Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 241

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 241
Publication Date: October 2012

Don't you just love a misleading cover? Issue 241's cover makes it look like the big conclusion to the comic's recent events, when it only sort of wraps some things up. It also features several characters on the cover who do not appear in the book. The Secret Freedom Fighters, while Robotnik's role is pretty minimal. However, there's something bittersweet but this usual comic book shenanigans. This comic marks the final appearance of several of those characters before the reboot. Many more minor Archie exclusive cast members take their final, unknowing curtain bow in this issue.

“Unraveling” follows two story lines. Somewhere across the continent, Team Fighter follows the Death Egg. Eggman is on the run until he cooks up a last minute scheme that distracts Sonic and friends for a while. Meanwhile, in Mobotropolis, more stuff is going down. Naugus continues to loose control of his body. Mina puts on a benefit concert to un-exile Nicole. Mina's mom takes over Rotor's seat on the Council of Acorn. This news upsets Naugus and further exacerbates his condition.

Yes, the villain's scheme might be “Unraveling” but Flynn is undoing many of the dumb-ass plot points he's introduced over the last year. This issue sees Geoffrey St. John finally betray Naugus, rejecting the evil wizard and the stupid decision to turn him into a traitor in the first place. Mina uses her music to encourage the community to welcome Nicole back, doing away with the stupid decision to write her out of the book for a few issues. (Mobotropolis' populace still remains far too easy to manipulate, via the power of song.) This all prefaces the city as a whole turning on King Naugus. Say what you will about Mecha-Sally but that was a plot mix-up that created new story opportunities. Making St. John Naugus' apprentice, Naugus becoming king, and having the city turn on Nicole were unnatural story decisions that existed more to push through ideas than to naturally move the story forward. I'm glad we're done with them.

Flynn doesn't seem to admit that he's unfucking his own mistakes here. Instead, these story turns fit into the issue's theme of forgiveness. Mina admits to her mistakes and apologizes to them. This allows the city's citizens to do the same. Nicole, in turn, forgives the Council for exiling her. One of the aspects that marks Naugus as a villain is his inability to change and move on from past transgressions... Which makes his constantly transforming physical state a rather ironic twist. I don't know if Flynn did that on purpose.

Naugus cracking up does give Steven Butler an excuse to draw some fucked-up monsters. And it's clearly something he enjoys. The wizard spends most of the issue in a state of high stress, his body mutating. His metal claw repeatedly morphs into a lobster claw. Smaller crustacean claws sprout from his torso. A big, red, bumpy tail falls out of his ass. Naugus is constantly drooling and sweaty. In a book whose cast is primarily made up of cute animals, you can tell Butler is really relishing the chance to draw a hideous mutant. As you'd expect, Butler's artwork is extremely strong in general.

There's a fair bit of humor to Naugus' breakdown. The wizard touches upon the idea of possessing someone else's body, in order to get his consciousness out of a physical form that is going beserk. First, he attempts to talk King Acorn into entering into a magic pact with him. Despite Max being almost entirely senile by this point, he still has the strength of will to reject the King's plan. Next, Naugus attempts to trick Jules into giving up his body. Sonic's parents bring up everything bad Naugus has ever done to them and their son before telling him to get the fuck out. The way Butler draws Jules and Bernie's annoyed faces, even including Muttski growling at the wizard, makes this scene even funnier. Naugus' skills are degenerating to such a degree that he can't even get old men to fall for his bullshit.

Continuing the trend that started with issue 240, Sonic barely appears in issue 241. Sonic, Amy, and Tails are many miles away from Mobotropolis. The action beat feels perfunctory.  Eggman discovers a sprig of the Krudzu Hybrid Hydra on the Death Egg. Running low on options, he combines the plant-machine with the busted-out shell of a Titan Metal Sonic. Yet it only takes Team Fighter a few pages to take down this kaiju-sized threat. It's pretty evident that Flynn is more invested in what's happening in Mobotropolis and only includes these scenes to give the hedgehog hero and his Sega-approved co-stars an obligatory appearance. It's a decent fight scene but has little reason to be in this comic book.

Geoffrey St. John is among the characters to make his last appearance in this issue. That's a shame, since the comic wraps up on an tantalizing plot point with him: Naugus possessing the body of his apprentice. The ending also teases the start of the “Endangered Species” storyline, which would write out most of Ken Penders' echidna characters even before the reboot would come along and blank-slate nearly the entire universe. So I guess it's a good thing that this is a pretty strong issue, since this era of Archie “Sonic” is coming to an abrupt close very soon. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 237

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 237
Publication Date: May 2012

After thinking on it some more, I've realized another problem I have with Ian Flynn's decision to split up the remaining Freedom Fighters into two separate teams last issue: It's something the book has essentially already done. After “Endgame,” when the Knothole crew was in a time of strife, Sonic and Tails packed up, jumped on an airplane, and decided to fly around the world.

