Sonic the Hedgehog: Knuckles' 30th Anniversary Special

Sonic the Hedgehog: Knuckles' 30th Anniversary Special

Publication Date: November 20th, 2024

 

While Sega seems to have tentatively discarded the idea that "Classic" Sonic and "Modern" Sonic are alternate universe versions of the same character that exists in different dimensions, the fact of the matter is that the Classic/Modern divide still functionally exists. Classic Sonic stars in retro-style platformers. Modern Sonic takes hits of the ol' Boost Formula. Classic Sonic has a big head and a diminutive body. Modern Sonic has lankier limbs and a more elongated torso. Most pressingly, it would seem that some characters remain locked behind the Classic Era curtain. It might technically be all one timeline now but, as of this writing, cast members like Mighty, Ray, Fang, Bark and Bean remain isolated to the retro titles while the likes of Shadow, Rouge, Silver, and the rest are confined to the post-millennium style of games. 

This extends to the comics as well. IDW continues to periodically publish one-shots or mini-series utilizing the Classic designs, drawing from the Genesis era and modern spin-offs like "Mania" and "Superstars." There's a definite separation between these stories and the on-going comic, much more entrenched in the current wave of games. (Though the comics still seem to exist in some weird extended grey zone between the events of "Sonic Forces" and "Sonic Frontiers," according to the nerds way too invested in continuity.) It will presumably remain this way until Sega says "fuck it" and let's Flynn sneak Bean into the main book or randomly drops Mighty into a PS5 title. From a commercial perspective, I suppose this makes sense. Golden oldies like me prefer the Classic style while those ten or twenty years younger than me have grown up with the newer stuff. It remains frustrating from a storytelling perspective, that the jerboa bounty hunter or super-strong armadillo ostensibly exists in the same world as Emo Sonic and Bat Tits but they'll never interact for some reason. 

By which I mean it's time for another Classic Sonic style anniversary one-shot. Thirty years ago, Knuckles the Echidna smashed his way into our lives, informing a whole generation of kids that egg laying, spiny "anteaters" exist in Australia. Happy birthday, Knuckles. You are middle-aged now. How's your back holding up? Characters like Tails and Amy feel like they've always existed, filling the stock roles of the sidekick and the love interest. Knuckles is the first time I can remember Sega treating the introduction of a new "Sonic" cast member as an event. He was both a friend and a foe, whose truces with Sonic always seemed to exist on unstable ground. That has changed a lot over the years and Sega has used much of the same marketing techniques every subsequent time they've debuted a new character. A slow path from enemy to ally, a mysterious past, so on and so forth. But Knuckles remains special to me, the first of Sonic's "friendly rivals" and probably my favorite of the franchise's Big Three. 

So how did IDW celebrate Knuckles existing for three decades? The story begins with the echidna. standing by his precious Master Emerald and thinking in very ego-centric terms about his success as a Guardian. This is when Angel Island passes over the Northstar Islands, otherwise known as the setting for "Sonic Superstars." Knuckles gets to thinking about Trip the Sungazer and how she's a guardian, much like him. He stops into the island and decides he's going to train the young lizard girl how to be tough and strong. That's when he discovers that he and Trip live very different lives: She has a community, a village, a family of critters like her and this has molded her into a very different type of guardian than himself. Conflict, of a sort, arises. 

Knuckles is a character of contradictions. He is both rather cunning and very gullible, a hardened warrior and a naïve kid, a punch-happy bruiser and an introspective loner. Ian Flynn's script for this one-shot digs right into these two-fold attributes. The story begins with Knuckles thinking rather gloriously about himself, bragging about his supposed victories in his memory. Later, it's brought up that the Guardian has actually made a lot of mistakes too, that each of those victories only occurred because he had help from his friends. By story's end, he's gone from being tough with Trip to treating her with a lot more empathy. In other words, the echidna gets an actual arc here, starting out believing something else and ending having learned a lesson. This plays into the idea of Knuckles as someone capable of abrasive bluntness that can also grow and learn humility and kindness. 

Sonic has almost always had a sidekick, Tails debuting early enough in the franchise's history that he's practically been there from the beginning. With Knuckles, Sega has always emphasized his status as the last echidna, a perpetual loner. The comics have attempted over the years to give him his own sidekick, usually in the form of Charmy Bee, but it's never stuck. It remains to be seen if IDW will run with this idea, much less if Sega will feel the need to incorporate it into their games, but this one-shot decides to pair Knuckles up with Trip the Stargazer. This thrusts Knux into a new role, that of a mentor to a young, inexperienced hero. That Trip is a little kid and prone to big emotions challenges Knuckles' punch-first-and-ask-questions-later attitude. He learns a lesson that we all have to learn at some point: True strength does not come from your muscles or how hard you can hit. Trip is strong in different ways from Knuckles, capable of things he is not. This forces Knuckles to consider that his ways are not always the best, that he has flaws too. In the final set of pages, Flynn employs the cliché of the Master becoming the student, the mentor learning something from his ward in the course of teaching them. It's earned though and makes for a nicely emotional resolution. 

Trip the Sungazer is still a recent addition to the "Sonic" lore. This is only her second appearance in a comic, outside of a cameo in the digital-only Fang story that was published to promote "Superstars," and her first appearance ever in the IDW universe. She's essentially a blank slate, this comic functioning as basically the first chance for the series to expand on her personality. Trip is clearly derivative of other "Sonic" characters. Her arc in "Superstars" was very similar to Knuckles' in "Sonic 3," as a guardian of a MacGuffin who is fooled by Eggman into fighting against Sonic. She's very feminine, much like Amy Rose, and also young and vulnerable, like Cream. It remains to be seen if Trip will be able to evolve into her own distinct character. Or if Sega will allow IDW to use her more. Either way, I found her to be really adorable here. She's clumsy and eager to please, with big glittery eyes and a tendency towards crying. I don't think Trip fills some essential role in the cast but I do like her. She makes a good impression here and I hope we see her more. 

