Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 56

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 56

Publication Date: January 4th, 2023

Something I both love and merely tolerate about this fandom is how "Sonic" comic readers can't agree on anything. I have seen two reactions to the 2023 kick-off issue to IDW's "Sonic" book. One of which was in a Discord server I hang out in, where someone said issue 56 is Evan Stanley's best writing yet. On Twitter, meanwhile, I caught a glimpse of someone saying the issue was a major drag, that they were sick of Surge and Kit, and found the entire storyline melodramatic. This fandom contains multitudes, doesn't it? This is just a further testament to how no two "Sonic" fans can agree on what they want this franchise to be. (Or maybe it just speaks to how Discord is a place for community and bonding while Twitter is a place for vomiting your worst opinions out into the void.) 

What of issue 56's actual content? The admittedly overlong "Overpowered" arc concludes this month by continuing the battle royale that started last time. Sonic, Tails, Surge, Kit, Eggman and Metal Sonic duke it out within an old Starline base. As Surge pushes her superpowers to their absolute limit, she tears the base around them apart. Sonic and Tails are aware of the Imposters' traumatic origins now but can they convince them to give up their fight? 

The "Overpowered" arc has been extremely uneven, ping-ponging between tedious fight scenes based around new superpowers and further exploring the mental illnesses that have led Surge down her villainous path. Evan Stanley admittedly finds a strong dynamic to build the last installment on. On the second page, Tails immediately tries to connect with Kit. Even when the kitsune has his red eyes of psychotic determination glowing, Tails manages to level with him sidekick-to-sidekick. Being the more empathetic of this duo, it's easy to imagine Kit switching sides. He's already kind of done it. Thus, this issue manages to mine a decent bit of tension out of the question of whether Kit will make the right decision. Will he continue to be driven solely by his programmed devotion to Surge? Or will he do what's right and abandon senseless violence? 

I guess some might be disappointed by his eventual conclusion. No, Kit does not challenge everything we know about his character up to this point. His love for Surge is too great to abandon her. Yet his reasoning does strike me as compelling. Kit has come to believe that neither Sonic nor Eggman – or, in the past, Starline – give an honest goddamn about him or Surge. They only want to use them as weapons to further their causes. To make this seem even more petty, Kit phrases it this way: These parties only court the Imposters to prove that their beliefs are the correct one. Isn't that what drives most conflict here in the real world? A conviction that you are more right than the other people? 

What makes Kit's conclusion here especially powerful is that I don't think he's wrong either. Obviously, the book that is named after him is going with the logic that Sonic the Hedgehog is the morally correct party here. Stanley makes sure to include a scene in the last part of this book, of Tails and Sonic selflessly supporting and helping each other. To emphasize that friendship, a desire to help the common good, and genuine empathy for each other is what drives Sonic and the Restoration. Yet Sonic does want Surge and Kit to fight against Eggman and Starline's programming. Sonic does believe that his way is the morally correct way. 

The book definitely understands that Surge's mission to murder their oppressors and burn down the world is needlessly destructive, not to mention self-destructive. But I've got to applaud Stanley for continuing to take Surge and Kit's dilemma so seriously. These two have been used their entire lives. Nearly everyone they've known, certainly everyone they've ever looked up to, has done nothing but manipulate them for their own causes. Of course, they aren't going to trust anyone easily. Moreover... Maybe a third option should exist. Surge and Kit have been wrong and they do have the right to be angry. There are flaws in the binary system that Sonic and Eggman are stuck in. Some outsiders, anti-heroes that are truer anti-heroes than whatever the fuck Shadow is right now, are probably necessary. 

I know this is a children's comic that owes a lot of its narrative style of shonen action anime, where villains eventually defecting to the side of good are extremely common. Surge and Kit will probably end up redeemed and among the good guys eventually. If not, it's just as likely that one or both of them will be destroyed or defeated by their own actions, much the way Starline was. Yet I sincerely hope Stanley and Flynn stick to their guns on this, of Surge and Kit recognizing a need for something outside of the system – in this case, the system being the unending conflict between Sonic and Eggman – to exist. That would add so much more complexity to the comic's world. This book is always in need of just that.

On a more analytical level, this issue is good because everything that comes out of Surge's mouth is the hardest shit ever. When Sonic says he got off on “the wrong foot” with Surge, she responds by saying her foot should be on his throat instead. When attempting to hold Sonic underwater and drown and/or electrocute him, she grunts out a hell of a monologue that ends with the sentence “There is no freedom for me... Not while you're still alive!” She's just casually dropping stone cold lines like that left and right in this issue. Also, she swings Metal Sonic around by the wrist which reminded me of Rama Rao swinging a motorcycle as a melee weapon in “RRR,” so that's awesome too. If this comic just becomes Surge owning people as harshly as possible, I would support that.

Like most of the rest of this story arc, this issue is almost entirely made up of one long action sequence. While the effectiveness of such a narrative can vary, this one handles it nicely. Probably because the action keeps constantly. Keep in mind, that panel of Surge whipping Metal Sonic around like a rag doll occurs in the first few pages. From there, she then turns herself into a living fireball and explodes those glass tubes full of green water. The heroes tumble through a huge hole in the ground, the threat of drowning and electrocution appears, and everything wraps up with the entire building collapsing around everything. The pace is relentless and furthers the frenzied feeling that grips this entire issue. It helps that Sonic is so clearly flummoxed by Surge's increase in power, his face panicking beautifully. All very much a positive.

