History Comicbook / SonicTheComic

A [[BritishComics British comic]] by Fleetway which originally ran in the nineties. Although ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' is in the title, it began as a sort of {{Creator/Sega}} equivalent to ''Magazine/NintendoPower'' (although not to be confused with the ''Official Sega Magazine'' which ran at the same time), showcasing strips about upcoming Sega games along with reviews, cheat codes, walkthroughs, and the like. As time went on, various factors (including a hedgehog version of WolverinePublicity) caused most of those to be phased-out in favor of more Sonic stories.

* {{Deconstruction}}: Everything you know about the franchise is turned on its head here. Sonic's flaws are played up a lot more and they end up biting him in the ass as he becomes a social pariah because of them. Robotnik is legitimately insane as his normal quirks are ''not'' played for laughs. Its one of the bleakest settings for the franchise to date.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: At the beginning it was full of one-shots that barely related to each other, often with OffModel drawings. It took several issues for it to become plot-orientated, and even afterwards it took a while for it to drop the oneshot routine.

* ''VideoGame/KidChameleon''

** When Sonic was trapped in the Special Zone he met parodies of the ComicBook/XMen and Franchise/SpiderMan, among others.

* AdaptationOriginConnection: This series uses the same origin as the ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogPromoComic, so Sonic originally began as a brown
hedgehog with SuperSpeed who met the benign Dr. Ovi Kintobor and became friends. Sonic turned blue during an experiment to test his maximum speed while a lab accident forced the evil Kintobor was attempting to contain with the Chaos Emeralds and transformed him into MadScientist known as Dr. Robotnik.

The UK's Sonic adaptation was distinct from all others, chiefly because it strove to accurately translate the world of the games into serial form. This included the Zones, rings, Star Posts, Badniks, animal friends, and more. Those elements sometimes appear in other adaptations, such as [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics the Archie Sonic series]] (which had a murky sense of how Rings and Zones actually worked or where they existed in relation to the 'verse), but not to the same degree. A few inconsistencies can be blamed on Sega's typically-poor communication with their media outlets in the west: for instance, Nack the Weasel (a.k.a. Fang the Sniper) was introduced in ''Sonic the Comic'' as a member of the [[VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix Chaotix]], despite him debuting in ''VideoGame/SonicTripleTrouble'' and having nothing to do with that team. (Admittedly, Knuckles does feature in both games.)

''[=StC=]'' also [[TheWikiRule has its own Wiki]] which is found [[https://stc.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_the_Comic_Wiki here.]]

* TheStarscream: Robotnik had to fight against Commander Brutus, a robot with an indestructible body and a copy of his own brain patterns, who started off as Robotnik's [[TheDragon Dragon]] and then rebelled against him. Robotnik himself was briefly The Starscream when he was allied with the [[TheEmpire Drakon Empire]] and and then to Princess Kupacious both times he succeeded.

* WhamEpisode: Quite a few infact; Robotnik taking over Mobius and his defeat in the 100th issue, [[spoiler: Johnny's death]]

* ArcVillain: Nutzan Bolt, Trogg , The Brotherhood of Metallix, Commander Brutus and others.

* ElaborateUndergroundBase: The Freedom Fighters used Kintobor's labtory containing living space, storage areas, monitoring equipment (which left plenty of screens on which to play videogames!), a hangar for the Freedom Fighters' biplane, and the mainframe of the Kintobor Computer itself. The Freedom Fighters also expanded the facility in light of their new status as guerillas, excavating further chambers for additional capacity. The most prominent of these was a prison block (less charitably, dungeon), and later Tekno's Workshop the home and workplace of Tekno the Canary.

A [[BritishComics British comic]] by Fleetway which originally ran in the nineties, but has since seen an online {{revival}}. Although ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' is in the title, it began as a sort of {{Creator/Sega}} equivalent to ''Magazine/NintendoPower'' (although not to be confused with the ''Official Sega Magazine'' which ran at the same time), showcasing strips about upcoming Sega games along with reviews, cheat codes, walkthroughs, and the like. As time went on, various factors (including a hedgehog version of WolverinePublicity) caused most of those to be phased-out in favor of more Sonic stories.

