Sonic Boom: Issue 11

Sonic Boom: Issue 11
Publication Date: September 2015

The fallout of “Worlds Collide” was massive, the entire “Sonic” comic continuity being scrapped and started anew. At first, it seemed like “Worlds Unite” would not result in as huge an upheaval. Yet, following the crossover’s conclusion, Archie would cancel two of the participating titles. “Sonic Boom” would end immediately while “Mega Man” would run for a few more issues before being canned as well. When pressed, Ian Flynn would confirm that “Boom’s” cancellation had nothing to do with low sales but would not reveal the exact reason why.

It was soon apparent that things were not all well at Archie. Earlier in 2015, the company would attempt to Kickstart a modernized reboot of the “Archie” titles. When people complained about a major comic publisher asking for handouts from its fans, Archie would cancel the Kickstarter and go ahead with the series on their own. But it seems Archie really did need those handouts. In addition to the unexpected cancellations, all Archie titles would be mysteriously delayed the next year. One can assume that a general lack of funds was behind all of this. The company simply didn’t have enough money to relaunch their flagship titles and keep everything else running and on-time.

Of course, all of this proceeded more mysterious cancellations at the end of 2016, the remaining “Sonic” books only being the most prominent. (The new “Jughead” book, which Flynn also worked on, ended suddenly as well.) Once again, the publisher would remain mum on why the books ended. It’s hard not to assume the earlier mix-up and the later one weren’t related. Thus, autumn of 2015 was the beginning of the end for Archie’s “Sonic” titles. This was the point when it became clear to fans that this comic company was not run very well. And that Archie would sacrifice its licensed titles to preserve its mascot characters.

But all of that has very little to do with the final issue of “Sonic Boom!” So let’s actually start reviewing it. “Eggman Gets a Gorilla” begins with the mad scientist’s latest giant robot, the anime inspired MeBot, being easily destroyed by Sonic. Eggman decides a naturally occurring brute might serve him better. When the gorilla arrives, he immediately attacks Eggman and squats in his base. Soon, Sonic meets the otherwise laid-back gorilla, named Kyle, and lets the accident prone simian move in with him. This proceeds Kyle searching for a job, which also does not go well.

“Eggman Gets a Gorilla” was written by Sam Sandak Freiberger. If that last name looks familiar, it’s because Sam is the son of Bill Freiberger, one of “Sonic Boom’s” head writers who also contributed to the comic a little. Sam proves to be even funnier than his old man. There are a number of good, absurd gags here. Such as the gorilla switching from fearsome to a couch potato within a few pages. Or that opening bit, where Eggman includes an anime-esque backdrop for his bad ass robot. My favorite gag involves Kyle’s job search, where he fails through various occupations in quick succession. One of his short-lived gigs involves washing windows on a skyscraper, leading to a delightfully unexpected shout-out to “King Kong.”

Just like his dad, Sam is also fond of fourth wall breaking jokes. Some of these are a little sweaty, like Sonic getting an idea and then utilizing the suddenly appeared lightbulb. Or the sudden appearance of a Twitter hashtag. Most of them are better though. Eggman consults his past self during a brainstorming session. Later, Eggman advises Sonic to read an issue of this very comic book, a silly gag that is saved by Sonic’s deadpan response. I also like the comic cast continuing to interact with their own word balloons. Sam even managed to spruce up the thoroughly depleted ker-sound effect running gag, by having the onomatopoeia form into ever more complex algebra equations.

Surprisingly, the last issue of “Sonic Boom” also includes a back-up story. “True Stories,” sadly, does not involve the “Sonic” gang singing Talking Heads songs. Instead, it begins with Eggman loosing his ear piece. Bored and annoyed, he decides to actually use those spy cameras he installed around Sonic’s village. What he sees is not especially informative, to say the least. He then finds his earpiece in the worst way but, don’t worry, it ends up all right.

“True Stories” is a series of mostly wonderful gags. Most of these are pretty broad. Like Tails building a top secret dance instructor robot. Or Kyle reappearing to give Sonic a pie in the face and Knuckles buying a silly hat. Broad is okay though, as these moments are also pretty funny. I especially like the finale, where Eggman and Sticks realize they are spying in each other. It helps that smaller gags are sneaked in there. Like the dance instructor bot having goldfish in both his platform shoes and his wig. Or Knuckles describing himself as “afraid of commitment.” There’s also a gentle jab at anime Knuckles’ hat, which some interpreted as a stab at Ken Penders but was probably just a silly in-joke.

Though I’m sure the “Sonic Boom” staff was given little notice of the book’s cancellation, this does feel like a fitting farewell. “True Stories” gives us one more look at all the characters being silly. For one last time, at least on the printed page, we see Knuckles be dumb but overly eloquent. We see Sticks being paranoid, Amy overreacting to stuff, Comedy Chimp telling bad jokes, Sonic acting as a speedy straight man, and Tails inventing things. (Tails kind of got the shaft in this series, didn’t he?) More than any other, I’ll miss lovable loser Eggman. Watching him be deeply humiliated by his failures, repeat all his mistakes, and be placated by junk food was consistently hilarious.

