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IDW Sonic #53


caitash

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As long as Surge doesn't end up working for Eggman or something. With Starline gone, the villain roster really needs beefed up.

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Only way I could see Surge working for Eggman is if A. She’s double-crossing him, or B. That Eggman tech she’s wearing will allow Eggy to infiltrate her programming to force her into it.  But both are a bit of a stretch, I think more likely it’s going to end up Surge vs Everyone

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  • 2 weeks later...

Reading the replies to that tweet is the most disappointing thing I've experienced all day. People can't read. The education system has failed so many. We're all screwed. 

On another note, maybe Starline put in some kind of precaution that Surge would see hallucinations of him in the event of his death. So his plan would carry on even if he wasn't around.

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I win because Starline lives rent-free in everyone's heads, including Surge.

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2 hours ago, Razule said:

On another note, maybe Starline put in some kind of precaution that Surge would see hallucinations of him in the event of his death. So his plan would carry on even if he wasn't around.

Even if she doesn't follow his plans, if shows up frequently...to mess with her, it'd make her less likely to accomplish what she wants to do.

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10 hours ago, Razule said:

Reading the replies to that tweet is the most disappointing thing I've experienced all day. People can't read. The education system has failed so many. We're all screwed. 

On another note, maybe Starline put in some kind of precaution that Surge would see hallucinations of him in the event of his death. So his plan would carry on even if he wasn't around.

It's explained in the page exactly why it's happening and I said this... I'm a hypocrite and a fool

We're all victims of society

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  • The title was changed to IDW Sonic #53

Issue is out.

Spoiler

Boy how I want ABT to do every issue from now on. The action is just perfect with them. 

I do love how we're seeing Surge's slow descent into madness here, and a nice loophole in having Starline return without actually reviving him. Keeping his face framed in shadow is also a nice touch.

Kit needs a hug very badly, but I wonder if his new devotion to Sonic will conflict with his devotion to Surge.

Whisper really can't catch a break huh. First the whole Mimic incident, then Tangle getting zombotified and now Surge stealing her Wisps and beating her ass.

10/10, I want more ABT action.

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The story is good, but honestly? ABT's art is carrying this issue.

Sweet Chaos, it's pretty. The faces, the shadows, oh the glorious action. I can't even pick the best panel, too many choices.

As for the plot... it's good but I'm questioning where it's going.
What was the point of splitting the Imposter duo for 3 issues? Is there a twist coming? Because I don't want Kit to reform, but if he just joins Surge as nothing happened, then that was a lot of drama for nothing.
And what's the endgame of Starline hallucination? (For a second I considered it's Mimic, but nah, dude isn't suicidal). Is he here just  to make Surge suffer a little or is there a grander plan for him?

So my final though will greatly depend on the next issues, but so far it's a banger.

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7 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

The story is good, but honestly? ABT's art is carrying this issue.

Sweet Chaos, it's pretty. The faces, the shadows, oh the glorious action. I can't even pick the best panel, too many choices.

As for the plot... it's good but I'm questioning where it's going.
What was the point of splitting the Imposter duo for 3 issues? Is there a twist coming? Because I don't want Kit to reform, but if he just joins Surge as nothing happened, then that was a lot of drama for nothing.
And what's the endgame of Starline hallucination? (For a second I considered it's Mimic, but nah, dude isn't suicidal). Is he here just  to make Surge suffer a little or is there a grander plan for him?

So my final though will greatly depend on the next issues, but so far it's a banger.

Spoiler

I think this isn't a sign that Kit is "reforming" so much as he's just temporarily imprinted on Sonic since, having believed that Surge is dead, Sonic is the only thing left in the world that resembles her, thus he believes him to now be his only reason for living. I think whether he gets set up on a path for reform mostly boils down to whether he starts having internal conflict over Sonic's treatment of Kit compared to Surge. I would be fine with Kit getting reformed, personally, since his bad deeds thus far have almost entirely been the result of protocol that was programmed into him and not his own will. And I think a potential arc revolving around him becoming his own person could be really interesting.

