Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[Meta77]

Does metal have the copy ability outside neo form?

[Cuz]

You don't need to write long posts, per say, but do challenge yourself to include sentences that support your stance. You'd naturally get closer to paragraph length and have a more convincing argument. Things like pointing out specific instances in the comic that support your stance, and include things like how you expect Amy to act. 

[DabigRG]

57 minutes ago, Meta77 said:

Does metal have the copy ability outside neo form?

Yes--in Sonic Rivals, he could mimic the abilities of the other four and I assume the same went for the three additions in the sequel.

[DaddlerTheDalek]

Zeena looks like a threat for once, and Cream is not in the mood for games.

[Sonictrainer]

Jonathan Grey revealed some info on his Cover for #27 on Twitter

Quote

As promised, here's the bald cover (Colors by Ziggyfin) + black/white lineart for IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog #27. In addition, I've updated my website's portfolio with previous cover art & updated my page's sidebar solicits for the Disney Masters

http://www.jongraywb.com/portfolio/gallery/

A few notes for our resident eagle eyes:

• Sadly, I wasn't allowed to use the iconic Dreamcast Swirl on the controllers (trademark issues) so instead, I used a colored sunburst. It's small enough that you'd never catch the detail otherwise.  

• Speaking of controllers, it was Ziggyfin's idea to color some of them transparent! I hadn't even thought of that!

• I had to look up a fishing controller for Big. I'm amazed it got through tbh, but anything less was unacceptable!

• The banner is a play on the old tagline from classic Archie Sonic.

• The leaderboard BG is the stage select screen from Sonic Adventure 2.

• The game being played is "Sonic Shuffle 2" (HA!)

• I layered the Flickies due to the logo (Sega doesnt like it blocked)

I hope you enjoyed this "trilogy" of collage covers for Sonic 24, 25, and now 27. As I'd noted before, 27 actually came first, but bounced around a bit before I'd finished it as the others took priority. I have a new idea for a non-story cover I think y'all will like! Heeheehee

For those who want to know what I'm working on next:

-- The Sonic 2020 Annual will have my next interior artwork. It's a 10 pager and that's all I'm gonna say about it.  
-- I'm working on ideas for 2 new covers, 1 of which you'll probably see in a few months

I hope y'all have enjoyed what I've been doing. I told y'all before that I was really proud of these covers and I wasn't kidding. 

My 2020 Annual story is, IMHO, some of my best interior work. That's not a brag. I'm very happy with it and Ziggyfin has a lot to do with that.

I love being able to ink my own work, come up with my own layouts, and I work with a really good team of people on IDW Sonic who care about what they do and what they put out into the world. That can't be stated hard enough. I hope you check out all of their stuff as well!

 

[StaticMania]

2 hours ago, DaddlerTheDalek said:

Zeena looks like a threat for once, and Cream is not in the mood for games.

A threat...against a 6 year old.

[Leebo4]

So anyone curious what the next storyline after the zombots are done

 

but I bet the next one will be a smaller scale low key one but has Ian thought about what his next big storyline will be like and wondered if he could top the zombots storyline he had for over a year

[DabigRG]

5 hours ago, StaticMania said:

A threat...against a 6 year old.

A 6 year old that breaks many games in half.

It's not like she was much of a threat with...well, anything before.

[Dr. Detective]

Listened to the Bumblekast today and I'm glad the info about Shadow was posted in a very well written, paraphrased post. You can kind of hear the mild confusion in his voice as he tries to think over how he's going to properly approach this character going forward. I just hope things work out.

It's not IDW related but he did have another question about his regrets towards how World's Unite ended up. If he could do it again, he'd overall 90% of it, which is pretty much the entire thing.

[DabigRG]

9 minutes ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

It's not IDW related but he did have another question about his regrets towards how World's Unite ended up. If he could do it again, he'd overall 90% of it, which is pretty much the entire thing.

