Sonic Universe: Issue 76

Sonic Universe: Issue 76
Publication Date: May 2015

It’s time for another crossover, boils and ghouls. The year was 2015 and Sonic and Mega Man were going to meet again. I thought “Worlds Collide” kind of sucked but it was successful. It sold well and, perhaps more importantly, it allowed both comics to survive. The crossover created a scenario where the “Sonic” book could be rebooted. The boost in sales also helped “Mega Man,” a beloved series that never sold that well. So it made sense for everybody to do it again.

While “Worlds Collide” functioned under a simple – way too simple, if you ask me – desire to see these guys fight and then team-up, “Worlds Unite” was a far more ambitious project. In addition to the mainline “Sonic” and “Mega Man” books, the crossover also introduced elements from the “Sonic Boom” and “Mega Man X” continuities. (While also giving the up-to-now neglected Zetis, the “Sonic: Lost World” villains, a prominent role.) Later on, the story goes even further and has Sonic and Mega Man teaming up with dozens of other heroes from various Sega and Capcom properties.

Even as someone who disliked “Worlds Collide,” the idea of Sonic and Sticks eventually teaming up with Guile and Gillius Thunderhead was pretty exciting. Another big improvement was, unlike “Worlds Collide,” this crossover would actually take place in-universe. Sally and the Freedom Fighters would play a role in the story, even if it was a small one. So I went in a skeptic but ended up enjoying “Unite” way more than “Collide.” This was, once again, at odds with the fandom’s overall reaction, as readers seemed a little disappointed in this one. But I’m used to feeling that way. I swear I’m not intentionally a contrarian.

Anyway, let’s get on to talking about the actual comic book. “Worlds Unite,” first part subtitled, “Across Time and Space” begins in Mega Man X’s future. Supervillain Sigma has somehow gained control of the Genesis Portals and plans to take over the multiverse with them. He teleports himself to Sonic’s world, takes over Orbot’s body, and turns the recently conquered Zetis against him. Eggman is put to work building Sigma a new body and army. When he tires, Sigma pulls Dr. Wily – presumed dead on Mega Man’s world – out of the dimensional gyre. The two mad scientists soon convince the super android to use the Zetis to attack and capture Sonic and Mega Man, who were otherwise just going about their business.

While I eventually enjoyed the crossover, the first issue of “Worlds Unite” is exhausting. It’s devoted almost entirely to setting up the baddies’ convoluted schemes. Yes, I said schemes, as Sigma, Eggman and Wily, and the Zetis all have competing plans. The monsters attempt to betray Sigma immediately but he quickly overpowers them, bending them to his will. Eggman and Wily, meanwhile, are playing the long game and plan to backstab Sigma eventually. Eggman narrates most of the story, which at least makes the reader more accessibly privy to his plan.

It’s a lot to set up and, inevitably, some plot points get lost in the haze. Wily has no memory of the events of “Worlds Collide,” seeing no reason to distrust Eggman. For reasons I can’t remember now, Sonic’s foe does know who Wily is. Flynn hasn’t gotten around yet to explaining how or why Sigma can control the Genesis Portals. The conquest of the Zetis was hinted at in the main “Sonic” books but mostly happened off-panel. Which may cause some less obsessive readers to wonder where the hell these Pokémon-looking motherfuckers came from. (I guess the “Lost Worlds” one-shot adaptation can be slotted in roughly before this.) I guess such a loaded first issue is inevitable for a crossover that will have so many elements to juggle.

I will say this much. Sigma makes a fairly positive first impression on me. (I have no idea if he appeared previously in the “Mega Man” book.) The beefy android is boisterous in his speech and absolutely convinced of his superiority to everyone around him. Yet he’s not treating comically like Eggman and Wily frequently are, allowing him to be amusingly hammy and intimidating. He’s certainly a more interesting bad guy than the Zetis. They spend the whole issue lurking in the background, before they attempt to rebel and get brainwashed. It’s evident Flynn just plans on using these guys as henchmen, which is all they’re probably good for anyway.

With everything going on in this issue, Mega Man and Sonic feel like supporting characters. Despite appearing in “Sonic Universe,” this is very much a Mega Man comic. Aside from the the opening on X’s world, the only moment of real emotion we get is with Rock and his pals. With Wily presumed dead, Mega Man and his buddies can get down to rebuilding their city. Yet the conflict has left emotional scars. As Rock leaves for the store, his sister Roll stops him, worried something bad will happen while he’s out on the errand. She’s right, as that’s when the Zetis attack. This lends a tragic quality to Roll and Rock’s heartfelt conversation.

Compare that to the Sonic scenes. It’s just him running through an empty green field, grabbing a Master Emerald shard out of a lava-filled cravas, and rescuing a little bird. It feels like an utterly generic Sonic sequence, like out of a hastily written fanfic or one of Sega’s more forgettable video games. (Or an even-more-forgettable comic adaptation.) The Mega Man scene makes it apparent Flynn is in invested in those characters and their world. You’d never know that was the case from looking at the Sonic scenes.

