Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 167

 
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 167
Publication Date: October 2006

Before I get on with my review of “Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 167,” which contains the second half of Ian Flynn's first stab at the “Mobius: 25 Years Later” setting, let's talk about the two most recent covers. Yes, for some reason, Archie invited Sanford Greene back to do some covers. Greene would mostly be a transitional artist between Patrick Spaziante being the main cover artist and Tracy Yardley taking over cover duties for the most part. While Greene's covers for issues 166 and 167 are slightly better then his past works, his take on the Sonic cast still look a little off. On this cover, for example, everyone's head is a little too big and the perspective is kind of weird. I'm pretty sure Greene would only do one more cover for the series but don't quote me on that.

The main story in issue 167 is subtitled “Tempus Aetenrus,” because Flynn loves his Latin apparently. Anyway, after being cornered by Knuckles' forces last time, Sonic, Tails, and Lara-Su are tossed in the dungeon with Rotor. Luckily, it's just a trick, as Knuckles reveals himself as a double agent for the resistance. Now free, Sonic marches into the throne room, ready to confront King Shadow head on. Yet the middle-aged Sonic isn't as much of a match for Shadow as he was in the past, forcing an unexpected hero to emerge.

Even though they are currently having adventures in the main timeline, I still get a rush out of seeing Sonic and the gang go on an adventure together. The opening scene of issue 167 is devoted to Sonic, Tails, and Lara-Su cracking jokes in the dungeon. That sets the light tone of adventure and fun that characterizes the entire issue. The image of Sonic and Knuckles running through the hallways, sniping jokes at each other, is something that always amuses me. The straight-ahead plot flow of this story – heroes attempt to overthrow evil king – makes for a smooth, quick moving script.

There's really only one major action beat in this issue, though it comprises the entire second half of the script. However, the story features another great bit of action illustration from Tracy Yardley. Sonic races forward and slugs Shadow in the face. He shrugs this blow off. Afterwards, he throws his cape off. Before the cape hits the ground, which is brilliantly illustrated in a series of isolated panels, Shadow has beaten Sonic into submission. Not only does this emphasize the raw power Shadow has, his often boasted abilities as the Ultimate Lifeform getting an actual display, it also gives Sonic another far-too-rare vulnerable moment.
The ending to “Tempus Aetenrus” comes off as slightly sudden. After Sonic takes the fall, Lara-Su leaps into the battle. After trading blows with Shadow for a minute, she utilizes Chaos Control to freeze the black hedgehog in his place. It's a slightly underwhelming conclusion, as King Shadow is defeated far too easily after so much build-up. Though Lara-Su is clearly powerful, it's also somewhat jarring to see a teenage girl opposing such an unstoppable character with so little effort. Still, it is nice to see Knuckles' daughter get a victorious moment to herself.

After all the action theatrics are wrapped up, Sonic and Sally take the throne once more. This leads to easily the most touching moment in the issue. The hedgehog and the chipmunk sit together in a private area. Slowly, they draw closer. After so many years apart, their reunion is awkward. Yet, as their hearts take the lead, they pull each other into for a kiss. (Which Yardley sweetly draws attention to, framing the kiss in a heart-shaped panel.) This sequence features some of Flynn's best dialogue thus far. I especially like Sonic's sheepish admission that he wants kids.
The back-up story is another contribution from Romy Chacon, who was less retired than I guess. In “Hedgehog Day,” Sonic is awoken by his alarm clock. After Scourge and CroctoBot crashed his previous birthday party, Knothole is throwing him a second one. And he's late. While rushing to get to the party, he trips and breaks his leg. Sonic awakens the next to the exact same situation. The day is seemingly repeating itself until Sonic finally makes it to the party without incidence.

Yes, this is a take-off on “Groundhogs Day.” No, it's not an especially good one. Unlike Harold Ramis' famous film, Sonic isn't trapped in repeating loop because he needs to become a better person. He's trapped, for reasons that are never explained, to facilitate the moral of setting your alarm clock for the right time. Chacon's script features mostly lame jokes. Such as Mina's latest hit being entitled “Soldier Boy” - presumably she implores us to crank dat? - or each day concluding with Sonic in the hospital, a new citizen threatening to file a frivolous lawsuit against him. The most outrageous of these scenarios is, after Sonic decides he's just not leaving his house, when a group of paparazzi climb onto his roof and fall inside, all of them ending up in the hospital together.

Drawing “Hedgehog Day” is Dave Manak, one of the series' earliest artists returning after a long hiatus. I'll give Manak this much. He's finally made some attempt to update his style. Sonic and the gang are portrayed with the longer torsos and more anime-esque facial designs that they gained in the franchise's later years. Otherwise, Manak's artwork is as angular and cartoony as always. Panels devoted to Sonic spitting out his toothpaste are unintentionally grotesque. The nosy reporters have instantly forgettable designs. Sonic's hut looks entirely different from previous portrayals. (So does the Race Car Bed, which I guess didn't get thrown out after all.) It's about the same level of quality Manak has always contributed: Decent, but still kind of ugly.

A lame back-up story can't take away from the quality of the cover story, which is quite good. Flynn continues to redefine the comic, cranking out solid action yarns that respect the characters and their universe. Though intended to be the final “25 Years Later” story, this arc would prove so popular that Flynn would give the setting more chances in the future, devoting a “Sonic Universe” arc to far flung future versions of Sonic and the gang. In other words: In two comics, Flynn manage to entice fans more then Ken Penders' did over an entire year. Go figure. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 166

 
Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 166
Publication Date: September 2006

The exact reason why Ken Penders left Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” book has often been speculated. Did the conflicts with the other writers eventually push him out? Did Archie actually fire him, annoyed by the book's floundering quality? One theory, it seems, has risen to the top. Rumor has it that Sega demanded that Ken incorporate Shadow the Hedgehog into his “Mobius: 25 Years Later” setting. Apparently this was the breaking point for Ken, who was reportedly already frustrated with Sega's influence over the comic. I can't recall if any of this has ever been officially confirmed. Considering the way Sega was pushing Shadow around 2005, it wouldn't surprise me. If this was true, Ian Flynn would utilize this plot idea to breath some life into “25 Years Later” when he re-visited the concept in issue 166.

