Megathread Archie Sonic Main Discussion

[Celestia]

Honestly, it doesn't bug me, since I don't take covers too literally most of the time, whether it's Marvel and DC or Archie or so on and so forth. Tails showing up on the covers informed me that he'd probably be there in some capacity, but I wasn't expecting him to (or not to) have a big role.

[Kuzu]

Because well, returning to the Sonic context here, if Tails is a focus in the covers, you expect him to be a bit more useful and better written, especially if you're a Tails fan. Not necessarily to steal the spotlight, but a bit more meat to him.

 

I suspect the argument of "and if the FF are that dependent on Tails to sell then Tails deserves more respect" was more an extreme to point out that going with the argument of "Tails was only there to sell covers and that's fine" is denigrating to everyone involved- apparently the FF are so crap they need a SEGA character in the cover to sell, and Tails is so crap that despite being useful he's not worth writing fine.

 

Or "don't sacrifice some characters for others".

 

I'm rambling at this point, sorry.

 

Just for the record, I even said on Bumbleking that I wished he did more to justify his presence and that he was pretty superfluous to the arc as a whole. I just don't see it as "disrespecting" a character, but rather what Psi described, just not having a place to fit them in the arc but still needing to sell it. 

[FriendBot]

I can agree that Tails in this arc wasn't really all that important in the grand scheme of things. Granted, he did flew the team into Isolated Island (Chaotix references FTW), find the Chaos Emerald and tinkering with some computers. But when it comes to the character moments, Tails hardly has any. Big had his moments and they were genuinely nice and adorable as well. But yeah, I don't think it's that big of a deal but it can be an issue plotwise.

 

As for my overall thoughts on Spark of Life, it's pretty good.

 

As much as I love Nicole as a character, this arc doesn't do a whole lot for me. Granted, some moments were really good like the aforementioned moments with Big and the "grey area" invloving Dr. Ellidy's feelings towards Nicole and all that jazz. I liked Sally defending Nicole when Ellidy said to not risk her life for a "simple AI". It's those kind of conflicts I feel are missing in the games or conflicts in general.

 

I also really liked Phage as well. The way she looks and talks is very creepy to me and I love it. Can't wait to see more of her soon!

 

I did have some issues like the arc not really getting "started" until the end of Issue 2 but that could be just me and Tails could have some more substance or atleast have some character moments as well like Big.

 

So yeah, overall a good arc but wouldn't say it's my favorite out of the post-reboot issues. I prefer Great Chaos Caper and Total Eclipse over it.

[Zaysho]

I haven't finished "Spark of Life" yet, so my two cents probably doesn't matter, but regarding Tails on the covers... he's really not even a prominent part of any of the covers, either being shown equal to the other cast members or not represented at all, with the exception of the shitty SEGA stock art variant, so I think people just had the wrong expectations from the solicitations. I will agree he's rather forgettable and doesn't do much (Big does a whole lot more), and it sucks he's gotten the short end of the stick for two arcs running concurrently, but he was never hyped as a selling point for this story; NICOLE was. Maybe his presence was a small factor for SEGA or Archie editorial in getting it set up, but his simply being in a supporting role (for someone not named Sonic, at least) isn't an issue.

 

That said, I would rather he wasn't shoved in for whatever reason, or if he had to be, that Flynn and Baker had taken some steps to write him a little better, but that's about it.

[ThatGuy]

-Ian doesn't plan on importing many of the AoStH cast.

 

I'm okay with this

[E-122-Psi]

I admit I would be interested in seeing SEGA actually give the alternate media characters a chance and testing their draw appeal. Try slapping them on some stories alone or even attempting some merchandise. I'm not sure exactly how well Sally sold under this strategy in the nineties (eg. the Sydney SEGA World merchandise) but since the internet ensures the comic and cartoons aren't TOO obscure for casual fans these days, it could be worth testing things out.

[ThatGuy]

I'd rather have a continuation than a loose adaptation. Unlikely I know, but it's that general feeling of replacement, and when a 20 year old show can't fight back it's a somewhat unfair fight.

 

I just think a lot of the ideas and characters used by AoStH could be done very well in the right hands, but they can't be done in the setting of the Archie comic because it's a very different tone and universe. However, I will give the Archie comic the fact that it does pull off a fair story for them, it's just it could so very easily have been a different set of original characters and no-one would have blinked.

