge of Parodies,” the previous Off-Panel five pager.

The cover story is slightly better then most of the “Sonic” stories Archie published in 2005. This is faint praise, as it's still a stiflingly mediocre affair. Ken isn't exactly going to go out on a high note but he could've done a lot worst. We all know that. I'm willing to totally ignore that fucking terrible back-up story and just stick this one with a [6/10.] I'm feeling generous.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 147

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 147
Publication Date: March 2005

Recently, I theorized that Archie was putting such a heavy focus on Shadow the Hedgehog because Sega insisted the comic include more video game elements. Further proof comes along in the second part of the “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” tetralogy. The third corner of this fightin’ triangle is revealed as Metal Sonic. Though a consistent adversary to Sonic in the games, the original Metal Sonic hasn’t appeared in the comics since the “Knuckles’ Chaotix” one-shot, roughly a million years ago. So his sudden reappearance in the book is a bit of a surprise, one Archie hyped up nearly as much as Shadow’s.

The Freedom Fighters split up inside the mysterious underground lair they have found themselves in. Tails and Tommy enter a control room, helplessly pressing buttons. Fiona has been left in some obscure corner, which Sonic, Rotor, and Bunnie quickly speed to. Metal Sonic, sent by Eggman to check shit out, tracks down Shadow and Isaac. The robot quickly starts to wail on Shadow and his friend. Before long, Sonic enters the fray, apparently just looking for a good fight.

I don’t know why Ken threw together this collection of characters. Sonic and Tails go on adventures all the time while Rotor and Bunnie fill the smart guy and brawler roles, respectively. But what do Tommy and Fiona add to this team? Seems like both got slotted into additional scientific roles, even though Rotor’s already on this mission. I suppose the writer was trying to boost those two, still relative new additions to the team. What ends up happening instead is a story with too many characters, the writer awkwardly attempting to find a role for everyone. This results in an unfocused script that leaps around too much, confusing and irritating readers.

Sega faithfuls love Metal Sonic, considering him one of Sonic’s most dangerous adversaries. I’ve never quite gotten the hype. As a robot, he’s defined by a one-note drive to destroy Sonic. In “The Heart of the Hedgehog” arc, Dan Fingeroth merged this with a more personable psychosis and a sarcastic streak, actually making Metal Sonic interesting. Ken attempts something similar here. The writer shoves some trash talk into the robotic hedgehog’s voice synthesizer. He refers to Shadow as “Bio-Trash” and repeatedly declares himself his superior. While that worked with the more humanized Metal Sonic 2.5, it’s an odd fit for this version of Metal Sonic, who just came off the assembly line. Still, it is slightly more interesting then Shadow’s boring friend Isaac.

Then again, maybe I’m overestimating Ken’s intentions. Because “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” only really has one purpose: Getting Sonic, Shadow, and Metal Sonic into a big fight. Which the story gleefully leaps into. Metal Sonic floors Shadow with a telescoping extend-o punch. Shadow, in retaliation, swings him into a wall. There’s punches, leaps, tossed rocks, and rocket boosters to the face. Metal Sonic at least has a reason for fighting these guys. Sonic’s excuse for getting into the action – running off to join the fight just because he’s bored – reeks of lazy writing. It’s as if the Archie brass told the writer “We don’t care why they fight, just make them fight” and he delivered in as cynical a fashion possible.

Remember a while ago when Archie, for some stupid reason, gave the Off-Panel crew a five page story? Sure you do. Remember how I said they never did that again? I’m sorry, that was wrong. “The Edge of Parodies” is a self-indulgent bit of fourth wall breaking from Mike Gallagher and Dave Manak. Mike and Dave enter the Off-Panel universe, despite Sonic’s objection. Both quickly realize, as the writer and artist, they have control over the story as it happens. Dave and Mike immediately transform themselves into superheroes and spend the rest of the comic arguing about who has cooler powers. Sonic attempts to distract them with some old Badniks but it takes the editor stepping in, saying this bullshit is stupid and to stop it, to make the story end.

“This Side of Parodies” has one funny gag. Sonic recruits a bunch of Badniks from the original game – once regular cast members who haven’t been seen in years – to challenge Gallagher and Manak. Seeing Moto-Bug as a grouchy old man is mildly amusing. Otherwise, “This Side of Parodies” is another useless bit of ego masturbation for Manak and Gallagher. Without irony, both fictional stand-ins blame the other for the book’s sometimes shoddy quality. Manak says his art makes Gallagher’s rushed scripts awesome. Gallagher says his writing makes up for Manak’s sketchy artwork. Which doesn’t disguise the fact that this story is about the writers making themselves superheroes. Though I will say this much: Unlike “Better Read Than Dead,” at least Sonic has an extended role in this story. It’s not just about how awesome the comic’s creative staff is. Still, I can’t imagine excited kids, eager to read about Sonic the Hedgehog’s adventures, were much pleased by this.

