Sonic the Hedgehog (1993), Episode 2.08: The Void

Sonic the Hedgehog (1993), Episode 2.08: The Void
Original Air Date: October 29th, 1994

As I’ve already talked about, season two of “SatAM” had a structure that was rare in children’s television at the time but is more common now. The individual episodes were relatively stand-alone but several arcs ran throughout the season. (This is a structure “SatAM” shared with contemporary shows like “Batman: The Animated Series,” “X-Men,” and “Gargoyles” but, because it lacked the really nice animation and design work of those shows, no mainstream critics noticed.) Several of those plot points would come to the front in “The Void,” the eighth episode of the season. While I watched those other shows too, “SatAM” bringing back one-off characters and reoccurring concepts really impressed me as a young kid.

“The Void” begins with Sonic running through the Great Unknown, the blasted-out hellscape around Robotropolis. (The comic would take this same concept and call it the Forbidden Zone, which was something slightly different in the show.) That’s when a huge psychedelic portal to the Void opens under him, which he barely escapes. He retrieves an arcane ring from the area. He brings this back to Sally, who assumes it’s from an ancient culture she is studying. A strange trance is then cast over Sally and Bunnie who are drawn back to the Void. Within dwells Naugus, a sinister sorcerer Robotnik banished to the Void in the early days of the war. Though he’s all-powerful in the Void, he can not escape. Which is what he needs Sonic for, hence the kidnapping of Sally and Bunnie. Also, King Acorn is there too. When everyone escapes, complications ensue.

When it comes to Sonic’s rogue gallery, at this point in time, there wasn't much. Sure, “SatAM” had stand alone quasi-adversaries like Lazaar and Griff. And there were henchmen like Metal Sonic, Scratch and Grounder, and Snively around. But, mostly, Robotnik was the only “Sonic” baddie that mattered at the time. Which is why it was cool when “SatAM” introduced Naugus. While he’s probably Sonic’s second most important villain in the comics, Naugus is actually something of an ally in this first appearance. He’s only interested in escaping the Void and torturing Robotnik here.

Yet the dude is obviously a creep. Michael Bell’s voice performance is raspy and conceited. The pure glee he takes with humiliating Robotnik, morphing his head into various animals and making him debase himself, is a little unnerving. (Which pulls off the unusual feat of making the audience feel bad for the show’s primary villain.) And he clearly has no respect for other people’s boundaries, with the way he manipulates Sonic, Sally and Bunnie both through subterfuge and flat-out mind control. Not to mention his tendency to crystallize people at the drop of a hat. While “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” is a valid principal, it’s clear Naugus is nobody’s friends. He can't be trusted, is openly sadistic, and clearly has no problem hurting others to further his own plans. I honestly wish comic book Naugus had been as creepy as his SatAM counterpart more often.

While that stuff is really cool and fun, “The Void” is most valuable because of its emotional aspect. Halfway through the episode, Sally is reunited with her father within the Void. While the reunion during the “Blast to the Past” two-parter was disappointingly cut short, here it forms a crucial part of the episode. Sally is brought to tears when she sees her dad, the two hugging each other for a while. Kath Soucie continues to summon a great deal of heartbreaking sincerity in her line-readings. It continues to amaze me that this cartoon targeted towards six year old boys made room for such vulnerability.

This is further built upon during the by-now customary “there must be losses” epilogue. Sally is crestfallen that she came so close to rescuing her dad, only to have him wretched away from her again. Sonic tells her to look on the bright side, as the King provided them a list of all the existent Freedom Fighter teams and they rescued Ari. This is obviously plot important information but the scenes of Sonic making Sally feel better are far more important from an emotional perspective.

Another surprise delight of “The Void” is the relationship that forms between Sonic and Nicole. Sonic and his girlfriend's personal handheld computer haven't interacted much before this point, since Nicole is more prop than character most of the time. After Naugus steals Sally and Bunnie, Sonic tries to get answers out of the computer, leading to him threatening her into speaking more clearly. This is more charming than it sounds. Nicole ends up acting like the straight-woman to Sonic's totally rad 'tude. This adds a lot of deadpan humor to the proceedings – Nicole's robot voice is perfect for delivering dryly humorous comebacks – and pays off fantastically in the final scene.

If “The Void” has a serious flaw, it's the somewhat shaky magic at its center. The episode concludes rather abruptly. After a few hours, Naugus and the King both begin to turn to crystal. An explanation – that they've been in the Void too long and can't exist outside it now – is quickly tossed out there. This feels rather anticlimatic, seemingly a way to keep the story arc of Sally searching for her Dad going. Really, the episode just comes to a stop, without much of a proper conclusion. If it seems the Void's effects are inescapable, that somehow also isn't the case. Sonic's speed is enough to for him to zip in and out of the other dimension. I guess the lesson here is... Magic can do anything but Sonic's speed can do more of anything.

“The Void” is an important episode for another reason. As far as “SatAM’s” relationship with the Archie “Sonic” comic goes, this is a very pivotal half-hour. The idea of King Acorn being held hostage in another dimension, turning into crystal when brought back to Mobius, and Naugus seeking revenge on those that banished him would form long-running story arcs in the comic. While most of the crazy bullshit the comic was built on came solely from the Archie staff’s deranged minds, “The Void” would provide material that the book would draw from for literal years. Which attest to the deep ideas contained here.

Even if the plot comes to a sudden halt, instead of a natural end, “The Void” is still easily among season two's strongest episodes. (It's probably no coincidence then that the wacky comic relief of Antoine and Dulcy is nowhere to be seen here.) Unlike “Dulcy,” where the creative ideas were out-of-control, the episode has enough interesting ideas to be fascinating without getting sloppy. As a long-time “Sonic” nerd, the amount of stuff this episode contributes to the overall lore makes it a high point too. Most importantly, the emotional core is never overlooked. For all these reasons and more, “The Void” is probably my favorite of the second season so far. [8/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 90

Sonic Universe: Issue 90
Publication Date: September 2016

Once again, the sheer incompetence of Archie’s scheduling department must truly be commended. Issue 90 of “Sonic Universe” came out in late September. At the end of this issue, Sonic’s world is finally restored after nearly three years of being broken up. Yet the comic depicting the actual battle that determines this victory, issue 287 of the main “Sonic” book, wouldn’t be published until October 12th. In other words, the outcome of what has been the ongoing story arc of the entire reboot is spoiled a month early by the companion book. Not that there was any doubt that the Freedom Fighters would eventually put the world back together but... I was going to write “Jesus, Archie, get your shit together” but it’s very evident now that Archie Comics’ shit has never been truly together.

