Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[dbzfan7]

19 hours ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

That actually worked out for the best when it came to someone like me though. As someone who doesn't care too much for the Freedom Fighters but loves the Chaotix, having the final SU be something that focused on them kind of felt like a bit of a close call situation. Like "Boy, if they had reversed those, I'd have been screwed!" 

Granted, I did get the Great Chaos Caper before that. It had Knuckles in it, sure, but it still felt like a genuine "Chaotix goes on a mission" story despite that. At least it wasn't another "Chaotix Quest" where they're all over the covers but it's actually about Mighty the Mucus and his dumb palette swap sister. 

But now that mini series are apparently a thing, there's a chance we could get a ton of stuff for the cast acting within their own elements again. If Tangle and Whisper can get one without even being official Sonic characters, I'd imagine the door is open for the others without popularity being TOO much of a restrictive factor this time. We might not get 5 Shadow and Knuckles stories every other arc this time.

That's an exaggeration but... still. 

I'm still kinda miffed my boy Tails only got 1 Universe arc, and it was a fucking retelling at that. 

[DabigRG]

4 minutes ago, dbzfan7 said:

I'm still kinda miffed my boy Tails only got 1 Universe arc, and it was a fucking retelling at that. 

Eh, reimagining. Reimagining.

[dbzfan7]

10 minutes ago, DabigRG said:

Eh, reimagining. Reimagining.

TOMATOES tomatoes. Not even deserving of an original arc apparently.

[Marco9966]

Does IDW make "Universe" side series for their other books?

[Kuzu]

Since Tails spends most story arcs with Sonic, he doesn't really need many stories focused on himself.  Shadow and Knuckles are more independent, in addition to being more popular so there's more story potential with those two I imagine. 

[dbzfan7]

4 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

Since Tails spends most story arcs with Sonic, he doesn't really need many stories focused on himself.  Shadow and Knuckles are more independent, in addition to being more popular so there's more story potential with those two I imagine. 

I'd agree if he was mostly with him, but he honestly was split from him quite a lot. He also played second fiddle during Universe arcs. I still think having only 1 and it just being a re imagining is pretty lame.

Well Shadow I can see...but was Knuckles? Was there an Archie poll? I recall it was Sonic then Shadow then Tails then Knuckles. Though that was like a mid 2000's poll I believe.

[DabigRG]

30 minutes ago, dbzfan7 said:

TOMATOES tomatoes. Not even deserving of an original arc apparently.

I'm sure they might've given him another one at some point once they got the idea to. Tails is just ironically a supportive main character, which means most don't really think about that anymore beyond being a side thing. And even if they do, you have to come up with a decent excuse to get him moving and separate from Sonic.

19 minutes ago, dbzfan7 said:

I'd agree if he was mostly with him, but he honestly was split from him quite a lot. He also played second fiddle during Universe arcs. I still think having only 1 and it just being a re imagining is pretty lame.

 

Yeah, I wanna say Mike Gallaugher and Kent Taylor were really trying to set Tails apart like the other two, even if it often involved magic.

19 minutes ago, dbzfan7 said:

 

Well Shadow I can see...but was Knuckles? Was there an Archie poll? I recall it was Sonic then Shadow then Tails then Knuckles. Though that was like a mid 2000's poll I believe.

Yeah, it was some extension of SEGA, but Tails was #3 on that poll.

The catch of course is the fact that he's primarily Sonic's Sidekick rather than a character with a expansive surrounding in his own right, both things Shadow and at least initially Knuckles weren't.

[SBR2]

45 minutes ago, DabigRG said:

Eh, reimagining. Reimagining.

Adaptation is the actual word if you want to get pedantic.

Quote

Does IDW make "Universe" side series for their other books?

 

Eh, kinda. They did a Universe title for TMNT but every issue was double length and like $4.99. For the most part they usually go for miniseries which if we're being honest is basically the same thing but it resets to #1 every "Arc"

[DabigRG]

Just now, SBR2 said:

Adaptation is the actual word if you want to get pedantic.

 

I know, I was just being general with what he said.

[dbzfan7]

24 minutes ago, DabigRG said:

I'm sure they might've given him another one at some point once they got the idea to. Tails is just ironically a supportive main character, which means most don't really think about that anymore beyond being a side thing. And even if they do, you have to come up with a decent excuse to get him moving and separate from Sonic.

Yeah, I wanna say Mike Gallaugher and Kent Taylor were really trying to set Tails apart like the other two, even if it often involved magic.

Yeah, it was some extension of SEGA, but Tails was #3 on that poll.

