Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[Red Hot Jack]

8 hours ago, Flyinpenguin117 said:

They're just ducking bad PR. They don't want people immediately writing off the comics because the first piece of news is that the Freedom Fighters are gone.

They're just saving themselves from the fans, they want readers to buy the comics. What else should they do? "Yeah, the Freedom Fighters are gone, now everyone, you can stop caring about the IDW comics" Since all they seem to care are the Freedom Fighters.

[Irish David]

Echoing the many on Tracy coming on board. I wasn’t huge into the comics until about 18 months ago but loved his work when I started reading, so really pleased that he’s on board with Ian as well. Can’t wait to see what old/new artists they have in store for us

[Marco9966]

Do you notice that Tracey used Toei style for Sonic or is it just me??

[Betz]

1 hour ago, Marco9966 said:

Do you notice that Tracey used Toei style for Sonic or is it just me??

 Even with the Forces prelude comics it seems that the new Sonic comics are going for a more cartoonish Hesse/Toei style. I personally like it, it looks better IMO. A few people on the IDW group noticed that too.

[NikoS]

2 hours ago, FFWF said:

and characters like Sally are fundamentally and possibly legally none of their business;

Well, about that, i do remember they posting this:

Now, i'm not really sure what this "unlicensed work" mean, it may mean you can't post anything it's not within their reach, or simply anything that is not ©SEGA, i don't have facebook, so i'm not on the group, but i recall @RedFox99 posting earlier a link to a Sally redesign (btw, still waiting to see that man...), and an SU #75 panel with an edited background, the former was posted on the group, so i assume the later too, but nevertheless, the fact that they are allowing people to post (and discuss i imagine) about the FF should mean, in the best scenario, that they are within IDW's reach (#ihavenotlosthopeyet), or that just mean that it's fair game to post and discuss them 'cause, y'know, ©SEGA and all that, but in both cases, it does not seem to be any legal issue whatsoever.

[Red Hot Jack]

The fact that they approved that SU #75 screen means people can post pages from Archie comics. I made a post about me missing Eclipse, they still haven't approved it.

[MetalSkulkBane]

Cover is beautifully drawn (obviously, it's Yardley), if  pretty basic (than again, what else you expected?).

I'm not fan of that 'upside down' look though. Seems like a cute idea that will loose it's charm fast (and this is first cover, we will be looking at it a lot)

[Marco9966]

I know some people may be bugged by Green Hill zone in the cover, but if that's where the comic starts, I say it's good because Green Hill Zone  is the beginning!

And it's been a long time since we got a proper Sonic Comic issue 1 !!

[Your Vest Friend]

We can debate the cover until the cows come home.

While we wait for them to reach the barn, how about a stealth Evan Stanley confirmation.

[Marco9966]

Awesome!!

Now I'm waiting for Diana Skelly's confirmation!

[Zaysho]

6 hours ago, Dr. Jack said:

They're just saving themselves from the fans, they want readers to buy the comics. What else should they do? "Yeah, the Freedom Fighters are gone, now everyone, you can stop caring about the IDW comics" Since all they seem to care are the Freedom Fighters.

 

Again, people who care that strongly for the Archie version or any of its elements and characters, were likely never going to buy IDW anyway.

Some people just want something they liked from a 23 year-old sub-franchise to survive in form, even though, realistically, they're going to stay shelved. I think it's silly to think it's some kind of "risk" to the book's success to say anything at this point. Sonic's target demographic still exists, and I guarantee you the kids that will be buying this book aren't going to give a shit.

[Marco9966]

2 minutes ago, Zaysho said:

 

Again, people who care that strongly for the Archie version or any of its elements and characters, were likely never going to buy IDW anyway.

Some people just want something liked from a 23 year-old sub-franchise to survive, even though, realistically, they're going to stay shelved. I think it's silly to think it's some kind of "risk" to the book's success to say anything at this point. Sonic's target demographic still exists, and I guarantee you the kids that will be buying this book aren't going to give a shit.

But the facebook group is full of grownups like us! I don't know if there are fans among kids like there were in the 90's-2000's!

[Your Vest Friend]

The Facebook group represents a tiny proportion of the fanbase, let alone the general market that this will be appealing to. 

[Korke]

Sonic demographics is a mystery to me. It makes sense that kids may be the primary users, but when my cousins (9~11 yrs old) found out that I played Sonic games, I became the joke of the week.

[SBR2]

15 hours ago, Korke said:

That's smart, to be honest.

Evil, but smart.

...It's just a recognizable location to spark the nostalgic buyers interest I don't get this fandom's hate boner.

Quote

Cover is beautifully drawn (obviously, it's Yardley), if  pretty basic (than again, what else you expected?).

Not too surprised honestly. First issue covers tend to be kinda basic.

[NikoS]

1 hour ago, Korke said:

Sonic demographics is a mystery to me. It makes sense that kids may be the primary users, but when my cousins (9~11 yrs old) found out that I played Sonic games, I became the joke of the week.

