Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 77

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 77

Original Publication Date: March 19th, 2025

 

Issue 76 of IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic was devoted to sorting the large cast of characters off into new formations and sending them off on some stand-alone adventures. After the exhaustingly drawn-out "Clean Sweepstakes" arc took up most of 2024, I was really looking forward to some episodic adventures around Sonic's world. Part of me wondered if Ian Flynn wasn't recycling some of the general structural ideas he intended to use, all those years ago, in the aftermath of Archie's Shattered World Crisis storyline. The "Scattered Pieces" arc seems to have a similar objective to that unrealized story: A way to touch base on all the characters after some massive world-changing events and to cut loose and have a little fun. That's what I was hoping for from this one anyway, so let's see if I was horribly disappointed. 

Part two of "Scattered Pieces" follows Sonic as he goes off with the Chaotix. Determined to find Clutch and make him pay for his actions during the Clean Sweepstakes, the quartet decides to race over to White Park Chateau, the ski resort the crime-boss-turned-businessman-turned-crime-boss used to call home during his semi-legitimate days. The good guys find the building in surprisingly good condition, despite it being seemingly abandoned. Not so. Rough and Tumble now declare themselves the operator of the resort, using its robotic employees as their physical enforcers. After the required amount fighting and bantering, Sonic demands to know what the hell is going on. It turns out Clutch has signed over his operations to Rough and Tumble, considering himself a thoroughly defeated old man at this point. Sonic and the Chaotix listen to his sob story and try to decide if the notoriously untrustworthy possum can be believed this time. 

Issue 77 of "Sonic" has a good cover. Adam Bryce Thompson drew a very cool image of Sonic and the Chaotix being detectives. Sonic is swinging a flashlight around a dark and dusty room, as he investigates alongside Vector and Espio. Lurking behind them is an ominous, rather skull-like Caterkiller with two shadowy figures atop it. Only Charmy seems to notice the intruder and he's properly shaking in his cute little sneakers. Judging from the silhouettes of the figures perched on the machine, it's not too hard to guess who they'll turn out to be. Either way, it's an evocative cover that promises some lightly spooky, Scooby-Doo-ian atmosphere in this issue. The issue somewhat fulfils that promise. The cool undead Caterkiller is nowhere to be seen but, in its first few pages, "Scattered Pieces: Part Two" does feature Charmy getting spooked by shadowy images in the window of the resort and Sonic rushing around, wondering what is going on with the strangely empty place now. If this had been an issue if Sonic and friends snooping as usual around a "Cold Prey"-style creepy ski lodge, I would have dug that. 

Unfortunately, the issue tosses away that idea very quickly. Not long after stepping inside, the typically ridiculous Rough and Tumble make themselves known in typically ridiculous fashion. After that, things start to get goofy very quickly. The action scene that follows is mostly played for laughs. Charmy is distracted by a board game. Espio and Sonic discuss the merits of mid-melee banter. Vector chews up a wooden queue pole and spits it back out like bullets. All the while, Rough and Tumble insists that the attacking heroes don't ruin their fancy new clothes. Do you find any of that amusing? Playing out in animation, maybe such a sequence might have come off as nicely manic and silly. In the page, it feels a bit stiff. Only a panel where Sonic is nearly decapitated by a tossed roulette wheel managed to make this old grump crack a brief smirk. 

Most of my disappointment with this issue is, I'll admit, totally based on it not following the altogether ooky vibes of the cover and the first few pages. Ya know, I get promised some old dark house antics and the issue takes a hard turn into wacky slapstick instead, it's really going to sour my grapes. If I try to put that very Zack-specific grievance aside, I think I'd still be disappointed with this issue. Over the five years IDW has been publishing "Sonic" books, Rough and Tumble have been around since almost the beginning. In that time, I've never had many strong feelings one way or another about the buffoonish skunk enforcers. They show up whenever the book needs some dumb muscle, filling a similar role to Bark and Bean in the Archie books. They are fundamentally static characters, always destined to remain idiots that are more butts of the joke than actual threats. 

It seems like they've been showing up a lot lately though, doesn't it? The end of the "Clean Sweepstakes" story arc suggested the skunks might try and go straight. That they might actually grow and change a little as characters. Issue 77 backtracks on that immediately. Rough and Tumble return to being rhyming, dim-witted and easily defeated baddies. They exist more for comic relief than to actually move the story forward here. Frankly, I'm kind of bored of them now. Mostly because these two have exactly one joke, which is that they are dumb-dumbs who are always extremely dumb. Maybe it's time for Sonic and friends to have some new brainless mercenaries to smack around. Or, at least, it's time for Rough and Tumble to perhaps get a second joke...