Diana Skelly’s artwork, which fills up both stories, goes a long way towards selling many of this issue’s jokes. Her depiction of the Go Nagai style Eggman mech is pitch perfect. Skelly is especially good at facial expressions. Amy’s righteously angry face at a trolling Smile Bug makes an otherwise dumb joke work. Eggman declaring himself the angriest man in the world, before a pizza delivery changes his mind, is awesome. Yet Skelly’s loose, energetic, and cartoony style is composed enough to also sell the dry and bemused reactions people have to the insanity around them.

Good-bye, Archie’s “Sonic Boom.” You were a very amusing comedy series. When you consider the book’s brief run, it actually emerges as one of Archie’s most consistent “Sonic” series. I liked pretty much every issue of this book. The final issue promised that more “Sonic Boom” stories would appear in the Sonic Digest and Magazines. Aside from several reprints, this would not come to past. It’s hard to know if Flynn planned for more but just never realized it, due to Sega and Archie parting ways, or if the publisher was just feeding annoyed fans a line of bullshit. Considering Sega would abandon the spinoff franchise soon, more stories probably never would’ve happened anyway. Once again, the goofy but lovable sub-series got the short end of the stick. (Or Sticks, as it were.) Ker-farewell, “Sonic Boom.” I’m being utterly sincere when I say I’ll miss you. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 79

Sonic Universe: Issue 79
Publication Date: August 2015

When Dawn Best started drawing for Archie’s “Sonic” comic in 2001, it signaled an important change for the book. Before that, only professional comic writers and artist had worked on the series. Best was the first time someone was plucked out of the fandom to join the big league. When Ian Flynn joined the book in 2006, it was the first time a “Sonic” fan fiction writer had turned pro. By 2015, the majority of the comic’s creative staff would be made up of people who loved “Sonic” long before working on it in an official capacity.

Evan Stanley had a similar start. The same year Flynn was hired, she started writing and drawing a fan series called “Ghosts of the Future.” (She continues to work on it to this day.) After joining the book four years later, Stanley would mostly provide pencils for the comic. With issue 79 of “Sonic Universe,” she got a chance to write as well. Silver seems to be Stanley’s favorite character, as he is the star of “Ghosts of the Future.” With the “Silver Age” arc, she would have a chance to incorporate some of her fan theories into canon.

Set before the events of “Worlds Unite,” “The Silver Age” takes us into Silver’s future. And it’s a shitty place to live. A group of masked weirdos called the Council rule a polluted, industrial city with an iron fist. People are forced to work grueling hours and the laws are enforced by robot troopers. Silver hides from authority, practicing his telekinetic powers in secret, and fighting the forces-that-be in small ways. His abilities catch the attention of a disturbingly green human scientist named Professor Von Schlemmer. Schlemmer thinks Silver’s abilities can help fight the Genesis Portals. He tests this theory when a portal opens up right under their feet.

I was really reluctant to like Silver the Hedgehog. I found the bland Sega version to be a bore. It wasn’t until Flynn started writing Silver as a lovable dork, a hopeless bumbler trying to do his best, that I started to like him. The few times we’ve seen Silver post-reboot, he’s been written more-or-less the same. It seems Stanley has a radically different interpretation of Silver in mind. He’s a fairly grim character, hiding in a ruined cityscape, thinking serious thoughts to himself, and fighting the power in the small ways he can. In other words, Silver more resembles his boring digital counterpart. The only time we get a peak at dorky Silver is when he arrives at his garbage heap home and starts talking to himself.

Having a protagonist I’m resistant to like doesn’t get “The Silver Age” off to a great start. Also contributing to me disliking this issue is giving Von Schlemmer a major supporting role. I still find this character, with his gross green skin and annoying German accent, to be deeply unappealing. These creeper vibes are confirmed throughout “Sonic Universe” issue 79. The doctor intrudes into Silver’s private space uninvited and refuses to leave when told so. He then proceeds to touch or hug Silver, despite this clearly making the hedgehog uncomfortable. He then insists Silver comes to the science center with him, which the hedgehog doesn’t want to do. So the professor just picks Silver up and kidnaps him. I’m sorry, is this suppose to be charming behavior? Because the impression I’m getting is less “lovable eccentric” and more “inappropriate uncle.”

Furthermore, Stanley’s script relies far too much on coincidence. Just as Von Schlemmer is describing what a Genesis Portal is, a Genesis Portal appears right under them. The two are sucked inside, attacked by weird, black tentacles. Von Schlemmer says Silver can shoot laser beams and has the power to close the portal. Even though the hedgehog has no training to do this, he proceeds to blasts away the tentacles, snatch them from the void, and close the portal perfectly on his first try. It would have been less contrived and more relatable if Silver got to practice on some other portals before being tossed right into action. And it doesn’t help that Stanley repeatedly uses goofy sound effects like “Schweee.”

