Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[Razule]

I miss the Freedom Fighters and Archie universe, but I really like the idea of fresh-start far more. A clean slate that can build off of the games without any old baggage! I wonder how much it'll take from the games though, or what kind of rules Sega has about the setting.

Two worlds..?

[Dr. Detective]

1 hour ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

Well, I get that. I just always stuck with the games, so I never really cared what Archie did until Flynn came on board. And even then I was like "This is a thing, a thing that is cool".

Alternate continuities exist there can be different stories to be told that wouldn't really fly in "main" series. Like Ultimate Spider Man, etc etc.

And think about this way; if you liked the game's setting and characters, well...those will never stop existing. Even if it's underutilized in the game's themselves, it's still there. But now,the people who liked the Archie setting are basically up a creek without a paddle First the reboot, and now this. If I was a major fan of Archie, I'd be pretty upset at how things are going.

I never minded the comics because like I said, they existed separate from the games and vice versa. So if you liked one or the other, people could just stay in their own lane (obviously people would infringe, because it wouldn't be the Sonic fanbase if they didn't complain about something) and never bother each other. 

But now, things are effectively biased in the game's favor and Archie has effectively been left behind. Regardless of how I felt about all of it, I do think it's a shitty thing that people who invested themselves in that character and setting for years have effectively been silenced so to speak. There's always going to be fan projects, but it's not quite the same.

I do like how they starting over from scratch and I'm curious on where things will go, but even as somebody who's not exactly Archie's biggest fan, it has a place in the series` too that I would hate to see get ignored.

There's always going to be some unfortunate things that happen whenever an alternate continuity has reached the peak of it's relevance. Most fans of Sonic X aren't going to get any of the original elements they liked from that series back again. Sonic Underground never had a proper ending. The Boom TV Show is going to kick the bucket sooner or later too. It's going to be a relatively harder sting for the Archie Comics since they've been around for such an immeasurably long time that the idea that they could ever end (let alone so abruptly and without a proper conclusion for either of its continuities) makes for an even harder pill to swallow.  It's not like anyone who wants the comics to be different aren't aware of that.

However, it's never been a matter of things being biased in favor of the games for me. Sure, I prefer the game's setting and characters but that's not really all that relevant when it comes to just expressing what I or any individual wants out of this new Sonic the Hedgehog comic. Especially since it's going to naturally build upon itself and have new characters and new settings regardless. No matter what, unless it's strictly just a re-telling of what goes on in the games (which would be horrible) than the continuity it creates will assuredly end up branching off towards being its own thing. There will officially be an "IDW Continuity" just like there was an "Archie Continuity" and a "SatAM Continuity," a "Boom Continuity" and so on.

And sometimes the spin-off continuities have an end. Naturally, there's going to be people who want different things to be the foundation for the beginning of a new one. If Boom ends and there's people who hear a new show is coming after it, I wouldn't be surprised to see the people who wanted another Season of Boom to be disappointed when they unveil that hot, sexy new Sonic Anime I really want instead either. But, you know, that's what happens. So I just express what I'd like for it to be. It's not a call to arms against anyone who liked it the other way.

At the end of the day, it's not really about it getting ignored. It existed. It had it's run. It's over now. I'd prefer they moved on. Others prefer they didn't and that's okay but when it comes strictly to what I'd want out of a Sonic the Hedgehog comic, that's not what I'd like to see happen.

 

[Flyinpenguin117]

I just want them to admit that the Freedom Fighters are gone so we can stop having this conversation.

[Razule]

7 minutes ago, Flyinpenguin117 said:

I just want them to admit that the Freedom Fighters are gone so we can stop having this conversation.

You say that, but there will just be more when it is announced

[Korke]

9 hours ago, Dash Speed said:

someone asian at least. Sonic has tons of Japanese influences, Ian Flynn sonic is like a American Disney cartoon with meta shout outs and memes.

Honestly, the games' lore has been held by the japanese since a long time and that ain't doing us a lot of favors. Sure, Pontaff may have created dumb jokes along the dialogue of SLW but the original plot did intentionally murder Tails' personality. And now, we have Forces, which takes us to the line of cringeworthy edge.....

[MetalSkulkBane]

7 hours ago, Jack the Rookie said:

Wait a minute, I just remembered something. A tweet Ian made... he said, of course there are other surprises, but some of this stuff he never imagined would be happening, is he possibly talking about the extended comic/SatAM cast? What else could it be? More freedom?

Okay, you know what I kinda hate about Flynn?

Throwing 'knowing smile' tweets with absolutely no other info whatsoever. You can't demand of us to be exited with zero real promises, it's infuriating.

