Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 159

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 159
Publication Date: February 2006

Well, guys, we are here at last. Issue 159 is the final issue of “Sonic the Hedgehog” that Ken Penders would work on. With his exit, one era of Archie Sonic history – with, admittedly, wildly divergent ups and downs – was about to end. Another era, one widely regarded as the comic's best, was about to begin. As far as transitional issues go, 159 hardly wraps up any of Ken's lingering plot points. In fact, it sets up a few more! This suggests that his departure from the book was rather sudden. If I didn't know for a fact that he left willingly, I would assume he was fired.

So let's get to “System Reboot.” During their attack on Knothole, Hope is injured by a Metal Sonic Trooper. This forces Shadow and Sonic to work together, grabbing the girl and running her to safety inside of the King's castle. Afterwards, the two continue to work together to defeat the Metal Sonic horde. Robotnik, meanwhile, sits back and watches, actually hoping his enemy saves the day, since the troopers threaten both of them.

You know how the previous comic's cover trumpeted the fight between Sonic and Shadow as if it was a big deal? And then ended by setting up the brawl? Yeah, that lasts all of two pages. Granted, the reasoning for the fight – Shadow blames Sonic for Hope's injury, for some reason – is as thin as you can get. Instead, “Reboot” is devoted to the two rivals actually finding common ground. They work together to rescue Hope. They fight along side each other to stop the Metal Sonics. In a moment that's very nearly touching, Sonic even extends a branch of friendship towards his gruff rival. And Shadow smiles back! It's not exactly organic but at least it's a little more interesting then the two just wailing on each other all the time.

Sadly, every step forward is a step back. For reasons I can't remember now, Knuckles and the Chaotix are in town, fighting off the robots. When Shadow uses his Chaos Control powers to teleport Hope to the castle, Knuckles witnesses it. Later, Shadow uses the same ability to deactivate a whole fleet of machines. Knuckles confronts the hedgehog about it, realizing Shadow can tap into the Chaos Force, an ability previously limited to Guardians. So that's how you can tell Ken was starting to care about Shadow. He wrapped him up in the convoluted mythology revolving around Knuckles, his dad, and the Floating Island. That's one plot point I'm happy was dropped. That particular strain of bullshit wasn't needed at this moment. Or ever, for that matter.

Truthfully, “System Reboot” is a little more character oriented then you might expect. After arriving at the castle, Sonic announces how pissed off he is. How he thinks the Metal Sonic Troopers were an obviously bad idea and wonders why the King ever approved them. The moment doesn't go much further then that. Elias informs Sonic that he wasn't King then so there's no reason to yell at him. The story has to move on from there, getting Sonic to fight the machines. Still, I appreciate the writer for letting the hedgehog expresses these thoughts. I was thinking the same thing. I'm sure other readers were too.

The action nearly gets pushed totally aside. There's the brief Sonic/Shadow fight in the beginning. The last half features three whole pages of Sonic fighting the Troopers. He tackles a few, gets shot with an eye beam, and then whips up a tornado that blows most of them away. (Shadow and his special powers then arrive to finish off the rest.) It's pretty underwhelming. Ron Lim's pencils are as lackluster as ever. Then again, I wasn't very invested in that plot line anyway. Might as well blow it away quickly and cleanly.

Throughout the last two issues, Ken kept pausing for these really weird moments where Jules and Bernie worried about their son. These scenes barely connected with the other things going on in the story. This incredibly awkward subplot concludes here in an incredibly awkward manner. After saving the day, Elias awards Sonic a medal and a royal designation. Jules and Bernie are overwhelmed with pride, realizing their boy has truly grown up. What makes this weird is Sonic's parents barely interact with him during this story. Wouldn't some conversations with Jules and Bernie have handled this plot point in a more compelling manner? Does Ken know that parents are suppose to talk to their kids? (If he truthfully didn't know that, it would explain so much.)

Dr. Robotnik took a backseat throughout the cover story. I guess to make up for this, the back-up story stars him. It's called “Insidious” and, sadly, no lipstick-faced demons appear. Instead, the story revolves around A.D.A.M. explaining to Robotnik that they still have partial control over the nanites inside Knothole. Tommy Turtle is already infected. Using the remote link, A.D.A.M. gets the nanites to infect Bunnie's cybernetic limbs and Nicole, hoping they will take down the Freedom Fighters from within their own base.

“Insidious” is a very bland story devoted to setting up future stories. The conversation between Eggman and A.D.A.M is heavy on the exposition, making it a snore to read through. Penders draws the story himself. His pencils are not as grotesque as they sometimes were. Only Bunnie looks off-model. Instead, the illustrations are just boring to look at. Which is fitting, I suppose, since the story is devoted to a conversation between a mad scientist and his computer. Not the most compelling stuff and Ken isn't strong enough a writer to make it compelling.

Like I said, both stories leave some dangling plot points, as if Ken was expecting to continue his tenure. What of Shadow's connection with the Chaos Force? What about A.D.A.M. using the nanites to infiltrate Knothole? The next writer would only pick up one of these plot points, likely taking it in a very different direction then what Penders intended. Having said that, there is something like a point of finality to Ken's final issue. Sonic getting a medal of honor and being elevated to Gentleman-at-Arms status is a decent stopping point, as is Shadow's growing humanity. If the comic had ended with Penders' exit, it certainly wouldn't have been a satisfying conclusion. Yet it almost feels like an ending.