I might be getting ahead of myself but that reflects the style of this issue. “Shattered Finale: Restoration” — See! It’s even in the fucking title! — begins with Knuckles and friends imprisoned in crystal by Naugus. The fully empowered wizard teleports further into the cavern with the Master Emerald and Amy, plotting to turn Sonic’s friends into his mindless slaves. After remembering a pep talk Amy gave him earlier, Knuckles breaks free. Omega blasts a path right to Naugus and everyone has fun beating the piss out of him. And that’s when the world starts to be restored, forcing Knuckles and Amy to use a handy near-by teleporter to get the Master Emerald back in its spot, preventing Angel Island from plummeting out of the sky just in the nick of time.

As all of the above indicates, Flynn is really rushing into the finale here. After the rest of the arc being relatively relaxed in its pacing, things speed the fuck up right at the end. Within a few pages, Naugus captures his foes, makes sinister plans for the future, Knuckles escape, and the good guys find the bad guy and take his ass to the cleaners. Before that resolution has time to breath, we rush into Amy and Knuckles moving as fast as they can to get the Master Emerald back onto the Island. Never mind that a teleporter being connected to the Sky Sanctuary Zone right there in the cavern is bordering dangerously close to a deus ex machina. And never mind Knuckles and Amy moving improbably fast while lugging around the highly cumbersome Master Emerald. We’ve got an ending to write here and, because Flynn is as bad at scheduling as Archie is, we’ve got to do it now now NOW!

In fact, never mind Naugus — the antagonist of this four parter — being defeated either. Naugus is such a threat that, even before the Master Emerald took him back to full strength, he was too powerful a foe for Knuckles to take on alone. And yet his defeat here is shockingly easy. Instead of killing the heroes when he has them immobilized, or generating crystals inside their internal organs any time after they escape, Naugus uses his recharged magic to shapeshift into Sonic. (For that matter, why doesn’t he just teleport himself and the Emerald miles away after freezing the heroes?) This doesn’t work, as Knux and Shadow relishes a chance to wail on a close facsimile of Sonic. Naugus’ defeat is deemed so unimportant that it happens as one tiny part of a montage devoted to Knuckles and Amy placing the Master Emerald back in its shrine. I know Naugus has a history of going down like a bitch but this is maybe the sloppiest part of a very sloppy conclusion.

It’s a bit of a mess but Flynn tries, really tries, to salvage at least one element of the story. While Knuckles is imprisoned in one of Naugus’ crystal, we flashback to an event that happened right before the story began. While floating around in Amy’s ridiculous pink flying car — an utterly absurd vehicle that I was previously unaware of and had no prior role in his story but I guess is from one of those shitty racing games — the girly hedgehog assures Knuckles that he’s not as big of a fuck-up as he feels he is. (And, let’s face it, as history shows him to be.) Remembering these words gives him the strength to fight his way out of the crystal, track down Naugus, and save the Master Emerald and Angel Island. The story ends with Knux hiding the real Master Emerald somewhere secret on the Island and putting one of those look-a-like jewels in the shrine. The Guardian is reassured in his own abilities and the emotional character arc that has been driving Knuckles more-or-less the entire reboot is resolved.

That’s a noble goal but it doesn’t quite work the way Flynn hoped it would. First off, the flashback really comes out of nowhere. If that scene was so important, Flynn definitely should’ve included it in the story before this point. (And the sudden appearance of the stunningly dumb flying car doesn’t make that flashback seem any less out-of-place.) Having that memory pop into Knuckles’ head at this pivotal point is half-assed. And of all the people that could’ve touched Knuckles’ heart like that, why Amy? The two characters have little history together. Even though they’ve been paling around for about a year, most of that has been in-between issues. If this is the only way Flynn could’ve thought of to resolve this story, the rousing speech should’ve come from Relic or Rouge, characters Knuckles actually has a meaningful connection to.

And, of course, there’s the fact that reboot Knuckles really does suck at his job. In this new history, the Emerald has been stolen or shattered on his watch so many times, that Knuckles’ renewed confidence seems misplaced. Hiding the Emerald in a less obvious location is something you probably should’ve thought of the first time it was snatched, buddy. So the story ends with Knux patting himself on the back in a way that feels unearned. Not to mention this last minute plot point ends up forcing out what should’ve been the emotional conclusion to this arc: Knuckles and Relic saying goodnight to each other after both of them and the entire Island nearly fell into the ocean.

But I do have a few positive things to say about this issue. First off, the artwork is nice. Secondly, Amy does push along the issue’s best moments. During that same flashback, Knuckles tells Amy not to tell Sonic about this vulnerable moment, because he’ll get teased. (Somehow, Knuckles horribly fragile masculine ego ends up being kind of cute.) Amy clarifies that Sonic teases his friends because he cares, which is different from how he mocks his enemies. This comes back during the extended epilogue, when Sonic and Amy are having tea with the royalty, in a cute way. There's a little moment when Amy hugs Knuckles, much to his surprise, that is very cute and would almost play like a ship-tease if there wasn't something inherently repelling about the idea of Knuckles and Amy getting romantic. But Flynn missed a major opportunity when he doesn’t have Amy smash the disguised Naugus, with her bad-ass crystallized hammer. Instead, she takes the completely unsatisfying moral high ground and let’s the boys beat him.

The “Shattered” story arc had a cute first part but its second squandered so much potential, its third was a boring fight-fest, and the fourth is among Flynn’s sloppiest conclusions. And, guess what? This is the last time we’ll see most of these characters before the comic got canned! Shit, man, so many people dropped so many balls. While this issue truly isn’t as bad as a [4/10], the dumb-ass way Naugus and Knuckles are written here forces me to give it that low of a score.

Sonic Universe: Issue 89

Sonic Universe: Issue 89
Publication Date: August 2016

I guess it’s a matter of how invested you are in these things. At this point, in the main Archie series, the Freedom Fighters are in a desperate race against the clock to stop Eggman from taking over the world, the fate of the Shattered World hanging in the balance. And I’m pretty into in. At the same time in “Sonic Universe,” Knuckles is close to reassembling the Master Emerald.

While both quests have been going on for the same amount of time, Knuckles’ side of things feels a lot less urgent. It’s probably because we haven’t spent much time in the post-rebooted Angel Island. It seems largely empty, which is very different from the bustling continent that existed before the reboot. While we’ve seen firsthand the effect the Shattered World Crisis has had on the people below, Angel Island has been largely safe throughout the ordeal, thanks to the magical juju at play in this situation. So it’s hard to get too excited about Knux completed his goal, when we’ve never really gotten an idea of what was at stake.

Anyway! “Shattered: Part Three — Lost & Found” begins with Knuckles eager to get into Naugus’ final chamber, where the troll wizard is reassembling the Master Emerald, planning to use it to re-power himself. The heroes get distracted when Omega, under the sway of Naugus’ crystal magic, attacks them. After hammering the robot for a while, the crystals finally break and Omega is returned to his trigger happy old self again. But it might be too late. Naugus has successfully put the Emerald back together, his evil magic renewed.