Pairing Trip up with Knuckles is a good idea and their interactions provide the best parts of this comic. The two are similar but different in a lot of ways too. That Trip has a family, a community of folks like her, strikes the isolated Knuckles as a very meaningful change. He tries his tougher-than-leather routine on Trip but it only ends up making both of them look like fools. Generally speaking, I think the contrasts between these two and their situations simply makes for a meaningful, well realized story. We get many cute, minor interactions like Trip pointing out that it's hard for her to see in her armor. Or her grandfather telling her not to give into her self-doubts. The climax of the story is an emotional one, Knuckles admitting Trip that maybe he's not the best teacher. These two make for a smart pairing. If Trip becomes the Tails to Knuckles' Sonic, that would be a useful and interesting placement for her in the cast. 

While reviewing the IDW Annual for this year, I noted that the one-shots seem to be when the comic can focus on character-driven stories, outside the on-going plots of the main book. That is so very true of this story, which doesn't actually feature any major action at all. I kept waiting for Eggman to show up with an evil robot, for Knuckles and Trip to do some Badniks smashing together. That ends up not being necessary for the story to work, the script pulling tension and resolution simply from the two's relationship. The only editorially-mandated action scenes we get in this issue are in the training Knuckles and Trip undergo. That mostly results in largely comedic scenes of Knuckles trying to pummel the kid and getting his toes smashed by her extra hard armor. In the back half, we get a nice montage of the two running through some ancient ruins, which gives a chance to show off some of Trip's unique abilities and expands on her own lore too. I can't resist the charms of a good training montage, so I thoroughly enjoyed these moments. 

Obviously, being a fairly new addition to the cast, Trip still has the most expansion to undergo. The addition of her village, something we didn't see in the video games, and the idea that her armor is hundreds of years old ate decent ways to add more personality to her background. Ultimately though, this is Knuckles' story and he is central to my favorite scene here. The first few pages, that show Knuckles bragging about his past victories, seems to favor the modern, Flanderized take on the echidna, as a big strong idiot with an inflated sense of himself. However, later flashbacks show that Knuckles' stubbornness and commitment to his own duty is, in fact, a positive element of his personality. We see him showing Amy how to throw a boulder smashing blow. Or standing outside Tails' tent during a thunderstorm, keeping the kid safe. This presents the idea that Knuckles may be a bit of a blowhard, maybe kind of dumb, taking himself way too seriously... But that's part of his charm too. These attributes also mean he's protective, strong, and committed to his ethical beliefs. All good things to be! I like that better than playing his gullibility for laughs. (Though this issue does that too, in a self-deprecating manner.) 

It's a good story and it looks good too. Thomas Rothlisberger is back on pencilling duties. His Classic style artwork remains top-of-the-line. He emulates some of Tyson Hesse's quirks that have worked their way into the Classic games. Such as Knuckles making a goofy face when awkwardly hiding his past mistakes. Whenever Trip turns on the big puppy dog eyes, that is extremely well conveyed too. The action scenes aren't merely fluid and dynamic in their movement but the way these guys move also reflect on their personalities. We can see Knuckles' brashness in how he throws a punch, Trip's timidity in how she holds herself. Also, it's funny to see fans embracing the idea of Trip belonging to a town of people the same color and physiology as her... Ya know, the exact same thing Ken Penders did with Knuckles back in the day but everyone hates and derides now. I doubt this will set-up Trip having an elaborate and convoluted destiny of her own but my point is: A little more creativity could have been shown, perhaps, in the designs of the other Stargazers. But the art is aces. Nothing to complain about there.

Some impossible to please fans will probably bitch that this one-shot focuses on Trip nearly as much as it does Knuckles, betraying the promise made in the title and cover art. I'm fine with it though, as the bond he forms with her provides a new angle to explore the guy from. IDW has already announced that they intend to continue the tradition of 30th anniversary specials. Next year will supposedly see the publication of a Chaotix's 30th anniversary one-shot. I wonder if that will acknowledge Mighty, Heavy and Bomb were founding members of that team? Moreover, does this mean we can expect a Big the Cat 30th anniversary comic in five short years? And a Shadow or Rouge centric book two years after that? Good God, now I feel like I might crumble into dust. Anyway, this comic book is good. I enjoyed it and recommend it. Go out and buy a copy today! [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Spring Broken!

Sonic the Hedgehog: Spring Broken!

Original Publication Date: June 26th, 2024

I don't know about you guys but, here in my corner of the world right now, it's way too fuckin' hot. It's actually been hitting 100°F and up lately which, no, is not normal. Thanks, climate change! Despite it obviously being summer now, IDW has just published a comic book called "Sonic the Hedgehog: Spring Broken." Aside from being a pun that took me way too long to process, the comic is also wildly out-of-season. Of course, that's because the issue was supposed to come out back in April but suffered another one of IDW's famous last minute schedule slips. And then another and another, the issue finally working its way out in June. I guess it must be spring somewhere in the world. Let us dive into "Spring Broken" then. 

It's certainly spring in the world of Sonic the Hedgehog as this comic book opens. Tails is super excited to attend the Spring Festival, a local carnival and event that arrives every year. Among the attractions is the Annual Flower Frolic Festival, where the community's best gardeners gather to present their most beautifully groomed and grown flowers. Amy is acting as a judge this year, with Silver, Espio, and Jewel in competition. Also Rough and Tumble are there. Silver is very nervous to show off a flower he's worked extra hard on growing but, when it's unveiled on-stage, the plant is on fire. This is the beginning of a mystery, Tails and Vector following a convoluted series of clues to figure out who sabotage Silver's carefully grown flower.

As with last year's Halloween special, "Spring Broken" sees a new writer entering the IDW "Sonic" fold. This story was penned by Josh Trujillo, who has worked on some fairly high-profile DC and Marvel titles. He's currently writing the latest "Blue Beetle" on-going, for one example. Trujillo is also quite experienced with licensed books, having worked on tie-ins for "Rick & Morty," "Adventure Time," "Dream Daddy," and "Bill & Ted." He should be used to playing in other people's sand boxes. This is his first "Sonic" comic, however. Much like Mark Bouchard's "A Very Chaotix Halloween," it seems Trujillo took the idea that "Sonic" is an all-ages, kid-friendly title a little too far. "Spring Broken" is another story that seems aimed at the youngest of fans. There's no fighting and very little action. No one's lives are threatened. No egg-shaped robots are deployed. 