While the circumstances are very different, the Team Fighter concept is very similar. Sonic and Tails are uprooting themselves from the area when they're needed the most. While the World Tour story arc had its purpose – showing how Sonic's world has changed post-”Endgame” – as far as I can tell, there's really no reason for the main crew to go around the world now.

The uninspiredly entitled “Loyalty,”  with the egregiously italicized subtitle “The Right to Rule,” has the newly formed Team Fighter heading back to the Mysterious Cat Country. As the Death Egg floats overhead, Eggman sends Mecha-Sally to destabilize the region. The Freedom Fighter-turn-robot snatches both Lupe and Queen Hathor, causing suspicion to sneak into the uneasy peace between the two groups. Sonic, Tails, and Amy arrive at just the right time, in order to prevent war from breaking out again.

While I'm still burned about Flynn sending the characters on this adventure, I will admit that returning to the Mysterious Cat Country isn't a bad idea. First off, it's always nice to see Lupe and the Wolf Pack. As one of the oldest and most iconic supporting characters in the Archie-verse, seeing these cast members is a treat. Moreover, the conflict between the Wolf Pack and the Felidae has been mined to solid results in the past. The root of the conflict, that neither side is exactly wrong and that their peace is always precarious, makes for good drama. By building all of “Loyalty” around that premise, that Sonic and friends are trying to prevent war from unjustifiably breaking out, lends this issue some tension. Even if the issue itself is mostly set-up and a few uninspired action sequences.

Up to this point, Mecha-Sally's threat level has been more symbolic than anything else. Just the sight of  the Freedom Fighters' leader being turned into a weaponized, robot slave was startling enough. Here in issue 237, we see that Mecha-Sally is dangerous not just because she's a really powerful robot. Turns out Mecha-Sally maintains Sally's skills as a strategist. Grabbing Lupe and Hathor separately, knowing both sides will blame the other and war will begin again, is entirely her idea. That's a nice touch, making her an intellectual threat too.

There's also another ulterior motive behind traveling to this corner of Mobius. Sonic, Tails, and Amy arrive at the Wolf Pack's base just as Lobo is deliberating what to do. The trio realize that if they bring Lupe back before Lobo and the other's finish talking out the next course of action, they can prevent further violence. Two of the young Wolf Pack members, Leeta and Lyco, decide to tag along with Team Freedom. Apparently, the twin sisters want to travel anyway. All of this is setting up Leeta and Lyco's inclusion in the upcoming Secret Freedom Fighters “Sonic Universe” arc.

Why Flynn would highlight these two very obscure characters – yes, I had forgotten about them by this point too – is something I still haven't quite figured out. Maybe he just wanted more female representation? Either way, the sisters don't do too much this issue besides walk around with machetes and dodge some laser fire.

In the back pages we get “Heart to Heart.” The story begins with Mina the Mongoose heading into Freedom HQ. She's there to apologize personally to Nicole, who has retreated further following Antoine falling into a coma and Bunnie leaving the city. Mina and the A.I. have a heart to heart – oh yeah, like the title – and eventually put their differences aside. Then Harvey Who busts in and asks Nicole for a favor, because Flynn just wants you guys to get hyped for the Secret Freedom Fighter arc coming soon in “Sonic Universe” so fucking bad.

My big problem with “Heart to Heart” is that its emotions just aren't earned. There's individual good moments here. Nicole typing out simple text on-screen, talking about the friends she's lost recently, is still effectively stark and sad. However, I just don't buy Mina's apology here. She never really says she's sorry for raging against Nicole in the first place. She says she didn't mean to incite this exact reaction among Mobotropolis population. Which sounds to me like she's trying to shift the blame. Because, as far as I can recall, Mina was pretty specifically calling Nicole out at the start of all this. Then the story segues into Mina giving the depressed Nicole a pep-talk before yet another Harvey Who-related teaser, which further deflates a story lacking heart that desperately needed it.

So I'm not too sure what to think about this one. The cover story has a really good idea but is still more set-up than a fully satisfying story in its own right. The back-up has some fucking problems. At least the artwork is nice. Steven Butler is back for the cover story and does a great friggin' job. Yardley contributes some good work to the back-up. Hopefully all these plot points that Flynn are setting up pay off. [6.5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 223

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 223
Publication Date: March 2011

You see that spiffy graphic on the cover of Archie's 223rd issue of “Sonic the Hedgehog?” “Countdown to Genesis?” That was the big “Sonic” event of 2011 and, obviously, it was coming up in a few months at this point. Though Ian Flynn has handled quite a few huge story arcs during his tenure on “Sonic,” “Genesis” received a level of hype that was bigger than any previous one. But I'm not here to really talk about that. Instead, this issue finally brings a plot point that Flynn has been building towards for a while now.

Part one of “Chaos and the Crown” begins with a peaceful day in New Mobotropolis. Mina and the Forget-Me-Knots are prepared to perform a free concert. Instead, a cloaked figure approaches the stage and grabs the microphone. He reveals himself as Geoffrey St. John and welcomes Ixis Naugus back into the city. A huge fight begins, the hedgehog and the wizard fighting their way towards the royal palace. However, Naugus' plans are not as straight-ahead as they appear.