 

That all being said, Wes Weasley and the S6 work fairly well and feel like as they were in AoStH, so maybe as minor/background comedic characters they will work.

[Sonic is a Care Bear]

It'd be impossible to make a cartoon like AoStH these days. Flash animation and networks moving to a sitcom or modern spongebob style humor have seen to that.

 

I think there are still a few viable characters that would work in the new continuity; Da Bears, Katella, Captain Rescue would all make for worthy additions to the comic. But if you go much beyond that it starts getting to satam levels of bottom of the barrel scraping.

[ThatGuy]

Well I was thinking more along the lines of a comic mini-series (like Boom!s Darkwing Duck), but yeah it's beyond hypothetical.

 

As for those suggestions, I dunno, I just don't see them having the same charm as the originals did. Though Captain Rescue would probably work very well as a comedic character. Katella on the other hand, well, I just fear Ian would try to make her really serious or try and turn her into a generic villain or something.

 

I fully admit I'm just being an old whiner at this point, which is strange seeing as I barely rile up about anything in the Sonic fandom, green eyes? Eh. Sonic Boom Designs? Eh. Kiddy/TooDeep4U plots? Eh. CHANGE MY AOSTH?! YOU RAT SCUNNERS! Thinking about it, it's probably entirely due to the fact that AoStH does not get much love or attention at all. As well as the fact that by my own admission it's not a great show to begin with, so when it gets rewritten for the comics it's inevitably going to be out-shined. The problem though is that when they move beyond small roles they lose a fair bit of their identity. I don't know, it just feels superficial, Breezie could have just been called Oprah and besides the kidnapping backstory it wouldn't have made a difference.

 

Maybe I should just write a fan comic.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Now that you guys bring her up, Katella would actually make a GREAT replacement for Regina Ferrum (the Iron Queen), if you ask me.

 

Regional Egg Boss for Eggman in the United Federation territories, Independent Bounty Hunter like Team Hooligans, hell, an independent ruler of her own country that antagonizes Sonic and co. I would not mind any of them.

[ThatGuy]

I think it would be better if she were a bounty hunter (or better yet, an Amazonian extra-terrestrial like in the show). We've already got an Egg Boss who has a serious liking to Eggman.

 

I just really don't want Ian to give her some hash backstory, just make her a supremely superior 'just cause' one off villain who terrorises everyone and then sods off like in the show.

[E-122-Psi]

Screw that, bring Quark into the comics. He was a great rival for Robotnik in AoSth. Imagine boosting him to go up against the more big league Archie rendition.

[ThatGuy]

Screw that, bring Quark into the comics. He was a great rival for Robotnik in AoSth. Imagine boosting him to go up against the more big league Archie rendition.

 

Now this I could get behind, he would translate much easier to the comics, as could D.U.F.U.S.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I think it would be better if she were a bounty hunter (or better yet, an Amazonian extra-terrestrial like in the show). We've already got an Egg Boss who has a serious liking to Eggman.

I don't see how one more would hurt. Or if she was completely neutral to Eggman instead of liking him.

 

Doesn't have to be 100% like the original one.

[ThatGuy]

I don't see how one more would hurt. Or if she was completely neutral to Eggman instead of liking him.

 

Doesn't have to be 100% like the original one.

[Drawloverlala]

but.. hey.. apart from AOSTH characters Ian can also introduce SatAM characters

i'd love to see Lupe and the werehog interacting together.. (she would think its a really ugly wolf  hahaha   )

[Your Vest Friend]

But it sounds like he won't introduce any more SatAM characters for certain. Not even sure he wants many more AoStH characters.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

I wouldn't mind one or two of the Boom characters making a cameo, like Perci. 

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

but.. hey.. apart from AOSTH characters Ian can also introduce SatAM characters

i'd love to see Lupe and the werehog interacting together.. (she would think its a really ugly wolf  hahaha   )

 

 

But it sounds like he won't introduce any more SatAM characters for certain. Not even sure he wants many more AoStH characters.

 

Lupe was in the old continuity, and she and Dulcy were mentioned in 257, and Ian said that any returning SATAM characters that still existed would be mentioned in that arc

 

here's the page where they are mentioned

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

"completely neutral to Eggman instead of liking him"

Why not just make new character then?