When Sonic was shot back through time in issue 144, he succeeded in preventing whatever disaster that was causing the world to break apart. His actions had an unforeseen side effect though. He returned to a new future, totally unlike what he remembered. Now a tyrannical Shadow the Hedgehog rules over Mobius with an iron fist. He has assumed the throne, by marrying Sally. The Chaotix are utilized as his personal goon squad, crushing any rebellion. Despite the changes, Sonic, Tails, and many of the other former Freedom Fighters maintain their memories of the original future. Tails recruits Lara-Su to find Sonic and lead a coup against the wicked King Shadow.

The “Mobius: 25 Years Later” setting was precious to Ken Penders. His desire to continue that story line as the much mocked “Lara-Su Chronicles” makes that much clear. If Sega insisting on King Shadow is a true rumor, it's easy to see why the order would upset him so. Issue 166's “Tempus Fugit” shows Ken's utopian future Mobius transformed into a cruel dictatorship. Shadow is portrayed as an brutal ruler, having assassinated Cobar off-screen, and torturing Rotor in the dungeon for information. (Lien-Da appears as a high-ranking enforcer, a position she both enjoys and dreads, as Shadow doesn't tolerate her penchant for treachery.) It's something of a morbid joke that Shadow the Hedgehog would ultimately be a more effective dictator than Dr. Robotnik ever was.

While I don't have the antipathy for Ken's setting that many do, I'll admit that Shadow's dystopia is a bit more interesting then Ken's perfect world. That future Mobius was so free of conflict that the heroes' marital problems were the main source of drama. Though our glimpses at this version of Mobius are limited, we do see a couple of nice touches. Like the Orwellian poster spread about the city proclaiming that “The Chaotix are Watching You” or multiple statues seemingly deifying Maria Robotnik as a pure, angelic being.

This story also places Sonic the Hedgehog in a vulnerable places. When Tails and Lara-Su track him down, he's homeless on the streets. His ears are bent back, his shoes are full of holes, his face is wrinkled. He's eating a chili dog seemingly covered in green fuzz. Seeing his wife married to a wicked villain was a huge blow for him. Moreover, Sonic and Sally's kids do not exist in this new timeline. The situation is so bad for him that he nearly cries, as actual, full-blown tears were forbidden by Sega. Even without the water works, this is easily the lowest Archie has ever taken Sonic. The hedgehog is not doing well.

If “Tempus Fugit” has a major problem, it's that the story ends just when things are really getting good. Most of part one is devoted to setting up the situation. So Tails and Sonic's tearful reunion features some dialogue about what happened. That he's built a device able to protect people from the old timeline, that those close to Sonic's trip maintain some memories. Just when Lara-Su and Tails talk the fragile hedgehog into fighting once more, a team of shock troops led by Knuckles close in on them. And that's where the story ends. It's a decent set-up, with some solid emotional moments and a few nice touches. But I wish it was given a little more room to breath.

The cover story probably feels short because the back-up story is longer than the usual five pages.  “The Chaotix Connection” is a collaboration between Flynn and Romy Chacon, with the likely conclusion being that Flynn fleshed out Chacon's outline. Anyway, Renfield T. Rodent – remember him? - was freed from echidnan prison when Robotnik took over Angel Island. The rat fled to Station Square, where he's built a new casino. The President of the city rightfully feels he might be up to something. So the Chaotix, along with Rouge who has been granted temporary membership on the team, are sent to investigate. They uncover another half-assed but dangerous plot from the bad guy.

“The Chaotix Connection” is something like a spiritual sequel to “The Chaotix Caper.” That previous adventure is referenced a few times, with Mighty and Espio being concerned that Renfield has poisoned the casino's food. This story is not as dark as that one, as there's no children dying from drug poisoning and no mass dosings of L.S.D. In fact, “The Chaotix Connection” is pretty silly. The Rodent has been ordered by Eggman to hypnotize anyone who stares at his slot machines for too long. This is a plot to grab the brain waves of the Chaotix, downloading them into a new set of Auto-Automatons. This includes the goofy sights of the Chaotix with mesmerized, swirly eyes. It also features an android horse with a rocket punch, a henchman granted to Renfield by Robotnik.

Despite these goofy moments, it's still satisfying to see the Chaotix working together as a team on another crime story-like adventure. Mighty shows off his strength, rolling Renfield's machines into a giant ball of scrap. Julie-Su blows the android horse's head off. Yet my favorite moments in this story involve Julie-Su and Rouge's growing rivalry over Knuckles. The bat continues to ruffle the echidna's feathers, Knuckles forced to separate them at one point. That seems like a juicy plot point but, sadly, Rouge and Julie-Su share little panel time after that.

What truly makes “The Chaotix Connection” an important story is its art. This would be Jay Axer's final credit on Archie's “Sonic” book. As always, Axer's work is phenomenal. The story opens with a startling one-page spread of Knuckles tied up, spit being substituted for blood running from his mouth. As always, Axer brings a very high level of detail to his work. All the characters, even the minor ones working in the loading bay, are incredibly detailed and well thought out. Despite Rouge wearing her odd “Sonic Heroes” get-up, Axer still draws her better than anyone else. It's also worth noting that Axer was one of the few artists on this book who could draw decent looking humans. Archie never utilized Axer very well, usually sticking him on back-up story duty, yet his artwork continued to be some of the best ever featured in the book. I'll miss the guy, for sure.

The back-up story isn't the best to be featured in the book, even if the artwork is great. It's a bit of a shame that a middling story like this took away page space from the cover story, which probably needed the breathing room. Still, this is a solid over all issue, featuring one story that shows a lot of promising ideas and a back-up that features some killer artwork. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 153

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 153
Publication Date: September 2005

Issue 153 begins a story arc called “Songoose,” revolving around Mina Mongoose and her music. That songs feature prominently in this is fitting. Issue 153 would be the swan song for Karl Bollers' involvement in Archie's “Sonic” series. Once one of the book's best writers, Karl would write his share of stinkers, receiving some not-unfair blame for the comic's Dork Age. Bollers' exit is mostly blamed on increasingly common arguments with fellow head writer Ken Penders. Though I feel the book's recent dip in quality must've informed Karl's decision. Whatever the reason, “Songoose” would be the beginning of the end of Bollers' stint on “Sonic.”

Mina the Mongoose is coming to Knothole to perform a big concert. The Freedom Fighters hope it will rise the spirits of everyone around town. Instead, Nack the Weasel appears in the crowd and attempts to assassinate Mina. Once captured, he admits why. Robotnik hates the mongoose's infectiously catchy tunes and demands her head on a platter. Realizing the dictator won't stop with one failed attempt, Sally assigns Sonic to be the pop star's personal bodyguard.

