Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2024

Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2024

Publication Date: October 9th, 2024

As IDW's on-going “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic book is currently wrapped up in an unending story arc that I can't say I'm a big fan of, I found myself looking forward to this year's annual more than usual. In the past few years, the annual has been where the character-driven “Sonic” stories have truly been allowed to pop up. I suppose, due to the individual segments being fairly short, there's not much time for traditional action theatrics, forcing the writers to actually focus on fleshing out the cast members. Whatever the cause, it's a much-needed respite from the rumbling behemoth of plotlines that the current story has become. Let's not delay any longer and dive into the “Sonic the Hedgehog 2024 Annual.”

Three stories are contained within, two shorter ones and a longer one. Ian Flynn's “Hero's Calling” must take place after Surge and Kit decided to join the Restoration as undercover agents but before everyone got caught up in hoverboard racing. It begins with the two stopping a runaway trolley train from squishing a parade of Chao and I guess the people inside too. A minor comment from one of the rescued people about how Surge still isn't as fast as Sonic causes her to reflect on what motivates her. This, unwittingly, changes Kit's sense of himself as well. “For My Destiny” by Iasmin Omar Ata involves Knuckles chilling on Angel Island, staring at the Master Emerald. This creates a vision of sorts, where he considers his fate as Guardian and his connections with his friends. Who then show up, following a crash landing in the Tornado. “Shattered Diamonds,” from Gigi Dutreix, takes place around the Eggperial City arc, when Tangle, Whisper, and Lanolin where waiting for Sonic and Tails to show up. Mimic lurks in the shadows, planning to pick Whisper off once and for all, as he reflects thinks back on his past and how he met the quiet sniper.

The previous IDW annuals have all had themes connecting their different stories, I suppose. 2022's installment was about unlikely partnerships. 2020's annual focused on side characters reacting to the Metal Virus outbreak, while 2019's annual was connected by the idea of friendship. 2024's annual delves into a deeper theme than I expected. Essentially, it's about the way different characters negotiate with their own loneliness and how that keeps them going. Surge lets go of her resentment of the world in a very Surge-like manner, while Kit gives us an idea of how far he's willing to go to make sure he's never separated from Surge. Knuckles finds himself being thankful for the bonds he has and the destiny that has brought him to this life. Finally, Mimic's story sees the octopus grappling with a need to discard other people's validation and connection. He wants to be so strong that he doesn't need anyone and Whisper is the last reminder of that. For a kid's comic published mostly to remind people to go out and buy video games, this is surprisingly deep stuff.

I don't know if Flynn's story did this intentionally or not but it shows Surge growing as a character in a way that is so uniquely her. She has come to the grim realization that Starline was right about something, that the world is trapped in a cycle of Sonic and Eggman fighting for control. Surge previously wanted to burn that all down but now she sees the non-superpowered citizens of the planet as so inept and helpless, that she can't hate them anymore. She calls them “morons” and says “they can't do anything.” Keep in this mind, this happens right before she declares a lingering a desire to crush Sonic while also looking sadly out the window and concluding that everyone else in the world aren't “bad.”

What is happening here is the same development the comic has been building towards all year: Surge is letting go of the pain that forged her. She's letting go of her desire to be hated because it's better than being nothing. She is realizing her own worth, coming to understand that she deserves love. The tenrec with an attitude can't simply say that though. As introspective as Surge obviously is, she's too proud to let a chink in her bad-ass persona show. She has to find a way to angrily declare that she doesn't hate everyone anymore and wants to be praised by them. When looked at from this angle, it's actually quite a funny story. Surge is slowly developing into a fully formed, kind person but she can't, like, act that way because it would mess with her bad bitch status. She has to declare herself superior to all the fumbling idiot masses to disguise the fact that she actually wants to protect them out of the goodness of her heart.

What of Kit though? Surge has been able to break through the psychological conditioning Starline programmed into her. Her sidekick, on the other hand, hasn't been able to do that. His only desire in life is be with Surge and keep her happy. He remains her biggest fan and desperate, needy simp. When Surge presents the possibility that the world can exist without Eggman, it causes the fennec to have a crisis. If there's no Eggman, there's no threat for Surge to challenge, and no reason for people to praise her. And if there's no reason for Surge to be praised, there's no reason for Kit to be around. In his head, he quickly concocts a scheme to engineer threats for Surge to grapple with, in order to maintain his own purpose in life.

It's a far more duplicitous moment than we are used to seeing from Kit. It's also the only part of an otherwise good story that makes me pause. The earlier scenes, where the two are interacting, show Ian Flynn's strength. He has a clear grasp on these two and watching them bounce off one another is delightful. The panel where Kit asks what's wrong with Surge before becoming fearful that she's mad at him is hilarious and sad. Hilarious because it's such a cute, mundane discussion and sad because it shows how totally and completely Kit's self-worth depends on Surge needing him. I'm not entirely sure how the little guy makes the leap from “if people aren't praising Surge, she won't need me... Therefore I must become death, the destroy of worlds.” Feels like we, the reader, missed a step.