The artwork is provided by Dan Schoening. An artist that is well regarded for his other work, including a long-run on IDW’s various “Ghostbusters” titles, he is making his “Sonic” debut here. Schoening’s anime-esque pencils look flashy and detailed. However, his action scenes feel a bit pre-posed. As if they were primarily drawn to look cool, instead of conveying a story. He’s also seems a bit more comfortable drawing the humanoid “Mega Man” cast than the furry “Sonic” characters, something we’ve seen before with guest artist. Still, it is a nice looking issue.

So “Worlds Unite” gets off to an overstuffed start. I guess that shouldn’t be a surprise, considering all the characters and events that will soon be introduced. I remember it evening out into something fun soon. Still, by actually acknowledging the comic book stories around it, I already like this a lot more than “Worlds Collide,” with its weird insistence on not having any effect on either book. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 272

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 272
Publication Date: May 2015

Something I applauded Ian Flynn for, quite a while ago, was his tendency to take breathers between big story arcs. Usually, there was an issue or two focusing on the characters in between a big threat being vanquished and another being introduced. It seems that was another element lost after the reboot. The rambunctious “Champions” and the emotional “Spark of Life” just finished. While Flynn had a few issues before the “Worlds Unite” crossover started, he didn’t use that time to decompress. Issue 75 of “Sonic Universe” set up the crossover while issue 272 of “Sonic” is knee-deep in the mechanics of the Shattered World Crisis.

“A Ray of Hope” has Sonic and the gang stopping over in the vaguely Mediterranean Apotos. After smashing some robots, Sonic and Antoine give a pep talk to a discouraged Chip. Soon, the trio is led to an ancient temple. There, a scholar named Gregorios explains the importance of the Gaia Temples and keys. Aboard the Sky Patrol, Amy and Knuckles realize their complimenting super powers can make hunting Master Emerald shards easier. Before anyone can get on their quests, they must all unite to fight a giant Dark Gaia Monster.

Spending nearly three years adapting “Sonic Unleashed” was a mistake for so many obvious reasons. Flynn choosing to adhere so closely to the game’s MacGuffin chase plot was an especially egregious error. I can’t keep track of all the shit the Freedom Fighters are chasing after right now. They need Chaos Emeralds and magical keys and Gaia Temples and in that order, I think. Knuckles, meanwhile, is searching for Master Emerald shards, a quest Amy’s Mystical Melody is helping him with now. The story is getting bogged down in searches for various magical plot devices. This focus on sheer magical mechanics is threatening to choke the heart out of the comic.

With so much of this issue preoccupied with lore-heavy bullshit, you really got to search to find the likable moments. In between bouts of exposition, Flynn finds room for a few little bits I like. Rotor argues with Knuckles and Amy about whether they should focus their energy on saving Angel Island or the rest of Mobius, a potentially juicy plot point that is not focused on enough. Sonic gently pokes fun at Antoine later, which is amusing. Also amusing is the coyote getting freaked by his transformation into the Werehog.

Sometimes, these likable scenes only take up one panel. Like Cream’s annoyance at Rotor’s continued refusal to let her go on missions. Or Cheese’s look of aggravation when Omochao flies into the same panel. After the fight is over, Bunnie carries Antoine over her shoulder which embarrasses him, a scene that’s cute and suggests some interesting things about their sex life. Around the same time, the Werehog hugs Amy, causing her to blush. These are all tiny bits but they end up providing the only emotional resonance in this issue. (Chip also gets some more character development, which I guess is good.)

The whole thing inevitably ends in an action sequence too. However, credit where it’s due, it is a pretty good fight. The Werehog’s stretchy arms are well utilized when dodging the Dark Gaia Monster’s wooden club. When Knuckles, Amy, and Bunnie join in the fight, it gets a little more active. The reveal that the monster has an emerald shard wedged in its chest is a nicely grisly moment. The combined efforts of the Werehog’s stretchy arms and Antoine’s sword dislodge the shard, while Knuckles and Amy finish the guy off. It’s all pretty entertaining and I like how the monster’s pink, slimy innards stand in for blood.

It’s common practice recently for two artists to handle the “Sonic Boom” book. The main book adopts this with issue 272. James Fry handles the first nine pages. His work is nicely energetic, the characters moving in an excited manner. Fry’s animated expressions are also well done. Evan Stanley picks up after that, mostly handling the action scenes. It’s a good trade off, as both artist are good at character work but Fry’s action scenes can border on the incoherent. Edward Huang provides an energetic, if slightly off-model, main cover that probably would’ve been a better fit for “Sonic Universe: Issue 75.”

Weirdly, the issue features very little set-up for “Worlds Unite,” despite being the last issue before the crossover starts. That’s because this issue actually takes place right before issue 75 of “Sonic Universe,” ending with Metal Sonic about to attack the G.U.N. transport. Despite being published a whole month after that issue. As always, Archie’s scheduling is commendable. Anyway, it’s an issue that has one or two cute moments but that really bugs me overall. That’s the post-Genesis Wave continuity for you. Anyway, bring on Mega Man once again. [5/10]

SO ABOUT THAT “SONIC” MOVIE TRAILER...

