Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 235

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 235
Publication Date: April 2012

The transformation Ian Flynn pulled off with Silver the Hedgehog is pretty impressive. At least for me personally, I was initially dismissive of Silver. He struck me as a desperate attempt to copy the fan popularity Sega had achieved with Shadow. You know, basically a recolor of Sonic with a flashy gimmick. This time, psychic powers instead of the stoic bad-ass routine. However, by playing up both his earnestness and his inexperience, Flynn managed to humanize Silver and make him far more likable. Yet, despite his prominent presence on the cover of issue 235, Silver's appearance is not the most important thing going on here.

“Remember the Fallen” begins in the distant future, with Silver uncovering a previously hidden library. After uncovering Antoine's journal, he comes to the conclusion that the coyote was the traitor to the Freedom Fighters that he's been looking forward. As he goes back in time, stranding himself in the past by using up his last Chaos Emerald, Silver discovers the truth. Antoine is still in a coma. And the Freedom Fighters are still mourning his sacrifice, each in their own way.

“Remember the Fallen” has Ian Flynn forcing the Freedom Fighters to deal with something they don't normally endure: Failure. The loss of Antoine, even if he's only comatose and not dead, is weighing heavily on all of them. Each one is dealing with this trauma in their own way. Tails has locked himself up in his work shop, devoting himself to rebuilding the Tornado. Amy Rose is focusing on her work in the city, in hopes of distracting herself. Sonic has holed up in his bedroom, playing his guitar. Even Geoffrey St. John, who was pretty pissed at Antoine just a day before, pays his respects to the fallen soldier. It's interesting to see these cartoon characters dealing with the quasi-death of a friend.

Flynn does not retreat from the emotion of the situation. There's a lot of crying and hugging in this issue. Tails' dad snaps him out of his exhaustive working state, leading to tears and hugs. Sonic's parents ask Amy about her obviously fractured mood, causing her to break down and cry. Most controversially, Bunnie runs away from Mobotropolis after having a talk with her husband's comatose body. Would Bunnie, someone who has never backed down from a challenge before, run away like this? It's hard to say, seeing how she's never dealt with the potential death of her husband before. Sadly, this is a story arc that would be left largely unresolved because of the impending reboot. Meaning Flynn would never really get to justify this possibly out-of-character moment.

The hugging and crying is not limited to the corporeal characters. The distrust against Nicole rising in the city reaches its crescendo. Naugus convinces the Council of Acorn to exile Nicole. How do you exile a computer program that lives in every corner of the city? Well, it has something to do with limiting her personality strictly to the computer monitors in HQ. It's a shaky plot turn. Personally, it bugs me that the Council of Acorn, including Uncle Chuck, would allow this to happen. Only Rotor is so disgusted that he retires. Pushing the Freedom Fighters into such a desperate situation is one thing but most of the stuff dealing with the politics in Knothole continue to bugs me.

The emotional core of the story is so clear and strong that it's not immediately apparent why Silver is in this comic book. The flash-forwards to him in the ruined, post-apocalyptic city are literally hundreds of years apart from the story's current events. Silver walking around Knothole, looking for Antoine, doesn't even provide much of a framing device to seeing the Freedom Fighters in their mourning state. However, Silver's role in the story becomes evident soon. Believing Antoine is the traitor provides shaky reasoning for Silver to get stranded in the past, taking a one-way trip to the book's present. In the final few pages, a despondent Silver is recruited by Harvey Who, further setting up the Secret Freedom Fighter story arc Flynn will be debuting soon.

Oh yeah, Silver's also in this issue to provide the seven-to-twelve-year-old boy crowd with a required action beat. When Sonic hears that Silver believes Antoine is the traitor, he looses his temper. The blue hedgehog spin-dashes at Silver through the wall of his hut, grabs Silver by the quills, and drags him into Antoine's hospital room. It's mostly an unneeded action beat in an otherwise emotionally driven issue. However, it does lead to one fantastic moment. Enraged by the loss of his friend, Sonic ends up snarling at Silver, dismissing him as a fool who dishonors the loyalty of his friends.