This is, in and of itself, not necessarily a problem. I'm fine with a "Sonic" story just being a fun little hang-out piece. Yet the low stakes pair with a childish tone, that features simplistic takes on the cast. Amy is upbeat and girly, the moment when she reveals Silver's burning flower and gets high-strung being the only colorful moment she has. Vector is defined solely by his status as a detective. Rough and Tumble are simple-minded bad guys which, okay, fine. Charmy is reduced to being such a little kid that he comes off as kind of dumb. Tails being super excited for the Spring Festival is fine, though it would've been nice if his sudden interest in botany was explained in some way. I found myself feeling that way about how a lot of the heroes are written. Silver has shown an interest in gardening in a few IDW issues but mostly of produce and not fancy flowers. Espio and Jewel being into this hobby comes out of nowhere. In general, the script makes the characters feel less like fully fleshed out living beings and more like pawns for a story the writer wanted to tell. 

The only character here that seems truly himself is Sonic... And he doesn't have much to do. In fact, during the presentation of the different flowers, Sonic yawns. The only exciting moment the hedgehog receives is to chase after a possible suspect, a moment that lasts for two whole pages. Instead, the meat of the story focuses on Tails and Vector, working together to solve the mystery of who killed Silver's flower. I like it when characters that don't interact often are paired up. Brainy Tails is certainly a fine pick to work as a detective anyway, with his attention to detail and talent for brilliant solutions. Still, it does feel a little weird that the best thing Sonic does is scarf down a jumbo sized chili dog. 

The kiddie tone is really noticeable in the central mystery. I don't expect the Chaotix to be investigating homicides or drug smuggling operations. The days of their cases starting with a kid dying of an overdose are long since gone. However, there's no denying that the stakes here are as low as possible. "Someone ruined my fancy flower!" sounds like the kind of thing Sherlock Hemlock should be looking into, not the Chaotix. As the end of the story reveals, it's debatable whether a crime was even committed. I can't help but feel that, if you're going to involve the Chaotix in the story and frame your narrative as a mystery, you should probably have something a little more exciting than a dead plant be the kick-off to the investigation. 

Given the simplicity of the story being told, it will not surprise you to read who exactly is behind this quasi-crime. From all of the characters gathered together, which is the shiftiest and most underhanded? Trujillo's script is seemingly aware of how foregone this exact conclusion is. In order to further delay the inevitable, a bunch of goofy twists and false leads are thrown in. The mystery seemingly solves itself twice before the heroes come close to uncovering the actual truth. The result is a seemingly simple event being the result of a rather convoluted series of events. Whether you find that to be a compelling conclusion I guess depends on whether you prefer these stories go in a straight line or a series of zig-zags. I, personally, found it a bit irritating. 

My biggest problem with "Spring Broken" is not the kids-glove tone, the simplistic take on the cast, the non-mystery or the attempt to make that more interesting. All of this would be acceptable if this light-hearted and ostensibly amusing premise actually had some... Ya know, jokes. The only laughs to be found arise from the oversized reactions the characters have to the various not-so-exciting events. Otherwise, there aren't any gags or one-liners. Comic books like this really needed Sonic being a smart-ass, to bring along some of that nineties 'tude. Instead, he grabs a broom and cleans up some trash, doing his civic duty as a superhero. What an inspiration to the kids. Sonic Says Don't Litter! 

The issue features a few cameos from established "Sonic" characters. Big the Cat shows up briefly, having gotten some ice cream flipped on his head. Nite the Owl is the co-presenter of the contest and Don the Rooster pushes the prize – a humongous gemstone – on-stage. Cream and Vanilla have cameos. I gotta tell you, sometimes I have this fear that the "Sonic" comics will eventually become only an excuse for the most dunderheaded fans of this franchise to point at a page and say "There they are! My favorite character! Yay! Serotonin activated!" You must do something with these guys if you actually want to get a pop out of the reader. Having them appear on-panel is not enough. That kind of thinking is how we got a 200 million dollar "Flash" movie seemingly built around a twenty-second cameo from a CGI Nicolas Cage. 

Also, you're telling me that there's a big shiny rock in this story and Rouge didn't show up? Not a single glimpse of Tangle and Whisper? And during Pride Month too... For shame! If you're going to pander to the reader with cameos of random cast members, at least include the random cast members I like! I'm joking but also I'm not because the reveal that Rouge was the one behind poisoning Silver's plant just so she could get her hands on a super-duper geode, only to get talked out of being villainous and giving the rock to Jewel's museum at the end, would be a way better story than this! That's a character arc, guys. Or maybe the gem is secretly some power source that Eggman is after... Not to dissuade anyone's interest in slice-of-life plots involving these characters but so much more could have been done with this set-up. I can't avoid the conclusion that Trujillo's heart simply wasn't in this one, due to either a lack of interest in this world, a lack of time, or weird editorial demands. 

The more I write about this comic, the less I like it. Here, have some positivity. The artwork is great! Adam Bryce Thompson is back on pencils and, as we've come to expect from him, his work is excellent. It's entirely possible that the best moments in this issue – Amy clenching her teeth, Silver's freakout, Vector invading Tails' personal space, Sonic's spit bubble – were entirely his work. Artist add details like that of their own volition sometimes. Obviously, ABT's talent for hyper-expressive faces and his ability to add a dynamic sense of movement to panels where not much is happening are the highlight here, outshining the script. Thompson's obsessive attention to background detail is nice too. The various crowd scenes are full of lovingly designed characters. I know Thompson has a habit of sneaking his friend's OCs into crowd scenes. I suspect that's what some of these faces are. A fox-like female wearing an Egyptian headdress of some sort definitely feels like one of those. As self-indulgent as you could call this tendency, I think it actually adds a lot more color to this world, allowing us to imagine that even the random critters on the street have their own histories and complex personalities. 

Ultimately, "Spring Broken" doesn't have any punchiness as a comedy. No intrigue is produced by its goofy, simplistic mystery. The characters are so reduced to their basic attributes that you don't get much joy out of watching them interact. This produces the most important question of all: What was the point? IDW using these seasonal one-shots as a testing ground for new "Sonic" writers is a good idea. However, this is the second time a newbie has produced mediocre work. Where's Daniel Barnes when you need him? I mean, "Spring Broken" isn't the worst thing. It's too harmless for that. However, it's been a while since I've read a "Sonic" comic so easily forgotten the minute you closed the back cover. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Winter Jam

Sonic the Hedgehog: Winter Jam

Publication Date: December 13th, 2023

Now that 2023 is in the rear view window, we can reflect on IDW's decision to trade out the usual "Sonic" comic mini-series with several seasonal one-shots. The "Endless Summer" special was delightful while everything else, the Halloween special and the various anniversary issues, proved far less memorable. The year ended with, naturally, a winter themed one-shot that tied in with the holidays in its own way. Did "Sonic the Hedgehog: Winter Jam" live up to the weird standard of "Sonic"-themed Christmas entertainment? Now is the time to determine just that...

