Megathread Archie Sonic Main Discussion

[Blackbell]

In that case you might as well throw out this entire comic because the whole thing is fan-fiction in a sense.

 

They just rebooted the comic- they kind of have. But my comment was taken out of context.What I meant is that the comics are now probably under very strict supervision of what they can and can't do. They have thrown out a lot of the issues with the reboot due to everything that's happened and will probably want to avoid something like it happening again.

 

The main issue with using parallel/ different zones is distinguishing a difference. Take M:XYL dark future. Ian took several of the comic characters, altered their design and just changed their personalities (very much like his fan comic from years back which people noted!!!!). Two issues with this (1) Sega won't allow it with the main Sonic cast as they need to stay as true to their game counterpart as possible  and (2) should be obvious given what I've underlined. That being said I'm not going to elaborate any further on it. 

 

Moving on to 259- They are really pushing the Sega Variant Covers are they. I do like them but I prefer the originals. 

[Jet Prower]

You know, the more I hear you guys talk about this, the less appealing these comics sound. If they are really going to be this strict, you really are taking a lot of the fun and creativity out of your writing team you know. Oh you can't do this and can't do that and things must stay on this super strict set of rules that we now are going to look at under a magnifying glass just sounds bad to be honest. As I said before, this is what I was afraid of when I saw they were doing this sort of stuff, making things too much like the games to where there is no difference between the games and comics to where it gets boring and predictable.

 

So we can't use Zonic anymore or any alternate realities at all? Boring. That was one of my favorite thing with this is that this universe could have any number of infinite realities to suit anyone's fancanons in their own head since any small thing could change anything in any universe and be any different set of circumstances. Very creative I would say.

 

I'm liking what I see so far, but the more we talk about how we can't do this and can't do that and can't do tons of other things now, it just sounds so restrictive and boring.

 

As for T-Pup staying, good! I'm glad they were able to keep him. He deserves to be put into the spotlight again anyway. It would be good to see him around more than just in that one game long ago. It gives another minor character to the plot that even with the whiny people on the characters, I doubt they would really mind that one since it is just a little robot dog, not some random friend.

[Toby]

As far as the No Zone and Zone Cops being gone, I personally hope it's a perminant change. I always hated the entire concept. Sally Moon wasn't interesting to read about. Monster Mutant Mobian world wasn't interesting to read about. Zangu Hensin Waka Waka Sonic Patrol wasn't interesting to read about.

I wanted to read about the main cast in the main world, and the fact that these Z clones of the cast were watching over the cast at all times felt like a ridiculous waste of time.

[Dejimon11]

If the no zone does exist I wonder what they will call the deadly six

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

As far as the No Zone and Zone Cops being gone, I personally hope it's a perminant change. I always hated the entire concept. Sally Moon wasn't interesting to read about. Monster Mutant Mobian world wasn't interesting to read about. Zangu Hensin Waka Waka Sonic Patrol wasn't interesting to read about.

I wanted to read about the main cast in the main world, and the fact that these Z clones of the cast were watching over the cast at all times felt like a ridiculous waste of time.

They said Slly Moon isnt coming back, however the zone cops arent gone, just busy, and trust me with the trouble they already having, and now with a shift in the prime zone... well they wont be coming back soon, but they will be coming back, assumably when the prime zone has been stabilized, also its implied they still exist, especialy with the travel to the Sol dimension

So yeah, its something that wont be back for a while, however it still has the oppurtunty for some interesting scenarios(and its possible a copy of the prime universe that used to exist is out there somewhere too

[Jet Prower]

Yeah, I honestly don't see why they couldn't bring back alternate zones back, but if they want to limit it temporarily to just Blaze's zone, then that's fine for right now. Plus, since I still don't know what is going to go on with the whole Scourge thing just yet, if that clears then you have the anti zone back as well, which honestly, I still think is a great idea.

[goku262002]

Never saw the problem with the other zones or the no-zone either, its not like we jumped around them all the time don't see why it would bother people.

But yeah I'm getting sick of the "can't do this or that" shit too. I know its SEGA's property but fuck if they arn't sucking creativity out of this comic with their legal red tape bullshit. at first when Ian took over we barely heard about mandates but now its almost every. single. fucking. issue. that we hear something about SEGA denying something that caused the original comic plot to be changed, small or not soo small.

Fuck can you just loosen up abit SEGA? there not going to go apeshit if you give them a few freedoms.

[Blackbell]

Never saw the problem with the other zones or the no-zone either, its not like we jumped around them all the time don't see why it would bother people.

But yeah I'm getting sick of the "can't do this or that" shit too. I know its SEGA's property but fuck if they arn't sucking creativity out of this comic with their legal red tape bullshit. at first when Ian took over we barely heard about mandates but now its almost every. single. fucking. issue. that we hear something about SEGA denying something that caused the original comic plot to be changed, small or not soo small.

Fuck can you just loosen up abit SEGA? there not going to go apeshit if you give them a few freedoms.

 

There have always been things that Archie could and couldn't do in the comics. However the majority of these changes have come as a result of Penders case. Not all but it's just having a spiral effect. Sega are just doing what they can in terms of damage control and ensuring that it doesn't happen again. They would probably have been happy to allow the comic to continue where it was going.