Yardley's pencils are pretty good too. I especially like the little touch that the windows of Sonic's hut are shaped like the logo he popped out of in the very first Sega game. It's a really strong issue, dealing with serious themes, that is downgraded from a really high score do to Silver's odd role in the story or the unconvincing subplot involving Nicole. Otherwise, I admire Flynn for going deep with the emotions. In 2012, I found this issue the latest in a long line of bummers for the book. Separated by a few years, I can see the honesty and rawness of the emotions he's employing. [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 25

Sonic Universe: Issue 25
Publication Date: February 2011

When “Sonic Universe” was launched, it probably didn't seem like a sure thing. A reliable reader base obviously kept Archie's “Sonic” book running for years and years. But the book's attempt to support a spin-off series have been uneven, to say the least. “Knuckles the Echidna” is the only real example, among half a dozen mini-series that failed to create on-going series. And, least we forget, “Sonic Universe” was a somewhat hastily assembled replacement for “Sonic X.” As faithful as Sonic readers were, there was no guarantee they would stick around for a book essentially about the hedgehog's supporting cast. Of course, “Sonic Universe” ended up being another big success, becoming the longest running “Sonic” spin-off. Issue 25 was its first milestone issue and probably a good sign that the series would continue to be successful.

The latest story arc is focused on Silver. It's called “Fractured Mirror” and the first part is called “Through the Looking Glass,” because Ian Flynn loves subtitles. Anyway, Silver continues to chill in his post-apocalyptic future, as the future Mogul continues to teach him the ways of magic and discipline. Their time together is interrupted by an unexpected figure bursting into the city. The being, a seemingly robotic crocodile, fights Silver and takes a beating before being pacified. After stopping him with some help from Edmund, the elderly Guardian of the now downed Angel Island, the croc escapes through a portal. Silver reluctantly follows, entering into an entirely different dystopian reality.

Silver is really one of Ian Flynn's success stories. As he exists in the video games, Silver the Hedgehog was a total lame-o. Like Shadow, he was another boldly colored hedgehog that was a rival to Sonic. His psychic powers were the only thing to distinguish him and they were, let's face it, a cheap gimmick. Flynn, meanwhile, would take Silver and turn him into a lovable doofus. He stumbles into the past from the future, trying to unravel a mystery he doesn't have all the clues for. He makes plenty of mistakes but there's always based in sincerity. So, amazingly, he managed to make a Silver-focused story line actually seem like a good idea!

It helps that Flynn finally makes Silver's shitty future seem like an interesting location. He does this mostly by focusing on Edmund. We still don't know much about the echidna, though this issue seemingly confirms he's Lara-Su and Argyle's son. However, his personality proves endearing. He's a crotchety old man, eager to let anyone who will listen know how much better things were back in his day. This leads to an especially amusing bit of dialogue about lasers. Edmund makes a good foil for Silver, as the enthusiastic but uncertain young man and the overly certain old man make for a nice contrast.

“Through the Looking Glass” is a solid action story. The fight with the crocodile, which the reader immediately assumes is some alternate universe version of Vector (it is), is entertaining. Silver's psychic powers leads the battle some dynamic variety. Silver is shot out of the sky by lasers and has some debris drop on him. His telekinesis, meanwhile, allows him to manipulate said debris and toss it back at his opponent. He also generates a shield and throws a dumpster around, all of which are pretty cool images. It's good to know Silver can do more than just fly and lift stuff from far away.

What really makes “Through the Looking Glass” good is its final reveal. The reader puts it together before the characters do. Silver enters another broken down city. He sees a huge statue of someone who certainly looks like Enerjak. He's attacked by the rest of the Chaotix, also encased in mechanical shells. Lastly, we meet this new Enerjak... but we've met him before. This is Knuckles, from the alternate reality where he gave in to his dark side and became a tyrant. This is the future of Jani-Ca, the original Lara-Su. It's a plot point Ken Penders dropped years ago and never picked up again. So, once again, here comes Ian Flynn to utilize tiny details the previous writer did nothing with.

Tracy Yardley has been the regular “Sonic” artist for quite some time. To the point where you could say that he's falling into an established style. You know exactly what a Yardley illustrated story is going to look like. However, the artist really outdoes himself with this one. Silver's city is a moody place, full of foreboding buildings and dark alleyways. The Enerjak'd Chaotix, which we'll soon learn are called the Prelates, are really cute designs. It's immediately obvious who they are meant to represent but they still stand as individual designs. Dark Enerjak also has a pretty neat look, unique from previous Enerjaks but clearly in the same line. Yardley also keeps the action beats fresh and exciting. It's some of his best work in quite some time.