Last time, I bitched that Flynn was taking too long to follow through on this new Ixis Naugus plot line. Well, I guess my concerns traveled backwards in time to 2011 because he finally got to the point in the next issue. This issue concerns Ixis Naugus making his grand return as a serious threat. Fan reaction to Naugus as a character has always been mixed. Even though that was the original plan with SatAM, Naugus' introduction in issue 53 as the heir to Robotnik's title as Sonic's archenemy was mixed. I, however, always thought Naugus had a lot of potential. Especially his use of magic, which made a nice contrast with the technologically inclined Robotnik. The wizard has been floating around the comic, back and forth, since then. But Flynn has the villain really being reestablished as a serious threat for the first time in a long time.

Maybe I only like Naugus because his elemental powers are cool for fight scenes. This fact is proudly displayed in “Chaos and the Crown: Part One.” As Sonic spin-dashes towards the sorcerer, he changes into vapor, the hedgehog passing right through him. He turns his body to flames or causes huge rocks to burst from the ground. He blocks doorways with his crystalline magic. This is certainly a very different type of challenge than what Sonic faced with Robotnik and that's why it's cool.

Of course, Naugus isn't just in New Mobotropolis to wreck shit and vex Sonic. And that's another problem I have with this entire premise. Naugus marches into the castle, before the council, and explains that he is technically the Acorn Kingdom's ruler. See, while they were trapped in the Zone of Silence, King Acorn pledged loyalty to Naugus, making him is superior. This is shaky logic but I guess not totally inexcusable. The problem is what this sets up. From here until the reboot derails absolutely everything, Naugus will pretend that he likes ruling Mobotropolis for reasons that aren't sinister, even though he's obviously, blatantly evil. There's really no reason for the heroes to put up with it. But they will and so will we.

Even that's not my big issue with this story turn. Once again, I wonder why Flynn has done this to poor Geoffrey St. John. He attempts to address some concerns. Via Sally, he attempts to address the problem of St. John never utilizing or showing any interest in magic ever before. (His response, “that I was busy being in a war,” hardly satisfies.) Sally inquires why a loyal soldier like St. John would turn traitor, only for him to claim that he's not a traitor, since Naugus is the true king. It's all a bunch of weak excuses to justify a lame plot twist. There's a pretty cool fight scene, of Geoffrey whipping most of the Freedom Fighters' asses, but that hardly warrants the weak writing.

The worst part comes when we discover that Hershey is dead. Geoffrey admits this bluntly in dialogue. We don't even see a body or a flashback. She's just dead. Yes, I know Hershey the Cat was hardly a beloved character. She was another Ken Penders cast-off, given little characterization and rarely contributing anything to a story. But murdering her off-screen and with zero explanation was a little mean, don't you think? Knowing the “Sonic” fandom like I do, I'm sure she was probably somebody's favorite character. I expect better from Flynn, who usually took a previous writer's ideas and explored them in a new way, instead of just lazily tossing them in the garbage bin.

One page in the cover story is devoted to Robotnik, who is still hiding in the Egg-Dome and plotting something villainous. The back-up story, “Special Zone House Call,” shines a little more light on that. Robotnik needs a Chaos Emerald for his next evil scheme and he comes to the same conclusion Sonic and St. John did a few issues back: Just go into the Special Zone and grab one. He hulls Snively along, both in Egg-Mobiles, play one of Feist's games, and grab an emerald. But not before Robotnik humiliates Snively a little.

Two characters competing for a Chaos Emerald in Feist's Zone is a story device Flynn has returned to a lot recently. Considering Feist never actually gets to keep any of his emeralds, you'd think he'd stop allowing people to compete. However, I can see why Flynn keeps returning to this one. It's a fun premise! Moreover, pitting Robotnik and Snively together allows their frequently one-sided rivalry to play out in a different way. Instead of simply scheming against his uncle behind his back, we actually get to see Snively actively fight against him. Of course, the Eggman comes out on top every time. He really makes it apparent here, when he nearly leaves Snively in Feist's zone after he looses the contest. There's not too much to this one but it's a fun read.

I have my problems with issue 223 but at least it looks fantastic. Ben Bates pens the cover story while Jamal Peppers handles the back-up. They both do a great job, full of energy and dynamic action as well as crisply drawn and expressive characters. It's a good thing, since I have some serious concerns about the cover story. While there's plenty of stuff here I like to, the flaws manage to eclipse most of the pros. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 222

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 222
Publication Date: February 2011

Once again, Ian Flynn employs one of my favorite tactics of his. We're still technically between events. Iron Dominion is in the rear-view mirror. Genesis is a few issue off. Though Flynn is laying down heavy plot points here of late – such as St. John betraying the Freedom Fighters, Naugus' upcoming coup, Mina's generating civil unrest with her new music – we are technically in the calm between storms here. So the author throws in an issue that's mostly focused on smaller, more personal issues for the cast of lovable characters.

