Megathread Archie Sonic Main Discussion

[Shaddy Zaphod]

Okay, great, whatever. The point is that it looked like crap. I got the reason wrong, whatever, that doesn't make it not look like crap.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Posted this on the Lara-Su thread, but it's related to Archie as a whole.

"So children, you wanna hear a story about some unfair antics happening at Archie?"

"Well, how about Ken Penders getting top billing on books that contain 0% of his influence!"

Oh yes guys, everything has officially hit bullshit levels now. I was looking through Archie's Comic app, and looked through the digital exclusives, all of which had Penders on top billing, including the Modern Digital Exclusive.

For those who don't know, it contains these stories:

I Am (#171)

Sonic Rush Parts 1 & 2 (#160-161)

Sonic Riders Parts 1 & 2 (#163-164)

Sonic Rush Adventure (#180)

Sonic Chronicles/Invaders from Beyond (#191) 

Sonic Unleashed! (#193)

Sonic and the Black Knight (#197)

Sonic Colours (#219)

Sonic Generations (#230)

Sonic 4 Episode 2 (SSS #3)

I checked all of these credits, and Penders was not mentioned once throughout any of them. That's right, despite having done literally nothing in these stories, he's gotten the top billing over them all.

[SenEDDtor Missile]

26 minutes ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

I checked all of these credits, and Penders was not mentioned once throughout any of them. That's right, despite having done literally nothing in these stories, he's gotten the top billing over them all.

Why IS Archie going so far out of their way to pander to the ego of a man who basically screwed them over 100 times over for his own self-gain?

[Graystripe2000]

Just now, SenEDtor Missile said:

Why IS Archie going so far out of their way to pander to the ego of a man who basically screwed them over 100 times over for his own self-gain?

Something to do with the settlement deal maybe?

[AtomicPencils]

Thinking about the financial issues they've had lately, I'd imagine Archie doesn't want to put any money towards fighting him. Penders might have calculated this. If right, it's a pretty nasty move. (not that we'd expect any less from him)

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Well it's not like he can claim ownership to anything post Second Genesis Wave, so I'm not entirely worried about it.

[Zaysho]

My only guess is due to the Chronicles tie-in/Nocturnus being present. Not that they're his characters specifically, but they were always in dispute due to the fact they were inspired by the Dark Legion and one of the main reasons Pen started his crusade. That aside, he or any of his actual creations really has no involvement in any of these stories.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Just now, Zaysho said:

My only guess is due to the Chronicles tie-in/Nocturnus being present. Not that they're his characters specifically, but they were always in dispute due to the fact they were inspired by the Dark Legion and one of the main reasons Pen started his crusade. That aside, he or any of his actual creations really has no involvement in any of these stories.

Doubt it. IIRC, that case got thrown out due to Penders not being able to actually prove the similarities, and despite his bluster that he'd counter sue or whatever, it never came to fruition. They'd have no reason to credit him for that story, unless they're admitted to stealing ideas, which I doubt they'd do when they are coincidences at best. 

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Wait...thrown out? Lol, I thought that case was on hold for the time being.

Well, that's great news to hear for the time being. At least it keeps him a good distance away from the Nocturnus clan, even tho we won't likely see them anytime soon.

[Zaysho]

32 minutes ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

Doubt it. IIRC, that case got thrown out due to Penders not being able to actually prove the similarities, and despite his bluster that he'd counter sue or whatever, it never came to fruition. They'd have no reason to credit him for that story, unless they're admitted to stealing ideas, which I doubt they'd do when they are coincidences at best. 

The Nocturnus are inspired by the Dark Legion, but that doesn't make them the same characters. They're pretty much the only thing that stands out, and even if the case was thrown out, SEGA has apparently barred the use of the Nocturnus (supported by Flynn saying that he isn't touching Chronicles partly because of Penders).

It's either that, or whoever's handling upkeep for digital files goofed big time.

1 minute ago, Conquering Storm's Servant said:

Wait...thrown out? Lol, I thought that case was on hold for the time being.

Well, that's great news to hear for the time being. At least it keeps him a good distance away from the Nocturnus clan, even tho we won't likely see them anytime soon.

As I recall, the case with Chronicles, as was Archie's case against Penders, was dismissed. The only fallout is that the Nocturnus are most likely mandated out of the comics or anything, and even that could be just covering bases.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Just now, Conquering Storm's Servant said:

Wait...thrown out? Lol, I thought that case was on hold for the time being.

