Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 4

Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 4

Publication Date: May 11th, 2022

By alternating between new issues of the main "Sonic" book and "Imposter Syndrome," IDW found a not too irritating way to stretch out the story and continuously build hype. Instead of the comics just prolonging the point, the readers literally had to wait until the next month to see where things are going. This has kept the "Sonic" fandom eagerly anticipating the adventures of Surge and Kit. We haven't just had to wait four months. We've had to wait eight. And so, we are finally here, at the final issue of "Imposter Syndrome." But if you are expecting anything like a sense of finality, prepare to be disappointed. 

After what feels like months of preparation, but has probably only been a few weeks in-universe, Starline and the imposters make their first big move against Eggman. They sneak into one of his bigger bases. Unlike previous strikes, they make no attempt to disguise themselves. Starline wants his former mentor to know he's responsible for this. Soon, the scientist has seized control of the tower and uses it to bend every Badnik in the area to his will. (Explaining the events in the previous issue of "Sonic.") Eggman attempts to escape but Starline seems certain he's got him pinned. Even Metal Sonic isn't enough to stop Surge and Kit, who are quietly planning their own scheme in the background. 

Both of IDW's previous "Sonic" mini-series told mostly self-contained stories. Very little of the events of "Tangle and Whisper" were directly tied to the main book's ongoing story at the time. Yeah, you had to read all of IDW's previous "Sonic" material to know who Starline, Mimic, Rough and Tumble were. (And figure out what this incarnation of Zavok's specific deal is.) But "Bad Guys" still had a complete story of its own. "Imposter Syndrome," on the other hand, has been much more closely tied to the on-going series. Surge and Kit have weaved in-and-out of the main book's events, while their own series expanded more on what was going on with them. Basically, if you weren't reading both series at this point, you would probably be a little lost. 

Now that we are at the final issue of "Imposter Syndrome," it's totally obvious why Ian Flynn chose this strategy. Since IDW "Sonic" is coming up on its first big anniversary issue, clearly they wanted to plan some big event. Yet the series has taken a more low-key, character driven approach since the end of the Metal Virus Saga – to somewhat mixed results – and wasn't really ready for any huge payoff in time for issue 50. So a scheme was concocted: Some hot new foes would be introduced. In order to free up the main comic to do its own thing, these adversaries would get their own mini-series. This way the new villains could be thoroughly established while being kept separate from our heroes. Now, issue 50 isn't just the comic's four year anniversary. It'll be the first brawl between Sonic/Tails and Surge/Kit.

That's right. "Imposter Syndrome" has now ended and Surge and Kit have still not met Sonic and Tails. You know, the event promised on every single regular cover of this series. Now its very clear that this was never the plan. This royal rumble was always meant to happen in issue 50! "Imposter Syndrome" has been jerking us along all year, building towards an event it never intended to portray. In other words: The entirety of this mini-series was nothing more than an extended advertisement for issue 50. "Imposter Syndrome" does not end with its own conclusion. It simply stops, begging the reader to pick up issue 50 when it comes out next month. I'm not going to lie, I feel fucking cheated. I paid for a movie and got a trailer instead.

This makes the structure of "Imposter Syndrome" all the more frustrating. Ya know, a lot of this mini-series focused on training routines. These events were obviously meant to flesh out Surge and Kit more, to show their weird bond and dysfunctional personalities growing. Obviously, Starline wasn't going to deploy his new supervillains without testing them out first, Yet, now being at the end of this mini-series, it really feels like not a whole lot happened here. The only issue that really gave us any new information, that grew Surge and Kit in a meaningful way, was issue 3. We learned part of their story and their plan to undermine Starline took root. Every other issue just feels like it was routine action scenes with some cute banter between these still kind-of one-note newbies and Starline pontificating on his love/hate relationship with Eggman. 

That's essentially the structure this issue follows to. Yeah, there is something of a main event here. Surge and Kit take down Metal Sonic. It's good action sequence too, with Thomas Rothlisberger contributing some concise and controlled artwork. The way the duo defeats the robotic double is even kind of clever, as apparently metallic hedgehogs can't swim either. (Though having the new guys effortlessly trounce a fan favorite villain really does seem like a desperate attempt to make the imposters seem like serious threats, while undercutting Metal Sonic's threat level. In pro-wrestling terms, this fight is an attempt to put over Surge and Kit and it shows.) The other action scenes, where the imposters wreck a series of cameos from classic Badniks, are also well done. I especially like the moment when Kit tosses one of Coconut's exploding, uh, coconuts back at him. 