"Winter Jam" begins with Eggman obsessively watching reality TV on a Thomas Newton Jerome-style wall of monitors. This points the villain towards his newest evil scheme. While Sonic and his friends are chilling on the beach during what must be an unseasonably warm December, Eggman drops a giant robot fish on them. The group wakes up inside a studio, where Cubot and Orbot force them to participate in a series of wintery, holiday-themed competitions. Sonic is teamed up with Tails, Amy partners with Cream and Cheese, Rouge is in cahoots with Omega, and Big trails along with Froggy. The prize is a single Chaos Emerald, causing everyone to take this silliness a lot more seriously. 

"Winter Jam" is the IDW "Sonic" debut for a writer named Iasmin Omar Ata, whose graphic novel work I am completely unfamiliar with. Our blue hedgehog franchise has supported a wide variety of tones over the years, from the fairly serious to the totally farcical. Which means different people can have totally different impressions of what "Sonic" is, based on which game, cartoon show, or comic was their first exposure to the series. If I had to guess, I would wager Ata is most fond of the goofier "Sonic" installments. "Winter Jam" most resembles the sitcom-like writing of the "Sonic Boom" TV show. In fact, it's extremely easy to imagine a "Boom" episode with the premise of "Eggman sticks Sonic and friends inside a competitive reality show." Which is not something you can picture so much in the mainline Sega games, the later Archie comics, or even IDW's on-going book. I'm pretty sure "SatAM" Robotnik would just roboticize the Freedom Fighters if he had them under his thumb like this. 

This "Boom" connection is most evident in the way the characters are written. First off, Cubot and Orbot get flashy roles as the presenters of the show, something much more akin to "Boom" than the main IDW book, where they are usually as merely incompetent lackies when they are remembered at all. Secondly, Ata's script really cooks all of the heroes down to their most essential characteristics. Sonic is defined by his fastness, even if that means he leaps into situations without thinking them through. Tails is brainy to the point of being eggheaded. Amy is the girly straight woman, Cream is an enthusiastic but inexperienced kid, Rouge is all about those gems, and Omega just wants to blow shit up. Big is a weirdo comical anomaly, described in-universe as "inscrutable." I'm sure if Shadow and Knuckles were in this issue, they'd be a gruff loner and a super-strong nincompoop. 

You'd probably expect me to be critical of these characters being written in such one-note fashion, especially since the IDW comics works best the more complex everyone's interactions are. Yet, in this case, it works. "Boom," when it was at its funniest, used its sitcom structure and Flanderized characters to subvert the typical expectations of the "Sonic" universe and push the absurdity of its scenarios as far as possible. Unlike the "Halloween Special," where the simplified characterization felt like the material was being dumbed down, everyone here is still very much on-note. They are just a little goofier than usual, which fits a light-hearted holiday special anyway.

This is most apparent in "Winter Jam's" best reoccurring joke. Sonic's super-fast abilities and personality proves to be an ill-fit for these contests. He tangles himself and Tails in Christmas lights. He tears an Eggman doll to pieces with speed friction when he's supposed to be protecting it during a snowball fight. By the time the super cute ice sculpture he made collapses for no reason, this has become a hilariously cruel running gag. During the "Survivor"-style between-games interviews, Sonic grows increasingly neurotic about his failures. Seeing hyper-confident hero Sonic repeatedly humbled, largely through his own quickness, is a good joke. It's subverting what we know about these guys for comedic effect and Ata's dialogue plays it dry enough to make these reactions even funnier. Good job!

"Winter Jam" gets wackier as it goes along, in accordance with typical rules of cartoon escalation. There's unexpected laser beams, a gelatin monstrosity, and an implausible plot twist. The whole thing ends in a massive explosion, which sounds about right. Ata's script has cultivate a goof-ball tone quickly, allowing the comic to get away with increasingly broad sight-gags like this. Any pretensions of seriousness have long since passed by the time the ostensibly plot motivating Chaos Emerald – reality-altering power sources that usually are no laughing matter within this universe – is causally thrown in at the very end. The Emerald is a MacGuffin in the purest sense here. It exists to push the story forward but otherwise has no deeper significance, everything about it being completely unimportant. 

This comic reminds me of an episode of "Sonic Boom" in another way too. It's so quickly paced that there's really not time for anything but the comedic highlights. In fact, the rest of the winter games are relegated to a single panel, which one imagines would have been a speedy montage in a TV show. This "get to the jokes as quickly as possible" structure means the issue misses out on any depth. You'd think Eggman hyper-fixating on reality shows and creating one of his own would provide some sort of commentary on the shallowest of television genres. Nope! Beyond dismissing it all as trash TV – fair – this comic has nothing to say about reality shows. In fact, the contests resemble standard competition programs like "Holiday Baking Wars" or "The Great Christmas Light Fight" than far more tawdry series like "Big Brother" or "The Bachelor" that I tend to think of as archetypal "reality shows." Eggman could have just as easily been stuck on regular old game shows. 

With "Winter Jam" coming out so close to Christmas, this obviously fills the role of a "Sonic" holiday special. Which brings up another criteria to consider: How does this function as a celebration of end-of-the-year festivities? Loosely, to say the least. The first contest involves making a home look festive. Sonic and Tails string red and green lights, Omega blows up some wreaths, and Amy and Cream prepare a feast that prominently features a yule log desert. Eggman's wall of TVs include some easily missed candy canes and reindeer antlers, while a later collection of panels briefly features baubles hung on an evergreen. The end has everyone luxuriating in the magic of snow falling on the beach. Yet this being entitled "Winter Jam," instead of a more specific reference to any particular holiday, is fitting. Things are kept secular, in a way that reminded me of the first "Community" Christmas episode. Merry jolly, indeed. 

