First Details, New Characters Revealed for IDW Sonic Mini Series “Imposter Syndrome”

[Dreadknux]

We only found out about IDW’s next Sonic mini series a week ago, and we already have details of what we can expect. The mini series will be tying into the main book and act as part of the “road to issue 50.” According to the solicit, “imposters” of various characters are appearing, spelling trouble for both the heroes and Dr. Eggman. The first issue will be available on November 10.

The characters featured in the cover were likely first hinted at in last year’s Sonic Bad Guys mini series, as mysterious figures hidden in green tanks:

Like last year’s Bad Guys, Imposter Syndrome is being written by Ian Flynn. Check out the cover and solicit below:

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SONIC HEDGEHOG IMPOSTER SYNDROME #1 (OF 4)

(W) Ian Flynn (A) Thomas Rothlisberger (CA) Mauro Fonseca

The ROAD TO #50 continues here! Enjoy a TEN-ISSUE long adventure leading up to the EPIC SHOWDOWN in milestone issue #50.

A surge of imposters spells trouble for Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails, and even Eggman! Dr. Starline is pulling every tool from his kit as he creates his fastest and smartest inventions. An all new mini-series from Sonic writer Ian Flynn, Imposter Syndrome #1 will have readers seeing double!

In Shops: Nov 10, 2021

SRP: 3.99

Full article on site:
https://www.sonicstadium.org/2021/08/first-details-new-characters-revealed-for-idw-sonic-mini-series-imposter-syndrome/

[charmsb]

So, I'm just gonna be annoying and paste my original theory from the IDW forum topic here (though Diogenes was the one who pointed out the Ashura resemblance)

I think it's highly likely that this is the case. Flynn not only used Wechnia as inspiration for Starline (stated this directly), but also in Archie he used a palette swap glitch to inspire Thrash (also stated directly). This idea of taking palette swaps and making them into characters is not strange to Flynn. Honestly, he might just outright say it in a new bumblecast.

[Silvereyes]

Pretty interesting stuff. I think the question for me is whether or not there "imposters" shall survive the mini-series to fight another day, or if they are purely just one off antagonists. Not to mention how many we maybe dealing with. I do like their designs, will be interested to see how much personality they bring. Will they like evil versions of Sonic and Tails? The girl's outfit reminds me of Sora from Kingdom Hearts, not sure those sortof baggy trousers have a particular name.

[Wraith]

Alt report

We've got names: Surge and Kit.

[SBR2]

"Surge the Tenrec" ...Subtle. XD 

[Kuzu]

So is Surge our first female speedster? Besides Mina anyway.

(No Blaze doesn't count, her fire is emphasized more than her speed and she's slower than Sonic)

[Wraith]

2 minutes ago, Kuzu said:

 

(No Blaze doesn't count, her fire is emphasized more than her speed and she's slower than Sonic)

Surge will probably emphasize lightning, its the same thing

[PC the Hedgehog]

Quote

A surge of imposters spells trouble for Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails, and even Eggman! Dr. Starline is pulling every tool from his kit as he creates his fastest and smartest inventions. An all new mini-series from Sonic writer Ian Flynn, Imposter Syndrome #1 will have readers seeing double!

I see what they did there.

[Kuzu]

9 minutes ago, Wraith said:

Surge will probably emphasize lightning, its the same thing

Well lightning has more associations with speed than fire does, ala the Flash so that's what I was assuming.

If she is meant to be a counter to Tails, lightening focus makes sense tho.

[Kuzu]

FYI, the solicit explicitly calls them Starline's "fastest and smartest" creations. 

So that kind of goes without saying what their emphasis will be.

[DaddlerTheDalek]

It's fun to have new villains. 

[Monkey Destruction Switch]

I have never read an IDW Sonic comic before in my life, but I'm actually really tempted to pick this up because I am SO intrigued by Surge and Kit. Their designs, powers, and what I can gather from their personalities from what little we can see all seem extremely interesting. And Surge is the closest thing we'll ever get to a revival of Scourge (heck, her name almost rhymes with his), seeing as they're both Ashura-inspired and dopplegangers, so that's nice too.

[Meta77]

Someone made the comment on twitter that they see kit becoming good. And I for one hope they stay evil. Noting I hate more than villains always turning good. I would love and hope these two stay pure evil. Sure question their being and stuff like that but stay bad through it all.

[Mobotropolis]

As not subtle at all about what they're doing here (color scheme, jagged teeth, clothing, name, clone of Sonic, a hedgehog in all but name), I'm up for this. 