Unfortunately, I think I know why these handful of panels are inserted into this story. “Hero's Calling” ends with a promise that its story will continue in issue 75 of IDW's main “Sonic” book. The second story has a similar cliffhanger, promising readers that they'll discover why Sonic, Tails, and Amy had to crash land on Angel Island in issue 80. One of the unfortunate truths you have to swallow as a comic book fan is that stories are rarely allowed to end. New issues must always be forthcoming. Superman must always have a reason to fight Lex Luthor. Batman must always have something to protect Gotham from. In other words, writers crafting a satisfying story is often hampered by another need: To set up the next thing down the line. Ian Flynn is a comic industry veteran at this point. He knows what he's doing. Which is why a story that otherwise might have been about Surge slowly realizing she doesn't need to be a villain has to pause to set up the idea that, somewhere down the line, Kit will become a greater threat. It's nice that this idea is based upon his psychological hang-ups and massive neediness. It also would've been nice if “Hero's Calling” didn't feel the need to remind us that the show must go on, even to the detriment of telling a proper tale.

There's something awkward about the second story too, that I couldn't help but notice. This is Iasmin Omar Ata's second IDW “Sonic” credit, after writing the “Winter Jam” story. “For My Destiny” is this comic book, once again, grappling with an obnoxious Sega mandate that they seemed legal-bound to follow: Knuckles can't spend too much time away from the Master Emerald. The echidna has to toil away the majority of his life looking at a big green rock and Sega isn't interested in hearing justifications for why he might want to do something else. This has led to multiple awkward moments in the comic, where the reader ends up asking “Hey, why isn't Knuckles helping his friends out during this crazy, difficult time?” I guess he can't build a wall around the Shrine or have Tails create some robots to guard it or whatever. No, no, Knuckles must always be on Angel Island.

Ata has been tasked with the thankless job of cooking up a reason why Knuckles willingly waste his entire life standing next to the Master Emerald. Ultimately, he comes to the conclusion that this is his destiny and every good thing he had in his life – his friendships, the adventures he's had – are because of his duty as guardian of the Master Emerald. Every minute spent standing guard has been worth it, he seems to conclude. And that's bullshit, right? Since the Master Emerald seems to manifest a vision quest for the echidna when he's having some doubts about his role in life, it truly feels like an abusive parent saying "Think of how much worse you'd be without me!!!" If Knuckles can be said to have a "relationship" with the Master Emerald – which this story certainly implies – any therapist would classify it as toxic. This is "The Giving Tree" except Knuckles is the tree. Yes, Knuckles has met all his friends because of his job but... Wouldn't a life with supportive parents and normal relationship have been better, instead of carrying out an ancient destiny set in motion eons before he was born? Having the echidna take what he's been given and say "Thank you, sir, can I have another" feels colossally unfair to the guy. 

I've had more than my share of bad things to say about Ken Penders' "Knuckles" opus. Still, his version of the character – conflicted about his role in life, essentially a victim of a centuries long conspiracy to keep him isolated and in the dark – feels a lot more realistic to me than a Knuckles totally fine with idling away his teenage years glaring at the area around a big ass jewel. (Not that Ken intentionally wrote it that way – his point was "emotionally distant parents that manipulate every facet of your life are doing the best they can" – but that's how it came off.) Credit where it's due: I think Ata does a decent job justifying what continues to be an unreasonable demand from the comic's corporate overlords. All but literally shackling Knuckles to the Master Emerald limits his growth as a character and perpetually keeps a fan favorite on the sidelines. At least this story delves into how he feels about what is obviously a shitty deal. That the conclusion feels false is a result of IDW being forced into a corner over how they can use Knuckles. The echidna must say "this is fine" or else acknowledge that what he's doing makes no fucking sense. Challenging the status quo isn't something IDW "Sonic" is interested in doing and may, in fact, be explicitly forbidden from doing so.

Maybe I'm projecting here but, unavoidably, it seems that Ata agrees that this is bullshit. That's why, in the last third, "For My Destiny" totally shifts direction. Sonic, Tails, and Amy show up on the island as Knux is feeling sentimental. The story concludes with the four spending time together, bantering, simply hanging out. It's nice! Seeing four old friends interact so easily, so casually, is overwhelmingly pleasant enough that you totally forget how the first half of the story makes no sense. Further more, this story feels like a deliberate tease to Sonic/Knuckles shippers. The echidna says he's so grateful to have the Emerald in his life, not noticing Sonic is there. The hedgehog spends the next six panels teasing him. Knuckles basically says "I love you," Sonic says "haha ur so ghey," and Knuckles screams back "NO I'M NOT!" This interaction is, it goes without saying, the gayest conversation two men can have. And I think that's beautiful. What is a man-on-man friendship without an ever-present homoerotic tension? 

The third story is by far the best here and gives us something the series hadn't done before: A deep dive into Mimic's personality. We learned that he wanted to be an actor, found his abilities to copy someone weren't appreciated in the entertainment industry, but was much more valuable during a war. We discover he went from team to team, always abandoning or betraying them eventually. When he met the Diamond Cutters, he found a family that actually accepted him for who he is... Which terrified him. Up until this point, Mimic has been written as a sociopath incapable of empathy. It's a topic of great debate in the psychological community but I personally believe, to paraphrase the late great Dr. Lecter, monsters are made, not born. Mimic had a gift that he craved validation for but it was rejected. This turned him into someone who pushed others aside before they had a chance to hurt him. He then made this callousness the cornerstone of his personality. He says it himself: "Everyone has a little emptiness inside." This is Mimic justifying his own bad behavior. "I'm not a psycho! Everybody is like this and I'm the only one honest about it!" 