In fact, there's barely any reference to even the secular version of Christmas as we know it. There's no Santa, no exchanging of gifts, no decorating of a tree. Sonic doesn't ask Tails the true meaning of anything, prompting a speech about harking angels or being-not-afraid. Considering we open on our heroes unwinding on a snowy beach, outside of the title, there's no way to know if this issue is even supposed to be set during the winter. Maybe global warming has hit Sonic's world too. Or maybe they just live in their equivalent of California, where it's always sunny and breezy. 

This absence of explicit Christmas references makes sense, because why would Sonic and his friends know anything about an Earthly holiday anyway? (This is a question writers of previous "Sonic" holiday specials never felt the need to consider. Or even Sega for that matter, who have produced many images of Sonic doing explicitly Christmas-y stuff.) Yet compare this to the Halloween special, which actually named the October holiday and prominently featured traditions like trick-or-treating, dressing up in scary costumes, and displaying carved-up gourds on your front porch. Sonic and the gang celebrating Halloween as we know it but only participating in generic, winter-themed traditions forces me to come to one conclusion: Sonic the Hedgehog and all his friends are Godless pagans who have never heard of the story of Christ Child nor accepted Jesus of Nazareth as their personal Lord and Savior. My Southern Baptist grandmother would say they were all going to burn in Hell. But I bet Amy throws a bitchin' Beltane bonfire. 

Anyway, enough of my mostly-sarcastic analysis of this children's comic's setting that was clearly in no way intended by the artist. "Winter Jam" is fun! It made me laugh multiple times while maintaining a good grip on these characters and their world. It cooked up some clever and amusing scenarios I hadn't thought of. The art is from Min Ho Kim, who previously did the character designs for "The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog" and a few IDW covers. The line work is clean and crisp. The characters are expressive and bright. There's even some clever page layouts , such as the dissolve that reveals our heroes on are on the beach or the page where everyone is grabbed by the robot fish. It's not deep but I enjoyed. That's good enough to earn a [7/10] from me. So merry jolly to all you heathens out there. I hope you had a festive and bright December and I'm sorry I'm only publishing this review in January. 

Sonic Superstars: Fang's Big Break

Sonic Superstars: Fang's Big Break

Publication Date: September 25, 2023

The hype train is a precarious beast. Because of the nature of our current pop culture landscape , where new “content” is constantly being shoveled at us, it's become almost impossible for any one release to dominate discussion for an extended period of time. A new movie, video game, song, or TV show has to really capture people's imagination or else it's going to get buried immediately. Sometimes, the best major corporations like Netflix and Disney can hope for is a 24 hour period of talk before some new hot release comes along to overshadow their latest tentpole blockbuster or multi-millionaire dollar streaming series.

Long-running and well-established franchises are not exempt from this at all. When “Sonic Superstars” was announced, it was greeted with quite a lot of excitement within the “Sonic the Hedgehog” fandom. This was basically the closest thing we're ever going to get to a “Sonic Mania 2,” right? There was a decent amount of pre-release buzz, through the various trailers and game play teases. Finally, after months of anticipation, “Sonic Superstar” came out in October and... Yep, that was it. The new game generated some discussion for about a day and then the internet was on to the next thing. I think I've seen more talk within the “Sonic” fandom about “Frontiers,” a year old game at this point, in the last few weeks than I have of “Superstars.” I haven't played the game yet. Those who have say it's cromulent enough. Yet I'm kind of shocked more people don't seem to care. Even Sega immediately pivoted to the Next Big Thing after “Superstars” release, announcing a new “Sonic” title a few weeks later.

Despite the seeming lack of enthusiasm over the new video game now that it's actually out, there was some standard attempts to get people excited. It seems Sega continues to see comic books as a valuable way to promote their products. Much like they did with “Sonic Frontiers,” they recruited Ian Flynn and Evan Stanley to create a short comic promoting “Superstars.” The comic was released for free through Sega's various social media channels, four pages coming out weekly in the three weeks leading up to “Superstar's” release. Due to the connection it has to the mainline “Sonic” comics, I feel compelled to give this a closer look.

The ten page story is entitled “Fang's Big Break” and, as that implies, essentially re-welcomes Fang back to the video game branch of the “Sonic” franchise after a long absence. (Even longer if you discount his appearance in “Mania” as an illusion.) It concerns Eggamn hiring Fang to explore Northstar Islands, a newly discovered island that surely contains some sort of MacGuffins that the mad scientist will want to get his hands on. As Fang journeys around the island, he discovers massive bird tracks in the ground. This soon leads him to an enormous Flicky bird, that Fang quickly manages to apprehend. That's when a mysterious stranger in armor makes themselves known to the bounty hunter...

Much like the “Sonic Frontiers Prologue” comic that came out last year, “Fang's Big Break” is frustrating to read as an actual narrative. This is not a self-contained story. It is simply a prequel to the “Superstars” video game. Quite a lot of interesting plot points are set-up here. What mysteries does Northstar Island hold? What is the deal with this giant Flicky? Who is Trip and what does she plan to do about Fang appearing on the island? And if you want answers to any of these questions... You're going to have to play the fucking video game. “Fang's Big Break” exists to reveal the general premise of "Superstars," introduce younger fans to Fang, and then prompt the reader to go out and buy the game. I understand that this is inevitable with a comic like this but it is disappointing. Just when the story starts to really move, it ends in the most abrupt way possible.

Despite that annoying short-cut, I did enjoy “Fang's Big Break.” That's largely because I'm a fan of Fang as a character. Ever since his introduction in “Sonic Triple Trouble” all the way back in the day, he's always been one of my favorite minor “Sonic” antagonists. Most of the baddies in the “Sonic” video games have their eyes on world domination, usually via obtaining some ultra-powerful plot device. Fang, meanwhile, is only looking out for himself. He just wants to get paid. At most, his evil plans extend to petty vengeance. This comic makes great use of that element of his character. We are privy to the guy's thoughts as he bumbles around the island, stinging with embarrassment from his past defeats and eager to re-establish himself as a creditable threat. Fang might be a bit of a dumb-ass in the Sega video games but you can tell Flynn is doing his best to push the bad guy in the more serious direction he had in the Archie comic books. In other words, Fang is a shifty fuck who greatly overestimates his own value. That's a pretty good villain protagonist to follow for ten pages.