Good-bye, Ken Penders. His tenure on “Sonic” has been a long, usually frustrating ride. For all his flaws – his many, many flaws – I can't hate Ken's work. For better or worst, he built most of the comic's early history. He created a lot of characters I like, even a few I love. The weird world that Archie Sonic inhabited is mostly his doing. And I like that world. Towards the end of his run, Penders' writing skills really fell apart. If he had left a year or two earlier, the book would have been better off for it. Even on his best days, he was a frustrating writer. Yet, at the end, I'm still almost, sort-of, kind-of a fan. (This issue also marks Ron Lim's final Archie credit. I'm less conflicted about his departure.) His last issue wasn't entirely terrible and that's okay. Bring on Ian Flynn. [6/10] 

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 158

 

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 158
Publication Date: January 2006

2006 would be the year that Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” book would finally pull itself out of the pit of mediocrity it had been simmering in for quite a few years. Soon, enough, a new creative staff will come on board and revitalize the title. But we're not there, not quite yet. We still have two more issues before Ken Penders' reign comes to an end. Though Ken would leave for other reasons, you can't help but wonder if he was running out of ideas. Issue 158 promises yet another fight between Sonic and Shadow. Don't these guys do anything else? The book hasn't been this fight crazy since the early days, when Knuckles was still a new character. Anyway, let's get on with the show.

“System Reconfiguration” continues where we left off. A group of Metal Sonic robots has invaded Robotnik's city. The doctor assumes Snively is behind this but the true culprit, the mysterious force hacking his system, remains unidentified. He quickly gets Mecha back on his side. Just as the machines look like they'll overrun the villain's lair, they instead head out for Knothole City, destroying everything in their path. Sonic and Shadow just escape the chaos, heading into the forest to fight the invasion for different reason. Both hedgehogs will soon learn some startling information.

Besides old dog faithfuls like me, I don't know who the hell else was reading the comic book in 2006. Maybe the younger Sonic fans, driven to the comic by a mania for “Sonic Adventure 2” and “Sonic Heroes,” wanted to see Sonic and Shadow fight each other once again? If that was the audience Archie was targeting at the time, I bet they were disappointed in this story. Despite the cover promising a title bout between the blue blur and his latest rival, Sonic and Shadow do not fight in this issue. In fact, they are even working together – kind of – throughout part of it. Shadow spends about a third of the issue unconscious!

But covers always lie. What of the actual content? To his credit, Ken does make an effort to develop Shadow a little as a character. Robotnik attempts to manipulate the so-called ultimate life form. Robotnik points out his familial relation with Shadow's creator, making the hedgehog a nephew of sorts to the villain. Interestingly, Shadow doesn't buy it. Instead, he's driven to protect Hope. Considering his connection with Hope has been his sole humanizing element, I don't mind Ken returning to that one. It doesn't amount to much. Mostly, it's a story excuse to get the anti-hero fighting the horde of Metal Sonics. But it counts for something.

The robotic threats, called the Metal Sonic Troopers, are also potentially interesting. They sport the dorky black leather loincloth design from “Sonic Heroes.” They don't display a flick of personality. Instead, the troopers act like a zombie horde. They don't eat flesh but they do descend as a crowd, destroying everything around them. We learn their origin. Rotor and Uncle Chuck built them as a robotic police force while Sonic was in space. Once the hero came back, the Troopers were shelved. Sadly, both of these points are wasted. Sonic spends a little too much time relaxing after the robots are set loose, making them seem less dangerous. Our hero, meanwhile, has no reaction – good or otherwise – to learning that his uncle and friend are responsible for this new threat.

Among all this chaos, Ken once again makes an attempt to sneak in some pathos. Before the Troopers attack Knothole, Jules and Bernie have another conversation about their son. Bernie wonders if they've gone wrong, letting Sonic march into danger like he does. Once again, Jules recommends giving the boy some distance, that he's not a child anymore. This can't help but remind me of how Locke treated Knuckles, spying on him while refusing to actually father him. Maybe it's just residual annoyance with that plot point that makes these scenes stick out to me. Or maybe they really just don't have a place in this current story.

I know I bitch about Ron Lim's artwork all the time. In “System Reconfiguration,” Lim does some especially lousy work, just when he was showing some improvement too. The Metal Sonic Trooper look too much like a collection of pointy edges. When attacking as a crowd, Lim just draws a big blue, squiggly shape. His character work is okay in a few panels. Uncle Chuck and Shadow look okay, at least by the standards of Ron Lim's pencils. The action artwork, however, is dire. It's lifeless, messy, and shapeless.

For the back-up story, Archie forces us to suffer through another shitty “Off-Panel” comic. Mike Gallgher's script even admits that no one is actually interested in reading this. A gag claims Hugh – apparently the guy who changes the print cartridge – demanded another one of these. Anyway, the plot: Sonic and editor Mike Pellerito meet in a back alley for some reason. There, they are attacked by Blackstage, some Phantom of the Opera looking motherfucker who threatens to expose a bunch of behind-the-scenes footage to the fans, expecting this info to destroy sales. It doesn't work because fans enjoy stuff like this. So the villain essentially defeats himself.

