I wouldn't say Sonic was doing so hot for them. After the reboot, comics were doing 8,000-10,000 sales with some arcs dropping into 6,000 (I think it was spark of life that didn't sold well.) I even remember last year Jughead was outselling Sonic for a couple of months. Maybe in the long it wasn't worth it for Archie to keep paying for the license and for Sega to keep dealing with them. This way Archie can focus on Archie and Riverdale (which btw guys it's actually doing good contrary to popular belief) and Sega can find a better home for Sonic. Sucks that the 300 milestone wasn't reached and that Mega Drive wasn't concluded though but life's a bitch I guess.
Sonic Overdrive must be published as a swan song for the Archie comics. I really want to see it published.
We would hear little things here and there, but considering the level these talks were being had at, it would have been very strange for a bunch of contractors to be looped in on it all. I wasn't very optimistic, but I tend to hope for the best in most situations. It's a shame to think of all the work that was completed but never released. Both mine, and others. I'd say the biggest disappointment is just how much a fizzle this whole situation wound up being. I was hoping a best case scenario would have been a short term contract extension to at least send the comic to a respectful end. But to just drop out in the middle of several storylines is such a thud of an ending to a series being made by people who cared so much. Until the whole story behind this whole thing inevitably spills though, I would just say please don't be too hasty to blame one party or the other. This whole thing is likely a very complicated situation. For now though, thanks for reading the books all these years and the entire crew is grateful for the support.
Ouch. Nothing's worst than having a story arc get axed mid-flow. I find it funny that the UK Sonic the Comic (a comic that quite nicely tied up it's story and loose ends with a nice finale before being cancelled) got a fan continuation in the form of StC Online despite not really needing it. I wonder what the odds are of a similar thing happening now? Of course miniscule to non-existent. Fleetway's staff were always chill and weren't exactly too fussed about what fans on the Internet did, but to expect that from current year Archie, SEGA and even the lurking Penders? Impossible. In a perfect world, it would be great to see the story arcs (both pre and post-genesis wave) concluded some day, even unofficially. Anyway, I ain't really going anywhere with this. The whole thing just fucking sucks and as a UK boy who never grew up with Archie, I feel the most for the fans who grew up with it. So to all of us, and all the Archie crew who wanted to keep this going POUR A DRINK OUT, PEOPLE. WE'RE ALL GONNA NEED IT.
What's will now happen to all of the unreleased stuff? Will Archie shred it or will they just lock it away forever? Right now I'm just hoping for another continuation of Lost Hedgehog Tales.
There actually is a fan continuation of the series similar to STC Online, however it's a continuation of the pre reboot universe. They have 3 Sonic Universe esq prolouge comics out now (titled Mobius Legends), they're pretty good. Here's their site. http://archiesoniconline.com
Hopefully, this brief statement is just Sega putting the bad news first. Since we're dealing with San Diego Comic-Con in the coming week, I imagine they'll have something positive to say about Sonic comics at a comic convention.
Wow. That's actually pretty good, and exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of. That's surprising since I felt with the current legal tension going on, and the likes of Penders trying to put his filthy flag on whatever he can, fan comics like this would be off the table. Then again I'm not a pro at what's okay and what isn't. I think now more than ever, work like this needs support, even if it's some off-the-record guidance from the Archie team. The Fans have always shown they're able to make Sonic work when SEGA isn't quite able to. (although tbh I'm speaking as if we're not going to hear any future positive news about Sonic as a comic series, which I'm still hoping we will)
Penders is an asshat, but I'm pretty sure he's said before how he's ok with his characters being used in fan scenarios as long as they slap a (C) Ken Penders in there somewhere, which they do for Evil Sonic/Scourge. Obviously if this were a paid product he'd expect money, but it's not so unless he wants to transcend and become the asshole king and pull a cease and desist on them, I think they'll be fine.
I'm letting myself get WAY more pissed at Penders than I should be. The fact that there are even a single handful of people actually defending him is... UGH. And his superior attitude about all of this is making it really hard for me not to stoop to his level and tweet at him. I need to distract myself.
It's very sad. It's a much loved series - whatever you think of the quality at various times - and hundreds of thousands of fans around the world will have read it and been influenced in some way by it. The writing was on the wall the moment the Ken Penders lawsuit opened up the Pandora's Box that is American copyright law. To this day I read up on it and I find it difficult to believe a company like Archie were so lax in their contract writing. That's unforgivable on so many levels and I rather suspect Sega - the bigger, corporate company - sees it as hassle they don't need or want in future, particularly when something like Sonic Mania is just around the corner (and think what you can do with a fresh slate, after all). I felt Ken was being rather less than humble and called him out on it on Twitter. His response was something about battles being fought, livelihoods, and that I was wrong. Veni, vidi, spurius brutus detruncavi.
I love that. His response when someone else mentions (based on nothing more than observation) that he's being a dick is just to tell them they're straight up wrong? I'd rather he just admitted he was being an ass about it and at least it should show some self-awareness. Can him and CWC just get together and write the best Lara Sonichu Su fanfiction already? God knows we need more comic related entertainment now of all times.
This is so sad. The Archie Comics were the thing that really got me interested in the Sonic franchise years ago. In conclusion: screw Penders for his godawful artwork and for being an asshole, and screw SoA if they decide to shut down the Sonic Comics completely.
On a more positive note, the end of Archie Sonic Comics also means that Penders has now lost his main target of ire and obsession, which means he'll now finally fall into complete obscurity. And if SEGA resurrects the comic somewhere else, I'll be happy that it won't be dragged down anymore by lawsuits and lost contracts and other craziness that Archie was notorious for.
I'm still pushing all of my hope into "the post-reboot universe, but from the beginning of the series", personally. Seeing proper adaptations of each game and major comic event with the extended cast as one linear narrative would be the greatest thing ever to me.
My hope is that they Adapt the Portable line of the games too. I remember Ian actually looped back to adapt the games that were missed the first time around
Actually that was probably my favorite part of the new universe reboot. The way Ian adapted old media to fit in with the plot of the Game Gear titles was fantastic. Sonic 2 GG was combined with the Breezie episode of AoSTH, which led directly into Tails Sky Patrol in a plot that included Nagus from SatAM. That was some top tier stuff IMO.