 

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You guys know that with separate topics for each issue we don't have to use spoiler boxes anymore, right?

And my problem with Kit is simple: we have too many heroes, too few villains. So I don't him to reform.

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1 hour ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

The story is good, but honestly? ABT's art is carrying this issue.

Sweet Chaos, it's pretty. The faces, the shadows, oh the glorious action. I can't even pick the best panel, too many choices.

As for the plot... it's good but I'm questioning where it's going.
What was the point of splitting the Imposter duo for 3 issues? Is there a twist coming? Because I don't want Kit to reform, but if he just joins Surge as nothing happened, then that was a lot of drama for nothing.
And what's the endgame of Starline hallucination? (For a second I considered it's Mimic, but nah, dude isn't suicidal). Is he here just  to make Surge suffer a little or is there a grander plan for him?

So my final though will greatly depend on the next issues, but so far it's a banger.

This is still part of an ongoing story, so I would save these questions until we reached the end.

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Hoooooooooooooo booooooooooooiiiiiii.....

Devoured this issue whole. But where to start... where to even begin!? and I'm afraid I won't stop.... sooo prepare for a long read!

From the very first page, the paneling is on FIRE! Every panel expresses such life, such action, such absolute tension.

One nitpick, and it's more a matter of taste, might be that some of the pages are a bit overcrowded with panels. Most of the pages have up to 6 panels, but when the action really rolls with the fight between Whisper and Surge the pages get around 50% more panels, 9 on average. That's a lot of story for a single page, but it's told in good order so you can follow it, it flows well, and massive props to figure out how to structure a massive jigsaw-puzzle page like that.

 

But now that my nitpick is out of the way, let's get to the good stuff!

The art of Adam Bryce Thomas (ABT) is very pleasing and impressive to look at. The shapes are clean, and he knows how the hue of colors mix and mash well with each other. I do notice there is a certain grainy texture over the pages which is a nice subtle touch to make it seem like you're reading a paper page. The line work is a hairsbreadth thin and impressive to look at, definitely letting the colors do the talking although it often makes me double check if a line isn't missing, feeling like I'm watching in a too low resolution to fully appreciate the fine work. Even playing with the saturation of the colors when it fits the mood (Kit's devastated look as he hears Surge potentially died and everything is washed out).

Now as for characters. Let's go in order.

Sonic
Actually funny seeing him banged up and bandaged up. It also comes to show once again he's way too fast for his own good breaking the news this quickly to Kit, makes me wonder if Sonic really behaves so quickly that he doesn't take people's feelings or predisposition to a situation or recent events into account. Sure life's too short for regrets, but dropping bombs like this on people, while being the right thing to do... gets people on edge super quick and Kit... well... Tails said it before in their scuffle back in issue 50... Kit's unstable.

Tails
Taking a back seat in this issue, I don't mind it, doing what we know and love Tails for. Being the voice of reason, questioning rash action (like how Sonic wants and does break the news to Kit or Whisper desperately wanting to get her wisps back despite her being dramatically outmatched by Surge), and playing support.

Belle
Maybe the only character with little to do in this issue. Yes, she tries to apprehend Kit from going to the city to 'help sonic', but other than that she makes little impact. Could have swapped her for Amy and you'd get the same results in my opinion. Sure Amy would make less sense here given what happened in the last few issues, but Belle being in here is just the aftermath of the city escape.

Kit
Poor, poor Kit... just... holy moly of all characters who were faced with inevitability/ shock/ horror/ hopelessness/ powerlessness Kit probably feels like the deepest pits of that depressive hole so far. Selflessness taken to the darkest side of that extreme, he does not consider himself a person, his reason, his being is subservience to Surge or a substitute to Surge. The more I see of Kit the deeper my hate runs for Starline's actions in making Kit this way.