It's so dumb, you guys. The script is derivative of “Better Read Than Dead” from 126, with a lame villain appearing to threaten the editorial staff in a really dumb way. Like in that story, Sonic is benched for most of the plot, making Pellerito the hero. (Because that's what people reading a “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic book wanted to see: The adventures of the editor.) Blackstage's plan doesn't even make sense. Why would behind the scene footage destroy a comic book's credibility? It's a comic, not pro-wrestling! Is Blackstage unaware of the popularity of DVD special features?

I guess that's to be expected, as this is a gag comic. Sadly, the gags aren't funny either. Blackstage's incriminating footage includes stunt doubles, camera tricks, special effect shots, and King Acorn being in a make-up chair for six hours. (I've always suspect Mike Gallagher stopped paying attention to the book years ago and this proves that, as all these story events are from the pre-100 days.) When the bad guy is informed that his plan is stupid and sucks, Sonic tears his clothes off, puts the mask on, and sings a bar of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Jeeeezus. Is this what Archie's comedy books were like at the time? No wonder nobody read them back then. I'll give the story this much though. It's slightly less embarrassing then “The Edge of Parodies,” the previous Off-Panel five pager.

The cover story is slightly better then most of the “Sonic” stories Archie published in 2005. This is faint praise, as it's still a stiflingly mediocre affair. Ken isn't exactly going to go out on a high note but he could've done a lot worst. We all know that. I'm willing to totally ignore that fucking terrible back-up story and just stick this one with a [6/10.] I'm feeling generous.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 157

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 157
Publication Date: December 2005

Do you see what's up ahead? It's the light at the end of the tunnel. Issue 157, in addition to ending a lousy year for the book, would begin head writer Ken Penders' final story arc for Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog.” After wrapping up this story, Ken would leave Archie once and for all, allowing a new writer to come in and yank the series out of the creative rut it has been in for years. But we're not quite there just yet. Let's get through these next three issues together.

Even though he's only been gone for a few issues, Shadow's return to the comic is trumpeted on the cover. (I'm sure Sega's ill-conceived “Shadow the Hedgehog” video game coming out around the same time was a big factor in this decision.) The so-called ultimate life form feels drawn to a mysterious laboratory on the edge of Station Square. Inside, he finds a video of Doctor Gerald and a new version of Metal Sonic. The two synthetic hedgehogs wail on each other until they both collapse.

Ken's departure from the book, reportedly, was due to his frustration with Sega insisting he write stories featuring Shadow the Hedgehog. Maybe that reluctance might explain why “The Good, the Bad and the Unknown” and this story were so lame. The untitled cover story for issue 157 raises a bunch of underwhelming plot points. “Sonic Adventure 2” is reportedly part of Archie cannon, by this point. Despite this, Shadow is still shocked when the recording of Dr. Gerald informs him that he was created to take revenge on the government.

If Ken was hoping to give Shadow some development with this story, he squanders it by devoting the rest of the story to a fight with Metal Sonic. That's a thoroughly underwhelming spectacle too.  Shadow takes a rocket punch to the face. A Mega Man looking hand blaster is traded back and forth between the combatants. Liquid nitrogen and an electric live wire are utilized in unimpressive ways. The battle concludes with both fighters unconscious, making all five pages of this thing seem like a wasted endeavor.

In truth, the back-up story is actually the main drawl of this issue. “System Shutdown” begins with Robotnik, still in his bathrobe, getting a rude awakening. Someone has hacked into his computer system, threatening to completely take down his network. He's so concerned by this that he travels to Knothole, hoping to create a truce with Sonic. After the required fight, the hedgehog flies to Megatropolis, uncertain if he's entering a trap or not.

There's an interesting idea at the root of “System Shutdown.” Robotnik coming to Knothole as a diplomat, looking to forge a temporary partnership with the Kingdom of Acorn has potential. The book has bandied a similar concept around from time to time – such as in issue 19 – but never took it very seriously. Granted, I'm not very impressed with the panels devoting to Rotor and Tails standing back while Robotnik waltz into town. That seems unlikely. But the idea has merit.

Sadly, Ken doesn't exploit this premise for much. Instead, “System Shutdown” dissolves into one of the silliest fight scenes in the comic's history. Sonic rushes out at Eggman, only for the mad doctor to judo toss him to the ground. After some kung-fu posing, Robotnik even flips Sonic over his shoulder. This is ridiculous for a number of reason. Robotnik has never been a physical threat to Sonic, instead utilizing robotic devices and henchmen. Suddenly gifting the fat man with fighting prowess only baffles and annoys the reader. The justification for this sudden change – something to do with holograms – is equally awkward.

