Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[Celestia]

I think it'd be neat if Sonic actively sought out the Chaotix to help him figure things out. They're goofballs but their track record ain't bad, so it'd kind of make sense as an organic way to introduce them within the book's current status quo.

[Razule]

13 minutes ago, Celestia said:

I think it'd be neat if Sonic actively sought out the Chaotix to help him figure things out. They're goofballs but their track record ain't bad, so it'd kind of make sense as an organic way to introduce them within the book's current status quo.

Does the book even have a status quo yet?

[Fletch]

Read all 4 issues and enjoyed what I read. I really can't say I was disappointed in the slightest since I expected each issue to rinse and repeat the same plot but in different ways depending on which character is introduced. I do feel as if issue #3 shook it up a bit more since it was actually about two villain characters needing to be stopped, but was still basically the same with the towns folks needing savings, and more info on whose in the chair. 

If I had to rank the issues, it would be:
2 > 4 > 1 > 3

I think issue 2 easily had the best art among the four issues. ABT did an outstanding job making everything look so kinetically good and making the art look and feel very dynamic. I liked his work back in Archie Sonic, but I can't say I was like a hardcore fan or anything. After IDW issue #2? Really make me widen my eyes and see how much of a jump in quality his art did from pass issues in Archie Sonic to his first debut issue in IDW Sonic. If his art quality remains like this, then I honestly wouldn't mind him penciling the entire comic book series until the end. I also feel the characterization of Amy was excellent. A nice amount of Amy being a fan girl of Sonic, yet still being competent to handle her on physically in battle and mentally in battle (Psychical and mental as in fighting with her hammer, or giving commands to others.) I think the relationship between Sonic and Amy was quite fun to watch, too. I don't know what it is, but I felt myself get more engaged in how Sonic and Amy were towards each other more than how Sonic and Tails were back in issue 1, and I'm not sure if it's because Sonic 

And Tails brotherly relationship has been written pretty consistently well for the majority of the franchise, even in the comics I feel from Archie Sonic, or if it’s just because Sonic and Amy relationship and how Amy herself has been written overall has been a bit jumpy in quality throughout the franchise history. Maybe I’m just more engaged in the romance than the bromance. I don’t really know, but I was more caught up in the dialogue here than in issue 1.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t find issue 1 to not be solid or anything. Tracy Yardley work was solid as usual, though it felt more like I was just reading Archie Sonic instead of IDW Sonic. I think that’s an honest complaint for the first issue right there. IDW Sonic first issue does nothing to standout on stage, grab the microphone, and make it clear who they are. I know on one hand it could have done a complete introduction to the world and characters that inhabit it like any normal start of a story, or could have went down the route it did where it’s like you know the characters, you know what they’re all about, let’s do this. Though, even going down the latter route, it just…didn’t do really anything to make it standout at all which sucked, but I didn’t feel too bad about it since it felt great to read Sonic comics again in general.

To sum up issues 3 and 4 really quick, issue 3 I liked but I liked it the least among them since the art wasn’t really up to snuff, I felt. I’ve seen Jennifer Hernandez work in Archie Sonic before, and her work in Waves of Change was really great with it probably being my single favorite arc she’s worked on, so I was pretty excited to see how her new work here would be but… Just wasn’t that good as it could has been. Wasn’t terrible, just kinda eh. Story-wise, I enjoyed seeing the Wisps, Sonic and Knuckles banter felt fine (Honestly, the dynamic between them was less interesting to see than it was with Sonic and Tails), and the new villains were just goons that made me wish Team Hooligans were here instead, but I’m sure they’ll show their worth in the future. Issue 4 was pretty fantastic from the art, to new character Tangle being absolutely awesome to see, and having Blaze back again felt wonderful. Blaze interactions with Sonic and Tangle were so, so good. Not surprised the ending didn’t reveal whose in the chair, but curious as to what Eggman is doing…

 

I’m pretty sure issue 5 will break the mold and the comics will really start to kick off. For now, an overall good start to the comics. Just “good” and nothing else. I’m not really worried about the future because Ian Flynn has proven to be a capable writer for the comics, so I’m positive we’ll get solid world building and great plot twists as we slowly move more and more into the world of IDW Sonic.