Yet I just can't escape the feeling that this entire mini-series was four issues of build-up to yet more build-up. Was there anything here that really made this issue satisfying or exciting, cute or memorable? Surge and Kit have some likable banter. I like how she calls him "Drippy." The opening flashback has Eggman delivering the hilariously dry line “I like theme parks.” Cubot and Orbot drop in for a few panels of amusing dialogue. Eggman's response to Starline announcing his takeover is likably nonplussed. He simply scowls and quietly leaves the room. Ultimately, though, we are still no closer to understanding these characters than we were at the end of last month. The exact machinations of Starline's scheme remain unrevealed. As brilliant as he proclaims to be, he still doesn't calculate the obvious possibility that Eggman would have an escape route planned for a scenario just like this. Surge still spends more time bragging about how tough she is than actually being tough, while Kit remains her doddering sidekick. 

Maybe if Flynn had gone a bit nonlinear on this one, ending the issue on the reveal of what Starline did to Surge and Kit and the anticipation of their betrayal, it would work a lot better. Instead, the blunt conclusion to "Imposter Syndrome" reveals the entire mini-series as all hype and little substance. Surge and Kit clearly can't evolve as characters until after they confront Sonic and their boss. And IDW won't let the series actually do that until the big five-oh. Everything the duo's debut series actually accomplishes could have been done with some concise back-up stories. I know these two are already beloved – the back of this issue is full of lovingly rendered fan art – but I still more perturbed than satisfied with this entire thing. Even if issue 50 is fucking great, the majority of "Imposter Syndrome" will still feel like a waste of time. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 3

Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 3

Publication Date: March 9th, 2022

Sorry for missing an update on Wednesday. As always, the start of the new year has thrown me for a loop, mentally and emotionally. I'm working on it, along with all the other typical real life responsibilities. The result is that I have ended up exhausted early in the evenings lately and unceremoniously passed out before ten most nights. This is why I fell asleep without updating the blog on Wednesday and, presumably, why I completely forgot a new comic came out then. I'll try and stay more on-top of things in the future though I can't guarantee I won't occasionally miss updates. 

Anyway, you didn't come to this blog to see me kvetching about my life. Instead, let's talk about the new issue of "Imposter Syndrome." Surge and Kit go through with their plan to dig into Starline's video archives. What they find are their origins. That they were once normal beings Starline modified, with genetics and robotics. That their minds have been melded through brainwashing and hypnotism, to be his slaves. Surge and Kit come away with a desire to learn about their original identities... And to take revenge on their creator. Soon, the duo have their own villainous plan. 

First off, I want to correct a misconception I've had about this mini-series. From the moment I've begun writing about this spin-off, I have referred to Surge and Kit as clones. Considering Starline had gathered genetic material from the heroes, it seemed natural to assume these two were created in test tubes. Now, that doesn't seem to be the case. Surge and Kit were instead outsiders that were chosen to become Starline's living weapons. They had a past before he made them who they are now. So they aren't clones but modified humans Mobians animals(?), which makes them closer to the MCU versions of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch than the "evil copy" trope.

This issue is front-loaded with exposition and backstory, but I don't actually mind it too much. Using the premise of Starline recording all his research for later reflection/ego stroking is a good visual, active way to infodump on the reader. Flynn also uses this chance to tie together a lot of the story arcs from the comic's first three years. Starline utilized elements from Belle and the Metal Virus to make Surge and Kit, while his encounters and character development in that time influence how his scheme evolved. Like the infamous "Author of All Your Pain" moment in "SPECTRE," it's a bit desperate to link clearly unrelated plot points together in an attempt to make it look like almost everything the comic has done before now has been building to this point. But I'll allow it.

In fact, Flynn even attempts to link "Imposter Syndrome" to the comic's very first ongoing arc. We learn that Starline's entire modus operandi was motivated by being rejected by Eggman at some point in the past. He specifically mentions wanting to belittle Metal Sonic, a clear reference to that robot taking over Eggman's empire at the series' beginning. This scene opens the issue and it recharacterizes Starline in an interesting way. On that first page, he doesn't seem like a calculating, genius supervillain. He seems like a ranting Redditor, incensed that his attempt to gain his idol's respect was rebuffed. Flynn hasn't really ran with the idea that Surge and Kit are a criticism of "Sonic" recolors — and by extension all the toxicity of the "Sonic" fandom — but this scene returns to that idea. It's a moment that says acting like an entitled fanboy is a bad path to go down.