As for the dystopian setting... Well, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before, is it? The setting reminds me of a hundred other dystopian cities. In fact, the city Silver lives in heavily resembles the classic SatAM depiction of Robotropolis. Stanley seems to acknowledge the similarity with the designs of the Council’s robots, which look like beefed-up SWATBots. The Council are mildly creepy as villains, with their faceless mask and monotone inflections. However, the idea doesn’t really distinguish itself in an interesting or intriguing way.

Stanley writes but does not draw “The Silver Age.” (She does provides a pretty spiffy cover.) Instead, that duty falls to Tracy Yardley. It’s among the best work we’ve seen from him in a while. The city setting is atmospheric, Yardley utilizing shadows nicely. Silver does look like a bad ass, when he suddenly masters his powers inside the void. Despite his skills, Yardley still can’t make Von Schlemmer look like anything but the worst Frankenstein Monster ever.

So “The Silver Age” gets off to a rough start. I remember this whole arc being fairly disagreeable, so prepare for more negative reviews like this. This seems to continue the pattern of artists making poor debuts as writers. Then again, lots of fans seem to like this one, it often being listed among the best post-reboot story arcs. Maybe my opinion will perk up as I continue through it but I’m not getting my hopes up. [5/10]

Mega Man: Issue 52

Mega Man: Issue 52
Publication Date: August 2015

Here we are, at the final chapter of “Worlds Unite.” I know it only took me five weeks to get all these reviews out – less time than the four month period the story arc was originally published over – but it sure feels like we’ve been talking about this thing for a long time. I guess, compared to the Shattered World Crisis going on for about three years, or the decade it took to resolve the “Tails is the Chosen One” idea, twelve issues (plus two tie-ins) isn’t that much. Still, I’m ready to put the final crossover of the Archie era behind me for good.

By the way, did you notice that Flynn’s titles for this all sort together in alphabetical order? “Last Rights” picks up with Super Sonic and Super Mega Man facing off against Sigma’s most powerful form. The god-like heroes beat the megalomaniac reploid into submission quickly, before fucking killing him. The danger isn’t over yet though. The Unified World is deeply unstable, Sigma’s experiments pushing all the dimensions to their breaking points. While the heroes panic, Eggman and Dr. Wily are deep within Lost Hex. They are going to use the Master Engine to rewrite all of reality, to suit their needs. That’s when Xander Payne, who has lurked in the background for most of this thing, finally makes himself useful.

The final fight with Sigma is definitely anti-climatic. After eleven issues of Sigma boasting about what a bad-ass he is, we finally had a chance to see him in action. Yet watching him beat everyone up for a few pages last time, just for Sonic and Mega Man to defeat him in as many pages, is disappointing. Doesn’t Flynn know that these anime final boss battles are suppose to stretch on forever? I guess Super Sonic and Super Mega Man really are so OP, that they can dismantle a physical god within a few minutes. Granted, the way Sonic and Mega Man brutally execute Sigma –  blasting him from the front and back simultaneously –  is hilariously unexpected. (And deeply out-of-character but I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.) Still, I wish Flynn had organize things a little better, or gotten another issue for this plot, to allow the last battle between the heroes and the ultimate villain a little more breathing room.

There’s a reason Sonic and Rock roll over Sigma so quickly. This last issue isn’t really about the fight against Sigma. It’s actually about bringing “Worlds Unite” to a close. The climax of the story concerns the shared reality coming close to collapsing, presumably destroying all of existence when it does. This does lead to some effectively dour moments, when the guest characters realize none of their last ditch efforts will actually work. Billy Hatcher and his friends praying to their weird chicken god, who can not hear them, is probably the best example of that. I also like Vyse and Sir Arthur insisting on helping Sally and the Unified Army up until the end. Half of the script is devoted to the resolution, to getting everybody back home safe and sound.

During the last crossover, Flynn had Sonic and Mega Man Chaos Control everything back to normal. That doesn’t work this time, forcing another even crazier solution to things. Xander Payne has been following the whims of his visions, helping Eggman and Wiky escape and bringing them to the Master Engine. This would seem to contradict his anti-technology philosophy but it turns out destiny brought him here for a reason. Yes, the rambling zealot was right. He opens a portal through time with his magic eyeball, to right before Sigma transported himself to Sonic’s world. He then fires a gun into the space-time rift, eliminating Sigma, and ending “Worlds Unite” before it even began.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this. Story lines that end by wiping themselves from continuity are usually reserved for plots so awful, even the writers realize they need to be tossed in the trash. (Such as “Sonic ‘06.”) “Worlds Unite” was actually pretty good. Considering the precarious nature of mass crossovers like this, I guess it’s best from a legal perspective if the “Sonic” and “Mega Man” comics can never speak of this again. But it’s too easy, too clean. One simple act ends up resolving everything, the heroes having nothing to do with it. What was stopping Payne from doing that sooner, other than his own inability to put the pieces together before now? And wouldn’t it have been more satisfying if the good guys found some way to solve things on their own?

