Megathread IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog - Megathread

[Kuzu]

I don't mind Amy's current role; mostly because as I said, she's not the focus of the story so its not like I need to see her often. It sucks if you're a big fan of Amy and want to see more of her, but...*shrug*? Not everyone's favorite character is going to appear often.

My only real complaint with Amy is that she's kind of boring right now, but I feel that's less because of the character herself and more that she's currently in a role that doesn't allow her to be around as often. 

[StaticMania]

Amy's gonna need a real character cram when this whole thing ends.

[DabigRG]

1 minute ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

I don't mind Amy's current role; mostly because as I said, she's not the focus of the story so its not like I need to see her often. It sucks if you're a big fan of Amy and want to see more of her, but...*shrug*? Not everyone's favorite character is going to appear often.

My only real complaint with Amy is that she's kind of boring right now, but I feel that's less because of the character herself and more that she's currently in a role that doesn't allow her to be around as often. 

You know what this(and something else last night) makes me think of? That collection of side stories from last semester, episodes like Tales of Ba Sing Se, and to an obvious extent, Sonic Universe.

It might've been cool if we had another number of side stories during certain portions of the story arcs and backstory to focus on characters like Amy with the Restoration, Knuckles with the Resistance, and I guess Shadow either during his absence from the War or not long after it ended. You know, show what they were going through at points and develop their situation & experiences a bit.

[Myst]

18 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

I don't mind Amy's current role; mostly because as I said, she's not the focus of the story so its not like I need to see her often. It sucks if you're a big fan of Amy and want to see more of her, but...*shrug*? Not everyone's favorite character is going to appear often.

My only real complaint with Amy is that she's kind of boring right now, but I feel that's less because of the character herself and more that she's currently in a role that doesn't allow her to be around as often. 

Amy seems to have lost her silly crush on Sonic, both in Boom and the comic series. Her crazy obsession with Sonic is part of what I like about her. There was funny little scenes in Sonic X, moments in Sonic Riders & Sonic Generations that focused on that. We don't see stuff like that from her anymore.

Is it un-PC now to show her love for Sonic or something? 

[Kuzu]

1 minute ago, Myst said:

Amy has really lost her crush on Sonic lately, both in Boom and the comic. Her crazy obsession with Sonic is part of what I like about her. There was funny scenes in Sonic X, moments in Riders & Generations that focused on that. 

Is it un-PC now to show her love for Sonic or something?

Yea, but how does that fit in the current story arc? It's...really not appropriate is it?

Zombie Apocalypse is going on, but let's have Amy fangirl and obsess over Sonic? Does that really seem like a good use of her character?

[Myst]

Just now, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

Yea, but how does that fit in the current story arc? It's...really not appropriate is it?

Zombie Apocalypse is going on, but let's have Amy fangirl and obsess over Sonic? Does that really seem like a good use of her character?

I was referring to the comic (and franchise) as a whole, not just the current arc.

[Kuzu]

6 minutes ago, Myst said:

I was referring to the comic (and franchise) as a whole, not just the current arc.

I know, I'm just saying that a big problem I had with Amy before is how she never really made any contributions to the plot beyond her running gag of obsessing over Sonic. And its like...it's still THERE; issue 2 of the comic springs to mind for one, and even Boom references for the most part.

It's just...its not the ONLY thing she does anymore, which I feel is much better for the character overall. I don't think we need to see her obsess over Sonic in every appearance she makes simply because that's what everyone knows her for. I like how they're putting her in different roles for once. 

 

I'll admit, it does make her a BIT more boring, but not significantly so. 

[Slashy]

11 minutes ago, Myst said:

I was referring to the comic (and franchise) as a whole, not just the current arc.

The entire comic, at least so far and for the forseeable future, is married to the idea of depicting the characters as a resistance force in a war setting. The characters are going to continue to behave this way until the comic decides to drop the war setting.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

I don’t think the problem is she stopped having a crush, she clearly hasn’t stopped that, Boom referenced it heavily and implied Sonic might feel something as well, and Issue 2 of this comic had her address and snap out of it.

The difference is that she isn’t a ridiculously obsessive fan girl that was absolutely and utterly extreme in the mid to late 2000s, especially with Sonic X. Not only is the comic not focusing on her much so far, but Ian in general is trying to play her off as having a harmless crush and being infatuated with Sonic instead of constantly screaming her love and trying to force him into marriage to the point that literally the only point of motivation is that one point. 

[Fire-N-Space]

Most to all characters in the Sonic series are obsessed over something its just that the fans only feel the need to call Amy out on it.