Meeting the Diamond Cutters, being accepted into a group and a family, makes him feel empathy, connection, brotherhood. The emotions he promised himself never to embrace, as it only leads to getting hurt. That's the real reason he killed his teammates. Not because he's an utterly cold monster at heart but because he made himself one to protect a helplessly fragile soul. He is evil because of what he does, not who he is. The first word balloon in this story says "Who are you?" We know who Mimic is now: He's sad. He's lonely. He's rejected. He's hurt. And he built a persona of utter selfishness to protect himself from all that. Without downplaying Mimic's status as a brutally effective villain, "Shattered Diamonds" manages to make his character a whole lot deeper and, yes, sympathetic. 

This story is extremely valuable for another reason too. It gives us a look at what Whisper was like before she got traumatized. Apparently, she was a lot like Tangle. She is bright-eyed, excited, friendly, and outgoing. Quite a difference from the muted and shy character we've grown to love. Perhaps the difference is too extreme. However, I do think such a prominent contrast is worthwhile. It draws attention to how much Whisper has changed, how much the loss of her teammates effected her and still effect her. It is also a reflection of Mimic. The octopus lost his team and it caused him to recommit to the idea of being a heartless killer who doesn't need anybody. Whisper loss her team and became emotionally walled-off too. She didn't close her heart off from love, from acceptance, from companionship and the always unavoidable possibility that it might lead to heartbreak. It shows the difference between the two, between engaging with the world with total cynicism versus operating with love and kindness. It suggests, perhaps, maybe Mimic is redeemable too, as unlikely as that is. 

The story doesn't only flesh out Mimic and Whisper though. The original Diamond Cutters were properly introduced in the third issue of the "Tangle & Whisper" mini-series. That book was published in September 2019. In the time since then, the characters have loomed large over Whisper without having that many additional appearances. People far more well-read in video games tell me that the Diamond Cutters are a reference to "Metal Gear Solid" and existed more-or-less to be nothing but an in-joke. Enough time has passed to prove that fans genuinely are interested in these guys. This story gives us some more time with Smithy, Slinger, and Claire Voyance. We see Smithy's warmth and generosity, Slinger's sarcasm and playfulness, and Claire's affection for her friends. In any other setting, it would be silly to think of a group of mercenaries as this lovable gang. In the world of "Sonic," they are sniping robots and not guerillas, so it's easier to buy. Finally making these guys more alive makes what they meant to Whisper all the more meaningful. 

It's easy to take for granted how good these books look now. However, the 2024 Annual has some especially nice art. Thomas Rothlisberger has to draw Surge and Kit talking in a room, not the most exciting possibility. Kit looks a little off in a few panels, perhaps because of this. Matt Froese does the first half of "Shattered Diamonds" and his cartoony style takes a minute to adapt too. It still results in some beautiful panels, such as when Mimic in the guide of a Egg Pawn reflects on his emptiness, painted as a black and white shape surrounded by red screaming ghosts in a black void. Mauro Fonseca gets some prime visuals in the second. The series of panels devoted to Mimic stepping into a lake and washing away his feelings are very intimate and personal. Followed by a cool page showing the shattering alliances as a series of broken masks. Cool. The middle story, drawn by Adam Bryce Thomas, simply looks gorgeous. When Knuckles first steps into the vision provided by the Master Emerald, we get a splash page that easily could've been a Spaz cover back in the Archie days, right down to the way Knuckles holds himself. I have missed "Sonic" comics looking like that. It must always be said that Thomas makes all the characters look utterly cute bright-eyed but Rouge looks especially adorable. 

I have my qualms about the first two stories while still thinking they are good. The third story might be one of the best "Sonic" stories IDW has published. If nothing else, I genuinely appreciate a totally character-focused collection of tales like this. I don't want the comic to be like this all the time but I would definitely approve it if it was like this more often. I don't object to action scenes in my "Sonic" books. I like a good action sequence as much as the next guy! However, action means a lot more if you're invested in everyone. Zeroing in on what maybe makes these guys tick causes all the punching, fighting, exploding, and gotta-go-fast-ing mean much more. The pressure of writing a perpetually on-going comic book that involves licensed characters, beholden to certain guidelines, continues to be frustrating. Art can still emerge in these conditions, as "Shattered Diamonds" prove. I am thus forced to give the 2024 Annual a very high recommendation. [8/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) Annual 2022

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) Annual 2022

Publication Date: August 17, 2022

Here we are again, IDW "Sonic" fans. It's Annual season once again! The tradition of a yearly one-shot full of stories took a break in 2021, to make room for the 30th anniversary special. That was delightful but the regular annal is back this year. Past annuals had no real connecting theme between their stories. (Unless you count 2020's taking place knee-deep in the Metal Virus Crisis.) This year, however, a pretty cool thematic idea links all the stories: Unlikely partnerships! Considering IDW has built-up a fairly diverse cast of characters over its five year run thus far, this is a clever way to get some fresh interactions out of cast members who don't spend much time together. We've got six stories to dig into here, so let's get started. 

"Guardians" stars Blaze the Cat and is about her being told to go on vacation after defeating the Sol Dimension's last pirate. Yet the pyrokinetic kitty is so responsible, she doesn't know how to do that. She consults Knuckles for advice. In "Weapons," the newly rebuilt Omega decides to test his abilities out by sparring with Gemerl, while arguing about their purposes. "Hero Camp" has Vanilla dropping Cream off at summer camp, which is actually a ruse run by Orbot and Cubot to get intel on the Restoration. The young heroes quickly realize something is up. "Future Growth" concerns Silver, back in the past, uncertain about his next objective. Espio helps him out. "Another Grand Adventure for Jet the Hawk" throws the Babylon Rogue and Whisper into conflict, after one of her Wisp steals his lunch. Finally, "Rough Patch" sees Rough and Tumble temporarily dissolve their duo. The two skunks unknowingly seek the same prize, with Rouge and Tangle as their replacement partners. 

