Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 79

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 79
Publication Date: December 1999

In the early months of 1999, Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comics were littered with mysterious ads. They were black stripes, with Sonic’s green eyes and somewhat manic grin being the only visible sight. It took me a few more months before realizing these were teaser images for “Sonic Adventure,” the latest Sonic game for Sega’s latest system. By December of 1999, thanks to a Christmas present from a dad eager to buy my love, my passionate affair with the Dreamcast had already begun. I quickly put two and two together and realized Archie had been planning a “Sonic Adventure” adaptation within the pages of their comic for months. Yet Sega’s “Sonic Adventure” featured a markedly different world then the one of the comics. Archie’s somewhat awkward attempt to blend the two continuity began here, in issue 79.

The cover story is even subtitled “A Sonic Adventure Tie-In.” “The Discovery” begins with Nate
Morgan hacking Dr. Robotnik’s computer network from the comfort of Knothole. The scientist soon learns that Robontik is planning an excavation of the Hidden City of the Ancients. Hoping to prevent this, King Acorn orders Sonic, Sally, and the other Freedom Fighters on a mission to stop the doctor. Amy Rose, Sonic’s biggest fan, wants to join the trip. However, Sally deems her too young. Meanwhile, Prince Elias worries for his comatose mother’s safety. He hopes to use the magical Ring of Acorn to restore her health… But somebody else has gotten to the ring first.

“The Discovery” is essentially seven pages of set-up. We begin with a heavy-handed inciting incident, where Nate Morgan learns of Robotnik’s latest plans. What exactly the Hidden City of the Ancients is would remain a mystery for a while. That Sonic, King Max, and seemingly everyone else – but the reader – has heard of the legend strikes me as slightly lazy.

Yet it’s almost okay. For all his flaws, Karl Bollers had a solid grasp on pacing. Just when the comic threatened to fall back into the formula of the Freedom Fighters of Knothole striking back at Dr. Robotnik’s industrial empire, he mixes things up again. Sonic is headed back on the road, as in issue 57. The big difference is that everyone is coming with him this time. The Freedom Fighters going on an adventure together is something I always welcome.

“The Discovery” also hides some solid emotion inside its meager page count. When Sonic informs the King about the villain’s latest plan, the hedgehog can tell that something else is bothering the monarch. King Max is still reeling from the news that his wife’s illness is progressing. He’s also grappling with his decision not to tell Sally. Elias, the sneaky bastard, already knows his mom’s status. Though it only takes up a few panels, it’s still nice to know this story has some emotional stakes. Characters are conflicted, feeling complex things about their love ones. It’s not a lot but Bollers is trying.

Plot wise, “The Discovery” doesn’t just exist to get Sonic and friends on the road. Up to this point, Amy Rose has been a fairly minor player. She had a decent sized role in issues 25 and 40. Since then, she mostly been appearing in bit parts, crowd scenes and the like. Her role in “The Discovery” reflects this minor status. Amy joins the going-away party in Sonic’s hut – a really cute scene – and pesters the other Freedom Fighters with questions. She’s tired of being excluded and wants to join the quest. Instead of pointing out that her only prior contribution to this team was getting kidnapped, Sally and Bunnie instead politely points out that Amy is too young to be adventurin’.

Sega, meanwhile, had very different plans for the character. The game company pulled the character form obscurity and made her the primary female lead in “Sonic Adventure.” Amy got a drastic redesign, an age boost, her own story path, and a giant hammer she could smash shit with. In the first of many awkward attempts to fuse game and comic canon, Amy had to change. Which is why Bollers pulls that bullshit ending involving the Ring of Acorns out of nowhere. Last appearing in issue 67, the ring has apparently gained magical, wish granting properties since then. How come Nate Morgan or the King would’ve mentioned that before now? But that’s what happens when corporate mandates put you in a corner.

The cover story in issue 79 runs a little short, in order to make room for two separate back-up stories. The first of which stars Knuckles. The Guardian has been haunted by reoccurring nightmares, where the Floating Island falls from the sky after a strange, watery creature snatches the Master Emerald. Upon awaking suddenly, he realizes that this nightmare has come true. That’s because Robotnik has freed Chaos, an ancient being made of water, from its prison. While Knuckels was snoozing, the dictator smashed the Emerald and fed it shards to Chaos.

Following the cancellation of his solo title, Knuckles’ adventures would shoved into the back of Sonic’s book. Despite getting top billing, Knuckles plays a small role in “The Chaos Factor.” This might also be attributed to the differences between Sega and Archie’s visions for the franchise. Following Ken Penders’ extensive expansion of his world, Knuckles’ life is wildly different in the comics when compared to the games. Moreover, the number of Chaos Emeralds across the two medias vary. So “The Chaos Factor” changes quite a bit from the source material. Chaos is now imprisoned in a black jewel. Instead of being fed different colored emeralds, Robotnik gives the ancient entity the shards of the Master Emerald. And because Penders always has to keep a hundred mythological balls in the air simultaneously, this act also frees Mammoth Mogul.

So what does Knuckles do in “The Chaos Factor?” Fall asleep on the job. As the Guardian, making sure the Floating Island stays afloat is his number one priority. Yet somehow he sleeps through Robotnik invading the Island, attacking Echidnopolis, breaking into the Chaos Chamber, and smashing the Emerald. Damn it, Knux, why didn’t you just rent an apartment in the city? In truth, Robotnik is the star of this story. It’s devoted to him hunting down Chaos, freeing him, and seeing his plan go off without a hitch. I’m still not sold on the new Robotnik but it’s hard to imagine the classic variety getting his hands quite this dirty.