Though the artwork could've been a little cleaner. This is not any shade on Evan Stanley's pencils, which are actually really good. The opening splash page is bitchin'. The panels devoted to Kit looking sinister or Surge being unhinged and intimidating are great. Sometimes the action gets a little uncertain to follow. I don't know if the comic has done a great job of making me understand what the extent of Surge's powers are, because that's when I tend to get confused. When she's glowing like a rainbow with radiant bad bitch power, some of the leaps and wrestling that follows takes a couple of looks for me to grasp what's going on. The scene involving Metal Sonic's force field doesn't flow the smoothest either. The same is true of the moment when the Dynamo Cage is overpowered and cracks. Maybe I'm just bad at following this stuff, as this is a complaint I've made before. 

If I have any problem with this issue at all, it's that Eggman is written as maybe too much of a goofball. He mostly just hangs out on the sidelines, shouting at Metal and Surge. Pumping up his own genius, lobbing softball insults at Sonic. The exchange where he saves the hedgehog from electrocution is mildly amusing. Yet, by the final set of pages where he's comically climbing out of the wreckage, wet and humiliated but seemingly unharmed, I felt maybe his status as the series' primary villain had degraded a little. This is a bit of a bummer, especially after Flynn did such a good job at making Eggman actually intimidating for the first time in a while during issue 50. 

That's a minor complaint though, one that borders on a nitpick. “Overpowered” probably could have been broken into two story arcs, especially since these last two issues form much more of a coherent whole than the ones that proceeded it. I'm not going to do a takes-backsies on declaring it the weakest story arc of 2022. Yet this issue is still a fairly strong one. Mostly, whenever Stanley focuses on Surge's growing psychological problems and emotional resentment, or Kit's unhealthy fixation on her, it's good. That's way more compelling than whatever new superpowers the bad guy has this week. I continue to be very interested in seeing where all this is going. [7/10]

THE 2022 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG COMIC BEST/WORST LIST!

I think I've made this point over and over again the last few months but seriously: 2022 is going to go down in history as one of the best years to be a “Sonic” fan. We got a new movie, which was generally agreed upon to be an improvement over the first and another box office success. We got a new game, which has been fairly well received and strong sales. A new animated series has started. While it's a bit too soon yet to judge fan reaction, I've seen more people liking it than not. If you ignore the minor debacle that was “Sonic Origins,” 2022 was nearly an entire year without the “Sonic” franchise embarrassing itself!

In all seriousness, it was a great year for hedgehog fanatics everywhere. The IDW comic book also had an especially good year too. In fact, after nearly five years, I think this was the year where I finally decided that I actually really like this comic book. When at its best, IDW “Sonic” is a well-written and character-driven series. Which isn't to say there aren't some flaws here, as there are with anything. Yet I think I can easily say 2022 was my favorite year for IDW “Sonic” yet.

It was also a prolific year for the comic. We only got eight issues of the main series but the sher volume of other stuff more than made up for that. All of these issues came out in the last twelve months. That's a lot, right? That left me with plenty of material to assemble for this year's Best/Worst List. So let's get into it.

The issues covered in this retrospective are:

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 48-55

Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 2-4

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 1-3

Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) Annual 2022

Sonic the Hedgehog: Tails' 30th Anniversary Special 

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) FCBD 2022

BEST COVER STORY:

Ian Flynn, “Escaping the Empire” (Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 51)

Evan Stanley, “Wound Up” (Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 49)

I wouldn't normally do this because even I admit it's cheating but... Fuck it, right? This is my award show and I can do whatever I want. So, here, we have the VERY FIRST EVER tie on one of my Best/Worst lists. If I'm being honest, issue 49's “Wound Up” was probably my favorite story of the year. The early scene where Belle attacks her friends is suspenseful but it proceeds an emotional moment for her, loosing her precious MotoBug friend and finally finding emotional solace with her creator, “Mr. Tinker.” This was the moment of tear-filled catharsis that Belle's entire character arc was building up to and it was well executed.

Yet “Escaping the Empire” from issue 51 was also excellent. That was such a beautifully paced issue, that stuck our heroes in a tight situation and had them running for their lives. Sonic and Tails had to out-think their opponents and escape their pursuers. This was an action-packed issue that kept the readers' blood pumping the entire time. There were some surprises too, that satisfactorily followed up on the events of the previous issue. Pretty good for an issue that fans will probably most remember for that fuckin' “Big Oof” panel. 

Anyway, both these issues whip ass. 

WORST COVER STORY:

Ian Flynn, “Imposter Syndrome: Part 4” (Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome: Issue 4)

As previously established, this was a really good year for IDW's “Sonic” comic... But there was one issue that genuinely pissed me off. After three issues of build-up, of uneven quality, “Imposter Syndrome” ended with a great big stinkin' cliffhanger designed to bring us right into issue 50. Essentially, the entire mini-series was just a long-winded advertisement for the latest landmark issue. The conflict this whole story was building towards was never intended to play out in this mini-series. How frustrating is that? This incomplete status was most obvious in the final issue of “Imposter Syndrome.” Bogus, man.

BEST BACK STORY:

Ian Flynn, “Guardians” (Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2022)

Choosing “Guardians” as the Best Back Story is also a bit of a cheat, as it's the first story in this year's annual. However, the annuals are kind of made up entirely of back-ups, when you think about it? Well, regardless of how you classify, “Guardians” was definitely the highlight of this year's annual. A character-driven story focused on the particular dilemmas that Knuckles and Blaze share, it really probes into the characters' motivations and personality in a nice way. It also had a really cute conclusion, proving that Blaze does appreciate her friends even if she sometimes puts her job first. 