This is apparent in the cover story's title: “The World Can Wait.” Sally and Sonic have finally decided to go out on a real, with-a-capital-D date. Both teenagers are anxious, though they display their nerves in different ways. Once they finally meet for the evening, dining at New Mobotropolis' only super nice restaurant apparently, politics interrupt their nice evenings. The waiter and other customers begin to debate the Nicole issue.  However, Sonic and Sally still manage to have a nice, wholesome time, even with outside forces plotting just under their noses.

I should say that “The World Can Wait” is half a more character-orientated story and half a way for Flynn to further some of his recent plot points. Scenes of Sally and Sonic being adorable around each other are interrupted by the politics of the day. The reader is experiencing this almost the same way the characters are. Sonic and Sally want a peaceful evening together. The readers want to see this long-separated couple get back together. Both expectations are sidetracked by the petty bullshit happening around them. This is an effective tactic but does little to delude the frustration I feel.

Honestly, any complaints I have with “The World Can Wait” can totally be put aside thanks to several fantastic moments. There's a two page sequence where Sonic and Sally prepare for the date. On one side, we see Sally fret over what she should wear and how serious things are going to get. On the other side, we see Sonic's anxiety manifest in a less obvious but still jittery way. Contrasting the two approaches is really cute, showing the differences and similarities in the characters. Mostly, it's just super cute watching these characters, who have fought supervillains all over the world, get nervous over a little date. It's a reminder that Sonic and Sally – monarchs, Freedom Fighters, child soldiers, superheroes – are still teenagers, first and foremost. They're allowed to be uncertain about their romantic lives.

Of course, Sonic and Sally going on a date while their city is having a moral crisis is one of my problems with the way Flynn would handle this plot point. Ash and Mina being at the same restaurant as Sally smacks of overly easy writing. (Though it is nice to see Mina in that tight, Chinese style dress again.) There's also some less-than-elegant long-reaching plot mechanics here. Sally is visiting Monkey Khan at the beginning of the day. This is to confirm that the Iron Queen is going to be out of the picture for a while. It's also to bury the Sally/Khan ship once and for all, as Sal officially friend-zones the ape here. I figured Flynn had handled that already but I guess the extra assurance isn't bad either.

Naturally, the book ends by teasing Naugus again. The evil wizard is hanging out in the woods, on the edge of the current story line. For about four issues now, Flynn has been teasing Naugus' upcoming attempted coup of New Mobotropolis. I kind of wish he would shit or get off the pot on this one. Watching a villain scheme is only so threatening up to a point. After a while, it makes the bad guy seem ineffectual. Now, of course, we know what Ixis Naugus is capable of. But he really needs to get moving on this soon. Especially since he still hasn't really justified St. John's face-heel turn.

Again, don't think I disliked this one! There's actually a number of personable moments that I really like a lot here! The story opens with Sonic and Tails playing a game of Capture the Flag. It's always nice to see the two friends actually messing around and acting like friends. Reminds you why their camaraderie exist in the first place. One of the best moments in the issue entails Amy Rose leaping out of the sky, using her big-ass hammer to dissuade the people following Sonic and Sally. That's funny and also continues to show Amy Rose's character development. She values Sonic's overall happiness over everything else, even her own romantic interests. Lastly, once Sonic and Sally are left alone, the two begin to get closer again, healing the wounds their last break-up created.

In the back pages, the “Second Impressions” two-parter continues. Espio and Nicole nervously explain to Knuckles that Dimitri's disembodied head wants to meet with him. At first, Knuckles is horrified and extremely angry. After listening to Dimitri's very sincere apology, and his earnest promise to change for the better, the Guardian changes his mind.

The character-focused atmosphere continues in the back story. “Second Impressions: Part Two” shows Knuckles doing something very unusual: Talking things out, instead of punching stuff. He wants to punch stuff but eventually clears his head. The story represents Dimitri's final switch from villain to ally. It's been coming for a long time, as Flynn has long built towards making the once tyrannical madman into a more sympathetic character. Knuckles finally accepting his great uncle as a friend represents character development for the both of them. Dimitri is a hero now and Knuckles is chill with it. It's solid writing.

Tracy Yardley takes this entire issue off, allowing some other artist to shine. Steven Butler draws the cover story. Butler's gritty details have always been well-served by action stories. However, that same attention to detail also works for character-based stories like this. He really makes Sally and Sonic's feelings clear. He also makes the moody conclusion, of Sonic and Sally getting closer in the woods, look awfully nice. James Fry draws the back-up. Fry's character work is still looking a little looser than usual. However, there's a sense of expression here that serves the story nicely. It's a good looking issue.

Over all, I have my problems with this one but they are minor compared to what it gets right. As a life-long Sonic/Sally shipper, I especially appreciated Flynn finally getting these crazy kids back together. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 221

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 221
Publication Date: January 2011

Ian Flynn kicked off 2011 with a pair of character focused, dialogue-driven stories. “Changing Tempo” begins with Sonic and Sally attending Mina's new concert. In the crowd, they encounter Nicole, who has disguised herself as a regular citizen of New Mobotropolis. The trio is not prepared for the mongoose's new, politically-minded music. Nicole, specifically targeted by the songs, runs off horrified. Meanwhile, Naugus and St. John infiltrate the city and the wizard begins to spread his dark magic around.