Tucked into the very back of the book is the final chapter of “Tales of the Great War.” In this entry, Bernie reveals how she became robotocized. After explaining that Robotnik did it after she started asking too many questions, we see how the disappearance of his brother and sister-in-law affected Uncle Chuck. Lastly, the short story concludes by showing how Uncle Chuck restored Jules and Bernie’s free will, finally reuniting the family.

After spinning its wheels for three issues, “Tales of the Great War” finally gets back to filling in some narrative spaces. One always assumed that Bernie was robotocized by Robotnik at some point but it’s nice to finally see that play out. Likewise, the precise moment Sonic’s parents regained their consciousness is another often referenced but up until now unseen moment. The answer to that mystery?: A magical Power Ring did it. Though “Life Under-Ground” is fairly lacking in pathos, there’s one minor moment. We get a glimpse at the guilt Uncle Chuck feels, knowing that his creation was responsible for his brother’s disappearance. (Unfortunately, this also makes Chuck look like a fool. How many people disappearing would it have taken before he started to suspect Warlord Julian was up to something?) The story ends on a limp note, as Jules present a decoded disk that belong to his brother. Considering “Tales of the Great War” had gone on for so long, concluding it would another cliffhanger is not a great idea. Still, at least the story circled back around to a solid point before ending.

Issue 79 features some divisive artwork. James Fry’s work on the cover story is fine, if slightly on the loose side. His anime style artwork is energetic but sometimes a little too stylized for its own good. Steven Butler draws the Knuckles story. Robotnik and his robot looks awesome in Butler’s style. Knuckles, meanwhile, is a bit more of an awkward fit, going slightly off-model. As for the final back-up story, Chris Allen remains a rough fit for Sonic and friends. By this point, Allen has seemingly gotten use to drawing Bernie and Jules. Once we return to the present, we’re treated to some seriously deformed versions of Antione, Elias, and Bunnie. I’m glad that Allen wouldn’t return to the book too often, as he clearly didn’t have a grasp on these characters.

Issue 79 is stuffed full of new story developments. Not all of them would pay off but Bollers and Penders do a decent job of stacking them up. The Adventure awaits. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 78

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 78
Publication Date: October 1999

The cover art of issue 78 of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” certainly brings back some memories. The issue is the first to use the newly redesigned “Sonic” logo, which the book retains to this day. Secondly, a blurb on the cover assures readers that their subscription is Y2K compatible, back when the world was terrified calendars switching over would bring about the computer apocalypse. Moreover, the cover gives me a waft of nostalgia because it features a number of characters mostly exclusive to this era of Sonic. Even if the reboot hadn’t happen, I kind of doubt that Dr. Quack and his kids would be featured on a cover today.

The cover story, “Changes,” is another more low-key effort from Karl Bollers. With most of the free Mobians relocated, King Acorn officially designates Knothole Village as the new center of the Kingdom. He also knights Sonic and recommissions the Freedom Fighters, now that freedom must be fought for again. Despite these changes, Sonic and friends are troubled by the losses they still feel. Meanwhile, Dr. Robotnik makes movements on his next master plan.

“Changes,” which I feel compelled to sing as “Cha-Cha-Changes,” continues Bollers’ efforts to make King Max less of a dick hole. By knighting Sonic and recognizing that the world needs the Freedom Fighters again, he essentially recognizes that the kids were right along. That’s right, it only took the reemergence of their greatest enemy for King Acorn to actually respect the heroes. I know the King will be acting like an asshole again before too long but it’s nice to see some positive developments in his personality, even if it’s temporary. Sonic becoming a Sir also provides some humor to the proceedings. It even forces Geoffrey St. John to acknowledge the accomplishments of his long term rival.

“Changes” is a story without any big conflict or action beats. Instead, it’s a story focused almost exclusively on characters. Uncle Chuck’s recent abduction by Robotnik continues to weigh heavily on Sonic’s mind. Despite being knighted and reunited with his parents, Chuck’s loss makes our hedgehog hero feel like a failure. He’s not the only Freedom Fighter feeling some parental angst. Antoine’s own father remains a robotocized member of Robotnik’s army. The comic smartly contrasts Antoine’s childhood memories of his father with his dad’s current state. Lastly, Elias continues to worry about his mother, who remains comatose, and his future responsibility as King. Compared to Sonic and Antione’s very real problems, Elias’ concerns seem far pettier.

For that matter, kids missing their parents is the primary emotional heart of this story. When yous top and think about it, a startling number of Freedom Fighters are orphans. As the former residents of Mobotropolis move back into Knothole, the newly introduced Mina feels sorry for herself, since her mom was left behind. That’s when a stray run-in with Rosie – who I don’t think we’ve seen since issue 54 – has Mina shepherding a trio of orphans around. The comic wouldn’t know what to do with Mina for years, eventually making her yet another love interest for Sonic before she found her calling as a pop star. However, this scene at least shows her as a good kid with a kind heart. It’s certainly more touching then the moments devoted to Nate Morgan. Morgan moves into Uncle Chuck’s old laboratory. I doubt he intended it this way but it looks like Bollers has replaced a beloved, established character with his own, far more contentious creation.