WORST BACK STORY:

Ian Mutchler, “Another Grand Adventure for Jet the Hawk” (Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2022)

It's just the nature of the beast that each year's Annual tends to have one stinker.. “Another Grand Adventure for Jet the Hawk” was undoubtedly the low-point of 2022's annual. Jet, not the most complicated guy to begin with, is reduced to a whining, entitled, obnoxious little brat. Essentially listening to Jet bitch and moan like a spoiled rich kid is the main joke of this thin, largely annoying story. When Whisper screams at him to shut up, the reader understands exactly how she feels. 

BEST STORY ARC:

Daniel Barnes, “Scrapnik Island” (Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 1-3)

This story arc hasn't actually ended yet, as the final installment is scheduled to come out this month. Yet I feel confident in saying that “Scrapnik Island” is my favorite long form “Sonic” story of the year. In fact, depending on if they stick the landing or not, “Scrapnik Island” may go down as one of my favorite IDW “Sonic” stories period. Essentially, a horror themed “Sonic” mini-series is so totally in my wheelhouse. It has a really cool setting, switching between a sunny beach and the shadowy depths of the Death Egg. The frazzled Mecha-Sonic is proving to be a compelling villain. E-117 Sigma and his Scrapnik buddies are adorable. The central conflict of the story, that gives Sonic a fucked-up ankle and has him consider the humanity of his enemies, is rich. The use of dialogue-free panels and little moments of character expression have all been great. I just love this comic and don't want it to end. “Scrapnik Island” rules. 

WORST STORY ARC:

Evan Stanley, “Overpowered” (Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 52-55)

This story arc, which is stretching on for five issues for some reason, is also not over yet. The last part comes out on Wednesday. And giving “Overpowered” the dubious honor of “Worst” Story Arc is pushing it. I actually think the second and fourth entries in this arc are pretty good. The more “Overpowered” focuses on Surge's psychological trauma and weakening mental state, the better it is. Yet there's a few clunkers in here too, that spend too much time on setting up new superpowers for the villain and linger on repetitive action scenes. In a year with very few long story arcs, “Overpowered” definitely feels like it could've been trimmed down to four issues without missing any of the good stuff. 

BEST MAIN COVER:

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 49 – Adam Bryce Thomas

I say this every year but IDW's “Sonic” book is really an embarrassment of riches when it comes to cool looking covers. It's hard to narrow it down to just one sometimes... Yet a clear favorite emerge quickly. Adam Bryce Thomas' moody cover art for issue 49 is another all-time-fave for me. Belle brooding ominously, her face in shadows and eyes glowing, makes the cute little puppet girl actually look kind of creepy. That's helped by the green-tinted, spooky forest around her and shimmering Badniks. In a year that has flirted a lot with horror movie vibes, this one goes  along way towards capturing that particular feeling while looking gorgeous at the same time.

WORST MAIN COVER:

Sonic the Hedgehog: FCBD 2022 – Adam Bryce Thomas

Adam Bryce Thomas pulls off the rare hat trick in the Covers category, this year. Granted, it's not like this is a particularly terrible cover or anything. It's just generic as hell. The image of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles posing over what appears to be the “Get Blue Spheres” special stage, in front of a generic synth-wave backdrop, tells us nothing about the story inside this comic. This feels like a placeholder image that just ended up going to press. It's also fair to say that Thomas was clearly having an off-day in general here, as the heroes' hands and feet seem unusually large even by their typically exaggerated standards. Plus, emphasizing the bottom of Sonic's shoes was a weird decision. You get the impression that this was a cover that was quickly thrown together with minimal effort, IDW deciding not to expend too much effort on a comic that would be given away for free. 

BEST VARIANT COVER:

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 55: RI Cover – Nathalie Fourdraine

There were so many bitchin' variant covers this year. I was really torn between the winner in this category and Adam Bryce Thomas' retail incentive cover for issue 2 of “Imposter Syndrome.” Yet I guess I'm feeling drawn to the moodier images tonight, as I just couldn't deny the power of Nathalie Fourdraine's cover for issue 55. Surge looking so small and tormented as the shadows of her imaginary oppressors appear large on the wall behind her is a very compelling image that tells you everything you need to know about this plot point. Her harassers aren't real but the effect they have on her mind and soul are very serious indeed. It's nice when a single image conveys so much meaning and emotion.

WORST VARIANT COVER:

Sonic the Hedgehog: Tails' 30th Anniversary Special: RE Cover – Stan Sakai

Stan Sakai is a beloved and influential artist, for his long-running and critically adored “Usagi Yojimo” comics. He is also, notably, not a “Sonic the Hedgehog” artist. We've seen this happen before, where talented artists are hired to draw “Sonic” work and their inexperience with the styles and quirks of this series become immediately apparent. Sonic looks off-model as fuck here, appearing more like a comic strip character with strangely knobby elbows. The squirrel type animal he's rescuing is very odd looking, with asymmetrical eyeballs. The positioning of the lake and Badnik in the foreground seems misaligned with the tree as well. Also, it's a bit weird that this cover, for the Tails' 30th Anniversary Special, doesn't feature Tails at all! It really feels like an image Sakai was commissioned to draw at a convention, that he dusted off during a lunch break, that somehow ended up on the cover of the comic. 

BEST STORY ART:

“Scrapnik Island: Part 1” – Jack Lawrence (Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island: Issue 1)

In addition to being really well written, “Scrapnik Island” just looks fucking cool as well. The combination of Jack Lawrence's dynamic, fluid artwork with Nathalie Fourdraine's atmospheric colors has created some of the prettiest “Sonic” comics I've ever laid eyes on. I high-light issue one mostly because its images of Sonic being chased through the Death Egg by the hodgepodge Scrapniks, zombie movie style, scratched a very specific itch for me. Yet really the entire mini has looked fantastic so far. I'm glad this book exist for many reasons but Lawrence and Fourdraine being allowed to cut loose like this is a big one.