You may recall, back in March, I wrote a long, rambling response to the concept art for the live-action “Sonic” movie that had just been leaked at the time. At the end of that article, I promised another doubtlessly long reaction would arrive after the trailer for the movie came out.

Well, as I’m sure you know, the trailer came out last week. The reaction from fans and the mainstream entertainment media was about as negative as you could imagine. The internet spent most of last week memeing on the movie hardcore and it doesn’t seem like it’ll slow down any time soon. Everybody hated it. My girlfriend, who could best be described as tolerant of my “Sonic” fandom, said the trailer “degrades” Sonic. Even my sister, who never texts me, texted me specifically to say it looked bad.

If you read my last essay/rant/response, you know I was desperately trying to stay optimistic about the film, being a long time “Sonic” and movie fan who has long dreamed about two of my passions coming together. Yet even I was defeated. After watching the trailer last week, I felt physically bad. I had to lay down for a few minutes afterwards. I wish I was exaggerating for comedic effect. It’s been a week, which is not enough time for the healing to begin but has been enough time for me to gather my thoughts.

So let’s do a bit of a blow-by-blow on my thoughts about this already infamous trailer. I will admit, the opening seconds got me hyped. Seeing Power Rings encircled the Paramount logo, hearing those famous sound effects in a cinematic context, the SEGA logo appearing on-screen, it touched a deeply nerdy part of me inside my soul. As a wise man said years ago, next, a blue streak speeds by. There are rushing POV shots of Sonic speeding through the forest. It’s pretty cool! “Hey,” my brain thought, “this looks okay!”

And then Sonic puts a tape in a cassette in a tape player with his weird, creepy monkey hands, and my heart started to sink. That shot really emphasizes that the film is deliberately aping “Guardians of the Galaxy,” obviously hopeful that Sonic will be this year’s Rocket Raccoon. The resulting musical choice of Coolio’s “Gangster’s Paradise,” which scores about half the trailer, has been widely mocked. And rightfully so. Associating Sonic with nineties nostalgia was a smart move but associating him with a young black man trying to survive in a crime-infested inner city setting probably wasn’t. Moreover, “Gangster’s Paradise” is a slow, dirge-like song. Don’t we want to associate Sonic with speed, most of all?

Now, let’s talk about Sonic’s appearance, since that is what most people have been reacting so strongly too. When those pictures leaked, I said it looked okay. But seeing a static image of something and seeing it in motion are two very different things. There is, admittedly, something off-putting about live action Sonic. From certain angles, it looks okay. I think that close-up on the face is alright. But the limps are too long, the proportions too human-like. Sonic runs right into the Uncanny Valley. He looks less like the hedgehog we know and love and more like an abominable combination of human child, ape, and Grover’s evil twin. There’s even something weird about Ben Schwartz’ voice coming out of this thing.

And all of that is before Sonic opens his mouth. Let’s talk about the teeth, shall we? Those weird, perfectly white and small teeth. I think the choice to give Sonic human-like baby teeth is emblematic of the bad design decision made during the film’s production. In a cartoon, you hardly ever notice Sonic’s teeth. Because how he chews his food isn’t important. Something similar can be said of his fingers. Sonic wears cartoon gloves because having realistic, human-like hands is not essential to his character. The filmmakers, for some reason, decided to emphasize realism with a character that is pretty fucking far from realistic. I know I previously said you couldn’t just swap in cartoon Sonic into the real world setting and call it a day. But some better compromise between the film’s real world setting and the character’s inherent ridiculousness should’ve been reached.

Yet, as bad as the design is, I don't think it's what is really bugging me about this trailer. I was able to enjoy Platinum Dunes' second “Ninja Turtles” movie because, despite the hellish character designs, the film understood those characters. A concern I previously expressed about the project was that it would mirror “Hop” or any number of other family films about small, annoying, CGI animals bothering a boring, straight-man actor. And, yeah, the trailer seems to point in that direction. While I think the movie wants to be hipper than that, the level of humor on display suggests that's about where it is. Sonic going “Meow!” upon being discovered or a crack about stinky gym bags – with a really baffling lead-up involving kidnapped children – does not present the comedic cutting edge.

By why should we expect the general character dynamics of the movie to be of any interest at all when the film doesn't seem to have much of an identity of its own at all? Since the trailer's release last week, it's been compared non-stop to the “Detective Pikachu” trailer, as both are video game adaptations about a CGI animal having an adventure with a human. While comparisons like that I think are ultimately a futile gesture, it proves a good point about “Sonic.” Look at the “Pkachu” trailer. The cinematography is eye-catching, with a light noir atmosphere and an expressive use of warm colors. Moreover, that film clearly takes place in a detail-filled world, the city and its surroundings having a sense of character beyond the characters themselves.