[Kuzu]

I too have read all four issues myself, so I guess I can give my critique. I liked them, but I wouldn't really say these four issues were anything more than "good enough".

 

The thing I loved the most was the writing; Flynn still has his old knack for characterization and character dynamics but then I never had any worries on that front. Sonic's character is energetic and cocky without feeling obnoxious, Tails is a bit on the bland side, but I've come to expect that from him at this point, nice to see continued focus on Amy's other traits beyond her love for Sonic without really downplaying it either, and Knuckles is entertainingly simple and straightforward without there being many jokes at his expense. Sonic & Amy definitely had the best dynamic since it's rare to see them interact for an extended period of time. The only outliers are the newly introduced characters; Rough, Tumble, and Tangle. Its too early to write them off, but these issues didn't really do a whole lot to sell me on them or why I should be interested. Tangle doesn't even get a proper introduction, she just kind of shows up when Sonic arrives and the action starts. So yea, hopefully they'll get some fleshing out later on should they show up later.

The Art was pretty good, with 3 being the only real "bad" one. Yardley's angular style is still present as ever, the 2nd issue had by far the best art of the four; with clear action and character expression and the 4th was something of being a bit middle of the road, but still plenty of expression. I don't have much of an eye for art, but I can tell when something is good or when something isn't at least.

The plot was by far the weakest part of all four however; I understand they assumed that people already know who and what Sonic is, so they didn't have to spend much time on introductions, but this was a really poor way of getting your audience introduced. Namely, the fact that the issues take place after Forces is a tell, because while you don't really need to play it to understand what's going on, it does lay the groundwork for what's been happening. The plots themselves are simple, which I don't mind, but didn't really do a lot to make me wanna read the next issue beyond being a fan. Sonic shows up to a village, teams up with the character of the issue, and then moves to the next. And there's some mysterious figure using Eggman's bots to do...something I guess? 

Look, lord knows that most of us understand that Sonic doesn't need that complex of a plot, but I hope going into the future that they do more to get readers invested; I love me some good characterization, but I love understanding where the story is going just as much. 

 

So yea, hope to see better in the future.

[Eurisko]

On 28/04/2018 at 9:20 PM, Razule said:

Does the book even have a status quo yet?

Not yet it’s gonna be a while before we can claim that I think 

[PublicEnemy1]

I'm a bit worried. Most of the experienced members here are showing dislike or indifference to the book. I'm worried that this book isn't for long-time fans, and it's only going to be for newcomers.

[antyep]

2 hours ago, PublicEnemy1 said:

I'm a bit worried. Most of the experienced members here are showing dislike or indifference to the book. I'm worried that this book isn't for long-time fans, and it's only going to be for newcomers.

Sure seems like it. That's what SEGA seems to been going for, these days. Just look at Sonic Forces.

[PublicEnemy1]

I wonder if they'll appeal to the older fans later down the line.

[Diogenes]

17 minutes ago, antyep said:

Sure seems like it. That's what SEGA seems to been going for, these days. Just look at Sonic Forces.

Sonic Forces, the game definitely trying to appeal to newcomers by including Classic Sonic, Chaos, GHZ, Chemical Plant, and the Death Egg.

I don't think the comic is specifically aimed at newcomers, either. If anything I get the sense that it expects the reader to already be pretty familiar with the series.

[PublicEnemy1]

When I say long-time fans, I'm talking longtime Archie fans. I know that this is a completely different book, but it is STILL a comic book, one that focuses on a cohesive and interesting story, interesting characters, and good dialogue and character interactions. We are missing one half of that, and that's an interesting story. What if SEGA is like Miyamoto and hates good stories and only uses this book for marketing their latest Sonic product? I know this is a worst-case scenario, but knowing SEGA, it isn't too far our in the realm of possibility.