After the mandatory fisticuffs, Robotnik gets Sonic to work with him by promising to turn Jules organic again. This presents several issues, most of which is nitpicking, I'll admit. It's been established by this point that Jules can't be reverted to a flesh-and-blood state, because he'll die. Later, Eggman asks Jules if Uncle Chuck still feels guilty for “Helping him robotocize millions” and mentions how Sonic has been a thorn in his side for a decade. Hold on a minute, Ken. This Robotnik isn't the one that helped Chuck build the robotocizer. This Robotnik has only been feuding with Sonic since issue 75. That original Robotnik is still dead. I know this is the nerdiest type of pettifogging but you'd expect Ken – who has been working on the book nearly the whole time, after all – to keep track of these things.

That dramatic reveals that follow are hardly worth talking about. Once in Robotnik's city, Sonic, Rotor, and the others are attacked M, who has been seemingly taken over by some outside influence. At the end, she invites an army of Metal Sonics into Robotnik's lab. (They are drawn with the “Sonic Heroes” design, which is the closest this book would ever come to adapting that game.) There's some bullshit about the warning the doctor received having a twelve hour delay, which is a major ass pull. It's all a bunch of underdeveloped plot points crashing into each other, leaving the reader little reason to care.

The only real reason to read this one is for a handful of panels concerning Sonic's emotional state. Apparently, the boy has been staying up at night, strumming his guitar and pining for Princess Sally. This information almost justifies why Sonic has been behaving so badly lately. He's not screwing around with Fiona and Bunnie because he's horny. He's just trying to fill the void Sally left. There's two problems with this angle though. First off, Sally doesn't even appear in this story, making Sonic's situation seem rather one-sided. Secondly, Jules insists Bernie doesn't ask any questions. Because Ken just doesn't know how to write likable, honest parents that actually care for their kids.

Ron Lim draws the whole issue, by the way. He's showing some minor improvement. That fight between Shadow and Metal Sonic looks okay. But his work is still characterized by stiff movement and overly loose character work. As 2005 comes to a close, things are still sucking pretty bad. But the worst of it is behind us now so let's keep moving forward. [4/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 154

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 154
Publication Date: October 2005

I didn't mention it last time, as I was too busy discussing Karl Bollers' in-coming retirement from “Sonic,” but Archie has drafted a new artist to work on their covers. Sanford Greene would draw a few covers for the book before gracefully disappearing. Greene's brief tenure as cover artist is probably due to his underwhelming – some would say garish or “ass ugly” - artwork. Patrick Spaziante would quickly return before soon-to-appear regular artist Tracey Yardley would mostly take over cover duties, with Spaz occasionally putting in an appearance. Anyway, on with the show.

The second part of “Songoose” begins with Mina being informed that Sonic and the Freedom Fighters will be acting as her bodyguards. This does not sit well with Ash, Mina's boyfriend/manager. He quickly butts heads with Sonic, believing that his girlfriend still has feelings for the speedy hedgehog. He's not entirely wrong. Personal matters are put aside when Robotnik sends new versions of Heavy and Bomb to attack the concert, endangering everyone's lives.

Ash's doubts aren't without good reasons. As I've pointed out, it's obvious that Mina still has a thing for Sonic. Of course, the problem is that Ash expresses these concerns in the worst way imaginable. Upon hearing that Sonic is going to be Mina's bodyguard, he immediately jumps down the guy's throat. He then confronts Mina in a passive-aggressive fashion, breaking up with her afterwards. As if that wasn't bad enough, he then picks a fight with Sonic. Keep in mind, this happens after the robots attack the concert. When Mina expresses her annoyance with Ash's antics, he starts dropping the love bomb. None of this changes my earlier impression of Ash Mongoose. He's an overly macho, emotionally manipulative asshole.

Of course, Ash just being left an asshole wouldn't be enough for Karl. He has to give the guy a redemptive moment. He ends up saving Mina's life. After an individual Bomb appears in her dressing room, he leaps on the explosion. This seems to prove to Mina that Ash really does loves her. They reconcile in the hospital. (Too bad for Mina that Ash will still be an asshole when he wakes up. That's what abusive boyfriends are like.) Sonic looks on sadly. If you're keeping count, this is roughly the ten thousandth time the comic has buried the Sonic/Mina romance. I think it does stick this time though, thank Christ.

As an action story, “Mongoose” is pretty underwhelming. The army of Bombs are mostly dealt with off-panel by Bunnie, Amy, and Tails. This doesn't make the collection of robotic suicide bombers seem very effective, do they? Heavy doesn't do much better. The bell-shaped 'bot tangos with Sonic briefly. The hedgehog dodges all the attacks easily, further undermining any tension. Sonic utilizes an old trick to defeat Heavy. He spins around, drilling a hole into the ground, dropping the robot into what appears to be well water. It's a move we've seen before, against one of the more uninspired enemies we've seen recently.

The conclusion of “Songoose” makes it clear that the assassination attempts were never the main point of the story. After his second attack is deflected, Robotnik simply gives up on this particular mission. Karl tries to wring some humor out of this, with Robotnik dismissing Mina's second album songs as inferior. It still comes off as a cheap, lazy conclusion. I can gleam the truth. This two-parter was more about squeezing more drama out of the Sonic/Mina romance, not about Eggman trying to kill the pop princess.