"Guardians" is the longest, and most nuanced, of this year's Annual stories. With the exception of the opening page, where Blaze burns up the final pirate, it's a story totally without action. Instead, Flynn's script focuses on dialogue-driven interactions between the characters. What makes this especially sweet is how the focus is on how much everyone cares for each other. Blaze is so goal centric, she can't even imagine taking a break. Yet everyone can clearly see she does. Her friends really care about her, which is also evident in her tearful farewell to Marine or the way Cream greets her with a big hug. It's awfully nice just seeing how much these guys like each other. 

"Guardians" also gives Flynn a chance to develop the IDW version of Blaze and Knuckles a little more. Due to Sega's insistence that these two can only leave their posts as absolute last resorts, Knuckles and Blaze haven't had as much page time here as in past comics. By letting them talk here, we get insight into how they perceive their responsibilities. Both frame their lives totally around their destinies as guardians. Yet Knuckles is practically shackled to the Master Emerald, knowing what it's like to miss out in simple pleasures. He encourages Blaze, a micro-manager who can't stop imagining the worst scenarios, to relax while she can. It's a nice little beat of character building. 

If "Guardians" features almost no action, "Weapons" is essentially one long action sequence. After a little brief set-up, the rest of the story is totally devoted to Omega and Gemerl duking it out. Writer Daniel Barnes, making his "Sonic" debut ahead of the upcoming "Scrapnik Island" mini-series, has the two machines toss each other around and deploy lots of explosives. Thomas Rothlisberger's artwork is dynamic and energetic, a real sense of movement being brought to the various ways the bots wail on one another. He really makes Omega look like this towering tank of a character, which makes the slimmer Gemerl seem like even more of a David to his Goliath. 

As much as "Weapons" is a long fight scene, it also doesn't skimp on the character development. The story zeroes in on two fundamental differences between these teen robots. Omega is a war machine, single-handedly focused on his quest to destroy Eggman's empire. He sees Gemerl learning to care for Cream and Vanilla as a weakness. Gemerl, meanwhile, thinks his bond wit the bunnies has made him stronger than ever. It's a good way to contrast two conflicting attitudes about warfare, crystallizing the debate over whether human connections make you a better or more vulnerable fighter. It also allows Omega to call people "meatbags" and be a petty little shit, which is always fun. 

"Hero Camp," from new writer India Smith, is not so concerned with character development. Instead, this short story represents the Annual in a goofier mood. There's essentially one gag here: Cubot and Orbot are hoping to exploit the kids for information, which they do a very bad job of disguising. The kids – which include the Sonic Fan Club, from previous Annuals – have expected a day of summer fun and don't appreciate being worked like this. It's a simple enough set-up and one easily utilized for goofy little gags. Cubot and Orbot's sloppy attempts to cover up their robotic nature or the reveal that all the children have been tied up in one panel got a grin out of me. It's also funny that what finally pushes the kids over the line, and sees them turn against their camp masters, is the lack of s'mores. I can relate to that. 

So this is definitely a cute, soft little story. I mean, of course it is. It stars Cream the Rabbit, the cutest and softest of this comic's extensively cute, soft cast. Cream does get a tidy little character arc here, even if it's the same arc she's been going through since the comic began. That would be a desire to prove herself as a hero. That's why she's at Hero Camp, to learn to become a real Freedom Fighter Restoration-er. Of course, by this point in the series' history, Cream has already faced down Zombots and battled Zetis. I would think the preschooler's hero certification would be confirm by now. And that's exactly the point, as Cream hasn't come to understand that in the beginning. She does by the end, which is a cute enough wrap-up ti a cute little story. 

Silver is another character whose appearances in the IDW books have been limited by Sega mandates. Evan Stanley actually cooks that idea right into "Future Growth." Silver can only appear in the past when he has a post-apocalyptic future to avert, right? Except, this time, everything is just peachy-keen in the future. Instead of satisfying the telekinetic hedgehog, this makes him more nervous. He doesn't know how to function without an impending apocalypse hanging over his head. And it's freaking him out. Silver is on the edge of a full-on existential crisis here, questioning his entire purpose in life. Who is Silver the Hedgehog if he doesn't have a far-off doomsday to undo? 

You could either play this set-up for awkward comedy or full-on dramatics, Stanley commits to an unsteady balance between the two. The contrast between dorky, anxiety-ridden Silver and the typically stoic Espio does lead to some funny panels. Yet Stanley's script mostly revolves around that most age-old of solutions to Silver's uncertainty: The power of friendship! Espio assures the time traveler that, with his friends by his side, he can face down whatever is coming up the tube next. I wish it was a pay-off that got a little more time to breathe. The build-up to Silver's emotional outpouring is good but Espio resolving it with just a few well-placed word bubbles is disappointing. This one needed a few more pages. (It's also a bit similar to "Guardians," considering this is another story about a stressed-out superhero needing to learn how to relax. Espio literally has him do a breathing exercise at one point!)