Of course, it's always been obvious that everything Starline does is an attempt to overcompensate for the fact that he's actually a sweaty, awkward nerd. And that, no matter how much he proclaims himself as superior to Eggman, they both suffer from the same major flaw: Egotism. Both believe themselves to be too brilliant to ever fail. This is why Eggman has repeatedly unleashed eldritch abominations on the planet only to realize, too late, that they are too powerful to control. We see something very similar happen in this issue. Surge and Kit successfully turn the tables on Starline, even using his own hypnotism glove against him. (You'd really think he would've made himself immune to his own device!) It's the inevitable "Frankenstein" moment, when a doctor's creation — a manifestation of his own hubris — bites him on the ass. 

Through all the major reveals in this issue, Ian manages to correct a big problem I had with the first two parts of "Imposter Syndrome." He finally manages to make Surge and Kit sympathetic. Before now, these two were on the path Starline created for them, their (possibly intentionally?) one-note personalities given little room to expand. Now that they discover they've been wronged, that Starline stole their actual lives from them, you start to feel bad for this bullying brat and her simp. Surge even tears up a little when describing how her entire identity, as far as she knows, has been phony. And Starline's utter callousness towards her concern definitely makes him seem like the bigger villain. I hope, whenever we found out what their previous lives were, that they were runaway teenagers or something vulnerable, not prisoners or whatever. The irony of victimized people being turned into evil pawns against their wills will make them far more interesting. 

In fact, it would be easy to flip the script altogether. To have Surge and Kit follow the path of a hundred shonen fighting anime antagonists and have them switch sides. Realize that they don't want or have to be bad, that they rebel against the nefarious destiny that was plotted out for them. Instead, Flynn has Surge make the conscious choice to be evil, to burn down the entire system that has led to the situation she's in now. She wants revenge on Starline but she still wants to crush Sonic and Eggman. She plans on letting Starline think he's winning, before undermining him at a later date. If nothing else, this makes Surge and Kit stand-alone villains with an at least varied motivation of their own. They don't want to rule the world, they want to see it in ruins. Nihilists, man. We'll see how it plays out. 

In other words, this is the first issue of "Imposter Syndrome" that feels like it's actually telling a story with forward momentum, instead of just letting its new characters go through the motions. That makes it a decent issue with some solid art from Thomas Rothlisberger. (Though you can really tell when Mauro Fonseca- such a newcomer that he doesn't even have a Sonic News Network Wiki page yet, takes over.) I still feel like the story is moving too slowly, that the duo should've met Sonic by this point, but I'm more intrigued now than I was before to see how this will play out. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 2

Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 2

Publication Date: January 12th, 2022 

IDW is trying a new strategy with their "Sonic" comics, at least going into the new year. Instead of having the main "Sonic" book and the "Imposter Syndrome" mini-series run concurrently, the books are alternating months. This month, issue 2 of "Imposter Syndrome" came out, next month we'll see issue 48 of "Sonic." So on and so forth. I don't know if this is an attempt to not spread the comic's creative team short or just a money issue or whatever. But it's interesting and I wonder if this will affect the way the intersecting story is meant to flow. 

"Stress Test" has Starline and his clones moving on to the next step of his plan. After taking Eggman Sigma Base last month, he's not set his sights on Alpha Base. While the doctor infiltrates the main computer room, Surge and Kit journey towards a control tower. The temperamental Surge goes against her plan and gets smacked by a giant robot for her troubles. She's strangely unharmed and the two are successful in their mission after all. As Starline celebrates the win, the clones hatch a scheme of their own to dig into their past. 

 

The second issue of "Imposter Syndrome" follows a similar structure to the first one. This is an action focused comic book. There are multiple pages devoted to Surge wrecking little ant-like Badniks or tussling with a bulky and heavily-armed robot. Amid the non-stop action, Flynn does sneak in some character-building dialogue and events. I guess this is a pretty good way to write an action/adventure comic for children, having the fight scenes and the interpersonal drama and growth occurring at the same time. That way the book has depth alongside the required amount of smashing and thrashing. 

And the titular imposters are growing. Last time, I found Surge's unending bragging and Kit's timidity a little annoying. I feel like Surge, in theory, was supposed to be an unrepentant asshole that you still kind of like. But, in execution, she was just obnoxious. Here, she gets the chip on her shoulder knocked off. The Smashy-Smashy robot seemingly K.O.s her, showing her that perhaps she doesn't have it all figured out. The same event causes Kit to realize he's stronger than he knows. Seeing Surge harmed caused the little fennec to go into a rage and use his water manipulation powers to gravely injure the machine. These two are stronger together and maybe they are realizing that. 

