Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[MetalSkulkBane]

I like to think that Eggman is only large constant treat. Like Black Arms, Dark Gaia, Zeti, Zombots those thing pop up (sometimes due to Eggman), but he's the only 24/7 problem. Still, other treats do exists, ergo why GUN is a thing.

In my theory "Mobians are peaceful" just means that this broadly speaking nicer place to live than our world, which fits because this is cartoon world with cartoon animals. Crime is a thing, just on much smaller scale.

1 hour ago, Cuz said:

We're coming up on the big 50. What are some favorite moments, or storylines so far?

For me it's gonna be:
issues 7 & 24 for art alone,
zombot 'deaths', like Vector, Tangle, Knuckles, Amy/Eggman,
Annual 2020, Big, Eggman, Metal stories,
Generally Metal Sonic is just great in IDW,
....fiiiiine, 30th special was pretty great. There, I said it.

Fingers crossed that I'll add Imposter Syndrome to this list.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

3 hours ago, Endy said:

GUN and the government's existence raises too many questions and frankly I don't want any of them

does Sonic world have small terrorist organizations dedicated to bringing down the government? are there warring nations? I do not care

You say that like you’ve never seen this stuff before.

[CertifiedNobody]

10 hours ago, Cuz said:

We're coming up on the big 50. What are some favorite moments, or storylines so far?

Pretty much everything with Starline so far, the Metal Virus' conclusion, Gemerl and Omega talking to each other briefly, and both fights with Neo Metal Sonic.

[Sonictrainer]

Here's Belle as a real girl/kangaroo rat.

Quote

Evan Stanley: For this design I went with a kangaroo rat! But in canon, she's not meant to look like any species in particular.

 

[Cuz]

Kangroo rat? So, she's a Burmecian! That solves that. 

[TransPirate]

Evan also confirmed on tumblr that Belle is an equivalent of a 13 year old (that's between Amy and Silver for context) which is interesting cuz I read her as around Tails' age

Quote

Her literal age is like a year and a half tops, but functionally she's designed to be like a 13-year-old!

 

[DabigRG]

5 hours ago, TransPirate said:

Evan also confirmed on tumblr that Belle is an equivalent of a 13 year old (that's between Amy and Silver for context) which is interesting cuz I read her as around Tails' age

 

Oh really? Huh.

I always just presumed her to be literal daycare runner age.

[Razule]

Her being a bit "older" than Amy is weird, but maybe that's just because of Amy's more mature personality shift. 

Eh, Sonic character ages. But if it's been "A year and a half" since she was made, combined with the six months in Forces wouldn't that make everyone two years-.. nope, not thinking about it. Like money, time does not exist.

[TransPirate]

2 hours ago, Razule said:

But if it's been "A year and a half" since she was made, combined with the six months in Forces wouldn't that make everyone two years-.. nope, not thinking about it. Like money, time does not exist.

It's kinda weird to me seeing in this fandom so much complaining about, and attempts at rationalizing the weird time passage and fixed characters' ages of Sonic canon as if it's somehow unusual. Surely people read other comics or watch cartoons and realize that this sort of thing is basically standard for any long running story that's not a live action series? Like it's a well known aspect of superhero comics for example, or what about Mario franchise? Strange.

Not a critique towards you specifically btw, just a general thought.

[Razule]

8 minutes ago, TransPirate said:

It's kinda weird to me seeing in this fandom so much complaining about, and attempts at rationalizing the weird time passage and fixed characters' ages of Sonic canon as if it's somehow unusual. Surely people read other comics or watch cartoons and realize that this sort of thing is basically standard for any long running story that's not a live action series? Like it's a well known aspect of superhero comics for example, or what about Mario franchise? Strange.

Not a critique towards you specifically btw, just a general thought.

I get all that, and agree. I just think it's funny when they draw attention to it by mentioning specific in-universe time passing.

[DabigRG]

8 hours ago, Razule said:

Her being a bit "older" than Amy is weird, but maybe that's just because of Amy's more mature personality shift. 

Eh, Sonic character ages. But if it's been "A year and a half" since she was made, combined with the six months in Forces wouldn't that make everyone two years-.. nope, not thinking about it. Like money, time does not exist.

Stanley explains and lampshades that in her hashtags.

