Megathread The Lara-Su Chronicles and Ken Penders topic - READ PAGE 164, POST 4096

[Zaysho]

At least as far as what I found on Wikipedia goes, the CCA didn't have specific restrictions on guns. And, didn't we have scenes with the military using them at least a few times? It was almost exclusively humans using them... and not to mention Rotor had the "Big Bad Mamma Jamma" from #44. And let's not forget the gun-toting Julie-Su (a hero character). Though that cover from Knuckles #31 with Hunter's gun crossed out is a special kind of weird I will NEVER understand.

 

I have a feeling this had less to do with the CCA, whose relevance was fading anyway, and just a combination of Penders's inconsistency and beating people over the head with his soapbox.

 

It reminds me of how 4kids would censor things, like turning projectile guns into fictional laser guns.

[Disonoid 3000]

At least as far as what I found on Wikipedia goes, the CCA didn't have specific restrictions on guns. And, didn't we have scenes with the military using them at least a few times? It was almost exclusively humans using them... and not to mention Rotor had the "Big Bad Mamma Jamma" from #44. And let's not forget the gun-toting Julie-Su (a hero character). Though that cover from Knuckles #31 with Hunter's gun crossed out is a special kind of weird I will NEVER understand.

 

I have a feeling this had less to do with the CCA, whose relevance was fading anyway, and just a combination of Penders's inconsistency and beating people over the head with his soapbox.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

The issue in question:

 

 

That just looks terrible.

[Zaysho]

I presumed the crossed out gun was more an art choice than an attempt at censorship. Like, Knuckles doesn't want him to have the gun, or an attempt to match with the red target circle around Knuckles.

 

Eh, it made more sense in my head. 

 

I dunno, it's hard for me to look at it as a good compositional element. I don't even see it as censorship. It's just weird. Like, I honestly can't think of a good reason since the gun's user is a bad guy, so him using a gun and firing it at the hero works as a narrative already. And, it's a pretty cluttered cover to begin with, the text and the crossed out circle over the gun adds to that.

 

I would be curious if the original pencils/inks exist for it still, because I'd like to know if it was something added during the coloring phase or if it was part of the art all along.

[Osmium]

I dunno, it's hard for me to look at it as a good compositional element. I don't even see it as censorship. It's just weird. Like, I honestly can't think of a good reason since the gun's user is a bad guy, so him using a gun and firing it at the hero works as a narrative already. And, it's a pretty cluttered cover to begin with, the text and the crossed out circle over the gun adds to that.

I would be curious if the original pencils/inks exist for it still, because I'd like to know if it was something added during the coloring phase or if it was part of the art all along.

[horridus]

Fun fact; the Hunter arc is about the only one he'll say something bad about and admit has problems with... of course, before you go thinking that this is him admitting he screwed up, he still likes to claim that it was because he heard Knuckles was being cancelled and that it affected his ability to do things, so ultimately it's not ENTIRELY his fault. 

[Osmium]

Ok, those Sonic panels I posted weren't completley bad as I guess they are a bit Jaleel White-ish. 

 

But can you survive VECTOR !? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And as the grand finale... 

 

I'm scared. 

 

Vector truly is the whitest crocodile this world's ever seen. 

[Ryannumber1gamer]

 

 

 

 

Well. That art is quite possibly the worst Sonic artwork in existance. Then again, it's fitting in a story in a Knuckles comic written by Ken Penders, about Knux and Julie-Su having a date and nothing else.

 

This is even worse: 

 

[Osmium]

Well. That art is quite possibly the worst Sonic artwork in existance. Then again, it's fitting in a story in a Knuckles comic written by Ken Penders, about Knux and Julie-Su having a date and nothing else.

 

This is even worse: 

 

[Moppsy]

Ok, those Sonic panels I posted weren't completley bad as I guess they are a bit Jaleel White-ish. 

 

But can you survive VECTOR !? 

 

 

[ThatSpookyGuy59]

 

Well. That art is quite possibly the worst Sonic artwork in existance. Then again, it's fitting in a story in a Knuckles comic written by Ken Penders, about Knux and Julie-Su having a date and nothing else.

 

This is even worse: 

 

[Zaysho]

I've always said that the artwork of that issue looks like it came out of a really bad porno. Who did that art anyway?

[Osmium]

Chris Allan. He's probably best known for his work on Archie's TMNT Adventures. His style didn't translate very well to Sonic, but the back-ups he did in the main Sonic book weren't nearly this bad or off-model, so I have no idea what happened when he got THIS gig.

 

Looking at it again, Mighty has these huge biceps... and I can't see his legs. Allan is a good artist, what the fuck happened

 

 

This is the full picture. 

 

You can see Mighty's legs but they look incredibly creepy below his steroids body. 

 

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON WITH ESPIO (seriously, that's the worst drawn Espio I've ever seen.) 

[Disonoid 3000]

Poor Vector. I can't even mutter up anything else to say, just poor Vector.

 

 

 

 

 

Something about the purple thing makes me think it should be in a Dr. Seuss book. Maybe it's how wonky it looks.

[GamerGirl54321]

 

This is the full picture. 

 

You can see Mighty's legs but they look incredibly creepy below his steroids body. 

 

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON WITH ESPIO (seriously, that's the worst drawn Espio I've ever seen.) 

Okay, there's a lot that's wrong with this, but that duck doesn't look like a Sonic character at all.

 

That echidna man looks scared. Well, he certainly has reason to.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Knuckles looks like he's trying to eat Julie-Su, not kiss her.

[Osmium]

I seriously cannot believe that issue (Knuckles Issue 28) ever got published. It is simply appalling. The art is some of the worst that ANY Sonic comic ever had, and the story is about Knuckles getting a fucking date. 