 

Let me clarify: I trust Ian completely, but as you can see, I really don't trust the company that owns what he's writing.

[Silvereyes]

A bit late to the party. My copies of #3 and #4 only arrived today. Hopefully now that further issues are monthly my subscription actually sends the issues to me the day after release.

Overall, I really enjoyed them. I like the basic set up of having a bit of a spotlight on different characters, from Tails, Amy, Knuckles and finally Tangle & Blaze. Yes, it is a little basic but I think it works fine. I think all the characters are well written, I think Sonic's interactions with everyone are great. I think Tangle should be a great addition to the Sonic cast and she was enjoyable in her issue. I think all the artwork is great and has a nice balance of dialogue and action.

Again, I'm not a comics guy, so I can't say I have much expectation when it comes to these kind of things. But overall, I think it is a good start. I think to echo others though, I am hoping that now the series will be going monthly, I do hope #5 starts seeing a little bit more of a plot going on. I do agree with someone else that I think the best way to look at issues #1-#4 is a sort of a mega introductory issue. So yeah, I have high hopes for the future.

 

As a side note, getting into the IDW comics has made me look up the archives of Archie Sonic. I've been reading that from the beginning, including the tie-in specials, mini series, and the Knuckles series. Have reached the point where they're adapting Sonic Adventure just as the Knuckles series was cancelled, and yeah, I'm enjoying alot of it. I like the Freedom Fighters cast, I like alot of the action, and it is interesting seeing them adapt the older games into their own continuity. The Knuckles series was interesting too, but I can also see why Ken Penders became infamous, and why that solo series was cancelled. Not sure it was a good idea to dedicate 3 issues to Knuckles wanting to take a girl on a date.

Will keep reading, but the Archie-verse is pretty interesting.

[Celestia]

On 4/28/2018 at 2:20 PM, Razule said:

Does the book even have a status quo yet?

I'd say so, yes. There's no consistent setting since Sonic's traveling around, but other than that there's a worldwide problem to deal with, not to mention Eggman isn't (directly) responsible so there's a mystery going on in the background. It's simple stuff so far but it's there.

On 4/29/2018 at 5:02 PM, PublicEnemy1 said:

When I say long-time fans, I'm talking longtime Archie fans. I know that this is a completely different book, but it is STILL a comic book, one that focuses on a cohesive and interesting story, interesting characters, and good dialogue and character interactions. We are missing one half of that, and that's an interesting story. What if SEGA is like Miyamoto and hates good stories and only uses this book for marketing their latest Sonic product? I know this is a worst-case scenario, but knowing SEGA, it isn't too far our in the realm of possibility.

I don't think Miyamoto "hates good stories." He's uninterested in doing it with Mario but there's plenty of series he's just as involved with that have more going on (to various extents).

Anyway, I don't see any reason to believe anything like that is going on here. Regardless of how anyone feels about Lost World or Forces they were clearly attempts to tell more of a story than simpler stuff like Colours and Generations. Maybe they have different standards for products not handled in-house, but to be blunt I doubt they even care that much.

 

I get why people are underwhelmed but I found these first issues a breath of fresh air. By the end of Archie, I was...admittedly kinda burnt out after the Unleashed arc. I'm confident that Ian is planning big stuff--I certainly hope so--but I'm more than okay with this for now. I only really got upset about Archie being cancelled when I saw they seemed to have very similar plans for issues post-Genesis of a Hero. The way I see it, the only difference is that it would have had the benefit of being in the #290s rather than #1, so they would've gone RIGHT into one-offs like a story with Honey and then Sonic reminiscing with Mighty and Ray without it being weird. And from the sounds of it, it also would've had a bit of an ongoing plot with Sonic traveling around alone on some kind of mission, according to the solicit for 292.

...that reminds me, I wonder if Flynn will someday finish Lost Hedgehog Tales, and then of course follow it up with Even More Lost Hedgehog Tales.

[Big Panda]

IIRC Ian said he’s holding off on LHT because he’s holding out some slim hope that IDW could let him continue it someday.