If the terse interactions we've had over Twitter is any indication, Ian Flynn outright resists a political reading of his work on “Sonic.” One, however, can't help but see a social message in “Changing Tempo.” By spreading her concerns about Nicole through music, Mina opens up all of New Mobotropolis to fear. People do not act reasonably to her message, considering what Nicole has done for the city. Instead, they immediately begin to turn against the program in a very vocal way. If the message about the destructive power of fear isn't clear enough, Flynn reveals that an evil wizard is using this overriding fear to push his agenda on the public. It's not difficult to switch out “the A.I and nanites that run our city” with “immigrants” or “terrorists” or whatever buzz word the right wing is using these day to push their insidious agenda.

Then again, maybe looking for a serious message in this story is a mistake. Flynn's focus is much more on the personal cost of Mina's actions. There's a fantastic series of panels devoted to showing Nicole's reaction to Mina's songs. First, she's as enthusiastic as everyone else. Then, as she realizes what the mongoose is singing about, she become scared. Finally, she flees the concert venue in tears. Sonic and Sally later confront Mina and Ash. Not just because they're aware of the good things Mina has done for the city but, more importantly, because Nicole is their friend. They feel personally attacked by these changes because they care about Nicole.

In fact, a sense of panic and resentment traveling through the city is portrayed so well that making an evil wizard responsible for the change isn't even really necessary. Naugus takes credit for some of the reaction and rightly recognizes that this is an ideal environment to seize control. Mostly, these scenes allow the writer to expand on the newly revealed but apparently long-lasting relationship between Naugus and Geoffrey St. John. There's some amusing moment, where the skunk dislikes shadow bending or resents his master for not teaching him more than basic magic. This stuff still doesn't justify the entire business.

The meat of the story isn't bad but what I really like about it is the cute moments that open the story. While entering the crowd, Sonic notices that Sally is visibly nervous. Sally reveals that she was initially jealous of Mina, concerned that she might steal Sonic's heart away. Sonic is honestly surprised by this, as he never saw Mina as anything but a friend. This leads into Sonic discussing his own jealousy towards Sally. It leads to an even cuter moment when Sally finds Nicole in a hat and shorts. It's such an adorable design that I'm surprised the fan-artists didn't run with it more. Flynn's dialogue remains very strong, especially the little line about Sally dealing with killer robots better than personal confrontation.

That character focused bent continues in the back-up story. “Second Impressions: Part One” picks up with Nicole in a secret alcove, somewhere deep in New Mobotropolis' computer center. Her weeping is heard by Dimitri, who is still a robotic head plugged into a counsal. Their conversation is interrupted by Espio, who leaps down from the ceiling and wonders aloud if Dimitri is worth trusting. The three bond over their mutual status as people who have made mistakes and are in need of some forgiveness from themselves and others. We conclude with the newly virtuous Dimitri preparing for a meeting with Knuckles.

Nicole's status as an emotional being is further established here. It's hard to imagine the simple computer program Nicole once was, weeping on the floor. Dimitri, similarly, has also come a long way. Once a tyrannical villain with few goals beyond subjugating the Floating Island and the entire world to his mad will, he's now a reformed bad guy seeking to atone for his wicked ways. Espio not wanting to trust him is understandable, considering he spend a good portion of the last several years fighting him. Yet that's when the chameleon is reminded that, given his recent status as a turncoat, he should understand Dimitri's position more. The story is laying the rails for the more important meeting between Dimitri and Knuckles. However, I'm glad Flynn took the time to give us this calmer moment.

On the artwork front, issue 221 is fairly strong. Ben Bates' pencils on the cover story are excellent, especially the panels devoted to Mina's song. However, I do find that he draws the characters a little too cute, too squished and chibi-esque, on a few of the pages. James Fry provides the back-up and does solid work. There's one panel where Espio's nose disappears and he looks really weird. However, it's an improvement over his last few contribution to the series. All together, I really enjoy 221 as a character-driven issue. [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 219

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 219
Publication Date: November 2010

Lately, I've been talking about Ian Flynn's habit of sneaking smaller, more character-oriented stories in-between the major story arcs. After two neat little two-parters, Flynn is back towards ramping up the next major storyline. The direction the comic would go in over the next few months is controversial among fans, as most everything is, but it'll at least be something a little different. Robotnik will remain in hiding for a little while longer and the heroes will combat another threat, closer to home. For better or worst.

“In Service to the King,” another two-parter, begins with Geoffrey St. John making a surprising announcement to Sonic. He wants to go on a mission with the hedgehog. The secret agent tells the Freedom Fighter that the king has asked him to retrieve a Chaos Emerald from Feist's Special Zone. To help power the city or something. Sonic, always up for an adventure, agrees. The two quickly make haste to the Special Zone and compete in a game for the god-like panda-thing. But not everything is as it appears. Meanwhile, Mina is troubled by a more personal issue.

