IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Comics General Discussion

Hey, better than starting off with another Knuckles or Shadow arc

Archie Sonic has been going for long time and despite many fans wanting Shadow, Knuckles or Classic Sonic book, all they had was Sonic, Sonic Universe, odd special (generally optional - either a story tease or game promotion) every now and then, and book promoting current Sonic cartoon that a) wasn't in continuity for the most part and b) didn't lasted long. I dont see things changing now.

I also read IDW TMNT and they only release TMNT, TMNT Universe (which is already cancelled) and occasional mini (Plus non-connected cartoon book). The way I expect things to go we'll get mini-series from time to time and if things work out, they'll get replaced by Sonic Universe.

For those who don't know Universe was rotating cast book, that once has a arc bout Shadow, then Silver, then Chaotix etc, and it was close to impossible for non-game characters to get their own story, so this is a big surprise to me.

Knuckles had a 32-issue spinoff series back in the 90s, and Universe was primarily meant for non-main/original cast members to have their own stories.

IDW's Transformers, GI Joe, and other stories seem like a neverending parade of spinoffs and miniseries though.

Edited by lalalei2001 on Jan 27th 2019 at 11:09:40 AM

RE: Tangle and Whisper:

Random thought, who do you guys hear voicing them? Personally I hear:

• Tangle: Cassandra Lee, Erica Mendez, Christine Marie Cabanos
• Whisper: Stephanie Sheh, Cristina Valenzuela, Sandy Fox

Sonic the Hedgehog #13

It's the start of a new arc, but other than the bits with Eggman it's nothing special, again. Starline still feels like a boatload of wasted potential and while Rough's sobbing over his tail was funny, I'm sick of him and Tumble. Let's get some new villains already.

What was good, however, was Eggman's testing of his new virus, bringing roboticization back to the Sonic comics in a really cool way that sells that for all his goofiness Eggman is still a genuine and deranged villain.

I wish this comic was more about adventure like the old Archie series. Knothole and Mobotropolis were well defined settings and Sonic was constantly globe trotting and going to new and exciting places and meeting new characters. It made the world of Sonic feel big, whereas this comic has taken place in Village A, Village B, Angel Island, and Village C, and all with the same supporting cast.

Gotta agree with that sentiment, we basically just went straight into the next conflict with little transition.

But we still have no sense of scale for this world and where things are relative to each other.

Rough and Tumble are still just a pair of generic bad guys and Starline has much better potential as an independent villain.

I feel like all of this are results of Sega dictating the comic be presented like the games, but I don't think anyone told them that doesn't work with a serialized comic.

Part of the reason I'm looking forward to the Tangle/Whisper mini is that I'm hoping a focus on the cast's breakout original characters will give Flynn some creative freedom and not just "wander into an animal village and fight Rough & Tumble."

Unless the Sega mandates have been extremely intrusive and controlling, though, I think I'm laying the blame on Flynn for this. The character writing has still been really good, but I don't think Sega is telling him to exclusively fight the same two guys in generic villages over and over.

I am really happy that roboticization is back though. It's cribbing on old material but at least it's something to separate the comic from the games.

Edited by RodimusMinor on Feb 6th 2019 at 2:41:02 PM

I'm still of the opinion that Flynn's original Archie run is one of the best things ever done with Sonic despite most of it not being like the games, and that's largely why.

I will give credit, Eggman is prime nightmare fuel here.

Funny how portraying him as actually terrifying does wonders.

Eggman now is a better satam robotnik than the actual satam robotnik

he was always better than him anyways but this pretty much seals it :v

Starline's wasted potential is probably a side effect of the mandate that says Eggman must always be the main villain, so it would be pretty unlikely to get something like the Naugus or Iron Queen arcs now that his amnesia is over. At most we'd probably get an arc villain who's still working for him or used to work for him.

Remember when Sonic used to have a Rogues Gallery? Hell, even Sonic The Comic gave him one. Because only having one villain doesn't always work so well in long running media outside videogames. Hell, even the games could stand to mix things up every once in a while.

Edited by kkhohoho on Feb 6th 2019 at 6:07:14 AM

Surely Sega can't expect Eggman to be the main antagonist behind every single story. That would get old fast.

Moreover, Flynn didn't do nearly enough with the Mr. Tinker storyline.

Sega doing stupid things is their MO, so I fully expect them to force Ian to have Eggman be the ultimate Big Bad every time, even if he's not the primary antagonist.

Like literally, every antagonist right now serves directly under him

TBH I like Eggman being the ultimate Big Bad better

No one's disputing that. What they are disputing is that he has to be the villain of every single story. Remember the Iron Legion? Brave New Mobius? Nothing wrong with more of that.

It's fine if Eggman is Sonic's Lex Luthor/Joker/Whatever main villain Wonder Woman has, but you can't tell an ongoing story based entirely around one villain, especially one like Eggman who has the same modus operandi every time he shows up.

God now that I think about it, with the way the games have been going since Colors I can actually totally buy that Flynn isn't allowed to write a villain that doesn't tie back to Eggman.

Edited by RodimusMinor on Feb 6th 2019 at 7:33:16 AM

I can't recall anything about the iron legion other than some vague dislike for its arc so I do know what to tell you

In a video game, having one recurring villain is fine. Not so much in a comic book format, which are supposed to tell serialized stories. Having one main villain would get old really fast, no matter how entertaining Eggman is.

Its why a Rogues Gallery exist. So yea, having just one villain be at the center of everything is going to get stale at some point and it hinders potentially other villains.

We're seeing that right now with Starlene who's entire character is basically just Eggman's lackey rn.

Edited by BlackYakuzu94 on Feb 6th 2019 at 7:35:00 AM

I'm low key hoping that Starline gets to become an independent villain after getting sick of Eggman.

God, remember how exciting it was when he first appeared and straight up started electrifying Eggman to revert him back to his old persona?

I'm still amused by Starline near-fangirl admiration for Eggman...

Sounds like Thunderbolt from Archie XD

I like Starline so far.

Yea, the seeds of doubt are already sprouting in Starlene. He's much more pragmatic than Eggman despite being not as smart. Hope he does realize he's better off without him.

Imagine starline not only breaking off but fighting against the eggman empire, and sonic has to deal with 2 maniacal quacks.