I've always been curious about Fleetway as a whole because I love how different each Sonic adaption was in the nineties, for better or worse. I'm curious about what's considered the best content from Fleetway, as I know a lot about it but don't have time to read it outright. I'm looking for the most original ideas they had; for example I remember reading about an issue where an evil Sonic appeared who turned out to be an extra life that escaped from its monitor, or a villain who was made out of Megamuck, interesting ideas like that that no other adaption did.
Wow, even in a story about a sniping assassination, they can't say "kill." And what's Tails so hesitant for? The man's whole outfit is a giant target!
Just gonna leave these here =P https://www.sonicretro.org/2011/04/how-fleetway-played-the-games-part-one-of-flying-battleships-and-space-eggs/ https://www.sonicretro.org/2011/07/how-fleetway-played-the-games-part-2-of-time-stones-and-shrink-lasers/ https://www.sonicretro.org/2011/11/how-fleetway-played-the-games-part-3-of-emeralds-and-echidnas/ https://www.sonicretro.org/2012/12/how-fleetway-played-the-games-part-4-of-evacuating-and-electricians/ https://www.sonicretro.org/2012/12/how-fleetway-played-the-games-part-5-of-ice-repairing/ https://www.sonicretro.org/2013/12/how-fleetway-played-the-games-part-6-of-master-emeralds-and-death-eggs/ https://www.sonicretro.org/2015/01/how-fleetway-played-the-games-part-7-of-chaotix-and-metallixes/ https://www.sonicretro.org/2016/01/fleetway-played-games-part-8-flickies-space-marines/ https://www.sonicretro.org/2017/03/fleetway-played-games-part-9-chaos-chaos-emeralds/ https://www.sonicretro.org/2017/04/fleetway-played-games-part-10-prosecutors-goodbyes/ I especially recommend reading the S3&K arc, it's widely regarded as one of the best stories the comic did, especially the S&K section. Warning that link #9 and #10 here have major spoilers for the end of the comic.
Basically, everything by the Nigel Kitching (writer) and Richard Elson (artist/co-plotter) duo. Also the Nigel Kitching and Nigel Dobbyn Knuckles stories. #7-10: Establishes the basics. #18-19: First two-parter, the "look" of the series starts to form. #21-28: Amy Rose, Sonic CD etc. This is where it really kicks into gear. #33-38: Sonic 3. #39-44: First Knuckles solo backup serial, picks up immediately from the Sonic 3 adaptation. #45, 47-53: Sonic & Knuckles. #53-58: Knuckles backup serial, very loose Chaotix game tie-in. #59-62: Sonic story that acts as a sequel to the Knuckles/Chaotix story. #67-72: Return of Chaotix, sequel to the previous two stories. #65-72: The Knuckles backup serials get Nigel Dobbyn on art and establish their own identity. #80-82, 84-86: Fan favourite Super Sonic story, sets up a new direction for the next few months of Sonic stories. There's a lot more beyond this of course, the swords-n-sorcery Tails stories were a fun take and some of Lew Stringer's pre -#100 stories were decent (mainly the Shortfuse, Metamorphia and Brutus stories). The Kitching/Elson Sonic continued to be strong throughout the entire run, as did the Kitching/Dobbyn Knuckles stories (which sadly disappeared some time after #100). But I feel that the stories listed above are the best of the "Golden Age of STC" and the most accessible to the uninitiated.
Something about the thought of Tails killing Robotnik just feels so wrong. Like, he's evil and all, but he's such a familiar face it'd be like killing a family friend or something. It'd be like the Coyote killing the Road Runner. I can't believe they even put a gun in a kids comic!
Got my copies of most of the issues I had recently. Been posting a few pieces from it. Had a rough patch or two near the end with poor ideas (Amy & Tekno through history, Mick McMahon's art), it had some real great spots. I've been scanning in & posting a bunch on Hedgeblog.
Man, when Fleetway was good, it was good. I always had a soft spot for the Tails' weird ass RPG adventure spinoff stories as well, although whether it was acually any good is up for debate. :v:
Thanks to everyone who has posted so far. A lot of good content for me to look through when I find time.
My favourite thing about Amy & Tekno's Excellent Adventures was that it was described later by one of the staff (I think Kitching?) as "Lesbians in Space" =P
Pretty sure there was a bit in one of the Knuckles strips which originally had a scene where a lynch mob put a noose around his neck and strung him up. That got edited before printing though.
Richard Elson's art in STC was absolutely sublime. The Super Sonic arc, the Metallix arc, the Drakon Empire Arc, God Robotnik, they all have great artwork.
This topic is about the British "Fleetway" comics, or "Sonic the Comic" (StC). The image you posted is from the American Archie Sonic comics. Er, not that I actually read StC. I know everyone talks about Elson's artwork, and it is very clean and refined, but I can't get past the character designs, both of new characters and the Sonic crew. It's not even really the artist's fault in that regard, that's just the way things went in the 90s with regards to Sonic design, but it irks me that by the time Archie got to Adventure, Sonic looked like Sonic, but by the time Fleetway did, he looked even less like himself. Plus, Sonic is an asshole in Fleetway. I hate the drama in Archie but can he just give Tails a break?
I don't mind Sonic being kind of a dick but he is just ruthless in StC. Poor Tails indeed. One arc I did enjoy though was when Robotnik was turned into a living emerald and wrapped time to a reality where Sonic never existed. It was interesting to see. Although in that reality, Tails was dead :v: And the art... yea. I'd like to see a StC story redrawn to actually fit the Sonic Universe.
You know, Sonic was a dick in the beginning, but not always. Arrogant, yes, but he did care for people, especially his friends. He cared about Porker Lewis breaking down, he even go to the floating island to check on him. He was deeply saddened by Johnny's death and even ran away for a moment to get his sh*t together. He fell on his knees when Robotnik, who at that time rewrote time, implied that Tails drowned and died. And those are just examples, but you'd know it if you read the comic And chara-design-wise, I find Archie more off model than StC, especially for non games characters, really :/
