Sonic the Hedgehog IDW/Current Western Comic Megathread

The Metal Virus is generally seen as the high point of the series. But if you're not the type who likes their Sonic stories taking themselves too seriously, then it might be lost on you.

The next couple of arcs aren't as heavy and the conflict revolves around Starline making his comeback with his new inventions against Sonic & Eggman.

Have you read any of the mini series so far?

 

The Metal Virus got old for me to be honest. I liked the concept but it just kind of dragged on. The same story could have been told better over fewer issues. The smaller arcs that followed were hit or miss, but the miniseries that Ian penned (Bad Guys and Imposter Syndrome) were excellent and issue 50 was one of (if not) the best issues yet.

 

Nope, just the main stuff. That doesn't feel too promising but I guess I'll keep going and see where it goes.

 

So just a heads up, you kind of need to read two of them for the next couple of arcs to make sense. In particular the latest mini-series since that one specifically introduces two major antagonists that are currently being dealt with as of latest issue.

 

I definitely agree about things dragging on. I've always thought that the Miniseries arc length at Archie was perfect, with Sonic Universe's Four issue span being the absolute max. Shorter stories give better focus, and then the plot points that come up are usually addressed down the line giving it a more coherent feel. Kinda felt the same with the pre-genesis wave stuff at Archie too but that was mostly because of other stories being shoehorned in. I've always liked concise storytelling. Decompression comic writing is long overplayed, and few series ever build up the spectacle the originals that pioneered it did. I'll also second that issue 50 was phenomenal. Definitely love to see what they manage with issue 75.

 

Well...the Metal Virus saga still adheres to that 2-4 issue structure. Its just multiple arcs spread out across a singular storyline.

The dragging nature of it might be because delays were very apparent at that point as a result of the pandemic, so it dragged longer than it needed.


Personally, I still loved it despite the pacing. I just love seeing these characters put into these types of scenarios and seeing how they react to it. A four issue arc wouldn't be able to capture that feeling and have it feel satisfying.

 

Yeah I can understand the Metal Virus being difficult to get through at the time but I think now it’s all out (I believe in graphic novel format, too!), reading it as a oner or in larger chunks is a fun time and I think its flaws lie more in the monthly release format than the writing itself. It was basically going for an ambitious epic, the likes of which you’d see in Shonen Jump, except most Jump series release weekly.

 

Oh, i still very much enjoyed the metal virus saga. And delays might so account for my persepctive on things. I think the in your face aspect of the major plot was was also part of it. The Shattered World stuff it was more an underlying threat and more discrete individual stories that I think helped it seem better paced. More of multiple stories and world building forming a bigger plot vs one bigger plot that goes through multiple phases. But the pacing was my only complaint. The stories were all very good.

 

I agree that that Metal Virus' pacing problem was likely due to the monthly format.

I tend to step away from the comics for around 6 months at a stretch and then binge-read everything that came out in that time span. Reading it that way the Metal Virus felt fine.

I also tend to like long stories that really dig in, though.

 

Yeah. Binging makes sense. Honestly, a lot of series do what is called "writing for trades", as in trade paperbacks aka graphic novels. It started around turn of the millenium with Decompression in story writing pioneered by Warren Ellis and run with by Mark Miller. I don't mind that for Miniseries or event type stuff. I think I'm just burnt out on long form storytelling recently and as I've gone back and been rereading a lot of 70s and 80s stuff in other franchises, they tend to do one and done stories that usually just get picked up as threads in later stories. I realized I like Stargate SG1 so much because it's the TV version of this.

I know I'm just suffering from burnout. I'll admit I binged 40 - 48 all at once since I get everything on Kindle now and even forget I have things. Definitely the experience of reading itself colours the remembrance of the story. I can hear myself coming off as a curmudgeonly old guy with all of this, but I have to admit my favorite part of Metal Virus now is the Big Story because so much is just happening around him and it's hilarious in hindsight.

 

It's kind of the only way reading a comic is bearable, at least when you have access to much more stimulating content that will keep you engaged for far longer. If you read it at the time then you can finish it in like 5 minutes and then you're waiting for a whole month to find out what's next and it's hard to be invested in something like that. Maybe it doesn't matter to people who keep up with more than one comic but if you're not interested in most comics then you're hardly getting anything out of it.

 

https://xcancel.com/sonicstadium/status/1551264395715645441?s=21&t=ODQ44hw9wakGXtstgXPiRg

https://xcancel.com/sonicstadium/status/1551264710246408193?s=21&t=ODQ44hw9wakGXtstgXPiRg

New concept art for Mecha Knuckles and an E series looking robot named Sigma (an E-117 Sigma was named in Archie Sonic but ultimately was never formally introduced on panel). Of note, I love that Sigma has bodged repairs using Egg Robo parts, and of course Mecha Knuckles has the hat! Scrapnik Island is absolutely the thing I’m looking forward to the most this year from the IDW line.

 

With Mecha Knuckles as Guardian, I expect him to give a heck of a fight. Now I wonder if the Flying Batteries giant piles of broken parts in Mania was an inspiration or prelude to this.

As for Sigma, I remember the old Archie blog where E-102 hunted him down and they made Sigma Virus jokes. Funny that years later this new take will turn out to be so awesome.

Wait, wasn't there an island of broken badniks in Early Archie? Actually. Just looked that up. First, there was the Robo Hobo Jungle in Issue 40 with the Scrapped badniks and then they returned in Island of Misfit Badniks in 170 (which is itself a nod to the Island of Misfit toys just by the name). I definitely think this idea has good merit and I'm looking forward to it.

 

So 51 happened, I dont think there is too much to comment on, but it was cool seeing one of the ships from doomsday zone in sonic 3&k.

It seems like we are getting one or two more issues of sonic and co in eggman city before we turn it off to Evan Stanley for the forseeable future, should at least be interesting to see how Ian closes this arc out

 

So the 2022 annual dropped today. It’s a great read and I love the annuals for taking the opportunity to focus on slice of life character writing that the main series doesn’t really get the scope and time to do. The theme this year could be said to be obligation, and I think that’s explored in a lot of neat ways. The book opens up with Blaze being told to go take a holiday, after which she confides in Knuckles about the nature of being a guardian. Brilliant stuff, highly recommend.

 

Spoiler: Primary cover for the Tails' 30th Anniversary one-shot

God bless Aaron Hammerstrom, this is gorgeous.

 

Heads up, #53 leaked so beware of spoilers I guess. From what I heard it's pretty balling.

 

Actually it's out now digitally. It do be balling, tho'.

Spoiler: Surge and Kit stuff

I'm really interested in what's presented with Kit in this issue when he's put in the company of Sonic and co. It's not just that he's been conditioned to be blindly loyal to Surge - he's been stripped of any capacity to be his own person. Separating him from Surge didn't magically cure his lack of self-worth and individuality, he just adapted his unhealthy dependency complex to Sonic instead. With that said, the kid's clearly unstable and I won't be surprised if he jumps to the wrong conclusion upon seeing Surge again and thinking that Sonic tried to mislead him.

Meanwhile, I really like that Starline still has a hold over Surge even from beyond the grave, Arkham Knight style. Like Kit, it's clear that Surge's issues run deep and, in a manner not dissimilar to Kit, Surge just can't let go of this idea that she has something to prove to others. I'm also thinking there could be a danger here of Surge abusing Whisper's wisps so much that they become drained and turn into Nega Wisps. Given their aggression and seemingly increased raw power, this could be bad news for everyone - Whisper's distraught over her friends being hurt, Surge loses control over her power and Sonic and co. now have an even tougher enemy to deal with. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out.