Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[Shadowlax]

38 minutes ago, FFWF said:

Good point; it seems like the comics might be actively forbidden from "filling in the blanks."  World-building in the context of game-specific material, therefore, is an impossibility.  All that's left for world-building is original material... or nothing at all.

I feel like this is a bit more accurate, especially given their response to sonic boom rol development. Even in a world, where its entire different continuity sega had specifically said that they didn't want them filling story blanks for characters that haven't been expanded upon already

[TheDarkHero]

4 hours ago, SonicComicFanboy said:

I'm sorry but I can't help but laugh at this.  Sonic was created primarily with a western audiance in mind.  He was literally made to remind western audiances of characters like Bugs Bunny & Mickey Mouse as part of his gimmick to compete with Mario & Nintendo.  Saying he needs to be more Japanese is just silly.  He has never been big as Mario, Megaman, etc, in Japan and never will be.  Best they stay with the US/EU audiance that is more open to the character.

Yeah well the writing and character dynamics in the majority of the franchise sure don't reflect that. Most stories are as Japanese as they come. Even the Archie comics was starting to adopt a lot of Japanese writing and tropes once the post G stories hit. Case and point: TOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRNNNAAAAAAMMMMEEEEEENNNNNT *inhales* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRC!!!

(meme source:) 

 

[Speedi]

34 minutes ago, TheDarkHero said:

Yeah well the writing and character dynamics in the majority of the franchise sure don't reflect that. Most stories are as Japanese as they come. Even the Archie comics was starting to adopt a lot of Japanese writing and tropes once the post G stories hit. Case and point: TOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRNNNAAAAAAMMMMEEEEEENNNNNT *inhales* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRC!!!

(meme source:) 

 

lmao damn I totally overglossed the fact that Champions was literally a tournament arc. That's actually a really good point now that I think about it.

[RedFox99]

Is the Champions Arc good?

[Your Vest Friend]

7 minutes ago, RedFox99 said:

Is the Champions Arc good?

It's considered one of the best post-reboot arcs, if not THE best. 

To be honest, the fact that it's a tournament arc would pretty much be a given saying as it's based on the heavily Japanese Sonic the Fighters. 

[RedFox99]

2 minutes ago, VEDJ-F said:

It's considered one of the best post-reboot arcs, if not THE best. 

To be honest, the fact that it's a tournament arc would pretty much be a given saying as it's based on the heavily Japanese Sonic the Fighters. 

I've finished the Waves of Change Arc.

[TheDarkHero]

4 minutes ago, RedFox99 said:

Is the Champions Arc good?

It's a fun romp. Classic rivalries duke it out, Knux gets some well deserved revenge on the Hoolagans, Honey is officially introduced and Breezie, also making her first real appearance, is a competent and cunningly scary casino owner banking on the world getting shattered. It's all good.

[KoDaiko]

3 hours ago, RedFox99 said:

So anthropomorphic animals aren't popular in Japan?

In general, I believe they are only popular if they're the mascot type or very humanoid "gijinka" type.

From what I've heard, the unpopularity of Sonic is a result of various factors. Like consoles at the time, games available, the "western" style, the game play in general, etc...

[RedFox99]

Never knew people loved tournament arcs

[Your Vest Friend]

Just now, RedFox99 said:

I've finished the Waves of Change Arc.

You're not too far away from it then, there's only Control/Ambush before it in the main comic. 

[RedFox99]

2 minutes ago, VEDJ-F said:

You're not too far away from it then, there's only Control/Ambush before it in the main comic. 

Cool. Can I get them on the app?

[Your Vest Friend]

Just now, RedFox99 said:

Cool. Can I get them on the app?

I'd imagine you could get the individual issues on there. Just bear in mind that Control/Ambushed managed to get a graphic novel release while the Champions one was axed before it could come out. 

[TheDarkHero]

5 minutes ago, RedFox99 said:

Never knew people loved tournament arcs

People love competition. It draws out drama and excitement in a "safe" enviorment. Sometimes even "why did he do that" type of humor. All of that gets exaggerated in more fantasy orientated series like My Hero Achedamia or, in this topic, Sonic.

 

2 minutes ago, RedFox99 said:

Cool. Can I get them on the app?

And yes, you can get every arc in the Archie app, though as separate issues. It's the arc I started the main book with after binging too much with Sonic Universe, since SU was my first foray into my comics.

