Sonic Universe: Issue 32

Sonic Universe: Issue 32
Publication Date: September 2011

I'm just going to step back and give myself a little perspective. Back when first conceived, Evil Sonic or Anti-Sonic – whatever you want to call the character that would become Scourge – was little more than a gimmick. Dressed like an out-dated perception of what a bad boy thug looked like, he was never taken very seriously as a character and was quickly dealt with every time he appeared. Who would've thought that, seventeen years later, we'd still be reading about that character? Moreover, that he would be compelling enough to carry an entire arc by himself! That's what I mean when I talk about how Ian Flynn completely saved this comic book.

The last part of “Scourge: Lockdown” begins with the Zone Police prison in turmoil. The prison riot that ends every prison movie is in full effect. In the chaos, the Destructix hope to make their escape. Scourge goes about getting revenge on those that wronged him while Fiona and the other Destructix searches for the plot device that will give them their freedom. In the chaos, reveals and betrayals go down.

As I mentioned in my review of “Sonic Universe: Issue 29,” “Inside Job” has been an arc partially about making Scourge sympathetic. By getting dunked on by everyone else in supervillain jail, Scourge gained a humility previously beyond the ego-tastic baddie. From a writing perspective, it makes sense. This also puts Scourge back at zero, giving him an identifiable character arc for this story: Trying to regain his confidence and evil zeal. Which finally comes to pass here. By the end, Scourge is re-proclaiming his superiority over everyone. And just so you know he isn't that sympathetic, that he's still a bad guy, Flynn also has him cruelly screw over Al and Cal.

All of that is well and good, from a narrative level. But it's not the reason I liked this issue so much. At the issue's beginning, Scourge goes on a rampage through the prison, his evil mojo thoroughly reclaimed. He spin-dashes the buff Knuckles that tormented him earlier right in the guy. He tosses the Anti-Lupe that hassled him earlier off a bridge. He kicks a zone cop – possibly based off of Monkey Khan – right in the face. There's an awesome page half-way through entirely devoted to him kicking ass and taking names, both guards and prisoners alike. I enjoy this for the same reason I like to watch “Friday the 13th” movies. Sometimes, it's just fun to watch the bad guy make mince-meat of everyone around him, regardless of whether or not they're decent people.

Flynn probably could've devoted a whole issue to Scourge taking revenge and generally being an amoral bad-ass. However, he does pay off on several lingering plot points set up here. Some nice tension is inserted into the last act, when the Warp Ring Fiona counted on getting the gang out of here is stolen by Jeffrey St. Croix. This allows the not-entirely-interesting subplot about the evil King Maxx trying to escape space-jail a decent conclusion. We also get a justification as to why Horzonti-Al and Verti-Cal had to be in this story. Scourge removes their inhibitor collars, unleashing the robo-death-god versions of the imps last seen in issue 59 of “Sonic.” Which actually makes the annoying duo kind of intimidating, in addition to being a decent pay-off.

After spending the last two issues finally giving the Destructix a back story, Flynn partially devotes this issue to seeing them act as a team. It's surprisingly effective. Lighting's highly effective hearing comes in handy. Fiona's brains helps the whole operation work. Predator Hawk's flight and predatory instinct prove useful. Even Scourge shows himself to be a good leader. At one point, he rushes into danger to insure the escape plan works. Yes, he's doing it so he can reek more havoc and because he really wants to escape. But this also shows that maybe there's a molecule of honor among these thieves as well.

It's a really fun issue that also, unintentionally, ends up being rather bittersweet. Flynn ends the story by setting up future confrontations. The Zone Cops, Zonic especially, are dismayed by the break-out and name-drop all the threats they are juggling right now. Scourge and his boys return to Mobius. Fiona wants to work with Dr. Finnitevus but Scourge is more interested in regaining some serious power. Sadly, none of these events would come to fruition. This is the last time Flynn would write about Scourge before the Pendering forced a hard reboot on Archie's "Sonic" books, wiping out the entire multi-verse and Scourge's existence. At the very least, Scourge's final appearance would be a good one.

By the way, Flynn and Yardley continue to sneak in those fun little in-jokes I enjoy. What appears to be a purple kraken sticks its tentacles out in the bitchin' two-age spread that opens the book. In addition to the possible Zone Cop version of Monkey Khan, we also briefly see possible Zone Cop versions of Duck Bill and Mighty. In the evidence locker, we see Dark Enerjak's brass knuckles, Rosy the Rascal's hammer, and Knuckles' infamous hat from the OVA. Most bizarrely, a mob scene features an appearance from what appears to be a red Angry Bird and the snail from “Spongebob.” Which certainly raises some interesting questions about the multi-verse here.

This story does what a good story is suppose to do: It makes me want to see more. Scourge and his bandits may not be long for this four-colored world but at least their final adventure was a lot of fun. The whole arc was very good, probably one of my favorite “Sonic Universe” plots. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 31

Sonic Universe: Issue 31
Publication Date: August 2011

Looking at this cover reminded me of a little anecdote concerning this particular issue of “Sonic Universe.” Usually, I keep my pile of to-read comic books on the corner of my coffee table. Back in 2011, when the issue was new, my sister was visiting with my then-six year old nephew in tow.  I recall the kid picked up my “Sonic” comics, this issue specifically, and started leafing through it. My sister then asked me if the comic's content was appropriate for him, to which I said it was probably fine. I had completely forgotten about this until I saw the cover image just now. Anyway, on with the review.

Part three of “Inside Job,” subtitled “Inside Job,” follows Scourge as he continues to put together a team, for is upcoming escape from space jail. In this issue, he re-connects with Lightning Lynx and Flying Frog, allowing Flynn to expand on both characters' non-existent back story. After successfully convincing both of them, the escape leaps into action.