Issue 147 wraps up with “Fox and the Hound.” Sonic is too busy adventuring to play with Muttski. Desperate for attention, the dog instead teams up with Tails for some playtime. The two proceed to play fetch, hopstocth, and go for a swim. During a game of hide and seek, Muttski starts to get aggressive towards Tails. Sonic intervenes and insists this is just a misunderstanding, as Muttski thought he was fox hunting.

“Fox and the Hound” has a promising idea. The story mentions Sonic’s ability to understand Muttski’s speech, a plot point the book has done nothing with since introducing it. Overall, seeing Tails and Muttski bond over their mutual status as Sonic’s ignored sidekicks is a cute idea. This could’ve built towards a “boy and his dog” scenario, Tails having a deeper bound with Sonic’s pet then the hedgehog ever did. Instead, “Fox and the Hound” is just build-up towards a really lame pun about fox hunting. It’s another Romy Chacon five pagers that wastes the potential inherit in its premise.

At least the art isn’t too bad. Steven Butler continues to do fine work on the cover story, even if his Metal Sonic looks a little weird. (And it’s disappointing that Isaac is drawn as a straight palette swipe of E-102 Gamma, right down to the number designation.) But Sonic, Shadow, Bunnie and the gang still look awesome, as does the action. Dave Manak’s artwork for “This Side of Parodies” is typical of Manak. However, his loose, angular style fits the story, misbegotten as it may be. Al Bigley continues to improve with “Fox and the Hound.” Tails and Sonic still look a little off at times but, for the most parts, Bigley is developing a style of his own: Jovial and cartoony without loosing track of the characters’ reality. A little more fine-tuning and he could’ve turn into a great “Sonic” artist. Disappointingly, he would only draw one more story for Archie before leaving the book.

Issue 147 is another collection of lame stories. “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” reveals itself as nothing more then a mindless fight fest. (And I generally like fight fest!) “Fox and the Hound” could’ve been interesting if the writer had a little more faith in it. And “This Side of Parodies” was a terrible idea that shouldn’t have been in the book in the first place. The Dork Age continues, uninterrupted. [4/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 132

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 132
Publication Date: January 2004

Man, does it bother any one else when big plot arcs get split up by years? Just me? Okay. But, yes, the “Home” series headed into its third part as Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” began 2004. After a strong start, the story line would cluttered apart into uninspired action. I remember 2004 and 2005 being especially weak years for Archie's “Sonic” series. So I'm not exactly excited to be heading into these next 26 issues. Let's get this over with as quickly as possible.

With all the pieces moved into place last time, Sonic and the Freedom Fighters begin their offensive strike against Robotnik's empire. Sonic and Tails confront Eggman on his battle ship, unprepared for the doctor's new mechanical children: A sentient computer virus named A.D.A.M. and a super strong female android named M. Outside the Kingdom of Acorn, the Chaotix faced down an army of ShadowBots. Princess Sally, meanwhile, watches helplessly while her friends get their asses kicked.

Once upon a time, Dave Manak was the regular artist on this book. As the book grew more serious, Manak's cartoonish illustrations appeared less and less often. Usually, Manak only contributed to back-up stories or brief appearances during landmark issues. For some reason, Manak was brought back to draw issue 132. Along with his angular pencils, a certain degree of silly humor has also returned to the book. In “Home Part 3: A.D.A.M. & EVIL,” Tails distracts the evil computer virus with corny jokes. Vector blows away an entire fleet of evil robots with loud music, beamed from a pair of giant amplifiers. Considering the crux of this story revolves around Robotnik threatening to nuke two heavily populated cities, it's an odd decision to include jokey elements like this.

As the title indicates, this story does successfully introduce Robotnik's “children” as serious threats. A.D.A.M. proves unhackable, impervious to Rotor and Tails' attempts to combat him. Apparently, Tails' navigational computers are compatible with whatever system A.D.A.M operates on, as he causes Tails' Tornado to zip-zag through the sky. M, meanwhile, prefers to beat the shit out of people. The statuesque female robot kicks Sonic in the face, bends him over her head, and tosses him into the water. Manak's handle on action isn't the best but these moments are mildly diverting.