Edited August 5, 2017 by TheDarkHero
Further elaboration

[RedFox99]

3 minutes ago, TheDarkHero said:

People love competition. It draws out drama and excitement. Sometimes even "why did he do that" type of humor. All of that gets exaggerated in more fantasy orientated series like My Hero Achedamia or, in this topic, Sonic.

 

And yes, you can get every arc in the Archie app, though as separate issues. It's the arc I started the main book with after binging too much with Sonic Universe, since SU was my first foray into my comics.

I don't see Ambushed though.

Wait so is Ambushed another name for the Control arc?

[TheDarkHero]

1 minute ago, RedFox99 said:

I don't see Ambushed though. 

issue 266

[RedFox99]

32 minutes ago, TheDarkHero said:

issue 266

Okay. I'm kind of hyped now.

[SonicComicFanboy]

2 hours ago, TheDarkHero said:

Yeah well the writing and character dynamics in the majority of the franchise sure don't reflect that. Most stories are as Japanese as they come. Even the Archie comics was starting to adopt a lot of Japanese writing and tropes once the post G stories hit. Case and point: TOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRNNNAAAAAAMMMMEEEEEENNNNNT *inhales* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRC!!!

(meme source:) 

 

 Your mistaking sterotypical tropes used in fiction all over the world for something exclusivly Japanese.  

 

I will give you the Tournament Arc thing though as that is indeed very shonen . XD

[Korke]

1 hour ago, RedFox99 said:

Never knew people loved tournament arcs

It's the cheapest shonen trope, but quite efficient even after all those decades...

---

But, anyway, by "approaching more to japan roots in the future", what are you guys actually suggesting?

[Salamander]

8 hours ago, Shadowlax said:

I feel like this is a bit more accurate, especially given their response to sonic boom rol development. Even in a world, where its entire different continuity sega had specifically said that they didn't want them filling story blanks for characters that haven't been expanded upon already

I strongly suspect that Sega or Sonic Team actually rejected the idea of Boom being explicitly a different continuity.  Hence no characters after the main five were redesigned, RoL Shadow shows up with no explanation or backstory, in the Japanese version his actions are explained by him being brainwashed, etc.  I think they want it to be regarded as having western designs and a different focus, but still being somehow compatible if you squint hard enough.  Actually, they might have started to regard the classic side of the franchise in a similar light, now that I think about it.

The reason I mention this is because it might inform about their take on what the comic should be.  My reading is that Sega are happy with a spin-off having all kinds of original plots and ideas, but it can't ever contradict the games, or contradict something which could conceivably be in a future game.

[RedFox99]

4 hours ago, FFWF said:

I strongly suspect that Sega or Sonic Team actually rejected the idea of Boom being explicitly a different continuity.  Hence no characters after the main five were redesigned, RoL Shadow shows up with no explanation or backstory, in the Japanese version his actions are explained by him being brainwashed, etc.  I think they want it to be regarded as having western designs and a different focus, but still being somehow compatible if you squint hard enough.  Actually, they might have started to regard the classic side of the franchise in a similar light, now that I think about it.

The reason I mention this is because it might inform about their take on what the comic should be.  My reading is that Sega are happy with a spin-off having all kinds of original plots and ideas, but it can't ever contradict the games, or contradict something which could conceivably be in a future game.

I don't get why they have to be strict on a spin off series.

[BlueSky]

19 hours ago, SBR2 said:

Boy that sure would mean something in Webber wrote for the games and didn't just run the social media pages.

His effectiveness is incomprehensible. Considering the comics are "one of the ads" for the games, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to see him as the PR man to start running this show too.

In that case, well, it was nice to know the Sonic comics. Bye.

13 hours ago, RedFox99 said:

So anthropomorphic animals aren't popular in Japan?

This brought to my mind some stuff I once saw in One Piece wiki about Mr. Oda's drafts for the said manga. Wiki stated that at some point Chopper was the one meant to be smoking.

Let that sink in for a minute.

A smoking reindeer.

I suppose that was too badass to happen. Now Chopper's not half the reindeer in his half-form he used to be when it comes to the looks.

[RedFox99]

@BlueSky So I'm guessing anthros have to be cute sidekicks to be popular. 

[Shadowlax]

6 hours ago, FFWF said:

I strongly suspect that Sega or Sonic Team actually rejected the idea of Boom being explicitly a different continuity.  Hence no characters after the main five were redesigned, RoL Shadow shows up with no explanation or backstory, in the Japanese version his actions are explained by him being brainwashed, etc.  I think they want it to be regarded as having western designs and a different focus, but still being somehow compatible if you squint hard enough.  Actually, they might have started to regard the classic side of the franchise in a similar light, now that I think about it.