If nothing else, “Inside Job” has been a fun story line just for all the silly in-jokes Flynn has thrown in. He has frequently filled the margins with interesting sights. Last issue, Void and Mephilies the Dark showed up briefly. This issue introduces the Zero Zone equivalent of Rouge, who works as the prison's behavioral psychologist. Which is cute. Her therapy class features a robotic Tails, a entity composed entirely of fire, seemingly the Moebius version of Ray the Squirrel, and a bulky version of Amy Rose. (Maybe she's from the same realm as Hulk Sonic.) And if that wasn't fucking nerdy enough for you, there's also a blink-and-miss-it cameo from Silver Snively and Robolactus, the villains from that ill-conceived “Guardians of the Galaxy” parody, last seen a thousand years ago in issue 104 of “Sonic the Hedgehog.” I like this goofy shit.

As I said last time, one of the driving forces behind “Inside Job” was to finally expand on the Destructix's origins. Part three focuses on Lighting Lynx and Flying Frog. However, Flynn has already developed Lightning's back story a little bit. We know he's affiliated with the Raiju Clan ninjas from Monkey Khan's corner of the globe, that he has some connection with the Bride of Conquering Storm. The issue expounds on that a little bit more. Confirming what was hinted at previously, we find out that the lynx had a crush on Conquering Storm. Like some weird Red Sonja shit, courting rituals in the Raiju Clan dictate that a suitor must defeat his potential mate in combat. Lightning failed to do that, being rejected from the ninja brood. In other words: Lightning got friend-zoned and freaked the fuck out, as too often happens. Sort of sad but makes him look like a big creep.

Next comes Flying Frog's origin story. Turns out he was a court jester in that quasi-Arthurian area of Mobius, where Rob O' the Hedge hangs out. He's also a totally deranged murderer, who killed several people back in Murcia. That kind of came out of nowhere, didn't it? Flynn writes Flying very similarly to Bean and Rosy the Rascal, showing that his unhinged characters more-or-less come in one variety. Turning Flying into a straight-up serial killer, when he's only previously been shown to be a little goofy, was a fairly extreme change. It's the only character expansion Flynn goes through here that really bugs me. It seems like he had no idea what to do with Flying and just threw some random shit at the wall.

Once all of that is out of the way, the plot can start to move forward. To paraphrase George Pappard, it is satisfying to watch a plan come together. Within the last few pages, the break-out begins. Watching Lighting and Flying scale the side of the building, seeing Fiona break out, is gratifying to see. As the issue reaches its conclusion, Scourge gets his revenge on Smalls the Cat. Instead of straight up killing the dude, like would happen in an actual prison movie, he simply spin-dashes him into a wall. But the intent is clear. Scourge is done being anyone's butt monkey.

Artwork wise, issue 31 of “Sonic Universe” continues to show good work from Tracy Yardley. How he depicts the flashback are probably my favorite thing about this issue. Lightning's flashback is ringed in purple and green, seemingly the colors most associated with the Raiju clan. A painting of a dragon watches as he gets the shit kicked out of him. Flying's flashback, meanwhile, is depicted in a slightly shakier, more expressionistic fashion. Which invokes his more unstable personality, I suppose. Both are neat touches.

While not quite as strong as the previous two issues, “Inside Job” continues to be a pretty good story arc. I like the setting. I like getting a little more info on these obscure supporting characters, even if some of it gives me pause. I like seeing Scourge transform into a bad ass, reminding all of us why we liked him in the first place. It's a pretty good issue. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 30

Sonic Universe: Issue 30
Publication Date: July 2011

When it comes to Best/Worst list, which I do whenever I wrap a year's worth of reviews up, I more-or-less make shit up at the last minute. However, I've got to say that issue 30 of “Sonic Universe” is definitely a front runner for my favorite cover art of 2011. It's such a fun image, isn't it? Seeing Scourge and the Destrutix in a police line-up, showing lots of personality and attitude, says so much about their characters. These guys stand as a team and you don't want to mess with them.

Part two of “Inside Job,” “Any Port in the Storm,” begins with Scourge in much the same place as before: Getting his ass beat. However, this time, the hedgehog villain has a purpose. After his encounter with the Destrutrix last time, he realizes he has a chance to finally get out of this hellhole. So he proceeds to win the loyalty of the different Destrutrix, biding his time until he can take revenge on those who have wronged him.

“Any Port in the Storm” is clearly the middle part of the story. Issue 30 is devoted to moving plot points into place, so that the rest of the adventure can happen. There's a long series of panels devoted to Warden Zobotnik meeting with Scourge, expressing concern about what the Destrutix have planned for him. It's an issue about Scourge meeting his teammates, winning them over to his side. There's other plot points sprinkled throughout, like Anti-St. John overhearing Fiona Fox's conversation, suggesting King Maxx's role in this arc isn't quite over yet. It's not super smooth but there is something satisfying about seeing a plan come together.

Yet these events serve another purpose as well. Yes, Scourge gets a beating at the beginning of the issue. However, the evil hedgehog is starting to get his mojo back. He's scheming more, plotting his eventual escape from the prison. He's not wallowing in his misery, taking beatings because he has nothing better to do. He's beginning to show why he was such a formidable villain in the first place. So our villain antagonist has got a character arc, which is nice.

However, even this isn't the primarily purpose of this issue. Instead, it's about one of Flynn's favorite things: Fixing bullshit previously writers introduced. He finally gives the Destrutrix a definitive origin. This issue is devoted to exploring the back stories of Fiona Fox, Sgt. Simian, and Predator Hawk. (Lighting Lynx and Flying Frog get their share next time.) Fiona was introduced in 1995 while the other two joined the comic in 1996. That's fifteen or sixteen years in-between introduction and actually learning about these characters. That just goes to show you how fast and loose this comic was with its cast in the early years!