This is far from the only action in the book. Since getting her Chaos Emerald assisted growth spurt, Amy Rose hasn't contributed too much to the book. She hasn't had much of a chance to develop beyond her status as Sonic's number one fan girl. (Even then, Mina mostly eclipsed her in that capacity.) In “Home: Part 3,” Amy suddenly reveals herself as a massive bruiser. Armed with her magical hammer, she single-handedly destroys a whole army of ShadowBots. It's a surprising change, that's slightly hard to believe, though the book would run with it. Amy's hammer swingin' robot massacre is certainly easier to believe then Vector wub-wubing apart an equally impressive selection of mechanical soldiers.

In all this chaos, the book pauses for two brief moments of emotion. Before the ShadowBots descend on their outpost, Julie-Su and Knuckles have a conversation. She's reluctant to have Knuckles fight in this battle. After only getting him back recently, she's afraid to loose him again so quickly. This sweet moment is bordered with some nice humor, when Knuckles jokes that death ain't nothing he hasn't lived through. Julie-Su, showing her toughness again, swats at him, not appreciating the humor. This sequence certainly works better then the one devoted to Sally. Once again, Karl has reduced the Princess to pining for Sonic from a distance, her hands tied by royal bureaucracy. Gee whiz, haven't you hit that note enough already, Bollers?

For a while, I've been complaining that Archie didn't know how to utilize the new characters Sega was introducing in their more recent video games. This continues to hold true with “Home.” Both Shadow and Rouge appear in this story. Both saunter on-screen suddenly, providing heroic support when the other characters need it the most. In other words, the “Sonic Adventure 2” additions continue to float around the comic's universe, entering the story only when the writers can find a slot for them. Which is weird, considering this comic has always had a massive cast. You'd think Bollers and the bunch would be better as juggling characters.

In the back pages, Ken Penders continues his lo-fi “Mobius: 25 Years Later” epic. “The Unveiling” is, as you'd expect, devoted to Lara-Su's unvealing party. Which is like a weird puberty prom or something. Lara-Su dresses up in a pretty gown, dances with her dad, uncle, and potential boyfriend, while everyone else stares at her. Meanwhile, Rotor and his partner Cobar make a startling discovery about the dimensional fortitude of Mobius' Prime-Zone.

Last time, I compared unveilings to a bat mitzvah. I think Ken was still kind of going for that but the purpose of the ceremony seems different. Instead of Lara-Su entering adulthood, and becoming responsible for her own actions now, the unveiling seemingly has a different purpose. It's about presenting Lara-Su as a sexually mature individual, ready to be romanced. Which is pretty creepy and exacerbated by Lara-Su dancing with both her father and her uncle during the ceremony. This can't help but bring to mind those symbolically incestuous “purity balls” that were all the rage among Christian nut jobs a decade ago. Considering Knuckles was so eager to abandon traditional in the last issue, it's weird that he would be so insistent on something as traditional and regressive as an unveiling. (There's also a really lame panel where Julie-Su insist that Mace, Knuckles' previously unmentioned half-brother, get married soon. This does not seem in character for her.)

Once you get past the creepy subtext, “The Unveiling” isn't a bad story. Lara-Su continues to express ambivalence, if not outright disinterest, in tradition. The best panel occurs when Knuckles retreats to the balcony. He bemoans how quickly his daughter has grown up. It's a cliched moment but a sweet one, that any parent can relate to, especially once Julie-Su comforts her husband.

This story also introduces us to Argyle, Vector's son. Unlike his braggart, blowhard dad, Argyle is shy and soft spoken. As the son of a braggart blowhard, that seems like a realistic development. A cute moment has Argyle cutting a rug with Lara-Su, continuing to develop their romance. (By the way, we never meet Vector's “wife” so this in no way disproves my head cannon that he's queer as hell. Argyle could be adopted, for all we know.) These small, character-driven moments are certainly more interesting than Rotor discovering that repeated dimensional travel has weakened the physical laws of the universe, leading to another one of those prophecized disasters that Ken loves so much.

The cover story has one or two interesting moment, mostly thanks to a clever action beat, but remains a bit on the dull side. The back-up story creates some unfortunate implication but is otherwise pretty good. If the post-time jump world continues to go the way I remember it going, things are going to stay that way for a while now. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 127

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 127
Publication Date: September 2003

Archie is choosing an odd numbering scheme when it comes to the “Tossed in Space” story arc. Issue 127 of “Sonic the Hedgehog” is the second issue devoted to this story line. Yet the cover story is part three. That's because issue 126 contained a two part stories, both parts contained in the comic. The company usually split the individual Sonic stories into parts but rarely carried the number over to the next issue. It's just a weird quirk that caused me to look at things a second time. Anyway, on with the review.