The reasoning behind Robotnik wanting Mina dead is kind of cute. After the weasel gets tossed in prison, realizing his ex-partners are there and ready to kick his ass, he immediately weasels out his employer. We are then greeted to four highly amusing panels devoted to Robotnik hearing one of Mina's song, the tune getting stuck in his head, and being tormented by the number's persistent presence in his brain. This recalls the comic's earlier, goofier days, a pleasant respite the recent romantic entanglements and grimness of Bunnie being robo-raped. (Which I guess shows you how dark the book has gotten, when the attempted assassination of a pop star is actually considered a more whimsical element.)

I do wish the actual assassination was carried out a little better. Nack sneaks into Mina's concert, wearing sunglasses and a trench coat, a not exactly inconspicuous fashion choice. He shoots a fiery blast from a weird handheld blaster, missing horribly and setting a palm tree ablaze. Sonic then rushes Mina out of the way and quickly bonks Nack on the head into unconsciousness. Weirdly, three whole panels are devoted to Bunnie kicking the flaming tree into a near-by lake, as if it posed ans equal a threat as the murderous weasel. The whole sequence mostly makes Nack seem incompetent, making you wonder why Robotnik hired him in the first place.

With Mina's return to singing, the lingering attraction between her and Sonic also returns. I don't know how many times the book has buried that one – at least three times, by my count? - but it's the subplot that just won't die. Ash is clearly jealous of Sonic, while the blue hedgehog clearly continues to inspire Mina's lyrics. That's not the only tension in the air. In one panel, Tails awkwardly attempts to ask Fiona out on a date, still holding a torch for the vixen. Hoping to save the little guy's heart, Sonic instead invites the whole group to the concert. This leads to Fiona talking about how hard it was for her to forgive Sonic, for abandoning her at that Robotnik prison camp years ago. It's not a great scene but is still the most character development Fiona has gotten.

The romantic stuff is admittedly the better handled emotional aspect in this story. “Songoose: Part 1” begins with General D'Coolette watching Sonic and the Chaotix sparing. After a conversation with the King and Queen, still overseas, the old man collapses from some unspecified malady. You'd think this would to a scene of Anti-Antoine, still masquerading as the real deal, responding to this news with a cold heart. Or perhaps walking away from his dad's hospital room, unmoved? This, in turn, would raise the Freedom Fighters' suspicions about what's up with the coyote. Instead, we merely hear Bunnie and Sonic talk about how cold-hearted Antoine has become. Furthermore, these scenes don't really connect with the rest of the issue's story. The book will resolve the Anti-Antoine plot point soon and I can't wait. It's been so dumb, mismanaged so badly.

The cover story's somewhat whimsical tone continues with the back-up, entitled “Fairy Tale or the Adventures of Pirate Sally.” The orphans Sasha, Snaggle, and Rory have come down with a cold. They beg Rosie to tell them a story, to take their minds off their sickness. The nanny spins a yarn about a good pirate named Sally. After an elf version of Tails literally falls out of the sky, he tells Sally's crew a story about how one of his tails was stolen by the minion of an evil wizard. On their journey to retrieve the kid's tail, Sally will encounter a brave hedgehog knight, a dark rider, a troll, and an evil wizard.

“Fairy Tale” is silly but it's also pretty cute. The fantasy fiction spins on Sonic and friends aren't especially clever. It's weird that Robotnik is turned into the evil wizard while Ixis Naugus – an actual evil wizard – is relegated to a one panel cameo. Rouge, appearing as the Rogue Assassin, and Mogul as a troll get similarly small roles. However, the image of Sally as an eye-patch wearing pirate, having adventures with an elf Tails and a knight Sonic, is fun. The five page length, with two of those pages devoted to Rosie telling the kids the story, isn't nearly enough time to explore the fantasy setting. I do like the kids criticizing the holes in Rosie's story, a funny moment.

Adding to my enjoyment of “Fairy Tale” is some awesome pencils from Art Mawhinney. He makes Sally as a pirate look surprisingly cool. The action scenes, while brief, are well orchestrated. Art's cute style is especially well suited to this story. The orphans look adorable. So do Sally and the gang in the bed time story. After they've been broken up for a year, it touches my heart to see Sonic and Sally nearly kiss, in Art's SatAM-esque style. Even if it is in a non-canon fantasy stories. Art's excellent work is certainly a step-up from Ron Lim's work on the first tale. Though Lim does pull off a decent panel of Nack or Mina, his characters remain noodle-limbed and wide-eyed. Even this represents an improvement for Lim, as his action scenes have a little more pop to them then usual.

I suppose this issue is also the swan song for Romy Chacon, as “Fairy Tale” appears to be his final credit on the book. Chacon was a far more uneven writer then Bollers, though I suppose I'll miss him too. The cover story has its moments and the back-up is cute, meaning issue 153 is actually one of the better “Sonic” comics to be published in 2005, even if it's still just shy of mediocre. (In other news: The annoying habit of Archie including extended advertisements in the middle of the book continued with 153. Midway through the issue is a five page insert inviting you to buy “The Batman” pasta from Campbell's. Thankfully, and obviously, this is clipped from the digital version.) [6/10] 

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 150

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 150
Publication Date: June 2005

This is it, guys. The issue of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic that nearly caused me to abandon the book, a series I had been reading regularly for over a decade at this point, that I consider an enormous cornerstone of my nerdiness. It’s not really the fault of issue 150, though it is a very flawed comic. Instead, I was simply fed up with the comic, coming off the super shitty “The Good, the Bad and the Unknown” arc and several years of disappointing stories. After reading this mediocre issue, I actually stopped reading for about two months before deciding life was too weird without Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog”  in my hand every month.

In Knothole, romance is in the air. Sort of. Sonic is hitting on Mina Mongoose, who is tempted but rejects him because of Ash being her boyfriend. He hits on Amy Rose, who is weirded out by his direct language. The hedgehog’s horny ways eventually hit pay dirt, when Tails walks in on Sonic and Bunnie making out. Moreover, Sonic is doing heroic deeds solely for rewards. There’s a reason for this: Sonic isn’t Sonic. Instead, Anti-Sonic has kidnapped the real deal and switched places with him.