While the story turns its attention towards the characters in Knothole, Robotnik is still planning for the next story arc. In a handful of panels, we see the robotic dictator planning ominous, wicked things. (He’s also still doing that creepy thing with his arm.) These scenes are, of course, setting up the “Sonic Adventure” adaptation, which would begin next month. We also get another scene of a shuttle traveling through space, headed towards Mobius. If I remember correctly, that’s a story element that wouldn’t be resolved for quite a bit longer. I can’t blame Karl for planning ahead but these scenes feel like unnecessary distractions from the main story.

Speaking of unnecessary distractions! In the back pages, Ken has continued to belabor the “Tales of the Great War” story line. Jules and Bernie continue to tell their story around the camp fire to the younger Freedom Fighters. We see Jules become the first victim of the Robotocizer, Uncle Chuck immediately regretting his invention. Meanwhile, the Mobians win the Great War after King Acorn defeats the Overlander leader in a duel. This, however, is just a prelude to Robotnik’s takeover of the city.

As I mentioned last time, the “Tales of the Great War” story line was interesting as long as it was chronicling rarely explored bits of the backstory. Now, Ken has more-or-less caught up with himself. There’s little room left to be filled in but he’s continuing anyways. We now see, in detail, how Jules became a robot and how Charles became a chili dog stand owner. About the only new piece of information here is how King Acorn won the war. It’s a fairly useless story, hampered by some of Ken’s most melodramatic dialogue in a while. Chris Allan’s artwork has improved slightly but still seems far too cartoonish and loose for this story.

James Fry’s pencils for the main story are fine, by the way. “Changes” doesn’t match Bollers’ previous high water mark, issue 54’s “Running to Stand Still,” but it’s in a similar mold. As mentioned many times before, Bollers’ best work wasn’t his action and plot heavy story. Instead, his writing shined when turned towards the more personal moments. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 77

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 77
Publication Date: September 1999

By this point in the history of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series, the comic was thoroughly serialized. Issue 77 follows up immediately where the last book left off. However, while the previous month’s offering was action-packed, September of 1999’s release is a more character focused story.

“Rebel Without a Pause” – another referential and punny Karl Bollers’ title – begins with the Freedom Fighters returning to Knothole Village. Except for Sonic and Sally. Tails, Bunnie, and Antoine fear the worst has happened. Luckily, Sonic and Sally escape a Shadow-Bot ambush with Dulcy’s help. Upon returning to Knothole, the Princess and the Hedgehog both have a more personal encounter with King Acorn.

I have two minds about the Freedom Fighters returning to Knothole. On one hand, it’s disappointing to see the series backslide after “Endgame’s” conclusion. Seeing Sonic and friends take back Mobotropolis after fighting for it for so many years was worthwhile. On the other hand, I’m a bit of a traditional when it comes to “Sonic.” Seeing the Freedom Fighters operating out of the forest, entering Knothole through a hidden slide, and converging inside grass huts hits a sweet spot for me. Yeah, they’re hiding from a mad dictator but there’s still something homey about being back in Knothole.

The action beats in “Rebel Without a Pause” are fairly minor. Sonic, Sally, and Mina (along with a furry patterned after “Tenchi Muyo’s” Aeka) travel the desert between Robotropolis and the Great Forest… Which is a thing I guess exist. Sonic and Sally share some cute dialogue, both showing that they care for the other, before the robots show up. Dulcy saving the day is only sort of a cheat. After all, we saw her fairly recently, back in 74. Mostly, I like that Karl Bollers is remembering that Dulcy is still around. It’s good to see the comic dipping into its extensive cast.

“Rebel Without a Pause” is a fairly brief story but it does feature one very satisfying moment. After Sonic and Sally return to Knothole, both are expecting a stern lecture from King Acorn. Instead, the King is just happy Sally is alive. When talking to Sonic, the King points out all the times the hedgehog has directly disobeyed his orders… And then congratulates him for getting the job done anyway. Even after being freed of Ixis Naugus’ negative influence, King Acorn has spent way too much time being a prick recently. To see him see past petty bullshit and actually appreciate the heroes for what they accomplish is way overdo. Sadly, the King’s characterization would continue to shift between these two extremes for quite some time.

“Rebel Without a Pause” is a pretty solid story. Except for its bizarre interlude, which is literally referred to as an “interlude.” Two whole pages are devoted to Robotnik continuing his quest for the location of Knothole Village, while still suffering from the virus Snively infected him with last time. Meanwhile, a one-page spread is devoted to a space ship flying towards Mobius. It’s been so long since I read this section of the comic’s history that I do not remember where this particular plot thread is headed. Even if I did, it still breaks up the flow of an otherwise decent story.

Even though the main storyline is featuring lots of change, Ken Penders is still finding time for his “Tales of the Great War” back-up feature. At night, Amy Rose and friends gather around a camp fire. Jules and Bernie regale them of a story from the Great War. This time, they talk about Bernie, Chuck, and Jules heading out on a secret mission. Jules is injured by an Overlander and his situation looks grim. That is until Uncle Chuck considering using a risky new technology to save his brother’s life.