WORST STORY ART:

“Hero Camp” – Abby Bulmer (Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2022)

Considering the Annuals often exist to allow artists who haven't worked much with these characters a chance to play around with them, it feels a little mean to give “Hero Camp” the Worst Art award. Yet Abby Bulmer's work here just really wasn't working for me. Everyone looks a little too round, a little too cute in this particular story. All the facial expressions look kind of the same and you never get much of a sense of what anyone is thinking. It's not a terrible looking story by any means but I think Bulmer needs a little more time drawing these characters before she gets the hang of it. . 

BEST NEW CHARACTER:

Scrapnik Mecha-Sonic

2022 technically, I think, had the most new characters introduced out of all of IDW's run so far. Yet the majority of those were random Badniks and their more fucked-up but cuddlier cousins the Scrapniks. Not exactly fully developed and complex characters... Though a malformed robot ended up being my favorite new addition to the cast this year anyway.

Mecha Sonic, as he is now known, has been around since “Sonic & Knuckles.” In all that time, the robotic villain never got much in the way of character development. He was just another mechanical copy of Sonic, a big scary robot to fight, that was totally overshadowed by the original Metal Sonic. Yet the character being resurrected as a mismatched Scrapnik in IDW has added unexpected complexity to this tin can. In “Scrapnik Island,” Mecha Sonic has developed a love for agriculture and a desire to move past his destructive programming. Yet the sins of the past linger, his mind corrupted by his mixed-up state and the memories of what Eggman built him to do. The result is a scattered villain that endears both sympathy while never loosing his intimidation factor. Plus his little buzz saw leg reminds me of a TMNT action figure and that's cool.

WORST NEW CHARACTER:

Witchcart

When obscure Sega villain Witchcart was redesigned for Archie “Sonic” as “Wendy Naugus,” she wasn't the most compelling or deep character. Yet at least she had a decent gimmick going for her, of being Naugus' older, teasing sister that frequently out-schemes him as much as she works along side him. 

2022's Tails Anniversary Special saw the original Witchcart being introduced into IDW canon and she couldn't even achieve the limited characterization that the previous iteration had. The new-old Witchcart leans hard on the annoying gimmick of rhyming all of her dialogue. This grows old immediately. And that's pretty much the sole feature she has, aside from being a cackling cartoon witch! I get that there was limited space to devote to her in this one-shot and that such a simple character doesn't present too many opportunities to begin with. But I was hoping Flynn and the gang could have done a little bit more with Witchcart. It's weird that her trio of henchmen are more interesting than she is. 

BEST IDEA:

Psychologically Complex Villains

Four years into this comic's existence, it seems a compromise has finally been reached. The Sega-created characters are never going to be allowed to get too complicated or angsty. They remain as archetypes. The cast created for the comic, meanwhile, are allowed to be as conflicted and multi-layered as the writers want. The dynamic between these two standards has actually led to many good moments, especially in 2022. 

Undoubtedly, my favorite manifestation of this has been the character development given to Surge. She's gone from a one-note bullying tomboy character in her first few appearance to probably the most complicated villain in the book's history. Surge is lashing out at the world that hurt her. She wants to burn it all down because, as long back as she can remember, she's been manipulated and abused. Yet the longer she fights to achieve this goal, of being the most powerful bad bitch around, the more her constructed persona starts to crack up. It's only a matter of time before the barely concealed trauma that drives Surge bubbles totally to the surface and I can't wait for that. 

To a lesser degree, this year also delved a little more into Starline and Mecha Sonic's mindset, suggesting that gifting their villains with some real psychological depth may be an instinct going forward for this series. I hope so!

WORST IDEA:

Promotion Over Pacing

The editors and execs at IDW really wanted issue 50 of IDW to be an event. It seems like promoting the anniversary issue became the main purpose behind the comic for about six months. This desire ended up ruining the “Imposter Syndrome” mini-series, which was revealed in his final issue to be an extended set-up for the pivotal issue. Now, #50 was a good issue but that doesn't change how diverting all the needs behind the series towards promoting one singular installment of the series fucking wrecked the pacing for a while. This kind of “writing for the trades” style narrative is frequently a problem in superhero comics and it seems the infection has now spread to IDW “Sonic” as well.

Sonic Prime, Episode 1.02: The Yoke’s on You

Sonic Prime, Episode 1.02: The Yoke’s on You

Original Release Date: December 15th, 2022

The second episode of “Sonic Prime” has a title that I’m really surprised a previous “Sonic” cartoon hasn’t used already. You’d think “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog,” with its love of egg puns, would’ve gotten to this one. Anyway, “The Yoke’s on You” begins with another flashback to Green Hill Zone. Shadow is becomes aware of the dimensional shatter somehow and tries to stop it before it happens. Back in New Yoke City, the Chaos Council attempt to extract the Paradox Prism energy from Sonic. That’s when Rebel Rouge and Renegade Knucks – this universe’s version of Rouge and Knuckles and leaders of an underground resistance – decide to sneak in and rescue Sonic. Robot smashing ensues. 