Most of “Shattered” is devoted to a long fight scene with the reprogrammed Omega. And it’s okay, I guess. Yes, there are some clever moments, like when the robot totally catches Shadow off-guard. Mostly though, it’s a very repetitive fight. The gang just keep hitting Omega until the crystal breaks and he’s free. And there’s not much tension anyway, since we know any brainwashed good guys will return to normal soon enough. (And that all Sega-created characters are safe anyway.) Once again, it feels like Flynn pandering to the young boy readers that demand constant action or just padding out a simple story with gratuitous punching.

And it didn’t have to be that way either. I am fine with extra fight scenes as long as we get some peeks at our heroes’ personalities while we are at it. Sadly, there’s not much of that here either. Rouge always finds time for banter, flirting with Knuckles about chivalry in a way that largely goes over his head. When Amy gets a phone call from Sally, a tie-in with what’s going on in the main book, her confused and panicked reaction is kind of funny. However, most of the dialogue here is concerned with the status of the Master Emerald or the fight against Omega. As too often happens, the action and plot squeezes out the heart.

What makes this frustrating is that Flynn is good at sneaking personality into an action-heavy book when he actually tries. He does it well in this very issue! After Omega is finally freed, the homicidal robot immediately begins to liven things up. In his typically deadpan way, the robot explains how he wants revenge on Naugus. When Knuckles and Amy asks the robot if he would’ve done the same for them, he responds bluntly in the negative. Later, he bemoans Knuckles’ fleshy, mammalian weakness. See, isn’t the giant robot that sees everything in terms of combat much more interesting when he’s being forced to interact with other people, as opposed to when he’s just being used as a physical obstacle for the heroes?

Naugus, or at least the information he holds, continues to be the most interesting part of this story. While restoring the Emerald, the wizard thinks back upon his past. We see how he was initially cast out, repeatedly fought Sonic, lost his powers after the events of “Genesis” (which is apparently still canon), and ended up begrudgingly working for Eggman. In a better story, an extensive flashback like this would’ve killed the pacing. If the Digests were still being published at this point, I have no doubt this would’ve been a Sonic Comic Origins story. Yet I still really appreciate learning about rebooted Naugus’ history.

Flynn goes right up to the start of the reboot, showing what exactly the wizard’s plot was that got rudely interrupted by Sonic and Tails’ re-arrival. Apparently, after learning about technology from Eggman and Wendy to boost his weak magic, Naugus shape-shifted into King Acorn and locked the real deal up. Gee, I wish we could’ve seen this story actually play out! It sounds pretty interesting, a variation on the old “Return of the King” one-shot but with less bullshit. What exactly was going on in Castle Acorn, back st the start of the reboot, is something Flynn probably should’ve expounded on way sooner. I get the impression this was the first time he even really thought about it.

Once again, I wish Flynn had actually taken the time to establish this new world’s history before racing ahead with the “Sonic Unleashed” adaptation. But you are probably sick of hearing me bang that note. As for this issue, it’s loaded down with pretty dull action, the few interesting moments existing totally apart from the fighting. Adam Bryce Thomas’ artwork is good but I’m looking forward to this arc being wrapped up. [5/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 88

Sonic Universe: Issue 88
Publication Date: August 2016

I’ve got a lot of thoughts so let’s jump right into the plot synopsis this time. “Shattered: Part Two — Lies and Half-Truths” continues with Knuckles, Amy, and Team Dark exploring the crystalline Hidden Palace Zone, closing in on the remaining Master Emerald shards. Amy and Rouge are quickly captured by attacked crystal spires, forcing a precarious escape. Afterwards, they are attacked by Omega, who has been corrupted by crystalline magic, forced to attack his teammates. Meanwhile, Knuckles journeys off with Nixus, who appears to be another echidna. However, he soon discovers it's Naugus in disguise, who plans to use the soon-to-be reassembled Master Emerald to recharge his own magic.

When the preview images for “Sonic Universe: Issue 88” came out, fans were very intrigued. The cover showed Knuckles walking up to what appeared to be another echidna, much like himself. By this point, Archie fans were well aware that one of Sega’s corporate mandates was that Knuckles is the last surviving echidna. So how could another echidna be in the comic? Some people wondered if the shadowy figure on the cover was beefy “Sonic Boom” Knuckles, which it does resemble to a degree. My personal hope and theory was that Flynn subverted Sega’s own rule without breaking it, by bringing one of the Knuckles Clan echidnas out of the past and into the present.

Imagine the story potential in those ideas! Knuckles encountering his ancestors’ crimes but also his own loneliness as the last surviving echidna. Since the Knuckles Clan were war-like assholes, it’s easy to assume that Knuckles’ potential friend quickly becomes an enemy. That would’ve been a juicy dramatic arc! Even a “Boom” crossover had potential for some multi-verse spanning fun. (After all, Archie did say that they weren’t done with the “Boom” cast after that book’s cancellation.)

Of course, neither of these ideas turned out to be true. By the end of “Sonic Universe: Issue 87,” it was already apparent who this mysterious Nixus character actually was. The last issue featured a ton of foreshadowing that the second echidna was simply Naugus in disguise. Which is, without a doubt, the least interesting way Flynn could’ve resolved that particular idea. Not just because it wastes a pretty decent character design — Nixus is like Thrash the Devil reincarnated as a echidna — but because it takes a new idea and just makes it a variation on another old idea. It’s like that time Elon Musk promised us crazy new travel technology and just presented a worst version of metro trains instead.

The disappointment surrounding Nixus’ true identity certainly isn’t helped by how Flynn handles it. Aside from the gratuitous foreshadowing already making it obvious Nixus is simply Naugus in disguise, the character’s “introduction” derails the story in a real way. Suddenly, a story about Knux, Amy, and Team Dark fighting a boring old wizard is awash in the possibility of Knuckles discovering he’s not alone. Yet half of Nixus’ page time is spent assuring the heroes he’s not a fink... But he is, which makes the good guys eventually look like dumb-asses. And only a few pages after that, Nixus reveals himself and everything suddenly interesting about this idea is over. It just harshes my mellow in so many ways.

The one interesting thing about the Nixus sequence is how it allows Flynn to expand the rebooted comic’s history and lore more. As Nixus takes Knuckles deeper into the cave, he pontificates on the great troll society that existed on Mobius “Sonic’s world” long ago. The country was called Pancardia and the trolls fancied themselves scholars and scientists, even though their casual use of mind-control and slavery suggests some pretty ugly things about their society. (There’s something clever about that, Naugus/Nixus’ words presenting one view of this lost world while the actual images presents another.) In those flashbacks, we also see a mysterious but massively powerful figure bringing that civilization to an end.