In the back pages, we greeted to a Ken Penders' joint named “More Than Meets the Eye.” The Knothole Brain Trust – Tommy, Rotor, Tails, Uncle Chuck, Snively, Fiona for some reason – are studying a sample of nanites. Tommy ponders on the meaning of life before taunting the nanites into attacking him. The microscopic machines then bond with the back of the turtle's shell. Somehow, he forms a neurological connection with the nanites. Tommy discovers that, just by thinking something, the machines will make it, allowing him to sprout wings or a jet pack from his shell or some such bullshit.

By this point, the fandom remained hostile to Tommy Turtle's return. The simple fact was the character had no reason to be in the book. Instead of just killing him off again, Archie's own brain trust insisted on keeping Tommy around. First, they tried to turn him into Rotor's neat freak partner. When that failed to make him interesting, Penders touched upon a far dumber idea: Turn the Turtle into a fucking Transformer. It's a bad idea, as Tommy's problem wasn't his lack of superpowers. Giving him new abilities does nothing to resolve the character's biggest issue. That he has no business being in the book in the first place. Setting up this new ability – in a very awkward, borderline nonsensical manner – is all “More Than Meets the Eye” accomplishes.

Art wise, all of issue 154 looks pretty shitty. I said Ron Lim was getting better last time. Any ground he gained previously, he looses once more. “Songoose: Part 2” is probably Lim's worst pencils in quite some time. His crowd shots are embarrassing, as the collection of Mobians look totally blank-eyed. Sonic, Sally, and Mina seemingly spend the entire story with static, “annoyed” expressions on their faces. The action is incredibly sloppy, with Sonic and Heavy bending off-model several times. Penders draws “More Than Meets the Eye” himself. As usual, his pencils are stiff, disproportionate, and blank faced. Ken really doesn't know how to draw turtles, as Tommy's appearance changes from panel to panel. The late in the story action is as lifeless as always.

It's fitting that Karl Bollers' final contribution to the book would revolve around Mina, by far his most enduring addition to the “Sonic” cast. I guess he wanted the final word on a character that clearly meant something to him. Karl's legacy on the book is a mixed one. He wrote some of my favorite stories and some of my most hated. At his best, he was probably the most ambitious, insightful writer “Sonic” ever had. At his worst, he wrote pointless plot twists and frustrating romantic melodrama. Either way, I am sad to see him go.

(Though the story has a happy ending. Unlike some former Sonic writers, Karl would go on to bigger and better things, eventually earning an Eisner Award nomination for “Watson & Holmes,” his modern update of Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detectives. He has also, thus far, not sued Archie for anything.) [5/10]

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 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 145

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 145
Publication Date: January 2005

Rumor has it that, following the release of “Sonic Adventure 2,” Sega began to make more demands of Archie. Specifically, they demanded that the comics incorporate more elements from the recent games. This, combined with “a zillion readers' request” as Ken puts it, surely had an influence on the direction the book would take in 2005. Issue 145 heavily features fan favorite Shadow the Hedgehog, almost to the point of pushing Sonic out of his own book. This issue would be a precursor to a much hyped four part arc revolving around Shadow. Whether or not you enjoy this shift of direction was strictly a matter of taste. So let's get on with it.

The book opens, not with Sonic, but with Shadow. In “Shadows of Hope,” the mysterious hedgehog spies on Hope, as the young girl still reminds him of his lost Maria. Shadow's snooping is interrupted when Locke teleports next to him. He nabs the hedgehog, unknowingly grabbing Hope as well. Locke hopes to use Shadow to protect Angel Island, now that Knuckles is traveling the world. This plan doesn't go so well.

Yeah, I loved Shadow the Hedgehog the first time I played “Sonic Adventure 2.” I was twelve years old when that game came, right in the character's target demographic. I was susceptible to Shadow's “edgy,” “extreme” attitudes. My fascination with Sega's new bad boy proved short-lived. Archie Comic's awkward attempt to incorporate Shadow into their book would reveal how shallow a character Shadow is. Grasping for straws, “Shadows of Hope” builds on the black hedgehog's fascination with Hope. This is a good idea, as its his sole shred of humanity. However, it's not quite enough to build a story on and “Shadows of Hope” quickly runs out of energy.

A big problem is that Archie's writers didn't seem to have much faith in Shadow. Neither the hedgehog nor Hope truly drives the plot of this one. Instead, Ken's pet character Locke is the real protagonist of “Shadows of Hope.” Like always, Ken writes the former Guardian as a hyper-competent bad-ass. He even narrates the story. Despite being an old man, he zips in and easily grabs Shadow, one of the most powerful characters in the 'verse. Later, he puts a judo flip on the guy and pins him in the air with his Chaos Powers. (Which he notes aren't as strong as Knuckles' but are still a force to reckon with.) Truthfully, Locke is acting like a bad guy, detaining people against their will for selfish reasons. Like always, Ken can't recognize that and instead treats the old man like some sort of neutral force, instead of the prick he is.