I’m happy to say this episode is an improvement over the first. Now that the general premise is established, “Prime” can work a little more on its cast… Sort of. See, the opening scene with Shadow is an interesting choice. It’s already clear that Shadow exists outside the shattered universe set-up. He’s probably going to be weaving in and out of the episodes, trying to unravel what has happened overall. Its a little odd to put that front-and-center, when there’s still so much other stuff that needs to be established… 

But I get it. Shadow is popular! The Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy rival thing is an evergreen dynamic in action cartoons for a reason. I like Ian Hanlin’s vocal performance, as he sounds suitably broody and gruff but not in an exaggerated, silly way. He still has that unsteady relationship with Sonic and little patience for the other hedgehog’s jokes and japes. Watching these two bounce off each other, literally and figuratively, is amusing. The side-to-side motions his legs make when using his “air shoes” looks goofy though. Not the best decision in a show that is otherwise well animated. 

More compelling to me are the other introductions in this episode. After their brief appearances last time, “Rebel” Rouge and “Renegade Knocks” get more screen time here. What makes these scenes really delightful is that Rouge and Knuckles’ flirtatious relationship is maintained. Even though “Prime’s” Rouge is clearly not the morally gray character she’s been portrayed as in the past, I like that she still teases Knuckles. The scene of them talking on a rooftop or sneaking through the interior of Eggman’s base are adorable. For whatever reason, Renegade Knocks has a different voice actor from Prime Knuckles. Vincent Tong gives him a slight Brooklyn accent, which matches his tough guy exterior. Gives me Raphael vibes, which I dig.

I didn’t really get into my thoughts on the Chaos Council last time, because the review was already running long. The exact motivation and machinations behind there being a cadre of Eggmen have yet to be explained. On paper, the idea of an evil council made of Eggman from different stages in his life is amusing. This means we have Baby Eggman, Teenage Gamer Eggman with colored tips, Twenty-Something Hipster Eggman with tattoos and a goatee, Middle-Aged Eggman who seems most similar to the classic variety but wears an ugly toupee, and Old Eggman who has a white beard and hobbles around with a cane. Whether or not these variations emerge as notable characters in their own right, or even intimidating villains, remains to be seen. I already get the impression that this show finds the idea of a blabbering Babby Eggman and a doddering Elderly Eggman much funnier than I do. 

And that last point is what's sticking in my teeth the most about this show, so far: The comic relief is distracting. During Sonic's fight with Shadow, the blue hedgehog is cracking jokes and doing goofy faces. There's even a Deadpoolian fourth wall break. Sure, that's in-character for Sonic. These characters directly addressing the audience is nothing new. but it also deflates any tension in the scene. Later, while bound and about to be de-energized, Sonic acts slightly drunk and makes a lot of goofy quips. Far too much winking ensues. This especially makes it hard to take a rather grim moment seriously. Not to mention it makes Sonic – very passive in this episode – kind of annoying. The wise cracks only make him cool and fun if they are actually amusing and paired with a can-do, superpowered hero. 

Maybe the writers felt the need to include some much intrusive comedy because the setting of New Yoke City is actually effectively grim. We get a better grip on what an Orwellian hellscape this is in "The Yoke's On You." Citizens are constantly observed by robotic drones, who also pump digitally manipulated propaganda into the air. A brief glimpse at an apartment complex suggests the city’s residents are brainwashed by a deluge of Eggman-centric signals. That makes this one of the darker versions of the Eggman Empire and I hope future episodes lean into that more. A citywide blackout Sonic causes seems to wake up a lot of people, so hopefully rebellion and resistance continue to be a big theme going forward. 

By the way, Chaos Emeralds do exist in this show. Shadow finds one inside a rock and uses it to Chaos Control. What purpose – if any – they have in the show beyond that remains to be seen. And though this show skips an opening, owing to Netflix’s format making such things obsolete, the music is decent. The end credits theme has an exciting, pop-punk feel to it that suits Sonic. Needs some lyrics about gotta-going-fast or Blue Streaks speeding by to really sell it though… “Sonic Prime” still hasn’t found its footing, to me. Yet episode two is definitely an improvement over the premiere, if only because the characters and their conflicts are a little more fleshed out now. [6.5/10]

Sonic Prime, Episode 1.01: Shattered

Sonic Prime, Episode 1.01: Shattered

Original Release Date: December 15th, 2022

I’ve been actively updating Hedgehogs Can’t Swim for about seven years now. In that time, I’ve never been there to talk about a brand new “Sonic” cartoon as it premiered. Honestly, after “Sonic Boom’s” uneven commercial performance, I wasn’t too sure there would ever be another “Sonic” cartoon. As someone whose head is so buried in the franchise’s comic book and animated past, I didn’t even want to speculate on what the possibility of Sonic’s future as a TV series might include. I’m not here to predict what might be, I’m here to nerdily and endlessly rehash the past. I always call my reviews “retrospectives” and you can’t be retrospective about something that just came out. 

Yet in 2022, the “Sonic” franchise is healthier than maybe it’s ever been. The movies are big hits. The new game is selling well and has received pretty good reviews. Now is the perfect time to release a new animated series… Because we are living in the future, the series debuted on Netflix, instead of on Saturday mornings. Because this year is obsessed with multiversal stories, that’s the general premise of “Sonic Prime.” And even though WildBrain, the modern incarnation of DiC, is behind this show, it’s a totally new take on Sonic and the gang that leaves all prior versions behind. We are in a bold new “Sonic” frontier and I’m honestly not sure how to feel about it. 