In other words, this entire seven page story is devoted to foreshadowing Jules being robotocized. Which, you’ll notice, is something we all ready know about. Instead of using the “Tales of the Great War” stories to fill in Mobius’ distant past, Penders has reached the more recent past. We already know that Uncle Chuck invented the robotocizer, that it had the unforeseen side-effect of sapping people’s free will, that Julian “Soon To be Robotnik” Kintobor would use it as a tool of suppression. Penders is re-trending old ground.

He’s also gratuitously extending the page count. We get unneeded panels devoted to Bernie blasting an attacking Overlander or Rotor’s dad driving a weird vehicle through the forest. The last page shows Robotnik’s schemeing more and more to overthrow King Acorn, something that has been repeatedly foreshadowed. It’s all unneeded at this point. Exploring the origins of the war was interesting but now “Tales of the Great War” has seemingly outlived its usefulness.

James Fry’s pencils on the cover story are solid, though his overly anime-esque artwork will still take some getting use to. Chris Allan draws the back-up story. While his pencils are getting slightly better, he still draws the Mobians like “Tiny Toon Adventures” cast members. The back-up story is weak but the cover story is strong, making issue 77 worth reading. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedeghog: Issue 76

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 76
Publication Date: August 1999

During my review of issue 75 of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series, I expressed some disappointment that the series was returning to the established formula of Robotnik ruling over Robotropolis, while Sonic and the Freedom Fighters hide in Knothole Village. I can’t help but wonder if head writer Karl Bollers’ attitude was similar. The cover story for issue 76 is entitled “Business as Usual.” Do I dare detect a hint of sarcasm there, Karl?

Following the end of last month’s issue, Robotnik 2.0 and his fleet of powerful ShadowBots have successfully taken over Mobotropolis, reestablishing Robotropolis. Luckily, most of the Mobian citizens, including the King and Nate Morgan, have escaped to Knothole. Sonic and the Freedom Fighters, meanwhile, have crashed their space shuttle in the middle of the city. Snively reminds the Freedom Fighters that, since this new Robotnik has access to the old Robotnik’s files, he knows the location of Knothole Village. (The doctor, you may recall, finally located the village during “Endgame.”) Sonic distracts the robotic army while Sally and Snively hack into Eggman’s computers and deletes the aforementioned information.

“Business as Usual” may be business as usual but at least its entertaining business. Issue 76 has a solid foundation for its story. If the population of Mobotropolis is going to relocate to Knothole Village, making sure Robotnik can’t find the village is important business. It’s a matter of time too, as Sally and Snively have to race to delete the info before Robotnik thinks to check it. Bollers’ script builds a decent sense of suspense from this race against time. Yes, there’s no reason Robotnik couldn’t just scan the forest with aerial drones until he pinpoints the village’s location. Then again, there’s no reason the original Robotnik couldn’t have done that too. Considering this is a story element – the doctor’s search for Freedom HQ – the series ran with for nearly fifty issues, I’m use to justifying it.

Issue 76 also breaks the team into units, which is a good way to maximize story function. Half of the script is focused on Sally and Snively sneaking into Robotnik’s fortress and hacking the computers. Snviely remains an uneasy ally. As soon as they land on Mobius, he wants to skedaddle but Sonic guilts him into staying. While inside the Egg Dome, Sally is attacked by a ShadowBot. Since Bollers has seemingly forgotten that Sally is more then capable of taking down SWATBots by herself, Snively has to rescue her. The Princess outright comments on how weird it is to be working with someone who previously tried to kill her. However, considering Snively’s cowardice, and the fact that the new Robotnik is even more psychotic then the old one, I like his temporary alliance with the Freedom Fighters.

Meanwhile, Sonic goes about doing what he does best. No, not running fast, eating chili dogs, or cracking puns. He smashes through a crap ton of robots, wasting fifty ShadowBots in several minutes. A clever action beat has him melting the ShadowBot’s feet into the asphalt below. Showing that he has a lot in common with his predecessor, the new Robotnik takes the time to curse that hedgehog.

After wrecking some shit, Sonic takes the time to make a new friend. He spots Mina the Mongoose, who is futilely attempting to sneak inside Robotropolis and rescue her captured parents. Since Sonic is still bumped that Uncle Chuck and Muttski are brain-washed again, the two bond over their shared angst. Mina would quickly become a controversial character, since a new potential love interest was the last thing Sonic needed. Still, their little conversation provides a decent emotional beat to what is otherwise an action-centric story.

Issue 76 also introduces a new regular artist into the Archie fold. James Fry, who is credited only as “Fry,” would quickly become a regular artist within the book’s pages. Fry’s style is heavily anime influenced. He draws the characters with giant, shining eyeballs. They all have noodle legs, huge hands and feet. However, Fry’s work is still quite good. Once you adapt to his style, you see that Sonic and the gang are all on-model. The anime style artwork allows for a decent amount of expression on the character’s faces. Fry also has a solid grasp on action, as the scenes devoted to Sonic taking out the ShadowBots are well done. (Fry also has a tendency towards random in-jokes. In a crowd scene, you can easily spot Mr. Snuffleupagus, Bean the Duck, Donald Duck, and furry versions of “Tenchi Muyo’s” Ryoko, Sasami, and Mihoshi.) Not everyone is a fan but Fry does decent work in his premiere issue.

Despite the story seemingly leaving little room for it, Ken Penders continues to include some “Tales from the Great War” in the back story. Antoine, Bunnie, and Tails escort Sonic’s parents out of Robotropolis. Along the way, Tails insist on checking out the library and making sure Jeremiah is okay. While inside the library, Jules pulls one of Kirby’s volumes from the shelves. Despite the group being on the run from Robotnik’s forces, he still pauses to read a story from the book.