Most of the buzz I've seen about this year's Annual has concerned the fifth story, "Another Grand Adventure for Jet the Hawk." And it hasn't been of the positive variety. I'm not a big enough of a nerd to give a shit about Jet the Hawk as a character but, for those that do, this story apparently amounts to a hate crime. (And has fueled more IDW hate on at least one Discord server I'm in.) I have to say, Ian Mutchler – who is making his IDW debut here, after working on the Sonic Youtube animations – does not make a good first impression here. This is essentially a one-joke comic. The central premise here is that Jet has a self-inflated ego. Whisper snatching his microwavable calzone upsets his relaxed afternoon, causing him to bitch endlessly at Whisper. Even after she attempts to rescue him from a giant Eggman robot. The joke is that the quiet, reserved Whisper couldn't be more different than the loud-mouthed, braggadocios Jet... And that's, ya know, not really much of a joke. It's barely an observation. 

As noted above and elsewhere, I've never really cared much for Jet or the rest of the Babylon Rogues. I consider them among the more generic additions to the "Sonic" franchise in recent history. (And by "recent," I mean sixteen fucking years ago because I'm an old man now.) I do think Flynn managed to give Jet a little more personality during his few appearances in the IDW books. He's been improved enough that even I'm a little blindsided by how badly Jet is written here. He's incredibly fucking annoying! He spends the entire story sniping at Whisper in the most juvenile, self-aggrandizing way possible. It's not out of a sense of smug superiority, like Jet's bragging usually is. Instead, he just comes across as a spoiled little child, mad that his Mama didn't make him tendies or something. When Whisper screams at him to shut up, the closest thing this thin story has to a punchline, it's a sentiment I can share. I hate to admit this but I think the hardcore Rogue-heads are right to be pissed off by this story. It's definitely the stinker of this year's Annual. 

Luckily, the issue bounces back with its final story. Rough and Tumble aren't much more than dumb muscle and goofy comic relief in this series but "Rough Patch" manages to get a degree of (goofy, ironic) pathos out of their relationship here. The two briefly break-up over exactly the stupid shit you'd expect two dudes like this to argue about: The quality of their rhyming introductions. Aaron Hammerstrom, on scripting duties for the first time, provides some absurd dialogue about slant-rhyming and gratuitous usage of the phrase "bro." As goofy as it all is, there is something sweet about the way these two dudetastic skunks get over their differences. In a knowingly ridiculous, O. Henry-like twist, they discover they had both targeted the same Chaos Emerald. The two realize they need each other more than they disagree, leading to an amusingly tear-strewn reunion. Honestly, I think this is the funniest I've ever found Rough and Tumble, whose schtick usually has limited appeal for me. 

This fluffy bit of silliness is made further effervescent thanks to Tangle and Rouge's unexpected team-up. Tangle's boundless enthusiasm bounces off Rouge's cool exterior nicely. The lemur's excited shouts of "Undercover buddies!" made me audibly chuckle. That line of dialogue comes back on the final page in just the perfect way. That's a pairing the comic definitely needs to return to, as there's more comedic potential there. Hammerstrom's pencils are very smooth and professional, with Rouge looking especially bad-ass in several panels. But its Hammerstrom's talent for big, expressive, teary eyes that does a lot of heavy-lifting here. Rough and Tumble are definitely characters that lend themselves to big, over-the-top expressions of emotion like that. 

The artwork is, of course, solid over all. Adam Thomas Bryce draws "Guardians." Bryce's typically excellent work includes the detailed faces and stylized action we've come to expect from him. When combined with Joana LaFuente's soft but controlled colors, it creates a very lush looking story. Abby Bulmer, who also worked on 2020's Annual, draws "Hero Camp." Her art is a bit looser and cartoonier than the pages around her. Everyone is a little rounder and more simplistic looking than usual. Yet it certainly fits for a story this goofy and light-weight. Evan Stanley also does the art for "Future Growth" and it has to be some of the best work she's done for IDW. There's a painterly quality to a lot of the panels here, rich with details and full of depth, that truly impresses me. Natalie Haines, who has only done cover art before, draws the Jet the Hawk story. Haines' sense of movement is pretty stiff, the character's definitely looking like pre-posed dolls in several panel. There's not as much detail on her pages as the others. Her facial expressions are pretty good though, so she'll get better with more practice.

Like all annuals, this year's edition is uneven. However, I would say that this is a pretty well-rounded installment. "Guardians," "Weapons," and "Rough Patch" are all quite good. "Hero Camp" is a little too light-weight to fully succeeded, while "Future Growth" is a little underdeveloped. Only the "Jet the Hawk" story is a true-blue mess. Still, I'm going to give this one a recommendation. It looks pretty good and is easy to read. If nothing else, it's nice to see some of these unexpected pairs. It's sort of funny that Sonic and Tails, ostensibly the main characters of this franchise, have almost no role in these stories. They could easily do this again next year. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Annual 2020

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Annual 2020

Publication Date: July 8th, 2020

IDW seems committed to the “Sonic” franchise and has continued to expand the line pass the main book. 2020 has seen the release of the second “Sonic” related mini-series and the continuation of the annual one-shot. As with the first annual, this contains several short stories set in Sonic’s world. Yet, with 2020’s weirdness even seeping into “Sonic” comics, this annual presents side stories from the Metal Virus outbreak. Which, oddly enough, means Sonic himself only has cameo appearances throughout this book. In fact, Eggman is the only “star” character to headline any of these stories. This is either an interesting creative choice or Sega’s bizarre mandates forcing the comic to get creative.

