Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter: Issue 1

Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter: Issue 1

Original Publication Date: January 17th, 2024

When released in 1994, "Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble" received a little bit of hype. The "Sonic" franchise was red hot at the time, perhaps at the peak of its nineties popularity. This meant any new game featuring the character was going to get a big push. And it didn't hurt that this was the second appearance of Knuckles, who was quickly becoming the second most popular character in the series at the time. However, "Triple Trouble" was still a handheld title, for the Game Gear, a console that was never as big as Sega hoped and always trailed way behind the Game Boy in popularity. This meant that "Triple Trouble" was destined to be consigned to the waste bin of pop culture. As the "Sonic" series began to explore new avenues, with a quickly expanding cast and universe, in the 2000s, "Triple Trouble" would be seemingly forgotten even by Sega. 

The game's obscure status would make the new character it introduced even more overlooked. Fang the Sniper, or Nack the Weasel to us U.S. assholes, would become a reoccurring character in the Archie comics. But the rest of the "Sonic" fandom didn't care about this guy for a long time. Aside from "Triple Trouble," Fang's only other appearance for years was "Sonic the Fighter," an even more obscure arcade exclusive. By the start of the 2010s, Fang was stuck in the same limbo as Mighty or Ray: Beloved by a tiny niche of the fandom but ignored by everyone else, even the video game company that created him. Who had time for a pink weasel/jerboa/wolf what's-it when we were being flooded with telekinetic time travelers and fiery felines? 

That slowly started to change with the 2017 release of "Sonic Mania," which brought Fang – along with the equally overlooked Bark and Bean – back to the forefront of the series. Since then, we've seen this trio of troublemakers referenced a lot more. Fang was even given a prominent role in last year's "Sonic Superstar," suggesting that the little scum bag was a going concern for Sega again. This Fang Renaissance continues into 2024, with IDW giving the guy – now dubbed a Hunter by Sega, since I guess "Sniper" was a little too aggressive – a starring role in his own four-part mini-series. This is a pretty big deal for a character deemed little more than an in-joke for quite a while. 

And what does the first issue of "Fang the Hunter" contain? It begins with Fang, Bean, and Bark spying on Sonic as he chills in a hammock. They quickly attack, hoping the hedgehog can give them some info on a mythical eighth Chaos Emerald. Sonic doesn't know anything about this, assuring them that such a thing doesn't exist. After such a humiliating defeat, Fang decides to shake down Knuckles for info next. The Guardian is waiting for them and prepares traps throughout Angel Island to throw them off. Meanwhile, Tails warns Sonic that a mysterious airship has ravaged the Marble Zone before vanishing. 

In the original Archie Comics continuity, "Nack the Weasel" was a fairly serious adversary. He successfully disarmed Sonic so Robotnik could roboticize him, kidnapped Princess Sally, and even killed some people. However, that is an atypical characterization for the guy across most of the series. From "Triple Trouble" onward, Fang has largely been portrayed as a joke, an incompetent buffoon that is easily defeated, usually by his own deeply misplaced overconfidence. As the comics have sought to more closely follow the games, this characterization has taken root here as well. In the handful of appearances in past IDW books, Fang has mostly been a joker, an un-serious threat that is always humiliated before any criminal plot he has can come to fruition. This might be because he's always hanging around now with Bark and Bean, essentially the Laurel and Hardy of the "Sonic" world. 

With that in mind, the first issue of "Fang's" mini-series is largely devoted to slapstick comedy. The opening sequence of the comic – where Fang attempts to crush Sonic with a big rock, only for the hedgehog to deflect them without breaking a sweat – even seems to recall the wacky antics of the "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" cartoon. Maybe that's just because there's a hammock in the scene though... Either way, there's definitely some "Tom and Jerry" vibes to this comic, as we watch the antagonists get comically defeated by a hero that way outclasses them. 

This, in fact, may be where Fang's appeal lies. As a stereotypical villain, he's never going to learn his lesson. No matter how many crushing defeats he suffers, he's going to keep pursuing Sonic. This makes the jerboa something of a lovable loser. He's always going to fail. We, as human beings, will also fail more often than we will succeed. So, even though Fang is a bad guy, we still relate to him. His need to keep pushing a metaphorical boulder up an allegorical hill, when it's always destined to flatten him, even makes the guy kind of admirable. Don't we all wish we had that kind of tenacity, in the face of life constantly making you eat shit? This allows "Fang the Hunter" to have its cake and eat it too, letting us derive amusement from Fang's exaggerated defeats while also seeing us root for him a little bit, in a perverse way. Haven't we all wanted to see the Coyote catch the Roadrunner at least once? 

While Fang hopelessly strives to be taken seriously someday, despite the clear unlikeliness of that ever happening, Bean and Bark have long since accepted their roles. IDW Bean isn't quite as unhinged as his Archie counterpart but he's still a wacky goofball, embracing the absurdity of every humiliation he suffers. While Bark is the strong, silent straight man, seemingly unflappable and inscrutable no matter what. I guess there is only so much to be mined from this dynamic, so issue #1 of "Fang" does introduce a conflict between Fang and his partners. Namely, they feel taken advantage of and plan on dumping his ass after this adventure. I don't take this threat seriously at all. If anything, I think this three might all learn to appreciate each other before this mini is over. But at least the set-up of "the mooks are planning to walk out on their boss" has some comedic value to explore. 

The clear farcical tone of this first issue makes me assume the MacGuffin quest that has been set-up will likely end up being a wild goose chase. There being seven Chaos Emeralds has been established as a fact of the "Sonic" series for so long, that it's easy to forget that the exact number has varied over the years. There were just six emeralds in the first "Sonic" game and most of the 8-bit ports. In "Sonic Spinball," there were as many as sixteen emeralds. Originally in the Archie continuity, there was just a surplus of many Emeralds of many different colors, until Ian Flynn fixed that. Fang believing there are eight Emeralds is likely a reference to "Sonic the Fighter," where there were indeed eight Emeralds to correspond to the eight characters. Considering that was his last in-game appearance for years, no wonder Fang seems to believe this is the case. 