Sadly, this is hardly an essential bit of backstory. The flashback that unfolds details a young Jules, Charles, and Bernie encountering a small band of Overlanders. Among the attackers is Colin Kintobor, Julian “Robotnik” Kintobor’s brother. (And Snively’s dad.) That’s mostly the purpose this story has. In addition to giving Colin Kintobor a proper introduction, it also introduces Cocoa the Cat, Hershey’s mom. Which isn’t very interesting. What’s more amusing is seeing teenage versions of Jules and Bernie flirt. Otherwise, this Tale is a totally unneeded addition.

A mediocre backstory can’t distract from the solid cover story. If Robotnik must be back, this is the kind of story I prefer to see. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 74

(My internet was out all day yesterday which is why this is so late. I am greatly ashamed of myself and can only hope my begs for forgiveness are enough for you.)

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 74
Publication Date: June 1999

With issue 74, Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series finally pays off a plot point that it’s been building up for about two years. Since at least issue 62 – only twelve issues after his initial defeat – the series has been hinting at the inevitable return of Dr. Robotnik. Well, the wait is finally over. Issue 74, whose cover story is actually entitled “Don’t Cal It a Comeback!,” - presumably because Robotnik has resumed rockin' peers and puttin' suckas in fear - features the most expected and unavoidable resurrection of Dr. Ivo Robotnik.

Picking up were issue 73’s cliffhanger left off, Sonic reports to King Acorn that all the Robians in Knothole Village – including his parents, Uncle Chuck, and even Muttski – have vanished. Sonic correctly assumes the mysterious satellites in the sky are responsible. Because he’s an asshole, King Acorn forbids Sonic from investigating further. He ignores him, of course. So do the rest of the Freedom Fighters. Before the day is over, Nate Morgan has retro-fitted an old Robotnik built space shuttle to launch the Freedom Fighters into space. They sneak aboard the villain’s astral platform and discover two things. Robotnik is alive and well and living in space. He’s also kidnapped all the Robians and is using them for slave labor abroad his station. This, naturally, really pisses Sonic off.

Sonic’s parents vanishing was admittedly a last minute twist Karl Bollers pulled out of his ass this time. However, it at least provides issue 74 with some decent emotional drive. It makes the conflict personal for Sonic. (The hedgehog figuring out that the mysterious space devices are connected shows that Sonic’s thinking is occasionally as fast as his feet.) Once again, there’s no reason for King Acorn to be acting like such an asshole. However, I do like the Freedom Fighters defying orders and doing what needs to be done anyway. Since getting Sonic and Tails back in Knothole, Bollers definitely seems to be making an effort to get the team together on missions.

Either in the name of sustaining suspense longer or adding some narrative breathing room, Sonic and friends don’t immediately fly into space. A cool moment has Sonic calling on Dulcy the Dragon to carry their shuttle into the upper atmosphere. This is the first time Dulcy has appeared in the book since issue 68 and the first time she’s actually contributed to a plot since “Endgame” ended. She would continue to be an inconsistent presence throughout the book going forward. So it’s nice that Karl brought Ducly back for a brief role, right on the eve of the comic’s sixth anniversary. (Also, where else are you going to see a dragon lift a rocket ship full of furries to the edge of space?)

While the cover promise Sonic and the Freedom Fighters going on adventures in outer space, that actually compromises a brief portion of the story. While drifting towards the satellite, the gang rushes into a crowd of space junk, which is a mildly amusing gag. Once aboard the platform, Robotnik makes himself known. Sally, Bunnie, and Antione take the time to point out how angry this makes Sonic. And I can imagine how furious he must be. After fighting Robotnik for ten years, he finally defeats the guy… Only for him to return less then a year later. And to make a dick move even dick-ier, the asshole has also kidnapped and brainwashed his family. However, I wish Sonic’s rage was given more page space. The fight between the reunited hero and villain is brief before the story crashes into yet another cliffhanger.

Still, Steven Butler’s artwork remains impressive. He makes good use of the character’s faces, showing the complex mix of emotion Sonic must be feeling. The panel of Dulcy carrying the shuttle into the upper atmosphere is really impressive. The interior of Robotnik’s satellite feels appropriately sinister. Butler also makes the sudden appearance of the Shadow Bots, Ivo’s newly updated robotic warriors, memorable.

After an incredibly awkward one-page spread with artwork from Chris Allan, Amy Rose flashes back to a few days ago, when Uncle Chuck was regaling her with Tales of the Great War. In this installment of Ken’s backstory filling arc, Chuck explains how Robotnik came to live in Mobius and how he plotted his eventual take-over.

Robotnik’s path from exile to warlord to tyrant has been explained in the book before. Issue 72’s “I, Robotnik” covered much of the same ground. However, “Enter… Robotnik” nicely provides a close-up on some of the events. Most of the back-up story is devoted to how Robontik betrayed Kodos. It once again establishes how big of a bastard the villain is. He strikes Kodos in the head from behind and drops his unconscious body into the Zone of Silence. Ruthless. However, the story doesn’t make the Mobians look very intelligent. Chuck outright admits it was in their nature at the time to take people at their word. In other words, if King Acorn had been a little more skeptical, Robotnik’s rise to power might have been avoided. Still, it’s a solid story. Art Mawhinney’s artwork is as strong as ever, even if his rendition of pre-Robotnik Julian looks super weird.