[Agie]

Well, I think I read enough of the first arc to make a judgement, and I'd say I got what I expected out of it.

And what did I expect? Nothing super amazing, but good enough as a start. Ian Flynn's still got it, and the characters are spot-on. Loved the art in each issue, even if it might look a little odd in the trade.

I also liked what I saw of Tangle. She's a goof, and I like my goofs. I'd like to see more of her.

Definitely gonna follow this. I like what I read, and I only hope it gets better from here. I'm glad to hear it's been doing well so far.

On an unrelated note; after what happened with Archie Sonic and Archie Mega Man, I decided not to take the trades for granted ever again, so I'm collecting as many of the individual issues as possible. Got a bookstore ordering the comics for me, so hopefully I won't miss a single one.

[Shadowlax]

Tangle is weird, I've seen more negative reception to her, than I imagined. She seemed fine. But I also thought Sticks seemed fine, but people ended up hating her time. 

[PublicEnemy1]

3 hours ago, Shadowlax said:

Tangle is weird, I've seen more negative reception to her, than I imagined. She seemed fine. But I also thought Sticks seemed fine, but people ended up hating her time. 

Ummm, I don't see any negative reception of her at all.

[Sonictrainer]

4 hours ago, Shadowlax said:

Tangle is weird, I've seen more negative reception to her, than I imagined.

 

20 minutes ago, PublicEnemy1 said:

Ummm, I don't see any negative reception of her at all.

I also haven't seen any negativity about Tangle.

[DabigRG]

5 hours ago, Shadowlax said:

Tangle is weird, I've seen more negative reception to her, than I imagined. She seemed fine. 

Have you now? Clearly not here, as people generally seem to like her well enough.

5 hours ago, Shadowlax said:

 But I also thought Sticks seemed fine, but people ended up hating her time. 

Eh, people here seemed to have this vitriolic hatred towards Boom in general and unfortunately, she kinda reflects that a bit.

That's Comedy for ya.

 

[Shadowlax]

3 hours ago, PublicEnemy1 said:

Ummm, I don't see any negative reception of her at all.

here no, multiple othersites where she apparently ruined the comic, and a few discords i'm on. Yeah

 

 

[RetroRy]

2 minutes ago, Shadowlax said:

here no, multiple othersites where she apparently ruined the comic, and a few discords i'm on. Yeah

 

 

But that's more so she "ruined" the comic by not being Sally. 

How can one ruin the comic by only appearing in one issue though?  Then again how can one ruin the comic before said comic even comes out?  I try not to understand those types of people, it boggles the mind to no end...

[Shadowlax]

1 minute ago, chaosjam said:

But that's more so she "ruined" the comic by not being Sally. 

How can one ruin the comic by only appearing in one issue though?  Then again how can one ruin the comic before said comic even comes out?  I try not to understand those types of people, it boggles the mind to no end...

Some of its that. 

Some of it " she ruined the comic by stealing blazes thunder" which at least I kiiiinda get in the sense that if my favorite character didn't appear in a game, and had to play 2nd fiddle to the new guy, I would kinda be upset to. But I don't think she ruined the book

Some of it is people don't like her vibe, characterization attitude

Some of it were people who hadn't seen the previews picked up the fourth book and thought she kinda looked bad

These are the reasons I saw

[RedFox99]

9 minutes ago, Shadowlax said:

Some of it " she ruined the comic by stealing blazes thunder" which at least I kiiiinda get in the sense that if my favorite character didn't appear in a game, and had to play 2nd fiddle to the new guy, I would kinda be upset to. But I don't think she ruined the book

And even that didn't happen since Blaze got plenty of moments to stick out. 

[Big Panda]

She stole Blaze’s thunder...?

I...I don’t get that. Like, at all. Blaze got to do a lot, if not more imo.

[Shadowlax]

I suppose they wanted the issue to herself , like tails, amy and knuckles got

[StaticMania]

Yeah, she totally stole Blaze's thunder when she...stopped doing anything the moment she helped Blaze and Sonic get up to that flying thing.