Our first story, “Big’s Big Adventure,” is Ian Flynn’s sole contribution to the Annual. And, yes, it’s about Big the Cat. It chronicles the rotund feline’s quest to reunite himself with his perpetually missing amphibian friend, Froggy. It turns out that the fat cat has been following his frog buddy through every major adventure of the comic’s first two years. Turns out, Big the Cat was always just off-panel, eavesdropping on every important event that has happened in Sonic’s world since the end of “Forces.” Big is finally reunited with Froggy but this story has an unhappy ending... Because Froggy is infected with the Metal Virus and Big is cluelessly being consumed by it, as he sits and pets his pal. 

“Big’s Big Adventure” seems like a joke story. After all, Big is basically a walking meme at this point, only surviving in the “Sonic” franchise because some people find him amusing for whatever reason. Turning the dopiest of characters into the comic’s Forest Gump, wandering into historical events through his own simpleton logic, is obviously a joke. In execution, this doesn’t act as much more than a summary of the book’s first two years. Big’s simple-minded interpretations of what’s happening is, I guess, meant to be humorous. Jon Gray’s typically cartoony artwork and garish colors makes this intent clear. 

But there’s not much too it... Until the end that is. That panel of Big, totally unaware that he’s becoming a Zombot as he pets his infected frog, is suitably tragic. Big is so child-like, that he can’t even wrap his head around the pandemic. His naivety has unknowingly led him to his own doom. Jeez, that’s pretty grim. Even Gray’s artwork takes a step-up in the surprisingly sinister final few panels. 

The second story has 2020’s Annual’s embracing its horror status. “Darkest Hour,” both written and drawn by Evan Stanley, follows two new characters. Nite the Owl is the late-night DJ at the radio station outside Sunset City. Don the Rooster is the grouchy station janitor and Nite’s only company. What starts as a normal night soon takes a grim turn. Listeners start calling in with reports of Zombots attacking, frightening and confusing Nite and Don. Soon, the humble radio station becomes the only source of public information in the chaos-stricken city. And it’s only a matter of time before the Zombots start to close in...

“Darkest Hour” has a pretty bitchin’ premise. Showing a zombie apocalypse story from the perspective of a humble public broadcaster, who went in expecting a normal night and instead got wrapped up in history, is an idea I’ve seen before. Watch the 2008 Canadian flick “Pontypool” for something similar. Applying this idea to the “Sonic” universe is something new, that’s for sure. Stanley manages to capture something like a sense of panic, as Nite and Don attempt to grapple with the information they are receiving. The new characters are likable enough. However, Don’s arc — going from caring only about himself to helping others — isn’t given much room to grow. This one honestly probably needed more than five pages to really work but Stanley does a decent job with it.

The third story is “Reflections,” written by Caleb Goellmer with art by Aaron Hammerstrom. It’s an almost totally dialogue-free story, depicting Metal Sonic wandering the halls of Eggman’s base. Surrounded by images of his organic counterpart, Metal comes across a vat of Metal Virus slime in an obscure corner. He dips his finger in and seems shocked that he’s not affected. Starline then shows up and tells the robot to scram, yet clearly some sort of thought is stirring in his computerized mind. 

I’ve had largely negative things to say about Goellmer’s previous contributions to IDW’s “Sonic” books. “Reflections” manages to be his first good story, though Hammerstrom’s atmospheric pencils do most of the heavy lifting. We already know Metal Sonic is self-aware but this seems to be the first time the robot is made cognizant of his artificial nature. After seeing the flesh-and-blood Sonic be infected, he attempts to infect himself but find he can’t do it. It’s yet another way he is different, maybe even inferior, to his inspiration. And that seems to really chap his shiny metal ass. 

At least that’s the way I interpret it. Considering the deliberate contrast Hammerstrom’s artwork creates between the hard, cold metal robot and the reflections of living things, I think that’s the message we’re suppose to take away. That Goellner of all people got me to think about Metal Sonic’s interior monologue is surprising and impressive. I hope this is a plot point that’ll go somewhere, not just be left as a moody one-off.

Story four is “Eggman’s Day Off,” from newcomer Sarah Graley and artist Lamar Wells. It follows Starline, being a huge nerd about working for Eggman. When he leaps towards his idol, thinking he's in trouble, he instead finds Eggman is also a huge nerd. Deep within the Faceship, Eggman has a secret man-cave. This is where he comes to unwind, devoting himself to his hobby of making small toy robots of himself, his various creations, and his enemies. That's right, Eggman collects action figures too. Among the various toys, Starline finds a toy of himself... Or, at least, a toy of himself as a machine. Eggman decides the platypus has seen more than enough and ejects him from the room, leaving his assistant with more questions than answers. 

I don't know if “Eggman's Day Off” is meant to set up future plot points, by further suggesting that there's some animosity between Eggman and Starline, or if this is just a look into Eggman's psychology. Is the toy of Mecha-Starline meant to imply that Eggman eventually plans to turn his organic partner into a robot? Or is it merely suggesting that Eggman sees everyone around him as toys to play with, machines he can boss around and command? The latter is certainly the more interesting idea and would build-up the conflict between the two doctors more. For the most part, “Eggman's Day Off” is mostly played for laughs. Yes, the comic is pulling a “Spaceballs” by showing the bad guy playing with dolls. It didn't make me chuckle much, though seeing Robotnik be so enthusiastic about toy collecting is pretty cute.  