Another reason you can tell “Shadows of Hope” is a Penders' joint is the stiff dialogue. For some reason, he writes Shadow like an alien or robot or something. He says unbelievable things like “Identify yourself or else be considered a foe!” and  “I am not bathed in the warm, soothing nutrients...” Other characters have clunky dialogue, as Locke says “You're neither biological, mineral nor vegetable!” And Hope later flatly states her emotions with  “I'm more scared of you than I am of him!' Among this super stiff dialogue is one genuinely emotional moment. When Locke corners Hope, Shadow gets a flashback to Maria's death. Triggered like Rambo in the police station, the hedgehog leaps free of his prison and attacks Locke. It's a powerful moment but the story just ends afterwards, Shadow flying away, barely affected by what just happened to him. Lame.

Karl Bollers' sole contribution to this issue, “Training Day,” sadly does not star Denzel Washington. Instead, the five pager is devoted to Robotnik educating his robot army about the Freedom Fighters. He lays some basic facts about Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose – including her oft referenced but rarely displayed aptitude with tarot cards – on his robot soldiers. Why Robotnik has to tell robots these things instead of just programming the information into them is a question I do not have an answer to.

Archie has done this kind of thing before. A totally needless refresher course about the characters and their world. Usually I assume a story like this crops up to inform new comers to the book. Maybe the editorial staff figured Shadow's reappearance in the book would attract a new audience? If so, why is “Training Day” devoted to basic facts about the Sega created stories? Wouldn't an info-dump about Sally, Bunnie, and the rest of the Archie exclusive crowd have been a better choice? Sega fans are already familiar with Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy. (Who is still a bit player at this point, it must be sad.) So I don't know why “Training Day” exists. It's a useless story.

Issue 145's final story, “Harbinger,” is the first time the flesh and blood Sonic appears in this particular issue. It follows a laid back day in Knothole being interrupted by a sudden blast many miles away. After Rotor informs the others of this, Sonic and Tails blast off to investigate. Turns out, Shadow the Hedgehog has something to do with the explosion.

“Harbinger” was written, I suspect, as a “day in the life” kind of story. One of those tales not meant to have much plot but instead focus on the characters as they go about their day-to-day life, doing average stuff. So we see Sonic play a game of darts with Ash, with Mina, Bunnie, and Amy watching. We see Tails reading a book and having a chat with Rotor and Tommy, who has apparently become his assistant. There's even a detailed series of panels devoted to Sonic packing his bag for this latest journey, because going on adventures is part of Sonic's daily life too. Conceptually, I like the idea but the execution is lacking. There's no through line between these events, the scenes just piling on top of each other. It seems less like a normal day in Knothole and more like a series of unrelated events.

Not all the character beats work either. Sonic and Ash nearly coming to blows over a barroom dart game makes both seem like overly macho meatheads. Everyone just standing around and watching, dispassionately, doesn't speak very well of his friends either. It suggests Ash is jealous of Sonic which is annoying, since that subplot is dead and buried. A later scene has Tails yelling at Rotor for not immediately including him on a mission. Again, Tails being insecure as a Freedom Fighter is a plot point long since settled. At the end, Sally bids Sonic an awkward farewell at the airport, both secretly still feeling something for the other. This idea has promise but the overwrought thought balloons really sinks it.

Issue 145 features a very uneven, mostly bad, collection of art. Ron Lim draws the Shadow-centric opener. It's a little better then his usual work, as Lim finally seems to be acclimating to these characters some. Yet there's still some serious cases of blank facial expressions and noodle limbs. Hope looks especially awful in Lim's style. Al Bigley draws “Training Day.” He draws the story as static images of Sonic and friends, Robotnik's floating head narrating over them. It's not an uninspired look. Dawn Best returns for “Harbinger.” It's not her best work as Sonic looks overly round and cutesy. Best has a bad habit of not drawing necks, characters' heads just floating on their shoulders. Yet it's still, clearly, the best artwork in this particular issue.

2005 wasn't off to the best start. “Shadows of Hope” and “Harbinger” both have potentially interesting elements but neither work entirely. “Training Day” is utterly useless. Seems like the previous year's slump isn't intending on ending any time soon. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 136

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 136
Publication Date: May 2004

This is how certain Archie was that fans wanted Tommy the Turtle back. Issue 136 is the middle chapter of a story arc they have dubbed “The Tommy Trilogy.” Shit, how many actually important character had their name right in the title of an arc? We never got the “Dr. Quack Quartet” or “The Dulcy Decalogy.”  Of all characters, why Tommy the Turtle? Issue 136 doesn't provide any answers to that specific question but does feature plenty of other stuff.

In “The Infiltrator,” Tommy is integrating himself into Knothole society, having apparently moved in Sonic and Tails. After pulling an all-night mission, Sonic collapses into his bedroom, exhausted. While he sleeps, Tommy sneaks off. The turtle reveals himself as an Auto-Automaton, a robotic double sent to infiltrate Knothole and kill Sonic. Jules prevents the reptile from eviscerating his son with a hand drill but at the cost of his own life. Sonic has to take drastic measures to save his father.

What's most frustrating about “The Infiltrator” is that it presents a perfect out for this whole Tommy the Turtle business. The Tommy Sonic took back to Knothole is a goddamn robot, designed to sneak into Knothole and assassinate the hedgehog hero. A smart writer would've revealed that this was the plan all along, that Tommy did not survive his initial appearance. This would've been a way to sate the apparent demand for Tommy's return without cheapening that original story too much. Instead, after Auto-Tommy drills a hole in Jules and Sonic spin-dashes him in half, we learn that the real Tommy is still alive, held captive by Robotnik somewhere. Way to miss that chance, Romy.

