Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[DabigRG]

11 minutes ago, Miragnarok said:

I’m thinking they’ll be humans, due to them not having their species specified in the issue description, and Sonic needs more human enemies.

So what you're trying to say is, "We need a Xander Payne."

[Multikaris]

38 minutes ago, DabigRG said:

So what you're trying to say is, "We need a Xander Payne."

Exactly. We need more people like Agent Bishop and Bonesteel in the series.

[DabigRG]

32 minutes ago, Miragnarok said:

Exactly. We need more people like Agent Bishop and Bonesteel in the series.

I suppose.

Also, I had to look up who that second was is.

[Dash Speed]

The Sonic and Amy dynamic is played for laughs to me, even in the comics. He treats her like a little sister with some sort of dread of her or picks on her depending on how it's portrayed, I've never seen them talk to each other as serious with other characters without being casually eccentric and comical. SonAmy is such a one note interaction, I peg it as a gag than a friendship. Amy as character is very predictable as a whole, without her admiration of Sonic, she comes borderline random when she tries to be a level headed person with a motherly side, like in Sonic Adventure her character arc is going to find Sonic and bumping into a bird along the way to the point she shifts her tone as being serious about saving birdy to dropping everything to date Sonic. 

[Shadowlax]

Question

Forces is...a thing. 

Anything in forces in particular, that you liked. That you wanna see in the comic?

[Marco9966]

Yes the vibes of Froces will be very much in the comics.

I want to see some Infinite, the characters and their goals in a Post-Eggman world domination. It can be very very interesting and there is lot of potential  for character growth and development, and I'm excited for this new comic.

However, I want NO Classic Sonic. And I am sure many people agree that Classic Sonic should not appear at all (except in flashbacks or megadrive style story, that's it).

I despise the idea that Classic and Modern Sonic are two different persons.

For me the comics are about character growth, I am sure Sonic can get some of that, the mandates were not so strict in Archie post-reboot, and in IDW they will even loosen the mandates a bit.

Character growth is about going foreward, (we got a lot of that in the early 3D games when Sega cared about story like SA1/SA2, too many good examples of character growth in these games to cite)

How do you want me to care for Sonic and his development if there is Classic Sonic shoved in to take the focus just to attract the purists huh? (these purists only care about gameplay, and don't want a story at all, want no new characters, want no character development, they just care about Classic Sonic, Tails and Robotnik! (with black eyes please, it's weird how they got angry when he had green eyes in Sonic 4!! HELLO Sonic Advance1/2/3, Sonic Rush/Rush Adventure! Excellent classic gameplay with green eyes Sonic!). I am sure there are no purists among the fans who wait for the IDW comics! Thus no need for Sega to shove classic sonic in the comics)

I just want one Sonic like in the good days

[MetalSkulkBane]

I know I missed whole Amy debate, but screw it, it was middle of the night in Poland. So here are my few cents

Spoiler

TL:DR (Short version) read first few paragraphs of this https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4511734/2/The-City-In-The-Image-Of-Man
This is how Amy should work. (Highly reccomend reading whole thing, this guy is really good)

Longer version: First of all, I do like SonAmy played for laughs. What can I say? Maybe I watched too much Pepe Le Pew/Fifi La Fume cartoons, but I find it funny.

Spoiler

https://sayamiyazaki.deviantart.com/art/We-are-in-love-Sonic-version-415085002

https://kittynakajima.deviantart.com/art/First-Comes-Marriage-350804890

But no, I don't want Amy to be like this (fan arts like above are enough for me). That would kill all of her potential as serious character. And being a part of Core Cast, she needs to be.

So, what is her character? She started as cutie girly-girl, around the Cream showed up she became hot-head, Archie and Fleetway make her logical tomboy, newer games boring serious person,  Boom is all over the place.

What I trying to say is that she need that Crush as a definition. As a flagpole around which whole development would be made.