I remember “Fractured Mirror” being one of my favorite “Sonic Universe” arcs. Who knows if the whole thing will hold up but the story is certainly off to a strong start. Now that the set-up is out of the way, Flynn can really get down to exploring the world(s) he's showing off here. I'm looking forward to revisiting the rest of it. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 220

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 220
Publication Date: December 2010

Ian Flynn would wrap up 2010 by finishing up his latest two-parter. “In the Service of the King: Part Two” begins with Sonic still adrift in the Special Zone, after Geoffrey St. John left him there to rot. Sonic manages to appease Feist and escape. Meanwhile, St. John brings a Chaos Emerald to Ixis Naugus, restoring his sanity. The sorcerer then reveals that the skunk is his apprentice and the two have plans for New Mobotrobolis. Inside the city, Mina presents her band with some politically motivated music.

Last time, I said I wasn't a fan of the reveal of St. John being a traitor. It never made much sense to me for multiple reasons. St. John was introduced as a man deeply loyal to the crown. His entire personality has always hinged on his servitude to the Acorn crown. Revealing that this was an act the entire time – literally his entire life in the book – is the cheapest of plot twist. Secondly, St. John has never shown any interest in magic before, usually sticking to more practical choices. Suddenly learning that he's been trained as a wizard his entire life just comes out of nowhere. Over all, the only reason I can think why Flynn would do this is because St. John was a divisive character in the Archie “Sonic” fandom, disliked by many fans. I guess Flynn was among that number too. That such a dumb reveal would set up the next year's story would be even more exhausting.

Aside from the dumbness of this plot turn, “In the Service of the King: Part Two” is a decently paced story. The sequence of Sonic escaping Feist's magical realm is amusing. The hedgehog wisely goes against his own instincts by not moving. This bores the panda thing, so the god-like entity allows Sonic to play a game for his escape. The segment that follows, of Sonic bouncing along balls of astral energy, is entertaining. As always, the Special Zone is such an imaginative setting. Visiting it is always fun.

While I dislike the St. John turn, I enjoy another simmering storyline a little more. Mina is still pissed off about Nicole's defenses being compromised during the “Iron Dominion” arc. This causes her to change her musical styling from mindless pop to serious music with a decidedly anti-Nicole act. Even her band is against this at first. Ash admits that he had to tone her lyrics down a little. This provides some of Mina's strongest character development in a while. Have we ever even seen this character get really angry before? Has she ever used her music to express emotions beyond her infatuation with Sonic? That's growth I approve of.

So how about a back-up story? “From the Inside Out” is told from an initially unknown person's perspective. Robotnik rants and raves about replacing the Dark Legionnaire's cybernetics. It quickly becomes apparent that he's talking to Lien-Da. The mad doctor healed all her injuries with brand new, organic-looking mechanics. This leads to the two making a new deal.

Back in issue 211, Flynn clearly flirted with the possibility of killing off Lien-Da. She got blown the fuck up. But, this being comic books, we know a death isn't certain unless a body is on the page. With this story, Flynn finally reveals that Lien-Da did survive, being healed by the man that played a role in her near-death. It's nice to see her again, even if I really wonder why Lien-Da would team with Robotnik again, considering how many times he's tried to kill her. Moreover, “From the Inside Out” is told in a really clever way. Presenting most of the story from Lien-Da's perspective not only generates some mystery – it takes you a page or two to figure out whose eyes we're seeing through – but it also further puts you in her shoes. It's a decent little five-pager.

Jamal Peppers has contributed some fantastic artwork to the book throughout 2010. He draws all of issue 220. The cover story' s middle section is mostly composed of St. John, Mogul and Naugus talking. Even though this is just people making terse faces at each other in a small room, Peppers makes it as dynamic as anything else in the book. The series of panels devoted to Naugus regaining his intelligence are especially eye-catching. The back-up story also looks fantastic, helped along by some really sharp shading. My only complaint is that I wish he had gone a little trippier with the Special Zone. Otherwise, it's an excellent looking book.