“Sonic,” meanwhile, is flatly lit in bright, almost TV sitcom-like fashion. The film is apparently largely set in San Francisco but there's little indication of that in the few shots of the city we get in the trailer. There's none of that particular flavor here. “Sonic” could be set in any city, in any country. It's all green forest, generic small town roads, and identity-lacking skyscrapers. In other words, “Sonic” looks boring. (Notably, “Pikachu's” cinematographer was offered “Sonic,” turned it down, and hasn't hesitated to share his thoughts on the rival project.)

That “Sonic” looks so uninteresting is frankly bullshit as, any regular reader of this blog knows, “Sonic” lore is full of all sorts of weird mythology, strange world, and elaborate backstory. It does not seem the movie is drawing on any of that. Instead, Sonic generates surprisingly deadly EMPs and has some sort of electrical abilities, because all super-fast characters are the same. There's a callback to “Sonic X's” notorious theme song. In one line of dialogue, Sonic mentions “saving your planet,” which suggests to me the plot will involve a “Sonic X-” like planet or dimensional jump. But that's about it as far as hints at the franchise's wider world goes. The trailer seems to indicate that the “Sonic the Hedgehog” film was not made by fans.

Which brings us to the trailer's presentation of Robotnik. We already knew this would be a radically different take on the character, since Jim Carrey does not look like any previous iteration of Sonic's arch-foe. And, really, I don't care if Robotnik is skinny, wears a trench coat, and is some sort of government agent or contractor. If anything, he seems like one of the more faithful elements of the film. This Robotnik still has a red color scheme, a mustache, tiny goggles or glasses, and builds robots. He even seems to be piloting an Egg Mobile or a similar vehicle in one scene. Carrey's performance comes off as kind of obnoxious but, well, that's what you hire Jim Carrey for, isn't it? He looks like he's having fun and it's a been a while since we've seen Carrey give a really over-the-top, physical performance like this. All the press for the film seems to indicate the character will be called “Robotnik,” which I prefer to “Eggman,” though I'm still fully expecting that nickname to be referenced in some capacity.

It's not the version of Robotnik I would've written but at least it looks interesting, which makes it one of the bright spots in the trailer. There are a few other moments like that. One shot involves Sonic throwing a Power Ring around and opening a portal. (This also seems to hint that the story will involve dimensional or interplanetary travel.) While I kind of doubt this is a reference to the comic's Warp Rings, I still like the potential connection there. I also enjoyed the sequence where Sonic is moving so fast that all the enemies around him are standing still. That's a mildly clever action beat. The Fitbit joke beforehand isn't funny but does seem like the kind of thing Sonic would say.

Frankly, the moment in the trailer giving me the most hope is a brief one at the very end. Right before the trailer ends, we see a shot of Carrey's Robotnik with a shaved head and a bushier mustache. His red and black suit is torn up in a way indicative of the classic game design, right before he pulls his goggles over his eyes. He stands among a bunch of giant mushroom, which might be a reference to “Sonic and Knuckles'” Mushroom Hill Zone. It's the moment in the trailer that most resembles the video game's world and the only scene with any real personality. That one shot actually looks like a proper “Sonic” movie.

It's also, I suspect, a giant tease. Given its already apparent vast divergences from established “Sonic” lore, I kind of doubt a more faithful “Sonic” movie is hidden somewhere inside this film. What's more likely is that this little scene is probably from the near the end of the movie. This “Sonic” will probably be one of those adaptations like the “G.I. Joe” movie, that act as extended prequels to the version of the franchise we actually care about, optimistically saving all the good shit for a sequel that may or may not ever be made. This is a bullshit practice, of course, and one inclined towards failure. How about giving people what they want and expect on the first go-around, instead of jerking us off by being all meta and above the material and shit?

Especially since the film's box office future seems grim. When your trailer is met with anguished wails and countless jokes – this one was my favorite – it seems hard to imagine people will line up for this motion picture. The reaction was so brutal and so swift that, mere days after the trailer's release, director Jeff Fowler went on Twitter and promised that Sonic will be re-designed before the movie. I have a lot of thoughts about this and they are mostly negative too.

First off, I feel bad for the movie's VFX team. An overall of Sonic's design, even a minor one, means all the CGI in the movie will have to be redone, within six months of the movie's release. Animators are already treated like shit in Hollywood and six months of guaranteed all-nighters is going to be hell for them. Similarly, rushing to redo a movie's effects months before its release is how we ended up with Henry Cavill's plastic upper lip. It's hard to imagine an extensive and practically last minute revamping like this will improve the movie. It's not like they are completely rewriting the film either. Not to mention this change will also screw over merchandise tie-ins, which are presumably already set in stone.

And, no, I'm not buying any conspiracy theories that this was done on purpose, as some ass-backwards attempt to generate publicity. Big budget film production doesn't work that way. A more likely explanation is that no redesigns are forthcoming and this announcement was just a bullshit attempt to deflect criticism.

Either way, any changes should have happened before filming even started, before the final draft of the script was approved. Not now, when the damage is already done. Even if they do manage to pull off this complete CGI overhaul and still keep that November release date, which will be a fucking miracle, the “Sonic” movie will probably already be remembered as a massive misstep from a franchise already famous for its mistakes. (Though I guess it would be in-keeping with “Sonic” history if the movie was rushed out for a Christmas release date...)