If you're a long-time reader of this blog, you might have noticed something unusual about this review though. When Fang was first introduced to American “Sonic” fans back in the nineties, he was introduced as Nack the Weasel. That's how he was referred to throughout the Archie “Sonic” comic books that ran for twenty years after his debut. Since I've always been a loyal reader of those comics, in my brain, this guy will always be called Nack the Weasel. However, as Sega has attempted to integrate the Eastern and Western “Sonic” canons more, they've started referring to him as Fang – always his Japanese name – worldwide. This can't help but make me internally tense up a little, even if “Fang the Hunter” is probably a cooler name than “Nack the Weasel.” To most “Sonic” fans, who haven't been around for nearly as long as me, this obscure character might as well have always been known to them as “Fang.” It's like a much smaller version of the Eggman vs. Robotnik controversy that continues to generate the occasional argument within this fandom.

Being the slut for franchise lore that he is, Ian Flynn devotes several panels to cheekily acknowledging this debate over the character's name. Eggman calls Fang “Nack the Weasel” very early in this comic, prompting the crook to reveal that was one of several fake identities he assumed in order to get the authorities off his crooked, pointy tail. This is not dissimilar to the rarely acknowledged solution that Eggman is a nickname and Robotnik is his actual name. Alright, fine, I'll begrudgingly accept this. The light purple bounty hunter who rides the Marvelous Queen, wears a hat, and wields a pop-gun is called both Nack and Fang, with the latter being his currently preferred nomenclature. I reserve the right to still refer to him as Nack whenever I feel like it though. Also, still no word on if he's a jerboa, a weasel, a wolf, or some freaky genetic hybrid...

Anyway, it's easy for a long-time “Sonic” comic fan like me to pick up this promotional shorty and read it. With Flynn writing and Evan Stanley doing the illustration, it fits in very easily with IDW's current comic book. Really, there's nothing stopping you from assuming it's more-or-less canon with the comic book's Classic continuity, as rarely as the book acknowledges that. Stanley's artwork is charming and well-done, like always. You can tell she delights in drawing Eggman with big, goofy, facial expressions. A character as tricky as Nack – shit, I mean Fang, look I'm already doing it again – lends himself nicely to all sorts of grumpy, suspicious glares and grimaces. His encounter with the oversized Flicky provides some solid chuckles too. Min Ho Kim's colors are bright and crisp, further establishing the mood of this light-hearted little story.

I guess, if nothing else, “Fang's Big Break” succeeds at what it sets out to do. It makes me even more curious to play “Superstars.” If only because Trip has a really cute design and I would like to know what her deal is. (The character does nothing but spy on people and fall on her face in this comic book.) I mean, I was going to play the game eventually anyway but this might prompt me to do it a little faster. Either way, looking at it strictly as a freebie meant to promote their latest release, “Fang's Big Break” is well done. More thought and effort was put into this by Flynn and Stanley than was probably necessary. I can appreciate that. If nothing else, as a long time fan of the story's crooked protagonist – whatever you call him – I had a good time with this. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Halloween Special

Sonic the Hedgehog: Halloween Special

Publication Date: October 11th, 2023

Once again, I have to open one of these blog posts with an apology. I really didn't mean to take half of October off. It's always the busiest time of the year for me. In-between a number of professional and social responsibilities, what I do over at my other blog – watch and review as many horror films and TV shows as I can – takes up a lot of time too. In all of that, I just lost track of updating Hedgehogs Can't Swim. Sorry about that. I'm sure anybody reading this is used to frequent delays and missed updates from me. I'll try and do better in the last two months of 2023. 

I picked a hell of a time to take a break too. The last few weeks have been an extremely busy time for "Sonic" fans. The much hyped "Sonic Superstars" was released. I haven't had a chance to play it yet though people seem to like it alright. An entirely new 3D platformer was announced, beginning the hype cycle all over again. Most randomly, we even got a second short film starring Lah the Ghost Girl. In the middle of all that were three new comic releases: A regular issue of IDW's monthly series, a digital one shot meant to promote "Superstars," and something I've long crowed for. 

Yes, 2023 saw the release of an official "Sonic the Hedgehog" Halloween special! Every year, I bemoan how there should be more spooky, scary "Sonic" content. I guess someone at IDW heard my cries. The one-shot is entitled "Sonic the Hedgehog: Halloween Special." There's no ambiguity there. This story isn't just a Halloween adjacent tale of ghosts and goblins, the "Sonic" version of a horror story. It is set on Halloween, explicitly involving the traditions of the holiday, which are named and referenced many times. This is about as Halloween-y as a "Sonic" Halloween special could probably get, at least from a story perspective. 

So what is this "Sonic" Halloween Special about? Well, not Sonic, not really. Instead, "A Very Chaotix Halloween" does exactly what that title promises. Vector, Espio, and Charmy Bee are all decked out in Halloween costumes, ready to take Charmy out for a night of tricks and/or treats. Just as they are about to leave, a small child knocks on their door. The kid informs the detective that her and her friends were led astray by a sinister fellow named Herschel. This proceeded a monster leaping out and stealing their candy. The trio decides to investigate. Sonic and Tails, travelling towards their own seasonal activities, notice the crime fighters and decide to assist them. 

I'm as pro-Halloween as a person can possibly be. In all my years of requesting a "Sonic the Hedgehog" Halloween special, I suppose I never asked a question that is obviously very important now: Uh, how do Sonic and his friends know what Halloween is? Here on our world, a very specific junction of several pagan traditions, Christian festivals, and corporate exploitation of market trends led to this holiday existing in the form it does now. It's hard to imagine anything similar happening on IDW's "Sonic" world, which barely seems to be a post-industrial society and has no religion to speak of. If this was the old Archie comics, where Mobius was actually a far-future Earth or Sonic and the gangs co-existed with humanity, this question would be a little less vexing. In this particular continuity, which has been extremely resistant to any sort of world-building, the wide-spread celebration of Halloween, in much the same way we Americans do here in the 21st century, can't help but strike me as a little odd. 