Because we have an old one to build off of, which saves a lot more time and effort in addition to giving the old some new life?

So why not do that and give nostalgia a purpose? What's wrong with that?

Not like it would be that big a difference either, as if you recall everything in the episode she debuted in,she was actually done with Eggman at the end of the episode in AOSTH.

[Your Vest Friend]

Lupe was in the old continuity, and she and Dulcy were mentioned in 257, and Ian said that any returning SATAM characters that still existed would be mentioned in that arc

 

 

Yes, and because they're named and already in the comic, they don't come under the 'any more' spectrum. But any we haven't had seen or namedropped so far? Nope.

[ThatGuy]

Because we have an old one to build off of, which saves a lot more time and effort in addition to giving the old some new life?

So why not do that and give nostalgia a purpose? What's wrong with that?

Not like it would be that big a difference either, as if you recall everything in the episode she debuted in,she was actually done with Eggman at the end of the episode in AOSTH.

Because, first and foremost, making Katella work for Eggman defeats the purpose of her character. She doesn't serve anyone except for her own interests (mercenary remember?), the whole point is she is an independent spirit who wants Eggman as a possession. Plus she was ony done with Eggman because of his mother.

 

Secondly, I actually would like a character to feel like said character, as a continuation, rather than slapping a name on the Iron Queen and changing her background slightly. Just because most people don't care about Katella doesn't mean I don't, I'd rather write a character like her to feel like a loving tribute rather than some reskin of another character for a cheap nostalgia-b##er.

 

Sorry, I just get passionate about these things.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Because, first and foremost, making Katella work for Eggman defeats the purpose of her character. She doesn't serve anyone except for her own interests, the whole point is she is an independent spirit who wants Eggman as a possession. Plus she was ony done with Eggman because of his mother.

Okay, well here she can be an amalgamation of her old traits and with some new ones - alternate setting, alternate rules. Kinda why i said she could replace the Iron Queen, who was working under Eggman but was planning to take everything he had, because she could be a perfect fit for that. And whether she was done because of his mother is completely irrelevant to my point.

Secondly, I actually would like a character to feel like said character, as a continuation, rather than slapping a name on the Iron Queen and changing her background slightly. Just because you don't care about Katella doesn't mean I don't, I'd rather write a character like her to feel like a loving tribute rather than some reskin of another character for a cheap nostalgia-b##er.

Okay, first off you have no goddamned clue what I think about Katella, so stop pretending like you do. If I didn't care about Katella, I wouldn't bother suggesting this stuff in the first place, nor would I be defending it either.

Second, just because I'm suggesting this stuff doesn't mean I don't want it as a continuation. But I am aware of the setting and how different it is compared to where Katella was originally from, meaning a Katella here would need changes to fit in this setting to work. It's not different for every other character, up to the main star Sonic himself. All in all, I not that stiff over changes when it comes to adapting old characters in a new setting.

[Mauro Fonseca]

Would she? She was very much a foreigner in AoSTH too. It was kinda the point, she was completely outside the frame of reference for the characters, an alien hunter who suddenly appears and is even more powerful than Eggman.

Don't see why that has to change at all in a setting where we have Black Arms and Wisps.

[ThatGuy]

Okay, well here she can be an amalgamation of her old traits and with some new ones - alternate setting, alternate rules. Kinda why i said she could replace the Iron Queen, who was working under Eggman but was planning to take everything he had, and whether she was done because of his mother is completely irrelevant to my point.

Okay, first off you have no goddamned clue what I think about Katella, so stop pretending like you do. If I didn't care about Katella, I wouldn't bother suggesting this stuff in the first place, nor would I be defending it either.

Second, just because I'm suggesting this stuff doesn't mean I don't want it as a continuation. But I am aware of the setting and how different it is compared to where Katella was originally from, meaning a Katella here would need changes to fit in this setting to work. It's not different for every other character, up to the main star Sonic himself.

What's wrong with her being a bounty hunter? Why change her from a free-roamer to someone who has to work for Eggman, even if it's for some grand-scheme? What's wrong with just having a good old fashioned one-shot character?

 

Forget it, it's going to be another character who will supplant the old version regardless of how well it gets adapted because Flynn certainly doesn't care about Katella.