I think “Hero to Zero in No Time at All” – another one of those elegant Ken Penders’ titles – reveals what an incompetent villain Anti-Sonic is. Somehow, it took the guy 139 issues to think of stealing Sonic’s identity, even though that’s the most obvious scheme an evil copy can enact. After slotting himself into the heroic hedgehog’s life, what evil act does he commit? Murder Sonic and his friends? Sabotage the Freedom Fighters? Sell Knothole out to Robotnik? Nope! Instead, he grabs free food and hits on chicks until he gets laid. (Sonic and Bunnie awake in the woods, in each other’s arms. There’s no way you can convince me they didn’t fuck.) What’s especially dumb about this is how nobody questions why Sonic is acting like a horny douchebag. Not Tails, not Sally, not any number of other people who have known him their entire lives.

This shows a serious lack of understanding of the characters. Considering Ken Penders has been the main writer on this book for a multitude of years, you’d think he would know better too. Then again, Penders seems to think that Sonic being a love-em/leave-em type is canon so I guess the others have no reason to notice how weird he’s acting. Writing like this is one of the reasons why detractors deride the comic as “furry soap opera melodrama bullshit.” Sonic, even a villainous copy of Sonic, trying to seduce nearly every woman in his life is a story that probably has no business being in this book. The hedgehog getting lucky with Bunnie of all people – who has never shown any romantic interest in him – shows a further misunderstanding of these characters Ken has lived with for a long ass time.

It’s almost as if Ken really wanted to write a story about Sonic screwing around on all the girls who like him and some that don’t. The Anti-Sonic angle is probably the laziest way to accomplish this story. By bringing up the Mirror Mobius, Ken also quickly tosses another recent plot point under the rug. You want to know why Antoine has been acting like a shit head for a while? Cause he’s also been replaced by his evil counterpart! Apparently Karl Bollers intended Antoine’s personality change to be good old fashion character development. This disagreement with Penders was one of many that would lead to Bollers’ upcoming exit from the book. To add further insult, this nugget about Antoine has no other effect on the plot.

I guess Ken figured romance should be in the air for some reason, as “Hero to Zero” features a subplot involving Rouge the Bat. Hoping to snipe Nack the Weasel’s attempt to steal Angel Island’s magical emerald, she heads for the Island. Rouge meets Locke and begins to seduce him. This plot goes nowhere, as Archimedes teleports Rouge away before the date goes too far. I have no idea where – if anywhere – this subplot is going. Christ, it’s almost as if Ken just wanted his self-insert Locke to get a hot girlfriend or something.

The back-up story concerns events of actual important. In the conclusion of “The Chosen One,” Mammoth Mogul is ready to destroy the Perpendicular Zone, wiping out the multi-verse and the ten thousand Tails contained within. The prime Tails bravely heads out to face the god-like villain. Mogul immediately attempts to de-atomize the fox. Sonic leaps in the way, taking the shot. This activates Tails’ Chosen One powers. He absorbs all of the other Tails, becoming a giant named Titan Tails. He quickly defeats Mogul, stripping him of all his powers. Using the last of his immense strength, Titan Tails restores the multi-verse.

Part two of “The Chosen One” is responsible for another notorious bit of Archie Sonic lore. I’m talking about, of course, Titan Tails. The character design is, indeed, quite unfortunate. Most of the super forms in the Sonic-verse are just like the regular characters but a different color or something. Titan Tails, meanwhile, is a giant and super-buff version of Tails. The contrast is somewhat disturbing. Seeing the normally boyish Tails have his features grafted onto “Pumping Iron” era Arnold Schwarznegger’s body is hugely off-putting.

Once you overlook the monstrosity that is Titan Tails, “The Chosen One: Part Two” is as about as satisfying as this story could be. Tails being motivated by Sonic’s pain add some minor emotion to the story. Tails’ powers, defeating a god-like Mogul in minutes and undoing all the damage he incurred, are pretty impressive. Tails giving away his powers willingly, in order to save millions of lives, is a nice touch. Pretty much no pay-off to the Chosen One arc could’ve been one-hundred percent satisfying, after so many years of build up. But Romy Chacon does alright.

Art Mawhinney draws the entire issues and, as always, it’s good work. I love how bizarre some of the alternate universe Tails are during “The Chosen One.” He does what he can with Titan Tails, a truly poor design. As for the cover story, his clean lines and expressive faces are a benefit. The flashbacks, detailing Anti-Sonic trading places with the real deal, bring some obvious humor to the proceedings. Though, I’ll admit, Art doesn’t quite have a grasp on Rouge’s design. (And considering the obvious amount of sex appeal in the story, Steven Butler probably would’ve been a better choice.)

As far as anniversary issues go, #150 is definitely underwhelming. The conclusion to the Chosen One plot point occurring in this issue was a good choice. But devoting the 150th cover story to Evil Sonic sexually manipulating some of the series’ female players? That was a weird-ass choice. I don’t even like Spaz’ cover much, which is about as generic as a “Sonic” cover can get. Still, it sucks less then “The Good, the Bad and the Unknown.” That was the metric to measure the book by in 2005. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 149

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 149
Publication Date: May 2005

With issue 149, “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” finally concludes. When this story arc was originally published, to me, it felt like the plot went on for most of the year. In truth, it only lasted four months. However, this one was enough of a clunker – combined with a general decline in quality in the series – that I nearly quit reading the book over it. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Let's get this over with.

Deep in the mysterious Kintobor's underground complex, Sonic, Shadow, and Metal Sonic continue their hyper-macho throw down/pissing contest. Their fight has unearthed a giant nuclear missile, which is about to go off. Rotor and the others continue to mill around the upper levels, looking for help. Somehow – I can't remember specifics – Uncle Chuck and Jules become aware of this strife, piloting a plane to rescue everyone. Will they make it in time? Take a guess.

The Sonic/Shadow/Metal Sonic three-way showdown – the main reason, I suspect, this entire story arc was written – concludes here. And in the most underwhelming fashion possible. Sonic defeats Metal by bopping him on the head, Bunny Foo-Foo style, and embedding him in the ground. This happens within the first few pages, ending that story line prematurely and awkwardly. Afterwards, Shadow outright admits that he doesn't know why he's fighting Sonic. In the tradition of so many comic book fights, the two immediately team up afterwards, realizing the nuclear missile about to go off threatens them both. That's the conclusion to this epic fight. What a let down.