Clearly Ian Flynn does not agree with that assessment, in the sense the book needs some fresh antagonists. After Clutch was the main antagonist for most of the comic last year, he's back in this issue. Not that the possum crime boss does much antagonizing in this issue. What he does instead can be more accurately described as whining. He sits down, feels sorry for himself, swills some non-alcoholic purple drank, and assures Sonic and the Chaotix that he is no threat to them now. That what little remains of his empire is entirely automated at this point and that he has been beaten back down to zero. The suggestion that Clutch is now working for Rough and Tumble is meant to show how utterly pathetic he's current situation is. Weirdly, Sonic and the Chaotix take the bad guy at his word, accepting a deed of employment to the skunks as the sole piece of evidence that what he says is true. They accept that Eggman let the guy slip away and that the ever-scheming Clutch has no villainous plans in mind at all anymore.

It is, simply put, not very exciting to read. The previous issue was characterized by a long sequence in which the Diamond Cutters got in a circle and talked out all their interpersonal strife. It felt weirdly like sitting in on a group therapy session, everybody hugging out their problems without the story being allowed to move forward much. This issue feels a little bit like Flynn is doing the same thing with Clutch. Except, it should be obvious, that the villain is lying. Or, at least, telling a very selective version of the truth. I've noted before that the way the Restoration is always willing to forgive and forget the bad guys they go up against felt weird and unnatural. I know the villains must run away and live to fight another day because this is a comic book and you've got to keep the bad guys around for future use. However, I wish Flynn could find a way to make it feel more organic than this. Clutch says he's not up to anything and tells the Chaotix to walk into this warehouse if his if they don't believe him. It would seem they intend to do exactly that. I don't know, man. I feel like there had to be a more interesting way to get us to that point. 

It's going somewhere because obviously it is going somewhere. The comic wouldn't have Clutch appear again only for him to say he's a big loser now who poses no threat to anyone. The final pages reveal that Eggman has got a new mind-controlling gizmo and Clutch is his first test subject. How this device works and how totally it controls people remains to be seen. How this development will be different from a Roboticizer or a Metal Virus, I guess we have to wait and see. I've said before that, throughout IDW's run, there have been a few times when the comic felt a little directionless. As if Flynn was out of ideas. I feel like we are back in another one of lulls right now. Rather than take a breather with a relaxed set of stand-alone stories, we are merely waiting around for stuff to start happening again. 

You know, I really want to see what Silver and Blaze are up to. How Belle is exploring the world. Hell, Lanolin and Jewel trying some urban planning would be an improvement over this nothing of an issue. Any of those scenarios would flesh out the world, show us how this universe works a little more clearly, rather than merely point out that the people we know are out there already are still out there and they up to stuff. Adam Bryce Thompson's pencils are excellent, like always. Leonardo Ito De Oliveira's colors also do a good job of establishing the mood of the ski lodge early on. There's simply not very much else going on here though, in afraid to report. Maybe next month will be better. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 75

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 75

Publication Date: December 18th, 2024

As 2024 comes to a close, and the “Sonic” franchise hits another big milestone with the release of its third theatrical big budget movie, a much smaller part of the multi-media franchise has another reason to celebrate. The IDW “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic has reached 75 issues, being in publication for over six years. Once you factor in the various mini-series and one-shots, IDW has definitely published over a hundred “Sonic” related comic books. That’s no small feat for a licensed comic book in this day and age, when the non-DC/Marvel publishers can easily go under and books can get unceremoniously canned for whatever reason. In other words: Assuming there are no massive fuck-ups on IDW’s behalf, or the entire American comic industry goes kaput, the “new” “Sonic” comic is well on its way to being as much of a long-runner as the old “Sonic” comic. I can certainly complain about how IDW’s comic still doesn’t seem as fleshed-out or expansive as Archie’s universe did by this point… By now, however, I’m willing to chalk this opinion up to me being old. The kids who are growing up with IDW “Sonic” probably consider this series as beloved and compelling as I did with the nineties comics at that age. 

Issue 75 is also the much long await – by me anyway – conclusion to the Clean Sweepstakes story arc, playing out over a double-length issue. Deep within the heart of Clutch’s air ship, Tails, Amy, Belle, the Chaotix and a few other people attempt to escape the engine room as the entire vessel is on the verge of exploding. Sonic races to the deck of the ship to face Clutch one on one, soon being joined by Surge, Kit, and another unexpected ally. The Babylon Rogues lead an impromptu rescue mission to prevent the massive ship from crashing right into Central City and killing untold numbers of people. The Diamond Cutters, meanwhile, realize that “Duo the Cat” is actually the shapeshifter Mimic, Lanolin finally putting aside her differences with Tangle and Whisper. It all wraps up in a giant fireball at Restoration HQ. 

Issue 75 starts with a decent idea. The self destruct sequence on the air ship has been started. This means all of the heroes aboard the boat have an ever-shrinking window to escape before it explodes. That’s a good way to keep the suspense high in the final leg of a storyline. Unfortunately, Evan Stanley does not stop there. This is a flying ship after all, meaning it’s plummeting towards the city. Before the issue is over, the flying race-track also begins to fall out of the sky. In the last third, the focus turns towards Sonic and Jet racing to get as many people out of Restoration HQ as they can before it also blows up. In other words, issue 75 begins with the characters on one deadline before continuously adding several more. It plays like a desperate attempt to keep the intensity rising. 

