One giant post addressing something that makes no damn sense and the others that I actually want to engage in.
Oui, I hate to drag an annoying argument back up, but I want to bring up a few things. First is, while I understand how many people feel that romance doesn't belong in their Sonic, it is one of the most fought over elements when it honestly has been lessened by a shit-ton ever since Ian took over. And yet people are complaining about it more, likely since the readership has grown, but you're all acting like somehow the romance in the comic has grown or taken over the comic when in reality it has taken several steps back and the focus these days is more on the adventures and other areas of character development rather than romance. Romance has been part of the source material of the series since the beginning, like it or not there were romance elements in SATAM, and like it or not the opinion of people who like the romance element is just as valid as those who don't like it. You can call it a fanfic all you want, but it is officially endorsed by SEGA, the comic is one of the best selling children comics currently, and is it's own universe that's been running for almost as long as the series itself. People who are labeling it, "nothing more than a fanfic because element 'X' is in it," are, sorry to say, nothing but butthurt over this. And I'm being just as much so only because I get tired of seeing the exact same complaints month after month even when there really is no issue here, it's just this one element of development doesn't adhere to your fan jollies.
First off, romance may have been a part, and I use that word liberally, of the
source material( for real, I thought you were talking about Mass Effect here), but it was nowhere near as prevalent. As VEJI pointed out, there were never huge substantial episodes of SATAM dedicated to romance and nothing but romance. It never drove character motive like the whole Sonic and Tails fight which I will bring up later. It was done in teases so drop that argument right there. And we are talking about a source that in itself a very small part of the franchise and hardly representational of the entire franchise, but since you want to bring up the "source material," something that I watched as a kid, then okay it is on. Nobody, here, wants Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor, or Uncle Chuck to be gone because they have never controlled a substantial part of the book. They serve their purpose as side characters whose interests who stay tangible for a few issues. The only person who has made such assertion is Chooch, but damn does he ever make his presence a constant reminder,right? Just because the book has gotten better about the romance,which isn't saying much because it was nothing but a highschool drama previously, doesn't mean there isn't any right to complain and just because that romantic teases of the source were there, doesn't mean that it was a substantial part of the source.
Second, character development? What character development? Sonic hasn't learned
anything. He is still the same hyperactive, belligerent, blue hedgehog that he has always been, but admittedly, that has to do with Sega. Sally hasn't developed at all as opposed to merely given random, desirable traits. The only characters that has received any cognizable development in the past 300 issues including Sonic Universe and Knuckles are Rotor, Antoine, Eggman(who fucking needed it because he was derailed to Team Rocket status), and Scourge. Tails has been reduced to nothing, but the head mechanic whose status of being Sonic's best friend is nothing but an informed status. Knuckles is completely insulated from the main cast with a whole heap of characters with him. Shadow, Rouge, Omega, Amy, Blaze, and Cream are reduced to having their own mini-adventures that mean nothing to the central focus of the story. People who do have an issue with the comic complain about the lack of interaction that Sonic has with any other character which is a valid complaint. It becomes a comic book with Sonic in it which it shouldn't be.
Finally, so what if SEGA endorses it? SEGA is a corporation who is only out to make money. SEGA sees it as nothing more than promotion to sell their games. Assassin's Creed has tons of side material which was approved by Ubisoft and not the AC team that the actual creators do ignore. Sonic Team, the people who actually made the damn franchise, do not recognize the book and has gone out its way to ignore it. I also like to point out why the comic series is so successful. It is not the writing which people have taken issue with. It is the success of the games.
You also need to remember it is a Children's comic, or family comic. I know some kids who absolutely love the comic personally, and have heard stories previously of plenty of young boys and girls who love the comic as it is. Ian has been working slowly but surely to make the transition of more game elements into the comic without abandoning the elements that aren't just like the games. I'm not saying you have to like everything and criticism is fine, but if all your complaining about is what a whole lot of other people like a lot about the comic, their liking of the element is just as valid as your dislike, and is less an actual problem than an opinion. Especially when said element has, honestly, self-improved itself a lot in the last few years.
Look at them. Grown ass men and women loving a franchise that is targeted at little girls. They are going gaga over magical ponies. Why? Because each character is written wonderfully and each tale is logically well told. Not one pony, dragon, or whatever has some bland personality that encompasses the entire book and just doesn't fit. Young Justice is targeted at teenage boys yet that doesn't excuse Greg Weisman to write anything he damn well pleases. Point is that just because it is a children's book does not stop it from being written well nor is it a excuse for poor writing. As I love the subtle interchanging of the terms "romance stories" and "personal stories," lets differentiate between the concepts. A conceptual definition for each term. Personal stories aren't just romance. They aren't just between a male and female or any character that is romantically involved. It could have to do with family, friends, or just nemesis, and that should be enough to drive a plot. As I noted earlier, Sonic and Tails had that very unnecessary element thrown into their fight. Tails had every motivation to be against Sonic since his dad was thrown in prison by the king, whether it was just or unjust is up to interpretation, and Sonic criticized the rebellion, calling it stupid. Tails didn't and shouldn't have needed Sonic's involvement with Fiona because Tails had enough motivation and the fight already had an emotional and personal story. Yet we get tacked with the redundant element of "You stole the woman that I loved" which was the main reason or enough of a reason to make Tails attack essentially his brother and hero. It makes Tails look a petty child, Sonic look like a douche, and the writer look incredibly short sided.
Stories where Rotor went to save his family and friends from being pawns of Eggman or Bunnie fought Sonic for the freedom of a certain DEL group from the Sandblasters are great stories that didn't have to be driven by shit that is plaguing the book. Tales where Tails had to fight an entire armada of birds to save his newlywed friends from being prisoners are welcome. Quests about Sonic going on a date with Sally and nothing else like in 222 suck. Stories about Sonic, Monkey Khan, Sally, and Tails traveling to the Dragon Kingdom to convince the clans to leave the Iron Dominion only to turn into nothing but a girl vacationing to her new love interest's kingdom while her old one just obsesses over them while dismembering their enemy's alliances on the side. All of this while her kingdom is under siege and in desperate need for reinforcements.
I agree that the Moebians are similar to the Mobians but there are some opposites in there.
It also shows the other character's potential. Tails lacks the ambition of Miles, but if he had just a little, Tails could be a force to be reckoned with.