One of many problems with this story arc has been the role the Freedom Fighters play. Tails, Rotor, Bunnie, Tommy, and Fiona have been milling about the underground facility. The whole time they haven't accomplished much, besides stumbling into a series of traps. Ken more-or-less admits how useless the gang has been because he has Chuck and Jules, out of nowhere, rescue them. About the only notable thing about their sequence is a moment when Fiona picks up a big ass gun, posing with it. Because Ken is always subtle with his commentary, Rotor immediately tells her to put it down because Mobians never use guns. Yet this single panel hints at the villainous personality Fiona would develop under Ian Flynn's pen.

Maybe the biggest sucking black hole in this story has been the character of Isaac. Ambiguously villainous but mostly just boring, he continues to croak up some of Penders' most banal dialogue ever. In the final pages of 149, Isaac reveals that the man who built him, this giant base, and the huge nuke inside is still alive. Yep, Kintobor – who brought the wrath of the Xorda down on Earth and is Robotnik's ancestor, in some way – sleeps in a stasis tube, awaiting reawakening. Of course, the subsequent writers didn't pick up on this thread. And who can blame them? Isaac and Kintobor are left buried underground after their own nuke goes off. That's where they fucking belong.

As promised last month, the back-up story finally steers the plot point of Tails being “The Chosen One” towards its conclusion. A casual game of Hide and Seek between Sonic and Tails is interrupted when Zonic the Zone-Cop pokes his head in. Sonic assumes he's the one being summoned. Instead, Zonic is after Tails. Mammoth Mogul is up to his old tricks again and everyone is hoping Tails can stop him.

Are you curious how long Archie screwed around with this “Tails is the Chosen One” bullshit? Since the first issue of “Tails” mini-series. Which was in 1995. Ten years before this issue. One of the reason I suspect this plot point sat on the shelf for so long was general disinterest. It's not like this series had a shortage of prophecies and contrived mythology. But after so many false starts and hints, it is satisfying for the comic to promise a quick conclusion to that particular prophecy.

There are one or two clever elements in the first part of “The Chosen One.” Mammoth Mogul, never as impressive he boasted about, finally becomes a credible bad guy. In this story, he graduates to a cosmic level threat. After getting a super dose of Knuckles' Chaos Power, the immortal has been going around the multi-verse, destroying alternate realities. He's powerful enough to swat a whole legion of Zone Cops away, which is mildly impressive. Zonic's solution to this problem is mildly clever as well. He knows Mogul fears Tails. So he stacks the deck, by recruiting hundreds of Tails from across the multi-verse. (Including such delightful variations as Darth Maul Tails, Benjamin Franklin Tails, Clown Tails, Buff Tails, Pregnant Tails, Care Bear Tails, and Metrosexual Tails.) It's not a bad story, even if it still spends two pages recounting prior events.

Two of Archie's most reliable artists draw both of these stories. Steven Butler drew all of “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” and his artwork was usually the story's sole positive attribute. But he appears to be having a slightly off-day in 149. A couple of times, Sonic, Shadow, and Metal seem to be a little flat. The action doesn't pop like it usually does. Though it's still a decent looking story. Art Mawhinney draws “The Chosen One.” Mawhinney's doubles down on the cuteness, which works with fine with the room full of Tails or the opening scene, which details a “Spider-Man” themed Sonic reality. When showing Mogul destroying whole worlds, it's less suitable. But Mawhinney always does good work so I can't complain.

The back-up story isn't bad. It manages to push the whole issue's rating up one. Not that it would've taken a lot to improve over the cover story. What should've been a one issue showdown between the hedgehogs and a hedgehog-like robot was stretched out for four tedious issues. Along the way, Penders set up some bullshit that was never going to pay off, probably even if he hadn't left the book. Another upside to this finally ending: I'm really looking forward to not having to write out “The Good, the Bad and the Unknown” again. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 147

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 147
Publication Date: March 2005

Recently, I theorized that Archie was putting such a heavy focus on Shadow the Hedgehog because Sega insisted the comic include more video game elements. Further proof comes along in the second part of the “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” tetralogy. The third corner of this fightin’ triangle is revealed as Metal Sonic. Though a consistent adversary to Sonic in the games, the original Metal Sonic hasn’t appeared in the comics since the “Knuckles’ Chaotix” one-shot, roughly a million years ago. So his sudden reappearance in the book is a bit of a surprise, one Archie hyped up nearly as much as Shadow’s.

The Freedom Fighters split up inside the mysterious underground lair they have found themselves in. Tails and Tommy enter a control room, helplessly pressing buttons. Fiona has been left in some obscure corner, which Sonic, Rotor, and Bunnie quickly speed to. Metal Sonic, sent by Eggman to check shit out, tracks down Shadow and Isaac. The robot quickly starts to wail on Shadow and his friend. Before long, Sonic enters the fray, apparently just looking for a good fight.

I don’t know why Ken threw together this collection of characters. Sonic and Tails go on adventures all the time while Rotor and Bunnie fill the smart guy and brawler roles, respectively. But what do Tommy and Fiona add to this team? Seems like both got slotted into additional scientific roles, even though Rotor’s already on this mission. I suppose the writer was trying to boost those two, still relative new additions to the team. What ends up happening instead is a story with too many characters, the writer awkwardly attempting to find a role for everyone. This results in an unfocused script that leaps around too much, confusing and irritating readers.

Sega faithfuls love Metal Sonic, considering him one of Sonic’s most dangerous adversaries. I’ve never quite gotten the hype. As a robot, he’s defined by a one-note drive to destroy Sonic. In “The Heart of the Hedgehog” arc, Dan Fingeroth merged this with a more personable psychosis and a sarcastic streak, actually making Metal Sonic interesting. Ken attempts something similar here. The writer shoves some trash talk into the robotic hedgehog’s voice synthesizer. He refers to Shadow as “Bio-Trash” and repeatedly declares himself his superior. While that worked with the more humanized Metal Sonic 2.5, it’s an odd fit for this version of Metal Sonic, who just came off the assembly line. Still, it is slightly more interesting then Shadow’s boring friend Isaac.