While the stories could’ve done a lot more, issue 74 is fairly satisfying. We see Sonic and the gang do some prime adventuring while one of the comic’s most extended story arcs is finally reached its turning point. I may not be a huge fan of where the comic is going in the near future but this is still a solid issue. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 73

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 73
Publication Date: May 1999

In May of 1999, the launch of the Sega Dreamcast was three months away. The release of “Sonic Adventure” was coming with it. For Archie’s comics, that meant the interesting world they had built up since Robotnik’s death was about to be washed away. Sonic had already got his new eye color and shoes. The return of his archenemy was quickly forthcoming. Issue 73 is primarily devoted to further laying the groundwork for that reunion, story momentum be damned.

In Knothole Village, Princess Sally and Prince Elias have a heart to heart. The prince reveals to his sister that he has no interest in taking the crown of Mobotropolis, which comes as a surprise to Sally. The personal moment is interrupted when Sally calls a Freedom Fighter powwow. She reveals that Nicole has noticed strange satellites assembling above the planet’s surface. Each time one of the strange events that have been plaguing the heroes happen, one of these satellites activated. At that very moment, Snively finds himself inside one of those satellites, which assemble themselves into a proper space base.

Once again, I wonder if Karl Bollers’ was struggling to find some emotional truth inside the comic’s forward marching plot. Issue 73, whose cover story is obnoxiously entitled “The Truth is Out There…,” begins with an emotional moment. Jules and Bernie renew their vowels, wearing Power Rings around their wrists designed by Uncle Chuck. It’s a sweet moment, another attempt to establish Sonic’s frequently sidelined parents as real characters. Meanwhile, the discussion between Sally and Elias provides some insight into the prince’s personality, another character still thinly developed at this point. Of course Elisa doesn’t want to be king. He’s a teenager. Both characters are still reeling from the shock of discovering their siblings. These aren’t crystal clear moments but their good examples of the book trying.

However, these emotional moments have to be pushed to the margins by the demands of the on-going story arc. Half way through the issue, Sally and Nicole drop a bucket load of exposition on her fellow heroes. The worst part about this elongated sequence is the reader already knows this stuff. We already know that the mysterious satellites are responsible for the strange things that have been happening. Was it necessary to painstakingly detail each development? Did Bollers think the reader might have forgotten? Couldn’t the Freedom Fighters discovering this information been covered in a few panels, instead of several pages?

If that wasn’t enough, several word balloons in the early pages are devoted to correcting a fucking continuity error. Early reports that Uncle Chuck invented the Power Rings were mistaken, as he simply learned the art from Nate Morgan. Yeah, Karl, that was pressing.

Maybe the book was trying to build suspense for the easily predicted reveal on the last page. The Freedom Fighters believe him dead but we already know that Snively is on the space base. We also already know that Robotnik is alive and living in space, considering issue 72 basically revealed it. Despite that, “The Truth is Out There…” plays coy before devoting an entire page to Robotnik’s full-color return at the end. He’s back, you guys, like it or not.

That reveal steals power from the story’s better cliffhanger, the mysterious disappearance of Sonic’s parents. At the very least, issue 73 features some fine Steven Butler pencils. His version of Sally looks fantastic. The decision to show the satellites hooking up one side of the page, while the Freedom Fighters talk on the other side, was an interesting choice.

In the back pages, Ken Penders continues his “Tales of the Great War” saga. Uncle Chuck enters the library where Tails, Amy and Jeremiah are reading Kirby’s account of the Great War. Chuck picks up the volume and continues where we left off. A period of unsteady peace between the Kingdom of Acorn and the Overlanders lasted for several decades. Unbeknownst to the King, people inside his own kingdom where plotting against him. Ixis Naugus manipulated Warlord Kodos into brutally murdering two peaceful emissaries from both countries. The dead bodies where then sent back to each country’s leader. War is eminent.

The history of Mobius continues to be dark as fuck. And I love it. The second volume of “Tales of the Great War” shares many annoying Penders-isms. The first two pages are devoted to Ken, via the proxy of Uncle Chuck, lavishing praise on Jack Kirby, via the proxy of the Mobian Kirby. Also, Amy and Tails seem way to enthusiastic about hearing a story full of bloodshed and treachery.

Having said that, a “Sonic” comic is probably the last place you’d expect to see two people having their necks crushed. Yes, the violence happens off-panel. Yet seeing Kudos’ face twist in anger, hearing the crunches, and seeing the mangled remains somehow makes the act more disturbing. The Great War was a - duh - war. Lives were lost. Inhumane acts were committed in the name of patriotism. It’s heavy stuff for a kid’s book and not even Ken’s rusty words can disguise that.