I suppose the possibility remains that the finished product will surprise me. I would love that. Despite what the rest of the “Sonic” fandom might make you think, I sincerely do want this franchise to be good, popular, and successful. But my expectations remain very low. Once again, my bare minimum hope is that the movie avoids being a complete and total fiasco, that it ends up being competent. It was all foretold from the beginning, that a “Sonic” movie would be a mess. I knew the pain was coming but it hurts nevertheless. To quote someone much smarter than me...

Sonic Boom: Issue 7

Sonic Boom: Issue 7
Publication Date: April 2015

By April of 2015, Archie’s Sonic titles were pretty much ready to head into “Worlds Unite.” The previous issues of “Sonic” and “Universe” were heavily foreshadowing the next Mega Man crossover by this point. Only one more regular issue remained before the crossover officially began. Everything was streamlined towards getting the Blue Blur and the Blue Bomber back together again... Except for goofy “Sonic Boom,” which was still wrapping up a two-parter about go-kart racing. Even then, an end-of-issue teaser sets up Sticks’ participation in the crossover.

The second part of “Everybody’s Super Sonic Racing”  – everybody wants a second chance, oh –   begins where the first left off: With Sonic plummeting to his doom. Luckily, Tails and the rest of his pals swoop in to save him. Back on track, Sonic decides he’s going to finish the race and beat Eggman on his own terms. The mad scientist, naturally, doesn’t take this very well. As a last ditch effort to smash the hedgehog, he transforms his kart into a killer spider robot.

The second part of “Everybody’s Super Sonic Racing” is as farcical as the first, obviously. However, I like the way “Sonic Boom” continues to sneak little character moments in alongside all the jokes. Sonic’s insistence on beating Robotnik under the rules they all agreed to, despite the villain’s own unwillingness to follow them, is a good display of his moral character. Yeah, he’s mostly doing it because he wants to humiliate the bad guy. But it says something about our spiny hero that playing by the rules is important to him. Sonic may be a snarky bastard but he still believes in upholding an ethical code.

Honestly, the same kinda applies to the book as well. By this point, many of the jokes in “Boom” are character based. Knuckles is always going to act before he thinks, leading to him tossing Sonic’s go-kart back onto the track. (And, in one of the issue’s funniest gags, leading to Sonic incoherently screaming his name.) Sonic will always think about going fast, which means he’ll sometimes smash his head on the stirring wheel. Sticks will always be delightfully screwy, such as the panel where she goes pure-badger on Eggman, flashing her fangs and attacking him face-to-face. This leads to another hilarious panel, where the sound effects simply say “badger noises.”

Most of all, the characters are going to stand by each other. At the end, Sonic gathers up his gang and tells them how their friendship is more important than winning any race. The book immediately lampshades this moment as corny, thanks to some off-panel commentary from Fastidious Beaver. And, yeah, it is. But sometimes you need to be corny. Comedy is funnier when you care about the characters. And you care about the characters when the characters care about each other.

Having said that, this issue still contains some strong meta gags. As he’s falling through the canyon in the beginning, Sonic attempts to grab an editor’s box. Yeah, this is essentially a repeat of a gag from last issue, where Sonic tripped over a caption box. But the joke is still fresh enough that it made me laugh. Afterwards, Sonic asks his friends how they had time to plan his rescue. Knuckles responds that they had a whole month between issues. At that point, Amy asks everyone to spot breaking the fourth wall, which they promptly do. It’s good that Flynn knows when to cut it out.

The artwork is still a very mixed affair. Once again, Jennifer Hernandez and Ryan Jampole are trading back and forth. Once again, it’s really easy to tell which pages Jen drew and which ones Ryan drew. Jampole still doesn’t have a clear grasp on the “Sonic” cast, a solid his renditions of them are still weirdly neckless and awkwardly posed. Then again, a two page spread halfway through the book, showing Sonic and Eggman navigating through some traps in big-headed chibi style, is obviously Hernandez’ work and looks pretty weird. Granted, even Jampole shows a base level competence. He’s not Ron Lim. But he’s definitely the weakest of the current slate of Archie artists.

So “Everybody’s Super Sonic Racing” is a funny little two-parter. Some of the other issue of “Boom” have been funnier but these two still got me to laugh, chuckle, or smile several times. It’s a bummer the next three issues get eaten by the “Worlds Unite” crossover and the series was canceled one issue after that. This book has really become a reliably fun read. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 75

Sonic Universe: Issue 75
Publication Date: April 2015

Once again, celebrating an anniversary issue of “Sonic Universe” feels somewhat hollow. The spin-off series reaching the milestone fiftieth issue was undermined by the looming reboot, just around the corner and ready to wipe out twenty years of continuity. The book’s third milestone issue, number 75, is similarly cramped by the reboot. It’s not really seventy-five issues worth of history were commemorating here, isn’t it? Instead, it’s not quite two years of a new universe that still feels very thin compared to the old one.