This scene also further suggests Ixis, the mysterious source of Naugus’ power, is some sort of Lovecraftian elder god that was locked away eons ago. All of these are really interesting ides and I wish Flynn would’ve had a chance to expand on them more. See, that’s the sort of world-building that’s actually interesting. I also wonder what the story was behind whoever destroyed the troll civilization. Were the trolls an Always Chaotic Evil race of assholes who deserved that smashing? Or was the responsible party an equally dangerous force, one that might still exist in some form? It kind of feels like Flynn was possibly setting up something like Enerjak but without the Penders baggage. But knowing Ian, it would’ve taken him another three years to get back around to this stuff.

Aside from all the interesting stuff in this issue that was squandered or cut short, I don’t have too many thoughts about “Shattered Part Two.” I wish we got more out of the scenes of Amy and Rouge working together. Rouge describes the opening scene - restrained by crystals as more crystals close in - as something she’s dreamed about in a more pleasant context. This was probably meant to reference Rouge’s all-abiding love of shinny rocks but instead seems to confirm she’s as kinky as we all think she is. Omega turning into a crystal minion for Naugus is less interesting, as it’s just leading into another mindless fight fest. The usually reliable Adam Bryce Thomas’ art is also slightly off, as the characters’ faces look kind of weird in a few panels.

I guess I’m rating this issue more on what it is than what it isn’t. It’s not the comic’s fault that all of the fans came up with more interesting ideas than the actual writer did. But, come on, Flynn, you’re spinning your wheels. Don’t tease cool stuff and then just do the same old shit all over again. Here, take a look at Diana Skelly’s really cute variant cover that has nothing to do with the actual issue. [5/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 86

Sonic Universe: Issue 86
Publication Date: June 2016

During the weird hiatus that afflicted Archie’s “Sonic” titles at the start of 2016, preview images were still coming out for upcoming issues. While fans waited for the latest comics to actually come out, all they had to go on were new covers, occasional peeks at interior art, and plot synopses in solicitations. I was especially confused by the shots of Falke Wulf we got on these covers. (He also shows up on the “Brady Bunch” inspired variant cover for this issue.) Who was this OC-looking purple wolf motherfucker? And the sight of Eggman in transparent green battle armor made some wonder if the Chaos Emeralds would play a role in the final part of “Eggman’s Dozen.” I don’t know about you guys but I think it’s kind of cute when nerds are wrong about shit.

Given the rather opulent name of “Eggman’s Dozen: Finale - Synergizing,” the issue begins with Eggman’s team of bosses and the Naugus siblings’ forces facing off. The Egg Bosses proves more than able to take down the Badniks while Lord Hood’s hypnosis renders the Witchcarters useless again. Eggman himself takes on the crystallized Metal Sonic, subduing him with his spiffy hard light energy armor. The trolls defeated and his refinery regained, the Dozen return to their corners of the globe while Eggman plots his next move.

I know I constantly bitch about Ian Flynn’s over-reliance on action sequences, especially towards the end of a story arc. But I actually like it here! “Eggman’s Dozen” wraps up on a fittingly action-packed note. So why is it okay this time? As previously noted, Flynn has done a good job of building up the characters throughout the four-parter. You actually care about whose butts are being kicked here. More pressingly, this entire arc has been building towards this confrontation. We’ve been waiting to see Eggman, his team, and the Naugus twins throw down. The issue pays off nicely on those expectations.

And, yeah, Eggman gets a cool power-up here. In the long history of Archie’s “Sonic” comics, we saw Robotnik or Eggman fight a foe hand-to-hand three or four times, I think. He’s more of a thinker than a brawler. Nevertheless, there is a certain fun novelty in seeing the rotund one use his fists and his brain at the same time. The Hard Light Armor is a pretty cool sight, as holographic weaponry like that is always a neat visual. After using a big ass laser cannon to burn away the corrupting crystals on Metal Sonic, Eggman says the armor can never be used again. I can see why Flynn would make this choice. It would kind of take away Eggman’s main gimmick if he did stuff like this all the time. But it does seem like something of a shame to toss such a cool gadget after one use. (Similarly, one of the few other times Robotnik went hand-to-hand with an enemy. the “Sonic Quest” mini-series, also had him donning a cool battle armor that was used once and never again.)

Interestingly, the story’s central conflict is resolved about halfway through. Eggman drives off Naugus. Wendy is captured and Clove is ordered to decapitate her, when the witch convinced the fat man to make her an Egg Boss instead. After that, we get a long series of pages devoted to the Bosses returning home. Some of these set up plot points that have already happened: Thunderbolt having Master Emerald shares, Axel chasing Sonic around Efrika, the business with the Dark Phoenix Spirit.

Mostly, I like to think Flynn wanted to keep developing these new characters. Some are exhilarated by the adventure, Abyss rallying her troops and Ahklut ready to crush his rival again. Others, like Clove and Nephytes, are more concerned with their friends back home. (How Cassea greets her sister is pretty cute.) A scene where Tundra admits the losses of this war are starting to weigh on him is also very effective. It’s nice that the character development doesn’t end when the storyline does.

Naturally, Flynn uses these extra scenes at the end to set up some future plot lines too. Wendy’s first job as Egg Boss is to track down some unseen object relating to the Zetis, presumably that weird conch shell trumpet thingy. Maw is apparently tasked with testing out a new Roboticezer, with poor Tassel Boy as his subject. Nephthys also reveals that her gold mask covers a hideously robotic face, a Doctor Doom-esque attribute that would’ve presumably been further explained in future story. All of this set-up would be squandered by the book’s in-coming cancellation. I definitely would’ve liked to have seen some of these play out. (Probably not the Zeti one.)

Thus concludes “Eggman’s Dozen,” one of my favorite post-reboot story lines. I like the story so much probably due to my aforementioned fondness for “men on a mission” stories. Yet I also think this one is tightly plotted, balances character development and action excellently, and is generally fun to read. Ah, what the hell? I’ll crack out an [8/10.]

Sonic Universe: Issue 85

Sonic Universe: Issue 85
Publication Date: May 2016

In the past, I’ve mentioned my tendency to take breaks from writing these reviews, just because reading a comic and writing a 1000 word long review of it every single day can get tiresome. (It’s very much by design that you guys never notice this, as I started banking reviews a full two years before I started posting them. So I’m not even sure why I’m mentioning it all.) Inevitably, I always end up doing this midway through an arc. So I come back to the comic after a cliffhanger I can no longer recall. But I’m back to the grindstone now, dear reader. There’s only thirty updates left to write before the Archie Sonic retrospective is over forever. 