 

From what I've been reading I'm trying to gather a list of things that Archie can no long due to the recent law suit:

 

• Game cast can't be seen to have any family members - For a number of issues characters haven't been able to directly reference other characters as "mother/father" etc. They are not necessarily needed to push points forwards and will probably never be introduced back into the comic as a result of what happen with Knuckles' family tree. We have already seen that Chuck is back, but note that it'll never be said he's directly related to Sonic.
• Characters introduced by Penders will not make a reappearance or be mentioned. Already saw before the reboot that certain characters had to be referenced out aka. Julie-su,St John etc.
• Can't reference anything that relates to any M:XYL storyline due to it's first main plot and purpose. Main reason for MXYL was to introduce Lara-su and potential future. More likely the reboot will try to establish that these futures are no longer valid (as if they ever were)
• Sonic can't become romantically involved with other characters. 
• Mobius can no longer be used. Hasn't been used for a couple of years I believe.
• No reference to alternative worlds/ parallel worlds/ other zones. I've already stated some reasons for this but Mandobardanjusik mentioned the Prime Zone and possibility of it coming back. . Pretty much save to say that the reboot means the the "prime zone" is gone. 

Many of these changes are a result of the lawsuit and had already come into effect before the reboot. If the comics will try to be a bit more like the gaming side of things is yet to be seen. It's unfair to blame Sega for all the problems the comic have gone through and its unfair for Ian and the other writers to try and and backtrack through everything just so the old continuity can continue. 

 

Edit: After reading Sonic Universe 32 and seeing it called the Prime Zone I retract that last reference I mentioned, 

[Red Hot Jack]

I'm pretty sure Ian confirmed on twittter that alternate realities WILL return, although not in a while.

 

Also, why can't clone characters like Scourge appear? I think they can, otherwise Shard (Metal Sonic 3.0 + Sonic's personality) would be scrapped right now and the new villain Eclipse (Black Arms + Shadow) would not exist at all.

[Blackbell]

I'm pretty sure Ian confirmed on twittter that alternate realities WILL return, although not in a while.

 

Also, why can't clone characters like Scourge appear? I think they can, otherwise Shard (Metal Sonic 3.0 + Sonic's personality) would be scrapped right now and the new villain Eclipse (Black Arms + Shadow) would not exist at all.

 

Never said characters like Scourge or Shard wouldn't appear. These characters are not "clone characters" in a sense they have completely different characters design. I'm talking about characters like Zonic, who are essentially Sonic but with a different attitude. Possible to get an alternative reality in the future but I doubt we'll see alternate selves of the main game cast. 

[goku262002]

I know for a fact that both "Sonic can't become romantically involved with other characters" and "No reference to alternative worlds/parallel worlds/other zones" are not SEGA mandates, Ian said he just wants to cool down on the romance part for a bit and its already been noted that the other zones will be coming back.

[Blackbell]

I suppose it's just on of those wait and see things. Remember that things can be altered last minute at the current moment whilst everything settles. Anyway going back onto the topic on the comics:

 

Sonic Universe new Saga Shadow Fall is out within the next week so hopefully someone will get the issue (and spoilers) quite soon. Quite excited for having just Team Dark back on it's own rather than with other groups like in Team Tango. Slightly anxious it's based on the Shadow Game. Not entirely sure what to make of 

Eclipse as a new enemy, though he's unlikely to appear until a few issues in

[Big Panda]

Considering Scourge has already made one flashback cameo since Endangered Species and is still to this day being used in the 20th anniversary advirtisement, I'm pretty darn certain he's safe.

[Jet Prower]

I know for a fact that both "Sonic can't become romantically involved with other characters" and "No reference to alternative worlds/parallel worlds/other zones" are not SEGA mandates, Ian said he just wants to cool down on the romance part for a bit and its already been noted that the other zones will be coming back.

 

I thought romance was completely banned now, not just put on the back-burner or going to be a smaller part of the comics? If romance is still going to be around, then good, because I do think it is important. It doesn't have to be the main focus though of course like it has in a lot of issues, but just acting like romance doesn't exist definitely makes your work more one dimensional. Oh right, our characters can't have feelings for each other because of some mandate? Yeah, pretty boring if you ask me.

[Big Panda]

All I remember hearing is that Sega wanted Sonic to stay single, i.e. he can flirt of be romantic with Sally but never properly go steady with her.

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

All I remember hearing is that Sega wanted Sonic to stay single, i.e. he can flirt of be romantic with Sally but never properly go steady with her.

So in many ways he is currently having a peter Parker syndrome

[Zaysho]

Considering Scourge has already made one flashback cameo since Endangered Species and is still to this day being used in the 20th anniversary advirtisement, I'm pretty darn certain he's safe.

 

True, wasn't Scourge's cameo in SU#50? And that was on the eve of the crossover (none of the Echidna characters could even be shown or mentioned in passing), so hopefully he hasn't been swept away in the purge. But I guess we'll have just have to wait and see, since Archie is still working on establishing the new direction/world. Though, I have to ask, didn't Flynn say something to the effect he wasn't exactly sure what Scourge's status at the moment is? I think it was fairly recent, and I can't locate the quote at the moment, but hopefully he's still usable in the future.

[goku262002]

 

All I remember hearing is that Sega wanted Sonic to stay single, i.e. he can flirt of be romantic with Sally but never properly go steady with her.

 

I don't remember no such thing being said, and I've been watching this topic and reading the books for a good while now.

[Dejimon11]

Yeah he did. He said he isn't sure at the moment because its not a major issue

[BluexBlur]

Double post for new cover solicit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: Well, it was a double post when I started posting.

And source.

"Blue Streak Speeds By..."

[Big Panda]

For some reason, a lot of people are complaining about the main cover, although I honestly don't get why.

[ElectricAngel]

People are complaining? I think the new cover looks great! And I love that header! Also, for once the SEGA variant doesn't look that bad...

[mistercokehold8]

I actually mistook the SEGA Variant cover as the main cover, but I think they are both awesome! 

[Vertekins]

Anyone noticed that the train in the variant is Eggman's train in Radical Train in '06?

[InfinityAlex]

Yeah, I figured it'd have been RTZ Sonic was running through.