[Slashy]

6 hours ago, TransPirate said:

It's kinda weird to me seeing in this fandom so much complaining about, and attempts at rationalizing the weird time passage and fixed characters' ages of Sonic canon as if it's somehow unusual. Surely people read other comics or watch cartoons and realize that this sort of thing is basically standard for any long running story that's not a live action series? Like it's a well known aspect of superhero comics for example, or what about Mario franchise? Strange.

Not a critique towards you specifically btw, just a general thought.

Yeah but IDW is more serialized than those series. It feels like there is a greater emphasis of showing everything that happens to the characters in this comic. If there were usually obvious gaps between stories I don't think people would complain as much because it would very clearly show that the passage of time isn't a high priority.

[DabigRG]

On 12/30/2021 at 1:17 AM, Cuz said:

We're coming up on the big 50. What are some favorite moments, or storylines so far?

What, from Year 3?

Chao Races at least started out good.

Belle is still an interesting character in concept even if her actual arc has left most kinda indifferent.

Zavok was generally a highlight in the two arcs he showed up in.

Seeing some of the interactions and reactions to Sonic's World among the Deadly Six in part 1 of Zeti Hunt was nice as someone who actually wanted to see that for while.

And finally getting to see Starline's project aka the Glitch Trio realized with Surge and Kitsunami was neat.

Also, while it's not out yet, seeing both the Chaotix and the Skunk Bros return makes me happy.

[MetalSkulkBane]

17 hours ago, DabigRG said:

What, from year two?

What mad definition of "year" do you use? Not real time, not "12 issues = year", not story arc.

Plus I'm pretty sure Cuz meant "from all years so far".

[DabigRG]

8 minutes ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

What mad definition of "year" do you use? Not real time, not "12 issues = year", not story arc.

Plus I'm pretty sure Cuz meant "from all years so far.

Oops, that was Year 3 I was describing. Also, that's how Flynn distinguishes them.

Gonna have to look back for clarity on the previous ones.

[MetalSkulkBane]

Still don't get how that works.

By issue numbering we're one issue away from finishing 4th year.
By years starting with January 2018 we toady started 5th years.
By years starting with April 2018 we're in 4th year till next April.
That leaves storylines, in which case I refuse to call those "Years", because I just proved how confusing this is.

I just call them 'story arcs'. If possible, I try naming them.
1-12 Neo Saga.
Short classy name with dual meaning, main treat and beginning of new comic.
13-32 Metal Virus
Official name used by IDW
13-Now ???
Here I have hard time, due to loose main story. "Starline Rising"? "Belle Beginnings?" "Children of Eggman?" It's work in progress.

[DabigRG]

If we're doing comic in general,

From Year 1:

Issue 2 in general.

Rough and Tumble's introductions

Blaze's more game accurate moveset

The Mr. Tinker investigation

Neo Metal's reveal

Knuckles' concern for the Master Emerald

Whisper giving Shadow the death glare

Super Neo Metal

Starline's introduction

 

From Year 2:

Eggman and Starline's dynamic

Starline in general

Sonic & Tails vs Rough and Tumble

Tangle just walking into Tails' house

Babylon Rogues

Cream's arc overall

Starline's talk with Orbot

Vector's sacrifice

The Deadly Six in general

Titan Zavok going Beast

Cream's confrontation with Zavok

20 minutes ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Still don't get how that works.

By issue numbering we're one issue away from finishing 4th year.
By years starting with January 2018 we toady started 5th years.
By years starting with April 2018 we're in 4th year till next April.
That leaves storylines, in which case I refuse to call those "Years", because I just proved how confusing this is.

I just call them 'story arcs'. If possible, I try naming them.
1-12 Neo Saga.
Short classy name with dual meaning, main treat and beginning of new comic.
13-32 Metal Virus
Official name used by IDW
13-Now ???
Here I have hard time, due to loose main story. "Starline Rising"? "Belle Beginnings?" "Children of Eggman?" It's work in progress.

I guess it's cause it originally started with a roughly year long arc before the Zeti got involved.

He's also used terms like "Battle for Angel Island" and "Metal Virus Saga," admittedly.

No idea what the three run is gonna be, but something about Belle is the easiest.

[Kuzu]

I'd say the Mr. Tinkerer stuff was good, if a bit roughly handled. Pretty much any action scene drawn by ABT is a highlight, but the fight between Sonic and Neo Metal in Issue #7 is still the best fight in the series by far. While he didn't do much, it was nice to see Metal Sonic step out of Eggman's shadow for a while. 