What's becoming this duo's most endearing quality, to me anyway, is how neurotic they are. As is usually the case, Surge's ego covers up deeper insecurities. While fighting the larger Badnik, inwardly she chides herself for not defeating it faster. That Sonic would have won already. Kit's utter subservience results in him constantly stuttering. He gets very nervous when Surge goes against Starline's plan. His weird relationship with Surge gets even weirder when she gives him a reassuring poke in the chest. He smiles to himself before happily barking "Yes, ma'am!" I don't know if Flynn is writing these two as siblings or an unrequited crush but that interaction veers towards a "Senpai/simp" dynamic. 

Sadly, there are downsides to this issue. After sharing art duties with Aaron Hammerstrom last issue, Thomas Rothlisberger goes solo on this one. And his lines are a little off. His work has always had a loose quality to it, that usually adds energy to the panels. Here, it just comes off as rushed and a bit sloppy. This is especially an issue during the action scenes. Truth be told, they're just hard to follow. The battle between Surge and the spike-ball wielding veers towards incoherent. When he fires his mace as a weapon, it took me a minute to figure out what exactly was going on.

Another problem is I don't think I find Starline as compelling as Ian Flynn does. He was at his best during the "Bad Guys" mini-series, when him and Zavok were secretly scheming against each other. When he thinks he has everything under control, as he does in this issue, his schtick becomes tiresome. A small scene established, once again, that his master plan is to usurp Eggman's empire as the ultimate act of twisted fanboy admiration. It seems to me that Starline works best when playing off other characters. When left on his own, he just doesn't show much depth.  

I was uncertain how I felt about this issue until the last few pages. I liked Surge and Kit's character development but felt the rest of it was sort of lacking. On the last page, the duo have thoroughly decided something doesn't add up and are going to investigate their own past. (Or lack there of.) This is what I've been waiting for the whole time, the moment Starline's Frankenstein Monsters turn against him. I'm really curious to see how Surge and Kit, with their incredibly fragile personalities, will respond to the horrible truth that they were born in a test tube. So, if nothing else, Ian Flynn knows how to keep the reader on the hook until the next month. (Or two months, as it were.)

"Imposter Syndrome" is still a flawed story but it's improving the more it digs into the psychology of its villain protagonists. I hope the inevitable confrontation between Starline and this dysfunctional duo is really juicy. And I am curious to see what will happen to these two after this mini-series is wrapped up. This issue is marred by some sloppy art but my overall opinion of "Imposter Syndrome" – positive but it really depends on how well Flynn sticks the landing – remains about the same. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 1

Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 1

Publication Date: November 17th, 2021

From the minute IDW acquired the publishing rights to the "Sonic" brand, they were obviously aware of how valuable it is. The Archie books ran for almost two and a half decades, gathering a die-hard fan base that was willing to stick with the book through wild ups and downs in quality and major creative overhauls. The Archie book also supported a number of spin-offs over its long run. It didn't take IDW long to follow in Archie's footsteps and produce one-shots and mini-series that tied into the main book. 

Which brings us to "Imposter Syndrome," the third mini-series spin-off in IDW's new Sonic-verse. The latest four-parter is a bigger risk than the previous two because it's the first to revolve around new characters. The book stars Surge and Kit, Dr. Starline's genetically engineered imitators of Sonic and Tails. In a savvy marketing move, IDW has been promoting its star characters for months. It might've been dumb luck but I'm betting IDW is pretty aware of how to sell stuff to the "Sonic" fan base. They know that a lot of "Sonic" fans are basically infants and only need a pair of shiny keys — cool character designs — dangled in front of their eyes to catch their attention. Even though we knew absolutely nothing about their personalities, Surge and Kit became popular the minute images of them were released. This technique made the new characters fan favorites before their debut issue even came out, creating white hot hype and making "Imposter Syndrome" an ensured best-seller. 

But enough of me bitching about how shallow many people (certainly nobody reading this blog) in this fanbase are. Let's talk about "Imposter Syndrome's" plot. After months of research and development, Starline awakens his newest creations. Surge is a lime green tenrec, with electric powers and super speed. She has Sonic's snark and spunk but is unchained from morality. Kitsunami — A+ pun, Flynn —  is a blue fennec with water manipulation powers, who is quiet and submissive. Starline has designed both to replace Sonic and his friends in the public's mind as the planet's premiere heroes. It's all part of his scheme to undermine Eggman, defeat the Restoration, and seize control of the world. Yet, as he goes through the testing stages and begins his plot, Surge and Kit are already proving harder to control than expected. 