What it mostly ends up doing is making this comic book feel like it’ll never end. Typically speaking, a dramatic countdown to a big-ass explosion marks the story heading towards its most exciting moment. That’s what it meant in “Alien,” for one prominent example. However, this comic book repeatedly trying to outdo itself mostly means the story feels like it has about three different climaxes. Sonic, Surge, and Kit have a big fight with Clutch aboard the deck of the ship. Would that be where you’d expect this story to end? Instead, the threat of the air ship crashing and exploding takes precedence. Surely, that would represent the end of this particular plot? What’s more exciting than a big-ass thing going up in a big-ass explosion? Instead, the focus then shifts towards the rescue mission of all the Restoration staff, which hits a few snags of its own. 

Maybe Stanley giving this issue multiple logical end points before moving on to another is because issue 75 isn’t only the conclusion to the Clean Sweepstakes arc. In a lot of ways, this installment feels like the writer trying to put as many plot points to rest as possible. After what feels like far too long, “Duo the Cat” is finally discovered to be Mimic. Before we’re done, Evan also has Belle repair her little MotoBug friend. I have the creeping feeling that editorial demands this storyline get stretched out to conclude in the anniversary issue. At the same time, I feel the same force demanding this one feature some big reveals, hence the above events. Obviously, in order to cram all this shit into one comic book, it means Stanley resorts to her worst habit as a writer: Having far too many characters involved in far too many situations, constantly cutting back and forth between them as much as possible. It does not make for the most organized feeling read. 

What further causes issue 75 to feel double-stuffed is that the comic isn’t only resolving multiple plot points across a story that keeps barreling towards bigger pyrotechnics. It also shoves in a few twists and teasers. Eggman inserts himself into this story, after being absent since the first part, in an extremely gimmicky fashion. Yeah, turns out the hovercraft he built Sonic is a fucking Transformer and this was all part of a long con to get back at Clutch. Meanwhile, Surge and Jet both separately promise to Sonic that they’ll resolve their rivalry at some unspoken future date. This occurs after Surge deploys a big special move of her own. Because that’s exactly what this storyline needed: More characters and more superpowers. It’s almost impressive that this particular arc has managed to feel both far too long and not nearly long enough. It’s dragged on for multiple issues while also shoving in one event and reveal after another, none of them feeling properly fleshed out.

At least it has an ending though. As much as the structure and pacing of this issue bugs me, at least we won’t have to deal with a few stupid plot points anymore. First off, all that convoluted Phantom Rider business and the corresponding race is finally, thankfully done for. This issue also puts the extremely dumb Duo the Cat storyline to bed. Not that the Diamond Cutters finally figure out the very obvious deception at play here. “Duo” forgot to turn off his cell phone and Clutch refers to him as “Mimic” in front of everyone, blowing his cover. This sequence also involves Lanolin realizing that she’s been acting like a bitch and apologizing. Whisper apologizes too, though I’m not really sure why she felt the need to. In fact, this comic has Surge and Jet both coming to agreements of sorts with Sonic. Somehow, time is also found her to have the Hippy Orangutan Mechanic be nice to Belle and presumably settle any tension between them. As if Stanley is desperate to have the fandom stop hating these characters that they’ve been trashing lately. (Okay, I don’t know if anyone else but me dislikes “Chief Mechanic” that much but, still, the point stands.) 

The end of the issue also seems to see Rough and Tumble joining the Restoration, or at least promising to be less evil in the future. If Stanley was going out of her way to provide some sort of redemptive moments for characters that have behaved badly, she does not extend that gesture to two other characters. No, Mimic remains as incapable of redemption as possible. Clutch, meanwhile, is painted as more of a bastard than before. He somehow proves to be a physical threat to Sonic and Surge, at least via implementing firearms of varying size. He also references having killed other heroes in the past. IDW has constantly emphasized the idea that nobody is beyond rehabilitation in Sonic’s eyes, to the point that he’s allowed Eggman to escape capture in the past. Surge and Kit are clearly working their way towards heel-face turns too, though they aren’t quite there yet. However, it seems that Stanley considers professional assassins and businessmen/mob bosses particularly beyond redemption. She wants you to know that these two son of bitches are too ruthless to ever change their ways.  

That these two villains are utterly unforgivable does feed into what is, I think, the moral of this particular issue. Jet and the Babylon Rogues don’t move the falling air ship single-handedly. They direct a bunch of citizens to pitch in, using their own flying vehicles to pull the ship out of the path of the city. There is an extremely awkward line of dialogue, where Nite declares “Power to the people!” This goes hand-in-hand with the final sequence, of Jet rushing into the burning base to rescue whoever he can. The obvious idea is, anyone that is willing to help other people can be a force for good. That means the average person can be “powerful” and a former scoundrel can turn over a new leaf. It’s a nice idea and all but feels somewhat shoved into an already overstuffed issue.

