Sonic the Hedgehog IDW: Halloween Special - Reader Reaction & Review

[Sonictrainer]

Post here to discuss the Spooky Month Special Issue

[MetalSkulkBane]

Sigh, nobody wants to throw a first comment? Anybody? I'm a bit sad to see how little discussion is in the comic sub-forum.

Another thing that makes me sad: this special.

This... is probably the worst IDW Sonic so far.

Art is passable. Nothing terrible but Jack Lawrence isn't really trying. Halloween costumes are boring (Sonic doesn't even have one?), the faces are really not expressive, no background gags and the action is meh.
But the story. It has no jokes (unless "Yehaw mode" somehow made you laugh). All three leads are very flat and they barely count as leads. I don't know why Sonic and Tails are here (other than to boost sales), because they outdo Chaotix in their own story as detectives. What detective work they do is pathetically easy, but that's all there was.
The story starts with Chaotix just leaving for trick-or-treating yet somehow other people already were finishing. Very tiny complaint, but it will pill up. Then they go find stolen candies, Sonic and Tails join and use tech to figure out where screams came from and speed to find a clue in plain sight... are you guys even needed? Everyone here is overqualified for this. And then we have drawn out and weirdly dramatic battle against... few kids? Did we need 5 superheroes against A FEW KIDS?
Then we have the stupidest scene with Gem made of sugar, does anyone know what was the point of this?  To kill 4 panels? Followed by a reformation that would make My Little Pony slap its face in embarrassment and finally heroes return the candy... to every kid in town. And they have leftovers. HOW??? Did evil kids rob a candy store? Did one kid just walk around with a truck full of candy and now get half a small bag? It's basic math people, a few kids were robbed, whole town gets them back.

 

I feel like apologizing to every other IDW story I ever insulted. They could been disappointing or annoyed me, but this is stupid. And lame. And mind-numbing. This isn't even Sonic, it's My Little Pony, a bad one. Written by someone who knows little about Sonic so he just wrote a story for kiddies, with nothing that makes Sonic story a Sonic story. And even on it's own merits, it's just bad.

The only way I could see it somewhat working if this was a Charmy-solo story. Then lower stakes, sillier tone and general scope would feel forgivable. At least I could say "Good for you bee boy, you did it all on your own." But that's not the case.

[Sega DogTagz]

1 hour ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

 

I feel like apologizing to every other IDW story I ever insulted.

lol. Thats one way to prop up the rest of the comic. Create a new low water mark.

 

I know why IDW is pumping out all these specials. but stuff like this really doesn't seem to be worth the effort.

[caitash]

This one was a disappointment all-around unfortunately, and that’s coming from someone who generally has a positive outlook on the IDW run.

[TangleTangerine]

Diamond Comic grumblings aside as they messed up the physical release once again. I caved and bought the digital edition to join in on the topic and a few pages in I regretted ever doing that. 

I agree with a bunch of points @MetalSkulkBaneput out. It really felt they had a B team on this one off and makes me concerned about my Winter jam order. As physical collectors have to put in their order 2 months in advance. 

The art and understanding of Sonic characters anatomy was off as well. To give a few examples in no particular order:

• Page 21 panel 2 looks like the back of the kid's head is caved in
• Page 20 panel 4 looks like the Rat(?) has voluntarily snapped their own neck
• Page 10 panel 4 what is going on with the cheek scruff/fur of the dog/fox I have never seen it ever drawn like that

In addition the sheer amount of profile shots found in this one shot makes me wonder if they drew artists in to this project and subjected them to crunch time conditions. The other theory is that they are trailing a B team on the one offs.

---

I understand that IDW sonic is a junior comic aimed at a young audience however they really double gloved the mittens when handling the topic of Halloween. Nothing anywhere horror like was present in this comic unless you count the fake out for Mecha sonic and the 2 panels from a point of view from a lurker in the woods.

This comic was doomed as soon as they story was green lit from the writers in my book. How much more exciting would it be if instead of "X stole my candy!" it was "Rumours of a metal virus bot is lurking in an abandoned haunted house scaring kids who are loosing their candy. Help Chaotix!" Still sticks to a kid friendly story and builds alot more intrigue. As did sonic and silver really get it all? 

Overall a big disappointment. If I wasn't propping up the local comic store I would've canned my order.