Not that being unsure how to feel has ever stopped me from rambling in the past. So let’s jump right in and begin discussing “Shattered,” the first episode of “Sonic Prime.” We begin in Green Hill Zone, where Sonic and his friends – Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Rouge – are ready to stop Dr. Eggman’s latest evil scheme. He is digging up something called the Paradox Prism. In the middle of the fight, the crystal is shattered and Sonic is tossed through dimensions. He lands in New Yolk City, an industrial, dystopian version of Green Hill ruled over by a group of five Eggmen, called the Chaos Council. After running from some evil robots, Sonic encounters a grouchy, cybernetic version of Tails called “Nine.” It’s not long before they are captured and placed before the Council, Sonic’s search for answers only beginning. 

Staring down a new “Sonic” cartoon, with no conception of what its reputation is or even where it might be going... What did I think of “Prime’s” first episode? It’s okay. It’s fitting that the first batch of installments dropped shortly before Christmas because, it seems to me, this is almost the “Sonic” version of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” His conversation with Nine makes it clear that this is a reality where Sonic was never born. Our hedgehog hero gets to see the impact he’s had on the world and on his friends’ lives. The lush, green world he calls home is now a grim cityscape. Tails, with no one to defend him from childhood bullies, has become an angsty, misanthropic mad scientist. Amy is a cyborg. And the freedom, which defines Sonic’s life, is nowhere to be seen. The residents of New Yolk City all walk around with their heads down, never acknowledging each other, living in quiet misery. 

Despite this potent idea, “Shattered” is 90% set-up. I guess kids, who might not be as genre savvy as a wizen old nerd like me, will be the primary viewers of this show. That audience perhaps isn't familiar with alternate universe stories like this. Sonic doesn’t immediately figure out what has happened and is still in search of answers, which this episode is slow to revealed. The meat of this episode is devoted to him realizing he’s in a corrupted version of his home world, after bumbling through several encounters. The alternate versions of Rouge and Knuckles briefly appear, their roles not clear yet. How or why “Rusty” Rose is a cyborg in service to a group of five Eggmen – seemingly made up of the doctor from five periods in his life – is yet to be revealed. The episode concludes with Shadow appearing to Sonic as some sort of trans-dimensional vision and I don’t know what that means just yet. This forty minute long premiere is all about laying down plot points that the rest of the show can build on. 

When an episode is as premise-driven as this one is, it can be hard to leave any room for the stuff that typically sucks me into a show: The characters and their inner lives. Fans of the games are clearly the target audience here and that’s why the gang seems pretty simplified so far. Sonic is speedy, curious, snarky, loves his friends and loves his freedom. Tails is his brainy pal who maybe gets a little too invested in his gadgets, without Sonic there to pull him back down to earth. Eggman is an egomaniacal villain with a desire to rule the world and crush Sonic. Basic stuff. We barely meet Knuckles and Amy here, with Rouge barely getting more screen time. Obviously, more fleshing out remains to be done with these guys. Because we clearly don’t get much of it here. 

About the only moment here that rises above the rest is Sonic’s meeting with “Nine.” We might not be familiar with the “Prime” version of Tails but anyone watching this show knows what Tails’ deal is. To see a version of the little fox that is antisocial and aggressive, not to mention cybernetically enhanced, is a decent shock. The flashback to the different ways Sonic and Nine recall their first meeting, provides the real emotional meat here. That’s the moment when Sonic, and the viewer, really gets a feel for the impact he has had on the world. To see his friend in such a state, to know he suffered without him, has an effect on Sonic. We needed more of that kind of stuff. 

That flashback, by the way, it’s animated in a pixel art style clearly meant to invoke the Genesis era of “Sonic.” That’s probably my favorite visual moment in a show that is, thus far, well animated. My opinion on CGI animation on a TV budget is usually low. Yet “Prime” looks nice. The characters are lively and expressive. The action scenes are very fast paced. Honestly, so much stuff is happening during the various action scenes that a re-watch might be necessary for me to catch everything. The scuffle between Sonic and Nine atop two subway trains or the opening fight with a horde of Badniks are especially noteworthy. I’m not entirely sold on all the character designs just yet. Big’s pudgy face still looks weird and I’m undecided on the Chaos Council’s appearances. Yet “Prime” already looks a lot better than pretty much every episode of “Sonic Boom.” 

Yet my general feeling about "Shattered" is that it puts the cart before the horse a bit. This is a season premiere so devoted to setting up its premise, that it doesn't find much time to make the audience care. We are just meeting this version of Sonic and his friends before the hedgehog gets tossed between worlds. A lengthy sequence, where Sonic is floating through a starry void and sees images of his friends, seems to exist to establish these characters more. Wouldn't just a little more of a prologue done that better? This is also reflected in the kind of weird structure this debut has. After several minutes of Sonic being confused and pursued through New Yolk City, the episode flashes back to the lead-up to that opening battle. There's a couple more leaps around the timeline here too, the episode seemingly ending in the middle of one. I get the appeal of opening in media ras but it left me a little mixed up here. Maybe let the audience get to know your principal players before introducing us to alternate versions of them? 

Only one episode in and this already feels like the “Sonic” cartoon most influenced by the video games. Aside from the prominent role Green Hill Zone plays here, Sonic also collects Power Rings and looses them when he's hurt. How that works outside of the context of a game play mechanic, I don't know. And I have no idea if the show will really explain that. (Where do the rings come from in this setting?) There's also a somewhat unnecessary sequence in the second half, where Sonic has to navigate springs, spikes, and traps, another indicator that the showrunners are very aware of the game roots here. What this means for the other characters yet, I don't know. Does this Knuckles have a Master Emerald or an Angel Island to protect? I guess we'll find out.