Of course, I am, as I always do, overthinking this. We are supposed to take this holiday and all its related traditions existing on Sonic's world at face value. The same way we are in any of those old Christmas specials, where any number of bizarre, cartoon creatures are aware of and partake in earthly rituals they really should have no awareness of. "A Very Chaotix Halloween" definitely emphasizes the most commercial elements of the autumn festival. The focus here is primarily on dressing up in wacky costumes, going door-to-door, and gathering as much candy as possible. The presence of a monster is quickly resolved in the most "Scooby-Doo"-esque of fashion. There's no discussion of spirits, spectres, ghouls, goblins, or otherworldly entities here. Samhain and the harvest are not mentioned. Considering ghosts, werehogs, Zombots, eldritch abominations, and mismatched robotic oddities do exist in Sonic's world, it's a little odd to see the IDW series go in a strictly secular direction here. There's plenty of Halloween ambiance, which I greatly appreciate, but things definitely veer more towards "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" than "The Halloween Tree" here. 

IDW "Sonic" has certainly embraced horror elements before, which makes it odd that the Halloween special rears back on that. There might be a clear reason for this though. "A Very Chaotix Halloween" is the first "Sonic"-related credit from writer Mark Bouchard. On their website, they describe horror as their favorite genre and have published several fairly grisly comics before. Yet perhaps Bouchard's lack of experience with "Sonic" prompted them to take it easy here. "A Very Chaotix Halloween" sees the characters operating in a fairly archetypal fashion. Sonic is a super-fast, slightly snarky but always virtuous hero. Tails is his light-hearted sidekick. Vector wants to be a tough guy but his goofy, soft side constantly shows. Charmy is an excitable little kid. Espio and the rest of the cast here don't even get that much definition. 

The result is a story that lacks much in the way of depth. Sonic and Tails assist the Chaotix totally on a whim. The Chaotix help the kids out of the kindness of their own hearts and a desire for candy. The actions of the antagonists are explained strictly by greed. There's not a lot to this one. The only thing that really sticks out to me are the slightest suggestion of a rivalry between Sonic and Vector, based on who can crack this particular mystery first. More focus on that probably would've made this one a more satisfying read. 

Honestly, I can't help but wonder if Bouchard doesn't think these "Sonic" comics are for a much younger audience. (Or was instructed to target this one at really little kids.) After the mischievous candy thieves behind the monster are exposed and defeated, Sonic gives them a lengthy lecture on why stealing is wrong. This leads to a super-happy ending where everyone learns a lesson and discovers that being nice feels nice. Moments like that make it seem like this comic is aimed strictly at the preschool audience. I mean, "Bluey" is a show literally for toddlers and it's typically less didactic than this. Perhaps Bouchard's primary knowledge of this series and its hero comes from the old "Sonic Sez" segments. 

It's not like I expect great psychological depth from my blue hedgehog comics. Yet, considering the "Scrapnik Island" mini-series managed to bring quite a lot of pathos to its premise last October, it is disappointing that this feels so thin. Obviously, this is a light-hearted comic that's going for some pleasant hangout vibes. Really the only moment that amuse me in a visible way is when Vector's master plan for defeating the monster involves socking it right in the face. That's direct. Overall though, this one didn't give me much to work with. 

But maybe some mildly spooky October atmosphere is all that's really required of a one-shot holiday special like this. Jack Lawrence does the artwork for this one and, as usual, he's a reliable talent. You can tell Lawrence really had a ball designing everyone's Halloween costumes here. Vector is a Frankenstein monster, Espio is a mummy, Chamry is a vampire, and Tails is a hootin', hollerin' cowboy. (Sonic didn't dress up cause I guess he's too cool for that...) All the little trick-or-treaters look cute too, which vary from skeletons to gillmen. Herschel, who is rocking some sort of Dracula get-up, is especially neat. Matt Froese and Gigi Dutreix's ink and colors deserve some praise too, as they definitely add to the autumnal vibes and forested feeling of the story's second half. 

I suppose it was inevitable that me, being dead center in the "Sonic" nerd/horror aficionado Venn diagram, probably expected more than was reasonable from this. This is a simple Halloween special, with extremely simple goals, targeted at seemingly the youngest members of the "Sonic" fandom. I'm glad it exists even if this doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the potential here. Mark Bouchard definitely strikes me as capable of a lot more, so I'm going to chalk it up to first time shakiness. But, IDW, I've got a killer pitch for next year's Halloween special – "Tails From the Crypt!" – if you want to do this again. (And accept unsolicited submissions from random weirdos on the Internet with no experience writing for comic book companies.) [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Amy's 30th Anniversary Special

Sonic the Hedgehog: Amy's 30th Anniversary Special

Publication Date: September 27th, 2023

The “Sonic the Hedgehog” titles must be a big hit for IDW, as they are continuing to make a habit out of releasing one-shots on a regular basis. They just announced another one last week! Among their most persistent series of one-shots have been the anniversary editions. Sonic's 30th anniversary in 2021 was a big deal for the whole franchise, IDW honoring it with one of their best comics in the entire series. They continued the trend last year, giving Tails an anniversary special too. Showing that this is clearly going to be a tradition until they are out of 30th anniversaries, 2023 has brought with it a 30th anniversary special for Amy Rose too. (The fact that Sega has a new retro-platformer coming out soon was, no doubt, another reason to greenlight this special.) I bet Flynn is already drafting the script for Knuckles' birthday one-shot for next year. 

Of course, when you compare Amy to Tails or Knuckles, you notice she's a very different character. Amy Rose is probably the most popular female character in the “Sonic” franchise now, essentially being the female face of the entire series. Yet she didn't even debut in one of the numbered sequels. Amy Rose first appeared in “Sonic CD,” a game a lot of fans probably didn't play when it was new because not many people had a Sega CD. Tails was appearing in the American “Sonic” comics and cartoons and Knuckles would soon acquire a massive following in the comics. Amy, meanwhile, wouldn't appear in an animated series until “Sonic X” and was only a minor supporting character in the Archie books for years. 

Despite being the closest thing Sonic had to a love interest in the video games at the time, Amy Rose didn't really become a detailed character until the Dreamcast era. “Modern” Amy was still a fashionable, very pink girl hedgehog but she also wielded a big-ass hammer, while having personality traits outside of endlessly pursuing Sonic and being a damsel-in-distress. The Piko Piko Hammer has become such an ingrained part of Amy's personality that Classic Amy – the subject of this one-shot – has retroactively been given it as well. While Modern Amy has flourished and become a beloved member of the series, Classic Amy has just sort of hung around.  The reinvention of the character has overshadowed the rather vague original version. 