It feels like Flynn painted himself into a corner and Payne un-fucking shit through time travel shenanigans was the only thing he could think of that would fix everything. But it doesn’t fix everything, does it? There’s at least one plot thread left dangling at the end of “Worlds Unite.” The Zetis sure haven’t been mentioned in a while, have they? Despite playing such a prominent role in the story’s beginning, they totally vanished after the fight aboard the Sky Patrol. After Payne paradoxes everything back to normal, Eggman is taken back to the point right before he conquered Lost Hex. He calls off the whole thing, assuming correctly that his latest plot with Wily must’ve failed. So the Deadly Six was still out there, waiting for the comic to find a use for them.

And let’s do some fan-wanking here. What if Sonic and Mega Man’s Chaos Control had worked? This would’ve been a good way to bring back the original continuity, if Archie had written up the correct contracts or Ken Penders had fallen into a hole. Maybe the original universe hadn’t been lost. Maybe it was merely shoved into a pocket dimension or something. The main “Sonic” book could’ve been devoted to the original continuity and “Sonic Universe” could have continued the rebooted worlds. Of course, this never could’ve happened for many reasons. But a nerd can dream.

Other than being kind of lazy, the ending to “Worlds Unite” does feel good. The “Sonic” and “Mega Man” cast are returned to their respective homes, with only the vague recollection of something unusual happening. The first thing Sonic does is call up Shadow, making sure he’s still alive. To be honest, I had totally forgotten that the so-called Ultimate Lifeform was seemingly killed when the worlds merged. If that was suppose to be a big emotional event, Flynn should have focused on it way more. Still, that scene –  along with its Mega Man equivalent, where Roll welcomes Rock back home – does add a little emotion to the ending.  (Though more scenes showing the other characters making their way home would’ve been nice.)

On the very last page, Sticks suggests there will be lingering aftereffects from this crossover. That Genesis Portals are probably still floating around out there. This scene is obviously meant to set-up potential future crossovers. Sadly, this sequel hook would hang forever, due to Sega and Archie ending their partnership for still unexplained reasons that are probably Archie’s fault. And how would Flynn have topped this anyway, a story with almost a hundred principal characters?

Maybe I’m just happy this crossover, as enjoyable as it was, is finally over. Tyson Hesse’s artwork is very strong here, by the way. Honestly, it’s impressive that Flynn juggled this insanely ambitious story as well as he did. He mashed together sixteen different worlds and, all things considered, the result was relatively coherent and mostly fun to read. There are many things I would have done differently, especially concerning the ending, the progress of the story, and the chosen guest characters. But, hey, it was certainly way better than “Worlds Collide” was. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 275

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 275
Publication Date: August 2015

With the penultimate installment of “Worlds Unite,” the main Archie “Sonic” book has reached a surprising milestone. This is the comic’s 275th issue, its eleventh milestone issue. That’s an amazing run for any comic series and certainly unprecedented for a silly licensed book like this. However, this would also be the last milestone issue of the original “Sonic” comic, making this a bittersweet victory at best.

But there’s no time to talk about that, we are knee deep in a crazy crossover! A bunch of heroes from all over the multiverse are assembled and collected onto the floating “Skies of Arcadia” boat. The 76 member army faces off against Sigma, in his massive planetoid form. He produces an endless stream of minions but the heroes eventually conquer them, Sigma’s body falling to pieces. He’s not dead though, merely changed into an even more powerful form. The good guys have to deploy their final measures...

“Killing the Giant,” that’s the pithy subtitle Flynn cooked up for this one, is devoted almost entirely to action. This issue is the equivalent of the last act in a superhero movie, those climatic half-hour smorgasbords of CGI destruction. There’s actually very little dialogue, most of the pages focusing on our huge cast of good guys smashing the bad guys. (That makes this issue a quick read too.) I don’t hate it. Massive action scenes have their place, in comic books and comic-book-based movies. There’s nothing in the way of emotional pathos. There’s not much else to it besides the satisfaction of watching the heroes tear through an army of robots. But, hey, that is satisfying.

Since nearly the entire issue is focused on action, this becomes more of a showcase for the artist than the writer. Last time, I noted that Tyson Heese’s abilities were slipping a little, under the pressure of adapting to so many different styles. Well, either Ritz was aware of this or he was merely resting his drawing hand to prepare for the big finale. “Killing the Giant” looks pretty fucking amazing. Everyone looks just the way they are supposed to, first off. Secondly, Hesse brings an incredible sense of movement and speed to his action. The over six-dozen characters swing, punch, slice, jump, shoot, grit their teeth and Hadouken in a way that is fun and exciting to look at. This issue's success largely belongs to Hesse.