Then again, maybe I’m overestimating Ken’s intentions. Because “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” only really has one purpose: Getting Sonic, Shadow, and Metal Sonic into a big fight. Which the story gleefully leaps into. Metal Sonic floors Shadow with a telescoping extend-o punch. Shadow, in retaliation, swings him into a wall. There’s punches, leaps, tossed rocks, and rocket boosters to the face. Metal Sonic at least has a reason for fighting these guys. Sonic’s excuse for getting into the action – running off to join the fight just because he’s bored – reeks of lazy writing. It’s as if the Archie brass told the writer “We don’t care why they fight, just make them fight” and he delivered in as cynical a fashion possible.

Remember a while ago when Archie, for some stupid reason, gave the Off-Panel crew a five page story? Sure you do. Remember how I said they never did that again? I’m sorry, that was wrong. “The Edge of Parodies” is a self-indulgent bit of fourth wall breaking from Mike Gallagher and Dave Manak. Mike and Dave enter the Off-Panel universe, despite Sonic’s objection. Both quickly realize, as the writer and artist, they have control over the story as it happens. Dave and Mike immediately transform themselves into superheroes and spend the rest of the comic arguing about who has cooler powers. Sonic attempts to distract them with some old Badniks but it takes the editor stepping in, saying this bullshit is stupid and to stop it, to make the story end.

“This Side of Parodies” has one funny gag. Sonic recruits a bunch of Badniks from the original game – once regular cast members who haven’t been seen in years – to challenge Gallagher and Manak. Seeing Moto-Bug as a grouchy old man is mildly amusing. Otherwise, “This Side of Parodies” is another useless bit of ego masturbation for Manak and Gallagher. Without irony, both fictional stand-ins blame the other for the book’s sometimes shoddy quality. Manak says his art makes Gallagher’s rushed scripts awesome. Gallagher says his writing makes up for Manak’s sketchy artwork. Which doesn’t disguise the fact that this story is about the writers making themselves superheroes. Though I will say this much: Unlike “Better Read Than Dead,” at least Sonic has an extended role in this story. It’s not just about how awesome the comic’s creative staff is. Still, I can’t imagine excited kids, eager to read about Sonic the Hedgehog’s adventures, were much pleased by this.

Issue 147 wraps up with “Fox and the Hound.” Sonic is too busy adventuring to play with Muttski. Desperate for attention, the dog instead teams up with Tails for some playtime. The two proceed to play fetch, hopstocth, and go for a swim. During a game of hide and seek, Muttski starts to get aggressive towards Tails. Sonic intervenes and insists this is just a misunderstanding, as Muttski thought he was fox hunting.

“Fox and the Hound” has a promising idea. The story mentions Sonic’s ability to understand Muttski’s speech, a plot point the book has done nothing with since introducing it. Overall, seeing Tails and Muttski bond over their mutual status as Sonic’s ignored sidekicks is a cute idea. This could’ve built towards a “boy and his dog” scenario, Tails having a deeper bound with Sonic’s pet then the hedgehog ever did. Instead, “Fox and the Hound” is just build-up towards a really lame pun about fox hunting. It’s another Romy Chacon five pagers that wastes the potential inherit in its premise.

At least the art isn’t too bad. Steven Butler continues to do fine work on the cover story, even if his Metal Sonic looks a little weird. (And it’s disappointing that Isaac is drawn as a straight palette swipe of E-102 Gamma, right down to the number designation.) But Sonic, Shadow, Bunnie and the gang still look awesome, as does the action. Dave Manak’s artwork for “This Side of Parodies” is typical of Manak. However, his loose, angular style fits the story, misbegotten as it may be. Al Bigley continues to improve with “Fox and the Hound.” Tails and Sonic still look a little off at times but, for the most parts, Bigley is developing a style of his own: Jovial and cartoony without loosing track of the characters’ reality. A little more fine-tuning and he could’ve turn into a great “Sonic” artist. Disappointingly, he would only draw one more story for Archie before leaving the book.

Issue 147 is another collection of lame stories. “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” reveals itself as nothing more then a mindless fight fest. (And I generally like fight fest!) “Fox and the Hound” could’ve been interesting if the writer had a little more faith in it. And “This Side of Parodies” was a terrible idea that shouldn’t have been in the book in the first place. The Dork Age continues, uninterrupted. [4/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 146

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 146
Publication Date: February 2005

Archie was prepared to double down on this Shadow the Hedgehog thing. In 2005, the black furred hedgehog anti-hero would appear on six covers, nearly half of the “Sonic” comics Archie would put out that year. I guess I can't blame them. The character was hugely popular with “Sonic” fans at the time, enough so that Sega would give Shadow his own video game the next year. (The debatable quality of that game would definitely leave its mark on both the character and the franchise.) Archie was probably just giving the fans what they thought they wanted but, in retrospect, it can't help but look like the book latched onto the aspects of the series that was trendy at the time.

Issue 146 begins a four-part story arc with the unwieldy title of “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown.” A random selection of Freedom Fighters – Sonic, Bunnie, Rotor, Tommy, Fiona – have tracked down the explosion they noticed last issue. They enter an underground cave, discovering a mysterious laboratory. At that point, Shadow confronts Sonic. He came to uncover some information about his origins but the two hedgehogs quickly get into fisticuffs.

The cover to issue 146 actually crosses out Sonic's name, replacing it with Shadow. This is fitting, as Shadow practically takes over the first part of “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown.” A good portion of the story is devoted to a flashback, showing Shadow tracking down the cave/lab after hearing a mysterious signal. Ken retroactively sucks the feeling out of last issue's “Shadows of Hope” by revealing that he literately believed Hope to be Maria. I guess his brain was scrambled following that fall? This appears to wrap up the bond between those characters, which is, you might notice, the only interesting thing Shadow had going for him at this point.

“The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” - is it okay if I abbreviated that awful fucking title? - seems to be building towards some sort of convoluted mystery. Shadow discovers the underground facility after picking up on a mysterious signal, similar to something Dr. Gerald broadcast. Inside, he discovers a robot named Isaac, who looks like a gold-plated E-102 Gamma. The machine confusingly explains his origin or something, eventually revealing that he's thousands of years old. I couldn't care less about this bullshit. Does anyone care about this bullshit?

The only memorable thing about this particular comic is the big fight scene it opens with. We leap right into the action with no explanation. The issue begins with an impressive one-page spread of Shadow socking Sonic in the jaw. The two proceed to dodge, punch, and kick. The fight concludes when Sonic doses Shadow with a blast of water, cooling the antagonistic hedgehog down. Steven Butler draws part one of “TGTBTU” and his dynamic pencils suit this big action scene very well. It's easily the best thing about the story.