997389379_Kit1.jpg.ecc20743a7be8ebfaddb6c8e0cdb1f9d.jpg1209298584_Kit2.jpg.8f49a65941cd0de333bd0465a3dbf6f4.jpg

It's absolutely haunting to see Kit in this "relatively happy" state despite the deplorable treatment he endured. Almost like it's a form of a coping mechanism. Sorta reminds me of the behavior a kid could have when their parents repeatedly hurt their kid for the most minor of failings in their eyes and the only way the kid can cope is to try his best at everything to the extreme and cower in absolute terror if he even so much gets an inkling of thinking he messed up in some way or form and being 'happy' for every second he doesn't get a beating. That's the behavior I'm seeing here... and it's haunting... sorry if this was too graphic.

But then to see him turn into this self-destructive almost soulless machine is giving me shivers down my spine. It's almost like Kit's the next creepypasta like Sonic.exe and I can't help but see his portrayal in this issue as being inspired by the Tails doll. The tilted, hanging head, hanging arms, his body is a puppet... controlled by one overriding directive.

And those magenta glowing eyes... giving you those hollow stares...

2061434031_Kit3.jpg.89f4ea9e8ad3a069f271e0f04c5998be.jpg1391127510_Kit4.jpg.31f7cd7aa67375f0d5c4be732bfbf10d.jpg1260400761_Kit5.jpg.c9ded476f7c721536ef8a33316996f8b.jpg

Surge
I mentioned her before, she's fun to see having an absolute blast being drunk on power. Her grins are as maniacal as the Batman's Joker, but knowing she's slightly less deranged somehow makes her more fun to me. Joker just... does things with a certain detachment, even his acts of cruelty are with a detachment of reality like he's not even actively experiencing them. Not Surge though, she's THOROUGHLY enjoying this and drinking in every moment of it. That is... until she hallucinates dr. Starline taunting her... saying she's a massive screw-up, but maybe that's what deep down she thinks she is.

2120946450_Surge1.jpg.1889a48044327026ffc1842aadd8645c.jpg2114249970_Surge2.jpg.dd17734efb0e43c253b9b237ab7f6b8c.jpg1594950783_Surge4.jpg.84b7041d199ed8a6cf568750f0ca5d61.jpg

By the way... this panel... sums up this entire issue: 220903449_Surge3.jpg.5d5700cd29d4e3d0cbc544c0de43dc14.jpg

Dr. Starline
Even beyond his (supposed?) demise, he continues to haunt the 5th duo in the IDW comics (Sonic n Tails, Rough n Tumble, Cubot n Orbot, Dr. Starline n Dr. Eggman), Surge, in particular. His work on Kit and Surge run mental scars so deep... I doubt any amount of therapy could turn them into functional people. I'm not surprised he'd show up like this given his aptitude for recognizing behavioral patterns in people and skill in hypnosis or mental suggestion, but it does make him more menacing as a villain in death... Out of sight? yes... out of mind? you'd WISH!

144030725_Starline1.jpg.849c210f7aafe63769f163a91813625c.jpg

Whisper
Rounding off the cast of note, I'm a bit confused about her actions in this issue or more in the sense that this way of fighting doesn't feel like it matches up to Whisper in previous issues.
Protecting the city? yes I can picture her doing that. But after her initial shot disconnected Surge from a power outlet (aka the streetlight) she openly steps up to confront Surge. Probably in an effort to prevent the civilians from becoming victims if Surge, in a rage, cuts loose with collateral damage trying to find her assailant. But so openly fighting in close quarters combat as a SCOUT with no prior info about her adversary. That feels off for Whisper, that feels more like a Knuckles thing to do.

The moment she loses wisps left and right and snaps is fully in character as her close bond to whatever memories she has of her old mercenary group and her close attachment to new friends is also her Achilles heel. Touch that and whatever calm, calculated, reservedness she had is thrown out the window, and she will fight tooth, nail, claws, and fang to get them back.