Flynn and Hesse do make a few moments stand out among the chaotic combat. Amaterasu’s bizarre celestial brush powers come in handle, drawing a shield when the “Billy Hatcher” gang needs it. Nights seems completely delighted by this battle, smiling the entire time. (Much to Reala’s chagrin.) Sally and the Freedom Fighters aren’t even left out. She’s seen slicing bots up alongside Protoman. Rotor is shown lifting up huge part of Sigma’s armor. There’s even some final bits, like Sticks randomly running off with Sir Arthur’s helmet and lance. Or Fastidious Beaver writing up his will as things become more grim,

Through it all, the theme of unity continues to emerge. The heroic Street Fighters and Shadaloo members put aside their differences, allowing Flynn to sneak two more characters – Balrog and Vega – into this. Mostly, the book delights in pointing out similarities among the crossover cast. Knuckles and Ken Shouryoken together. Sticks and Aika throw boomerangs. Bunnie and Protoman shoot energy blasts from their hands. Metal Sonic and Reala swoop through the air. Gillis Thunderhead and Spark Man both shoot lightning bolts. Axel makes bedroom eyes at the foppish shooter from “Skies from Arcadia” while Quake Woman drills a robot alongside another one of the pirates from the same game. My favorite panel has all the swordsman – Antoine, Zero, Ax Battler, the tiger dude from “Breath of Fire,” and that pirate guy – teaming up to slice some baddies. Flynn was clearly having fun with this.

Of course, it all leads up to Sigma pulling a Frieza, revealing a new form that’s smaller but more physically powerful than any of his previous ones. This plot turn feels rather tedious. The villain sweeps through the battlefield, disabling every hero he sees. Sigma can now even do seemingly impossible task, like blocking Amaterasu’s celestial brush. I know stories like this function by constantly upping the threat level but the main baddie just generating himself a Superman-level form doesn’t feel very inspired or interesting. Especially since we immediately figure out that this was done strictly to set up a showdown with Sonic and Mega Man’s Super forms. I guess there’s a rule somewhere that every major Archie “Sonic” event has to end with Super Sonic appearing to fight the final boss.

Because this is a milestone issue, Archie decided 275 had to have an extra long page count.  But they didn’t want to pay anyone to write and draw an actual story, possibly showing what some of the ancillary cast members got up to in all of this. So they just shove a reprint in there. They chose that totally bogus “Sonic Comics Origin” from 2015’s FCBD issue. It seems odd to include what amounts to a prologue to the story arc your reading into its next-to-last part. But I guess the idea was to give readers who don’t visit comic shops a chance to read a thoroughly mediocre story.

It’s not high art or anything. This book didn’t especially make me feel anything deep. It did make me feel a tiny little rush of fanboy excitement, seeing all these heroes together and kicking ass. And I’m old, so that definitely counts for something. “Worlds Unite” continues to roll along, as a big event that is inevitably reaching its even more action-packed finale. I guess I’m still pretty into it. [7/10]

Sonic Boom: Issue 10

Sonic Boom: Issue 10
Publication Date: July 2015

As “Worlds Unite” rolls into its tenth part, “Sonic Boom” reaches its penultimate issue. I’ve bemoaned before how disappointing it was that the generally delightful “Sonic Boom” book spent a third of its abbreviated run on a silly crossover. By this point, Archie was definitely aware of the series’ impending cancellation. The preview for number 11 at the end of this book refers to it as the final issue. I feel like we were cheated out of three proper issues of this highly irreverent and very entertaining series.

(The TV show would be screwed too. Its time slot changed several times before Cartoon Network dumped it on their sibling network, presumably in favor of showing “Teen Titans Go!” fifty more times a day. After season two ended, there was no official announcement concerning whether “Sonic Boom” would continue or not. Eventually, the cast, crew, and fans just shrugged their shoulders and assumed it must’ve been canceled. But I’m getting ahead of myself again.)

While the last few issues of “Sonic Boom” wrapped up in this crossover made some attempt to maintain the series’ sense of humor, that’s not so much the case in issue 11. Sticks is still sort of the star, appearing more often than any other character here. There’s some self-referential humor, such as when Sticks talks about falling through a plot hole. The similarly meta “Viewtiful Joe” world is visited near the end, leading to some more fourth wall breaking. Some references are even dropped over the story’s serious parts. The Sky Patrol’s escape pod is revealed to be the spitting image of the ship from Sega’s “Fantasy Zone” series. Other than that, and what appears to be some diaper fetish artwork published in the fan art section, this story could’ve been published in any of the “Worlds Unite” titles.

Plot wise, “Justice Across Worlds” is another issue devoted primarily to gathering more characters for this crossover. The same formula is maintained: Our established cast reach a new world, witness the local hero smash some robots, and ask them to tag along. Sticks and X travel to the world of “Monster Hunter 4” and recruit a giant fucking dragon, as well as some house cats cosplaying as Sonic and Mega Man. Amy Rose and Mega Man pick up Billy Hatcher and his friends. Rotor and Bubble Man grab the flying hero and his dragon steed from “Panzer Dragoon.” Big and Hard Man journey to “Breath of Fire 3’s” world and come back with some people. Shadow Man and Antoine meet the cast of “Golden Axe” and encouraged them to join the team. Lastly, Axl and Sticks run into Viewtiful Joe and his girlfriend.

Have you got all of that? Because there’s actually more. On the Unified World, Sigma grabs the Sky Patrol and starts to break it in half. The few heroes left aboard - Cream, Cheese, Crash Man, Comedy Chimp and Fastidious Beaver - move it to the escape pod. Metal Sonic helps them escape. After that, the issue, having completed the allotted number of pages, ends. Once again, Flynn was so busy introducing more of the massive cast, that he forgot to write a proper ending to this issue. It just stops.

