Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[VO.SUPER]

One of the MOST oddly specific easter eggs in all of Sonic comics found in the 30th anniversary special

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[SBR2]

Not surprised since KKM drew that story.

[Mauro Fonseca]

If you think that's oddly specific, you haven't noticed half of the other ones in that story yet

 

Very happy to see people get them though

[SatAMhog]

So, to give perspective to what I am about to say...usually, we pay $3.99 for 20 pages worth of content.  That's okay with me.  I'm used to it and I don't read as many comic books as I used to(lowest I ever paid being $1.50 starting with the Archie books back in the day).  Now, we get to present day...this is an oversized special priced at $8.99.  For that, we get a 60 PAGE main story and TWO 10 page back-up stories.  That's insane for that price point!  This is almost a miniseries' worth of stories in one book in sheer page numbers.  To get that many stories pages, we'd have to pay $15.96 but here we're paying almost half that for the anniversary.  Thank you IDW/Sega for making this book happen! This is probably the most high quality book I've seen in a long while and the price point is great for today's standards.   This book is a definite recommend if you're a big fan of classic Sonic.

[charmsb]

4 hours ago, SatAMhog said:

That's insane for that price point!

Im a bit of a pirate with the comics for multiple reasons, and I had no idea the issues could get that expensive. That seems especially egregious in the face of this anniversary issue's massive size and the fact that a lot of recent issues in the main story have been incredibly short...

[Sonictrainer]

We have some covers, previews, & character turnarounds!

First, that Character Turnaround

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Here's the rough turnaround of Kip the Capybara from #IDWSonic 's Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Special!

Script called for him to have a bandanna or shirt with the word Kip in it, so we tried that. Meanwhile though I'd sent a version without them just to get feedback if it was a good attempt at a Sonic Capybara- and Sega approved that one instead! However, they felt he needed some added flair, and especially something that indicated him being a driving enthusiast. So I thought back to 50s-70s imagery of car drivers in sun-bleached roads with white ascots and motorcycle tokusatsu heroes with orange sunglasses, and there we go

@thesketchsector helped solve a design issue I had at the start- I couldn't figure out how to get the nose to look, I kept experimenting with black button noses and he looked like a dog and non-Sonic. Mark reminded me Ohshima drew a Sonic Monkey. The eyes are based on C. Espio's.

 

 

Some cover variants for #42

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A cover & preview for #45

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The ROAD TO #50 starts here! Enjoy a TEN-ISSUE long adventure leading up to the EPIC SHOWDOWN in milestone issue #50.

ROAD TRIP!!! The girls; Amy, Jewel, Tangle, and Belle, are heading off on a well-deserved camping trip. Between Dr. Eggman, Dr. Starline, and the Deadly Six, life has been a bit stressful, so they hope rest and relaxation will bring them some peace. Unfortunately… tensions are high and Amy’s fortune card readings leave everyone feeling confused. Can the girls extinguish the awkwardness before it burns out of control? Find out in “TRIAL BY FIRE,” part one by Evan Stanley.

Estimated release date: September 2021

Production

• Writer: Evan Stanley
• Artist: Evan Stanley

Cover Artists

• A: Evan Stanley
• B: Diana Skelly
• RI: Nathalie Fourdraine

Please note that Evan says

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The solicits make it look like the next story arc in Sonic is all about road tripping, but that's just one part-- it's really more about camping. Lettin' ya know so nobody gets their hopes for nonstop eye spy/punch buggy/red car blue car action

 

 

 

Also, Evan Stanley did a Sonic 30th Anniversary art

[Kuzu]

One has to wonder how she has to shoehorn Sonic into this next arc. No way Sega will a whole story arc go without its lead.

[charmsb]

1 hour ago, Kuzu said:

One has to wonder how she has to shoehorn Sonic into this next arc. No way Sega will a whole story arc go without its lead.