I have some serious qualms about the changes the book will undergo over the next year. However, I can't hold that against issue 220 too much. The game Flynn is playing with St. John is frustrating and so I have to knock a point off the book's score. Otherwise, this is a pretty solid comic book, with some fun sequences, good character development, and a fine back-up story. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 216

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 216
Publication Date: August 2010

August of 2010 wasn't a very good month for me. In fact, that entire summer was a hellscape of depression and misery for me. By this point, I was beginning a downward spiral that I wouldn't even begin to pull myself out off for several years. During this really shitty period of my life, one of the few things that genuinely gave me pleasure was reading Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic every month. In fact, I'm sometimes certain that my nerdy passions were the only thing that kept me going during that dark time. So that's where my mind was when this comic book was new.

Part two of “Family Matters” picks up where the first one left off. Rotor and Silver briefly tussle among the frozen tundra. This goes on until the walrus convinces the telekinetic hedgehog that his aim is true, the two forming a truce. Meanwhile, Sonic and the Arctic Freedom Fighters lay siege to the tower sending the mind control signal. What makes this especially difficult is the army of brain-washed walruses protecting the tower. Sonic and the Arctic Freedom Fighters have to figure out how to topple the tower without hurting any of the innocents involved.

As I mentioned last time, the first half of “Family Matters” was devoted solely to setting up the heroes' plan. The second half of “Family Matters” primarily concerns this plan playing out. Disappointingly, this isn't much more compelling. Sonic and his pals bumble through their plan, generally getting their asses kicked. That is until Rotor and Silver fly in, like a pair of airborne deus ex machina, and resolve the plot in a few panels. During these action scenes, the most Ian does is toss a little character development towards the Arctic Freedom Fighters. We learn that Erma the Ermine can apparently turn invisible somehow. There's some brief, cute interaction between Sonic and Flip the Penguin. Ahklut the Whale, a pretty cool orca sub-boss, gets a quicky introduction. That's about it.

However, there is one thing about “Family Matters: Part Two” that I sort of like. The back-and-forth between Rotor and Silver is mildly amusing. Once again, I enjoy the way Ian writes Silver. The futuristic hedgehog barges in, flinging Rotor around with his psychic powers, acting like he's a big badass. As soon as Rotor points out how stupid the entire basis of Silver's plan – assuming Rotor must be the traitor because people used to call him Boomer – is, Silver's tough guy exterior cracks. He begins to stutter and second-guess himself. Aww, that's cute. No matter how hard he tries, Silver is still an endearing screw-up. For the rest of the issue, he's very apologetic, his obvious lack of confidence showing.

The extended conclusion to “Family Matters” makes the entire purpose of this two-parter clear. As I mentioned during my review of issue 215, the fate of Rotor's herd has been a dangling plot point for years. Silver performs some psychic mojo upon Robotnik's mind-control tower during the issue's climax. Afterwards, the writer makes sure to point out that Rotor's herd can never be mind-controlled ever again. So this repetitive, often forgotten subplot is finally resolved once and for all, never to be mentioned again. Thank goodness for little miracles.

As far as stories go, the “Family Matters” two-parter isn't too exciting. At least it's looks really nice though. Steven Butler's artwork continues to be totally bitchin'. It says a lot about Butler's skills that he can take a nothing character like Erma the Ermine and make her interesting just based on the visuals. The action scenes, such as Rotor tackling Silver or Gunther flipping a walrus though the air, look pretty neat. Butler also manages to sneak some nice character moments in there, like the look of panic on Sonic's face as the gets attacked by Rotor's mom. The underwater confrontation with Akhlut also looks super intense.

Silver the Hedgehog goes back to the future for the second part of “Future Tense.” After his trip to the past, he discovers the future has changed slightly. The guardian, Edmund, recalls events a little differently than Silver does. The hedgehog explains that he's protected from the changes in the timeline, due to his status as a time traveler. The conversation is interrupted when Silver's master telepathically summons him to a meeting.

“Future Tense: Part Two” doesn't have too many story reasons to exist. Primarily, the back-up feature's purpose is to establish some more factoids about Silver's future world. Yes, we learn a little bit more about time travel. None of this is especially pertinent but it's mildly interesting. The big reveal at the end is that Silver's master is Mammoth Mogul, who has seemingly mellowed out in his old age. How or why this happened has yet to be explained. Not too much to discuss beyond that. Oh yeah, Jamal Peppers' pencils are still pretty sharp.