I wouldn't be shocked at all if Ian Flynn used this mini-series to patch over a continuity era in the Classic Sonic canon. Yet it would be much funnier if Fang continues to hold onto an erroneous belief, in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary. But maybe the book is going somewhere else, what with that dangling plot point of Sonic and Tails chasing after a phantom ship in the Marble Zone. I guess, either way, the skeleton of a decent story has been set-up here. 

If this issue has heavy "Looney Tunes" overtones, what of Sonic as the Bugs Bunny to Fang's Yosemite Sam? On "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog," Sonic filled an almost literal Bugs Bunny role, right down to the frequent crossdressing and random bursts of nuttiness. Since that would be pretty out of character for IDW Sonic, Flynn writes him here as a snarky asshole. He has nothing but smartass quibs for Fang and his gang. He gets sarcastic with Tails. He even has to remind himself to be "patient with the kid" after he interrupts his nap. While fans constantly debate how much 'tude Sonic should display, we shouldn't forget that this is technically Classic Sonic we are seeing here. The blue hedgehog being a bit of a prick, even to his best friend, recalls his demeanor in the OVA or Fleetway comics, works contemporary with the Classic setting. Plus it's funny. I'm fine with it. 

Sonic is not the only hero to frustrate our titular goons though. Also in keeping with his more Classic Era characterization, Knuckles mostly hides back in the shadows and upends the Hooligans – or whatever they are called here – with traps he's set-up throughout the isle. This includes a delightful instance of Knuckles using the air vent trap from the start of "Sonic & Knuckles." If this whole comic wasn't a light-hearted goof, these scenes would almost be sinister. Mushroom Hill is depicted as dark and shadowy, Fang's buddies picked off by an unseen threat. Considering Knuckles fools Bark with a decoy that unmistakably resembles the Blair Witch stick figure, I'm going to assume that this mild horror atmosphere is intentional. Not a reference I expected to see in a "Sonic" comic, so maybe Bean will put on a Ghostface mask in the next issue. 

Mauro Fonseca is on pencil duties here and his work definitely matches the cartoony tone of the script. There is quite a lot of stretch and squash on display in these panels, especially when Fang tackles Bean to keep him from accidentally blowing up the Magnificent Queen. It turns out Fang's angular head really lends itself to this kind of over-the-top reactions. There are some really good faces in this issue, let me tell ya. Impressively, Fonseca manages to maintain the particular Classic Sonic look for everyone even when going for cartoony physics. Good stuff!

By the way, do you want to know how many times I wrote "Back" instead of "Fang" while assembling this review? Literally every single time! Old habits never die, I guess. Anyway, the first issue of the "Fang the Hunter" kicks the mini-series off in a goofily amusing, fleet-footed fashion. Let's see if Flynn and the gang can keep it up. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 66

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 66

Publication Date: November 8th, 2023

I suppose I should be used to "Sonic the Hedgehog" comics sometimes feeling directionless. Lord knows, Archie's "Sonic" books would meander for months on end, with no clear concept leading events on. Yet when IDW's "Sonic" starts to spin its wheels, the feeling is always more acute to me. Usually because the series will just start doubling down on elements I don't care about. Like the Zetis, magical plot devices, or the Babylon Rogues. The book has been in a little bit of a slump since Surge and Kit exited the scene, not feeling like it's building towards much. That the Rogues are on the cover of issue 66 should clue you in on which type of issue this is. 

Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. A good enough series can even make its filler arcs fun too. "Relic Robbing Rumble, Part 2" picks up where we left off, with Knuckles and the Chaotix bushwhacking the Rogues on a dock. After an extensive action scene, Knuckles manages to get the ancient Echidnan artifacts back, driving the Rogues away. Jet claims they were not employed by anyone to steal the objects, working on their own... Yet this is not the case, as the final page reveals. 

Of all the words in "Relic Robbing Rumble's" title, the most important one is definitely rumble. As this cover story went on, I became very aware of how this is only a ten page story. That's because the fight scene just kept going on and on. Yes, this is one of those issues of "Sonic" devoted almost entirely to characters beating the shit out of each other, without much in the way of forward narrative or personal development. The cover promises Knuckles and the Chaotix fighting with the Babylon Rogues and that's what the story delivers. That is pretty much all the story delivers. 

Ian Flynn's senseless beat-em-up stories always feel somewhat useless. Look back at "Hedgehog Havoc," "Champions," or "Zeti Hunt" for further evidence of that. You can always just feel, somehow, when the guy is inserting an action scene for its own sake. There's never that fun feeling of a kid smashing his action figures together in Flynn's battle royales, like we saw in classic Archie stories like "Super Sonic vs. Hyper Knuckles" or, uh, "Battle Royal." There's just a hint of desperation to them, as if you can sense Flynn inserting extended punching scenes strictly because he knows the young boys this comic is ostensibly targeted at crave sophomoric fight scenes. 

Maybe this is because Flynn isn't good at making these fights feel serious. The good Flynn stories that are heavy on action are usually the culmination of long story arcs, where everything hangs in the balance. When he's screwing around, you can tell because the fights are largely farces. This is what we get here, the combat interrupted with many comedic touches. Charmy realizes stealing is wrong after grabbing the relic away from Jet, graciously giving it back. Espio gets cartoonishly spun through the air and Vector clamps onto Wave's hoverboard, refusing to let go. I don't necessarily dislike these moments. They are actually pretty funny, that bit with Charmy especially. Yet it does nothing to dissuade the feeling that nothing in this issue actually matters. 