How did Ian Flynn go about resolving this issue? Let's see. “Amy's 30th Anniversary Special” begins with the pink hedgehog throwing a little party for her animal friends, also giving them a reading from her divination cards. The cards warn of danger and, soon enough, Metal Sonic barges into the area. Joined by a little blue Flicky, and guided by her magic cards, Amy sets out to get the bottom of things. She discovered a series of Egg Capsules, freeing Nack Fang, Ray, and Bark along the way. They soon follow a shipment of fruit to an island fortress, where Eggman has captured all of Amy's friends in similar Egg Capsule. Metal Sonic is right on their trail though, leading to a big showdown. 

You know what my first thought was upon finishing reading this comic book? “Ian Flynn should write a “Strawberry Shortcake” or “Rainbow Brite” comic or something like that.” This issue really captures the feel of “girly” Saturday morning cartoon shows from the eighties and I mean that in the best way. This one-shot is unapologetically girly. Pink is the primary color on many of the pages. Amy is constantly surrounded by cute, little animals – who look like stuffed toys, really – and pretty flowers. After quickly assessing that Bark, usually an antagonist, isn't such a bad guy, she gives him a big hug. The issue ends with the heroes having a tea party! The visual design for this comic shoots is designed to appeal to the audience of “cutest little girl you can imagine in the early 90s.”

Again, I don't mean any of this as a criticism. I'm not the target audience for “She-Ra” or “Jem” or “Care Bears” or whatever. Yet it's impressive that this comic marries to this specific aesthetic so unerringly without letting it effect the story any. Despite Amy, and Classic Amy especially, being defined largely by her devotion to Sonic, that's only a little part of this comic. Instead, there are some decent stakes here. Amy's friends have been captured and, gosh darn it, she's going to free them. She's a young girl, with young girl problems, but that doesn't hinder her from overcoming the specific challenges this narrative presents. Flynn's script argues that Amy's girliness is not a defect but an asset. 

Honestly, I think the character arc Amy gets here is really cute. All throughout the story, she expects to find Sonic or Tails or someone really famous like that in the Egg Capsules. Instead, she gets Nack, Ray, and Bark. All throughout, she attributes the extraordinary characteristics her magic cards points towards to other people. In the end, it's pointed out that Amy is the one who accomplished all these things. Honestly, I think this is a good message to send to young people. Young girls, especially, undervalue their own abilities because our society is so fucking sexist. Amy learning her own strength, that even she denies, is a sweet little arc that fits the character and also makes for a compelling narrative. 

Aside from her infatuation with Sonic, Classic Amy has one other characteristic. At least, she does in theory anyway. The manual to “Sonic CD” mentioned that Amy was into Tarot and this is a factoid that was widely ignored for years. These days, all out of a desire to make the modern/classic divide more distinct, Classic Amy's Tarot fixation is focused on more. This issue, in particular, hammers the fortune telling thing really hard. It proves a decent way to keep the story moving and also allows Aaron Hammerstrom to design some really cute cards. It's still weird to me that Sega pretends Amy has always been into divination though.

Though Ian Flynn has told fans not to worry about the Classic/Modern divide anymore, it seems this mandate is still in place for the comics. Mighty, Ray, and the Hooligans have yet to appear in the modern-set stories. Another way you can tell these characters are still off-limits for the rest of the comics is that, any time IDW publishes a “Classic” title, they tend to show up. Yes, this issue gives a plum supporting role to Ray the Squirrel. Mighty, Bean, and the Weasel Formerly Known as Nack all put in some appearances. Ray gets some cute little moments to himself, playing up his youthful nativity. (It's still weird to me that Comic Ray doesn't have a stutter anymore.) 

Yet Bark the Bear proves to be the secret MVP here. Because, really, who is Bark the Bear? In the Archie comics – where the extremely obscure character of Bark has been more defined, versus his sole appearance in a largely forgotten video game from 27 years ago – he's also been this silent bruiser.  While Flynn has always written Bark as an antagonist, he's mostly just been muscle for hire. Not really a dedicated villain in his own right. It's been suggested before that Bark actually isn't a bad guy and this comic runs with that. Maybe it's just because Flynn has a limited number of characters to work with in this setting, so Bark got selected. Yet to see the big quiet bear prove he's more teddy than grizzly is a nice touch. 

You know what another element of cutesy eighties cartoon is? Bad-ass villains that are always humbled by the soft, adorable heroes. Even “boy” cartoons have this element, where extremely cool looking bad guys like Skeletor, Shredder, and Cobra Commander were repeatedly humiliated. This contrast was even more obvious in shows targeted at younger kids and girls. Seriously, look at this guy. Could be a mascot for a metal band, right? And he got his ass kicked every week by Teddy Ruxpin. Meanwhile, this demonic looking motherfucker regularly lost fights to the Little Ponies. 

What is the point I'm making her? It's practically a tradition that, the softer the cartoon looks, the more disproportionately bad-ass the antagonist looks... Who is then, despite that intimidating exterior, totally defeated over and over again. This also accurately describes Metal Sonic in this issue. He blasts in, tears shit up, frightens Amy into hiding, but never actually does anything productive. In the end, he's left defeated in a comical fashion. As an old man who has been watching cartoons my whole life, it warms my heart to see this nostalgic troupe upheld in a comic clearly paying tribute to that era. 

That the Classic Sonic aesthetic is so readily apparent always makes these anniversary specials a treat for the eyes. Aaron Hammerstrom provides the pencils here, as he did for the Tails Anniversary special. He does excellent work too. The characters are expressive and adorable, fitting within the Classic house style while also coming alive within these panels. This is especially important for characters who don't speak, like Bark and Metal Sonic. They seem as lively and well-characterized as the rest of the gang. Reggie Graham's colors are bright and soft, furthering the feeling of a vintage cartoon. 

I don't think the “Amy 30th Anniversary” special is as good as the “Tails” or “Sonic” anniversary one-shots. Those stories were more action-packed, with more adventurous pacing. Yet I think this comic book is pretty good too. As it's probably clear by now, Classic Amy is not a “Sonic” cast member I'm especially attached to. Yet this issue managed to make her endearing to me. While I don't think this will replaced the later versions of Amy as my preferred take on the pink hedgehog, the one-shot does argue for Classic Amy's place in the franchise's history. [7/10]