Archie sticks three stories into this one. “Out of Your Shell,” a vehicle for Tommy the Turtle, is stuck in the middle. Apparently Rotor and Tommy are cohabiting. Rotor promises the shelled reptile that they'll do something fun that day but Rotor gets called away by work. When he returns to the cabin, he discovers that the bored turtle has reorganized Rotor's notes and files. Instead of kicking him out like most OCD-riddled eccentrics would, Rotor promotes Tommy to his assistant and brings him along to his laboratory. 

Tommy the Turtle rejoined the land of the living awhile ago but the book still hasn't figured out what to do with him... Until now! But don't get excited. Tommy is now officially Rotor's lab assistant. The reptile hasn't shown much interest in science before this point. The character has been previously characterized by his slowness but now he's gained a quick wit, it appears. I don't know why Karl came to this conclusion, as the book has no shortage of brainy characters already. Tommy having a natural inclination towards organization seems especially random. Is a prime alphabetizer something the Freedom Fighters really needed? Beyond a lame script, “Out of Your Shell” features some lifeless art from Ron Lim.

Rounding out the book is “Circuit Me,” a five pager starring Sally and Nicole. While wandering around Rotor's lab, with Nicole in hand, Sally trips on some wire. Some sort of pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo ensues, causing Sally and Nicole to switch bodies. While the Princess is trapped inside the handheld computer, Nicole suddenly experiences having a flesh-and-blood body for the first time in her life. Rotor attempts to reverse this incident but it undoes itself naturally a few minutes later.

“Circuit Me' is an interesting idea. The book has done the body swap premise before, back in Sonic Super Special: Issue 12. But sticking a computerized program into Sally's body is a little more complex. Suddenly, Nicole is feeling things that were literally beyond her a few minutes earlier. She's smelling, seeing, and even picks up on Sally's love for Sonic. A computer learning to be human Mobian is a fascinating idea. Sadly, the story is far too short to truly build on this concept. The set-up takes three pages, only leaving two to really explore the connotations. It's disappointing but this story would, in a round about way, set up Nicole's forthcoming transformation into an actual character. Al Bigley draws this one and he's showing signs of improvement, clearly taking some cues from Steven Butler (Good!) and Jon Gray (Ehhhhh).

That final story showed some potential but there's little else to recommend about issue 146. The first part of “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown” is not promising. I'm dreading drudging through the next three parts of this thing. The middle story continues to struggle to find a purpose for Tommy Turtle. At least two of the three stories have okay artwork. The mediocre years continue to slowly slide by us. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 144

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 144
Publication Date: December 2004

The “Mobius: 25 Years Later” story arc has been running in the back pages of Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series since December of 2003. After a year of getting half the book to itself, which lead to a sometimes overly relaxed pacing, the possible future of Sonic and his friends gets a cover story to itself. Probably because this promised to be the final story in that setting for quite some time. Let's get to it.

Rotor and Cobar have finally figured out a way to possibly avert the incoming apocalypse. The Royal Family and Knuckles travel to the Badlands, which appear to be the radioactive remains of Old Robotropolis. Under the blasted out wastelands, they crawl towards Robotnik's time displacement machine, the device which will toss Sonic into the past and hopefully save the world. Unbeknownst to Sonic or her father, Lara-Su is a stowaway on their plane, eager to join the adventure.

“The Die is Cast” is mostly concerned with barreling towards “25 Years Later's” quasi-conclusion. However, the issue does sneak in some cute moments between the characters. At the story's start, Knuckles informs Lara-Su that her training to become a Guardian will officially begin as soon as he gets back from this mission. Her reaction, to leap excited into his arms and give him a big hug, seems very genuine and charming. When Julie-Su hears Knuckles is going on this one without her, he defuses the tension with a big meaningful kiss. I'm not sure why Knuckles excluded Julie-Su on this mission but it's nice that Ken took the time to ask her opinion.

If “The Die is Cast” provides a satisfying conclusion to anything, it's King Sonic's recent bad mood. The hedgehog hero has spent most of this story arc in a funk, feeling neurotic about his status as royalty. In “The Die is Cast,” he finally gets over himself. Rotor informs Sonic that there might not be a way to get him back to this time line, that he might end up stuck in the past. Sonic leaves no doubt that he's willing to do this. It's nice to finally see Sonic man up and act like the hero we all know he is. Should've happened a lot sooner, if you asked me.

Archie would be putting the “Mobius: 25 Years Later” alternate universe on the shelf for a while after this story line, not returning to it until after Ian Flynn came onto the book. I'm not sure why they picked this particular point to table things for now. It ends on a huge cliffhanger. Something goes wrong with the time displacement machine, Sonic being tossed to unknown whereabouts. Simultaneously, Lara-Su begins to fade from existence like Marty McFly's siblings in “Back to the Future.” The exact cause for this is still up in the air and we won't get any answers for a while now. Which is a disappointing conclusion to one of a hugely uneven but intermittently touching story arc.

The back-up story returns to the present timeline. “Love and Loss” focuses on the wildly popular Knothole News, a publication that apparently someone in Knothole has the time and resources to assemble, publish, and distribute. The paper is so popular because of a romance advice column called “Dear Aly.” The story covers four letters written to the columnist. The first is from Bunnie, still torn up over Antoine's personality shift. The second is from Mina, who is debating over ditching Ash or attempting to pursue the newly single Sonic. The third is from Amy, who is still struggling to get over her crush on Sonic. The last letter is from Sally... Which is funny, since Sally is Dear Aly.

By focusing on emotion, “Love and Loss” addresses a few of the things “Sonic” fans have actually been wondering about recently. Such as “Is Bunnie okay?” The answer seems to be “Maybe not.” She's a mess, weeping openly, desperate for answers, her heart torn up by Antoine's cruel rejection of her. Something else fans are wondering is what the hell Sally has been thinking. “Love and Loss” confronts this as well. She regrets slapping Sonic, realizing she overreacted. It provides some insight into her rejection of Sonic, that she's afraid of loosing him again. (This is still bullshit, as I refuse to believe Sally would be that petty, but it's something.) The story concludes with Sally hoping to talk things over with Sonic, to reevaluate the changes in their lives. Moreover, she promises not to let this relationship drama hold her back. It's a positive change, if nothing else.