 

This issue had probably the most lackluster story any Sonic(or Knuckles)comic ever had.Chris Allan should have been seriously ashamed when the public could see this horrid art. 

 

I swear, if I grew up with this in the 90s, I would have probably never picked up another issue of Knuckles (and Sonic) ever again.

[Zaysho]

The Mighty and Ray back-ups that ran with this particular storyline was pretty good though (and was illustrated by Manny Galan). I think I re-read it about a year ago, and it's actually one of the few Penders stories from this period that I actually liked. It really is a shocker Penders of all people decided to introduce Ray of all characters. It's not so shocking that to do that, he had to introduce one of his own knock-off creations in the process (Nic, Nack's sister).

 

Shame that loose SEGASonic arcade storyline didn't just carry an arc in itself, with Knuckles maybe helping Mighty along or something. Or hell, just give the issue to Mighty. There clearly wasn't a problem when Knuckles was missing for three whole issues before (#13-15).

[Osmium]

The Mighty and Ray back-ups that ran with this particular storyline was pretty good though (and was illustrated by Manny Galan). I think I re-read it about a year ago, and it's actually one of the few Penders stories from this period that I actually liked. It really is a shocker Penders of all people decided to introduce Ray of all characters. It's not so shocking that to do that, he had to introduce one of his own knock-off creations in the process (Nic, Nack's sister).

 

Shame that loose SEGASonic arcade storyline didn't just carry an arc in itself, with Knuckles maybe helping Mighty along or something. Or hell, just give the issue to Mighty. There clearly wasn't a problem when Knuckles was missing for three whole issues before (#13-15).

[Zaysho]

No, I get you. I've never been terribly exacting about adaptations, myself. I'd rather the ideas come through, but still be its own thing. Lord knows I sing praises of the 1990 TMNT film all the time for that, but this isn't the thread.

 

Archie has always had a fairly bad track record with adaptations, I agree. Many being rushed, others, like Sonic Adventure, just being really poorly integrated into the continuity, adding to A LOT of the confusion that was developing in the book around this time. Penders's contributions to that are especially bad, because he was clearly reluctant to the idea of SEGA actually developing Knuckles and his backstory, and it undoing much of his own work with the Echidnas already.

 

I think Archie's improved greatly since Flynn came aboard in regard to integration of the SEGA elements with the pre-existing continuity (up until the legal bullshit ripped it away), but Flynn was a fan first, and actually respects the property, so of course there's a clear difference between him and the previous team.

[Osmium]

No, I get you. I've never been terribly exacting about adaptations, myself. I'd rather the ideas come through, but still be its own thing. Lord knows I sing praises of the 1990 TMNT film all the time for that, but this isn't the thread.

 

Archie has always had a fairly bad track record with adaptations, I agree. Many being rushed, others, like Sonic Adventure, just being really poorly integrated into the continuity, adding to A LOT of the confusion that was developing in the book around this time. Penders's contributions to that are especially bad, because he was clearly reluctant to the idea of SEGA actually developing Knuckles and his backstory, and it undoing much of his own work with the Echidnas already.

 

I think Archie's improved greatly since Flynn came aboard in regard to integration of the SEGA elements with the pre-existing continuity (up until the legal bullshit ripped it away), but Flynn was a fan first, and actually respects the property, so of course there's a clear difference between him and the previous team.

[biznizz]

Was Pen the one who did the 'Mogul created a fake Tails who was around for several issues while the real Turbo Tails got drained' arc? I believe it did since it was tangetically related to the Chaos Knuckles story, but I'm not sure.

And speaking of adaptations, the worst one was probably the Sonic Adventure 2 one. Because they didn't even attempt to do one, it was literally set up for the game. And the mindboggling aspect of it was that it had the balls to say SA2 took place over one night, and that no one knew about it (the half destroyed moon was only background referenced in time for 124-125, the supposed 'sequel' with the Xorda and sh*t. Not even Ian was able to make that feel smooth.

That was all Bollers, tho.

[Osmium]

Was Pen the one who did the 'Mogul created a fake Tails who was around for several issues while the real Turbo Tails got drained' arc? I believe it did since it was tangetically related to the Chaos Knuckles story, but I'm not sure.

And speaking of adaptations, the worst one was probably the Sonic Adventure 2 one. Because they didn't even attempt to do one, it was literally set up for the game. And the mindboggling aspect of it was that it had the balls to say SA2 took place over one night, and that no one knew about it (the half destroyed moon was only background referenced in time for 124-125, the supposed 'sequel' with the Xorda and sh*t. Not even Ian was able to make that feel smooth.

That was all Bollers, tho.

[Zaysho]

Was Pen the one who did the 'Mogul created a fake Tails who was around for several issues while the real Turbo Tails got drained' arc? I believe it did since it was tangetically related to the Chaos Knuckles story, but I'm not sure.

And speaking of adaptations, the worst one was probably the Sonic Adventure 2 one. Because they didn't even attempt to do one, it was literally set up for the game. And the mindboggling aspect of it was that it had the balls to say SA2 took place over one night, and that no one knew about it (the half destroyed moon was only background referenced in time for 124-125, the supposed 'sequel' with the Xorda and sh*t. Not even Ian was able to make that feel smooth.

That was all Bollers, tho.

[Forte-Metallix]

I do love the justification Ian came up with for Vector's stupid "lingo": it was a desperate attempt to hide his heritage.

 

 

But seriously, what is up with those proportions?! Never mind that this issue of an "action-adventure" comic involves Knuckles asking for a date, but Vector looks like a human basketball player with green skin wearing a rubber mask!

 

And notice how much... detail Ken put on Julie-Su's body. Uggghhhh...

 

 

I really hope LSC turns out to be laughably bad instead of horrifying-bad.