[PC the Hedgehog]

You could have legit replaced the Sonic characters with any generic characters and had basically the same story. Super bland.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Haven't read the issue yet, but kind of shocking how this is a new low, especially for what should've been a slam dunk. I mean, I like the Chaotix and all, but I feel like there could've been a good story of Team Sonic investigating a house haunted by Boom Boos or something, maybe a little expansion of Knuckles' fear of ghosts. Could even make it happen during a thunderstorm and throw Tails' fear of those in too.

I said it before that it feels like all the uncertainty going on at IDW, they're doubling, tripling, and quadrupling down on these specials to squeeze as much money out of Sonic as possible. The 900th Adventure reeked of it as well, given the fact that it not only didn't really feel like a celebration of comic history, but the 900 adventures in-universe didn't even really add up (Numerous arcs in Archie/IDW were all the same adventure, so if you go off that, the count is off). Feels even lamer that the 900th adventure was not a one-off.

Endless Summer suffered from the same thing but kind of managed to get propped back up by the Riders callbacks. The Halloween issue from the sounds of it doesn't even get that, and I suspect Winter Jam will be more of the same.

[Gruffin]

I thought it was a fun little adventure, though definitely written for a younger audience than usual.

It's odd that everyone got a Halloween costume except for Sonic.

[MetalSkulkBane]

43 minutes ago, Gruffin said:

I thought it was a fun little adventure, though definitely written for a younger audience than usual.

It's odd that everyone got a Halloween costume except for Sonic.

Good for you, but I'm curious: is there anything you can praise about the story? Scene, joke, character? Or are you of "eh, good enough" mood?

[Gruffin]

44 minutes ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Good for you, but I'm curious: is there anything you can praise about the story? Scene, joke, character? Or are you of "eh, good enough" mood?

I liked the initial exchange between the Chaotix about full-sized bars and asking about a 'commission'. It charmed me because it reminded me of my own dad when I was trick-or-treating age.

Otherwise it's an 'eh, good enough' for me. Younger readers would likely get more out of this than I did, and I'm fine with that.

[Silvereyes]

On 10/12/2023 at 7:07 PM, MetalSkulkBane said:

This... is probably the worst IDW Sonic so far.

Personally, I think Test Run is still the bottom of the IDW run thus far, but then, that's because that storyline is 4 issues and is very dull and feels like little is accomplished within it. Saying that though, this Halloween special is bottom tier and seems to join a few IDW specials/one offs that feel very forgettable. (The Team Sonic Racing tie-in, the second movie tie-in, 2022 FCBD, 900th Adventure.)

I am curious what the rationale is behind these specials, or indeed, the current plan for the IDW run at the moment. With the shorter stories later in the main book, the recent announcement that the next mini-series will be Classic continuity, and having a Summer, Halloween, and Winter specials, it's hard not to feel like IDW is just sortof doing lots of low stakes, small stories rather than anything ambitious or long. I don't know if that had to do with some of the IDW staff being busy with the Superstars animation and tie-in comic? Or if this is just with the state of IDW trying not to do anything committal incase something happens at the company? Pure speculation, I am rather hopeful we get something a bit meatier down the line. Or my eternal hope: a second IDW continuity main book.

[MetalSkulkBane]

Test Run was kinda meh, but had
1) good start with mystery and cool visuals
2) Pretty decent first encounter between Belle and Eggman, generally story moving forward
3) Art by Adam Bryan Thomas & Stanley (a bit rushed, but still)
4) Tangle being Tangle
It failed because it started with ambitious crazy-reality, mind-bending, law-defying mystery and ran out of ideas mind 2nd issue.

This story is only 1,5 issue long, but it's still should accomplish something, anything. Compare it to Summer Special. it wasn't great but
- fun artwork, fancy new outfits (can't believe halloween loses in this category)
- some kind of arc for Jewel
- Giving Rouges a bit of spotlight, enjoy while it lasts
- novelty of heroes doing sand castles and beach ball and stuff
- Tangle being Tangle
Meanwhile Halloween feels like same old, but with zero stakes and waste of the setting and characters. You could make it Chaotix-only or Sonic/Tails-only adventure and nothing significant.

Edited October 31, 2023 by MetalSkulkBane

[sonicclaasic]

I thought the Halloween Special was ok to read but like everyone else saying not the greatest.

[Silvereyes]

On 10/31/2023 at 8:32 AM, MetalSkulkBane said:

Test Run was kinda meh, but had...

Those are lots of good points. I suppose for me, it's a matter of expectations. I went into the Halloween Special with none, so didn't feel disappointed. With the main book, I want things to feel like they are moving forward, as well as being good and worth my time. Test Run definetly has some highs, like with Belle and Eggman's interaction, whereas this Halloween special doesn't really have any.