Let’s go back to Surge for a minute. Her progression, from villain with a grudge who wants to see the whole world burn to someone realizing it’s possible for them to be loved, has been the brightest spot among all the racing and double-crossing. The payoff to that particular arc ostensibly occurs when Surge helps beat the shit out of Clutch, after announcing that she’s quitting. She’s no longer going to let assholes talk her into doing stuff that’s against her heart, the same conclusion she came to after Starline bit the dust. However, Surge awkwardly exits the story after that incident and she’s not even the one who takes Clutch out. Instead, it seems as if Jet gets the moment that logically should be her’s. He puts aside his own petty goals – of beating Sonic in a race – for the greater good. He leads the charge to redirect the falling, about-to-explode cruiser from above the city. Sonic appeals to his ego and goads him into helping save everyone in the Restoration. In other words: Jet stops acting selfishly and starts doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. It feels like that’s the direction Surge should have been going in, instead of limping away half-way through the issue. 

With all the talk of explosions, murder, and possible death, issue 75 strikes me as mostly a fairly grim one. Perhaps Stanley was aware of this too. To counter that, several scenes of wacky comedy is inserted throughout. Rough and Tumble realize they’ve been staying inside a cage that was already unlocked. Sonic splays against the windshield of the air ship. Clutch’s security team insists they are on their break when called to action before abruptly quitting. None of these moments made me chuckle. In fact, they struck me as feeling extremely out-of-place. When things are as intense as they are in this issue, wacky slapstick and jokes about the big dumb guys being dumb do not feel especially needed.  

It’s a frustrating end to what has been a frustrating storyline. Min Ko Him’s art is good, with lots of flowing action scenes and expressive faces. You can tell he really loved to draw that giant robot that randomly appears for a few pages. He also includes what I assume are more fan-made O.C.s in various crowd shots, including one that looks an awful lot like Old Man Owl from the OVA. The final page sets up events for the next issue to follow, presumably setting up the next storyline. Hopefully that one won’t stretch on for six issues nor be bogged down by the need to both include as many characters as possible and have them all contribute to the story somehow. We know “Sonic” has a hundred characters. We don’t need to see them all! Frankly, I’m glad to be done with the Clean Sweepstakes. Let us put away our Extreme Gear for a while, please. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 73

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 73

Original Publication Date: September 18th, 2024

Am I the impatient one here? As I crack open the brand new issue of IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic, all I can think is "Are we still doing this racing thing?" This is the fifth issue devoted to this particular storyline. And we've got two more installments of this shit left to go, as IDW editorial is truly determined to drag this out until the next anniversary issue. That means, by the time this plot finally concludes, exactly two story arcs will be resolved by the end of 2024! I thought races were supposed to be over quickly? This is why I'm of the opinion that comic storylines should never extend past four issues. A racing arc is a lot like a fighting tournament arc: It's fun for two, maybe three months. After that, we are ready for an installment not concerned with an unimportant competition and instead with some real stakes. 

Of course, Evan Stanley and her team certainly want the Clean Sweepstakes tournament to have some real stakes. As with the last two issues, #73 is simply jammed packed full of incidents. The racers prepare for the final leg, a leap off a floating platform into a free fall towards Central City. Like clockwork, the Phantom Rider shows up to cause trouble. The security team is ready for him, this time. Surge grabs the Rider's transformation gizmo, revealing to the public that this criminal is – sacre bleu! – Sonic the Hedgehog! Of course, Tangle and Whisper knew this already but didn't see fit to tell Lanolin, leading to some trouble of their own. Meanwhile, Amy, Tails, and Belle are still running around that fucking ship. They somehow run into Don the Rooster who then leads them to the imprisoned Chaotix. Sure, why not? Even more meanwhile, Jewel finally realized that Clutch is making off with the Restoration right under her cute little olive nose, causing the supervillain to stop fuckin' around and finally going on the offensive. 

Yes, if the above plot synopsis didn't make it clear, this is another issue that doesn't have much in the way of pacing on its own. Instead, once again, Stanley wastes another month by having a collection of subplots spin their wheels for several pages. Surge trying to get back at her shitty boss and prove her heroics moves forward a little bit. Amy, Tails, and Belle screwing around on Clutch's battleship inches ahead. There's a brief acknowledgement of Jet's ongoing rivalry with the Phantom Rider, without that storyline actually advancing any. If Stanley had decided to focus on one of this plot points, we might have had a compelling ongoing story that actually feels like it's moving. Instead, this shotgun blast approach to writing means so much is happening in this comic book without bringing us significantly closer to any sort of proper conclusion. Does Evan know that story arcs have, ya know... Parts? It's not one long narrative broken up into random intervals and spaced out over seven fucking months! 