The catch of course is the fact that he's primarily Sonic's Sidekick rather than a character with a expansive surrounding in his own right, both things Shadow and at least initially Knuckles weren't.

i don't think that's difficult. Heck you can even have Sonic still there but have a character arc about Tails. It'd work either way. I just remember Bunnie and Antoine being support to him in his own adaption arc, but then was always support whenever he was in anything afterwards XP. 

Ya make it sound like a bad thing XP. I want my Magitech Fox to be a thing. A whole new world for him to explore and not be an expert in.

Only poll I remember.

I agree he has less independence than they do, but that means more to tell since nothing is made up there heh. Especially when they got quite a number of arcs for themselves.

[DabigRG]

12 minutes ago, dbzfan7 said:

 

Ya make it sound like a bad thing XP. I want my Magitech Fox to be a thing. A whole new world for him to explore and not be an expert in.

 

Oh no, that wasn't the intent.

Just pointing out how the Classic Trio all had these odd, mystical destinies to fulfill that made them important in the Archie multiverse back then.

[dbzfan7]

1 minute ago, DabigRG said:

Oh no, that wasn't the intent.

Just pointing out how the Classic Trio all had these odd, mystical destinies to fulfill that made them important in the Archie multiverse back then.

I want that magic angle badly. What with Kitsunes, magic being something he'd have to learn and not be an immediate expert in like he was with technology. How magic spits in the face of everything he does know about. There's so much to do. It's an area barely covered by anyone. I'd love to have a magitechnology character. Using machinery and mysticism. Though the latter he's an amateur to start with.

[Kuzu]

48 minutes ago, dbzfan7 said:

I'd agree if he was mostly with him, but he honestly was split from him quite a lot. He also played second fiddle during Universe arcs. I still think having only 1 and it just being a re imagining is pretty lame.

Well Shadow I can see...but was Knuckles? Was there an Archie poll? I recall it was Sonic then Shadow then Tails then Knuckles. Though that was like a mid 2000's poll I believe.

Yea, but as you said, he's mostly played a secondary role to another more important character. I honestly don't remember much from pre-Ian, but I can definitely say Knuckles at least got more focus having his own series and mythos surrounding him.

And Shadow is pretty self explanatory.

 

I think a lot of writers feel Tails can't hold an arc as the lead, hence why he's only stuck in secondary roles or as part of a larger ensemble.

[dbzfan7]

12 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

Yea, but as you said, he's mostly played a secondary role to another more important character. I honestly don't remember much from pre-Ian, but I can definitely say Knuckles at least got more focus having his own series and mythos surrounding him.

And Shadow is pretty self explanatory.

 

I think a lot of writers feel Tails can't hold an arc as the lead, hence why he's only stuck in secondary roles or as part of a larger ensemble.

Oh Knuckles definitely did. We were over saturated with Knuckles and Shadow arcs.

I can't really confirm nor deny any of that as I would have no idea how they thought. Made me sad that was the case in later issues, despite what could have been done. Especially when you have someone who has the underdog feeling.

I feel pretty safe with Sonic, Knuckles, or Shadow. They are already experienced by themselves. Tails hasn't grown into his own yet so there's more risk to him than any of them. What with Knuckles extreme strength, Shadow's hax powers, and Sonic's main character slot, they pretty much are fine. Not so much for someone who isn't the fastest, strongest, or most powerful (Excluding that one time chosen one thing). Tails feels closer to the every man than the others. He's in a similar position to like Batman or Spider-man who are not the strongest, fastest, or most powerful people. Yeah I know they're main characters, but I am relating more to the not top tier powerhouses comparison.

I find you have more to tell a more interesting conflict with someone not in the top tier of powerhouses than people who's abilities practically make things feel too safe. I think it's more fun to be underpowered and find a way around things, than overpowered and can just truck on through.

[Shadowlax]

I think tails can hold a lead, I think it requires like... giving him a character. And fleshing out more than side kick, hopefully they are allowed to be flexible with him. Fortunately for Knuckles and especially for Shadow they have been portrayed in different ways and can kind of be leaned into which direction you want, for better and for worse.

As for tails, he's mostly been a vehicle for exposition or muggufin inventions, there isn't too much room to flex, letting him spur out on his own is due to his lack of characterization outside of supplementary material and sa1 and 2, is rather unusual

Hopefully the comic accommodates for this so he can become a character and be cool, why i'm frightened is that sega is more involved with the character dialog rather than the over arching story this time round.

I think you can see why that concerns me in regards to tails , and to be quite honest a lot of characters.

[Dr. Detective]

2 hours ago, dbzfan7 said:

I'm still kinda miffed my boy Tails only got 1 Universe arc, and it was a fucking retelling at that. 

I know. Going back through the SU arcs that surprised me the most. Eggman and Silver got two. Makeshift Team Rose with Amy, Cream, and Blaze got two. The Chaotix got 2 or 3 depending on how you view the Chaos Caper. 