Despite this issue, there's one or two things interesting about “The Infiltrator.” Firstly, Tails mentions going to school for the first time in forever. (I was really hoping Knothole High was decommissioned during that year Sonic spent in space.) Secondly, Sonic has apparently traded his race car bed out for a regular mattress and bedroom setting. Lastly, Jules' life being endangered presents a chance for some emotional resonance. It's handled in a melodramatic way. After seeing his father injuries, Sonic screams “NO!” towards the heavens. After Uncle Chuck informs him that Jules is dead, a single tear runs down his cheek. But at least this sorrow is an appropriate response. Archie still hasn't, and seemingly has no plan to, allow Sonic to mourn the end of his relationship with Sally. Jules' death could've been granted further weight, since father and son have a minor scuffle at the story's beginning.

Could've. But didn't! Because Jules doesn't die. Instead, Sonic grabs a power ring from the Lake of Rings – another plot element that hasn't been mentioned in years – and uses its magic to wish Jules back to life. This is a plot hole, as I was pretty sure that only Sonic's magical one-millionth ring had the ability to grant wishes. More importantly, it's yet another death cheat, a cheap deus ex machina pulled out of nowhere to prevent Jules' death. Once again, sloppy writing shanghais what might have been a powerful, emotional story. “The Infiltrator” should've been about Jules' death. Instead, it's about Tommy the fucking Turtle.

How about that “Mobius: 20 Years Later?” In “Girl Talk,” Julie-Su and Queen Sally discussing what food should be presented at an up-coming dinner between the Royal Family and the Guardian's brood. Apparently, the hedgehog and the echidna disagree on meals. Lien-Da, via phone call, joins in the conversation, as does Lara-Su, via the power of walking into the room. That's pretty much it.

“Mobius: 20 Years Later” has been doing okay for a while but hits a snag with “Girl Talk.” At first, it seemed like natural character development. Julie-Su is a mother now, changing her priorities in a major way. However, seeing the former bad-ass Legionnaire discuss dinner plans, arguing over ingredients, being a Susie Homemaker in an apron, pushes things too far. Looks like Ken has done to Julie-Su what Karl Boller has done to Sally in the present time line: Turn her into a reductive feminine stereotype. Considering Julie-Su's overriding toughness has always been her most endearing attribute, it's a very disappointing change.

“Girl Talk” has another problem, as it's focused on disguising exposition as regular dialogue. Something Ken is notoriously bad at. So Sally details Sonic's history with taking the crown, stating information the other characters surely already know. We get more vague hints about bad weather and then the story abruptly ends. Lien-Da, Lara-Su, and the catty family maid Abby contribute nothing to the plot.

Archie shoves another story into this issue, perhaps explaining why “Girl Talk” ended so suddenly. In “Patience,” Knuckles watches Angel Island float overhead. He considers leaping from the cliff top, climbing aboard the island, and rescuing his mom from Robotnik's occupation. He pauses, remembering the King told him they would rescue the Island when the resources became available. He eventually decides to listen to authority and lets the Island pass by. It saves his life, as Robotnik had snipers watching, ready to murder Knuckels as soon as he revealed himself.

“Patience” could've shown how much Knuckles' personality has grown. The earlier Knuckles, far more hot-headed and impulsive, wouldn't have paused to rescue his Island. Modern day Knuckles pauses to consider his action. In execution, however, “Patience” has another effect. Too much of the story focuses on Knuckles' whining about loosing his gliding abilities, along with the rest of his god-like Chaos powers. (I always assumed that was a natural ability but, okay, sure, whatever.) By having King Max describe Knothole's unwillingness to free Angel Island as a lack of resources – instead of it being a dangerous political move – it makes the kingdom look like withholding dicks, disinterested in echidna lives. Knuckles agreeing to this makes him look impotent. Having the echidna be unaware that his patience saved his life means the greater importance of his decision doesn't dawn on him. And leads to a totally useless story.

All about, it looks like issue 136 is full of missed opportunities. Tommy could've been written back out. Jules' sacrifice could've meant something. Knuckles' patience could've been character development. The three-way phone call between Julie-Su, Sally, and Lien-Da could've been cute. None of these goals are met, leading to a flatly lame book. Only Art Mawhinney and Steven Butler's artwork makes this one worth reading. (Ron Lim draws “Patience,” meaning there's no reason to read that one.) [4/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 135

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 135
Publication Date: April 2004

Last time, I pointed out Sally's infamous slap as a real turning point in Archie's “Sonic the Hedgehog” series. The comic's quality had already been wildly flagging for several years now, as it never quite found its footing following the Sega-mandated “Sonic Adventure” adaptation and the return of Robotnik. Over the next two years, the quality of the book would nosedive even further. Sonic and Sally's break-up was one reason for this. Another one was the book forcing Tommy the Turtle down reader's throat, which began the very next month. Though the cover and first few pages attempt to build up a mystery around the cloaked figure's identity, the frontispiece makes this much clear: Tommy the Turtle is back. And we're stuck with him.