Sorry if I'm coming off as cranky here. I'm having a hard time looking past how disorganized and sluggish this storyline devoted to, ironically enough, a high-speed race has been. The sole plot thread keeping me invested in this rambling mess of a soap opera has been Surge coming into her own as a hero and an independent thinker. After Clutch tried to put the tenrec in her place during the last issue, she takes the fight right to the Phantom Rider. She reveals his secret identity to everyone on national television. The issue tries and plays this as a big triumphant moment, of Surge getting one over on a rival, proving her strength while also somehow sticking it to Clutch. And how exactly is that the case? If Surge's character development over this storyline has seen the once villain realizing that being beloved, instead of hated, has benefits of its own... How do these events follow that progression? I mean, it's certainly in keeping for Surge's personality to act impulsively and start wildly attacking people when she doesn't know what else to do... But she wrestles with and shocks Tangle, a beloved member of the Restoration, during this moment. This will presumably not make her more popular with people! However, Stanley is working so hard to get that epic anime moment of Surge snatching Sonic's Power Morpher away from him that any sort of logic or reason goes out the window. It's never a good thing when you have to put the comic book down for a second and think out loud to yourself "Why is this character doing this?"

Sonic having his cover blown on what is, presumably, the Mobian equivalent of the Super Bowl would be, from any traditional perspective, the big moment in this issue. That would be a dramatic panel to leave us readers on, don't you think? Oh no, this new supervillain that has become the biggest menace to, uh, hoverboard racing has been revealed to be, in fact, the planet's greatest hero! Instead, Stanley sticks this moment in the middle of the book in-between a number of other plot developments, where it quickly gets lost in the shuffle. We only get the briefest glimpse at the viewers at home reacting to this shocking event before the book shifts focus again to something else, meaning the impact is not felt at all. 

Instead, the big cliffhanger this issue is devoted to Clutch personally sending his goons after Amy, Tails, and Belle As deep within the bowels of his ship. Another goal of this particular story arc has been, I think, to make Clutch into a major villain in the "Sonic"-verse. However, I can't say my opinion of Clutch has changed any over the last few issues. Instead, what this particular event has convinced me of is that Jewel the Beetle should not be leading the Restoration. Issue 73 kicks off with Jewel confronting the possum, having finally figured out that he's up to no good Maybe it's because I, as a reader looking down on this events from beyond the fourth wall, already know that Clutch is a bad guy. However, that it took Jewel this long to stand up to the obviously evil guy dressed like a cartoon gangster only makes her seem lacking in perceptive. As the leader of the Restoration, shouldn't Jewel have intel all over the world? Shouldn't she have known from the beginning that Clutch was anything but a moral businessman? The fact that the villain was allowed to get this deep into his scheme without being called on it doesn't make him seem powerful and intelligent. It only makes the good guys look easily fooled. Considering this is the third time in recent memory that a clear enemy has walked into the Restoration and said "It's okay, you can trust me," maybe they are, in fact, idiots. 

Sometimes, it feels like the only way Evan Stanley knows how to make a story feel big and important is by including as many characters as possible. "Urban Warfare" was held back by the sheer number of characters, of perspectives, it had to include. As the Clean Sweepstakes plot has gone on, Stanley shows she hasn't learned from that mistake any. This arc has actually introduced more characters as it's gone along. Last issue brought Nite and Don into it. Don – who, I feel compelled to point out, is a janitor – gets directly involved in the action here, helping Amy, Tails, and Belle out. When Belle asks him "Who are you again?," that feels like a reasonable question. Amy almost smashes him with a hammer at first, because she doesn't truly know him or have any reason to trust him. However, Stanley has decided Don is important to this story so now he's a part of it, another cog introduced in the vast, disorganized machine that has become this story arc. 

Oh yeah, Don knows the Chaotix too, did I mention that? Yeah, the detective trio are now involved in this storyline too. It would seem that Clutch has had the three of them locked up in a cage inside the Krugerian boiler room deep within his flying battleship. Did we know this information? I can't remember at this point. Last time we saw the Chaotix, weren't they playing with some flowers? Somehow, I don't think it's a good thing when a comic book requires you to have a mental flowchart of where all the characters are at all times. Anyway, Vector has a thumb drive full of all of Clutch's dirty laundry, something the villain didn't think to take away from him the entire he's had him imprisoned. Yes, five issues deep into this plot, we're finding out that the Chaotix have been important characters to this story the whole time. If only comics were a visual medium and there had been some way to convey this information to the reader before now... 

Sorry if this issue put me in a crabby mood. The truth is I didn't totally dislike this one. The saving grace for the last few issues has been the little character moments Stanley has sneaked in between all the stuff happening. There isn't much of that here. However, when Jewel comes to Tangle and Whisper to talk to them early in the issue and the lemur gives her old friend a great big hug? Yeah, that was adorable. There is plenty of good artwork on display too. I ultimately didn't find Sonic and Surge's rumble here all that rewarding but Min Ho Kim assures that it looks cool. If the big fight between Surge and "The Phantom Rider" is the main reason this issue exists, at least there's plenty of exciting visuals. Though it probably says a lot about how meandering this plot has gotten that the thing I've seen people discussing the most about this issue is all the O.C.s Kim hid among the various crowd scenes. I like the bluish fox thing with the fancy anime gloves we see hanging out at the starting line or the girl with white and blue bangs and a black Chao sign seemingly trying to avoid a bad date in the bleachers. 