So where were we? Oh, yes, “Eggman’s Dozen.” Last we left – *checks notes* – Eggman and his team of Bosses were getting thoroughly hosed by the Naugus siblings’ defense. However, supervillains have a way of turning shit around at the last minute. Axel rescues Eggman from careening into a pool of lava. The other bosses manage to turn the tables on the various Badniks and Dark Gaia Monsters attacking. Their defenses shut down and Eggman closing in, Wally and Wendy look screwed. But the wizards have a trump card up their sleeves.

As previously established, most of Eggman’s lackeys hate him. Some, like Tundra and Ahklut, even hate each other. Yet there’s an interesting element of team work here. After Axel yanks Eggman’s metaphorical yolk out of the rather more literal fire, he explains that, back home, everyone on the team watches out for each other, regardless of how they feel about one another. The survival of the whole outweighs the petty squabbles of the few. Eggman likes this advice so much that he parrots it to the entire team. And there is something satisfying in seeing these bad guys display some courage and common humanity towards one another.

As with the previous issue, the interaction between the team members remains the highlight of this story. What I really like is how dorky these dudes are. Lord Hood is a coward but his partner, Conquering Storm, couldn’t even be bothered to read the mission dossier. Tundra and Ahklut’s fighting discombobulates each other, forcing them to pause and put aside their differences. Most amusingly, Clove takes pity on Thunderbolt’s obsessive love for Eggman, explaining that she doesn’t want to compete with the overzealous chinchilla. That interaction actually makes me like Thunderbolt. Flynn extends this to the Nauguses as well, as Wendy ends up mocking her more serious brother.

As fun as it is to watch these nerds play off each other, this is still an action comic based off a highly gimmicky series of video games. Flynn, once again, does that annoying thing where he pauses the plot to show off everyone’s superpowers. Some of these are carried over from the preboot verse. The Battle Kukku can still hurl an infinite supply of bombs. Lord Hood has a hypnotizing cobra gaze. Most of these are new though. Tundra has freezy breath. Ahklut has super sonar. Most bafflingly, Maw has the ability to swallow all his enemies in a burst of blue energy or something. (I can only assume this was inspired by the thylacine’s ability to open its jaw really wide.) That’s a mystery Maw promises to explain later but, of course, the book never got that chance.

I don’t really give a shit about any of this stuff but I do appreciate Flynn’s attempt to deepen the mythology some. While Naugus and Witchcart are arguing, he mentions that the big ominous god of dark stuff he worships is named Ixis, proving that Penders didn’t get that particular phrase in the law suit. (Though not explaining why Flynn hassled him with a name like “Wally.”) This seems to put Dark Gaia and the like in the same category as comic book Lovecraftians like Shuma-Gorath and such. Though I doubt Flynn was planning on introducing a Cthulhu expy into the Archie Sonic-verse, this one line of dialogue at least hints at something bigger, weirder, and creepier out there. Bummer we never got to see it either.

It must be said that this also continue to be a pretty well paced story too. It's very neat and orderly how all the pieces come together. Our villainous anti-heroes overtake the forces that oppose them and accomplish their goals of knocking out various broadcasting towers. Eggman's Dozen then flocks around the Naugus siblings, all the pieces having come into place for the final show down in the last part. It's very satisfying to watch stuff slot into their correct position like that, ya know? It's something Flynn is really good at when he brings his A-game.  I'm actually excited to read the final installment of this story.

Adam Bryce Thomas' artwork is strong too, even if his action scenes veer a little too abstract at times. Over all, it's another fun issue. I enjoy watching these characters bounce off each other and Flynn's story construction is pitch perfect, which is something I feel like I haven't had a chance to say in a while. I'm not a fan of everything here - the Witchcarters remain an utterly underdeveloped band of generic baddies - but this one gets a positive rating from me. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 84

Sonic Universe: Issue 84
Publication Date: April 2016

With the first part of “Eggman’s Dozen” having established the conflict, the next part can leap ahead to assembling the team and sending them on their mission. “Power Meeting” is smartly split into two parts. The first has Eggman gather his Egg Bosses around a table, telling them what they need to do and why. Flynn wastes no time after that. The second half has the Dozen split into eleven teams, each with specific objectives. Instead of showing the characters being deployed, each leaps right into action while Eggman explains what they should do in narration boxes. That keeps things very speedy, pulling the readers right into the action.

And by “action,” I don’t necessarily mean monster bashing and robot smashing. The main attraction of “Power Meeting,” for me anyway, is the orderly way Flynn organizes these duos for maximum conflict. The hyper loyal Thunderbolt teams up with Clove, immediately noticing that the deer does not share her intense love of the Eggman. Flynn quickly establishes that Tundra and Ahklut are tribal rivals, as orcas and walruses apparently have a bloody history of fighting over the frozen wasteland. While Tundra is content to do his job, Ahklut just has to keep pushing his buttons until a fight explodes. Conquering Storm believes in survival of the fittest, while Lord Hood believes in a sneaky, opportunistic seizing of power. It certainly makes these characters going about their business fun to watch.

Such character based writing allows Flynn to develop his cast, many of which are still new additions. Maw and Abyss are completely new characters. Maw is apparently an Eggman true believer, thinking the doctor will save the world by subjugating it to his rule. Teaming him with Nephthys, whom we already know works for the doctor to decrease the bloodshed, is a smart decision. Abyss is a pirate, in it solely for the thrill of the catch. She’s teamed with the Battle Kukku, a parrot driven by a belief in his own royal legacy. Reboot Ahklut already shows more personality than the original orca, who was largely defined by his anger. His baiting let’s us know that Tundra takes his wife’s death and son’s betrayal very personally. In other words, none of these guys are cackling villains. They each have their own motivations and personalities.

In fact, I’m beginning to wonder if his Egg Bosses don’t have more complexity than Eggman. Beyond his megalomaniacal thirst for power and years of resentment towards Sonic over thwarting his plans, what exactly drives Eggman? It’s another example of how Sega insisting everyone’s pasts stay vague weakens them as characters. But “SatAM’s” Robotnik, and his early Archie counterpart, often showed a sadistic side. Flynn reminds readers of that in this issue. In order to convince the Egg Bosses to obey him, Eggman trots out the Foreman from issue 255, whom he derisively names “Tassel Boy.” As punishment, he’s locked up all the guy’s cybernetics, trapping him in his own body. Eggman seems to especially relish this torment. I guess that’s the rest of Eggman’s personality: He sees everyone as machines he can control, take apart, or break.

Another reason I like “Eggman’s Dozen” is that it’s basically a heist story. It gets together a bunch of people, each with their own skills, sneaking into an isolated location. In his narration, Eggman describes the details of his plan. But, if you know the heist genre, you know that the best laid plans will inevitably go awry. That occurs here, as Eggman and Axel are riding into the base. The doctor predicted that Dark Gaia Monsters wouldn’t be a problem. Instead, they are a big problem, as the beasties swarm the villain and his toady. This leads us to our cliffhanger, which is among the issue’s least interesting aspects. But you gotta draw in those seven year olds, I guess.