For the most part, the origins are pretty satisfying too. We learn that Fiona is an orphan, abandoned by her parents and enslaved by Robotnik early in her life. Flynn has always been fond of connecting seemingly unrelated plot points – what TV Tropes calls Arc Wielding – and utilizes that here. Predator Hawk's back story is connected to both the Battle Bird Armada and the Babylon Rogues. Connecting such an old character to more recent introductions bugs me slightly. Sgt. Simian's back story is fucking great though. His origin is connected with the Gorilla Army, introduced way back in issue 45 of “Sonic,” which is a very natural tie-in. He's a self-made soldier, defying his society's pacifist ways to take the fight to Robotnik. (We also find out that he's literally a Sergeant, so it's not just a catchy name.) Moreover, we find out their motivations. Predator is motivated by a need to find worthy adversaries. Sgt. Simian is motivated by a need to prove his strength. Just like that, these guys go from thin sketches to fleshed out characters.

You know the most surprising part of this issue? Flynn actually makes me like Verti-Cal and Horizont-Al a little! I know, this is a shocking revelation. The obnoxious twins are basically the story's comic relief. Why Scourge is getting roughed up, the two little guys stand back and talk about how happy they are someone besides them are getting beaten up. They even get a really funny line about how the prison guards like to beat people up! Holy shit, up is down and down is up, you guys. I may be coming around to Cal and Al. It only took nearly two decades.

Tracy Yardley's pencils continue to be strong too, for those that were curious. Though generally not as good as the previous issue, I'm still having a good time with “Scourge: Lockdown.” This is very much an in-between point for the story. However, learning some things about long neglected cast members is perfect for me, a fucking nerd who has been reading this comic book for way too long. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 29

Sonic Universe: Issue 29
Publication Date: June 2011

“Genesis” was the first time in a while that Archie had set up a big event story arc for their “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic. This would become a more regular thing going forward. The next huge event would play out through both the primary “Sonic” book and “Sonic Universe.” During “Genesis,” however, “Sonic Universe” went about its normal thing, making no attempt to compete with the fan-favorite event happening simultaneously. It devoted a four issue arc to Scourge breaking out of space jail alternate reality jail. I almost feel like Flynn was trying to sneak this one out while nobody was looking. In a weird way, that worked in “Scourge: Lock Down's” favor.

Last time we saw Scourge the Hedgehog, he had been defeated by Sonic, left humiliated on his home planet. The Zone Cops have dragged him away to a prison in their reality. The former king of Moebius is not taking it well. He's bullied and belittled by his fellow in-mates, his only friends being the only bigger losers in the prison, Verti-Cal and Horizont-Al. Soon, a new shipment arrives. It's Fiona and the Destructix. They've devised a plan to bring Scourge out. But the hedgehog isn't so certain...

Scourge, as we've previously seen him, has been Sonic's cockiest enemy. He's all the negative attributes of the hedgehog hero crank up to ten, so naturally his ego is insufferable. With “Inside Job: Part 1,” Flynn brings the villain down to zero. Scourge is routinely humiliated, beaten up by other in-mates, his spines cut short, and intimidated at every turn. This process takes Scourge from lovably wicked bad guy to adorable loser. He's fucking pathetic and you can't help but feel bad for him. It's a clever writing trick on Flynn's behalf, a way to make reader emphasize with one of the comic's most amoral villains, but mostly it's just fun seeing Scourge be the punk for once.

Another purpose of this story is rearranging old characters into new roles. The Destructix, in one form or another, have been floating around the comic for over a decade. Recently, they've been mercenaries, showing up whenever Flynn needed a team of heavies for Sonic to wail on. “Inside Job” re-configures the team as Scourge's flunkies. These guys have worked with Scourge before but now they are exclusively the green hedgehog's henchmen. It's a pretty good idea. In the rest of the arc, Flynn would use this as a chance to explore the team's back stories, which where still mostly untouched on.

Another reason I'm fond of “Inside Job” might just be my love of prison movies. Though less well explored, the prison flick genre has just as stable a collection of rules and tropes as the slasher movie or rom-com. There's always a sadistic warden, various gangs in the prison, abuse among the inmates, and the whole thing usually concludes in a riot. Since this is a kid's book, Flynn can't directly quote this stuff. However, Scourge does have a physically larger cellmate that bosses him around, making him the G-rated equivalent of a prison bitch. The sadistic warden is accounted for, with an alternate version of Robotnik taking a little too much joy in punishing his inmates. There's no skinheads or white supremacist in this prison but gang lines are still apparent. I'm just saying, this is the best possible Sonic the Hedgehog-related version of "Death Warrant."

The alternate universe gimmick also allows Flynn to have some fanboy fun with the premise. The background of the space jail is filled with old and new faces. We get to briefly meet versions of various Sonic stalwarts from Scourge's zone. Scourge's bullies in the prison yard are alternate versions of Lupe, Sleuth Dawg, and Drago. Scourge's aforementioned cell mate is the Anti-Mobius version of Big the Cat, named “Smalls.” (I see what you did there, Flynn.) Evil versions of Geoffrey St. John and King Max put in plot relevant appearances. Seeing Al and Cal in jail is also fitting, considering that's where they belong. We get one-panel cameos from “Sonic '06's” Mephiles the Dark and “Sonic Shuffle's” Void – one of the rare times the comic has acknowledged those games – and Bebop and Rocksteady even show up. As someone who obsessively reads and re-reads Alan Moore's “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” and things like that, to catch all the little references in the background, I really appreciate that.

Tracy Yardley is pulling pencil duties this time and does a good job, like always. A setting this creative leads to some neat sights. The Zone Cops still occupy vertical space. Yardley depicts them interacting with the prisoners in various interesting ways, via platforms and magnetic boots. Yardley also delights in depicting Scourge's turmoil. The panels devoted to his abuse – his spines shaved, being dunked into like a basketball by a beefy Knuckles look-a-like – were clearly illustrated with a lot of glee. The colorists did a good job on this one too, as it's a moody looking book.