Nevertheless, Archie went ahead with acting like this issue was a big deal. They gave it eight (or, for the sake of a somewhat strangled pun, 7.5) variant covers. The difference between the old and new universes is clear in one of these. Lamar Wells’ cover fills as much space as possible with the comic’s cast. In the old days, when the book attempted stunts like this, it had to cram every possible space full of faces. Now, Wells resorts to including mono players like Captain Whiskers’ sidekicks or already dead characters like Black Death to fill up the cover. (Notably, quite a few of these characters wouldn’t appear again before the book was canned.) I’m not saying a huge cast is a sign of quality but it’s a good sign of how Archie has failed to make this new universe feel populated and lived in.

As with issue 50, this round of “Sonic Universe” focuses on ever-popular-for-some-reason adversity, Metal Sonic. Unlike issue 50, Sonic is the hero of this issue, completely negating any reason for it to be published in “Sonic Universe.” Entitled “Fury,” it begins with the Freedom Fighters in the Crystal Desert Zone. Metal Sonic has attacked a G.U.N. airship carrying a Chaos Emerald, stealing the Emerald and severely injuring the soldiers on-board. While Sally and the gang take care of the sick and dying, Sonic and Tails pursue the robot. Metal Sonic soon flees through one of those Genesis Portals Silver was rambling about. Sonic follows through and meets up with the telekinetic, the two teaming up to stop Metal.

As I said last time, this issue takes place after 2015’s Free Comic Book Day Special, after being published before it. Perhaps aware of this scheduling mishap, “Fury” covers much of the same ground. The story repeats the information about Genesis Portals opening throughout time and space, as well as reiterating Silver’s quest to close them all. This was probably nice for people who hadn’t read the FCBD book yet but has the bonus effect of making that issue even more inessential. You know, unless you really need to see the first appearance of Professor von Schlemmer.

Mostly, “Fury” is another action-driven issue devoted to that old chestnut: Sonic and Metal Sonic’s rivalry. And it works pretty well in that regard. This issue seems to understand that Metal Sonic works best as a physical threat. Flynn repeatedly emphasizes his durability, showing him surviving lava and serious blows. Though it was surely done as a way to remove the villain from the upcoming crossover without killing off a Sega-created character, the heroes being forced to trap Metal Sonic, instead of destroying him, says a lot about his power. The robot silently glowers as he delivers precision strikes to his enemies and deploys new tricks. Sonic, meanwhile, quibs and mocks his humorless opponent, which is also a nice trick. Too often, the book has focused on the ways Sonic and Metal Sonic are similar. Exploring their differences are more rewarding,

I also like the banter between Sonic and Silver in this issue. The telekinetic is under a lot of stress, overwhelmed by his mission to control the spread of the Genesis Portals. This contrasts nicely with Sonic, who is always ready with a sarcastic one-liner regardless of how grim things might get. Yet he’s also annoyed by how effortlessly Metal Sonic matches him, something Silver naively comments on. The two work well as a team, Silver’s powers interacting with Sonic’s speed in some fun ways.

Both of these elements are totally serviceable, if not especially novel. About the only thing elevating this issue also appears through Sonic and Silver’s dialogue. Sonic repeatedly asks the time-traveler about the future. If they are successful in putting the world back together. Silver, of course, does not tell him, for fear of influencing the outcome and messing with the time stream and yada yada. Sonic eventually concedes that not knowing is best, concluding that he’s not gong to let destiny decide his actions anyway. As he leaves, Silver grimly says to himself that he hopes the Freedom Fighters win, suggesting he’s not certain of their victory. That’s an intriguing moment. Silver’s time travel abilities really should introduce more debates about the nature of fate and destiny.

Honestly, my biggest problem with this issue is just a lack of creativity. It’s not like we haven’t seen Sonic and Metal fight before. And it’s not like there’s been any shortage of Chaos Emerald chasing recently. The somewhat ho-hum efforts here of late are apparent in the alternate dimension most of the issue takes place in. After fighting a lava monster in the FCBD special, Sonic and Silver are teleported to a fiery, magma-filled world here. They couldn’t have landed on someplace more interesting? You have the entire multi-verse to explore and you end up back on Mustafar? In dialogue, Silver references visiting a world full of giant, intelligent plants. Shit, I would’ve liked to have seen that! It certainly would’ve been more interesting than another volcano world.

On the artwork front, Tracy Yardley is having another one of his slightly off days. Many times throughout these pages, Sonic’s body seems to twist in somewhat loose and bendy ways. Such as when he dodges a shard of crystal or Metal knees him in the chest. Silver, meanwhile, is drawn a bit lifelessly, just floating through the air in too many panels. I will say this: Yardley’s rendition of Metal Sonic looks especially badass here. The robot is all reflective chrome, red eyes, and shining claws. Otherwise, it does seem like Yardley was getting a little sloppy with this one.