This sensation is sadly confirmed in the final pages. The end of the fisticuffs on the pier is incredibly anticlimactic. Even though questions clearly remain unanswered, Knuckles is happy to have his relics back. He outright says he doesn't care about anything else. We then learn that this entire fight was a diversion by Clutch, to distract the Chaotix as he meets with Jewel while wearing a bitchin' pimp coat. If a two-parter feels a bit futile, capping it off with a master planner outright admitting this was all a rude does not help matters. A story about Clutch engineering a diversion, which the heroes then slowly uncover, would have been a lot more interesting than just a big, goofy, fight scene that results in nothing being changed or learned. 

The first half of "Relic Robbing Rumble" was also kind of weak but issue 65 was saved by a strong back-up story. Does the second half of "Dinner with Cream" continue that trend? Rough and Tumble continue to disrupt Cream's attempts to finish the nice dinner her mom started cooking. Yet Gemerl being overwhelmed and the skunks' mischief eventually become too much for the little girl to handle. That's when Vanilla returns home, putting an end to these shenanigans with her motherly ways. 

The first half of "Dinner with Cream" worked because, no matter how silly this conflict was, it still mattered to Cream and Gemerl. The second half focuses much more on comedy and combat, much like the cover story did. This does downplay what made the first part fun. Watching Germerl get pelted with a salad and Cream attempting to fight off some buffoonish bad guys isn't as much fun when the slapstick is for its own purpose. The first couple pages of this back-up can't help but continue the futile atmosphere that weighed down the cover story. Is this entire comic going to be focused on lame, meaningless fight scenes? 

Luckily, Evan Stanley recovers a bit before the end. There are still some cute, touching character interactions in this story. Gemerl's reassuring words to Cream, no matter how upset she gets, are still nice. The way Vanilla is nothing but understanding with her daughter at the end is also adorable. The story ends with some serious ship-bait between Vanilla and Vector, which goes a long way towards making this one worth reading after all. 

Vanilla is, in fact, secretly the MVP of this issue. The fight comes to a halt when Tumble bullies Cream a little too hard, causing her to cry. The villains are made to feel even worse when Vanilla shows up and uses her powers of motherly guilt against them. The ending of "Dinner with Cream" is really no less anticlimactic than "Relic Robbing Rumble." The bad guys essentially go away after someone tells them to, making you wonder why they showed up in the first place. Yet Rough and Tumble are inherently ridiculous characters. Of course Vanilla would be able to correct their behavior with just a few stern words and a contemptuous glare. These guys are overgrown boys, super strong men-children. They are naturally weak to a motherly scolding. So it works, ending a light-hearted story on a goofy and sweet note. (But I fully expect Vanilla being all disciplinary and stern with two remorseful louts to inspire some very specific types of fan art, if it hasn't already.)

The same group of artists are back to work on this issue as the last one. Mauro Fonseca draws the first story, while Adam Bryce Thomas handles the second. Fonseca's exaggerated style really works for a story like this. The action scenes, and the comedic beats in particular, really have a fine sense of movement and timing. His tendency for big goofy faces really makes Knuckles' anger, Jet's frustration, and Vector's sorrow at not being paid sing. Thomas similarly has a talent with faces. Cream's ever escalating disappointment at what is happening adds a lot of humor to this. As does the sheer power that radiates from Vanilla's face as she stares down the skunks. Or the obvious flirtatious quality in the meaningful looks she gives Vector. 

Surge and Kit come back to the comic next month, hopefully bringing with them a renewed sense of focus. There's no doubt in my mind that IDW "Sonic" has floundered a little since they stepped away, the book devoting time to a number of minor subplots that have to justify their own importance. "Relic Robbing Rumble" had its moments, especially of the more humorous variety, yet it just couldn't get out from under the weight of being a lark. At least the back-up two parter was cuter and funnier that that. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 65

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 65

Publication Date: October 11th, 2023

I've got to tell you guys, it makes me happy that IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic is, for a little while anyway, sticking with the format of having a cover story and a back-up story. An attribute I loved about Archie's "Sonic" book was the variety. It wasn't just a cartoon animal action/adventure series. Sometimes it was also a romantic melodrama, a lore-heavy fantasy series, a cosmic sci-fi story, or goofball slapstick comedy. I liked that unpredictable quality. IDW "Sonic" hasn't been quite that tonally diverse. It's mostly stuck to the action anime style that the franchise largely resides in these days, save for occasional segues into survival horror and light-hearted detective fair. Yet issue 65 shows how a diverse selection of narrative types can really improve a story. 

The first story is part one of "Relic Robbing Rumble." Knuckles is shocked to see the Babylon Rogues stealing some ancient relics from an obscure corner of Angel Island. The feathery thieves get away with the statues too, a major bruise on Knuckles' pride. He seeks out the Chaotix to assist him. Vector wants to wrap this up quickly, as he plans to meet Vanilla later that night for dinner. They barge into a Eggman facility, which is a dead lead. Charmy gets an anonymous hint, which leads the quartet to ambush the trio of airborne as they await their buyer. 

In the main "Sonic" games and cartoons, Knuckles the Echidna is often reduced to comic relief. He's a big, strong guy who also has a serious gullible streak, which has led to him too often being written like a total buffoon. (A characterization that peaked with "Sonic Boom's" idiot Knuckles.) This is in contrast to the comic books, where Knuckles has actually been a fairly complicated character. Archie Knuckles was one of the more psychologically complex take on him, with serious Daddy issues and lots of internal conflict over his destiny. IDW Knuckles isn't that deep, though Ian Flynn has done his best to make the echidna more perceptive than his appearance suggests. His interactions with Blaze and Amy have really shown this. Some of this even leaked into the way he was written in "Sonic Frontiers."