The fifth story in this jam-packed annual is “Flock Together.” This is also written by a first-timer, Samantha King, but drawn by long-time “Sonic” artist Jamal Peppers. The story depicts how Vector retrieved Charmy Bee after he was infected with the Metal Virus. While on a Restoration rescue shuttle, Vector and Espio wonder how they can retrieve their friend. That is when the ship is bombarded by a horde of zombot flickies. Among them is Charmy. Vector and Espio climb atop the Shuttle and, after a brief scuffle with the robotic birds, manage to cram their insect friend inside a glass globe. 

These annuals always have one dud and this is 2020's. On a narrative level, “Flock Together” offers very little. Vector and Espio immediately chancing upon Charmy, after just talking about rescuing him, is contrived. The attempts to make adorable Flickies into threatening creatures falls flat. Bizarrely, the moment Vector shoves Charmy into the capsule happens entirely off-panel. Espio clouds Vector in smoke during what one assume is the most dramatic moment in the story. Speaking more generally, King's dialogue is incredibly stiff, with Espio's word balloons coming off as especially technical. While Peppers is an experienced “Sonic” artist, his work here is slightly flat and unexpressive. I think he might've been a bit rusty.

We wrap up with “The Catalyst.” Gigi Gutreix, who inked one of the earlier stories, does writing duties while Abigail Bulmer handles pencils. The story centers on Jewel. The president of Sonic's fan club, introduced in the previous annual, comes running into Spiral Hill. He informs her that the other members of the Fan Club are missing. The two roam the countryside until the Vice President is found, isolated on a pile of hay surrounded by Metal Virus goo. She's rescued but neither of the youths are aware of how dangerous this stuff is, having already come into contact with it. Afterwards, the Faceship looms overhead...

“The Catalyst” is a little better than “Flock Together” but still feels like a story I'm not sure needed to be told. I support bringing back the Sonic Fan Club kids, if only because IDW's unique cast needs to grow. However, we don't really learn much about either kid here. It's nice to spend more time with Jewel, especially her briefly mentioned memories of a childhood with Tangle. Yet the story mostly feels like an exercise in inevitability. It merely depicts how Jewel got infected, a rather downbeat tale that probably didn't need to be elaborated upon much. Bulmer's artwork is fine though she doesn't really distinguish herself among the “Sonic” artist crowd.

2020's Annual sure is an odd one, as the focus on the Metal Virus means almost all these stories have a dour feeling to them. That's not necessarily bad though. It starts off pretty strong and I'm pleasantly surprised this comic book got me to care about non-entities like Big and Metal Sonic. The quality dips a little in the second half, with more unremarkable-to-bad stories. Yet it's an oddball, interesting collection, that's for sure. I'm glad IDW is taking more risk like this. If nothing else has come out of this overlong Metal Virus Saga, at least the comic has been pretty willing to try out other moods. The daring means I have to give this a [7/10.]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Annual 2019

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Annual 2019
Publication Date: May 1, 2019

Long time readers of Hedgehogs Can’t Swim might have noticed I haven’t reviewed an issue of IDW’s “Sonic” comic since May. In fact, I know some of you have noticed, as I’ve gotten several annoyed comments from readers wondering when I was going to pick up the series again. I wish I could say I had taken a deliberate hiatus from the new on-going but the truth is, as too often happens, I’ve just drifted away from the series. Right when it seemed like it was getting better too! Well, now that Halloween is over and the end of the year looms, the regular animation reviews are going on hiatus so I can catch up with IDW’s blue hedgehog adventures.

So, anyway: In the world of comic books, “annuals” are a regular occurrence. For those of you who might now know, annuals are special, double-length issues published once a year — duh — that usually contain multiple stories from different writers and artists. Annuals have separate numbering from the main book, usually just being referred to by the year they are published. The stories contained within are usually a bit detached from whatever is happening in the main series at the time too. Weirdly, in the twenty-plus year’s Archie was publishing “Sonic,” they never once did an annual, opting instead for various one-shots and specials. IDW, however, clearly has different plans. Their first “Sonic” annual rolled out this past May.

We begin the annual with “Bonds of Friendship,” from the ever-reliable Ian Flynn with art by Jennifer Hernandez. The story has Tangle the Lamar returning to her home village, with Whisper in tow. The two eventually end up at the Mineral Museum (largely filled with treasure Tangle has gathered during her adventures) which is run by Tangle’s oldest friend, a nervous beetle with a glittery shell named Jewel. After introductions, the Babylon Rogues — making their first appearance in this continuity — bust in and steal everything... Including Jewel, which the dim-witted Storm mistakes for a large gemstone. Tangle and Whisper leap into action to save their friend.

“Bonds of Friendship” is clearly a prequel to the “Tangle & Whisper” mini-series IDW would begin publishing a few months later. It establishes the lemur and the wolf as a duo, while building up Tangle’s history and home town some. The boisterous Tangle and shy Whisper are cute together. Tangle’s stretchy tail and Whisper’s versatile Wispon leads to lots of creative bounding and flipping. It seems Tangle collects nervous types as Jewel — who seems likable enough, even if we only get a glimpse at her personality here — is also rather anxious. I was apathetic about Flynn utilizing the Babylon Rogues, as I never cared for them in the Archie series. However, here Flynn characterizes the self-obsessed Jet and the principled Wave as a bickering couple, which makes the Rogues way more neurotic (and therefore way more interesting) than previous iterations. Storm is still just a big dumb guy though. In general, it’s a cute story with some fun character interactions and some okay action sequences. Its cuteness is further bolstered by Hernandez's extremely adorable artwork.