Concealing himself with an easily discarded cloak, Sonic enters the Forbidden Zone, that uninhabitable zone between the Great Forest and the nuked remains of Robotropolis. Inside the bar, he meets an old friend, thought deceased. Tommy the Turtle has been hiding out for a few months, having survived the explosion that seemingly claimed his life in issue 117. Their reunion is interrupted when the robotocized Fearsome Four attack them.

The regretful return of Tommy the Turtle is clearly representative of what was wrong with the comic book at this time. Archie didn't understand what fans wanted. Issue 117's “The Tortoise and the Hedgehog” was a popular story because it was well written, not because Tommy the Turtle was in it. Returning Tommy to life not only invalidated his sacrifice at the end of the story, it also completely missed his point as a character. Tommy was always kind of lame, right down to his obvious alliterative name, a goody-goody with a lack of personality. He was created to die. Moreover, how Tommy survived is an especially lame reveal. The blast that should've killed him apparently tossed him to safety, which has to be the laziest retcon Archie's writers could've thought up.

Aside from this egregious mistake, “Agent of K.N.O.T.H.O.L.E.” is a fairly uneventful action story. Sonic insists on maintaining a secret agent style inner monologue at first, for no particular reason. Tommy drops some nonsense on the reader about Robotnik rediscovering the ability to robotocize Mobians, even those that had been rendered un-robotcizable by the Bem. Any significance this circular development might have had is interrupted when the robotic Fearsome Foursome, plus Sleuth Dawg and Drago, pounce on Sonic and Tommy. (How the villains survived the same seemingly fatal blast that should've killed Tommy isn't explained. I guess they were tossed to safety too?) What follows is an uninspired fight scene, where the hedgehog easily bests the bad guys while cracking puns that are lame even by Sonic's standards. Ron Lim illustrates the story so you know it looks crappy too.

That plot point concerning robotocizion is expounded on in the second story, “Anonymous.” A.D.A.M. informs his dad that Sgt. Simian's gang, presumably rendered organic again by the Bem, have since been turned back into robots. The mad scientist search the machine's memories to discover how. A.D.A.M. presents a video from Drago's perspective but it's been censored, to concealed the identity of whoever is responsible. Checking the meta-data reveals only the name “Anonymous” inside the robot's memories. (This was years before internet hacktivists/trolls adopted that same name but it's sort of funny to read in a modern context.)

This Anonymous story line is one the book would intermittently drag out for the next two years, as an unknown, outside force who would occasionally muck up Robotnik's plans while clearly being an enemy of the Freedom Fighters. Anonymous' originally intended identity was as easy to guess as the person inside those satellites post-”Endgame.” Chacon clearly intended Anonymous to be the original Dr. Robotnik, somehow returned to life, plotting against his fully mechanical replacement. In one of his best saving throws, Ian Flynn would dismiss this plot point and reveal A.D.A.M. as Anonymous. While brilliant, that eventual reveal makes this story kind of useless. It's build-up to a reveal – Romy was already hinting at this, with Eggman pointing out that the obscured villain is roughly the same size as him – that isn't coming. The interaction between Eggman and his computerized offspring is sort of cute and Art Mawhinney's pencils are solid but the story doesn't present much else worth reading.

Lastly, we have “Dealing with the Devil,” the latest entry in the “Mobius: 20 Years Later” arc. It's devoted entirely to Lien-Da grilling her son, Rutan, about why he was in the park in the middle of the night. The teenage boy is afraid to reveal that he was having some heavy petting with his girlfriend, Espio's daughter Salma. When the truth comes out, Lien-Da's wrath is momentarily sated when Rutan reveals that he also overheard Knuckles and Rotor discussing the incoming cataclysm.

The strength of “20 Years Later,” up to this point, has been its focus on low-key character moments. “Dealing with the Devil” has Penders falling back on bad habits. Namely, a reliance on exposition. When Dimitri's floating head interrupts Lien-Da's interrogation of her son, it leads to a detailed flashback. At some point, a faltering Robotnik came to Dimitri for assistance. Being an asshole, the doctor would betray Dimitri and reduce him to a head in a jar. While the writer probably should have addressed this change at some point, now wasn't the best time. (This also doesn't explain why the Dark Legion were peacefully integrated with Angel island's populace, a more enticing query.)

Having said that, there is still some stuff here to like. Rutan's increased nervousness that his mom will find out about his horny shenanigans is awfully charming. Even though she's a domesticated single mom now, Lien-Da is still capable of villainous act, something her son is all too aware of. Steven Butler's increasingly awesome artwork helps. There's a wonderful panel where Lien-Da's rage at her boy is depicted as the echidna literally breathing fire. For the record, Butler draws Lien-Da as almost distressingly sexy, her ample curves squeezed into that skin-tight leather catsuit. I bet Rutan had a lot of “friends” over for play dates just so they could look at his mom's cleavage.

The separation of quality between the cover story and the back-up isn't too vast but, for once, Ken is doing better than his cohorts. I'm sure he'll screw it up in the near future. For now, issue 135 evens out to a [6/10.]