So Scourge's “Sonic Universe” arc is off to a good start. I'm not terribly invested in the plot yet but there are other joys here. Primarily, the amusing setting and high entertainment value of Scourge being in such a predicament. I remember this being an entertaining arc so let's hope my memories don't let me down this time. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 15

Sonic Universe: Issue 15
Publication Date: April 2010

The Iron Dominion has fallen in the main “Sonic” book but “Sonic Universe” is still covering the events leading up to that victory. In my last review of “Sonic Universe,” I complained that the “Journey to the East” story arc has been overly sluggish for my taste. I mentioned that bringing in the Destructix was a desperate attempt by Ian Flynn to pick up the story's pace. This may be true but it actually worked. Issue 15's sole story, with the mixed metaphor subtitle “No Love in a Conquering Storm,” is by far the best entry in this arc.

 
The last issue ended with a cliffhanger, with the Destructix seemingly ambushing Sonic's crew. That fight is short lived though. Fiona, now leading the group, offers a truce. They want to re-recruit Lightning Lynx, who is still faithful to the Raiju Clan. Sonic and Monkey Khan, meanwhile, want the Raiju Clan to cut ties with the Iron Dominion. So their goals lie up. The two team work together to break into the lynx ninja's base, where Sonic and Lightning duel to determine the outcome of this adventure.

Forcing Sonic, Sally, Khan, and Tails to work with the Destructix is a good idea. Heroes and bad guys forced to work together by circumstances is usually a good story move, as it creates some natural tension in the narrative. “No Love in a Conquering Storm” also adds another unexpected but welcomed aspects. The Destructix may be heartless mercenaries but there's a certain amount of honor among thieves. Sgt. Simian, Predator Hawk, and Flying Frog miss Lightning Lynx. He's their pal, their buddy, and they've seen a lot of shit together. Having these usually mercantile characters show some genuine affection for a comrade is a surprising but effective move.

Flynn uses this opportunity to do two other things. First off, he reshuffles the team's line-up a little. Drago has gone back to the Eggman Empire, for some reason. (Presumably so Flynn can humiliate him some more further down the road.) Sleuth Dawg is retiring, leaving the team and walking out of the book forever. Fiona is probably a better leader anyway.

The other thing Flynn does is develop a few members of the Destructix. Despite kicking around the book for over a decade, most of these guys are still thin sketches. Some of his choices here are more interesting than others. We discover that Lightning Lynx isn't just loyal to the Bride of Conquering Storm because of ninja honor bullshit. He's literally in love with her. That's pretty interesting. As is the absolute rage and heartbreak he feels after getting kicked out of the clan by her at the end of this comic. Least interesting to me is what Flynn does to Flying Frog. Previously a totally non-descript character, Flynn writes Flying as an unhinged goofball prone to spouting off random phrases, usually in a cutesy manner. In other words, he write him entirely like Bean the Dynamite. Not sure we needed another Totz Cray-Cray Random Comic Relief character in this book.

Lightning Lynx isn't the only character showing some surprising emotion in this issue. The fight scene at the start of the issue is a totally superficial bit of action, obviously thrown in to placate the action-hungry seven-to-twelve-boys demographic. Yet it does lead to one fantastic moment. While Fiona is trying to convince the Freedom Fighters to pal around with her, she starts to tease Tails about his still unrequited crush on her. In response, Princess Sally walks up to the fox and punches her hard in the gut. Hard enough for Fiona to nearly collapses. It's a satisfying sight. It's also nice to see Sally cut loose and be a hard, bad bitch every once in a while.

Like I said, there's plenty of action in this issue. The opening fight scene is pretty minor but does feature the amusing sight of Sonic giving Flying Frog a noogie. When the gang invade the fortress, that leads to a cool moment of Monkey Khan hitting a curled-up Sonic with his bat, turning the hedgehog into an electrified bowling ball. The finale also presents a refreshing change of pace. Instead of ending this issue with characters just talking shit out, we get a fight. A dual, in fact, where Sonic and Lightning Lynx battle. If the hedgehog looses, the heroes will become the prisoners of the Raiju Clan. If Lynx looses, he'll leave the Clan and the lynxes will reject the Iron Dominion. Talking it out is nice and all but sometimes you need to punch people.

Issue 15 of “Sonic Universe” naturally ends by setting up future storylines. The Destructix have some devious plans for the future, Lightning eager to get revenge on both Sonic and Conquering Storm. Espio shows up on the final page, offering the heroes a chance to talk to his ninja clan, ending both this story arc and that dumb-ass “Espio is a traitor!” subplot. Who knows how that'll turn out but the third part of “Journey to the East” is the first installment of this arc that actually entertained me. So that's good. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 14

Sonic Universe: Issue 14
Publication Date: March 2010

In the main “Sonic” book, the hedgehog and his closest friends (and Monkey Khan) have already returned to Mobotropolis. Obviously, this entire “Sonic Universe” arc is set in-between 209 and 210 of “Sonic the Hedgehog.” It's a bit of an awkward fit. We know Sonic makes it back to Mobotroplis with no problem. Kind of removes most of the tension from this particular story line, doesn't? Considering the book is already striving to make the reader give a shit about the ninja clans, it's a blow the “Journey to the East” storyline really didn't need.

Anyway, part two is subtitled “High Price for Rich Nights” – what the fuck does that mean? Sounds like A-ha lyrics – and picks up with Sonic and the others attempting to meet with the Yagyu Clan. Because ninjas are bad at communicating, this results in yet another fight scene, the Yaygu not realizing that this blue hedgehog is the blue hedgehog their boss is meeting. The leader of the Yagyu is interested in talking to Sonic and Tails, so they get kicked out of the meeting. While Monkey Khan and Sally attempt to reason with the bat, Sonic and Tails run into some unexpected faces from their past.