[DabigRG]

6 minutes ago, Fire-N-Space said:

Most to all characters in the Sonic series are obsessed over something its just that the fans only feel the need to call Amy out on it.

Probably because Amy's obsession feels like the only one that consistently causes discomfort, is overly specific without variation, and doesn't really add to the experience.

[thumbs13]

6 minutes ago, Fire-N-Space said:

Most to all characters in the Sonic series are obsessed over something its just that the fans only feel the need to call Amy out on it.

And Vector. And Rouge. And Shadow. Because people don't like it when characters are obnoxiously one note.

[Red Hot Jack]

22 minutes ago, Slashy said:

The entire comic, at least so far and for the forseeable future, is married to the idea of depicting the characters as a resistance force in a war setting. The characters are going to continue to behave this way until the comic decides to drop the war setting.

Not the entire comic, not season 2, not the miniseries, when things escalate they team up, simple.

[Slashy]

2 minutes ago, Tangled Jack said:

Not the entire comic, not season 2, not the miniseries, when things escalate they team up, simple.

Season 2 is still a war setting, just the characters are fighting zombots instead of robots.

[MetalSkulkBane]

2 minutes ago, Fire-N-Space said:

Most to all characters in the Sonic series are obsessed over something its just that the fans only feel the need to call Amy out on it.

Umm, no? Rouge likes gem, but not to obsessive level. Knuckles has life beyond ME and Vector doesn't think of money 24/7. When do do get obsessively, then fandom complains. They only people 'obsessed characters are arguably Big, Omega and Metal Sonic, but it works for them.

And frankly, it's to early to judge IDW Amy. She was great in #2, but later scenarios forced her into leader role. It's like reading only "Mecha Sally" arc and concluding that Flynn's writing is dark, gritty and without any comedy.

[DabigRG]

6 minutes ago, thumbs13 said:

And Vector. And Rouge. And Shadow. Because people don't like it when characters are obnoxiously one note.

Vector and Rouge? Really?

[Fire-N-Space]

3 minutes ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Umm, no? Rouge likes gem, but not to obsessive level. Knuckles has life beyond ME and Vector doesn't think of money 24/7. When do do get obsessively, then fandom complains. They only people 'obsessed characters are arguably Big, Omega and Metal Sonic, but it works for them.

And frankly, it's to early to judge IDW Amy. She was great in #2, but later scenarios forced her into leader role. It's like reading only "Mecha Sally" arc and concluding that Flynn's writing is dark, gritty and without any comedy.

Saying Rouge, Knuckles or Vector have a life outside of what they want but not Amy is bias and exaggerated.

[DabigRG]

8 minutes ago, Fire-N-Space said:

Saying Rouge, Knuckles or Vector have a life outside of what they want but not Amy is bias and exaggerated.

Rouge went from a government outsource to try & stop the past from coming back to haunt the planet to a legit spy with reliable contacts.

Knuckles went from simply protecting his home & legacy to caring about the whole planet and enjoying some time out with friends.

Vector is a detective on perpetual hard times that sometimes waves payment in favor of simply doing what's right by the little guy.(Not to mention almost being a supporting character anyway)

Amy unfortunately hasn't had much outside of her idealism stick for long outside of this comic and Boom.

[Fire-N-Space]

15 minutes ago, DabigRG said:

Rouge went from a government outsource to try & stop the past from coming back to haunt the planet to a legit spy with reliable contacts.

Knuckles went from simply protecting his home & legacy to caring about the whole planet and enjoying some time out with friends.

Vector is a detective on perpetual hard times that sometimes waves payment in favor of simply doing what's right by the little guy.(Not to mention almost being a supporting character anyway)

Amy unfortunately hasn't had much outside of her idealism stick for long outside of this comic and Boom.

Amy came from being a plain old city girl to a adventurer with friends and having a goal in life.

Boom and the comic is just someone else that looks like Amy. 

[Kuzu]

4 minutes ago, Fire-N-Space said:

Amy came from being a plain old city girl to a adventurer with friends and having a goal in life.

Boom and the comic is just someone else that looks like Amy. 

Her goal is literally centered on one character and nothing else; if you like that part of Amy, but many people found her extremely boring and one note because of it. That's why she gets more hate than others. Nobody likes seeing one-dimensional characters in a series that at least tries to make them come off as nuanced.

Even in Sonic Adventure, Amy's focus isn't even on Sonic but helping someone else. amy's best moments are almost always when she' allowed to do something besides fawn over Sonic and nothing else. Which is why people don't like how Adventure 2 downplayed her. 