Well, that's great news to hear for the time being. At least it keeps him a good distance away from the Nocturnus clan, even tho we won't likely see them anytime soon.

I'm not sure, but I remember something along the lines of Penders promising to try go back to it or something, or try start it up again.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

1 minute ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

I'm not sure, but I remember something along the lines of Penders promising to try go back to it or something, or try start it up again.

I mean I figured he would at some point, but for the time being he isn't. Not that it means all that much given the Nocturnus are currently barred from appearing because of him threatening to sue.

[Graystripe2000]

Ken commented. (Read the replies). 

https://www.twitter.com/graystripe2000/status/777562408642613252

[Ryannumber1gamer]

1 minute ago, Operationgamer17 said:

Ken commented. (Read the replies). 

https://www.twitter.com/graystripe2000/status/777562408642613252

Wow, didn't think this would get mentioned to him directly.

But yeah, he's getting top billing on anything with even a scratch of involvement. As I've already said, I don't have issue with him getting top billing on stories that has the majority of his work, but it's silly he's getting top mention on stuff like Order from Chaos, or Sonic: The Games Modern. 

Well, I think I found the reason why he got Top Billing. One of the covers at the end of the exclusive, which goes over all of the inspirations behind covers, has Saffron on one of the covers (Specifically, one of the RtAI issues). Penders didn't do the art on the cover (from what I can see).

[Ryannumber1gamer]

For those wanting proof, here's the image directly from Comixlogy.

[Graystripe2000]

So, Ken just posted this. 

https://www.twitter.com/KenPenders/status/777661211466866688

[Ryannumber1gamer]

4 minutes ago, Operationgamer17 said:

So, Ken just posted this. 

https://www.twitter.com/KenPenders/status/777661211466866688

He'd have a point, except people were pissed off about that until Archie finally began demoting Ian's work a bit. On top of that, I see no GNs where Ian's getting top billing on work he didn't do. For example, Ian didn't work on older issues, therefore he doesn't have top billing now due to only doing the bios.

Edit: Out of curiosity, who is Graystripe2000?

[Zaysho]

He's only partially right about Ian getting top billing. Ian never got credited on a cover for Knuckles Archives. Flynn is weirdly credited with his name appearing in the list of creators as well as in the staff's (for the record, Flynn was a staff writer who did the chapter summaries and character bios). Penders is getting cover credit regardless of his contributions, or if he even made any. And it's even worse when you consider the Best of Sonic where his name is slapped on top, but not, say, Mike Gallagher's (who wrote the featured Mecha-Madness storyline).

[Graystripe2000]

17 minutes ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

 

Edit: Out of curiosity, who is Graystripe2000?

Me. 

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Just now, Operationgamer17 said:

Me. 

Ah. Was wondering who it was.

[DabigRG]

4 hours ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

For those wanting proof, here's the image directly from Comixlogy.

Wow. That render of Dr. Eggman looks terrible.

 

24 minutes ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

He'd have a point, except people were pissed off about that until Archie finally began demoting Ian's work a bit. On top of that, I see no GNs where Ian's getting top billing on work he didn't do. For example, Ian didn't work on older issues, therefore he doesn't have top billing now due to only doing the bios.

Edit: Out of curiosity, who is Graystripe2000?

So, is that Pseudo Sonic? Cause he also looks terrible, though that might be the point.

[Your Vest Friend]

We've got some direct sales figures again.

So yeah, seems last month was a calculation snafu with it being the end of the month, however there aren't any figures for it this month so we may never know how much it really sold in that area. #285 sold 6,280 copies on the direct market.

Sonic Universe had two issues out last month, and despite having Knuckles and Amy (the two most prominent game characters after Sonic, Tails and Eggman), the direct market figures for SU#88 and SU#89 still show a downward trend, at 5,563 copies and 5,292 copies respectively. 

[Sega DogTagz]

23 hours ago, Zaysho said:

As I recall, the case with Chronicles, as was Archie's case against Penders, was dismissed. The only fallout is that the Nocturnus are most likely mandated out of the comics or anything, and even that could be just covering bases.

Despite all the Penders garbage, I always assumed that the Nocturnous were mandated out of the comics due to EA holding the creative licenses for Chronicles stuff after buying out Bioware?

SEGA can't give the okay for something they don't technically own. (which is a shame cause I liked Shade...)

[Your Vest Friend]

SEGA have given the okay for it though, apparently. It's Archie stopping them from appearing. 

[MetalSkulkBane]

I never cared for Shade. The idea is kinda cool, but her personality is sooooo bland.