After the incident on the Blodex home world, Sonic catches a ride with another alien race. The D'Novulans are explorers and scientists. Unluckily for Sonic, their ship collides with an exploding moon, taken out by a barrage of debris. He's tossed into an escape pod and lands on a strange planet where the local life evolves super quickly. A civilization sprouts up in the course of a day, the natives coming to worship the comatose Sonic, asleep in his pod, as a god.

From time to time, Archie's “Sonic” writers have shoved in random references to “Star Trek” or “Star Wars.” It's clear these guys are big fans of both franchises. The first half of “Evo-Solution” - that's a weird title, innit? - plays out like a direct “Trek” homage. The D'Novulans wear color coordinated uniforms, that look a lot like something you'd find in Starfleet. Their techno-babble filled dialogue and a character being called “helmsman” certainly recall the famous series. For bonus points, Benny Lee throws in some other sci-fi references. The ship looks a lot like the Yamato. Their leader is Captain Oe, which is astonishingly similar to Captain Eo, you might notice. Sonic can understand the alien's language thanks to a device nearly identical to the Babelfish.

Yet this reference filled opening is just a preface to the actual story. Once Sonic crash lands on the strange world, “Evo-Solution” features some colorfully odd moments. Sonic comments on how much the water looks like pink lemonade. A huge tree sprouts up from under the hedgehog's feet. The seasons change before his eyes, the lake freezing and melting again in seconds. The next second, a snowy winter blows in. In the course of an afternoon, Sonic watches a civilization grow from grass huts to a high-tech society.

Because issue 127 is set during this era of “Sonic,” the story in no way lives up to its lofty ambitions. The idea of Sonic inspiring an alien civilization is fascinating. So is the speedy hedgehog discovering he's the slowest thing on the planet. (Lee's script, baffingly, barely comments on this irony.) The aliens, who call themselves Azurites, uses a time displacement device to allow Sonic to leave his pod and interact with them. During this brief exchange of dialogue, the aliens tell Sonic that they worshiped him like a god. The exact nature of this deity even inspired wars. Sonic is surprisingly nonplussed by this revelation. The hedgehog is so focused on getting home that he barely comments on the situation at all. He tells the Azurites he's not a god, without ever thinking that this statement will probably cause another war. The script throws big ideas around but only addresses them in the most shallow of ways.

Ron Lim illustrates this story and it makes his limitations as an artist very apparent. Lim's Sonic looks as shitty as ever. He's got the giant eyes, the inexpressive face, the absurdly long quills, and the noodly limbs. The D'Novulans and Azurites, meanwhile, look okay. They don't look great but they have memorable designs. The D'Novulans have insect like stingers. The Azurites have three eyes on their heads. The extraterrestrials even manage to be more expressive then Lim's Sonic, though just a bit. So that proves it: Ron Lim isn't a terrible drawer. He just sucks at drawing Sonic and friends.

In issue 126, Mike Gallagher and Dave Manak contributed a totally useless back-up story. In issue 127, the same team throw together another pointless story. “Agent Sonic vs. Agent Knuckles” is a parody of “Spy vs. Spy,” though only in the loosest sense. It doesn't make fun of or comment on the famous MAD Magazine stripe. Instead, it simply slots Sonic and Knuckles into the roles of the White Spy and Black Spy. The two attempt to murder each other, their plans often unfurling in unexpected ways. There are some loose puns, such as a carnival “House of Whacks” resulting in the two getting whacked, and a weak attempts at jokes, like a surprise appearance by Shadow.

What can I even say about something like this? It's really not very funny. Gallagher and Manak don't create the same anarchistic laughs that the original “Spy vs. Spy” comics had. Casting Sonic and Knuckles in these roles doesn't even make much sense, seeing as how the two have been allies for years now. Manak's artwork is sketchy even by his standards, the characters appearing extra angular. If it wasn't for the sudden appearances of Shadow, I'd assume this was something Archie had been sitting on for years. An old stripe tossed off years ago, shoved into this book to fill out the page count. That's exactly what it feels like.

The “Tossed in Space” story arc continues to have promising ideas. But promising ideas only go so far, especially when paired with a middling execution. And if the back-up stories don't get better sooner, I'll increasingly suggest others to just skip reading them altogether. [5/10]