There’s really very little here that feels like an anniversary issue too. Aside from a cute scene at the end, of Sonic and the Freedom Fighters goofing around, it’s not an especially eventful issue. Aside from further introducing the Genesis Portals and a last minute appearance from Zavok, it doesn’t even set up “Worlds Unite” that much. It’s a well put together and occasionally strong issue that just doesn’t make me feel much. [6/10]

Sonic/Mega Man Free Comic Book Day 2015

Sonic/Mega Man Free Comic Book Day 2015
Publication Date: May 2015

Archie was frequently not great at scheduling. This was a problem when it came to their big events. Free Comic Book Day comes every May. Yet the April 2015 issues of Archie’s “Sonic” books take place after the events of that year’s FCBD special. Of course, most of these issues were all doing the same thing: Preparing the readers for “Worlds Unite,” the next Sonic/Mega Man crossover event. Yes, kids, the next five weeks or so will be taking us back to Crossover Land. Oh boy, am I excited. As they did in 2013, Archie split that year’s FCBD special between the speedy hedgehog and the Blue Bomber.

The Sonic half is devoted to “Sonic Comic Origins: Into the Unknown,” which seems to take place after the end of “Champions” but before the conclusion of “Spark of Life.” Sonic is going for a leisurely jog through a coastal area when Dr. Eggman attacks. This battle is interrupted when a massive dimensional wedgie opens up. Some sort of lava-y dragon harlequin baby pops out, causing Robotnik to flee. Luckily, Silver arrives on the scene and helps Sonic to put that thing back where it came from. Afterwards, the telekinetic explains that the events of the Super Genesis Wave has caused dimensional portals to open all throughout time. Gee, I wonder if those could allow people to jump between worlds and zones?

Before actually talking about this story, it’s time for one of my favorite activities: Needless nerd pedantry! The Sonic story contained within the 2015 FCBD is identified as a Comic Origins story. These have usually been used to expand on the new, post-reboot backstories of Sonic’s supporting cast. “Into the Unknown” gets this branding despite not being devoted to anyone’s origins. I guess we learn a little about Silver’s home world here but that’s about it. Unless the origin we’re learning here are for the Genesis Portals, which seems like a cheat. I’m just saying, Archie: Don't say this series of stories is for one thing and then use it for another thing.

Instead, “Into the Unknown” is devoted to two things: Action and exposition. Sonic and Silver refer to the monster as an ifrit, even though it doesn’t look like an Islamic fire spirit. Apparently, they fought this thing before during the events of “Sonic Rivals 2,” a video game I don’t think I knew existed an hour ago. Anyway, the action scenes are serviceable. There’s a couple of cool moments of Silver tossing Sonic through the air using his telekinesis. The fight is mildly neat but has a disappointing ending, with Sonic simply luring the monster back to its home dimension.

The second half of the story is devoted to explaining the mechanics behind the Genesis Portals. It seems you can’t just reboot an entire multi-verse without some unforeseen circumstances. It's as if the shards of the shattered universe are flying backwards and forwards through time, tearing holes in the dimensional fabric of reality. The science behind that seems... Questionable. But this is not meant to be actual ramifications of Sonic's actions during “Worlds Collide.” Instead, it's a convenient plot device to set up future crossovers and other inter-dimensional shenanigans. Under more than two minutes of scrutiny, this shaky justification for the incoming crossover is revealed as undeniably shallow.

This issue also happens to introduce one of my least favorite reboot characters. Hanging out with Silver in the future is Professor von Schlemmer. Like Breezie, von Schlemmer has is origins on “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.” Like that version of the character, he's an eccentric but ultimately morally upright super-genius scientist. The comic ditches the cartoon version's more annoying attributes. However, it keeps his eye-seering visual components. For some reason, von Schlemmer has turquoise colored skin and blazing orange hair with a yellow lightning bolt through it. That kind of color palette was acceptable in a day-glo cartoon show but looks really out-of-place here. He also has oddly mechanical patches on his face and skin. It all makes him look like a half-undead corpse, some sort of weird Frankenstein monster. There's no explanation for why von Schlemmer is so viscerally unpleasant to look at.

Adam Bryce Thomas provides the artwork and, hey, it's pretty damn good. There's a fantastic sense of motion and action to Thomas' work here. Sonic always looks very sleek and fast, Thomas usually portraying the hedgehog in motion. The Ifrit looks fittingly grotesque, a giant and squirming whale baby made of bubbling magma. Yet Thomas' work is strong enough that it's visually compelling even when not focusing on the action scenes. A shot of Silver levitating Sonic, who is rather casually about the situation, gets most of its humor from Thomas' artwork.

So what about that Mega Man story? I had long since stopped reading the “Mega Man” comic by this point but figured, for the sake of professionalism, I should at least give this half of the free comic a look. “World of Payne” mostly revolves around Xander Payne, a reoccurring adversary of Mega Man's, exclusive to the comic book. The story is devoted to explaining his back story and seems to do this largely by recycling panels from previous comic books. Apparently Payne is an anti-robotics extremist, whose terrorist actions threatens both organic and mechanical beings. After an encounter with a time machine threw him into the future and back, Payne has been captured. In his cell, he rambles about future events... including another visit from a blue hedgehog.