Despite that, Flynn allows Knuckles to really backslide in "Relic Robbing Rumble." The guardian of Angel Island is primarily in smashy-smashy, proud warrior mode here. That the Babylon Rogues defeated him, making off with artifacts he's sworn to protect, seriously has Knux grumpy. He refuses to ask for Amy or the Restoration's help, strictly to preserve that lone warrior pride. This leads to him acting unreasonably, agreeing with Vector's plan to raid Eggman's lab, despite the lack of evidence, and simply going along with whatever idea the Chaotix have. I don't want to say it's out of character for Knuckles – it's not, necessarily – but it's certainly not the most interesting approach. I know Flynn can do better with our red guy here. 

Still, I suppose the first part of "Relic Robbing Rumble" works fairly well. This is obviously a more light-hearted story, with lots of comedy. Knuckles' stubborn ego is played for laughs, such as when he blocks Chamry from calling Amy or admits to Eggman that the relics aren't even necessarily that important. Vector rushing through things because he's eager to get to his date with Vanilla, Eggman's mild annoyance with the heroes, or Vector's reaction when Espio surprises him all made me chuckle. The chemistry between these guys, between Knuckles' honor-driven hot-headedness and the Chaotix' slightly incompetent sleuthing, keeps this story afloat entirely. I even kind of like the panel of Storm – someone I really don't give a shit about, I must stress – playing with the two idols they've snatched like they are dolls. I'm not made of stone, that's funny. So is Knuckles eating a big pink sundae, while slamming his fist on the table. 

And it's a good thing that this is a breezy, amusing story. Otherwise, I'm not sure what the point is. Especially needless is the sequence of the good guys hastling Eggman. The mad doctor is more perturbed than enraged by their intrusion, even listening while they explain themselves. He goes so far as to admit that he currently has no evil plan in motion, still licking his wounds after the destruction of Eggperial City. In other words: Why was this scene included in this story? I mean, other than to expand this plot into a two parter. It seems to me that whatever Flynn is currently building towards has something to do with the ancient culture of Angel Island, or at least these relics in particular. Giving Eggman a token appearance feels like an excuse to insert some robot-smashing in a story otherwise about goofy comedy. 

The back-up connects with the cover story in a loose way. "Cream's Dinner" shows us the special dinner that Vanilla is preparing. Naturally, her daughter is helping out. After realizing they are out of butter, Vanilla heads out to get some, leaving Cream (and the fate of dinner) in the hands of Gemerl. That's when Rough and Tumble, determined to rebuild their reputations after several humiliating defeats, decide to sneak into Vanilla's house and cause trouble. Gemerl can handle that too but, oh no, what about dinner?!

Unlike the cover story, which blunders around without much of a clear directive, "Cream's Dinner" has a totally solid idea at its center. This is a story all about contrasting the mundane with the oversized, one of my favorite comedic devices. It's a tale that climaxes with a dead-pan robot karate kicking two skunk mercenaries but the main plot is based around the utterly everyday concern of whether a meal will be prepared correctly. Most all of us are familiar with the small stakes of trying to cook dinner without fucking it up. Most of us probably aren't familiar with two henchmen breaking into our house to cause trouble. Yet Cream – a child – and Gemerl – a robot – treat both scenarios with equal gravity. In fact, Gemerl almost seems more concerned about dinner. He sees the skunks break-in as a hindrance to this far more important issue. Funny!

This proves that Evan Stanley can do comedy well but her greatest strength still lies in small, relatable character interactions. There's an adorable moment here where Cream, concerned if she can be trusted with watching the food, is reassured by Gemerl. It's a small sequence, occupying only two panels, but it adds so much. Gemerl may be a robot but he's clearly become Cream's father figure. Emotionally supporting his surrogate daughter clearly isn't what Gemerl is built for – literally – and yet he has made his main bit of programming. That actually makes this moment more touching than if Vector or Sonic or whatever was helping Cream out. At first, I really missed the crankier Archie version of Gemerl but, I've got to tell you, the even more parental, in spite of his robotic nature, IDW version has really grown on me. 

Another observation I have about this issue is, perhaps, the artists should have traded stories. Mauro Fonseca draws the first story while Adam Bryce Howard does the second. Fonseca clearly goes for exaggeration in his work, most evident in any of the panels were Knuckles is freaking the fuck out. Fluid detail is the name of the game with Thomas. Both artists do a fine job. Both stories contain some hilarious faces. But Thomas would've brought a lot more verve to the action scenes on the first story while Fonseca would've emphasized the humor inherent in the second. Just an observation, not a criticism. This is a good looking issue regardless. 

I've commented last month that Sonic himself has been taking a backseat these last few issues. The hedgehog isn't in this issue at all. I'm happy the publisher and editors have enough confidence in this series' supporting cast to let them carry the book for a month or two. If Sega mandates or whatever insist Sonic must be a vagabond hero, not directly connected with the Restoration or any other group on a long term basis, simply taking the focus off him for a while is a smart move. It allows the supporting cast to grow, actually putting further development of this cast above just giving people what they want. You love to see it! Or, at least, I do.

Anyway, issue 65's cover story manages to be entertaining in spite of feeling entirely like filler and not giving Knuckles his due diligence. The back-up, meanwhile, is cute, charming, and funny. Enough so that it easily overshadows the cover story. I guess that leaves me on the hook for the next issue. I've got to know if Vanilla's roast is ruined or not and if she'll have to purchase fast food and cleverly disguise it as home cooking... [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog's 900th Adventure

Sonic the Hedgehog's 900th Adventure

Publication Date: September 13th, 2023

How many adventures has Sonic the Hedgehog had? It's the question perhaps worth asking. In the 32 years Sega's super-fast mascot has existed, he's lint his spiny likeness to almost every piece of media imaginable. He's appeared in dozens of video games. Sonic has had long runs at three different comic book publishers and even a short-lived comic strip. Six television programs, two live action movies, one Japanese OVA, and several bits of short animation have bore his name. Hell, there's even been actual books published about the blue hedgehog! And that's only limiting our query to media published in English-speaking countries. In addition to all that, there's a handful of “Sonic” manga, a short-lived French comic book, a Russian game show featuring the hedgehog, and a Portuguese text book for some reason.