That’s pretty much what the book was during this era. Daring, powerful, personal moments shoved alongside awkward writing and story construction. Both the cover story and back story of Issue 73 have some strong moments and their weak moments. It’s an uneven book and all the more frustrating, considering how close it was to being really good. Aw well. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 72

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 72
Publication Date: April 1999

For some time now, the comic has been prepping the return of Dr. Robontik. Truthfully, he hadn’t even been gone that long before the hints started to drop. Even as a kid, back in 1999, it was easy to assume that the pilot of the mysterious satellites causing troubles around Mobius was the fat man himself. Issue 72 stops dropping vague clues about Robotnik’s resurrection and outright proclaims his inevitable return. You know that interesting post-war period we’ve been in for a while? Yeah, get ready to kiss that goodbye. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

“I, Robotnik” begins with an unlikely proposition. Using old Robotnik technology, King Acorn has ordered “teleboxes” – TVs, essentially – manufactured and distributed to everyone in the Kingdom. This is ostensibly so the populace can see kingly proclamations. Minutes into King Max’s first big speech, a pirate signal hi-jacks the fledgling television network. Instead of broadcasting footage of Max Headroom getting spanked, all of the Kingdom of Acorn are greeted to a Biography episode devoted to Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Afterwards, Sonic and friends immediately dismiss this sinister development as a glitch.

So this story has got some problems. The entire television thing doesn’t make much sense. First off, I’m not sure how the people of Knothole Village – who still live in thatch huts last I looked – get electricity. Nate Morgan, Uncle Chuck, and Rotor cooking a project this big up in a matter of weeks also strikes me as unlikely. Moreover, how the hell did they distribute these things? In a panel likely meant as a joke, we see Kodos somewhere also watching the broadcast. This raises some questions of its own. None of this is including the random-as-fuck appearance of Chester Cheetah...

The majority of “I, Robotnik” is devoted to explaining Robotnik’s back story. There’s both upsides and downsides to this. First off, a proper origin for ol’ Ivo is probably overdue. We see his mother, father, and brother. (That’s Snively’s dad to most of you.) We learn the official reason he was exiled from the Overlands. In brief, Robotnik’s weapons of mass destruction were too dangerous to be tolerated even in a time of war. He was also willing to use his own people as test subjects. This further emphasizes what an evil bastard he was/is. That’s how I like my Robotnik: A totally ruthless mad scientist. The narration also shows an occasionally dry wit which is appreciated.

While this stuff is interesting, I take umbrage with the presentation. Against a puke green background, we see small clips from the broadcast, each covered with TV static. This is not an especially appealing visual choice. In the second half of “I, Robotnik,” the story essentially falls back on telling us stuff we already know. While the style strangles Steven Butler’s artwork – and he’s clearly still learning how to draw Sonic’s new design – the reaction shots of people watching the broadcast is pretty funny.

Disappointingly, “I, Robotnik” has some issues. However, you can still see Karl Bollers trying. He somewhat awkwardly attempts to insert some emotional beats into the story. Near the beginning, Rotor reminds everyone that his family is still out there in the wilderness. Remember them? Rotor left them adrift on an iceberg way back in issue 32. For those keeping track, that was back in January of 1996. In other words, Rotor’s mom and little brother have been floating through the Arctic for two years. Pretty sure they’re dead now, Rotor. Nevertheless, he heads on a solo adventure to rescue them. Sadly, this is less a natural story development and more because the comic currently has a surplus of Smart Guy characters. (And Tails isn’t even a genius yet…)

Secondly, Sonic has some alone time with his mom and dad. Essentially, he apologizes for disappearing. He admits post-Robotnik life hasn’t suited him too much but now he’s settling into having a family now. It’s potentially sweet. Unfortunately, this scene is shoved into the back of a mediocre story. It also features some seriously silly dialogue. “What’s foggin’ up the ol’ noggin’?” “That is like, way past over.” “Way past, son… Way past.” Yeah, kind of undermines the seriousness of the situation. Still, Bollers gets points for trying especially since this story is mostly another piece in the inevitable roll out towards “Sonic Adventure.”

How about a back-up story? After last month’s prelude, the first proper chapter of “Tales of the Great War” is presented. We join the young Prince of Acorn, Alexander, as he explores the Great Forest. He comes upon a similarly aged Overlander named Paladin. The two immediately begin to play with Paladin’s gun. (Uh, that’s not a euphemism.) Naturally, things immediately go wrong and Alexander is fatally shot. Afterwards, his dad wonders by. Despite mourning for his son, he doesn’t instantaneously declare war against the Overlanders. Back in the modern day, Tails and Amy get really bummed out by the story.

Say what you will about Ken Penders. Really, say it. The guy’s writing had a metric fuck ton of problems. Yet he was never afraid to handle serious issues. Yes, his handling was frequently heavy-handed. Apparently all Mobians have a stigma against guns – which is odd, considering Rotor has been seen wielding a BFG from time to time – because of this past event.

Having said that, this is a children’s comic where a kid is fucking shot and left to die. I’m not going to bitch too much. That shit is ballsy. Moreover, I continue to like the mythic, epic tone the “Tales of the Great War” story arc has carried thus far. Art Mawhinney’s excellent artwork constructs the grim story with his cute character work which actually works really well, since this is a story about bad things happening to kids.

The pretty solid back-up story brings up what is otherwise an underwhelming issue. You wouldn’t expect Penders to boost Bollers but, well, sometimes shit happens. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 71

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 71
Publication Date: March 1999

The movie “Memento” came out in 2000. It basically launched filmmaker Christopher Nolan to critical acclaim. To movie nerds like myself, it was a pretty big deal. Most of “Memento” is told in reverse order, starting with the end and working its way back to the beginning. The narrative structure goes in hand with the story, about a man who lacks the ability to create new memories. The backwards story line puts the audience in Leonard Shelby’s place. Both of us never know just what happened. This narrative device was something we young cinephiles had never seen before.