What do you mean shoehorn? He's literally a part of this arc and has been since the beginning of the issue 41.

[Zaysho]

1 hour ago, Kuzu said:

One has to wonder how she has to shoehorn Sonic into this next arc. No way Sega will a whole story arc go without its lead.

I mean the Chao races did it fine with Sonic being mostly the "B" plot. I think it was more of an issue in the second story she did, and I'm not even sure that one's entirely Evan's fault. This being a much longer storyline even with the big milestone issue being halfway through seems like it may work better.

[Kuzu]

32 minutes ago, charmsb said:

What do you mean shoehorn? He's literally a part of this arc and has been since the beginning of the issue 41.

I meant the next one after this arc.

[charmsb]

2 minutes ago, Kuzu said:

I meant the next one after this arc.

I was under the impression that the whole camping arc thing was part of the larger zeti hunt arc.

[Kuzu]

3 minutes ago, Zaysho said:

I mean the Chao races did it fine with Sonic being mostly the "B" plot. I think it was more of an issue in the second story she did, and I'm not even sure that one's entirely Evan's fault. This being a much longer storyline even with the big milestone issue being halfway through seems like it may work better.

I only said that, because Chaos races made it seem like it was gonna be an arc surrounding Amy, Cream and Rouge before the climax expanded to everyone.

I mostly expected the arc to not have Sonic whatsoever to have more focus on the girls, and would have preferred it that way.

But iirc, Sega demands that Sonic be featured in every issue of the main book in some way.

Just now, charmsb said:

I was under the impression that the whole camping arc thing was part of the larger zeti hunt arc.

Its not. Every arc is four issues. Zeti hunt is written by Flynn and spans #41-#44. Evan is writing the camping arc.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

I’m gonna come back with my full thoughts later, but I’m just gonna say it - and I never thought I would - I want a Classic series running alongside the Main one. This is exactly what I needed, just some fairly light adventuring with fun art and character moments. IDW hasn’t really been hitting that stride for me personally, with interesting and fun premises seemingly constantly having to devolve back to high stakes or some big fight at the end. Classic has it too but it feels better balanced, I guess? It’s hard to articulate but this is easily the best IDW has been since #24.

[VO.SUPER]

I was listening to Sunset City, and Game Apologist mentioned how the 30th anniversary book reminded him of a sharper version of early Archie. And I gotta agree. 

It feels like what those issues wanted to be, snappy, funny, but also well drawn and scripted with a huge love for the series rather than just a job. I wouldnt mind if we got more one offs like this because it'd be a nice break from the serialized main series. 

[SBR2]

7 hours ago, Kuzu said:

One has to wonder how she has to shoehorn Sonic into this next arc. No way Sega will a whole story arc go without its lead.

Since there's apparently 10 issues I'm guessing there's a miniseries coming and part of me wonders if they managed to convince Sega to have the main book focus on Amy and the girls while Sonic leads the miniseries.

[Dejimon11]

I’d rather have a Sonic Universe styled book than anything. 

[SBR2]

2 hours ago, Dejimon11 said:

I’d rather have a Sonic Universe styled book than anything. 

Honestly same. Hell I honestly don't see why they can't use the name. IDW already had a book called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe...granted they oversized it and made it 5-6 bucks an issue and that leas to it only lasting 25 issues but still.

[Red Hot Jack]

Depends for me, if they manage to make Classic feel unique enough and different than Modern, then a Classic book is justified, it has enough charm for me for now but I am not sure I would follow a rather long ongoing run (probably yes, given how much an IDW fanboy I am), but yeah I'd rather have a Universe-esque book.

Again, I'm like super biased, but I liked everything in "season 3" except for Test Run which I thought was a pointless test, rather empty and slow paced.