The longer this race stretches on, the more convinced I am that this entire story should've been about Surge grappling with becoming a beloved hero. I don't care about Clutch's criminal empire being exposed. I don't care about Sonic's identity as the Phantom Rider being revealed. I really don't care about whatever the hell Amy or Jet or Lanolin or Don and Nite or "Duo" have been doing during all of this. And I absolutely do not care who wins the race! Wasn't that what this storyline was supposed to be about to begin with? It's hard to remember now. People seem to be enjoying the high-speed action scenes and large cast in this arc, showing me once again that "Sonic" fans are not concerned with things like narrative structure or pacing or whether you care about the plot. Am I a bitchy old man or does this fandom deserve less? No, it's the children that are wrong. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Spring Broken!

Sonic the Hedgehog: Spring Broken!

Original Publication Date: June 26th, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 66

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 66

Publication Date: November 8th, 2023

I suppose I should be used to "Sonic the Hedgehog" comics sometimes feeling directionless. Lord knows, Archie's "Sonic" books would meander for months on end, with no clear concept leading events on. Yet when IDW's "Sonic" starts to spin its wheels, the feeling is always more acute to me. Usually because the series will just start doubling down on elements I don't care about. Like the Zetis, magical plot devices, or the Babylon Rogues. The book has been in a little bit of a slump since Surge and Kit exited the scene, not feeling like it's building towards much. That the Rogues are on the cover of issue 66 should clue you in on which type of issue this is. 

Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. A good enough series can even make its filler arcs fun too. "Relic Robbing Rumble, Part 2" picks up where we left off, with Knuckles and the Chaotix bushwhacking the Rogues on a dock. After an extensive action scene, Knuckles manages to get the ancient Echidnan artifacts back, driving the Rogues away. Jet claims they were not employed by anyone to steal the objects, working on their own... Yet this is not the case, as the final page reveals. 

Of all the words in "Relic Robbing Rumble's" title, the most important one is definitely rumble. As this cover story went on, I became very aware of how this is only a ten page story. That's because the fight scene just kept going on and on. Yes, this is one of those issues of "Sonic" devoted almost entirely to characters beating the shit out of each other, without much in the way of forward narrative or personal development. The cover promises Knuckles and the Chaotix fighting with the Babylon Rogues and that's what the story delivers. That is pretty much all the story delivers. 

Ian Flynn's senseless beat-em-up stories always feel somewhat useless. Look back at "Hedgehog Havoc," "Champions," or "Zeti Hunt" for further evidence of that. You can always just feel, somehow, when the guy is inserting an action scene for its own sake. There's never that fun feeling of a kid smashing his action figures together in Flynn's battle royales, like we saw in classic Archie stories like "Super Sonic vs. Hyper Knuckles" or, uh, "Battle Royal." There's just a hint of desperation to them, as if you can sense Flynn inserting extended punching scenes strictly because he knows the young boys this comic is ostensibly targeted at crave sophomoric fight scenes. 

Maybe this is because Flynn isn't good at making these fights feel serious. The good Flynn stories that are heavy on action are usually the culmination of long story arcs, where everything hangs in the balance. When he's screwing around, you can tell because the fights are largely farces. This is what we get here, the combat interrupted with many comedic touches. Charmy realizes stealing is wrong after grabbing the relic away from Jet, graciously giving it back. Espio gets cartoonishly spun through the air and Vector clamps onto Wave's hoverboard, refusing to let go. I don't necessarily dislike these moments. They are actually pretty funny, that bit with Charmy especially. Yet it does nothing to dissuade the feeling that nothing in this issue actually matters. 

This sensation is sadly confirmed in the final pages. The end of the fisticuffs on the pier is incredibly anticlimactic. Even though questions clearly remain unanswered, Knuckles is happy to have his relics back. He outright says he doesn't care about anything else. We then learn that this entire fight was a diversion by Clutch, to distract the Chaotix as he meets with Jewel while wearing a bitchin' pimp coat. If a two-parter feels a bit futile, capping it off with a master planner outright admitting this was all a rude does not help matters. A story about Clutch engineering a diversion, which the heroes then slowly uncover, would have been a lot more interesting than just a big, goofy, fight scene that results in nothing being changed or learned. 

The first half of "Relic Robbing Rumble" was also kind of weak but issue 65 was saved by a strong back-up story. Does the second half of "Dinner with Cream" continue that trend? Rough and Tumble continue to disrupt Cream's attempts to finish the nice dinner her mom started cooking. Yet Gemerl being overwhelmed and the skunks' mischief eventually become too much for the little girl to handle. That's when Vanilla returns home, putting an end to these shenanigans with her motherly ways. 