Tails got one.

Its almost kind of funny. 

I guess him being with Sonic all the time just made that harder to notice.

[dbzfan7]

11 minutes ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

I know. Going back through the SU arcs that surprised me the most. Eggman and Silver got two. Makeshift Team Rose with Amy, Cream, and Blaze got two. The Chaotix got 2 or 3 depending on how you view the Chaos Caper. 

Tails got one.

Its almost kind of funny. 

I guess him being with Sonic all the time just made that harder to notice.

I wouldn't even say all the time. He's actually split off as everyone's sidekick despite trying to say he's grown into his own...which he never really feels like. If he wasn't Sonic's sidekick, he's Sally's, or whoever the hell they pair him up with.

18 minutes ago, Shadowlax said:

I think tails can hold a lead, I think it requires like... giving him a character. And fleshing out more than side kick, hopefully they are allowed to be flexible with him. Fortunately for Knuckles and especially for Shadow they have been portrayed in different ways and can kind of be leaned into which direction you want, for better and for worse.

As for tails, he's mostly been a vehicle for exposition or muggufin inventions, there isn't too much room to flex, letting him spur out on his own is due to his lack of characterization outside of supplementary material and sa1 and 2, is rather unusual

Hopefully the comic accommodates for this so he can become a character and be cool, why i'm frightened is that sega is more involved with the character dialog rather than the over arching story this time round.

I think you can see why that concerns me in regards to tails , and to be quite honest a lot of characters.

I don't think past failings should be the decider. We already have enough of those and characters tossed off a cliff because of that. He already has a strong character/motivation. He's just not allowed to use it is the problem. He has a simple but sad backstory, a middle rising action, but never a full pay off. We get some conclusions, but never an actual pay off. More like resets.

I think people underestimate how much he actually has, because of not being allowed to use any of it. Because writers are too busy having him explain things or make up some shit, rather than use his actual characteristics. He may be the only character where his literal tropes are castrating him.

[Your Vest Friend]

Ah yeah, Spark of Life was really bad for that. Being completely separate from Sonic should have given a bit more room for Tails to branch out, but I don't recall a moment where he was allowed to do that (which would be kinda bad since Big was). 

[Kuzu]

Like I said, writers just aren't interested in using him much. Hope that can change. 

[dbzfan7]

50 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

Like I said, writers just aren't interested in using him much. Hope that can change. 

Which bugs me so much when the tools are all right there, but they're never used. Instead it's the plot bitch role 9 times out of 10.

[Your Vest Friend]

All this being said, I can see Tails playing a pivotal role in the next arc given the theme of it. 

[DabigRG]

1 hour ago, VEDJ-F said:

I don't recall a moment where he was allowed to do that (which would be kinda bad since Big was). 

Uh, can you explain this particular section? 

I vaguely remember Spark of Life's overall plot progression(though Tails sorta disappears at some point, fittingly enough), but the way this was phrase is throwing me of.

[Your Vest Friend]

1 minute ago, DabigRG said:

Uh, can you explain this particular section? 

I vaguely remember Spark of Life's overall plot progression(though Tails sorta disappears at some point, fittingly enough), but the way this was phrase is throwing me of.

Spark of Life had the moment where Big and Sally are going somewhere in a vehicle, and they just talk about their worries and life philosophies (Big's is pretty simple, but that's fine and it's contrasted to Sally's life juggling anyway). Tails doesn't have such a moment. 

[DabigRG]

5 minutes ago, VEDJ-F said:

Spark of Life had the moment where Big and Sally are going somewhere in a vehicle, and they just talk about their worries and life philosophies (Big's is pretty simple, but that's fine and it's contrasted to Sally's life juggling anyway). Tails doesn't have such a moment. 

Okay, that sounds about right.

Honestly, I kinda get the feeling Tails was only in that arc to fly Sally, Nicole, and Big to Isolated Island and get the story approved in case Big only wasn't enough.

[StaticMania]

2 hours ago, dbzfan7 said:

I think people underestimate how much he actually has, because of not being allowed to use any of it. Because writers are too busy having him explain things or make up some shit, rather than use his actual characteristics.

Tails is a smart kid, a bit shy , eager to work on and show off his inventions to Sonic, and a capable side kick. His actual character is pretty bland because all his traits are surface level...

He had a thing about being independent from Sonic, wasn't very cowardly, and again...was pretty capable anyway. So not knowing what to do with him is pretty standard.

Having him be more of a straight-man to Sonic's typical behavior is something that should've happened way sooner. They get along and joke around when the threat seems pretty weak or just basic Eggman, but when it's something like a powered up Metal Sonic and it actually seems pretty strong...Tails may get a bit exasperated with Sonic's recklessness. Is pretty obvious.