Another thing about this issue is that it allows Ian Flynn to indulge his previously unknown dragon fetish. Of the six worlds visited here, three of them feature dragons. The guy from “Panzer Dragoon” rides a dragon. The main dude from “Breath of Fire 3” turns into a dragon. The recruited hero from “Monster Hunter 4” is a big ass dragon. (Though he looks just as much like something Gamera would fight.) The world of “Golden Axe” definitely has dragons in it too, though the “Sonic/Mega Man” crew doesn’t run into any of them. All the while, we just assumed Ian Flynn was a furry when he’s actually been a scalie the whole time. Considering his obvious love of this shit, I’m shocked he never incorporated more fantasy tropes into “Sonic.”

In all seriousness, I’m not that familiar with most of the crossover characters introduced this time. I played the shit out of the original “Golden Axe,” as well as the third arcade exclusive game. I have a little experience with “Viewtiful Joe,” having played the first one a bit at a friend’s house. Other than that, I’m not too well read on the rest of these. I know Sonic Team also worked on “Billy Hatcher” and that’s about it. Honestly, when “Panzer Dragoon Orta” came out in 2002, I didn’t even know it was a sequel. If it’s not apparent already, the “Breath of Fire” and “Monster Hunter” series really aren’t my thing.

My lack of familiarity with these titles may contribute to part ten of “ Worlds Unite” being a little harder to follow. With most of these crossovers, we are dropped right into some deep nerd shit with little explanation. Why are there two house cats dressed as Sonic and Mega Man? The odd magic of “Billy Hatcher” is dumped on us with no explanation. It gets worst once we reach the “Breath of Fire 3” world. Suddenly, there’s all these creatures running around, shooting magic spells and performing special attacks. Then a giant, mutant onion shows up. I don’t know if you guys can keep up with this shit but it made my head spin.

I’m sad to say, the artwork takes some blame for the book’s general incoherence. Tyson Heese, though very talented, seems to loose his way after zipping between so many different styles. His character work is generally fine, especially the “Golden Axe” cast, but the “Viewtiful Joe” crew, with their bizarre proportions, look a little weird. It’s the action scenes that are hard to follow.

There doesn't seem to be any natural flow to what the “Billy Hatcher” cast does, which amounts to making hand gestures at people until they turn into eggs. The “Panzer Dragoon” scene is a little scattered and seems to be missing a key explosions, when the Unity Engine is just merrily blasted. By the time we get to the “Breath of Fire III” setting, things descend into a largely incoherent swirl of bright colors and weird faces. I can’t really blame Hesse for this, as we know the miserable bastard is talented. A hugely ambitious project like this would cause any enormously talented artist to loose their grip some.

Having said all that, there are a couple of scenes here I do like. On the first page, Sticks tells X he should try wearing a scarf. This is apparently a reference to some “Mega Man X” shit but reads like an amusing non-sequitur. My favorite scene occurs while Mega Man and Amy are hanging out in the “Billy Hatcher” world, when the native chicken god announces from the heavens, in a booming voice, that the local heroes should join this quest. The baffled reaction Mega Man has to this made me laugh. I also like some of the action scenes Rotor has, leaping around in the water.

Flynn pulled more or less the same plot on us last time and it worked pretty well. I guess lightning can’t strike twice. This is a pretty tricky issue to read. I guess "Worlds Unite," somewhat inevitably, has collapsed a little under the strain of being a massive crossover. But it’s still not that bad, as there are some entertaining moments here or there. Hopefully, things will even out some more next time. [5/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 78

Sonic Universe: Issue 78
Publication Date: July 2015

Obviously, a big part of “Worlds Collide’s” appeal was seeing Sonic and Mega Man interact with characters they otherwise would never meet. As the full cast was revealed, there were some pleasant surprises. “Street Fighter” was a phenomenal catch, as I never would’ve dreamed that Sonic and Chun-Li would share space together in any thing but my wildest/kinkiest daydreams. (These franchises have since overlapped two more times.) “Golden Axe” was a wonderful inclusion, being another classic Genesis series and, by far, Sega’s most metal franchise. “Billy Hatcher” and “Viewtiful Joe” were all natural choices, as their aesthetics blend well with “Sonic.” So were “Alex Kidd” and “Nights Into Dreams,” as seeing the blue hedgehog interact with Sega’s other mascot characters was a simply irresistible proposition.

But there were some disappointments, mainly because my fanboy imagination got away from me. I’m sure Ian Flynn’s corporate overlords had some say in what series he could draw from but it seems his taste largely dictated what video games were rolled into this plot. Flynn’s love of weeby RPGs meant boring bullshit I couldn’t care less about, primarily “Breath of Fire 3” and “Skies of Arcadia,” got included. (“Monster Hunter 4” was apparently inserted at Capcom’s insistence, so we can’t blame Flynn for that one.) Considering he was referenced in the last crossover, I was really hoping Sega would dig into the archives and include “Vectorman.” Or other Genesis weirdos, like “Comix Zone” or “Ecco the Dolphin.” The likes of “Okami” and the original “Panzer Dragoon” definitely strike me as second choices.