In the past, I've commented on Ian Flynn's frustrating insistence on a lack of intertextual depth. I read way too much into stupid "Sonic" comics and cartoons because I get bored with how disinterested kids media is in being about stuff. (And also because I think it's funny.) "Imposter Syndrome" doesn't contain any real world subtext but it's unusually meta about the "Sonic" series itself. The very first panel has Starline referencing a "Sonic Cycle." That's an insightful meme about the never-ending cycle of hype and disappointment that accurately describes fans' relationship with every new "Sonic" game. In the comic, Starline uses the Sonic Cycle to refer to how the blue hedgehog always destroys Eggman's plans. Which, from a certain angle, reads like a criticism of Sega insisting this comic follow the same formula. He builds Surge and Kit specifically to appeal to people, to take the things the public likes about Sonic and Tails but use them for his own purposes. His latest evil deed is all about manipulating the plot people expect, a subversive twist on the crowd-pleasing story beats Sega/IDW wants this series to always follow.

In this light, Surge and Kit immediately being embraced by fans becomes almost painfully ironic. That's exactly what Starline wants to happen in-universe! In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if "Imposter Syndrome" isn't a stealth criticism of the notorious "Sonic" original character phenomenon. Surge and Kit — who, like Starline, are loosely inspired by well-known game sprite glitches — basically look like Sonic and Tails but are different colors. They have superpowers that are technically different from the heroic duo but serve the same purpose, much like any number of unoriginal fan-made characters. They are also shallow imitations of Sonic and Tails as people. Surge is all-attitude but without Sonic's motivating heroism. Kit extends Tails looking up to Sonic to its most extreme point, making him a groveling, pathetic yes-man. Is Flynn using this comic to present the "Sonic" fandom with the things they've always said they wanted and making them understand why they actually don't want these things? 

If this is Flynn's actual objective with this mini-series, "Imposter Syndrome" will go down as the comic's most intriguingly meta moment. But what are my general first impressions of Surge and Kit? Honestly, I think they are kind of annoying. Surge is obnoxiously egotistic, constantly trumpeting her own awesomeness while speaking largely in catch-phrases. She's also overly enthusiastic in her tendency towards violence, in a way that's off-putting. This also manifests as her frequently bullying, and even threatening to murder, Kit. Despite her cruelty, the little fox just wants to please her. This is literally Kit's only personality traits so far, making him more pathetic than sympathetic. 

But I'm not going to dismiss these characters outright and give them the Worst New Character award in January. Because there's room for development here. A key moment in this issue has Surge realizing that she hates Sonic and wants to wreak chaos for no discernible reason. Kit similarly concludes that he doesn't know why he's totally devoted to Surge. Starline hypnotizes them both with his magic glove afterwards, rebooting their brains. That's the second time in this issue he has to do that. It's clear that Starline is in a Doctor Frankenstein situation here, having created life without thinking it all through. He didn't give his O.C.s backstories and they are quickly waking up to that fact, throwing them into existential crises and making them question his authority. Flynn is obviously going somewhere with this and it will, hopefully, justify these two being sort of obnoxious jack-asses. 

As for the issue itself, "Imposter Syndrome No. 1" serves its purpose. Ian Flynn seems to only know one way to begin a story, so this issue is largely devoted to putting the pieces in place for the rest of the plot. Starline is constantly referring to his master plan, making the reader privy to what he's plotting. We see Surge starting the forest fire from the last issue of the regular "Sonic" book. (And the unsurprising spoiler is dropped that Amy and everyone else stops the fire.) We see the villains manufacturing other disasters. It's all a prologue for the bigger things the bad guy — and this comic book — has planned. The character stuff is interesting so a narrative that promises a lot of exciting things are about to happen, instead of just letting those exciting things happen, doesn't bother me too much. 

Flynn has to include lots of action scenes too, least the seven-year-old boy demographic wander off to more explosion-filled pastures. So the book starts with Surge and Kit racing through an obstacle course, smashing a number of Badniks and avoiding various perils. There's a pretty neat sequence where Surge racing through Central City and causes a number of traffic accidents. The artwork makes this stuff more exciting too. Thomas Rothlisberger handles the beginning and end, while Aaron Hammerstrom does the rest. Rothlisberger's work has an exciting, dynamic quality but his character work is a little loose. Or maybe he's still learning how to draw Surge and Kit. Hammerstrom's stuff is more self-assured and dramatic. The forest fire and city sequences are especially well done. 

I have reservations about Surge and Kit as characters at the moment but it's still early. If "Imposter Syndrome" continues to run with its self-reflective criticism of the "Sonic" franchise and its fanbase, then it might prove to be more interesting than this first issue suggest. Taken on its own merits, issue one of "Imposter Syndrome" is intriguing and makes me want to read more, even if it's plotting is simply functional and the jury is still out on its star duo. [7/10]