What does this have to do with issue 71 of Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” series? Not a whole lot, as “Memento” came out a full year after this comic book. However, both employ a reverse “back to front” story structure. We begin with the editor’s note, Sonic Grams, and the fan art, continue on to the back-up story, and then reach the cover story. This story then recedes back through its plot. (The story was apparently inspired by “The Betrayal,” an episode of “Seinfeld.” I’ve never seen “Seinfeld” so that’s why the reference was lost on me.)

In the name of reader cohesion, I’ll start with “Retro Activity.” On the first page, Sonic’s appearance has suddenly changed. He explains to Sally what happened. After King Acorn gives Sonic and Elias a stern talking too about issue 70’s events, Sally and the hedgehog go for a walk through the Great Forest. When they return to Knothole, the village’s entrance is covered with glowing, gold light. Upon entering the village, everything is acting in reverse. Nate Morgan explains this as an effect of a Time Beam shot from space. In order to undo the Beam’s effect, Morgan straps an Ultra Emerald to Sonic’s back and has him run around the planet really fast, until the beam strikes him. This neutralizes the threat and changes Sonic’s appearance. Since the story runs through in reverse order, the final page reveals that the Time Beam was shot by the mysterious satellite that has been threatening Mobius for a while.

The pertinent question is this: Does the flashy narrative gimmick serve any actual purpose other than to confuse the reader? I’m sad to report “Not really” on that account. Karl Bollers reverses the structure but not the flow of the story. Thus, the resolution happens first, followed by the climax, the plot development, the inciting incident, and the first act. In other words, the most exciting part of the story happens at the start. Afterwards, we get some tedious exposition. The beginning, of Sonic and Sally exploring the backwards Knothole, happens long after the reader’s interest is gone.

The moral lesson here is: Writing a backwards story isn’t as easy as it looks. You just can’t flip the outline upside down. The story might run in reverse but the plot momentum has to still move forward. I guess what I’m saying is Karl Bollers is no Christopher Nolan.

What does “Retro Activity” do right? Well, the sequence of Sonic running around the world is pretty cool. As he adsorbs the power of the Ultra Emerald, gaining more speed, he changes shape. He transforms into Super Sonic and then Ultra Sonic. Afterwards, Sonic takes on the attributes of his environment. He becomes Solar Sonic in the desert, Polar Sonic in the Arctic, and Eco Sonic in the rain forest. This is nothing but a gimmick but I like it anyway.

Sadly, that’s about the only interesting thing about “Retro Activity.” Sonic and Sally’s discussion in the Great Forest should’ve been touching. Instead, they just regurgitate the plot of the last few issues. Max yelling at Elias and Sonic continues the King’s rapid march towards assholedom.

Why did Archie do this? “Retro Activity” has two purposes. First, the Time Beam shenanigan finally does away with that ridiculous “Knothole is three hours in the future” business. I’m happy to see that pointless development gone.

More importantly, issue 71 ends begins with Sonic looking different. By this point, the Sega Dreamcast’s 9-9-99 release date was fast approaching. With a new system, came a new Sonic game. In “Sonic Adventure,” Sonic got a re-design. Now the hedgehog had longer limbs, green eyes, and buckles on his shoe. While Steven Butler’s excellent artwork has already provided the longer torso, the side effect of Sonic getting zapped alters his appearance to the Sega approved design. Why does it do this to him? I don’t know! Why does the Soon Returning Robotnik shoot a Time Beam at Mobius? I don’t know! If “Retro Activity” seems poorly thought out, that’s because it’s essentially a promo for Sega’s upcoming game console.

Let’s head back to the back-up story. It’s called “Tales of the Great War – Prelude: In the Beginning.” Boy, Penders loved those verbose titles, didn’t he? Was both “Prelude” and “In the Beginning” necessary? Don’t they both serve the same purpose, of indicating that this is a start of a longer story line?

Anyway, the back-up picks up the story thread Ken dropped back in issue 65. Tails and Amy Rose head to the abandoned library. Turns out, it’s not abandoned. The librarian, named Jeremiah, is the son of the lauded storyteller Kirby. Jeremiah presents Tails with one of Kirby’s rare volumes, a history of Mobian culture. Tails reads about how the echidnas were the most advance species on the planet and how Alexander Acorn united the various tribes of the continent. (Except for the Overlanders, who are assholes.)

Unlike the cover story, the back-up has a bigger purpose than just giving the hero a flashy new look. Penders is laying down the history of Mobian society. That’s cool. King Alexander uniting desperate tribes mirrors the foundation of Germany and the United Kingdom. Since I hate Mobians and humans interacting, I’m okay with the conflict with the Overlander starting this early. As for the echidnas being a high tech society while everyone else was still living in mud huts… Well, that does nothing to dispel the belief that Penders considers the echidnas shiny and special. The framing device, of Tails and Amy meeting Jeremiah, doesn’t add much. I don’t know why the backstory wasn’t just told straight on. Anyway, it’s an all right story. Art Mawhinney excels at drawing cute characters, so Amy and Tails are good subjects for him.

Issue 71 looks uniformly excellent. The back-up may just be dumping exposition on us but it’s handled decently. I just wish the cover story was more than an aggravating gimmick, for the purpose of giving Sonic green eyes and shoe buckles. [6/10]