So, Scourge/Surge is already a thing in the fandom. 

Quote

And I for one hope they stay evil.

Yeah. We have enough protagonists and Sonic definitely needs another face to punch. 

And preferably, one that isn't or doesn't stay affiliated with the Eggman Empire. 

Would also prefer for them not to become dead at the end or the arc.

[Shaddy Zaphod]

I don't see why they'd switch alignment when the point is that they were adding more villains.

[Kuzu]

Well it depends; Kit looks like the more sympathetic one of the two, but if they both have enough likable traits, fans are going to want to see them become good guys. Its kind of the catch of anthromorphic Sonic villains; they're usually so fleshed out that they never stay full on villains. 

 

And the only characters that are in fact full on villains with no sympathetic or likable traits are the ones that everyone fucking hates lol.

[Silvereyes]

The way Kit looks depressed and a bit out of it makes me wonder if he'll contrast against Tails' optimism: Tails can get in a rut and be afraid but he manages to overcome his fears and be a better person (Forces withstanding). Kit has low self esteem and winds up revelling in his depression. Perhaps even a screwed up take on the Sonic and Tails dynamic, where Surge has a massive ego and just demeans Kit every chance she gets, treats him like a pet, constantly drags him down.

Just a theory but I dunno, I am feeling quite excited about these 2, especially if they end up sticking around past the mini-series.

[tailsBOOM!]

18 minutes ago, Silvereyes said:

The way Kit looks depressed and a bit out of it makes me wonder if he'll contrast against Tails' optimism: Tails can get in a rut and be afraid but he manages to overcome his fears and be a better person (Forces withstanding). Kit has low self esteem and winds up revelling in his depression. Perhaps even a screwed up take on the Sonic and Tails dynamic, where Surge has a massive ego and just demeans Kit every chance she gets, treats him like a pet, constantly drags him down.

Just a theory but I dunno, I am feeling quite excited about these 2, especially if they end up sticking around past the mini-series.

Interesting theory

And with the whole people hoping they stay bad, that isn't really all that different either, considering more times than not evil clones just despise who they're a copy of.  I'd rather the two of them basically say, "Screw the establishment" and go anti-hero, especially if the rumors about Shadow needing to be a certain way are true.  Have them be neither villains nor clear-cut heroes, but rather people who decide to pursue justice their own way like a way more PG Red Hood, Moon Knight, etc.

[DabigRG]

Since it hasn't been mentioned here yet, these are likely the two characters who were supposed to debut alongside Starline, but got cut to avoid overload in wake of the Metal Virus Saga.

[PublicEnemy1]

2 hours ago, DabigRG said:

Since it hasn't been mentioned here yet, these are likely the two characters who were supposed to debut alongside Starline, but got cut to avoid overload in wake of the Metal Virus Saga.

Yeah, and that "similar theme" that Ian said they had is most likely the fact that they're all based on Classic series palette glitches.

[Wraith]

4 hours ago, DabigRG said:

Since it hasn't been mentioned here yet, these are likely the two characters who were supposed to debut alongside Starline, but got cut to avoid overload in wake of the Metal Virus Saga.

He said these two are those characters on bumblecast live

[DabigRG]

19 hours ago, Wraith said:

He said these two are those characters on bumblecast live

Well duck be, I'm still getting caught up. Like, I heard that was the case, but yeah.

[tailsBOOM!]

So one of the people working on the comic seems to indicate that there will be some twist from expectations:

Also worth noting that while @charmsb was right about the glitch's inspiring the characters, there were other ones according to tweets by them as well:

• Kit: The King of Sorrow (Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil), some Fennec characters from Rouge's story in IDW Annual 1, some illustrations they saw during a viral Y2K illustration trend and an old character of there's (Plus possibly more, as he says Evan Stanley can explain it better)
• Surge: Android 18 (DBZ), (Potentially) Prototype Blaze the Cat, Leona (The King of Fighters), plus more they may have forgotten

Sources:

Spoiler

 

 

[charmsb]

Ah darn, mighta been wrong about "Tails" (Blue Knuckles) inspiring Kit.

[Mauro Fonseca]

Really funny to me to just see random stuff I tweet reposted here lol. You missed the one where I posted an entire image collage of inspirations for Surge- the Kit one is a reply to that.

 

1 hour ago, charmsb said:

Ah darn, mighta been wrong about "Tails" (Blue Knuckles) inspiring Kit.

Ian's already clarified this one- Kit's based on when he was a kid trying to make the Ashura glitch in multiple Sonic 3 levels and accidentally made Tails purplish-blue in Launch Base