 

Whoo... ok... that took me 3 hours to write... I apologize for the absolute nerd-out you just read, but I really really like to discuss this kinda thing.

What do you all think? feel free to pick the parts you want to discuss from the things I summed up. This issue was definitely worth the wait, HUUUUGE pay off for the set-up in issue 52.

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This is what Sonic the Hedgehog is all about. Badass queens beating the SHIT out of each other! 

Kitsunami is my favorite new character in this book. The writing for him is insanely interesting and monumentally fucked up and depressing. The way he can't help but BE the next person in line's slave and is constantly nervous that he may have done something wrong is haunting me. There is no "He'll turn good" in him. I don't think the way he is now makes that viable. It's not about good or evil. He just imprinted on Sonic and then got extremely violent with Belle when she tried to keep him away from him. It's a mix of terror and pity that I can't say I've felt so strongly before. He's not stable enough to just have around like the others and that's really sad but also really scary.

I'm also fully on the side of desiring Starline to remain dead now. I had a tiny inkling of maybe wanting him back when Issue #50 happened but time allowed it to sink in just how perfect his end was and now they're doing the Arkham Knight Joker thing with him. It's perfect. Just in time for Halloween. 

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8 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:


What was the point of splitting the Imposter duo for 3 issues? Is there a twist coming? Because I don't want Kit to reform, but if he just joins Surge as nothing happened, then that was a lot of drama for nothing.
And what's the endgame of Starline hallucination? (For a second I considered it's Mimic, but nah, dude isn't suicidal). Is he here just  to make Surge suffer a little or is there a grander plan for him?

If I had to guess, I figured seeing Kit with Sonic and the gang will pretty much have Surge reject him for good, breaking him even further and leading to him either trying to be on his own for a while or stay with the good guys but still struggle with it his programming

As for Surge hallucinating, said hallucination said it best, her brain is overwhelmed with power, the more she absorbs the worst it gets, it's meant to show she's becoming more and more unstable and we're about to see where that leads to.

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The fight between Surge and Whisper was probably one of the best fights I've seen in awhile from a Sonic book.  I loved issue#50's battles but this one was pretty tight and it was good to see Whisper in action again.  Kitsunami...omg I want to hug that poor guy so bad and fix his mind.  What Starline did to him is unforgivable and there's no telling if the poor kid can recover at this point.  Joining up with Surge again is not a healthy option.

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2 hours ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

This is what Sonic the Hedgehog is all about. Badass queens beating the SHIT out of each other! 

Kitsunami is my favorite new character in this book. The writing for him is insanely interesting and monumentally fucked up and depressing. The way he can't help but BE the next person in line's slave and is constantly nervous that he may have done something wrong is haunting me. There is no "He'll turn good" in him. I don't think the way he is now makes that viable. It's not about good or evil. He just imprinted on Sonic and then got extremely violent with Belle when she tried to keep him away from him. It's a mix of terror and pity that I can't say I've felt so strongly before. He's not stable enough to just have around like the others and that's really sad but also really scary.

I'm also fully on the side of desiring Starline to remain dead now. I had a tiny inkling of maybe wanting him back when Issue #50 happened but time allowed it to sink in just how perfect his end was and now they're doing the Arkham Knight Joker thing with him. It's perfect. Just in time for Halloween. 

I am honestly kind of shocked how much I ended liking Kit, and for all of the reasons you described. His situation is just....sad man. He's so mentally broken that he can't even comprehend being his own person and violently lashes out when someone gets in the way of that. Surge at least focuses all of her instability towards fighting Sonic, but Kit doesn't even that as a luxury. 

 

I don't even want him to turn good at this point, I just kind of want him to be put down. His existence is suffering...

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10 minutes ago, Kuzu said:

I don't even want him to turn good at this point, I just kind of want him to be put down. His existence is suffering...

Mercy kill? In my Sonic?

Edgy Hedgy should be all over that lol.

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