I'd say 2019 is when things really hit their stride though; we got the Tangle and Whisper mini-series with much needed focuses on them as their dynamic develops, and of course the Metal Virus saga. Which yes, it dragged like hell, and there was the infamous Shadow moment. But aside from that, it put the cast through the emotional wringer and had a satisfying climax. It kind of ended on a whimper with the whole amnesia plot with Sonic, and everyone just...letting Eggman go, but that was expected. 

Late 2020 through 2021 is probably the comic's weakest point, but that was expected after the emotional highs of the Metal Virus saga. It's mostly been background setup through Starline preparing Surge and Kit, and introducing Belle into the cast. Bad Guys was certainly a highlight for developing the villains, though only Zavok and Starline really benefitted from that, Mimic, Rough and Tumble were mostly just there. And well....now we're just waiting for Starline to make his move against Sonic and Eggman. 

 

 

I'd say overall things have been good, if a bit slow. But that's unfortunately the case between the delays and the monthly schedule, so that can't be helped. I'm definitely used to the Shonen manga format of getting my content weekly lol. I do wish Sega would loosen the reigns somewhat so that we can get some fleshing out for the established cast. It feels like most of the character development has been centered around the Comic exclusive character, which of course makes sense and is understandable, but it really does feel like the game cast are pretty static. You had some good stuff with Sonic having to wrestle with the idea of how he handles his enemies, as controversial as it was, Shadow did acknowledge his actions in the Metal Virus saga were extremely poor, and you had Amy trying to come into her own as restoration leader but most of those are pretty downplayed and in Amy's case, just kind of default her back to her status quo of.....well being a supporting character for Sonic lol. 

But I dunno. Amy fans were pretty pressed at how she was written, so it might just be reluctance on the creators of drifting these characters too far away from their most well-known status quos. That and I kind of get it given there was real transition for Amy's character that felt organic, which is why I think people didn't really buy into it so that might be part of it too.

Other highlights includes; The Chaotix in the Metal Virus, Cream and Emerl against Zeena, The Babylon Rogues against Zik, and of course, Silver getting co-protagonist status with Sonic to purge the Virus. 

[CertifiedNobody]

On 12/31/2021 at 10:32 AM, TransPirate said:

Evan also confirmed on tumblr that Belle is an equivalent of a 13 year old (that's between Amy and Silver for context) which is interesting cuz I read her as around Tails' age

 

Fake news she's actually 32

[Mauro Fonseca]

On 1/1/2022 at 1:39 PM, Slashy said:

Yeah but IDW is more serialized than those series.

IDW Sonic is more serialised than Marvel or DC comics, really?

[Slashy]

3 hours ago, Mauro Fonseca said:

IDW Sonic is more serialised than Marvel or DC comics, really?

It is more serialized than a lot of cartoons and video game franchises, definitely not modern DC or Marvel but it is more serialized than much of the older stuff.

[Sonictrainer]

IDW posted a single panel of IS#2 on their Twitter

Spoiler

...I wonder when this takes place...

[The Hedgehog.]

Howdy. 

New here. 

I haven't read a IDW Sonic issue since 2019.

What has happened since then? 

[DabigRG]

43 minutes ago, The Hedgehog. said:

Howdy. 

New here. 

I haven't read a IDW Sonic issue since 2019.

What has happened since then? 

Keeping spoilers to a minimum?

The heroes meet a new Ally in a unique puppetlike robot named Belle, Dr. Starline resurfaces and interjects in a couple of situations in order to build to his big plan(which is unfolding now), Zavok and Mimic escape prison to seek revenge, and Eggman is occasionally taking measures to respond to threat to his empire while preparing for his next big move. Also, the girls go camping and a mysterious fire breaks out.

[MetalSkulkBane]

8 hours ago, The Hedgehog. said:

Howdy. 

New here. 

I haven't read a IDW Sonic issue since 2019.

What has happened since then? 

Big stuff?
Metal Virus was resolved
Starline was fired by Eggman and slowly build himself his own master plan.
Major new characters include
- Belle, friendly but clumsy and nervous puppet robot with twist origin
- Surge & Kit, Starline's new enforcer and evil counterparts to Sonic & Tails

Small stuff?
Zeti punching, chao racing, girls camping, annual with several delightful small stories, surprisingly fun Classic Sonic special (which included Mighty, Ray, Fang, Bean, Bark, Tails Doll, Metal Knuckles and more.)