I don't have too much to say about this one, other than the very strong pun in the title. Payne does seem to be a more compelling villain than Dr. Wily, who is primarily motivated by his ego and the petty need to humiliate his rivals. Though we don't see much of it here, I bet some of Payne's concerns about the effects robots are having on humanity are valid. So he's already way more complex than most of Mega Man's rogue gallery. I dislike using so many different artists and art-style in this story, which certainly leads to a schizophrenic appearance. And the set-up for “Worlds Unite” is as blatant and distracting here as it is in the “Sonic” half.

So it's a pretty mediocre Free Comic Book Day special. The “Mega Man” story is a glorified clip show, albeit one devoted to a fairly interesting villain. The “Sonic” story is mildly fun as an action story but offers little else, aside from rocketing us towards the next big crossover. I don't have especially strong feelings either way about this one, though they veer slightly towards the negative. [5/10]

Sonic Boom: Issue 6

Sonic Boom: Issue 6
Publication Date: April 2015

It’s so surprising to me that the old first issue gamble still works. You know what I mean: Relaunching a comic book series with a new number one issue. The prospector market for comics is dead and those DC New 52 number ones aren’t worth shit. Yet the big two still pull this crap all the time. I guess new readers are willing to jump on a new number one, in the hopes that’ll be a new beginning. Notably, Archie never performed this re-numbering scheme nearly as much, never re-launching the “Sonic” books even when they probably should’ve. I guess that’s why they devoted the cover of “Sonic Boom: Issue 6” to mocking the number one spiel. It’s kind of a messy, lame cover though, isn’t it?

Issue 6 begins a two-parter entitled “Everybody’s Super Sonic Racing.” Am I the only one who sings that to the tune of Loverboy? Anyway, Eggman sends a high-speed courier robot to deliver a message to Sonic. All the heroes are invited to participate in a friendly go-karting with the Doctor. Sticks is immediately suspicious and opts out. The others decide to see where this is going. Naturally, it’s a trap. Eggman has outfitted the go-carts with mysterious devices and littered the race track with traps.

When talking about “Sonic and Sega All-Star Racing” a while ago, I mentioned Nintendo’s “Mario Kart” series and the burning jealousy I imagine Sega felt towards it. Sega is still chasing that kart spin-off dream, since they are about to release another sure-to-be-mediocre racing game. There’s a big silly element that these (usually out-of-continuity) spin-offs ignore: Why is the hero and his most hated enemy going on a civil go-cart race together? It’s a logic gap this issue of “Sonic Boom” is designed to mock. Multiple times, the comic points out how ridiculous its entire premise is, even including a direct jab at the “Mario Kart” franchise.

So it’s a fruitful set-up for a comedy story. There’s a lot of amusing moments here, usually involving the various ways the racers crash. My favorite is Comedy Chimp. While racing, the devil on his shoulder encourages him to crash his kart, saying the tabloid attention it’ll get him will be worth any injuries. The angel on his other shoulder eagerly agrees with him, an amusing touch. Also funny is how Knuckles is taken out. Eggman has included a bomb-shaped robot among the racers. Knuckles later passes the machine and is so incensed by the other driver’s refusal to say hi that he ends up activating the bomb. This is the good kind of absurdity that “Sonic Boom” has become especially adapt at.

Not all the gags are as strong. Amy stopping her Kart because a line of (robotic) ducks is walking in front of her is amusing. If that gag had just gone on, if the parade of marching water fowl never ended, that would’ve been a good gag. Instead, the robo-geese turn hostile and attack Amy. Eehh, not as funny. I’m also not super fond of Orbot and Cubot taking each other out via bickering, though it is mildly amusing that Cubot’s airbag deploys after the crash.

I would’ve liked to have seen Sticks get involved in this craziness. However, her paranoia being correct for once – one hundred percent correct, it turns out – is both in-character and a solid joke. The meta gags of that nature are fairly strong in this issue. After Tails aimlessly slides off a cliff side, he breaks the fourth wall to explain different kinds of stupidity. A cute gag has Sonic tripping over his own introductory tag near the story’s beginning. That’s a clever way to break the traditional rules of comics. The “Ker-“ sound effect running gag continues and would be annoying if it wasn’t easy to ignore.

Once again, the art duties are being traded between Ryan Jampole and Jennifer Hernandez. As it was last time, there’s an easy way to figure out who drew which panels. If the characters look comfortable and expressive, if the action is funny and spiffy, that’s Hernandez. If the characters look stiff and awkward, if the action is flat and lifeless, that’s Jampole. This is most obvious in the panel where the cheetah-shaped courier-bot suddenly turns and runs away from Team Sonic. The way Jampole draws it makes it look like the cheetah-bot just randomly veers off to the left side of the panel.

While not as funny as the last few issues, “Sonic Boom” remains reliably entertaining with its sixth installment. It’s good to know when can always count on the silly versions of Sonic and the gang for some goofy, good-natured laughs. It’s a bummer there’s only five issues left and three of them are part of the “Worlds Unite” crossover. [7/10]