The UK's Sonic adaptation was distinct from all others, chiefly because it strove to accurately translate the world of the games into serial form. This included the Zones, rings, Star Posts, Badniks, animal friends and more. Those elements sometimes appear in other adaptations, such as [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics the Archie Sonic series]] (which had a murky sense of how Rings and Zones actually worked or where they existed in relation to the 'verse), but not to the same degree. A few inconsistencies can be blamed on Sega's typically-poor communication with their media outlets in the west: for instance, Nack the Weasel (a.k.a. Fang the Sniper) was introduced in ''Sonic the Comic'' as a member of the [[VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix Chaotix]], despite him debuting in ''VideoGame/SonicTripleTrouble'' and having nothing to do with that team. (Admittedly, Knuckles does feature in both games.)

Like Archie, the book had its own stable of {{Canon Foreigner}}s: Captain Plunder the SkyPirate, Grimer (TheIgor to Robotnik's Frankenstein), Doctor Zachary, Metallix, Shortfuse the Cybernik, and Tekno the Canary. Metallix was an effort to add more distinctiveness to the video game villain Metal Sonic: Metallix was the "Emperor" of a legion of Metal Sonics who broke free of their creator. The comic also has its own take on Super Sonic, which asks a simple yet horrifying question: what would happen if Super Sonic was a [[SuperpoweredEvilSide murderous psycho]]?

There is a [[https://www.youtube.com/user/BlackDogBrew series of retrospectives]] covering ''Sonic the Comic'' that are posted on Website/YouTube, as well as reviews of current STCO issues. The first of these retrospectives can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhxodHL0QyY here.]] There is also an issue-by-issue retrospective podcast which can be found [[https://stctp.wigglehe.com/ here.]] ''[=StC=]'' also [[TheWikiRule has its own Wiki]] which is found [[https://stc.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_the_Comic_Wiki here.]]

Like Archie, the book had its own stable of {{Canon Foreigner}}s: Captain Plunder the SkyPirate, Grimer (TheIgor to Robotnik's Frankenstein), Doctor Zachary, Metallix, Shortfuse the Cybernik, and Tekno the Canary. Metallix was an effort to add more distinctiveness to the video game villain Metal Sonic: Metallix was the "Emperor" of a legion of Metal Sonics who broke free of their creator. This led to a deliberate ShoutOut when those robots went around shouting [[AC:"[[Series/DoctorWho Exterminate!]]"]] The comic also has its own take on Super Sonic, which asks a simple yet horrifying question: what would happen if Super Sonic was a [[SuperpoweredEvilSide murderous psycho]]?

* ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage'': Typical 90's [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Dark Age]] adaptation of the fighting game, with the memetic lines "''Ninjas are wimps, man!''" and "''AND I WANT A HELICOPTER!''"

* AndIMustScream: Shortfuse being trapped in his Cybernik armour for the rest of his life is one thing, but the strip ''Out Of Work Hero'' from issue 106 reveals that when the electromagnetic pulse hit Mobius in issue 100 his suit's power cut out mid-flight over a lake of lava, causing him to fall in. His invincible armour and reserve life support systems kept him alive until the power supply returned and he crawled back to the surface, but the dialogue reveals that he was trapped under the lava for ''months''.

** From issue #006:

** And in issue #115:

* ComicBookTime: The series is explicitly in the 90s. Several issues mention the years in-series being the same as the year the issue was written in. So we have one issue is set on New Year 1997, and a few issues later we have an issue set in 1998... But no one seems to age throughout the comic. Amy does get a bit less-childish in terms of looks though.

** Tails is normally brown eyed but the cover for issue 200 has him with blue eyes.

* HumanResources: The use of characters as organic batteries for Robotnik's Badniks. In addition, Robotnik's plot during the buildup to issue #100 involved connecting the Emerald Hill Folk to a machine to form a gigantic WetwareCPU.

* LetsYouAndHimFight: A common way of setting up crossovers. Usually the formula would be that the two heroes would encounter each other and start fighting out of a misunderstanding, then at the end of issue one of the series the real villain would make an appearance; the second issue would then begin with them teaming up to fight it.

** Issue 149, Tails actually said it...

** The stone Sentinel that appears in issue 29 is clearly not a statue of a fish in robotic armour. You can see its knees!

** Sonic's origin story during the time travel shenanigans in the #70's has him explicitly stated as breaking the sound barrier as the reason why he's blue. Issue #5 opens with him on a treadmill trying to break it, and Tails clearly saying he's still got a way to go.