Sonic Adveture 1 is about her outgrowing her dependance on Sonic. In Sonic Heroes... well that's open to interpretation, but I like to think that she obssesses over Sonic, neglecting needs of her team. At first. As game progresses, she mentions Sonic less and less, mostly looking for Chesses and Froggy. By the end of the game she isn't looking for him, Cream must point him out. It's sorta karmatic ending for Amy, growing into her role as leader.

So I don't mind if Amy is obssessing over Sonic, even if she's doing something wrong. Good characters are flawed ones, as long as they reletable in their flaws (three words: Steven Universe Pearl). She could grow and learn, or not. But I think her crush should be her drive. An inspiration to overcome great challenges, motivation to become as great as hero she adores (possibly even better person , since she ignores his flaws). Throw her Crush out and Amy is just a girl. Not even 'stereotypical one'  that suggest consistency.

Some people laughed earlier at her in Sonic Battle. Yeah, they went a bit far (interaction with Cream), but all the mummy bussness was cute. And that imaginary Sonic thing, well, that's kinda freaking awesome. She double her strenght by determination alone.

Spoiler

...that isn't connected with anything I said. Just wanted to show my favorite Amy moment.

 

 

[Salamander]

12 hours ago, DabigRG said:

Their names makes me think that at least one of them will be a rhino.

 

With that said, the fact that they're taking on The Fighting Buddies suggests they have comparable abilities.

Funnily enough, at least one of Rough and Tumble being a rhino is just what I was thinking, too.  I assume people are generally unconsciously connecting them to Tangle as there's a similarity in names; I thought that, too, but if that's the case it's a little weird that they're in separate issues.  Maybe something to establish down the line.  At any rate, them being anthro foes working for Eggman would fall into line with the Jackal Squad, and help to prepare the ground in future for mercenaries like Fang and maybe Witchcart's minions.

(...And I almost posted this with the typo "Rough and Tumblr".)

[Your Vest Friend]

There's no way Rough and Tumble are human at the very least. Human characters in the Sonic series don't get names like that. Eggman is the most outlandish we get as a nickname, and even that references him being human. 

[Marco9966]

There's Mr. Know-It-All on SA1 (but I'm pretty sure that's a nickname too :p)

[Shadowlax]

@Marco9966

I don't know if infinite will even come back. I dunno if it was this thread I was talking to someone in, but it really seems like Sega... didn't even know  what to do with infinite it kinda seemed like he was from another game entirely  and what backstory we have on him was cobbled together. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the mephiles-ed.

I agree about classic sonic though. 

But if I were to suggest somethings from forces to show up in the comic

1) The weird mixed level theme... that... huh. The mixed level theme only shows up for like... a single level in forces. Wow ... that's another problem, I was trying to say a neat thing about forces and found another problem. But yeah the mixed level thing... they don't bother to explain, and is now upon reflection the remnant of infinite being from another game where he or someone else had full manipulation over time and space. That was neat

2)The concept of merc groups, not introduced in forces proper, but I really like the idea of different bands of animals in sonic land. A lot of the main animal sonic characters air on the side of good usually. The rogues only really show up in the riders series and bean and stuff only have limited appearances. But I like the idea of characters a bit more morally ambiguous and not just because they work for eggman. But they have their own objectives

3) Similar to one, its cause is because of a bad part of the game. But I like the idea, and this is self indulgent because it involves my favorite character. But I want shadow to be " scary" he wasn't scary in the game. But Infinite and even sonic , and various other characters felt like he was this forced to be reckoned with. I kind of like the idea of shadow being this scary dude people don't mess with. And I hope that characterization continues in a sense. I can kinda imagine some new non tangle character being cocky and just dismissing shadow is edgy and then he does some dio stuff and the person freaks out

3b) Self indulgent desire part 2, Shadow doesn't need chaos emeralds. Hope a lack of chaos emerald stay around in a lot of narratives

@MetalSkulkBane

I feel like the issue is that, she already was shown what kind of character she was without the crush, or rather when it isn't important. In the comics...and she's a great character,

[Red Hot Jack]

I hope Infinite returns or at least in spin-offs, his popularity should be able to bring him back, but seeing as there is official merchandise for him, like action figures, and he is even in the board game, maybe there is hope, or maybe it's just because Forces is a recent game, I don't know.

