Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[DabigRG]

6 hours ago, Kuzu said:

It's always like this lmao. 

Shadow and Knuckles are popular characters, so of course pushing and giving them tons of focus makes sense. But I guess a lot of people wanted some of the more neglected characters to get some time in the spotlight as opposed to two characters who already had tons of focus to begin with.

So fast forward to IDW and Shadow and Knuckles have significantly reduced roles overall, while the series highlights the newer cast members like Tangle and Whisper. Cue complaints from Shadow and Knuckles fans about how they're not being used properly at all now. 

That's somehow forgetting that the complaints about Shadow actually have to do with his portrayal and how he's started to drag things down. Or that there are still plenty characters beyond Whisper(who's really only had the spotlight a few times anyway) who deserve and/or in more need of screentime.

[Dr. Detective]

One of these days, for fun, I'm gonna run a tally of how many pages/panels each character has appeared in. Whisper's gonna be way up there without a doubt. Sonic's gonna be number one, no question.

Ooo~! How exciting. I may just do that. I love making pointless lists.

[caitash]

I enjoyed the change of pace of this arc, even if sometimes it felt a little... well, ‘messy’ is the wrong word, but it didn’t feel quite as clear as Ian’s stuff. That’s fine though, it’s Evan’s first official arc and overall I think she did a great job. I also vastly prefer having multiple characters on an adventure together than the ‘Sonic + 1 other chatacter at a time’ that Ian started out with, and it looks like we’re getting another group of characters in the next arc so I’m looking forward to that.

What the hell is Starline up to. Outright biological cloning? Installing DNA into a machine to create a Metal Tails? I wonder if we’ll find that out during this year or if it’s a seed planted for much further down the line. And also, is he creating it to attack the heroes, or as some sort of assistant to create smarter stuff for himself. Either way, it’s creepy.

[HywelAtTheMoon]

Sounds like a way of getting the Tails Doll into the continuity. 

As for Whisper, and as why she isn't with Tangle in the next arc, I suspect she'll be getting another visit from Mimic. It's already been shown that he can't be caged for long, so would she have to actually kill him?

[SBR2]

Everyone keeps saying this is Evan's first official arc like she didn't previously write "The Silver Age" for Sonic Universe.

[Kuzu]

2 hours ago, SBR2 said:

Everyone keeps saying this is Evan's first official arc like she didn't previously write "The Silver Age" for Sonic Universe.

First arc in IDW, still applies. And she's writing for the main series, not a spin off. 

[SBR2]

3 hours ago, Kuzu said:

First arc in IDW, still applies. And she's writing for the main series, not a spin off. 

True but people are acting like she's inexperienced or something despite again the Universe arc and the Boom episode she wrote. 

[DabigRG]

On 1/15/2021 at 2:58 PM, Ryannumber1gamer said:

  Hide contents

I think my issue is primarily at the start of Bad Guys, he was acting like cock of the walk, while failing miserably, and shit-talking Eggman, and following the end of Bad Guys, he learned the wrong lesson, still acts like he's cock of the walk, but now get victories that doesn't feel earned because he didn't directly acknowledge his own flaws.

Bad Guys #4 had Starline acknowledging he's too short-sighted, but to me - that wasn't his issue. If anything, he's too focused, and that contrasts him off Eggman. Starline can focus and plan well, but when shit hits the fan, he just isn't very good at thinking on his feet, and that usually leads to disaster. Eggman might not plan ahead much, but when he is caught, he's insanely good at turning a bad situation around to benefit himself. 

Starline's downfall in Bad Guys doesn't feel believable. It didn't occur through the villains breaking apart through backstabbing, or Starline prematurely getting rid of them, which led to his downfall - it happened because of a contrived plot point that doesn't tie into what Starline claims was his failing. He was a dumbass and recorded his scheme for a known recon man and hacker to get. It's stupid, and it was only made so Starline's plan could be figured out.

In Bad Guys, I thought everything broke down in a bad way. Starline fucks up massively and yet still achieves all of his goals not via development or learning, but simply having the Tricore and making a run for it. The Bad Guys' alliance just breaks down because the story demands it, even though before that point, everyone barring Starline was actually enjoying the team-up. Bad Guys #4 just feels like a check list of plot beats that had to happen, but didn't have any logical reasoning or purpose to get there because proper build-up and focus hadn't been given.

Starline claims his issue is copying Eggman - yes - I've said that was an issue, and I was happy it got acknowledged, but it wasn't acknowledged correctly, because Starline didn't actually acknowledge the flaws he had in previous issues, instead having a new flaw that wasn't built up. His flaw was he not only consistently underestimated his opponents in both power and intelligence (he did this with Eggman and Zavok alone in Bad Guys), but that he couldn't diverge himself from a scheme if things went badly for him.