I guess it just depends on the execution. Right now in “Sonic Universe,” I'm complaining about Flynn writing just another mindless collection of fight scenes. Over in the main book, Ian throws together another straight-ahead action story that is really just a precursor to a larger plot. But this one is actually good! Sometimes, you just want to see Sonic run through a psychedelic landscape and grab a Chaos Emerald. Perhaps what elevates a simple story like this is pairing Sonic with Geoffrey St. John. The two have had an antagonistic relationship over the years but now are working together peacefully. Peacefully but begrudgingly. Seeing Sonic and St. John trade some barbs while running around on an adventure is pretty damn amusing.

Looking back on it, I've enjoyed every visit to Feist's Special Zone since Flynn introduced the idea a while ago. There's definitely something to be said for watching Sonic navigate a wacky, multi-color pocket dimension. I also sort of like Feist as a character, as there's an absurdist humor to a giant panda bear making god-like proclamation. It usually makes for pretty good action scenes too. Sonic zipping through a bomb-filled turnpike is always fun to watch. How Flynn ends the sequence – with St. John calmly zapping Sonic and snatching the Chaos Emerald – is a good little joke too.

Of course, there is a downside to this. The final set of panels reveal St. John heading towards Mogul's casino with the Chaos Emerald and referring to Ixis Naugus – still a half-mad, raving animal – as Mobius' true king. This is setting up an upcoming plot twist I'm no fan of. Ian Flynn will soon reveal that Geoffrey St. John, formally the most loyal agent in Knothole, has actually been a traitor this whole time. I'll get into why I dislike this reveal soon enough but will say that it makes for a captivating cliffhanger.

Tucked in-between the other events are a few scenes concerning Mina Mongoose. Turns out she's been suffering from nightmares, following the Iron Dominion's occupation of New Mobotropolis. After telling Ash – who she was being rather snippy with a minute before – he tells her she should write these feelings into her music. The direction this would head in would also be controversial but, all around, it's good writing. It makes sense that Mina would still be traumatized by what happened during the Iron Dominion arc. She's never been much of a soldier anyway and all that chaos happened right in her backyard. That she asserts herself with Ash, who is then understanding, shows both have undergone some character development. Ash is no longer a manipulative, abusive boyfriend and Mina is developing more of a spine.

Lastly, I want to compliment the artwork. Jamal Peppers, after contributing some fantastic linework to a number of back-up stories, finally got a cover story gig. He doesn't disappoint. The opening page, devoted to Mina's nightmare, is suitably horrifying. The pages showing her emotional outburst are also quite impressive. Sonic's race through Feist's game is beautifully orchestrated. While Peppers' lines remain clean and concise, his characters on-model, what I really like about his artwork is how expressive it is. You can see little quirks and grins in his characters' faces, allowing them to really come to life.

We're not quite done yet. Ian sneaks another five-pager into the back pages. It's time for another corporately mandated video game adaptation, forcing Flynn to throw us another out-of-continuity “Another Time, Another Place” story. “Sonic Colors,” both the video game and the comic book version, see Sonic and Tails visiting a high-tech amusement part on a satellite. There, they discover a race of shape-shifting aliens called Wisps. They also quickly learn two other things: Robotnik is exploiting the wisps as natural resources. And they can fuses with Sonic, giving him temporary special abilities. Naturally, the hedgehog uses the latter knowledge to disrupt the doctor's plans.

These “Another Time, Another Places” stories are usually pretty dreadful, Flynn forced to stick unsatisfying, quickly assembled prologues to whatever Sega's new video game was into five brief pages. So, as far as these things go, “Sonic Colors” is pretty amusing. The jokes are terrible. The back-up introduces Orbot and Cubot into the comic, Robotnik's obnoxious comic relief sidekicks. There's a super lame gag about Tails' mistranslated something the Wisp says, getting gibberish in return. Aside from the dumb jokes, this story features (fittingly enough) a colorful setting. The weird aliens and psychedelic backgrounds are enough to sustain a brief five pager and nothing else.

It feels minor compared to the superior “Thicker Than Water” story arc but issue 219 is a lively one. The cover story has some fun action and makes room for character development. The back-up is bright and brief. The artwork is great all around. You're not going to hear too many complaints about this one from me. It doesn't reinvent the wheel but I'll take it. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 6

Sonic Universe: Issue 6
Publication Date: July 2009

It recently came to my attention that, at least among certain corners of the Sonic Tumblr fandom, that the future set story lines are not well regarded. Consider me surprised. Back in the day, I remember Archie Sonic fans generally enjoying “25 Years Later.” When Ian Flynn revisited the setting with the “Sonic Universe: 30 Years Later,” I wasn't hanging out on Sonic forums very much. But I enjoyed it at the very least. That story line would continue to roll along solidly in issue 6.