The Naugus siblings, weirdly, have a very small role here. In fact, they only appear in the opening flashback. But I like that sequence a lot. It shows Naugus having captured both Eggman and Sonic, encasing them in crystal. He rants at Robotnik, showing Naugus’ rebooted past is not that different from SatAM origin. Eggman promised him the throne during his coup and instead tossed into the Special Zone. The wizard is pretty pissed about it. This flashback takes place during the events of “Tails’ Skypatrol,” showing Flynn’s smart decision to stick pivotal background information into the largely forgotten Game Gear titles.

There’s another reason to like that opening flashback. It’s beautifully drawn by Adam Bryce Thomas, who seems to especially love trying his hand at the SatAM style. Thomas handles the book’s first ten pages and they look fucking great. He even makes me like Thunderbolt, during the scene where she comically tries to sneak her giant battle armor through the confines of the refinery. Or her pure fan girl glee at Eggman acknowledging her. His takes on Tundra and Clove are similarly detailed and expressive. Thomas’ illustrations are so strong that you really notice when Yardley, whose work is way looser, takes over halfway through.

I have something of a weakness for “men on a mission” stories which, as the title’s riffing on “The Dirty Dozen” makes clear, this is obviously an example of. That might another reason I like this one so much. However, I think Flynn tends to do his best work when building up previously underwritten elements. And sometimes that means fleshing out and defining his own creations. While we are obviously headed for some mindless action, part two of “Eggman’s Dozen” gets joy out of simply letting its cast members interact. [8/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 83

Sonic Universe: Issue 83
Publication Date: March 2016

When I first started reviewing “Sonic Universe,” my memories of the series certainly overvalued its quality. I recalled “Universe” being a light in the Archie Sonic books even when the main line was lacking. The truth is, “Universe” was an incredibly uneven publication. Its highs were very high but its lows were pretty damn low, especially right after the reboot started. “Sonic Universe” would start to find its footing again with “Spark of Life” and the series’ last year featured two story lines I’m especially fond of. In fact, “Eggman’s Dozen” might be my favorite story out of everything in the reboot.

A couple of stories recently have ended with Eggman summoning some of his generals for a previously undisclosed mission. Part one of “Eggman’s Dozen,” “Hostile Takeover,” provides the reason for that. Eggman and Metal Sonic arrive at Eggmanland, his amusement park/power refinery, only to see it encased in magic crystals. He immediately realizes the Naugus siblings – Wally and Wendy – must be responsible. Empowered by some Master Emerald shards, Naugus quickly takes out Metal Sonic. Robotnik realizes he needs a team of organic henchmen if he hopes to retake Eggmanland.

“Hostile Takeover” is basically a comedy issue about Eggman being increasingly flummoxed by the events happening around him. He’s annoyed to see his masterpiece covered in crystals. He bitches under his breath about Snively. When the Witchcarters – Wendy’s trio of enforcers – show up with impressive new abilities, he’s comically baffled. By the time Naugus is ruining his inventions, he’s graduated to a full-blown temper tantrum. Eggman is usually pretty cocksure so there’s definitely value in seeing him undermined and unprepared. If he can be caught off-guard or even slightly childish, it makes for a more rounded, compelling villain.

Though we got a brief look at him at the reboot’s beginning, this issue is truly our reintroduction to Naugus. Since most of his backstory was from previous writers, Flynn had to largely rework the character. Now he’s a rat-tailed troll, instead of a bat/rhino/lobster. He’s been given the humiliating first name of Wally, because Bollers invented the Order of Ixis and to give him alliteration with his new sister, Wendy. She’s based off Witchcart, the villain from obscure handheld title, “Tails’ Skypatrol.” (I guess she was different enough to skirt Sega’s “game characters can’t have blood relatives” policy. Or even Sega forgot she existed.) The video game Witchcart was a stereotypical, cackling witch in a minecart. The only personality Flynn adds to her thus far is mocking her brother and being sexually attracted to Eggman. Eww.

Witchcart brings with her a trio of henches. While the witch herself is loosely defined, Flynn slots her servants into easily understood archetypes. Bearenger is the big aggressive bruiser type, who has to be reigned in by his bosses. Carrotia reclines seductively and fires her magic fireballs as if she’s blowing kisses, putting her in the same area of Rogue as a vampy female. Fuck-Wad Focke-Wulf Falke-Wulf is yet another Flynn villain who is manic, prone to giggling to himself and goofy verbal tics, joining the ranks of Bean and Flying Frog. While their designs are a little less cartoonish than their game versions, and their flying crafts have been traded out for extreme gear hover boards, I do have to commend Flynn for digging into the more obscure corners of the games to fill out the reboot’s cast.

As much fun as this is, the first part of “Eggman's Dozen” is ultimately an act of extended set-up. The comic ends by collecting together what will be the principal players for the rest of the arc. Most of these faces are familiar. Tundra, Axel, Thunderbolt, Lord Hood, Clove, and Nephthys are all summoned. Some of these characters are even lingering cast members from before the reboot, like the Battle Kukku and Conquering Storm. There's also our first glimpse at the rebooted version of Akhlut, now a bipedal Mobian, instead of a proper orca. (A change I have issue with and will talk about more soon enough.) There's also totally new characters here, a plucky squid named Abyss and a mysterious thylacine named Maw. There's even some humor in these moments, as Eggman gets increasingly tired from having to repeat the same information to each new recruit, most of whom respond with bemusement and confusion.

It's an amusing issue overall but Tracy Yardley's artwork is a little off. His character seem just a little too loose at times, everyone's outlines bending in overly cartoonish ways. The Witchcarters seem to get it the worst, somewhat generic designs only looking more unimpressive when paired with Yardley's underwhelming pencils. The actions scenes are a little too rubbery as well. Now, once again, I'm not saying it's a bad looking book. Yardley's work is always solid. But you can tell he was either rushed or phoning it in a little with this one.

Still, “Eggman's Dozen” is off to a fun start. An issue that's fifty percent set-up probably shouldn't be this amusing but Flynn throws in lots of colorful characters and decent comic relief. That gets a plus from me. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 252

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 252
Publication Date: September 2013

After bitching for weeks – maybe years? – about the reboot, we have finally arrived at that point. And I’m so overwhelmed with thoughts that I’m not even sure where to start. When I picked up this comic book in 2013, I wasn’t aware that it was the start of an entirely different continuity. I found Flynn wiping away all the conflicts from before “Worlds Collide” to be an incredibly lazy solution and an especially unsatisfactory conclusion to the year long Mecha Sally arc. I actively wondered if this stop-off in an alternate universe was temporary. Upon investigating online, I learned of the terrible Pendering. The old world was gone, probably forever. This is the new status quo. Get use to it. Adapt or die.