That's a lot of adventures! I'm not going to hazard a guess of how many exactly that is but IDW apparently did. The second one-shot they've published this year is called “Sonic's 900th Adventure.” They claim, in the introduction, that this comic book is in fact the 900th release centering around the hedgehog. Honestly, I'm skeptical. Just the bullshit I mentioned above makes me wager it's a lot higher than that. And how exactly is IDW defining “adventure” here? Did they count every video game he's shown up in or just starring roles, disqualifying guest appearances and cameos?  Did “Sonic's Schoolhouse” grace the IDW editor's eyes? How about the SegaLand Sydney puppet musical? Is a commercials for Korean sneakers or Australian ice cream worthy enough to be included in this total? What about a parade balloon? An amusement park ride? Is a can of Spaghetti-Os an adventure? 

Putting my needless nerdy pedantry aside, Sonic has had a metric shit-ton of adventures. However many it's actually been, IDW is seeking to celebrate them all with this one-shot. The “900th Adventure” begins with Sonic and Tails chilling around his workshop, feeling nostalgic. That's when the Warp Topaz, the teleporting bric-a-brac that Dr. Starline utilized, manifests itself on Tails' couch. Fearful of its supercharged readings, Sonic endeavors to put that thing back where it came from before it causes anymore problems. The Topaz zaps Sonic all over the world and to different locations. This brings him into contact with his various friends, enemies, and rivals, often passing the plot device off to them like a hot potato. Will the super-fast blue dude with 'tude safely return the Warp Topaz to its point of origin and survive to see his 901th adventure? What do you think?

Essentially, “Sonic's 900th Adventure” is a quick tour through Sonic's main supporting cast. Perhaps in hopes of appealing to as wide an audience as possible, this is limited strictly to Sega-created characters. Tangle and Whisper are nowhere to be seen, even though this story explicitly takes place in IDW canon. Instead, the focus remains on the most popular members of the wide “Sonic” cast. Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Rouge, Blaze, Cream, Eggman, Metal Sonic, the Babylon Rogues, Cubot and Orbot, and the grouchy orca from “Sonic Adventure” all put in appearances. Sorry to all the fans of Tiara Boobowski and Hip and Hop, they didn't make the cut. I didn't expect any deep cuts though it is a little disappointing that a supposed celebration of Sonic's history limits itself to just the basic bitch cast members. The 30th Anniversary Special did a much better job of acknowledging Sonic's lineage, even within the boundaries of IDW's licensing contract. 

In other words, this comic isn't a whole lot more than “Sonic” characters marching on-screen, doing something vaguely plot relevant, and then the hedgehog is off to see the next guest star. There's only so much wiggle room within these constrains but the script still manages to squeak out some character beats or development. Blaze considers going on without her friends, because she's the self-sacrificing type. Cream has a big rant about how she wants to appear on this adventure, because she's a little kid always trying to prove herself. Amy gets to fawn over Sonic and even gives him a big hug, in a moment sure to be adored by shippers. Probably the best moment has Sonic tricking both Tails and Metal Sonic by pretending the Warp Topaz is draining more of his energy than it actually is. That's the wily hedgehog we know and love.

However, some of the other characters are reduced down to just a couple of quick gags. Eggman gets mocked, while trading some barbs with Sonic and his robot henchmen. Shadow and Rouge appear to belittle the Babylon Rogues, their personalities reduced down to their most simplified versions of themselves. Shadow brags about being the Ultimate Lifeform, Jet is haughty, Rouge likes shiny shit. Wave and Storm are... There, I guess. You can definitely tell which characters the writers felt they could actually do something with and which one they shoved into the issue because they had to. 

Since there's not going t be any actual character development or forward-movement of the overall arc in this one-shot, its story has to be rated on its own goals. The stakes are really high here. Tails is concerned that the Warp Topaz's out-of-control energy levels might even destroy the entire world. Despite that, the issue here is pretty light-hearted. Sonic never seems that worried, cracking jokes like always. The other characters are largely farcical too, Knuckles and Amy getting little funny panels to themselves. Moreover, the script never makes it entirely clear what exactly the Warp Topaz is doing. It's opening portals all over the place but, otherwise, there's a lot of talk about how dangerous the situation is without the reader being given total understand of what that means.

It seems to me that “Sonic's 900th Adventure” was clearly conceived as a way to spotlight as many of Sonic's friends as possible and an actual narrative second. When taken on their own, some of these sequences are fun. The bit where Sonic and Amy fight the whale is entertaining enough. So is Eggman dueling Sonic from within a Mazinger Z homage. Yet I was left wondering what exactly the point of all this is. We discover that the Warp Topaz comes from some weird cave in an obscure corner of the world, which is a contribution of sorts to the overall lore. The final scene takes the Warp Topaz out of the story while also leaving open the possibility that it could return some day. But, over all, this strikes me as an inessential story that doesn't add too much to the comic's world or stand too strongly on its own.

Another way “Sonic's 900th Adventure” was meant to be a celebration of Sonic's history is by featuring multiple different writers. I hope no one was disappointed ot see that this mostly meant established IDW “Sonic” crew members. That means Ian Flynn, Evan Stanley, Daniel Barnes, Aaron Hammerstein, and Caleb Goellner contributed to the script. It's not like any of the Archie writers were going to show up, having either moved on or simply have too much baggage to be hire-able. The one really neat addition here is Nigel Kitching, one of the main writers for Fleetway's “Sonic the Comic.” This is Kitching's first contribution to a “Sonic” project in over twenty years, making his appearance a big deal for fans of that particular branch of the franchise. 