Because just focusing on Bunnie and Sally's strife probably wouldn't be enough, “Love and Loss” also devotes some page to Sonic's stalkers admirers. That Mina is still holding a torch for Sonic is not surprising but somewhat disappointing. Seems to me that love triangle was murdered and buried a while ago. I guess Mina's feelings die harder than John McClane though. Still, Mina's reaction to Aly's response – tossing a photo of Sonic over her bed into the trash and calling Ash up for a late night booty call – is cute. As for Amy, I do like her ignoring Aly's answer, which the advice columnist predicted. Seems realistic for a girl that is physically a teenager but emotionally still a ten year old. It also must be really easy for Sally to figure out who wrote each letter.

Jon Gray, who I'm no fan of, draws “Love and Loss.” Gray's loose, cartoony style is far better suited to a low key character story like this than a big action epic like “Return to Angel Island.” Considering it's a story focused on emotions, Gray's tendency to exaggerate everyone's facial expressions actually works in this one's favor. Bunnie's face twisting in tearful agony is effecting. A panel devoted to her holding her tear-strewn face really gets to me. Amy's blunt dismissal of the Aly's response works equally well. I even like the kind of cute opening scene, devoted to people swarming the newsstand. Gray should stick to stories like these, is what I'm saying, I guess.

That back-up story makes up for some of the cover story's shortcoming, though it's not enough to boost the entire issue to a generally positive rating. “25 Years Later” wraps up for now and some characters' hearts still aching proves a little more compelling. Over all, issue 144 is another deeply uneven issue, bringing a deeply uneven year to its conclusion. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 143

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 143
Publication Date: December 2004

Before getting to the heart of the review, let's talk about that cover. Last time, it made sense for Sonic and Hope to be seated before a scroll depicting the Original Freedom Fighters. This time, Sonic is shown gasping in front of another scroll showing the Original Freedom Fighters' final mission. There's a disconnect between the two images and, for once, I really have to question Patrick Spaziante's design decisions. Text says Sonic will be in danger, which is hugely misleading. Sonic doesn't see any action in this story. So I'm really not sure what's up with that. Anyway, on with the review.

The previous comic ended on a cliffhanger, revealing that the Original Freedom Fighters were betrayed by one of their own. We see this betrayal play out. While journeying into Robotnik's fortress, hoping to pull the King from the Void, Robotnik corners them. He robotocizes the heroes and tosses them into the Void as well. Uncle Chuck records the events, making sure others – including little Hope, born years afterwards – know what happened to Col. Stripe and his men.

One of the reasons I regarded this story arc with such disdain, originally, is because of the identity of the traitor. As previously discussed, the Original Freedom Fighters have barely been developed, meaning any betrayal would barely affected the reader. Yet Romy Chacon finds a way to drain any power from this reveal, by going with the most obvious answer. Trey Scales, the snake, sold the group out to Robotnik. Why? Because he's a snake and treachery is in his nature. What the fuck? That's the lamest justification possible.

Moreover, the comic has to bend over backwards to justify how the Original Freedom Fighters disappeared. The five get robotocized – even Scales, because Robotnik is a bastard without honor – which is a natural decision. He then blows the Original Freedom Fighters into the Void. Which is obviously a messy way to justify why Stripe and the others weren't turned organic along with the other Robians. It also explains why the Freedom Fighters never attempted to rescue Stripe and his friends, why they've never been mentioned before. Yet other characters had to learn of their sacrifice somehow. So Uncle Chuck is awkwardly inserted into this scenario, recording their deaths. Considering he was still brainwashed at the time, I don't how he was able to do this.

Even while dealing with these issues, Chacon does manage to sneak in a few likable moments. A young Sally is visiting Stripe when Sir Peckers gives him news concerning the King's disappearance. This upsets little Sally, causing Stripe to chastise Peckers some. That's a mildly interesting moment. After news of the Original Freedom Fighters' passing, we see a few panels devoted to characters mourning. Such as Julayla and Rosie crying among themselves or others standing around tombstones.

Sonic brings us back around, his re-telling concluding with Sally's decision to form their own Freedom Fighter team. Yet, weirdly, Sonic isn't the one framing this particular story. Instead, it's an off-panel character that, at the end, is revealed to be Hope's history teacher. The teacher is also, apparently, Col. Stripe's widow. Which is a real random decision that comes out of nowhere and doesn't build on anything we saw prior.

Instead of squeezing in three stories, the entire second half of issue 143 is devoted to a new “Mobius: 25 Years Later,” entitled “Father's Day.” Knuckles disappears into the forest without telling his wife and daughter. It turns out, this day is the anniversary of his father's death. Knuckles kneels before Locke's grave, reflecting on the sickness that took his dad's life and how it affected him. Afterwards, he makes the decision to agree to Lara-Su's request, to begin her training as a Guardian.

“Father's Day” was clearly a personal story for Ken Penders. The story is devoted to his father's memory. (Though weirdly, this dedication is cropped out of the digital version.) Perhaps due to this, Ken draws this one by himself. His work is still very stiff but more serviceable than usual. I suspect Locke's death was heavily inspired by how Ken's own father passed. Locke doesn't die via magical shenanigans or from a super villain attack. He instead succumbs to a sick pancreas. On his death bed, Locke does something I would never expect of him. He apologizes. He admits to his son and ex-wife that he made mistakes, that he wasn't the best father and husband he could've been. Considering Locke's staunch refusal to own up to his asshole decisions, this is a surprising turn of events.

Ken being Ken, the story doesn't progress without some obnoxious moments. Knuckles' flashback begins with a superfluous scene where he parts ways with Archimedes. Locke's doctor repeatedly clarifies how strong Locke is, how unusual his illness is. Because Ken's self-insert can't even die humbly. A random explanation of “Ascension Day” - an echidnan holiday – is tossed in. Knuckles and Lara-Le forgive Locke for his mistakes a little too easily, glossing over how complicated their relationships truly are. It also bothers me that Lara-Su has such a small role in a story concerning her. The story also ends on the hilariously overwrought image of Locke and Aurora looking down from heaven on Knuckles.

But it's clear a lot of feeling went into “Father's Day,” that this was an important story for Penders. That sincerity comes through in the final product, even with its flaws. The back-up is, at least, more interesting than the cover story. Still, I came away from this re-read with a little more appreciation for what happened in these two issues. Things weren't all shitty – just mostly shitty – in 2004. [6/10]