“Dark Siege” is densely plotted, as far as these things go. It concerns the Dark Presence's multi-pronged attack on Sonic's kingdom. Tails and Mina are attacked in their hotel room, the kids barely escaping. Lara-Su leaps into action just as Silver, who was trying to explain his mission to King Sonic and Queen Sally, gets knocked unconscious by an undercover agent. Lara-Su, Sonic, and the Prower kids run off to fight against the attack just as Lien-Da digs into the castle's bowels and frees Shadow. That's quite a lot of story for a short comic book.

In 2009, Silver the Hedgehog was still regarded by most fans as an unfortunate symptom of the widely loathed “Sonic '06.” The time tossed, telekinetic hedgehog's previous appearance in the ass end of the “Hedgehog Havoc” story line did little to change the image fans had of him. He was another self-serious, super powerful, ambiguously allied character. With issue 6 of “Sonic Universe,” Flynn begins his rehabilitation of Silver. After announcing his serious goal, saving the world from some catastrophe brought about by a traitor, Silver immediately stumbles. He's not certain he's in the right era. When he questions Sonic about the mechanics of time travel, the King tells him not to worry. Later, he's face-palming, realizing he's screwed up. In other words, Silver is an inexperienced kid, uncertain what to do and prone to frequent mistakes. This humanizes the superpowered character, suddenly making him likable.

Something Flynn did well during his last stop over in the “25 Years Later” setting was establishing the bond Sonic and Sally have as husband and wife. You certainly got the impression that they loved each other, unlike the clear resentment that boiled under their conversations when Penders wrote the couple. One of the highlights of “Dark Siege” is a conversation Sonic and Sally have in the middle of the book. Sonic insists Sally take the kids and flee. She is resistant to this idea, refusing to be the damsel in distress. This leads to a brief argument that ends with a big kiss. Awwww. They argue because both are worried about each other's safety, their frustration is based in love. That's how you do it.

We don't have as much of a bead on Tails and Mina's relationship but Flynn still handles their one scene together in this issue well enough. After Tails is gassed by a Dark Presence agent, Mina grabs the kids and speeds out of the hotel room. (Which is a nice reminder that Mina has super speed.) It says a lot about Mina that her first instinct is to make sure her children are safe. Mina also shows some strength when heading back to rescue Tails. She still gets knocked unconscious but angry and driven are moods that fit Mina surprisingly well. I kind of wish Flynn brought that same attitude to modern day Mina a little more often.

There's some decent action sequences in this one too, mostly devoted to showing that King Sonic still has it. After the family maid reveals herself to be a double agent, Sonic slams her into the wall with surprising ferocity. Seems he doesn't appreciate someone endangering his wife and kids. Later, he teams up with Lara-Su. She's already taken some soldiers out off-screen but Sonic spin-dashes the sole remaining agent into unconsciousness. This leads to a potentially absurd moment. The Dark Presence has hacked the castle's security system. Which includes, for some reason, laser cannons in the wall. It's a silly sequence but watching Sonic and Lara-Su dodge some red laser blast of death is, admittedly, an arresting visual.

The second part of “30 Years Later” rolls along very nicely. Except for one detail. We still don't have much of a bead on the story's enemies. Yes, it's established that Lien-Da's grudge against the royal family is entirely personal. Yet the rest of the Dark Presence seems to be acting evil strictly so the story can have a villain. The closing scene, where Lien-Da awakens King Shadow, is strictly perfunctory. However, the Dark Legion subplot does produce one scene I like. After the assassination attempt, Lara-Su immediately confronts Rutan, Lien-Da's son. The argument between cousins is defused when Dimitri enters the scene, talking some reason into Lara-Su. I continue to like Future Dimitri's characterization as a mellow elder, whose days of villainy is far behind him.

The second “Sonic Universe” story arc isn't balancing character development and action as deftly as the first did, thus far. Still, I like the little details we've seen and generally enjoy how lived-in this universe feels. It's clear that Flynn is so comfortable with the “Sonic” cast by this point that he has no problem writing older, more mature versions of them. Will King Shadow's reemergence derail this story line? Well, I guess we'll find out. Until then, I'm sticking with the positive score. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 201

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 201
Publication Date: June 2009

Issue 201 of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” would begin the Iron Dominion saga. This story line, featuring the Iron Queen taking over Robotnik's city and waging war with the Freedom Fighters, would last for a whole year, stretching from June of 2009 to June of 2010. This story line would be he first time “Sonic” fans would really criticize Ian Flynn's writing. And it has less to do with the actual story and more to do with the event dragging on for so long. Sadly, Flynn wouldn't learn his lesson about inflating the length of big story lines. Having said that, having Robotnik be replaced by another major villain seemed, at first, to be a refreshing change of pace. So was the Iron Dominion event good or bad? Let's find out.

Issue 201's cover story, “Change in Management,” begins with the Freedom Fighters celebrating their defeat of the Eggman Empire. Mina and her band, the Forget-Me-Knots, are performing a concert for New Mobotropolis. The celebration is short-lived, as Monkey Khan arrives to interrupt the festivities. After Sally calms the typically fiery ape down, Khan informs the group that his old archenemy, the Iron Queen, has moved into Megaopolis and is intent on continuing Eggman's tyranny.