So the “Family Matters” two-parter was a bit underwhelming. I suppose it's not unexpected that a Rotor-centric story arc would be disappointing. Still, at least his herd is protected once and for all, for the handful of people who cared about that stuff. Ian develops Bunnie's backstory next, a story that I remember being way better. Stay tuned for that, faithful readers. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 215

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 215
Publication Date: July 2010

Ian Flynn concluded issue 214 of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” by dangling two potential stories in front of readers. The first of which was suggesting the Ancient Onyx the Wolf Pack and Felidae were fighting over had some greater significance, though it pointedly wasn't a Chaos Emerald. He pretty clearly meant it to be the same black jewel Chaos was kept inside of. Secondly, he concluded the comic by Hamlin giving Rotor some news about his herd.

Ah, yes, Rotor's herd, one of the book's longest dangling plot threads. Rotor's walrus-y family was introduced in issue 15 of “Sonic,” back in December of 1995. Over the next fifteen years, Rotor would occasionally swim off to rescue his family from Dr. Robotnik, who had brainwashed them into slavery. They were briefly freed, after “Endgame,” just for Eggman to come along and enslave them again. The book would periodically remind readers that Rotor's family was still out there, either enslaved or floating aimlessly on an iceberg, without ever resolving the story. Continuing his goal of exploring Mobius' more obscure areas, Flynn would finally return to this plot point in July of 2010.

“Family Matters” – presumably named after the sitcom “Family Matters,” which brought Sonic's Jaleel White to the world and ran for 215 episodes – begins with the Council of Knothole deliberating on the Arctic Freedom Fighter's message, which is also a chance to rescue Rotor's herd. The walrus insists he's staying behind in Mobotropolis but this is a deception. Instead, Rotor has Nicole build himself a suit of armor made from nanites, allowing him to fly up to the Frozen Tundra on his own. Meanwhile, Sonic races up north, meets with the Arctic Freedom Fighters, and scopes out the area.

“Sonic” fans, and Archie “Sonic” fans especially, tend to hold onto minor details other fandoms would overlook. The Arctic Freedom Fighters previously appeared only once before, way back in issue 26. This was presumably because they weren't especially memorable characters and there was little reason for Sonic to explore the colder corners of the globe. Despite that, fans didn't forget the Arctic Freedom Fighters, probably because of their catchy name.  So it's fitting that Flynn would reintroduce them eventually. He does what he can to expand on their nonexistent personalities. There's some sort of conflict between Gunther the Wolf and Erma the Ermine. Sealia greets Sonic with a big hug. He cracks some jokes with Flip the Penguin. Augustus the Polar Bear is still left out in the cold, as it were, but at least some effort is made to develop these guys.

Yet reintroducing the Arctic Freedom Fighters isn't even the main point of this comic. “Family Matters: Part One” is mostly about getting Rotor back out in the field. Which the book does by giving the walrus a bad-ass super-powered armor, made from the shape-shifting nanites. Flynn's inspiration for this story is obvious. “Iron Man” was released to theaters in 2008. The film did many things: Launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe, by far the most influential film series of the last decade. It also made Marvel a powerful brand, rebooted Robert Downey Jr.'s career, and made a perennial comic B-lister into one of the most popular superheroes in the world. Tony Stark hardly has the copyright on flying suits of powered armor but come on. The way Super Rotor flies and moves are obviously inspired by Iron Man.

This give the walrus, a pretty overlooked character for a long time, a defining gimmick. It also allows Flynn a chance to get inside his head. During the “Journey to the East” story, Flynn took the time to help re-rail Princess Sally's personality, after a few slips. In “Family Matters,” Flynn applies the similar treatment to Rotor. While flying toward the tundra, the walrus thinks about his life. How he used to make weapons of mass destruction but later changed his mind, following an incident that occurred while Sonic was in space. This seems to align Rotor's old habits of making BFGs with the entire Mobian race's distaste towards guns. Rotor pauses to call himself a hypocrite, specially pointing out that time he helped make an army of killer Metal Sonics. Since Flynn sidelined Rotor almost immediately after joining the book, it's nice of him to sort out the walrus' history.