Naturally, I would’ve done it differently. I would’ve gone after Dreamcast-era oddities like “Jet Set Radio,” “Space Channel 5,” and “Power Stone.” Secondly, I would have insisted that my second all-time favorite video game franchise, Capcom’s “Darkstalkers,” been included. Yeah, the sexy and macabre character designs probably aren’t a great fit for “Sonic” and “Mega Man’s” E-rated audiences.

But once I started thinking about this, I couldn’t stop. My mind immediately imagined scenarios like Sonic and Felicia spin-dashing together. Or Rouge and Morrigan comparing wings and outfits. That “Darkstalkers” had already appeared in comic books (pretty good ones too) might’ve given me more false hope this could’ve actually happened. Alas, my fan fiction-like fever dreams never became reality. At least the “Ghost ‘n’ Goblins” characters appeared, insuring the spookier side of Capcom and Sega’s respective menageries weren’t totally ignored. I guess “Resident Evil” and “House of the Dead” were totally out of the question, weren’t they?

Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh, yeah, this comic book. Part nine of “Worlds Unite,” “Infinite Realities,” shows the United Army traveling to other worlds and gathering more heroes for the cause. Sonic and Break Man gather Alex Kidd and Stella. Knuckles and Quake Woman recruit those “Skies of Arcadia” pirates. Tails and Air Man team up with Nights and Reala. Bunnie and Zero tag in Sir Arthur and Firebrand, from “Ghost ‘n’ Goblins.” Sally and Wood Man visit the world of “Okami” and meet up with Amaterasu and her handler. Even more “Street Fighters” join the fray, as M. Bison decides no one is going to conquer his world but him. All this dimensional hopping leaves the Sky Patrol vulnerable to Sigma though.

As the above plot synopsis probably made clear, “Infinite Realities” is not the most narratively complex part of this crossover. Really, the entire comic book is just devoted to our heroes traveling to the next world and grabbing a new set of good guys and bad guys. It does feel like a kid mashing a bunch of his action figures together. There’s a definite formula here. The “Sonic/Mega Man” pairings arrive in the new world, see the heroes and villains take out some of Sigma’s men, and asks them if they want to help out. Naturally, nobody declines this call to arms. This was probably unavoidable, considering the nature of crossovers and how many characters are being added to the cast this time.

Having said that, Flynn at least keeps things speedy. He doesn’t linger in one place for too long, keeping the story moving fast enough that this constant barrage of new introductions doesn’t get too tedious. He even squeezes in something like a theme. In many of the worlds, heroes and villains put aside their differences to help the greater good. Astaroth tells Firebrand to assist Sir Arthur, Wizeman tells Reala to follow Nights. The reasoning is always selfish – of the “how will I conquer the world if this other jerk destroys it?” variety – but it’s a nice idea. And that page devoted to Bison crushing the Maverick’s head is, full stop, pretty badass.

Flynn also does a pretty good job of quickly establishing who everyone is and what they are all about. We see the sheer joy Alex Kidd and his girlfriend get from conquering evil. The contrast between the carefree and playful Nights and the serious, fight-orientated Reala is notable. Amaterasu’s handler awkwardly hits on Sally, which is pretty funny. (Though the surreal rules of that world definitely could’ve been more clearly incorporated with the other, more grounded characters.)

Of course, not all of these stop-offs can be as compelling. Yes, I’m going to bitch about “Skies of Arcadia” some more. This scene drags horribly, as the characters shout magical spells and perform their coordinated attacks. Everyone shouts melodramatic stuff, drawing attention to their own abilities. It comes off as hopelessly artificial. While Alex Kidd or Nights immediately come off as people with personalities, this New Romantics cover band seems utterly lifeless and lame. And while I really love the “Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins” world, it easily comes off as the most cartoonish of the guest stars introduced here.

The cliffhanger also feels a little shoved in. As I said last time, Sigma probably should’ve done something sooner about everyone escaping to the other worlds. Likewise, the skeleton crew on the Sky Patrol makes no attempt to hide themselves from the giant, genocidal android in front of them. So when Sigma grabs the ship and starts to squeeze, it’s really their own fault. The next issue is also going to be another round of introductions, making it seem like Flynn threw in this cliffhanger because the issue was ending, not because the story was at an organic stopping point.

Another factor that keeps this ship sailing smoothly is its humor. The panels devoted to Sticks cheering on a stoic Guile’s shoulders, or Sir Arthur’s increasingly baffled reaction to what’s happening, are amusing. Or the way Ken and Ryu go about destroying the Unity Engine, which is clearly inspired by “Street Fighter II’s” special stages. A lot of the humor comes from Tyson Heese’s excellent artwork, the son of a bitch. It’s clear he really enjoys illustrating the “Nights” and “Street Fighter” sequences. (Though his take on Alex Kidd veers towards the Cal-Arts side of things.)