So let me just air some general grievances. Yes, a reboot was probably the only reasonable solution to Penders’ lawsuit. Ken would only lend Archie his concepts if he was given complete control of their use, a ridiculous offer Sega would obviously never agree to. And what writer would want to give Ken Penders veto power over their work? Rebuilding the comic’s universe to remove all of Penders’ ideas, which made up the bulk of the world’s history, was the best and maybe only option.

(It’s never been confirmed if Penders’ contemporaries signed proper work-for-hire agreements or if they were similarly accidentally granted ownership of their creations. Considering Archie’s obviously lackadaisical approach to the matter back in the day – and that Scott Fulop would eventually sue for the rights to his characters – we can assume the latter. Either way, Flynn’s stuff was the only pre-Genesis Wave material Archie would be willing to touch from now on.)

It’s Ian Flynn’s handling of this matter that irritates me. As far as I’m concerned, there would’ve been two ways to reboot the book. The first of which would’ve been a blank slate solution. Tear away everything and completely start over at zero. Something like this: Sonic is a loner living in the Green Hill Zone, or part of a small family unit with Tails and Uncle Chuck I mean, Sir Charles. Eggman, having performed his coup of the local monarchy, begins his takeover of the scenic countryside. Chuck is captured and Roboticized. Sonic and Tails are determined to rescue their mentor. They soon meet up with the burgeoning Freedom Fighters, led by the disposed Princess Sally. They join their ranks and the fight against the growing Eggman Empire begins again. Basically a fusion of the original game plot and SatAM. That would’ve made sense, right?

But I can understand not wanting to completely start over. After all, the comic could still use the characters and ideas created by Ian Flynn. So why not basically pick up where you left off but replace Penders’ material with similar substitutes? Julie-Su becomes Perci the Bandicoot or whatever. Knuckles must now rescue the imprisoned natives of Angel Island, who are not echidnas but do include a mother figure of his, as well as the half-mechanized Egg Troopers. Geoffrey St. John (the skunk) is replaced with the treacherous Hamish Le Carre. (A badger.) Fiona Fox becomes Valerie Vulpine or what have you. You get the idea. It would’ve been convoluted as fuck but at least it would’ve allowed Flynn to basically finish what he started.

Instead of completely starting over or filling the book up with ten thousand ersatz replacements, Ian went with some half-assed in-between measure. The general set-up – Sonic and the Freedom Fighters defend the free world against Eggman’s robotic tyranny – is basically the same. But most of the characters are gone. The comic’s long history has been replaced with a messed-up fusion of Sega’s rather vague continuity, assorted DiC elements, and Flynn’s stuff. Instead of starting at a neutral beginning point, Flynn drops Sonic into the middle of an adventure he can’t really recall, surrounded by new versions of his friends with fractured memories. He doesn’t finish the Mecha Sally story or any of the prior continuities’ other lingering plot points. He gives the illusion of a history but marches forward with only occasional half-nods at some nonexistent past.

It is, to say the least, a deeply unsatisfying decision. Worst yet, Flynn gave readers false hope that the original continuity may return. When Sonic, Tails, and Naugus (who gains the humiliating nickname of Wally for some stupid reason) touch Nicole’s restored handheld form, they are overwhelmed by memories of their past life. That suggests the old continuity still exists in some form, right? Nope! It’s gone forever. Sonic hasn’t even been dropped into some alternate version of Mobius either, because Penders took the multiverse with him too. The “old memories” angle was a smokescreen, a way for the comic to trick old readers into thinking everything they cared about still mattered, so they wouldn’t immediately drop the book.

Oh, by the way, the planet’s not called Mobius anymore. Because Sega says so. Another side effect of the Pendering is Sega actually paying attention to the comic now. Thus the era of the corporate mandates really kicks in. The video game characters can no longer have blood relatives or romances. This would force extensive reworkings of the relatives that stuck around. Sir Charles is now strictly a figurative uncle to all the Freedom Fighters and Snively, who got one of the worst redesigns, is just some asshole G.U.N. scientist. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails’ parents were tossed into oblivion. Mighty’s little sister too, I guess. The capital city is still called Mobotropolis though, because Sega doesn’t pay that much attention.

I guess we should be grateful the comics were allowed to keep the Freedom Fighters and some of their relationships. They were given redesigns that fit in more with the games, a highly controversial change that was decided upon even before the reboot was announced. I’ll bitch more about the redesigned Freedom Fighters as we come to them. King Acorn and Sally are the only ones we see in this issue. Sally’s redesign is fine, I guess, but it’s a little too streamlined for my taste. She keeps the blue vest and boots but looses the cheek ruffles. Despite now wearing bicycle shorts and a tank top, she’s also been stripped completely of her sex appeal. Her curves are gone, replaced with gentle and cute roundness. That feels like some deeply late attempt to curtail furry perversion. Sally still looks like Sally but it’s a pretty boring version of Sally.

I’m ten paragraphs into his rant so I guess I should actually talk about issue 251’s plot. Despite the title, “At All Costs, Part 2” is not really a continuation of 247’s cover story. Sonic is dropped into New Mobotropolis. Which is now just Mobotropolis and is no longer made of nanites because, yep, Ken owns those too. Though baffled by his confused memories, Sonic fights the giant monster version of Tails Doll attacking the city. After defeating the monster, he rescues a healthy, less dickish King Acorn. (Who can no longer be called Max because, yeah, that was also Ken.) Naugus, powerless somehow and now fled, had imprisoned the king and taken over the city. The Freedom Fighters have been scattered across the globe, with Sally creeping through Eggman’s Arctic base. Sonic and Tails go on a trip to find them.

Any benefits of the issue’s individual plot is completely crushed by the ramifications of the reboot. I’m sorry, I can’t care about Tails Doll attacking the city when it’s not even the city I know. I’m much more preoccupied with the fate of the world and cast I love. I guess the action is decent. Evan Stanley’s artwork is strong. I actually really like King Acorn’s redesign. One of the pluses of the reboot is the chance to remake previously annoying characters. So now King Acorn is a benevolent ruler, instead of a crotchety old douchebag. Elias and his wife are cast into the void though, being another Penders’ creation, which I wish felt like more of a loss.

Like every facet of the Sonic fandom, there’s a division here. Some love the reboot. This crowd also frequently declares that the pre-boot stories were never good, because Sonic fans are too often an all-or-nothing crowd. For long time readers deeply attached to the old verse, a reboot was never going to be satisfying. But dropping us into a more-or-less totally new world and just expecting us to roll with it? And then launching into a nearly three year long adaptation of “Sonic Unleashed,” a not especially well regarded game? Nah. Sorry, Ian. I like you but that’s some major bullshit.