However, six people writing one forty page story is the kind of situation that rarely produces great art. A set-up like that is either going to result in a mess of conflicting tones or everyone's styles being flatten out into a homogeneous, bland whole. The opening credits box lets us known which authors are responsible for which pages. Can you tell who wrote what pages? Flynn's pages are fairly distinctive, with Sonic cracking some one-liners that seem recognizable as his style. Evan Stanley tries to do some similarly snarky humor on her pages but it comes off as more awkward than anything else, while the relationship stuff between Sonic and Amy is more her speed. Daniel Barnes gets to write some jokey dialogue for Cubot and Orbot, including a shout-out to the infamous “Big oof” panel, but otherwise I don't think I noticed that the same guy who wrote “Scrapnik Island” wrote that sequence. 

I'm not super familiar with Kitching's style but his pages are among the least distinctive here, save for an unusually verbose word balloon from Knuckles. I suppose much the same can be applied to Aaron Hammerstrom, who has Cream practically yell a monologue. Though Hammerstrom's pages also have the clearest defined character arc in the issues, so I guess he wins. Caleb Goellner, true to form, contributes the lamest scenes here. As always, his characters speak in either extremely bland exposition or attempts at humor that are so uneven that they feel like someone who only speaks English as a second language wrote them. 

In hopes of making this division among the writers a little less awkward, the book is essentially broken up into six page segments with a different cast on each one. Yet the result is still equal parts clashing in the different approaches to the dialogue without really giving any one author a chance to shine. I think breaking this issue up into different stories would've resolved both of those problems, allowing each writer to make their stories more their own without creating an overall bland narrative that feels like it was probably designed by committee. 

The artwork is similarly split, with eight different people handling pencils and ink duties here. Gigi Butreix's painterly colors realy make Evan Stanley's pages pop in a fascinating way. Mauro Fonseca and Rik Mak's pages are nicely moody, with a very classic Sega-style looking Sonic. Min Ho Kim definitely has fun drawing that Go Nagai style Eggman robot, while also contributing some really eye-catching shading. Abby Bulmer does Goellner's pages and, unfortunately, they look kind of bad. She makes everyone look like chubby comic strip characters, with the proportions definitely seeming off to me in a few panels. Adam Bryce Thomas (who draws the very beginning and ending) and Hammerstrom do strong work in their pages as well. Both throw in lots of dynamic action and expressive faces, which is exactly what they both excel at. 

Ultimately, “Sonic's 900th Adventure” is a neat idea for a comic book that falls short of that potential. If this was going to be a true celebration of Sonic's history, it should've included more throwbacks and a more specific sense of place. By just limiting the cast to Sonic's most profitable friends, it makes the universe actually seem rather small. Splitting this story across six writers and six different supporting players also results in a rather fractured feeling special that can never quite build up tension or proper pacing. But the artwork is (mostly) pretty neat and it is fun to see Sonic interacting with different friends. I know I only ever give out [6/10]s lately but “Sonic's 900th Adventure” definitely feels like it belongs exactly at that level.

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 64

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 64

Publication Date: September 13th, 2023

IDW's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series does, for the time being anyway, seem committed to the structure of a cover story and a back-up story in each issue. That worked out nicely for the book last month, so let's see how issue 64 did... The cover story, “Misadventures, Part 2,” begins with Silver and Whisper spying on “Duo,” looking to see if their suspicion that the new recruit is actually Mimic will be fulfilled. Lanolin quickly sees the two sneaking around and blows their cover. Silver and Whisper decide to go on the offensive then, chasing after Duo. All they manage to do is sprain the cat's ankle, turn everyone against their mission, and get Silver kicked out of the Diamond Cutters. Afterwards, in “Two of a Kind,” Blaze and Sonic are returning to Restoration HQ when they notice Silver sulking out by the victory garden. The pyrokinetic cat and the telekinetic hedgehog have a heart-to-heart, realizing they have a lot in common. 

In my review of issue 63, I commented that Mimic/Duo didn't strike me as a very talented or patient assassin. Maybe this was fitting, as issue 64 reveals that Whisper and Silver are not very talented or patient spies. Instead of carefully watching Duo for days on end and gathering evidence, they immediately get their cover blown. Alright, Silver sucks at sneaking. Sure. Yet instead of staying committed to a stealthy approach, the two go from zero to sixty in the opposite direction. Silver chases Duo down and threatens him, in hopes that this will force Mimic to reveal himself. That does not seem like the most sensible decision. 

I suppose you could say that Silver isn't in a sensible mood, after almost getting killed last time... But why doesn't Whisper – the epitome of a calm, watchful combatant – ever tell him to cool it? Instead, she ends up fighting Lanolin while Silver takes chase. Alright, I guess Mimic is a sore subject for Whisper as well, prompting her to act rashly. To me, however, it really seems like both characters are blundering into this mission, totally convinced of what they must do, instead of acting reasonably and making absolutely sure Duo is Mimic before striking. Whisper even says they have to be certain before going right along with Silver's crazy plan. 

If you have to resort to the explanation of “The characters are acting like jack-asses because they are upset,” you should definitely emphasize that this is what's happening more keenly. Otherwise, it just makes our heroes seem like impulsive dimwits. However, it's not like Silver and Whisper are the only ones acting like damn fools here. Once again, I must ask the question: Why does Lanolin trust Duo so much? She doesn't know this guy! Does the Restoration even do background checks on their new recruits? The fact that Lanolin is willing to go fisticuffs to defend this guy, against a friend and team members of her's that she's fought alongside, makes this entire sequence of events rub me the wrong way. Everyone is acting like a moron in this issue. 