Can't really disagree on that, most of the sonic fans i know are not on the "kids" demographic.

[Zaysho]

If you're looking in communities like this, you will likely find fans more within your age range. Outside that bubble though are new and younger fans, some who may not have any interest in joining fan communities or even know about them, many likely brought in by recent re-releases, or new games like Mania and Forces. It goes beyond a closed Facebook group and specialty forums like this. And, yeah, not every kid is necessarily going to care about or like Sonic; that was certainly the case when I was growing up, and I don't expect it be any different now.

And if some Archie fans have no interest in buying into this book or are skeptical about it, that's fine. I just don't think it's fair to dismiss them or act like if IDW is upfront about something anyone following the Archie fallout already knows, that those fans are specifically what will hurt this book.

[Sean]

I'm not necessarily skeptical about the quality of the book and I hope it does well if nothing else (and doesn't get cancelled again). I just don't see how I'm obligated in any way to care about this anymore than I have to care about other incarnations of Sonic like Sonic Boom that are unrelated to a previous thing in the franchise that I liked for what it was. It doesn't mean I'll never give IDW Sonic a chance in the future but right now I'm really not interested in it.

[Agie]

To be honest, this is the only immediate Sonic anything I have any sort of excitement for. If the Freedom Fighters return, fantastic! I'd love to see them return.

But I can live without them if need be. One can only twist Sega's arm so much, assuming anyone at IDW even wants those characters to return.

But my main hopes for IDW Sonic is stories that are just as entertaining as Ian's best in Archie Sonic. Well, that, and more than one regular writer to lighten Ian's load. Not saying Ian doesn't care, but I do feel like there were points, especially near the end, where it felt like he was just getting burned out.

[SSF1991]

I never expected this many Archie Sonic folks returning for IDW Sonic. That's an encouraging sign. It feels more so like a change in management/publisher than a change in writers, editors, and artists.

It's this "new direction" that concerns me the most.

[Shaddy Zaphod]

I would not be surprised in the slightest if that direction is just "away from Archie", or just a buzzword to generate potential hype.

[leemour84]

New start. New beginning. It's been 23 years plus since we have had a issue 1. It's time to start afresh.

Fleetway came and went and I was as. Then I knew about the Ar his saga and stuck with that until 2016 when it ended,  

So I am looking forward to this with great anticipation because this means no massive baggage from 23 years of material. SEGA will be more involved and what ever is created from now till the comics end will never repeat the Penders saga.

Good luck IDW 

[Shaddy Zaphod]

I mean, it won't have the comic's baggage. It's always going to have to deal with the decisions the game series itself makes

[Red Hot Jack]

9 hours ago, Sean said:

I'm not necessarily skeptical about the quality of the book and I hope it does well if nothing else (and doesn't get cancelled again). I just don't see how I'm obligated in any way to care about this anymore than I have to care about other incarnations of Sonic like Sonic Boom that are unrelated to a previous thing in the franchise that I liked for what it was. It doesn't mean I'll never give IDW Sonic a chance in the future but right now I'm really not interested in it.

Well, there's no point in being skeptical about the quality of something we know nothing about, yet, obviously. I'm more annoyed by the lack of news honestly, if you want to generate hype... you have to feed the fans with something. Anyway, I'm a bit confused as to why you're not interested in the new book, is it because of the loss of the old beloved characters? I'll miss them too, but I've been there already when the reboot happened, I care about Sonic and the game cast more than the exclusive comic cast, maybe that's just me, but as long as they are in the book, I'm excited.

It's also true that it doesn't take much to make me happy, just give me Ian for the writing and Tracy for the pencils, and I'm hyped.

5 hours ago, SSF1991 said:

I never expected this many Archie Sonic folks returning for IDW Sonic. That's an encouraging sign. It feels more so like a change in management/publisher than a change in writers, editors, and artists.

It's this "new direction" that concerns me the most.

So you think this "new direction" means something like Boom? Something drastically different from the past? Fair point, but I kind of doubt it, the covers and info we got show Modern Sonic, I think it's going to be exactly like the reboot, with less lore and less exclusive characters (sadly) but still full of new concepts and some sort of extended cast will still be present. What do you think?

[SSF1991]

5 minutes ago, Dr. Jack said:

So you think this "new direction" means something like Boom? Something drastically different from the past?

No, not really. My concern is that this "new direction" just means a safer universe that's much more in-line with the games and doesn't really have its own identity. I think we'll have a lengthy cast. Sonic, Tails, Amy, Eggman and Knuckles are confirmed and a given. Shadow, Rouge, Omega, Silver, Metal Sonic, and the Chaotix are also pretty much a given. I'm worried that that's all we're getting. It depends on how much SEGA is controlling this thing.

I'm at least feeling a little better about the writing. With Ian at the helm, I think we'll get a lot of that Ian-style writing that made the post-reboot Archie Sonic era shine. I just hope he has the characters to work with.