Example, remember when he start throwing extremely vague hints around Sonic Forces and everyone assumed he will be a writer?

[Flyinpenguin117]

5 minutes ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Okay, you know what I kinda hate about Flynn?

Throwing 'knowing smile' tweets with absolutely no other info whatsoever. You can't demand of us to be exited with zero real promises, it's infuriating.

Example, remember when he start throwing extremely vague hints around Sonic Forces and everyone assumed he will be a writer?

Non-Disclosure Agreements are a thing.

[Razule]

Oh, yeah, that was a thing. We know Nakamura is writing, and Graff is localizing, so how's Ian involved in that? Script doctoring? Weird that we don't know by now. It must be minor enough that it's not that big of a deal.

[Kazhnuz]

What I wonder is if they'll keep the concept of Egg Boss. It was really neat, having some character in Eggman's side (especially with how greatly done they were). It's really possible to downplay the FF and keep them as one of the numerous groups that evolve in the Sonic World (especially as we can use an adaptation of Spinball as their backstory : Sonic attacked an Eggman base, saved them and that inspired them to fight him). But the Egg Boss construct way more dynamics with Eggman, with the heroes, etc.

I also hope that they'll have more individual writers for individual issue, while having Ian Flynn working on the overall part of the story. And that IDW doesn't force 4-issues arcs as much as Archie…

[JosepHenry]

I just want Diana Skelly returning.

Tyson can take a break from Sonic because that Champions arc was perfection.

[Almar]

The Egg Bosses can stick around if they're having Eggman as a conquering scientist who has already seized a chunk of the world. Or maybe just a small but super advanced country ala Doctor Doom.

But that raises another question: How do you expect them to handle Eggman?

-How much of a monster is he (Genocidal Bastard Level? Makes Threats And Doesn't Have An Issue With Murder But Doesn't Have A Huge Bodycount Level? Borderline Freenemy With Sonic Level?)?

-What position does he have (Some terrorist squatting in jungles and pyramids ala Sonic Adventure and Sonic X? Rules chunks of the world ala SatAM and other Western versions? Has a megacorp that he can run without getting its assets seized for terrorism? Some other situation I haven't listed?)

-Does he have any longtime allies or partners besides Orbot and Cubot?

-Any family?

[Dwapook]

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Okay, you know what I kinda hate about Flynn?

Throwing 'knowing smile' tweets with absolutely no other info whatsoever. You can't demand of us to be exited with zero real promises, it's infuriating.

Example, remember when he start throwing extremely vague hints around Sonic Forces and everyone assumed he will be a writer?

What kind of vague hints? 'cause IDW's response to the freedom fighters has me speculating that they're going to appear in forces.. o.O;

[Ellipsis-Ultima]

https://mobile.twitter.com/tssznews/status/917076836588380161

https://mobile.twitter.com/tssznews/status/917076984374718466

Release dates!

[Your Vest Friend]

They said this on the panel. 

[Red Hot Jack]

Honestly, the best thing to do, and what would please almost everyone, would be to start fresh and make the series around the game cast, focusing on the main 4 (plus Eggman), which I think it's basically confirmed thanks to that cover, and then introduce the other characters, including the Freedom Fighters with minor roles, that was my idea when I pitched the story arcs in July. Would game fans be okay with that? Because IMO what people don't like about the Freedom Fighters, is that they were present all the time, they were the center of the comic, instead of Sonic & friends being the center of it, so if they only recur or guest, that wouldn't be a problem, right? This way Sonic can be free of them, he won't be stuck on a ship and doing missions, but more fun. I know Ian was gonna split the Freedom Fighters anyway after the SWC arc, to allow more... freedom (no pun intended).

I also want a timeline and a world map like in the Archie reboot, but honestly with less world building, it was great but it was taking over the book, the issues were getting boring because it was just "explore the world -> meet new allies and foes -> get the keys/emeralds", where's the story? He even introduced a bunch of characters too fast to fill the world, sure they were nice though, I hope they aren't lost forever, there were some interesting ones, like Eclipse, Relic, Gold, Razor, Coral, plus obviously the old characters, Hooligans, Mighty and Ray, Madonna-Topaz, and the AoStH ones, especially Breezie and Von Schlemmer, my favorites. I'm sad because Ian did all this work and then after he set up the world, the comic got cancelled. Less worldbuilding, more stories, but still balance the 2 things.

And I want balance with the SEGA cast stories as well, as I pitched in July, an arc about the Chaotix & Knuckles, but also interesting and fresh pairs like Amy & Shadow, an all-female arc, a Cream & Gemerl arc, a space arc with the Wisps, etc. but I want NEW stories, because adaptations are boring to me, but I trust Ian even when he does them, Unleashed adaptation was basically an excuse to explore the world, I'm sure he won't repeat himself. I would even be okay with one-off stories as he was planning to do after the Shattered World Crisis saga, fun little stories, that would be cool as well!