The first half of "Dinner with Cream" worked because, no matter how silly this conflict was, it still mattered to Cream and Gemerl. The second half focuses much more on comedy and combat, much like the cover story did. This does downplay what made the first part fun. Watching Germerl get pelted with a salad and Cream attempting to fight off some buffoonish bad guys isn't as much fun when the slapstick is for its own purpose. The first couple pages of this back-up can't help but continue the futile atmosphere that weighed down the cover story. Is this entire comic going to be focused on lame, meaningless fight scenes? 

Luckily, Evan Stanley recovers a bit before the end. There are still some cute, touching character interactions in this story. Gemerl's reassuring words to Cream, no matter how upset she gets, are still nice. The way Vanilla is nothing but understanding with her daughter at the end is also adorable. The story ends with some serious ship-bait between Vanilla and Vector, which goes a long way towards making this one worth reading after all. 

Vanilla is, in fact, secretly the MVP of this issue. The fight comes to a halt when Tumble bullies Cream a little too hard, causing her to cry. The villains are made to feel even worse when Vanilla shows up and uses her powers of motherly guilt against them. The ending of "Dinner with Cream" is really no less anticlimactic than "Relic Robbing Rumble." The bad guys essentially go away after someone tells them to, making you wonder why they showed up in the first place. Yet Rough and Tumble are inherently ridiculous characters. Of course Vanilla would be able to correct their behavior with just a few stern words and a contemptuous glare. These guys are overgrown boys, super strong men-children. They are naturally weak to a motherly scolding. So it works, ending a light-hearted story on a goofy and sweet note. (But I fully expect Vanilla being all disciplinary and stern with two remorseful louts to inspire some very specific types of fan art, if it hasn't already.)

The same group of artists are back to work on this issue as the last one. Mauro Fonseca draws the first story, while Adam Bryce Thomas handles the second. Fonseca's exaggerated style really works for a story like this. The action scenes, and the comedic beats in particular, really have a fine sense of movement and timing. His tendency for big goofy faces really makes Knuckles' anger, Jet's frustration, and Vector's sorrow at not being paid sing. Thomas similarly has a talent with faces. Cream's ever escalating disappointment at what is happening adds a lot of humor to this. As does the sheer power that radiates from Vanilla's face as she stares down the skunks. Or the obvious flirtatious quality in the meaningful looks she gives Vector. 

Surge and Kit come back to the comic next month, hopefully bringing with them a renewed sense of focus. There's no doubt in my mind that IDW "Sonic" has floundered a little since they stepped away, the book devoting time to a number of minor subplots that have to justify their own importance. "Relic Robbing Rumble" had its moments, especially of the more humorous variety, yet it just couldn't get out from under the weight of being a lark. At least the back-up two parter was cuter and funnier that that. [6/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 65

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 65

Publication Date: October 11th, 2023

I've got to tell you guys, it makes me happy that IDW's "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic is, for a little while anyway, sticking with the format of having a cover story and a back-up story. An attribute I loved about Archie's "Sonic" book was the variety. It wasn't just a cartoon animal action/adventure series. Sometimes it was also a romantic melodrama, a lore-heavy fantasy series, a cosmic sci-fi story, or goofball slapstick comedy. I liked that unpredictable quality. IDW "Sonic" hasn't been quite that tonally diverse. It's mostly stuck to the action anime style that the franchise largely resides in these days, save for occasional segues into survival horror and light-hearted detective fair. Yet issue 65 shows how a diverse selection of narrative types can really improve a story. 

The first story is part one of "Relic Robbing Rumble." Knuckles is shocked to see the Babylon Rogues stealing some ancient relics from an obscure corner of Angel Island. The feathery thieves get away with the statues too, a major bruise on Knuckles' pride. He seeks out the Chaotix to assist him. Vector wants to wrap this up quickly, as he plans to meet Vanilla later that night for dinner. They barge into a Eggman facility, which is a dead lead. Charmy gets an anonymous hint, which leads the quartet to ambush the trio of airborne as they await their buyer. 

In the main "Sonic" games and cartoons, Knuckles the Echidna is often reduced to comic relief. He's a big, strong guy who also has a serious gullible streak, which has led to him too often being written like a total buffoon. (A characterization that peaked with "Sonic Boom's" idiot Knuckles.) This is in contrast to the comic books, where Knuckles has actually been a fairly complicated character. Archie Knuckles was one of the more psychologically complex take on him, with serious Daddy issues and lots of internal conflict over his destiny. IDW Knuckles isn't that deep, though Ian Flynn has done his best to make the echidna more perceptive than his appearance suggests. His interactions with Blaze and Amy have really shown this. Some of this even leaked into the way he was written in "Sonic Frontiers."

Despite that, Flynn allows Knuckles to really backslide in "Relic Robbing Rumble." The guardian of Angel Island is primarily in smashy-smashy, proud warrior mode here. That the Babylon Rogues defeated him, making off with artifacts he's sworn to protect, seriously has Knux grumpy. He refuses to ask for Amy or the Restoration's help, strictly to preserve that lone warrior pride. This leads to him acting unreasonably, agreeing with Vector's plan to raid Eggman's lab, despite the lack of evidence, and simply going along with whatever idea the Chaotix have. I don't want to say it's out of character for Knuckles – it's not, necessarily – but it's certainly not the most interesting approach. I know Flynn can do better with our red guy here. 