Otherwise, part one of “Family Matters” is all about setting up part two of “Family Matters.” Sonic gets to the north and the Arctic Freedom Fighters tell him about their plan. About how Robotnik has a tower set up that broadcast the mind-controlling signals to the subservient walruses. Their plan, about attacking the tower from both above and below, is laid out. Just as the Freedom Fighters arrive at the tower, surrounded by mindless walruses, the comic book ends. Despite some nice character details here and there, this comic book is mostly fifteen pages of set-up.

Oh yeah, Silver the Hedgehog shows up too. That's another example of how this comic primarily exist to set-up the next part of the story. The psychic hedgehog ambushes Rotor during his flight and starts accusing him of being the traitor he's been looking for. Now, I don't dislike Silver the Hedgehog, at least not the comic version. I've enjoyed Flynn's characterization of Silver as a clueless bumbler, desperate to prove his worth but sorely lacking information. Yet I can't help but sigh with his sudden appearance. I fail to see how Silver will improve this story in any way.

Silver's sudden appearance in the cover story sets up the backstory, which is devoted to him. “Future Tense” begins in Silver's post-apocalyptic world. While consulting some old books, he comes upon an inconsistency. History references somebody named “Boomer” while Silver only remembers somebody named Rotor being among the Freedom Fighters. He begins to wonder if this Rotor is the traitor to the Freedom Fighters. The hedgehog wonders if this is enough to justify another journey to the past before deciding it's the only lead he's got.

Plot wise, “Future Tense” is thin gruel. Using Rotor's old nickname as an excuse for Silver to believe the walrus is the traitor is pretty dumb. However, two smaller details somewhat justify this one. First off, the series of panels devoted to Silver's self-doubt about his mission are nice. That fleshes out Silver's personality as a doofy would-be world saver. Mostly, what I like about this one is the bits of world building. In Silver's future, Angel Island has fallen, part of the island sticking out of the ocean. There's a huge, but crumbling, statue of Lara-Su. In the ruined library, we also see a picture of the Future Freedom Fighters. All of this hints at the cataclysm that happens 200 odd years into the future. And are pretty neat visuals too.

The artwork is nice too. Steven Butler's work on the cover story continues to be great. Jamal Pepper's work on the back-up is also quite nice. “Family Matters,” thus far, doesn't have the emotional in that Flynn's previous arc did. But my overall opinion on this one will largely depend on whether or not the writer can nail the landing in the second half. So we'll see. [6/10]

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 187

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 187
Publication Date: April 2008

The cover of issue 187 of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” features some characters that we haven't seen in a while. To what purpose does Ian Flynn dig up these relics? It could be because he wants to exploit the deep history this comic has. Maybe he wants to toss a Grounder or a Dylan Porcupine out as a nod towards long time readers. Maybe he's just a fucking nerd? If you're looking for answers to this question, this question that nobody but me was asking, do not expect to find them in this comic book. Anyway, on with the review.

“Mister Popular” begins with Geoffrey St. John and Rouge the Bat going undercover in the Casino Nights Zone. The area has been rebuilt by Mammoth Mogul, who has suddenly gotten into the gambling business. In the back room, he meets with the Destructix. He has a new mission for the criminals. Meanwhile, Sonic and Sally explore the Great Forest, mournfully examining the remains of Knothole village. Their heart-to-heart is interrupted when Bean and Bark, soon followed by the other Destructix, attack them. After a scuffle, they capture Sonic, taking him back to Mogul's lair for nefarious reasons.

One of the first things Ian Flynn did when he first came onto the book was make Anti-Sonic an actually compelling character, turning him from a laughingstock into the genuinely threatening Scourge. In 2008, Ian decided to focus on rebuilding Mammoth Mogul as a character. His transformation wasn't as severe, as Mogul gets to carry his previous characterization. However, going from a universe destroying threat (that was somehow always defeated) to the owner of a casino is a pretty severe step-down. It's all part of Mogul's new strategy, to out-think his opponent rather than crush him with brute force.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, Ian loved to dig up obscure characters. Previously, he stuck Sally's Substitute Freedom Fighter team on the Council of Knothole. In the halls of the Casino Nights Zone, Mogul has employed some of Sonic's earliest enemies. Scratch, Grounder and Coconuts – otherwise known as Robotnik's toadies from “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” - are now working as waiters, bartenders, and bouncers. Flynn takes this even further, by including some of the “Sonic 1” Badniks as lower level workers. Sort of funny that, just last time, I was commenting on how Mike Gallagher killed these guys off just for Flynn to bring them back in the very next issue. I guess that's comics for you.