Here’s the hard truth: Flynn bungled the reboot right out of the gate and would continue to bungle it on-and-off throughout the next three years. Mistakes were made. So what rating can I even give this story? As an action piece, it’s competent and presents some new opportunities. But as the beginning of a new world, it’s undeniably fucked-up. My gut says I should just forego a rating all together. My heart is saying something like a 4. And I’m an overly emotional man-baby, so my heart wins. [4/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 247

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 247
Publication Date: April 2013

In April of 2013, when I picked up issue 247 of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series from my local comic shop, I had no idea how significant it was. Yeah, it was seemingly wrapping up some long lingering plot lines. It was the last issue before the much hyped Mega Man crossover began. I – and most of the comic’s loyal readers – had no way of knowing that this was destined to be the final issue taking place in the original continuity. That this simple comic was were 21 years of stories, characters, and lore was going to end.

“At All Cost, Part One: Fate Interrupted” begins with Team Fighters cornering the Death Egg at its Arctic refueling platform. With the help of the Arctic Freedom Fighters, our heroes successfully enter the base. They are soon joined by Silver, who has finally deduced that Sally is the historical traitor he’s been pursuing. That saving her, and de-roboticizing her, will prevent his catastrophic future from coming to be. Robotnik, meanwhile, panics. After Sonic comes extremely close to his goal of saving his beloved princess, Eggman frantically activates another Genesis Wave. Thus begins a crossover. And that’s where the comic book, as it existed for twenty one years, fucking ends.

From the moment Flynn introduced him into the book, he’s had Silver the Hedgehog chasing this mythical traitor. And it’s always been dumb, an excuse to keep Silver coming back to the comic’s present. Fittingly, this dumb idea wraps up on an incredibly underwhelming note. Silver deduces that Sally must be the traitor, more-or-less by process of elimination. He realizes that there never really was a traitor. That the subtleties of events – Sally being turned into an evil robot against her will – got lost to the slow march of time. This could’ve been an interesting commentary on how history is shaped, often being distorted over the ages. But, because Flynn has always played this as a genuine mystery, instead of some Quixotic quest on Silver’s behalf, it comes of as a total shrug of a conclusion. The answer to the question has been in front of us the whole time.

Not only does this seriously give the impression that Flynn didn’t think up an ending to Silver’s quest until the last minute, it also disrupts the story’s pacing. This issue isn’t really about who Silver’s proposed traitor is. It’s about rescuing Sally. However, because Flynn has to shoehorn this half-hearted resolution in, the mission is interrupted. Team Fighters stops cold so they can argue with Silver about his deduction, seemingly forgetting they’re on a time-sensitive mission here. (Sonic is literally shown pacing the room at one point.) It’s a serious “get to the fireworks factory” moment. Stop the debates, you hedgehogs. We’ve got a princess to rescue. Maybe the people actually invested in Silver’s quest feel differently. But this is my blog, so I declare those people to be objectively wrong.

Putting this serious flaw aside, issue 247 is a solid action comic book. It’s fun seeing Team Fighters battle side by side with the often underutilized Arctic Freedom Fighters, even if they ultimately end up having very little to do in this issue. Ahklut the orca reappears, determined to get revenge on Sonic and Silver for freeing Rotor’s herd a while back, and smashes the underwater tunnel the team is traveling through. A super angry orca, flashing a mouthful of serrated teeth, turns out to be a very motivating threat. The fight with Mecha Sally doesn’t go on very long but is entertaining while it lasts.

Team Fighters’ mission in the Arctic is running parallel to some business back at home. Nicole’s unveiling of the newly rebuilt Castle Acorn is interrupted by the nanites going nuts. Cream then realizes that her Tails Doll has been missing every time something like this has happened. Its cover blown, the Doll then transforms into a giant, hideous monster.

This is a far more satisfying payoff than the reveal about Silver’s nonexistent traitor. First off, it plays off Tails Doll’s fanon reputation as a source of horror. Secondly, it shows Cream making herself useful by noticing something nobody else has. Lastly, I like the way Rotor immediately believes the little bunny, dismissing the cliche of the grown-up never believing the kid with the crazy story. If I had to look for a flaw in this subplot, it would be Tails Doll revealing his status as an infiltrator so quickly. But a little doll suddenly growing into a huge, grotesque horror actually is a decent cliffhanger, as opposed to the book’s primary ending.

On the artwork front, this issue sees the return of Evan Stanley. Stanley has gotten better with every appearance and her artwork really comes into her own here. Her art has a slightly more American style superhero comic book feel. Rotor and Gustav gain a more sinewy, heroic build. But everyone is definitely still on model. Stanley's action is excellent, especially the fight with Akhult. Her work on facial expressions are very good. Unlike a lot of artists on the book, who seem content just to emulate Yardley, Stanley brings her own style to the table. Which I like a lot.

It’s entirely impossible for me to separate my feelings for this individual comic book from my feelings about the decision to reboot the series. This comic book makes me mad. Five years later, I still feel an immense sense of frustration. I’ve spent way too much of my life invested in these characters and their world. Seeing it end would be one thing. Seeing it stop midway through a two-parter, to leave the characters at one point and then pick up in an entirely different universe, is another. Before, I’ve referred to the original continuity as ending on a cliffhanger but that’s not entirely accurate. This is more like the pages of a novel suddenly going blank three chapters from the end.

There is no sense of finality, of conclusion, of satisfaction. It is extremely obvious that Ian Flynn had every intention of wrapping this story up naturally after the crossover was done. But because Archie is bad at paperwork, because the company never valued the book and treated the former writers like shit, because Ian Flynn sucks at sticking the landing, a panel of everything fading to white in the middle of the action is the closest thing the comic as we knew it got to an ending. Yes, it pisses me off. Yes, I consider the decision to reboot midway through a fucking two parter a betrayal of the fans who supported this series for two decades, no matter how shitty it got. Yes, I believe Archie handled the fallout of the Penders lawsuit in as awkward a fashion as possible. Flynn is at fault too, for allowing the Mecha Sally storyline to drag on for an entire year. It really all should’ve been settled before the continuity nullifying crossover began anyway.

But this is not the time or place for that rant, I suppose. (Believe me, that rant is sure as fuck coming soon.) It is not fair to judge issue 247 as the very unexpected, clearly unplanned ending to twenty one years of comic book history it is. As a story, it’s fine. Some pacing issues but mostly okay. I’d give it a [6/10.] The massive amount of baggage that comes with Archie frantically slamming the restart button is not this individual comic book’s fault.