Yeah, I think he said something along those lines before. Namely that the Freedom Fighters & Light Robot Masters probably should've have been as prevalent and that the Deadly Six should've been less fodder-y (especially considering their place was initially pitched with Lyric).

[Dr. Detective]

1 hour ago, DabigRG said:

Yeah, I think he said something along those lines before. Namely that the Freedom Fighters & Light Robot Masters probably should've have been as prevalent and that the Deadly Six should've been less fodder-y (especially considering their place was initially pitched with Lyric).

Oh no, he definitely has. Specifically, he thinks the Freedom Fighters and the Maverick Hunters being there at all was a mistake. I know he included the Freedom Fighters because some were bummed they weren't in the last crossover but, you know, just the main four Sonic characters probably should have been it.

Back on IDW, though, I'm loving the covers that manage to portray something ominous with simple visuals. Even if it's got a humorous edge to it. Like that cover of Orbot holding Omega's head gives off more of a creepy vibe to me than a comedic one and I prefer that feeling be in the pit of my stomach really. That one cover where everything's a grayish brown except for the infected monkey in the yellow cloak still gives me that feeling whenever I look at it. 

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

2 hours ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

Oh no, he definitely has. Specifically, he thinks the Freedom Fighters and the Maverick Hunters being there at all was a mistake. I know he included the Freedom Fighters because some were bummed they weren't in the last crossover but, you know, just the main four Sonic characters probably should have been it.

Not having the Sega and Capcom expanded universe would be a better choice if you ask me.

Or making the entire arc longer than 12 issues across three different sub-series.

[Fire-N-Space]

I know their all going to lose in the end but I actually what to see Zeena win her fight.

[DabigRG]

Just now, Fire-N-Space said:

I know their all going to lose in the end but I actually what to see Zeena win her fight.

Spoiler

Well, she's definitely likely to have a "casuality" as it were.

 

[Zaysho]

tbh the only way I could tolerate that second garbage crossover excluding the comics cast for a second time is if it was a separate book altogether set in another continuity that wasn't interrupting the narrative of the ongoing books. At least the first one made enough sense with how it shuffled everyone off while they were being remade, but "Worlds Unite" stripping that stuff out again would have been extra stupid when they had already reintroduced that stuff and gotten new readers from the first crossover.

[DabigRG]

e

2 hours ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

Oh no, he definitely has. Specifically, he thinks the Freedom Fighters and the Maverick Hunters being there at all was a mistake. I know he included the Freedom Fighters because some were bummed they weren't in the last crossover but, you know, just the main four Sonic characters probably should have been it.

 

 

31 minutes ago, Conquering Storm’s Servant said:

Not having the Sega and Capcom expanded universe would be a better choice if you ask me.

Or making the entire arc longer than 12 issues across three different sub-series.

At the very least, they could've scaled the Part 4 onward group down to Team Sonic, Team Rose, Silver, Gemerl, Megaman, Breakman, Sticks, and the Maverick Hunters since those are the only ones who were integral off the top of my head.

The Freedom Fighters and Light Robot Masters(were the ones from 3 there as well?) were at least good fodder for the Roboticized Masters, but that's about it.

And the guest characters could've either been those same characters coming back after catching their breathe or at least been limited to Alex Kidd, Skies of Arcadia/Golden Axe, Street Fighter, and Monster Hunter.

[Shadowlax]

2nd crossover was weird, but a familiar kinda weird. Editorial had plans,  plans weren't good.

I would like to see another sonic x megaman thing

Just you know more focused

[SBR2]

12 hours ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

It's not IDW related but he did have another question about his regrets towards how World's Unite ended up. If he could do it again, he'd overall 90% of it, which is pretty much the entire thing.

I'm probably in the minority on this but I don't think adding the other Sega and Capcom Characters was necessarily a bad thing. I wish it had been the second half of the story maybe have part 5 end with Sigma becoming his giant form and opening the Genesis Portals then have 6-8 be the gathering the team portion and move the fight with the Deadly Six and the Mavericks to the first few issues of the final act.