I've probably made about a hundred references to Ian's tendency to clean up the tangled mess previous writers gave him. It turns out this isn't just a habit of his concerning other people's work. In “Mister Popular,” Flynn also takes the time to clean up some of his own plot points. Merlin Prower briefly appears. He wipes away the curses Mogul left on Sonic, Tails, Mina, and Mighty. He even removes any lingering influence Dr. Finitevus' hex might have had on Knuckles. Was it entirely necessary to clarify this point? Probably not. But it is nice that Flynn cares that much about the little details, about resolving minor plot points that fans might have picked up on.

All of this stuff is fine and good but it's not the reason I really like this story. Instead, that moment between Sonic and Sally makes the whole issue. The two begin by bonding over the mutual guilt they feel over failing to save Knothole. This shows that the scars of the past linger on. These aren't the only scars that haven't healed yet. Sally reflects on the years they've spent fighting Robotnik, how they were only kids when they started.

That's when the conversation turns towards Sonic and Sally's shared past, the stuff we really care about anyway. When the topic turns towards their love life, Sonic forgives Sally for the infamous slap back in issue 134. The character still hadn't lived that down, even by this point. Getting Sonic to forgive Sally was the last step needed for the fandom to forgive her. Ian had done so much to fix Sally's personality recently. Now, with this one scene, he's started towards fixing the comic's one true ship. Sega's mandates would keep Sonic and Sally apart but moments like this, when they draw close, touch, and share intimate whispers made the romance live on, even if it was just as subtext.

Amusingly, this romantic moment is interrupted when a bomb drops down in Sally's lap. Thus begins this issue's obligatory action sequence. The action set pieces are fine, I suppose. Sonic tangles with Bark. Sonic tosses Flying Frog, Drago, and Predator Hawk around. He dodges blows from Sgt. Simian and Lightning Lynx. What makes this action sequence pop a little more are the small touches of humor. Sally temporarily convinces Bean and Bark to fight on their side, by appealing to their nature as mercenaries and Bean's love of shiny things. In an earlier scene, Sonic can't bounce quips off Bark because the bear is mute, something he comments on. Moments like this elevate what would just otherwise be another fight scene.

The previous issue featured Matt Herms working from Tracy Yardley's outlines. Herms goes solo on “Mister Popular,” allowing his own style to shine through. Herms' artwork is superficially similar to Yardley's, featuring enough of the same quirks not to put reader's off. Yet Herms has his own quirks. He's a little more stylized than Yardley's work. The characters have rounder faces and arms. Herms makes Bean looks especially cute. His pencils are a little awkward at times. A panel of Sally back-flipping from a rock is a little hard to follow. Yet Herms still does a good job.

About the only problem I have with this particular comic is that Ian starts the story with Geoffrey St. John and Rouge in the casino, in some sort of Bond homage, and doesn't follow up on it. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this one. My status as a hardened Sonic/Sally shipper is no secret. My bias are clear and I do not care. That moment in the forest bumps the entire issue up a grade and it was already pretty good to begin with. [8/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 186

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 186
Publication Date: March 2008

Welcome to 2018, dear Hedgehogs Can't Swim readers! I wish I was opening my third year of consistent blogging with something special. Instead, I am beholden to my schedule. So here's a review of another issue from the Ian Flynn years. Happy New Year.

The second part of “Mogul Rising,” “Devil's Due,” begins where the first left off. Tails, Mina, and Mighty are in the grips of Mammoth Mogul's psychic control. First, they attack Sonic, each one speaking with the sorceror's voice. After it becomes clear, the hedgehog won't agree to the villain's demands, he changes strategy. Mogul commands each of his friends to march into certain death. If Sonic grabs a Chaos Emerald for Mogul, allowing him to escape, he'll free his friend. It's a tricky decision for the hedgehog.