A new “Sonic” cartoon means a new cast of voices for these well-known characters. It's an interesting mixture. Deven Mack's Sonic recalls a lot of things about Roger Craig Smith's Sonic but includes some of Ben Schwartz' quirky humor and neediness. Ashleigh Ball has a nice gravelly quality to her voice, making her Tails sound more like a temperamental little boy than he usually does. From what we hear of them here, Shannn Chan-Kent and Kazumi Evans have their own takes on Amy and Rouge, that are distinct from previous versions. Unlike Brian Drummond as Eggman, who is pretty clearly attempting to sound like Mike Pollock... Though Drummond also voices a few of the other doctor characters, which is presumably why he was hired instead of Pollock just coming back. I really don't like Adam Nurada as Knuckles though. He puts on such a fake sounding “gruff” voice that it's practically an Arnold Schwarzenegger impression.

I guess it's clear that my initial reaction to “Sonic Prime” is a bit mixed. It looks good and there's certainly plenty of potential here. Obviously, there's a larger story to told and you can't judge it all just based on the first episode. Maybe once I watch it all – or at least watch the eight episodes currently available on Netflix – I can return to this one with more open eyes. As it stands right now, “Prime” is getting off on some slightly shaky ground that maybe needed to prioritize setting up its characters before setting up its premise. [6/10]

TOP 10 OFFICIAL SONIC CHRISTMAS IMAGES

For whatever reason, "Sonic" fans love Christmas. Maybe it's because we all just connect the series to childhood nostalgia around receiving the games and merchandise at the holidays. Maybe Sonic and his friends being fuzzy and huggable makes pairing them up with the coziest holiday of them all is inevitable. Whatever the reason, if you Google "Sonic Christmas art," you get roughly a hundred pieces of festive fan art in the results. Some of these pieces are by artists that have worked on the series in an official capacity, making them practically canon bits of hedgehog-y Christmas cheer.

Probably owing to his status as a corporate mascot, and Sega's desire to sell lots of games or consoles or other miscellaneous crap during the most capitalistic of seasons, Sonic Christmas art is not just a phenomenon among fans. In fact, there's been quite a lot of official "Sonic" art that puts the characters among various holly jolly trappings. And because I want to celebrate the holidays and have absolutely nothing else to write about, I've decided to arbitrarily rank my favorite official Christmas Sonic art this year, with my absolute favorites at the bottom here. 

I am tempted to kick things off with one of those trivia-filled, rambling dissertations that I love so much. Though a character born of a myriad of European folkloric traditions, and thoroughly mutated by American sensibilities, Japan has eagerly adopted Santa Claus. Perhaps it's because the Christian roots of Christmas are largely ignored in an Eastern culture like Japan, allowing secular traditions like Ol' Saint Nick to dominate the holiday's pop culture headspace. Japan has certainly put its own wacky spin the Jolly Old Elf over the decades.

Among these far-flung riffs on the holiday's ultimate symbol has been lots of images of Sonic in the famous red suit and hat. Maybe putting Sonic in a Santa suit is just too irresistible an image. Perhaps it's the hedgehog's speedy status that makes him a good match for Santa garb. Of these many pieces of art, my favorite is probably this one, originally published in Harmony, the  newsletter published strictly for Sega's employees in the nineties. (And later, more famously, collected in 1996 as part of a screensaver program.) I like the image of Sonic leaping over a snowy city with a big sack full of gifts on his back. He looks so happy to be delivering gifts!

Since 2005, Sega of Japan has run Sonic Channel, a website devoted entirely to providing updates on everyone's favorite blue hedgehog related franchise. Lots of neat bits of promotional tie-ins have filtered out from this site. Here in the English language Sonic-sphere, Sonic Channel is best known for the monthly art uploaded to the site, much of it provided by Yui Karasuno. Due to these pieces being updated monthly, they frequently tie-in with the holidays and events that occur at the time. Which means quite a lot of super cute Christmas art comes from this avenue. 

The first of this illustration I want to highlight is from Christmas 2020 and was actually created originally for the Life in Sonic's World art book. It depicts an utterly adorable seasonal scene: Silver, while dressed as Santa, uses his telekinesis to fill a set of stockings presumably belonging to the napping Chao on the floor in front of the fireplace. Their toys and coloring pages are strewn on the floor before them, while little references to the rest of the franchise are on the tree, via Christmas ornaments featuring Big the Cat and a Chaos Emerald. It's a moment of pure domesticity, exuding warmth and nostalgia. Which is perfectly suitable for Christmas and maybe for the Sonic series too, even if I don't have much nostalgia for these particular characters. 

Other examples of Sonic Channel art you see circulating on social media all the time are the little monthly character portraits. These are still coming out every month and here's proof of that. This particular image here literally just came out this month. But how fucking cute is this, right? Metal Sonic is, by design, not the cuddliest cast member of this particular series. One imagines he wouldn't react with much appreciation – or at all – to a Christmas gift. To actually see that scenario play out is highly amusing though. Especially when the gift is a little plush doll of Sonic, the robot's often sought enemy. It's funny that a machine that is, by design, emotionless can express so much with just the angle of his face. In this case: Bemusement.

One of the joys of the Sonic Channel art is getting to see the “Sonic” cast members in different clothes and situations than you'd see in the video games or comics. It's clear that the artists behind these images really enjoys dressing the different characters in various cute little outfits. So, yes, of course, that means putting Rouge in a sexy Santa skirt for a Christmas image. That would probably be enough to make this memorable. The bat's body language is full of poise and attitude, as always. Yet what really seals this one for me is that the tree is decorated extensively with Rouge's favorite thing: Shiny jewels. If we are to assume that Christmas exist in Sonic's world, Rogue decorating her tree in such a manner is canon in my eyes. 