[DabigRG]

18 minutes ago, Fire-N-Space said:

Amy came from being a plain old city girl to a adventurer with friends and having a goal in life.

 

Hm...true-ish?

I don't know, her love for Sonic is literally not only the baseline of her character, but the crux of her introduction.

I suppose the main thing I'd have to question is the adventurer aspect.

18 minutes ago, Fire-N-Space said:

Amy came from being a plain old city girl to a adventurer with friends and having a goal in life.

Boom and the comic is just someone else that looks like Amy. 

[Shadowlax]

2 hours ago, DabigRG said:

Now that you bring it up, was that explicitly what she was doing?

It's quite a while since I read most of the early issues and that one in particular is not a priority, but from what I recall, she basically sent a tip to the Chaotix because she thought they'd be able to sniff out Eggman and figure out what he's up to and used that to bullshit her way out of Vector blaming her for the fight.

I do think that what she was doing , and upon further reflection I understand the reason why. Hold on a bit this is gonna be a bit of a ramble.

So first i'm gonna have to start off with something. I'm sorry Ian Flynn I blamed you for something last year, and I think I was strait up wrong.

Surprised gasps

Yes I know me being wrong is something that never happens and I want to talk to you about why. Because it answers yes. So last year I was upset about issue 6 and blamed it on ian flynn's desire to use shadow as obstacle  rather than a character because in larger narratives he doesn't really know what to do with him. While I still think this is true... I don't think this is why issue 6 is the way that is. I think sega is.

So in what was published. Rouge admits to giving folks tips so they could get here first and someone stop shadow. Now at the time, I thought it was weird and bad, and I still do. Ian Flynn has written stories where rouge and shadow have strait up talked with each other to solve and issue. So the characterization of each character in this book seems a bit more strict and harsher even outside of shadow. And back in the old book, it was noticeable though people called me and others crazy at the time, that team dark wasn't... team dark. They didn't interact even when it was needed, and instances of rouge trying to tell shadow something was often rendered useless or in the case of the eclipse story done in a way in which she specifically wasn't yelling at just him. To get to the point, I think she did do that , because I think sega doesn't want anyone giving orders to shadow unless its like....super urgent and in the moment and even in the case of the zombies... then some.

Ian flynn talks about how they see shadow and specifically the line of " he doesn't work with anyone unless its conveniently or mutually beneficial in that moment" rings true to his characterization. Even in the recent games outside of sonic boom. Shadow isn't specifically antagonistic to sonic, he's kinda antagonistic.. to everyone. And even in sonic boom the rest of team dark just...wasn't allowed. They seem to at this moment want shadow to be very lone wolf, but what to reference sonic heroes even though its contradictory. So rouge is around ,but can't... say anything to shadow. Even in this past issue, no interact whatsoever.

So I do think that was the intent, but now that I am thinking about it it was most likely to get around a weird restriction in character interaction where somoene at sega was like

" Shadow listens to NO ONE "

23 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

 amy's best moments are almost always when she' allowed to do something besides fawn over Sonic and nothing else.

The best amy had been in years is the boom episodes not about sonic , or her interaction with knuckles in sonic universe.

Its why I think the whole sonic crush thing should be dropped, it wont. She not only is at her best when sonic isn't the focus, she becomes a character. This maybe blasphemy to some, but one of the series biggest fumbles is trying to frame sonic as some center peice, instead of some guy they just happen to know. He isn't really that interesting to focus on characterization wise, and characters like amy would be strait up better if they dropped it

[Kuzu]

I mean, Sonic is still the main character and he IS the centerpiece, so that'd be kind of weird. 

[DabigRG]

4 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

I mean, Sonic is still the main character and he IS the centerpiece, so that'd be kind of weird. 

I think a more reasonable way of phrasing it is that while Sonic is indeed the hero of the series, the other characters don't necessarily have to act or be a certain way in the stories because of him all the time.

Amy and to a lesser extent Tails are the main examples of that.

[Shadowlax]

21 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

I mean, Sonic is still the main character and he IS the centerpiece, so that'd be kind of weird. 

Not at all, you want stories that focus around him sure. The characters aren't obligated and shouldn't really care to much about him. Heck the best version of sonic is sonic boom sonic because of this. He's some guy who actively seems like he's trying to prove himself, because the world he's in is uncaring. It makes his friendships and the people who do care value more because those connections are real and rare.  he's more like spiderman and that's a genuinely interesting version of the character. Its like one of the few versions of him that I could get behind because it felt like he was working to something.

I remember you once saying " you don't want sonic being dragon ball " , I feel like this is the first step to getting there.

Having people care less about him makes them interesting and sonic himself more interesting