Chao Races arc had a lot of cool plots that made it a full and fun experience, including the Shadow stuff which was arguably the best (or least bad) in his IDW run so far, Belle of course... I want to see her more fleshed out but also take part to more adventures, Starline as big bad (I still need to see his backstory by the way! I demand it!), Zavok doing villain speeches, and a lot more Tails, who was surprisingly not much seen in the first 2 seasons, not as much as I would think. Sonic and Amy were also top written.

The new issue was also great and of course this Classic one shot which was somehow different from Mega Drive, not a repeat, but I kinda wanted

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to see Super Sonic given the emeralds were there, and Honey since she was featured in the New Years wallpaper, she is strangely absent here, maybe it was already a big cast so that is why?

So I would say a good month with a solid run of comics, a lot better than what we got in the previous months, which was basically nothing lol, 3 issues of action with no plot and a small focused cast.

Also, the newest solicit: I like it, I'm a bit perplexed that Whisper is the new Shadow, she only shows up in a big conflict, but yeah I like the girls camping and Amy reading her tarot cards again, I'm all for this fun adventure!

[Dr. Mechano]

24 minutes ago, Jack-al said:

Depends for me, if they manage to make Classic feel unique enough and different than Modern, then a Classic book is justified, it has enough charm for me for now but I am not sure I would follow a rather long ongoing run (probably yes, given how much an IDW fanboy I am), but yeah I'd rather have a Universe-esque book.

I think one reason I'd love to see a classic book is because the stakes in this anniversary special seemed a little more... relaxed?

Eggman's still a villain, but he's able to be on somewhat amicable terms with his enemies. We get to see Sonic at his downtime, doing an activity as mundane as learning to drive. Even Heavy King - a traitor - gets a mild scolding before being welcomed back into the Eggman Empire with open arms, and he reciprocates by throwing Eggman a big birthday party with the other Badniks later - a scenario that works and feels believable here, but probably wouldn't in the main IDW series.

There's just this laid back, safe, "cozy" feeling about all three of the stories in this special, and I feel like exploring more of this setting could be a fun alternative to the main IDW series. It fills a different niche than the main comic (which I still like), as a book that's a mix of lighthearted adventures and outright slice-of-life scenarios - like a better Sonic Boom, I guess.

I know it won't happen, but that's why I'd personally be for it.

[Wraith]

I'd prefer more lighthearted/slice of life scenarios be set in the same universe as the main book. It'd help flesh out the characters and the world so those bigger stories feel more impactful.

[Mauro Fonseca]

There is no reason the tone and format that was such a success here can't be transposed to the mainline book, yes. Not overwrite it entirely, for all the grumping about zombot arc there's people who like it and arcs as that; but to give it some variety. Evan's already trying to put a step towards that with the shorter character-driven arcs, but hopefully more'll be done.

[Kuzu]

I think context is important too; the classic anniversary book has way more content than anything seen in the main book. It's basically an entire story arc and short scenarios as well.  It's cute for what it is, but I'd imagine people would get bored very quickly once the novelty wears off. 

I think the Classic book only works as well as it does because its coming off the very heavy action orientated main book, which very rarely has much down time to speak of. 

 

Not that it wouldn't be cute, but there's nothing in the Classic book that wouldn't really work in the main book. Someone said it best, most of the cast are almost indistinguishable from their modern counterparts, with the main difference being the stakes are significantly lower .

[VO.SUPER]

Thats really the thing. A break should be short. Which is why I prefer one-off stories otherwise you just get long stretches of kind of dull and low stakes narratives. 

Like the recent Chao and Tower arcs, which are fine in theory but went on too long for what they were, both storywise and time-frame wise. 

[Wraith]

I think it's interesting that those arcs had pretty substantial character beats toward the end despite all the meandering in the middle. It's like the opposite problem I usually have with Ian(usually an engaging read in the moment but can't stick the landing, making the overall story feel underwhelming.)

 

[SBR2]

I gotta be honest if you guys think 4 issues is too long never read any Brian Michael Bendis comics. The man stretched Spider-Man's origin out across 7 issues.