Let me repeat myself: I do not care about the mythology surrounding Monkey Khan. The Yagyu Lord previously appeared in Super Sonic Special #8. Which I hardly remember because it was a shitty Monkey Khan story from Frank Strom. As random mooks for the Freedom Fighters to beat up, the bat ninjas worked fine. But I have zero interest in learning about their history. Whole panels are devoted to explaining their history. Terse conversations detail the conflicts the Yaygu have with the other ninja clans in the Dragon Valley. I just don't care, guys. I just don't care.

Last time, Ian Flynn has Monkey Khan talk out a conflict with the spider ninja lady. Conceptually, a comic book hero talking to his enemies, instead of punching them, is an interesting ideas. In practice – or at least in practice here – it's super boring. Khan comes to some sort of agreement with the Yaygu Lord and that's the end of it. I don't demand fight scenes in every issue. But when you already barely care about a story's events, pulling back on the punching isn't a great strategy. It's almost as if Flynn took the wrong lesson from people complaining about his focus on fight scenes in his first two years.

Worst yet, the writer is still trying to make the Princess Sally/Monkey Khan ship a thing. After successfully conversing with the bat guy or something, the two exit the temple. As they walk away, we are treated to yet more quasi-romantic dialogue between the two. Ken talks about how Sally has made him smarter. Sally says they're too devious to be together, a tactile admission that this romance won't work out. Yet the scene ends with the monkey giving the Princess a kiss on her hand. It's a moment that might be charming if the very fabric of the universe wasn't resistant to this romance working or even making any sense.

So issue 14 of “Sonic Universe” is a bit of a dud... Except for one scene. The Yagyu Lord insists Tails leave the meeting with Khan and Sally, because he doesn't want children present. This, of course, infuriates Tails. It leads to a mildly touching moment outside the temple where Tails talks about how hard he's work to establish himself as a serious Freedom Fighter. (Amusingly, he shouts that he “fought Mammoth Mogul!”) Sonic reassures his friend. It's a super cute moment, based on our characters' shared history. 

That sequence crashes right into a sudden reappearance of Fiona Fox. On one hand, Flynn tries to make this count. It's clear the vixen still exerts some influence over Tails, as she clearly makes him nervous. That would be a nice contrast to the young fox's diatribe about how mature and grown-up he actually is. Flynn doesn't use that so much. Instead, it leads to a fight scene with the Destrutix, which Fiona is working with now. The action would be a nice compliment to the dialogue heavy negotiations between Monkey Khan and the Yagyu... Except bringing Fiona and the Destructix into this story is a clearly desperate move to add some conflict, to stretch out a tale that could be resolved in three issues to four.

Tracy Yardley's artwork features some great use of shadow, especially in the panel where Sally and Monkey Khan march into the Yagyu lair. However, the Strom-designed Yagyu Lord looks a little weird in Yardley's style. Probably because he looked a little weird in Strom's style. So it's another very mixed issue from “Sonic Universe,” a series that is still stumbling through some awkward early years. Gee, it's almost as if devoting an entire story arc to fucking ninjas wasn't a great idea. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 192

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 192
Publication Date: September 2008

During my previous Archie “Sonic” review, I complained a little about Ian Flynn's tendency to rely too much on fight scenes. Issue 191 ended with Robotnik unveiling a Metal Scourge, promising yet more fighting. Indeed, the second part of “Metal and Mettle” delivers on that promise. Scourge and Sonic's fight is temporarily put aside so they can fight their metal counterparts. They're getting their asses beat until Scourge calls in the Suppression Squad for reinforcement. Afterwards, Sonic postpones the fight and returns to Mobotropolis, where Sally has a not-sexy surprise for him.

Some Sonic fans just love-love Metal Sonic for reasons I've never entirely understood. Yeah, he's pretty cool looking but he has almost zero personality, by definition. Metal Scourge is even less of a compelling enemy. Any way you look at it, he's a copy of a copy, a second generation counterfeit. He's not even that cool looking, as throwing the red sunglasses and leather jacket on Metal Sonic is not great for his look. Worst yet, the character only survives a few pages before he's taken apart. That makes Metal Scourge a marginal footnote in Archie “Sonic” history. Which makes you wonder why Ian Flynn made a big deal about his first, and only, appearance.

Don't think that I can't enjoy a cool action scene. Tracy Yardley does contribute some cool panels. The two Metals bounce Sonic and Scourge around for a while, leading to a neat panel of the two embedded in the ground. After Metal Sonic is decapitated, in a nice touch, Sonic is shown bouncing the robot's head off his heels. That the two machines are defeated so easily is slightly disappointing but at least it gave Yardley an excuse to draw cool shit.

One of the most interesting aspects of the last issue was the similarities between them that Scourge pointed out to Sonic. This possibility that the hero and the villain may have more in common than either would like to admit was a nice touch. In part two, this plot point is barely brought up. Scourge mentions his proposal to Sonic in all of one panel, I think. This flushes away any of the script's nuances in favor of yet more fist fighting.

That Robotnik cooked up Metal Scourge in a few hours is actually brought up by the script. While Robotnik watches his robots fight the fleshies, Dimitri creeps up to the dictator and essentially asks him why he's wasting everyone's time. This segues ways into an interesting idea. Recently, Dimitri hinted that he was hoping to undermine Eggman's empire. This time, the Dark Legion leader discovers that Robotnik might've foresaw this. Every body in the Dark Legion has been outfitted with explosive devices, leaving few opportunities for subterfuge. Seeing Dimitri, a character who is noted for his power, this stymied is good writing.

Political shuffling is probably not what you read a “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic book for but Ian Flynn does it surprisingly well. After the above discovery, Dimitri and Lien-Da have an argument about who sold out who. Seeing the villains shuffle events in their minds, trying to lay blame and coming to terms with their current situation, is entertaining. Meanwhile, after Sonic returns to Knothole, he gets a mild shakedown from Elias for breaking the rules. In the past, Archie has stretched out Sonic's various treacheries for melodrama. Flynn is smarter than that, Elias brushing off Sonic annoying habit of undermining authority. You'd think everyone would be used to it, by now.