* TakeThat: In issue #2; having been beaten by Tails, Robonik moans as he retreats that [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall he'd much rather be watching an episode of much-maligned soap opera ''El Dorado'']]. ParentalBonus: Zig-zagged: Considering the show's reputation and target demographic, while it was certainly intended for the older readers, most kids would have got the joke too.

* WalkThePlank: Captain Plunder makes Tails WalkThePlank into a pit in issue 23 [[ForgotICouldFly however Sonic reminds Tails he can fly]], in another story Captain Plunder makes Proctor Speckle WalkThePlank for eating his Old Carribean chocolate bars however Speckle changes into Mr Fry.

* WetwareCPU: Robotnik's plot during the buildup to issue #100 involved connecting the Emerald Hill Folk together to form a gigantic computer.

** In one story, Sonic fights a robot that can predict his every move and counteract it. So Sonic gives up. Since the robot was programmed to believe that [[DidntSeeThatComing this circumstance would never happen]], it [[LogicBomb malfunctions and blows up]], which is exactly what Sonic intended.

* FiveManBand: The original Freedom Fighters and the Chaotix Crew when they were teamed up with Knuckles.
** TheHero: Sonic
** TheLancer: Amy
** TheBigGuy: Johnny
** TheSmartGuy: Porker
** TheChick: Tails
** Following the departure of Porker, Tekno often filled TheSmartGuy role, and when Sonic was AWOL Shortfuse got the BigGuy role (with Amy as TheHero and Johnny or Tails as TheLancer).

** After Porker left Tekno often filled TheSmartGuy role, and when Sonic was AWOL Shortfuse got the BigGuy role (with Amy as TheHero and Johnny or Tails as TheLancer).

-->'''Amy''': HE’S DEAD, SONIC… JOHNNY’S DEAD…

Like Archie, the book had its own stable of {{Canon Foreigner}}s: Captain Plunder the SkyPirate, Grimer (TheIgor to Robotnik's Frankenstein), Doctor Zachary, Metallix, Shortfuse the Cybernik, and Tekno the Canary. Metallix was an effort to add more distinctiveness to the video game villain Metal Sonic: Metallix was the "Emperor" of a legion of Metal Sonics who broke free of their creator. This led to a deliberate ShoutOut when those robots went around shouting [[AC:"[[Series/DoctorWho Exterminate!]]"]] The comic also has its own take on Super Sonic, which asks a simple yet horrifying question- what would happen if Super Sonic was a murderous psycho?

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

** The stone Sentinel that appears in issue 29 is clearly not a fish in robotic armour. You can see its knees!

** In Issue #126, Sonic have to fight the forces of Sharka Khan, a Zone Leader [[spoiler: who made a deal with Robotnik & Agent X]]. One of the minions of Khan is an eel named [[Music/Elton John Eelton John]]. Yeah.

* PositiveDiscrimination: According to WordOfGod, Amy was enforced as such later on due to ExecutiveMeddling, insisting she be rewrote as [[CloserToEarth the most mature and intelligent]] Freedom Fighter in contrast to the more childish and ([[AlternateCharacterInterpretation supposedly]]) lovesick admirer of Sonic. The original writers reverted to their intended characterization for Amy in the Sonic Adventure adaption.

Like Archie, the book had its own stable of {{Canon Foreigner}}s: Captain Plunder the SkyPirate, Grimer (TheIgor to Robotnik's Frankenstein), Doctor Zachary, Metallix, Shortfuse the Cybernik, and Tekno the Canary. Metallix was an effort to add more distinctiveness to the video game villain Metal Sonic: Metallix was the "Emperor" of a legion of Metal Sonics who broke free of their creator. This led to a deliberate ShoutOut when those robots went around shouting [[AC:"[[Series/DoctorWho Exterminate!]]"]] The comic also has it's own take on Super Sonic, which asks a simple yet horrifying question- what would happen if Super Sonic was a murderous psycho?

Like Archie, the book had its own stable of {{Canon Foreigner}}s: Captain Plunder the SkyPirate, Grimer (TheIgor to Robotnik's Frankenstein), Doctor Zachary, Metallix, Shortfuse the Cybernik, and Tekno the Canary. Metallix was an effort to add more distinctiveness to the video game villain Metal Sonic: Metallix was the "Emperor" of a legion of Metal Sonics who broke free of their creator. This led to a deliberate ShoutOut when those robots went around shouting [[AC:"[[Series/DoctorWho Exterminate!]]"]]