Sega once made an entire Christmas-themed sequel to “NiGHTS Into Dreams.” There have been at least one Halloween themed level in a “Sonic” game, alongside numerous snow and ice themed levels. All of this makes it surprising that there's never be a straight-up Christmas themed stage in any of the Sonic games. Yet, if one where to exist, it would probably look a lot like what we see in this image. Sonic grinding down candy cane patterned rails around festively festooned Christmas trees while snow falls overhead would surely be features in such a level. This painting shoves in as much holiday iconography as possible. Bells, ribbons, stockings, bulbs, lights, candy canes, Santa hats, gifts, holly sprig. As well as a lot of Sonic imagery, like Omochao, Sonic's shoes, a Chaos Emerald. I don't know about the giant billiard balls but otherwise this looks like a lot of fun. 

If you thought that Silver image was adorable, get a load of this shit. Ya know, we don't imagine gruff, cynical Shadow getting much into Christmas. He's pretty much the opposite of a sentimental guy and that means he would probably reject the most sentimental holiday. What this image suggests is a scenario where Shadow sits down to take a little nap, after a hard day of fighting robots or Chaos-Controlling or whatever it is he does. It seems his little Chao friend took it upon himself to decorate Shadow with seasonal accessories while he sleeps, including about to pin a Santa-like mustache on his snoozing face. It's cute as fuck and, when you think about how Shadow will react once he wakes up, it becomes pretty funny too. 

Last December, Sega sold a “Sonic”-themed Ugly Christmas sweater and mug – perfect for hot cocoa! – through their website. The sweater and mug where pretty fucking adorable and I wish I could've bought one or the other. Yet this quick little image assembled to promote the duo is even more delightful. Sonic is holding what I'm assuming is a carol book and wearing a sweater with Eggman's face on it. That raises some interesting questions. But what's really delightful about this one is how happy Sonic looks. Look at that smile! Pleased as punch to sell schlock with his face on it. What a consummate pitchman. I want to buy six now.

We are not done talking about napping yet. As cute as the previous images focused on curling up and passing out around the tree were, this one takes the cake. Sonic sleeps in a comfy chair, in the glow of the Christmas tree, with a Chao and a warm blanket on his chest. There's some plates and forks near-by, suggesting they probably just filled up with Christmas cake and passed right out. The little drawings on the frost on the windows makes this all the more precious. God, it looks so fucking cozy! If Christmas is fundamentally a holiday rooted in warm memories of home and childhood, this particular image really captured that.

My number two pick here, which is a much older image, invokes a lot of the same feelings. It has that warm glow to it, of gathering around the Christmas tree for a totally relaxed evening at home... Except there's a weird twist to this one that makes it all the more intriguing. First off, Sonic is alone inside his home(?), with his modest little tree. There's what appears to be a bottle of wine and a champagne glass on the table before him. If sipping on an adult beverage seems like an uncharacteristic behavior for Sonic, he's also sitting on a coach and reading a book, another very laidback activity for someone associated with speed. 

But that's just the most front-forward sign that something isn't off with this image. Beneath a massive, ominously yellow moon, Tails peers in through the window at his mentor. What exactly is going on here? The Christmas tree and the barren mountain tops in the distance implies the chilling cold of December outside this cozy home. Why is Tails outside looking in? Did he track Sonic down, in some sort of obsessive stalker scenario? The big, slightly unnerving smile on the little fox's face seems to imply that. The inverted smirk on Sonic's face, which suggest he's kind of grouchy in this moment, implies that maybe he was annoyed by Tails and threw him out.

They say a picture is worth a million words and, I guess, this is an image that really makes you wonder. Obviously, the weird or slightly unsettling undertones to this one is why I love it. Or maybe it's just a random hodgepodge of elements, thrown together to be marketable, that we weren't supposed to think about too hard. 

This image went low-key viral when it was new and, holy shit, how could it not? A Christmas card circulated among Sega staff in 2009, it's a deeply baffling and powerful image. Sonic, Bayonetta, and a xenomorph from the “Alien” series – three characters with wildly contrasting styles that appeal to totally different audiences – sitting in front of a festive fireplace, wearing Christmas sweaters would be enough for most artists. Yet this postcard goes even further. Bayonetta's hair is done up like a Christmas tree, topped with a star. She holds one of the “Super Monkey Ball' primates, bundled up like the Christ child, in what appears to be a wrapping paper/stocking combo. 

Sonic and Bayonetta smile with absolute glee while the xenomorph – who wears a Santa cap on the end of its phallic head, naturally – snarls. Is the alien monster smiling too? Or is he greatly annoyed to be here? Is the monster a minute away from attacking the other characters? Or is this as tranquil a gathering as can be expected between a seven foot tall dominatrix witch, two wacky cartoon animals, and a rape demon from outer space? I like to think it's the latter, truthfully. Because that's funnier to me. I think the xenomorph is wearing jeans too? And the angle suggests that the stool Sonic is sitting on is like five feet tall. The more I stare at this postcard, the more secrets it reveals. 

And with that, I'll sign off for tonight. Thank you for everyone who read Hedgehogs Can't Swim in the last year. Sorry I missed so many updates. I'll try and do better next year. I'm going to go ahead and start my coverage of “Sonic Prime” on Monday, hopefully. If you're celebrating this weekend, I hope everything goes swimmingly and you have a wonderful holiday. And if you're not celebrating, have a good one anyway because, if you're reading my words, obviously you're a way past cool dude.