[DabigRG]

1 hour ago, SBR2 said:

I'm probably in the minority on this but I don't think adding the other Sega and Capcom Characters was necessarily a bad thing. I wish it had been the second half of the story maybe have part 5 end with Sigma becoming his giant form and opening the Genesis Portals then have 6-8 be the gathering the team portion and move the fight with the Deadly Six and the Mavericks to the first few issues of the final act.

Huh. That might've worked a little better.

[Soniman]

Alternatively you can just...not do the crossover at all which would've been best for every book since it adds nothing and comes smack dab in the middle of an ongoing story arc (whereas the last one slowly built up to it) but it is what it is 

[Dr. Detective]

5 minutes ago, Soniman said:

Alternatively you can just...not do the crossover at all which would've been best for every book since it adds nothing and comes smack dab in the middle of an ongoing story arc (whereas the last one slowly built up to it) but it is what it is 

I mean, we're talking about Ian's regrets regarding how he handled the story but it wasn't up to him to do it at all though. All he can do is look back on what he'd do different because, at the very least, that was in his hands.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Ian didn't really have a choice. Archie had fucked up majorly due to the mess caused by their Kickstarter, and subsequently - having to back up on it because of random comic stores causing a huge stink over the mess. 

Not only was it what likely caused the downfall of Boom and Archie Mega Man, but IIRC - Worlds Unite was created as a massive marketing tool to try push more sales into Mega Man and Boom after the Kickstarter scandal. Quite a few of the idiotic choices was also a result of the editor/publisher. Shadow's death in particular was a direct result because they wanted something to show how serious the event was.

Ironically, Worlds Unite just further fuelled the mess that would end up killing both Boom and Archie Mega Man. Due to having to shell out the cash for so many licensing fees to include all of the SEGA/Capcom franchises present, it likely did more damage than fixed any.

[DabigRG]

20 minutes ago, Soniman said:

Alternatively you can just...not do the crossover at all which would've been best for every book since it adds nothing and comes smack dab in the middle of an ongoing story arc (whereas the last one slowly built up to it) but it is what it is 

True. It is a shame MegaMan didn't get a milestone to himself.

13 minutes ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

I mean, we're talking about Ian's regrets regarding how he handled the story but it wasn't up to him to do it at all though. All he can do is look back on what he'd do different because, at the very least, that was in his hands.

Except for Xander Payne initially, which he personally scaled back as they wrapped up.

[Red Hot Jack]

I think I have a problem... I'm falling in love with the Deadly Six, somehow. Must be the Ian Flynn effect.

IMO I agree they were filler trash in the second crossover, but here, they actually took (almost) full advantage of the situation by using their powers in a way that MAKES SENSE, making them look like winning antagonists for once, powered them up with some of the most precious mcguffins in the Sonic franchise, and made them appear at least more of a threat and not a joke like in Lost World (I still blame Pontaff's writing for that).

I think they are even better when taken together, that is their strenght, so splitting them up will probably be their undoing, I dunno, they are simply more interesting together, with their interactions... those should be explored in my opinion.

That and I love how Zavok makes a villain speech in every issue he appears in lol, he's so inspiring.

So thank you Ian x6

I honestly can't wait to read this mini-arc that starts next week.

[SBR2]

1 hour ago, Soniman said:

Alternatively you can just...not do the crossover at all which would've been best for every book since it adds nothing and comes smack dab in the middle of an ongoing story arc (whereas the last one slowly built up to it) but it is what it is 

Honestly I kinda hate this argument. There's nothing wrong with doing a crossover just for fun.

Admittedly it'd have probably been better if it was a miniseries instead of printed in the actual books and I'm not totally sure how I feel about Paul Kaminski apparently feeling there absolutely needed to be a crossover every couple years to keep both books afloat but I never felt like doing a crossover period was ever a bad thing.