Bad Guys wise, it boils down to the victory not feeling earned. Starline didn't win via a hard-earned victory, like something in Eggman's Dozens, where Eggman had to stitch a team together and get them to work well in a team in order to beat Naugus, Starline just bolts off, while everyone else just does random shit for not much reason that ultimately all leads to their downfall. I feel like if it'd been a battle between Starline and Eggman, or Starline against the Bad Guys working together, to showcase the one man team aspect, maybe it would've come out better. 

Personally speaking, a large chunk of it comes off because of how bad and rushed the conclusion in of itself is. In all fairness, Starline's just a victim of it. I'd argue Mimic is too, and I really like Mimic as a villain.

Last point of issue is I feel like the story had to bend over backwards a little to accommodate Starline's victory. Particularly with Eggman in the end, I don't understand how he couldn't figure out that it was Starline warring against him. Eggman not only humiliated him and backstabbed him only a few issues ago, but Rough/Tumble are known associates of Starline, and only Starline would have the capability of manipulating the villains into working together. I think it would've been stronger if Eggman figured out immediately who it was, only for Orbot to break the news that one of his bases is now completely taken.

As for this issue, a good part of it is Starline oversturation, and Starline stealing the show from Clutch. After Bad Guys giving him three major wins in one, I think giving him yet another win here was a bit too much. To be frank, a lot of my issues is boiling down to being completely and totally burnt out on Starline, and just wanting other villains to show up without Starline being apart of it/stealing the show.

 

I didn't have the chance to really comment on it, but yeah, I didn't really vibe that well with how bad Guys resolved.

Part of it was because a recently revealed cover implied it would have more carryover then expected, but also because the second didn't really boil down to be as good as it could've been.

 

On a side note, ever notice how covers tend to show more interesting/exciting versions of the issue we actually get?

[Dr. Detective]

I just re-read the finale of Bad Guys to make sure I wasn't missing something but nope. I actually enjoyed it even more now. That final issue is going into the short pile of Ian's finale issues that absolutely wasn't rushed to me. It hit every note it was supposed to and carried across the action and destruction of everything that was set up in a really well-paced grand slam.

I absolutely adore that the point of the story was to get Starline to the point in the final issue where he finally realizes how much of a screw-up he's been. Perhaps others wished for something where he outright demonstrated it through-out but the manner of his escape definitely had more thought put into his actions via the use of the thing he created than I feel is being given credit for. 

Yeah, this is a total agree-to-disagree situation, as much as I hate to say it. 

[DabigRG]

1 hour ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

I just re-read the finale of Bad Guys to make sure I wasn't missing something but nope. I actually enjoyed it even more now. That final issue is going into the short pile of Ian's finale issues that absolutely wasn't rushed to me. It hit every note it was supposed to and carried across the action and destruction of everything that was set up in a really well-paced grand slam.

I absolutely adore that the point of the story was to get Starline to the point in the final issue where he finally realizes how much of a screw-up he's been. Perhaps others wished for something where he outright demonstrated it through-out but the manner of his escape definitely had more thought put into his actions via the use of the thing he created than I feel is being given credit for. 

Yeah, this is a total agree-to-disagree situation, as much as I hate to say it. 

I was actually thinking more of Zavok if I had to pick anyone, but I will say I wasn't too fond of Starline outright deciding he'd be better than Eggman.

 

Also, as a typo correction, I'm referring to the second half.

 

[MetalSkulkBane]

Random question: If you decide to re-read IDW (or suggest reading order to newcomer), where would you put annuals and  both mini?

I think Ann'19 takes place after #12, right before Blaze leaves to Sol. It's the chillest moment for bunch of small stories.
Annual '20 is from several points. I hesitate if it fits best after #20 or #24.

Mini series are a bit harder. Tangle and Whisper must take place before Zombot threat becomes big, but it clearly didn't happened yet in #16, since Tangle talks about her previous adventure with Whisper. I guess it's best to just read it right after #16.

As for Bad Guys, it takes place before Evan's arc, but I feel like reading it later would work better story-wise. For starters reading Bad Guys first means hooded person's identity is obvious from start.

 

[Cuz]

16 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

I think Ann'19 takes place after #12, right before Blaze leaves to Sol. It's the chillest moment for bunch of small stories.

Mini series are a bit harder. Tangle and Whisper must take place before Zombot threat becomes big, but it clearly didn't happened yet in #16, since Tangle talks about her previous adventure with Whisper. I guess it's best to just read it right after #16.

Yeah, that's pretty much what Ian suggested when asked this question in the Bumblekast. 