Scourge appears in the back-up story too. “Father and Son” begins with Scourge sneaking into Sonic's hut. Instead of encountering the blue hedgehog, he finds Jules waiting in a chair. The two have a tense stand-off. Scourge makes it clear that, back on Moebius, he murdered his own father. Jules, meanwhile, stands up for his own son, making it clear he won't back down without a fight. This show of force impresses Scourge enough that he slinks back off into the night.

Flynn's focused development of Scourge the Hedgehog continues with “Father and Son.” This time, we actually get some insight into his past. Continuing the mirror universe theme, instead of having a Great War, Scourge's Moebius had a Great Peace. Which made Scourge's tendency towards anarchy and petty thuggery a rebellion to the peaceful world he grew up in. Which extends up to committing patricide. This all suggests that growing up in war time, without his parents, actually helped contribute to Sonic's heroism. Which is interesting! That daddy killing bit also sheds some more light on what a bastard Scourge is, always a good development for a bad guy.

The backstory for Scourge is interesting but “Father and Son” is just as much about Jules. The script makes a big deal about this, showing how far Jules is willing to go to protect his kid. Which is nice but nothing we haven't seen from Sonic's dad before. Somehow, this speech is enough to shake Scourge to his core. On paper, that's nice, playing up the villain's newly acquired daddy issues. In effect, this backstory is biting off a little more than it can chew. Five pages isn't quite enough room to explore this subject. Jon Grey's artwork, which is typically garish, doesn't help the emotion of the story much.

Issue 192 is not Flynn's best work, though still far from a bad comic book. The guy is actively trying to incorporate some character development into a top-heavy action story. He just can't quite make it work. The problems aren't enough for me to dock this one's rating though. I still like it but it wouldn't have taken much to fix those problems. This one does have a pretty great cliffhanger, so hopefully next time will be better. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 188

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 188
Publication Date: May 2008

Issue 118 of “Sonic the Hedgehog” gets right to the action so I will too. “Beating the House” –  it's a fight story set in a casino so, of course, it's called that – begins where we last left off. Sonic has been captured by the Destructix, taken back to Mogul's lair, while Nack menaces Sally by Freedom HQ. After the Princess and Amy Rose make quick work of the weasel, they head after Sonic. At the casino, they are joined by Geoffrey St. John and Rouge the Bat, both of which are there on prior business. Everybody teams up to rescue Sonic and defeat Mogul but the mammoth has another ace up his sleeve. That's a gambling pun.

Despite what the misleading cover art may lead you to believe, Sonic spends most of “Beating the House” indisposed. For about half the comic, he's in shackles and being pestered by Bean the Duck or the old “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” robots. This allows two of the hedgehog's love interests – Sally and Amy – a chance to play hero. And that's pretty satisfying, not to mention a fun turnabout on who is usually rescuing who in this book. Moreover, Sally and Amy make a good team. Despite technically being romantic rivals, the two have always respected each other. As a duo, Sally is the brains and Amy is the brawn. I wish they got together on adventures together more often.

Last issue ended with Nack the Weasel threatening to murder Sally, as payback for the emasculating knee the Princess gave him all the way back in issue 123. In this brief moment, the weasel actually cuts the figure of an intimidating villain. Since Nack previously murdered his old cohorts in cold blood, we know he has no qualms about killing people. Nack's not much of a chance against Amy Rose but the brief series of panels devoted to Sally fleeing the assassin, barely avoiding being shot, are actually mildly suspenseful. That could've been a cover story onto itself – Sally being stalked through the woods by Nack – but Ian let's it slid to the wayside.

Last issue, we briefly caught sight of St. John and Rouge going undercover together in Mogul's casino. With Geoffrey in a suit and Rouge in a glamorous dress, I thought Ian was maybe aiming for some Bond-esque adventure. But I guess Flynn isn't a Fleming fan. There's no espionage or baccarat in this issue. Truthfully, I'm not sure why Flynn chose to include these two characters. There's a cute panel where Geoffrey references his history of adventure with Sally. There's a mild twist concerning Rouge that doesn't go much of anywhere. I would've loved to have seen a story surrounding these two characters but, again, it's just one intriguing element in this overstuffed story.

The action sequences are pretty cool though. Sally was walled up in Castle Acorn for so long that, even now, it's still a pleasant surprise to see her break loose and kick ass. She lays a bitchin' spin-kick on Drago the Wolf's head in one panel. (This is but one example of the abuse Drago takes in this issue, something Flynn obviously takes delight in.) There's some other solid action moments. Once Sonic is finally free, he slams Bean's head across the bar. Amusingly, the duck seems to enjoy this experiences. St. John gets to fire off his crossbow and Amy smashes shit with her hammer, leading to a comical aside where Grounder recalls the days where Amy was less violent. It's not sophisticated stuff but it'll satisfy.

After that triumphant moment, “Beating the House” ends on a bit of a down note. Our heroes are all ready to confront Mammoth Mogul when the casino owner backs away. He has Sleuth Dawg and the other Destructix arrested. He claims complete ignorance of Sonic's kidnapping, claiming that all of this was happening inside his establishment but under his nose. It's bullshit and obviously so. Disappointingly, Sonic and Sally just accept this line and walk away. You'd think they would investigate further.

Perhaps realizing the comic is running a little short, Ian tags on a few pages at the end setting up next month. On Moebius, we see Fiona the Fox foxing badgering that world's villainous version of the Freedom Fighters. The comic ends by showing Scourge on the throne. I remember most of 2008 being devoted to Flynn building Scourge up as a proper threat and I suppose that begins here. There's some bitchy fan to be had from watching Fiona boss the evil version of Sally around, I'll say that much.