This story reflects on everyone poorly, honestly. We, the reader, know for a fact that “Duo” is Mimic. Lanolin going to bat for this guy makes her seem like an idiot. The final sequence has Jewel apologizing to Duo as he recovers from, I don't know, a sprained ankle or whatever. I guess she's fooled too, even offering him a job in her office. This doesn't make Mimic look like a cunning strategist or master manipulator. It makes him look lucky, to stumble his way into a better position like that. To be surrounded by people who so totally uncritically buy his deception. The longer this particular arc goes on, the more I think it would've been a lot better if it hadn't been revealed that Mimic is Duo before things got rolling. 

But, you know, characters acting ridiculously head-strong and not thinking things through, falling into contrived events just to facilitate an action sequence... That is a proud tradition in comic books. “Misadventures, Part 2” seemingly even sets up such a big fight. Whisper and Lanolin are going to duke it out, right? Well, they do... For about four panels. Whisper grabs Lanolin's wrist, she gets tossed tot he ground, there's some kicking and punching. That's it. Come on, Evan, if you're going to stretch this dumb-ass plot out for multiple issues, at least have the good sense to give us a pulpy fight scene between two established characters! 

Of course, the back-up story makes it clear why this rather weird, off-center cover story plays out the way it does. By the end of “Two of a Kind,” Silver and Blaze have run off together. Silver leaves behind the Restoration and decides to go on a seemingly unrelated adventure with Blaze. That's kind of annoying, if only because the previous few issues have been trying to make a point about how Silver belongs in the Restoration. Seems to kind of defeat the purpose, doesn't it? Why do all that development about Silver trying to fit in with the Diamond Cutters just to break them up? 

Then again, Silver and Blaze being paired up is not without precedent. Not within this comic book, where they haven't interacted much outside of the “Victory Garden” story a few annuals back. (Which this issue references extensively.) In the fandom, however, Silver and Blaze are an incredibly popular ship. With the exception of insanely common ships like Sonic and Amy or Rouge with anyone, I think “Silaze” is probably the match-up I see the most frequently in artwork and fanfics. I think this is probably just because “Sonic '06” paired them up or they are both from alternate timelines or whatever. Yet they do have a cute chemistry here. Silver is shy and awkward. Blaze is also awkward, though for totally different reasons. Both characters are looking for their purpose in the world, or the present anyway. 

Even Sonic agrees that they are a cute couple, more-or-less telling them that's exactly what they are. Which is about as explicit a ship-tease as I think we're likely to see in this comic book. Ultimately, “Two of a Kind” isn't much of a story. Almost the entire thing is devoted to Blaze and Silver's little conversation. I support small scale, character-driven stories like this. I think I like the back-up story last month, if only because Sonic and Blaze have a better rapport. Yet I must, philosophically, support this story exist. Even if the seams of the plot here – pairing these two up for an adventure for some reason – is showing very obviously. 

Last time, I worried that the plot involving Duo/Mimic would get dumb really quickly. Those fears are already starting to show themselves. Admittedly, I do continue to like dividing the issue between a cover story and a back-up. Especially if the back-up stories continue to be more character driven than the more action oriented cover stories. By the way, this is another issue that barely has Sonic in it, which is turning into an interesting trend. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 51

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 51

Publication Date: July 27th, 2022

The fifty-first installment of IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic has only been out a few hours as I write this and it's already proving to be one of the most controversial issues in the comic's short history. Not because of any of the narrative choices or character decisions it makes. Honestly, I haven't lurked enough today to see if the issue itself has been well received or not. Instead, the controversy started yesterday when the preview images came out and fans got a look at a panel where Belle informs Sonic that Dr. Starline is dead... and the hedgehog reacts by saying "Big oof." This single word balloon has ignited such debate that "Big Oof" was actually trending on Twitter this morning. 

I'm pretty disconnected from the modern world, as I am An Old and now have the glorious option of just not giving a shit about many things. Apparently, Sonic saying "Big oof" to the news of an enemy dying is being interpreted by some as "cringe" or unsympathetic. Maybe it's just because I've been around since the days when Sonic peppered his speech with totally rad surfer dude lingo but Sonic dropping modern internet speech into his lexicon does not phase me. I mean, if he said "Lol" or "poggers" or called someone "Blorbo," that would probably be a little distracting. But the hedgehog saying "Big oof," this one time, is fine. He fucking flossed in the movie and nobody gave a shit about that, so I fail to see the big deal here. If this is how the fandom reacts to one instance, I doubt Flynn will incorporate any more "Roblox" speak into Sonic's verbiage. 

As for accusations of Sonic being dismissive or cruel to the news of someone dying... I mean, I guess I can see people getting testy about that. Obviously, because fandom debates are so fucking intense and bipartisan these days, the anti-Flynn crowd will use this as more ammunition that the writer fundamentally doesn't grok Sonic. This single goddamn line will fuel their personal theories and validate their vendettas that [X] quality of the "Sonic" franchise is bad now or was never good to begin with. Yet considering Flynn devoted several pages in just the last issue to describing Sonic's idea of justice – clarifying that he has an unlimited supply of forgiveness but only so much compassion – I think this probably lines up. Starline's evil acts extended past Sonic's give-a-shit quota for the day. 

Also, Sonic is fighting a fucking war against an enemy here. People are going to die. It seems unlikely to me that Starline is permanently dead anyway, so the hedgehog can apologize for his momentary lack of empathy the next time he sees the platypus. And the guy just got done dueling an angry teenager, a fight he was totally unprepared for. He's had a stressful day. He's a little grumpy. A smidgen grouchy. It's okay if someone doesn't act one hundred percent consistently all the time. Real people don't. I don't think acknowledging that is a way to excuse O.O.C. writing. I do not feel this is the IDW equivalent of the infamous Sally Slap panel. These fans who see characters as just a set of stats that must be exactly obeyed at all times are exhausting. I blame video games and the internet.