And it's a compelling read. Sonic can outrun or outfight most bad guys. While Mogul usually presents more danger than some of the hedgehog's other enemies, the mammoth's grasp of strategy has never been great. In “Devil's Due,” he thinks about his evil plan a little more. He strikes at Sonic's heart, instead of his body. He commands Tails to fly into the upper atmosphere, until he collapses and falls to his death. Mina is forced to run into the middle of the ocean and stop, surely drowning. Mighty is told to march directly into Megaopolis, facing capture or death. Sonic can't save all of them at once. And if you want to hurt Sonic, you have to hurt his friends.

This isn't the only intelligent aspect of Mogul's latest plan that is surprisingly well thought out. Sonic is blackmailed into grabbing Mobotropolis' Chaos Emerald, walking to Mogul's cell, and handing him a new power source. This enables the villain to escape, his power doubling. Normally, this would be a precursor to a big fight. Instead, Mogul calmly leaves. He explains the reason why first. He doesn't expect to beat Sonic, having been bested every time. However, Mogul has realized one important thing. He's immortal. Sonic isn't. So he'll just outlive the hedgehog, waiting to rule Mobius once Sonic and his friends are dead. This is also a pretty brilliant plan, the kind of thinking you'd expect from a villain who has been alive for several millenia.

“Devil's Due” also revolves around pairing Sonic with an unusual partner. After Mina attacks the hedgehog, Ash intervenes. He's disturbed by his girlfriend becoming violent and talking with an old guy's voice. Even though Sonic and Ash hate each other, they are forced to work together on this mission. Flynn doesn't delve into it more than that. There's no heated dialogue about why Ash resents Sonic, about whether some chemistry dangles in the air between the hedgehog and the mongoose. Yet their occasional banter adds a little something extra to the story.

“Devil's Due” is also the debut of a new artist. Sort of. The layouts are provided by Tracey Yardley. Matt Herms completed Yardley's pencils. It's hard to say how much Tracey did on this one and how much is Herms'. The two have similar styles. Occasionally, a face or movement will seem a little different. Otherwise, this just looks like Yardley drew it. Which isn't necessarily a complaint. The artwork is quite good. Mogul looks intimidating when his eyes glow. The night time setting provides an interesting mood for the story.

The back pages feature a Knuckles centric story called “Honor Bound.” A guilt ridden Knuckles surveys the damage he did as Enerjak. He flies over the ruins of Albion, where a large portion of the echidna population has been moved. He meets with General von Stryker, walking the dingoes back to the inner island. Lastly, he approaches the Chaotix, who he is most nervous about meeting. It takes a pep talk from Rouge before Knuckles can stand to face his friends again.

At the end of the “Enerjak: Reborn” story, I complained a little about how Knuckles being under Finitevus' control robbed him of responsibility for his actions as Enerjak. This may be true but Knuckles feels differently. “Honor Bound” shows the echidna as unable to talk to his mom and little brother, who have relocated to Albion. He questions his role as Guardian, if he's cut out for the job. Moreover, he feels responsible for his father's death. It's pretty heavy stuff for a kid's book and I applaud Ian for going there.

“Honor Bound” is also about pointing how Knuckles' world is changing. Flynn brings the comic a little closer to the games, by moving the Master Emerald onto his own tiny island called Shrine Island. A key sequence has him personally apologizing to General Stryker. Considering the dingoes have always been treated terribly by echidna society, it's refreshing to hear Knuckles invite them back to the inner island. The majority of the echidnas moving to what remains of Albion is something I feel less certain about. I always sort of liked Echidnopolis but it seems Ian is really determined to gut Penders' mythology. Loosing Locke, the Brotherhood, and a bunch of other fooey was fine. But I'll miss Knuckles' home town.

Flynn hints at future story lines. Before blowing out of Knothole, Mogul makes some ominous references to his future plans. After she talks Knuckles out of the bushes, Rouge cryptically mentions planning something herself. Regardless of where we go next, issue 186 is a very strong issue. The cover story has some strong emotional stakes and features some smart writing. The back-up grapples with the emotional consequences of recent events. Both are appreciated. [8/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 185

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 185
Publication Date: February 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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