[BlueSky]

13 hours ago, VEDJ-F said:

Yardley has not been approached to work on the comic.

Well, that's a bummer. I'd love to see his art, I liked it a lot. Smooth lines and the feeling of continuity in the movements, and those facial expressions!

I hope he'll get some chaces at some point, this is getting me a bit sour again...

___

Look, I can take the FF without them being really the FF they were in the Archie comics anymore. I can take them even as a minor supportive group. I can tolerate changes like that as long as they stay true to their core beings. Heck, if you feel like it, don't call them the FF anymore! Though I'd appreciate them to keep the characters' names intact... I grew invested in the characters, not in an institution!

I have no problem people not wanting them in but I think I'm not asking too much By just hoping IDW would at least come out from the closet and tell as quickly as they know whether we'll see them again or not. Same for the whole Archie cast. I very well cant hold on much longer...

I'm not going to love the new characters for them being new. I'll dig them if they make me feel like it. Many Archie characters made me feel like it.

All I'm asking is to them to let us know what's going on in their tiny circles about the old characters! I hate it when people won't react to me when I'm saying something to them plain and clear! Was it about an email, a text message, a phonecall, a freaking face-to-face talking! I'm sick of it! I'm so sick of being ignored in daily basis from all compass points! I just want people to give me a reaction that they've seen/heard/something my message whatever it was about! Jeez! Is an aswer too much asked for?

___

Clean slate and clean slate... my "slate" shade copic's all clean... I dunno. They said it's about their own world, I'm fine with it. That sounds like it'll be at least cleanish slate...

I wonder about Eggman Nega, it would be fun to see him around.

Mr. Flynn wasn't too keen about creating copies of "lost characters" as far as I knew before so I doubt he'd do it in here either.

Yeah, his knowing smiles are kind of annoying in a way but I think he made it pretty clear there're reasons why he won't take part of that Forces rumouring, about he not being able to tell about it anyway if he'd be a part of anything on it and all. That's not really teasing I think...

[Kuzu]

9 hours ago, Miragnarok said:

Maybe because Boom was clearly labeled, while Archie was not labeled?

Why does this even matter?

9 hours ago, Miragnarok said:

Maybe because Boom was clearly labeled, while Archie was not labeled?

Why does this even matter?

[RedFox99]

@Jack the Rookie It does seem that a lot of things were expanded upon in the Unleashed adaptation. To be honest, I do agree that the FFs could be brought back as reoccurring allies to Sonic and friends. Maybe a separate storyline where Ix Naugus is the tyrant.

[Razule]

I can't wait for the reintroduction of one of the most beloved characters of the old comics..

Danica Patrick

[Eurisko]

Very happy with the announcement , Hesse and Flynn are involved which is winner winner chicken dinner. They have full reign to include anything from the entire franchise i believe which could lead to some very entertaining stories.

Good news folks.

[Zavok the SpinningSilver]

A bit late to the punch, but wow. Ian is finally confirmed! It was already exciting to see that Hesse is back, so this is a dream come true for me. Happy to see Ian still has work, hopefully Yardley gets a gig at some point as well!

Even if he eventually retires from writing Sonic, all I could hope for was that the new IDW comic had a strong base. Whatever direction Ian decides to go, I have confidence that it will be entertaining at the very least. I've made peace with the possibility of the Freedom Fighters never appearing again, so my main concerns have been addressed. Everything else from now until the official release next year is gravy.

Sent from my LGMS210 using Tapatalk

[RedFox99]

I'm surprised no asked what the story for the first issues would be about. Also were pre-reboot story arcs always in 4 issues?

[Korke]

I hope that Flynn do write characters this time, and not empty mobile husks so he can toss into teams (((((((((

[Your Vest Friend]

24 minutes ago, RedFox99 said:

I'm surprised no asked what the story for the first issues would be about. Also were pre-reboot story arcs always in 4 issues?

Not always per se. Some arcs did end up in the four part format (I think the original mini-series was like this), but it became more common as the books increasingly became more prepared for the inevitable TPs. Sonic Universe was entirely this, and Sonic Boom started off with a four-part arc even though the stories were only loosely connected (...like Sonic Universe and that mini-series actually).

[Kuzu]

It'll probably be like MLP; the first two arcs being 4 part issues, and subsequent ones being two parts.

 

I hope Ian learns to adapt better to that format. I always felt some arcs either dragged or were rushed.