[Marco9966]

I want to point out this nice Tangle drawing by Adam Bryce Thomas:

[SBR2]

9 hours ago, DabigRG said:

I suppose.

Also, I had to look up who that second was is.

Oh, Next Mutation. Off Topic but IDW needs to do something with the Next Mutation characters. I know that's a controversial opinion but there's no reason they couldn't rework them like they've done elements from every other TMNT incarnation. Plus all the Pantheon's talk of Dragons would be perfect to introduce the Dragon Lord.

[Korke]

5 hours ago, Shadowlax said:

Question

Forces is...a thing.

I was hoping I could carry on with life pretending that Forces was just a bad illusion...

As for the comic, I hope that Sonic rejects Amy request for rejoining the freedo- *cough* , I mean, the resistance..

[SBR2]

On Topic and even continuing my previous point of "No Bad Ideas just Bad Execution" There's no reason they couldn't expand on what was done in Forces and maybe explain a few of the things that didn't quite make sense.

I've only seen the cutscenes but I don't really think anything in Forces plot was as unsalvageable or even as bad as everyone makes it out to be. 

[Razule]

6 hours ago, VEDJ-F said:

There's no way Rough and Tumble are human at the very least. Human characters in the Sonic series don't get names like that. Eggman is the most outlandish we get as a nickname, and even that references him being human. 

Professor Pickle?

[Marco9966]

6 minutes ago, Razule said:

Professor Pickle?

Yeah, this can work!

On a side note, this guy came way before Pickle Riiiick!

Spoiler

 

[Your Vest Friend]

9 minutes ago, Razule said:

Professor Pickle?

Has a title in front of it, which no (game) animal character has. Same applies to Mr Know It All and Professor Von Sclemmer (even if he is AoStH). 

[Shaddy Zaphod]

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

 

Anyway, humans are fine but I don't think we need many important ones. Sonic's visual appeal is in the character designs and most of the humans never quite cut it because they are human. We know what humans are like and they're usually less special as a result. Eggman has a pretty striking design of exaggerated features and good use of different angular and sloping curves to make him stand out as simultaneously goofy and dangerous, but none of the other humans have that. They're just boring to look at, most of the time, and they dont even really match the style Eggy himself uses. If everyone was designed the same way as Eggman maybe they'd have something, but they aren't, so I'd rather keep them on the sidelines until it gets figured out.

[Marco9966]

Also David Mariotte said that Jon Gray will do more than one cover! I love his style!

Wouldnt be great if they gave him an arc to illustrate?

[PublicEnemy1]

19 minutes ago, Marco9966 said:

Also David Mariotte said that Jon Gray will do more than one cover! I love his style!

Wouldnt be great if they gave him an arc to illustrate?

I think Jon is done with interior art, since he hasn't done true interiors since 222. Maybe as an Off-Panel (if that thing comes back, albeit with a different name. IIRC, we already got confirmation of fanmail in comics returning, so there's something.)

[DabigRG]

1 hour ago, VEDJ-F said:

Has a title in front of it, which no (game) animal character has. Same applies to Mr Know It All and Professor Von Sclemmer (even if he is AoStH). 

...So does Eggman?

Also, why Von Sclemmer?

[Your Vest Friend]

Just now, DabigRG said:

...So does Eggman?

Also, why Von Sclemmer?

I mentioned how it still refers to his humanity and is something a human would distinctly have. Also Doctor Robotnik is his other name.

Also Schlemmer just came to mind randomly, I dunno. 

[PublicEnemy1]

My excitement is at an all-time high. They got rid of (or at least, loosened) the only mandate that I actually hated: the "no-character development" mandate. If Sonic can be developed as David said, then so can the rest of them, most likely. I'm not expecting anything too deep to start off with, but I'm still glad that SEGA is listening to our complaints.