Matt Herms continues to pencil this story line. I liked his work on last month's issue but his stuff here is a little too loose. The overly round quality he brings to the character's faces becomes too prominent. Everyone starts to look a little too similar. In the last few pages, Anti-Sally and Fiona practically look like twins. Nack and the “Adventures of” robots also appear slightly off-model in the handful of panels they appear in. Still, Herms' work isn't too bad. The action scenes are energetic and there's a nice comedic aspects to the way he draws the funny moments.

There's individual moments inside issue 188 I like. Sally's encounter with Nack is good. Amy's reaction to Sonic thanking her is really cute. Yet, over all, the script fails this story. Flynn has a number of good ideas but smashes them all together into an unsatisfying whole. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 184

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 184
Publication Date: January 2008

Ian Flynn started 2008 with the conclusion to the “Enerjak: Reborn” story arc. It's yet another issue focused on remaking a cluttered world. By the end, Knuckles would be back on the Floating Island and villains would make new alliances. Flynn also managed to really piss Ken Penders off with this issue, by drawing further attention to what a cunt his favorite character is and then killing him off in such a way that contradicts Locke's other death scene, in the “Mobius: 25 Years Later” arc. Let's get to the meat.

Now transformed into Super Sonic, the hedgehog finally has the ability to oppose Enerjak. While Sonic and Knuckles fight above Angel Island, Julie-Su and Archimedes race for a way to revert Knuckles' transformation. Locke, meanwhile, is still hung up on killing his own son. Both efforts are stymied by Dr. Finitevus, who has placed a hex on the Master Emerald. In order to break the spell, someone must willingly sacrifice their life.

As far as title matches go, Super Sonic vs. Enerjak is a good one. In the past, the two getting power boosts – whether it be from their super forms or from getting turned into robots – were such big deals, that Archie devoted double-length issues to the fights. “Chaos Angel,” the metal band worthy title of the concluding chapter of “Enerjak: Reborn,” doesn't have as much room to explore the rumble. Still, it's a good fight. Knuckles blasts away whole sections of the island. Sonic remains utterly unmoved by these displays of power, giving him noggles, snatching his mask away, and mocking him the entire time. When Enerjak attempts to strategize, by teleporting the hedgehog underground, Super Sonic just keeps coming at him. Yes, it could've been a crazier fight. Enerjak could literally take Sonic apart, atom by atom. The fight could've been bigger, more abstract, but it's still fun to read.

What's ultimately disappointing about “Chaos Angel” is the explanation Flynn gives for Knuckles' turn to the dark side. The hero gets an easy out. Knuckles wasn't actually convinced by Finitevus' logic, corrupted by his unlimited power, or even consumed by his own darker impulses. Instead, Finitevus put a spell on him. When Knuckles got zapped by the Master Emerald, his mind was bent towards Finitevus' goal. After turning back to normal, Knuckles' conscious is totally clean. He had no control over his own actions. It's a weak solution, robbing Knuckles of any responsibilities for his crimes. He was bad. Now he's good again. It's overly simple writing.

Another weakness of this story is how Dr. Finitevus continues to act like a typical comic book villain. The albino echidna warlock clearly has a weakness for monologues. When confronted by Julie-Su and Archimedes, the doctor immediately explains his master plan. How he cursed Knuckles, how he put him under his control. Stupidly, he goes on to explain how to undo his own plan. He foolishly assumes that the heroes wouldn't be willing to do what it takes to stop him. That's pretty bad villain-ing, dude. Never underestimates the good guys' heroic streaks. Keep your weak spots to yourself, bro.

Most of “Enerjak: Reborn” was about Flynn simplifying the convoluted mythology Ken Penders created for Knuckles. The Brotherhood is gone. The Dark Legion is weakened. Lastly, Locke's chronic dickery is heavily criticized. In this issue, Knuckles' dad gets raked over the coals by both Julie-Su and Archimedes. Neither can believed he'd be willing to murder his own son, to cover up a mistake he essentially committed. Weirdly, for such a thick-headed shithead, these words actually reach Locke. Julie-Su claims Locke hates his son. Locke claims he doesn't but her statement clearly pierces his armor.

Locke being Locke, he can't actually apologize for anything. Instead, he makes a grand gesture. When Finitevus reveals that the curse on Knuckles can only be undone by a willing self-sacrifice,  Locke stands up. Flynn is attempting something similar to what he did with Tommy Turtle. A widely disliked character regains his honor by dying to save others. It doesn't work as well here, since Locke remains obstinate until nearly the end. There's not very much poetry to these scenes. The story is over so quickly after Locke's sacrifice, that Knuckles and friends barely have time to react. Tommy's death had grace and meaning. Locke's death is done mostly for plot reasons.

The back-up story is simply entitled “Anything.” Lien-Da throws herself on the mercy of someone unseen. She bemoans how Enerjak stole their cybernetic implants from them, the very thing that made them Dark Legionnaires. She explains the history of the organization and her role in it. Of course, she's talking to Robotnik. He happily accepts her offer, creating a new organization: The Dark Egg Legion. But Lien-Da doesn't quite get what she asks for.

Like the last two back-stories, “Anything” expounds on the echidna mythology a little. We learn about the Dark Legion's origin and the philosophy that drives them. Lien-Da even provides an explanation for why people who clearly don't considers themselves villains go by the name the Dark Legion. She says they “had to hide in the dark” to survive. That's a nice touch, Flynn. Otherwise, “Anything” is plot heavy, about uniting two divergent groups and further streamlining Sonic's world. However, we do get a little peak into Lien-Da's personality, in her clear appetite for power and the casual way she mentions murdering her own father.