The second Annual wasn't out at the time though.

 

 

[Red Hot Jack]

 

Some interesting things out of the new Bumblekast (feel free to add more if you want):

-  The games tend to have poor localization, there was this thing in the japanese script that said Eggman resurrected the Zeti before Lost World, which could have been interesting, but I think, since it was a script written in American, the wrong localization is the japanese one. So, not canon and Ian didn't even know about it.

- Shadow and mandates: someone wrote on TV Tropes that Ian didn't like the character due to his frustration from the mandates, which is untrue and Ian likes Shadow, the note from TV Tropes got deleted anyway.

- Scourge: Who owns him? Ian thinks it's really a SEGA character, it's literally the concept of an evil Sonic that turned into its own character, I thought they didn't want to bring him back due to Penders or Archie as a whole but the trope is so common it will get reused anyway, someday. So it will probably be back... not as Scourge, but something else, I would avoid doing doppelgangers again though.

My idea would be to have Sonic turn into a rogue/villain, maybe Dark Super Sonic or Nazo? Something to do with the emeralds. It would be more interesting.

[Cuz]

- Sega remembered Vector's crush on Vanilla from Sonic X, and supports it! 

[DaddlerTheDalek]

On 1/13/2021 at 4:27 AM, Sonictrainer said:

We got another cover, this time by Evan Stanley

You'll need Rings as you enter... the Twilight Zone!

  Hide contents

 

I just love these poster like covers!

[SBR2]

12 hours ago, Jack-ted said:

Scourge: Who owns him? Ian thinks it's really a SEGA character, it's literally the concept of an evil Sonic that turned into its own character,

Yeah you'd think so. But Penders truly believes he owns him and has plans for him. I can't wait to see that train wreck. 

[Mauro Fonseca]

From seeing other legal cases on comics, Penders is right that he owns Evil Sonic, but he does so with so many caveats that he might as well not- he owns Evil Sonic, but any future use can't use Sonic in the name, can't look like Sonic either. You're left with "unnamed cartoon animal dressed like greaser who's bad".

[DaddlerTheDalek]

"The greaser Hedgehog formerly known as Evil Sonic". 

[SBR2]

On 1/18/2021 at 2:34 AM, MetalSkulkBane said:

Random question: If you decide to re-read IDW (or suggest reading order to newcomer), where would you put annuals and  both mini?

I think Ann'19 takes place after #12, right before Blaze leaves to Sol. It's the chillest moment for bunch of small stories.
Annual '20 is from several points. I hesitate if it fits best after #20 or #24.

Mini series are a bit harder. Tangle and Whisper must take place before Zombot threat becomes big, but it clearly didn't happened yet in #16, since Tangle talks about her previous adventure with Whisper. I guess it's best to just read it right after #16.

As for Bad Guys, it takes place before Evan's arc, but I feel like reading it later would work better story-wise. For starters reading Bad Guys first means hooded person's identity is obvious from start.

 

Personally for me sadly I don't have a lot of the issues (I really need to get on getting the trades) but for me whenever I read any comic I try to read chronologically so I'd read the 2019 Annual between #12 and 13 Tangle & Whisper before #16 slot the 2020 Annual stories in the best places they could go and Bad Guys before Evans arc even if it does spoil the reveal. 

I mean chances are good the IDW Collection hardcovers will use that order anyway. 

[Sonictrainer]

Spoiler

Looks like we might be getting a Egg Viper battle in the future...

Quote

Sonic the Hedgehog #40—Cover A: Tracy Yardley
Evan Stanley (w & a) • Tracy Yardley (c)
Tangle to the rescue! The brave lemur has jumped into the battle to save Sonic, Amy, and Tails from falling victim to Dr. Eggman’s latest experiment. Belle has a different kind of battle when she comes face-to-face with an old friend. Will the gang be able to escape unharmed? Find out in Evan Stanley’s epic conclusion to ”Test Run”!

 

 

[Zulon Eredas]

Spoiler

Looks like multiple Egg Vipers

 

[SBR2]

Spoiler

I'm pretty sure that's a variant cover because Tracy is credited but that doesn't look like his style. 

 

[Zaysho]

It's Dan's cover. "A" cover from #36 was Dan's and the style matches exactly:

[SBR2]

50 minutes ago, Zaysho said:

It's Dan's cover. "A" cover from #36 was Dan's and the style matches exactly:

I saw that on Twitter. Honestly I wish he'd get another chance to go interiors. I feel like his skill was wasted on Worlds Unite. He's known for his detailed backgrounds and Easter Eggs but didn't get a chance to do that.

[DabigRG]

Spoiler

An old friend huh? Robo-Coachman?