Anyway, I'm done participating in the Big Oof Discourse. Let's talk about this comic book outside of the contents of a single goddamn panel. We pick up shortly after where we left off last time. Sonic, Tails, Belle, and an unconscious Kitsunami are being pursued through Eggman's Eggperial City by a horde of Badniks. They find a hiding place long enough to form a plan. Using her momentary connection to Metal Sonic to access the city's maps, Belle realizes there's a hanger not too far from their current location. Sonic will distract the army of Badniks while the others sneak over there, picking the hedgehog up in the way back. Yet Eggman is more ready for this escape route than they anticipate.

This issue really worked for me, because it does something that almost always ratchets the tension up in an action story. Our heroes are pinned down, in a tight situation. They are surrounded on all side by enemies. Their is no clear path to victory, forcing them to strategize on the fly. This is why "Die Hard" and "The Raid" and "Night of the Living Dead" and countless other stories are masterpieces of thrills. It's possible, I suppose, that Flynn could've made things even more dire. If he had forced the gang to think of a plan while literally fighting off more Badniks. Or made Sonic even more exhausted and desperate while battling the robotic goons in the second half, instead of his usual effortless, snarky self. (Though if people are ranting over "Big Oof," I can only imagine how'd they act about that.) Yet I'm not going to bitch about a brief moment for everyone to catch their breath while they're knee-deep in The Shit. It's still an effectively suspenseful premise for an issue. 

In fact, this issue even surprised me in a big way. It seems, after writing him as kind of an ineffectual villain for the last year or so, Flynn is recommitting to Eggman being an actual serious threat. It's sort of a rule in writing that, any time our heroes put a detailed plan in place, that something will go wrong. That's just a basic rule of dramatic dynamics. Yet it still caught me off-guard that Eggman sees through Sonic's escape route so easily here. He plays the heroes' game, only to send Metal Sonic to take the aircraft down at the last minute. A clean escape and an easy victory is snatched away from the good guys right before they grab it. Things go from bad to worst. The stakes are raised even further and Eggman – who was being briskly humiliated as recently as the FCBD issue – is reestablished as a brilliant, dangerous adversary. Good shit. 

This is also an issue that is almost constantly moving. Aside from the brief scene of our heroes making their plan and Eggman putting together his countermeasures, everyone is on the run here. The guys are outmaneuvering a horde of Badniks on the first page, which they barely escape. Sonic spends the entire second half hurdling around an army of killer robots, his interior monologue letting us know that he's starting to tire. Tails and Belle are sneaking around, trying to find the ship. All of that is before Metal Sonic shows up! The pacing here is extraordinarily fleet-footed, which is really appreciated after what felt like a sluggish run-up to issue fifty. 

The action scenes look fucking cool too, thanks to two artists working at the top of their game. Adam Bryce Thomas pencils the first twelve pages while Mauro Fonseca draws the remaining pages. Thomas really has fun drawing an entire page devoted to Sonic zipping around and wrecking Badniks. The opening panels, where Sonic tosses Belle to safety, is energetically drawn. A single page set in the belly of Eggperial City, where conveyer belts lead to a huge Eggman-shaped furnace, is cool as shit. I'm reminded of the Moloch machine from "Metropolis." We see dumping tubes extending down from the shadowy surface. The pipes extending out and upward of the Eggman furnace even look a bit like devilish horns, further giving this panel a hellish atmosphere. 

This is only the third time Fonseca has provided interior artwork for IDW. I liked his pencils on "Sonic Learns to Drive" but was not blown away by his work on "Imposter Syndrome." Yet his pages really impress me here. His Sonic is a little more Classic influenced than most, a little chubbier and cuter, but with extra attention paid to how expressive his spines are. His action scenes are also very spirited. The inking, from Rik Mack, also elevates Fonseca's pages. The pages devoted to Metal Sonic scuttling the aircraft, and the resulting fiery crash, are so dramatically shaded. It's also clear that everyone had a blast drawing a whole selection of classic Badniks. I'm going to need a YouTube analysis video to tell me who they all are and where they originated. 

After devoting what seemed like a long time to "The Road to #50," I was really curious where IDW "Sonic" would go next. Interestingly enough, the series does not seem eager to return to the status quo. Belle has been changed by her meeting with Eggman last issue, rather literally. She now has a more analytical brain, her wooden processors somehow retaining information from Metal Sonic. This suggests the little puppet may have a new function as the Restoration's strategist going forward. Metal Sonic seems to have been changed by this encounter too, if the panel of him tensely pausing when Eggman calls to him is any indication. Did Belle's independence rub off on Metal, the same way his intel rubbed off on her? Eggman seems interested in retrieving Belle, seeing potential in her. Did I sense a hint of jealousy from the machine that assumes itself to be Eggman's favorite "child?" Is Sonic's most robotic rival going to actually get some character development here soon? I don't know if Sega will allow that, or if Flynn is even interested in exploring that, but here's hoping. 

While there's some pleasant surprises here, this issue does one thing that didn't shock me in the least. Flynn wastes no time at all revealing that Surge is very much alive. Sonic drops the oft-mocked line "Nobody could survive that!" but, totally expectedly, IDW's most beloved new cast member is quickly shown to be the exception to that statement. She's the person who falls on the conveyor belt I mentioned above. Thomas milks all the visual panache he can out of the image of Surge pulling herself from a pile of twisted wreckage and escaping mere seconds before it's smashed by a giant tooth-shaped piston. Surge is clearly going to be a major antagonist for the comic's immediate future. At least it looks cool. 

The issue ends on a hell of a cliffhanger too, with our heroes stranded behind enemy lines and Sonic fucking up his ankle in the crash. There's also the lingering question of what Kit will think of all this once he awakens from his stupor. In other words: This issue is good! I asked not too long ago if IDW had a plan for this series. Now, it's immediately evident that they do. This is a tense little read and, ya know what, I even like it better than the action packed previous issue. We need more tensely plotted and executed issues like this. And I won't give a shit if Sonic says "Big Oof" in those issues too. [8/10]