At the end of the “Enerjak: Reborn” arc, I'm left with mixed feelings. The story was as tightly plotted as Flynn's work usually is. The action was usually satisfying. However, this one was a little too preoccupied with the battles. Moreover, it contained some hacky cliches and undersold a few good ideas. It was a long way to go for Flynn to de-bloat Penders' mythology. The issue also sets up future plot threads, with Scourge and Fiona returning to Moebius and Knuckles taking up his mantle of Guardian again. The whole experience wasn't bad but a few minor tweaks would've made this a much stronger read. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 183

 
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 183
Publication Date: December 2007

Don't you love a good, misleading comic cover? Issue 183 suggests a few things. The Knuckles-as-Enerjak is going to beat Shadow and Dr. Robotnik into submission. That he's going to get Sonic up against the walls, nearly ready to kill him. Neither of these statements are accurate. Robotnik does take the fall but not exactly in this way. Sonic and Enerjak aren't face to face until the very end. Shadow doesn't even appear in this issue! I guess dramatic situation like that is what sells comic but I'm certain this issue presents equally compelling scenarios that actually accurately reflect the comic's contents. Oh well. On with the review!

A couple things are happening at once. Sonic and Julie-Su arrive on the floating Island and are met by Locke. Knuckles' dad immediately presents a weapon that can kill Knuckles, ending Enerjak's reign of terror. Sonic and Julie-Su, understandably, are not fans of this idea. In Megaopolis, Enerjak quickly escapes Robotnik's holding cell. He then goes on a rampage, destroying the doctor's fleets. His powers weakening, Knuckles returns to the Master Emerald... Just in time for Sonic to rush in and make a drastic saving throw.

Ian Flynn has turned many of the Archie “Sonic” series' countless dangling plot points into satisfying story turns. One of my favorites is how he has embraced Locke's asshole tendencies. Locke has always been a huge prick, something I've commented on countless times. Under Ken Penders' watch, the book revered this jerk-hole as wise, competent, and thoughtful. Ian lets Locke's dickish actions speak for themselves, turning Knuckles' dad practically into a villain. This becomes very apparent in “Desperate Times.” Locke is totally ready to go forward with a plan that would destroy his own offspring. As Archimedes points out, Knuckles' current state is actually his dad's fault. Knuckles wouldn't have become Enerjak if Locke hadn't experimented on his egg, giving him such massive Chaos Powers. The Guardian isn't having it. That factoid would force him to acknowledge he did something wrong, an action Locke has repeatedly shown himself unwilling to do.

Luckily, Sonic has a plan of his own. Flynn once again draws attention to the hedgehog's heroism. With the world in peril, Sonic is focused on undoing Knuckles' transformation into Enerjak and saving his friend. He smashes Locke's goofy looking super-weapon and runs towards another plan. One that puts him in contact with Knuckles and sets up the story line's next big fight. Granted, I'm not sure if Sonic's plan – turning into Super Sonic and beating Knuckles up until he stops being Enerjak – makes much sense. But it's certainly in character for the guy.

Continuing the focus on combat that “Enerjak: Reborn” has shown, “Desperate Measure” also features at least one unnecessary fight scene. As soon as Locke transports Sonic and Julie-Su to Angel Island, they are met by the Destructix. Led by Scourge and Fiona, the team is once again working as Finitevus' personal bodyguards. The fight that follows features some notable sights. Julie-Su and Fiona wails on each, a combination we hadn't seen before. Sgt. Simian accidentally clocks Drago. And who doesn't enjoy watching that asshole get picked on? Even Lightning Lynx and Flying Frog make themselves useful, getting the jump on Sonic. The fight contributes little to the story but is entertaining to look at.

Yet that's not the best action sequence in this story. Robotnik's attempt to use Enerjak as a living battery is short lived. Knuckles quickly escapes. He immediately goes about wrecking Eggman's shit. He blows the building into pieces. With the wave of his hand, Robotnik's army of robots are reduced to cinders. The doctor sends his air fleet after the echidna. Enerjak just flips his wrist, throwing their missiles and bombs back at them. It's been a while since we've seen destruction of this level in a “Sonic” comic. It's satisfying to see. Because it's cool and also because it's nice to see a super powered echidna that actually knows how to utilizes his massive abilities.

Despite the action packed cover story, Ian still makes room for a back-up tale. “Ashes and Dust” once again turns its attention towards Dr. Finitevus. Hours before Sonic appeared on the Island, he caught Scourge being sketchy around the Master Emerald. Finitevus uses this as an opportunity for two types of speech. First, he gives Scourge a history lesson. Then he expounds on his own motivation a little bit.

“Ashes and Dust,” like last month's “Albion's Secret Shame,” is a bit heavy on the exposition. Granted, it's somewhat necessary exposition. I'm sure some of the people reading “Sonic” in 2007 needed a refresher course in echidna history. Even those who read those original “Knuckles” stories probably forgot some shit. Ian reduces the entire rivalry between the Brotherhood and the Dark Legion to a few panels. It's hard to say but I also suspect that Finitevus' dismissive attitude towards this history reflects Flynn's own. He's not a big fan, is the point.

That's fine and dandy but getting some insight into Finitevus' master plan is more appreciated. The albino echidna is a major villain by this point. Yet I'm pretty sure this is the first time we've learned why he's doing what he's doing. Turns out, Finitevus is neither a fan of the Brotherhood nor the Dark Legion. He's not so much an extremist Luddite as he just believes the world is corrupt and needs cleansing, seeing technology as just one example of that corruption. This does not make him an especially unique bad guy but at least we know what drives this guy now.

Flynn's reliance on action is a bit exhausting. Last issue, he should've focused a little more on character over combat. In this issue, the fight-heavy writing works a little better. We get some good moments involving Sonic and Knuckles' dad gets a proper raking over the coals. The action is pretty cool and the plot is advancing in satisfying ways. The back-up is a bit weak while providing essential information. Add it up and I liked this one pretty well, probably my favorite installment of the “Enerjak: Reborn” story arc thus far. [7/10]