While the stakes aren’t as high here as they were in some of the earlier issues, “Worlds Unite” is still rolling along at a decent pace, remaining a lot of fun. Would this issue be less entertaining if I didn’t already like a lot of the guest characters? Probably. But, hey man, this is my blog and I’ll do whatever I want.  [7/10]

Mega Man: Issue 51

Mega Man: Issue 51
Publication Date: July 2015

“Worlds Collide” has been a fairly solid crossover up to this point and certainly an improvement over its predecessor. However, part eight is when the fun really starts. Archie, Sega, and Capcom perhaps realized that getting Sonic and Mega Man back together would not generate sufficient hype. Not even throwing in Mega Man X would do that. They had to go bigger. The crossover would delve into other Sega and Capcom properties, creating a truly wild collection of characters and worlds. Archie further generated fan buzz by slowly revealing what other franchises would be involved, a classic tactic to ramp up excitement. With part eight, we reach the point in the story where those outside franchises begin to appear. While I had some qualms about this, which I’ll rant about later, needless to say it’s still pretty fucking cool.

Part eight of “Worlds Collide,” “Holes in Reality,” begins with our heroes in a pretty low place. Exhausted after fighting off their mind-controlled friends and the Deadly Six, they are totally unprepared to handle Sigma's army of Mavericks. The villain's plans continue to progress, as he opens Genesis Portals to countless worlds, sending many of his henchmen after them. Just as things look at their grimmest, help arrives. Sticks returns with Chun-Li, Ryu, Ken, and Guile by her side. The Street Fighters quickly turn the tide of the battle. The United Army realize journeying to other worlds and recruiting more heroes might be what they need to do to save all the worlds.

Seeing our heroes pushed to their breaking point does lead to some compelling moments. Axel and Zero are somewhat shaken, seeing some familiar faces in the army of time displaced Mavericks. Sonic and Mega Man are forced to save Eggman and Wily, as the Mavericks close in. Wily is surprised that his greatest enemy would choose to save him but Rock insists that he doesn't want to see anyone die. Awww, what a nice guy. Seeing the good guys continue to fight even though they are exhausted and beaten is just good comic book writing. These guys never give up, even in the face of insurmountable odds.

The United Army being pushed to the edge of destruction makes their eventual come back even more triumphant. The two page rush depicting the Street Fighters decimating the remaining Mavericks is such a satisfying sight. Watching Sally go back into tactician mode, barking orders and formulating a plan, is also awfully nice to see. This kind of push and pull – between crushing defeat and earned victory – is the way to keep these fight-fests stories balanced and entertaining. There's even a kernel of emotion here, when Sally gives Sticks a big hug upon the badger's victorious return.

As well paced as this particular issue is, it's really devoted to one thing. Holy shit, the “Street Fighter” cast is fighting alongside Sonic. Yes, once the fighters appear on the page, the comic devotes several pages to the established heroes standing back, oooh-ing and awww-ing over the new guys' amazing abilities. Whether or not Chun-Li and her friends could tear through a collection of killer robots within several minutes is a question I'll leave you nerds to answer. For me, there's a definite rush in just seeing these characters interact. No, we don't get a clear beat on anyone's personality. Ryu and Ken have a short exchange about how weird this is, like they are in a kid's cartoon. I'm not even sure Guile has a single line of dialogue, outside of shouting his attack names. But who cares? Just based on the novelty factor, this sequence gets a pass.

Of course, any long-winded crossover is going to have some shaky plotting moments. There's a little plot hole here that bugs me slightly. Once Sigma opens the other Genesis Portals, he apparently becomes too distracted to pay attention to the heroes. He sends most of his army off, leaving only a few Mavericks behind to crush his enemies. After the Street Fighters appear and save the day, Sigma just allows Sonic and the crew to explore the other Genesis Portals. There's a line from Sally about how “they are beneath Sigma's notice” now or something. Which sounds like a shaky justification to get the good guys out of a bind and set up the next chapter of the crossover. I guess I'll allow it, what with the story being knee-deep in things right now, but there was probably a less sloppy way for Flynn to justify this. Letting the heroes slip away while the bad guy is right there doesn't make Sigma look very creditable.

The artwork has been excellent throughout this crossover. Edwin Huang continues to provide the pencils. Huang's work is still energetic and highly expressive. The fight scenes remain extremely fun to look at, everyone brought to life wonderfully. However, Huang might've been getting a little tired or rushed on this one. There's a few panels that are a little hard to follow, such as Mega Man's interaction with Dr. Wily. Occasionally, Sally and Zero's facial expressions veer towards dull surprise territory. Still, not really complaining. This book looks awesome.

It seems like this crossover continues to follow up slightly weaker issues with somewhat stronger ones. It's not just because the introduction of the “Street Fighter” cast perks things up, though that's a big factor in this issue's success. Seeing the words “Hadouken!” in a “Sonic” comic is fucking amazing. But I actually think Flynn does some decent character work here in-between the hitting and punching. Let's see if he can keep it up, as “Worlds Unite” heads into its last act. [7/10]