The reason I mention this is because it might inform about their take on what the comic should be.  My reading is that Sega are happy with a spin-off having all kinds of original plots and ideas, but it can't ever contradict the games, or contradict something which could conceivably be in a future game.

Nah because they seem to imply at least in previews of forces its classic sonic instead of being younger sonic is just a different version of sonic, like earth 2 golden age sonic. Along with that, they already on multiple projects , like comics and various cartoons have established those are different worlds. So the concept isn't unfamiliar, I think the more plauable answer is, despite it being from a different world, they want their brand nowadays to be cohesive. Like sonic has to be sorta.. " sonic-ey" in like every version of sonic that pops up , you feel me? I think the idea of this being a different version of sonic was assumed and set in stone from the get go, they have done it before. Despite it being a different world, they want these things to be extremely simular. 

Which I get, but given forces already looks like a rotten egg, and sonic boom cracked open before it started, maybe they shouldn't put all their eggs in very similar baskets. 

OR they might just not even understand the concept of " this is a different reality" and have been using the term flippantly with out actually knowing the implications of said term, but I doubt and hope that's not the case

30 minutes ago, RedFox99 said:

@BlueSky So I'm guessing anthros have to be cute sidekicks to be popular. 

Usually its a human surrogate, like the family in Sgt. Frog or Sora Kairi and Riku in Kingdom hearts, that are the main characters. Not all the time though, you get things like kimba the white lion

[BlueSky]

2 hours ago, RedFox99 said:

@BlueSky So I'm guessing anthros have to be cute sidekicks to be popular. 

At least in many cases I think, though if I follow my train of thought I could mention Chopper being one of the main characters could play a part in this (not to mention there're many guys on the Internet wanting Carrot getting a big part (do not spoil me) since she's cuute, and I can't get it). It really dependes, like when you're talking about something like Digimon, the line starts to fade as far as I can see.

There are some Digimons being a bit anthro-looking, but then again, Digimon prolly isn't one's generic everyday anime.

Why I only know about the more obscure stuff... 

And about that "Sonic should go Japanese" thing...

Oh geez, as long as the comics don't get a "school-arc" anymore.

Since, you know, that's also a pretty "popular" phenomenon in anime/manga... everyone needs to go to the school, I just hope this isn't the case for the future of my favourite manga...

And, if we want to change the style how the stories are told, I'd say "BD style" would be better for getting into bigger audience, as the stories can be read separately and they still do connect in a way, the continuation isn't too light but it isn't that tight either. It would make it easier for "casual" readers to pick the comics up, since, you know, the long-lasting continuation might frighten some...

At least I've got that kind of image. The fact Archie Sonic went on for so long with it's continuation might've scared off some readers.

And I'm not talking about myself, I love long-lasting continuations, I'm just trying to compare pros and cons over different story-telling formats in comics I'm aware of when it comes to attracting new international audience.

And the BD style would actually make it possible to get the cast in a fluctuation; of course Sonic would always be there but the not-main cast could be circulated in that kind of solution. This style would actually even make it somewhat easy to use different "staff members" to make the comics too, come to think about it...

hmm...

But what I'd love most would be some kind of usage of the Archie cast in a way they're in-character, and the very best one would be to get some kind of closure for the post-reboot continuity...

I'm not going to hope so much I'd see them to continue main comics straight from where Archie was left, though, given about the talk of "new direction".  

[TheDarkHero]

15 hours ago, SonicComicFanboy said:

 Your mistaking sterotypical tropes used in fiction all over the world for something exclusivly Japanese.  

 

I will give you the Tournament Arc thing though as that is indeed very shonen . XD

Well I don't see any western stories having a light-hearted character who is suppose to be a subversion of the love interest dynamic by making her a loyal and kind yet emotionally naive dolt. Just recently we got Tohru from Dragon Maid fitting that rare archetype and it's always presented in anime and JRPGs when they are seen.

Then we have Shadow being the "dark, mysterious rival", Silver being a rip off of Trunks, brief bursts of being concerned about Sexual growths (Blaze's bust concerns), Tails being a reference to the 9 tailed fox and, of course, super forms. Yup, the writing really is Japanese. You can just smell the type of imagination from just looking at them.