“Change in Management” begins with Sonic in an unusually introspective mood. He still feels bad over breaking Robotnik's sanity so totally. It's an interesting place for the hero to be. Sonic's been fighting for this moment for over a decade. Now that he's finally won, he feels... Guilty. Flynn could've used this as an opportunity to explore how unsatisfying victory can be or Sonic questioning his own role as a Freedom Fighter. Instead, the hedgehog's good mood immediately perks up when he learns there's a new Big Bad in town. This is also in-character. We know from the post-”Endgame” years that Sonic doesn't do well when there isn't a villain around to fight. Yet I feel like Flynn is glossing over the most interesting part of the story.

“Change in Management” also reintroduces Monkey Khan. Now, I've said some not-so-nice things about Khan in the past. Yes, I'll admit, I hate that stupid monkey. Yet Ian Flynn has shown a real talent for rehabilitating lame concepts in the past. He begins working on Monkey Khan quickly. Within a few pages, Khan has been acknowledged as a blowhard. He also gives the simian an moment of self-doubt, when Khan admits he failed to protect his home region. It's hard to imagine Monkey Khan's creator, Frank Strom, ever giving him these flaws. Strom always wrote Khan as a totally tubular Gary Stu who specialized in being better than all the other characters. So maybe there's hope for the primate after all.

During the latter half of 2008, Flynn started to lean a little hard on fight scenes between various characters. Issue 201 looks to be going in this direction at first. As soon as Monkey Khan shows up, Sonic immediately begins fighting with him. This last for all of one page before Sally breaks up the commotion, a nice moment. There's also something in me that just really loves Sally disciplining both Sonic and Khan like ill-behaved children. This leads to an amusing series of panels where Sonic is super eager to run off and fight the new bad guy, and Sally informs him to reel it in a little. That concludes with Sally face-palming at Sonic and Khan's continued macho posturing. It's funny!

Discounting their cameo at the end of issue 200, this story is also our proper re-introduction to the Iron Queen. She doesn't do too much in this issue besides sit on her new throne, flirting with Snively and consolidating her new power. However, her interaction with Snively provides the character with more personality than Frank Strom gave her in her previous appearance. That she openly flirts with a boyfriend while in front of her husband says a lot about Regina. There's an especially cute moment where Snively leaps in her lap, showing how close these two already are. It's not a lot but it's a start.

Oh, by the way, the Iron Queen also screws over the Dark Legion. Spider-crab Dimitri – who, in a nice touch, crawls his way into the throne room in such a way that it suggests his obedience – assumes the Iron Queen will remove the explosive implants Robotnik hid in every Legionnaire's robotics. The Queen then informs that she simply can't do this and gives him a very insincere work around. At this point, Dimitri has graduated fully to anti-villain. He keeps getting screwed over. You feel bad for him, even though this is the same guy who, more than once, attempted to take over the entire world.

The cover story briefly features Espio running off to join the action before he disappears from the story. Flynn picks up the chameleon in the back-up story, “Devotion.” While talking with Nicole about what's going on, Espio is attacked by Lightning Lynx. Through the course of the story, we learn that Espio's ninja clan has been adsorbed by the same ninja clan that Lightning Lynx is apparently part of. And now, both clans are ruled over by the Iron Queen. So Espio is honor-bound to serve the new bad guy in town, even though that means betraying his friends.

When Sega re-introduced Espio to the video gaming public in “Sonic Heroes,” the company suddenly decided the chameleon was a ninja. On one hand, that makes sense, since chameleons are naturally associated with stealth. On the other hand, it's total hacky, lame-ass bullshit, a cheap gimmick stapled onto a character that never displayed that attributes earlier. Without too much explanation, the comic followed Sega's lead, giving Espio shinobi abilities that he never previously had. And now, out of nowhere, Ian Flynn has decided Lightning Lynx is a ninja too. This is less of a big deal, since Lightning's never had much back story or personality before. But all this sudden business about ninjas and clan loyalty feels like a real ass pull.

I'm also no fan of Espio suddenly betraying his friends. Like I said, Espio's background as a ninja has never really come up before. So these new details of the chameleon being honor bound to some obscure leader comes out of nowhere. Espio has always been deeply loyal to Knuckles and the other Chaotix. To have him turn his back on his friends, due to some previously undisclosed alliance, is very sloppy. Not to mention annoying to fans of the character, who like him specifically because of his loyalty to his friends. Ultimately, the “Espio works for the bad guys now” was one of the those lame, comic book reversal the book just had to roll with for a while before it was finally undone.

Issue 201 is a mixed bag. The cover story has some fun stuff and seems to point towards Monkey Khan actually becoming a useful character in the near future. At the same time, the issue is mostly devoted to setting up the new plot development the book will be grappling with in its next year. The back story, meanwhile, I straight-up do not like. It's a bit of a step down after issue 200 but I'd still give this one a somewhat positive rating. [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]