Our second story, “Jet Set Tornado,” comes from Caleb Goellner, who was invited back to write after that awful “Team Sonic Racing” one-shot for some reason. Obviously set a few issues prior, it concerns Sonic and Tails testing out a new rocket booster for the Tornado. Sonic is allowed to drive, which Tails quickly regrets. The hedgehog activated the rocket booster carelessly and threatens the structural fortitude of the plane. That’s when the duo spots a heavily modified Balkiry, hauling stolen Resistance supplies. They chase the bird-bot into a volcanic region, destroy it without the wrecking the plane, and drop the cargo into some lava which I guess isn’t a big deal.

“Jet Set Tornado” is, admittedly, slightly better than “Team Sonic Racing.” There’s a bead of emotional truth to Sonic and Tails’ decisions, as Sonic makes the choice to risk himself to save Tails’ latest invention. But the story is still pretty bad. Goellner’s dialogue remains, at best, awkward. He fills the word balloons with technical phrases like “straightaways” and “volatile” and lots of talks of unscheduled landings, volcanic vents and geysers, boosters and payloads. Goellner still seems more preoccupied with the special abilities of vehicles than the characters’ personalities or a narrative with any tension or resonance. Jack Lawrence’s energetic pencils are wasted on this nothing of a story.

“Victory Garden” sees Evan Stanley returning to the writer’s chair for the first time in a while, co-scripting with newcomer Gigi Dutreix. Blaze is looking for Silver around Resistance HQ. It seems the futuristic hedgehog has taken an interest in gardening, amazed by how green the planet is now when it’s totally desolate in his time. However, he hasn’t had any luck getting anything to grow. Blaze scorches the Earth and informs Silver on some general rules on gardening, helping a bountiful crop grow in time.

“Victory Garden” is really just as technical as “Jet Set Tornado.” Blaze spends several panels explaining the role ashes play in gardening. The difference is this technical stuff reflects the characters’ personalities and interests. Silver’s dopey attempts at garden are adorable, continuing to show what a lovable klutz he is. As is his enthusiasm at how green and fertile the present timeline is. Blaze taking the time to teach him shows she likes the kid, thinks his interests are worthwhile, and wants to help him grow, figuratively and literally. It’s a really cute story, is what I’m saying. Stanley also provides some wonderful artwork. I love how warm and painterly her work has gotten recently.

Cavan Scott, a British writer best known for his work on “Doctor Who” but new to “Sonic,” contributes “Curse of Eggman’s Pyramid.” Rough and Tumble decide to break into a pyramid Eggman built a while ago, sure it’s full of treasure. Tumble is concerned about a rumored curse though. Soon, they run into Rouge, who is also supposedly looking for treasure. A “curse” makes itself known but not everything is what it’s seems.

Rough and Tumble are characters I have nothing against but probably never would’ve thought to build a story around them myself. However, “Curse of Eggman’s Pyramid” is largely a work of goofy comedy, which is a fine fit for the dim-witted skunks. Both are repeatedly caught off-guard by the pyramid’s traps. The more superstitious Tumble slowly converting the more assured Rough is worth a chuckle. Scott thankfully keeps the rhyming to one panel. Rouge’s intrusion into the story is worthwhile. It leads a genuinely cute ending, where we discover Rouge was acting on a behalf of a community of fennecs that have taken up residence in the pyramid. (And seeing Rouge dressed as a mummy is amusing too.) Diana Skelly’s cartoony artwork is especially well suited to this material.

The annual concludes with James Kochalka and Jon Gray’s “Sonic Fan Club.” It concerns a group of enthusiastic young Sonic fans, none of whom appear to be named. The club president, a snooty blonde deer/dog?, is soon challenged for leadership by another member of the club, a red fox in a purple pillbox hat. They decide to have a contest to determine the president, based on who is the most like Sonic. They have a foot race, test their rolling skills, and end up fighting a Badnik. That’s when Tangle appears and offers to help but just ends up tangling herself in her tail.

There’s not a lot to this one. At first, you assume the condescending club president will be humbled by story’s end. When they encounter the Badnik and he is clearly intimidated, it certainly looks like that’s where we are headed. Instead, Kochalka goes for that non-sequitur of an ending. A really poor touch is that Sonic affects the story — racing through and smashing the Badnik while Tangle is distracted — without ever actually appearing on-panel. It reflects on the story’s depth that none of the characters are actually named. Instead, Gray’s artwork and character designs do most of the talking. The butterfly girl, who looks a lot like Dot Warner, is my favorite. I’m sort of hopeful they’ll bring back some of these kids, just to keep expanding the still relatively new book’s cast. I’m on record as not being much of a fan of Gray’s highly exaggerated artwork. However, he’s gotten a lot better with time and wacky comedy like this is obviously where he’s best utilized. (Though his Tangle is noticeably off-model.)

Of the five stories in the Annual, only one is truly a dud. Ironically, this is the only one that actually stars Sonic. Evan Stanley’s “Victory Garden” is definitely the best if the bunch, with the latter two leaning towards wacky comedy in an amusing way. I hope IDW continues with the Annuals, to make room for the young series’ growing supporting cast. I guess, over all, I’d give this one a fairly high score as long as you ignore that stinky Caleb Goellner story. [7/10]