Still, I suppose the first part of "Relic Robbing Rumble" works fairly well. This is obviously a more light-hearted story, with lots of comedy. Knuckles' stubborn ego is played for laughs, such as when he blocks Chamry from calling Amy or admits to Eggman that the relics aren't even necessarily that important. Vector rushing through things because he's eager to get to his date with Vanilla, Eggman's mild annoyance with the heroes, or Vector's reaction when Espio surprises him all made me chuckle. The chemistry between these guys, between Knuckles' honor-driven hot-headedness and the Chaotix' slightly incompetent sleuthing, keeps this story afloat entirely. I even kind of like the panel of Storm – someone I really don't give a shit about, I must stress – playing with the two idols they've snatched like they are dolls. I'm not made of stone, that's funny. So is Knuckles eating a big pink sundae, while slamming his fist on the table. 

And it's a good thing that this is a breezy, amusing story. Otherwise, I'm not sure what the point is. Especially needless is the sequence of the good guys hastling Eggman. The mad doctor is more perturbed than enraged by their intrusion, even listening while they explain themselves. He goes so far as to admit that he currently has no evil plan in motion, still licking his wounds after the destruction of Eggperial City. In other words: Why was this scene included in this story? I mean, other than to expand this plot into a two parter. It seems to me that whatever Flynn is currently building towards has something to do with the ancient culture of Angel Island, or at least these relics in particular. Giving Eggman a token appearance feels like an excuse to insert some robot-smashing in a story otherwise about goofy comedy. 

The back-up connects with the cover story in a loose way. "Cream's Dinner" shows us the special dinner that Vanilla is preparing. Naturally, her daughter is helping out. After realizing they are out of butter, Vanilla heads out to get some, leaving Cream (and the fate of dinner) in the hands of Gemerl. That's when Rough and Tumble, determined to rebuild their reputations after several humiliating defeats, decide to sneak into Vanilla's house and cause trouble. Gemerl can handle that too but, oh no, what about dinner?!

Unlike the cover story, which blunders around without much of a clear directive, "Cream's Dinner" has a totally solid idea at its center. This is a story all about contrasting the mundane with the oversized, one of my favorite comedic devices. It's a tale that climaxes with a dead-pan robot karate kicking two skunk mercenaries but the main plot is based around the utterly everyday concern of whether a meal will be prepared correctly. Most all of us are familiar with the small stakes of trying to cook dinner without fucking it up. Most of us probably aren't familiar with two henchmen breaking into our house to cause trouble. Yet Cream – a child – and Gemerl – a robot – treat both scenarios with equal gravity. In fact, Gemerl almost seems more concerned about dinner. He sees the skunks break-in as a hindrance to this far more important issue. Funny!

This proves that Evan Stanley can do comedy well but her greatest strength still lies in small, relatable character interactions. There's an adorable moment here where Cream, concerned if she can be trusted with watching the food, is reassured by Gemerl. It's a small sequence, occupying only two panels, but it adds so much. Gemerl may be a robot but he's clearly become Cream's father figure. Emotionally supporting his surrogate daughter clearly isn't what Gemerl is built for – literally – and yet he has made his main bit of programming. That actually makes this moment more touching than if Vector or Sonic or whatever was helping Cream out. At first, I really missed the crankier Archie version of Gemerl but, I've got to tell you, the even more parental, in spite of his robotic nature, IDW version has really grown on me. 

Another observation I have about this issue is, perhaps, the artists should have traded stories. Mauro Fonseca draws the first story while Adam Bryce Howard does the second. Fonseca clearly goes for exaggeration in his work, most evident in any of the panels were Knuckles is freaking the fuck out. Fluid detail is the name of the game with Thomas. Both artists do a fine job. Both stories contain some hilarious faces. But Thomas would've brought a lot more verve to the action scenes on the first story while Fonseca would've emphasized the humor inherent in the second. Just an observation, not a criticism. This is a good looking issue regardless. 

I've commented last month that Sonic himself has been taking a backseat these last few issues. The hedgehog isn't in this issue at all. I'm happy the publisher and editors have enough confidence in this series' supporting cast to let them carry the book for a month or two. If Sega mandates or whatever insist Sonic must be a vagabond hero, not directly connected with the Restoration or any other group on a long term basis, simply taking the focus off him for a while is a smart move. It allows the supporting cast to grow, actually putting further development of this cast above just giving people what they want. You love to see it! Or, at least, I do.

Anyway, issue 65's cover story manages to be entertaining in spite of feeling entirely like filler and not giving Knuckles his due diligence. The back-up, meanwhile, is cute, charming, and funny. Enough so that it easily overshadows the cover story. I guess that leaves me on the hook for the next issue. I've got to know if Vanilla's roast is ruined or not and if she'll have to purchase fast food and cleverly disguise it as home cooking... [7/10]