Megathread Archie Sonic Main Discussion

[Mangoaxe5]

http://www.tssznews.com/2011/03/28/arch ... t-lawsuit/

Two former artists on the Archie Comics Sonic series have filed statements supplementing Ken Penders’ pending motion to dismiss Archie Comics’ lawsuit against him.

Former Sonic artists Scott Shaw (who drew the original first issues), plus Amber Greenlee (who also inked and coloured various storylines), have both submitted statements in a response to Archie’s opposition to that motion to dismiss. The documents were submitted March 9th and intend to challenge Mike Pellerito’s earlier statement about Ken’s terms of employment with the company while he was handling the Sonic series. Counsel for Penders believes that nothing Archie has submitted into evidence so far supports their case. Archie is seeking to declare rights on work Penders created while employed by Archie–work that Penders has since won protection for by the U.S. Copyright Office.

No response to that response has been filed by Archie, and that June 7th court conference will be rescheduled. Only time will tell if the new contributions play any part in the case.

Edited March 29, 2011 by Lostsoul666

[Aquaslash]

What a spectacular display of burning bridges!

[Badnik Zero]

Scott Shaw huh. Shaw did the mini-series up to issue #3. Dave Manak took over for him and stayed on for years. Shaw was a good penciler.

[goku262002]

Why the hell does Scott Shaw want to get invloved in this? He hasn't done anything archie-sonic related in eons!

[DarkLight]

Why the hell does Scott Shaw want to get invloved in this? He hasn't done anything archie-sonic related in eons!

He's got to have.................Moooonnnneeeyyyyyy.

[goku262002]

He's got to have.................Moooonnnneeeyyyyyy.

Ugh seriously? whats with these old artists?

[DarkLight]

Ugh seriously? whats with these old artists?

Uhhh, were you facepalming my joke or the artists?

[goku262002]

Uhhh, were you facepalming my joke or the artists?

The artists.

But we have got to stop this back and forth banter. Lets move on...

[Bobinator]

So, I've been looking into the Archie series for a long time now, and I'm up to about issue #8, still waaaaay deep in all the puns and goofiness. I hear things start to pick up by about issue #20, but after that Endgame thing, I hear things get really, really bad due to Pender's stuff. I hear you start getting issue after issue of nothing but a bunch of old echidnas farting around doing nothing, and covers that include things like Sonic laying in the corner crying.

Plus you apparently have to deal with art that looks like this and why does Vector have a boner and is groping that goose lady

So... what I'm asking is, if I read all the way up to Endgame, how many more issues after that should I read, and where should I pick back up? I hear by the time Ian Flynn gets involved, things get way better. Plus those covers on the Sonic Genesis issues look awesome, and I want to see what goes on in those.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Bobinator

[DarkLight]

..................................What the hell am I looking at?

[Badnik Zero]

Early Penders isn't terrible actually, Endgame and the Knuckles series are very enjoyable. It tapers off for me around the Sonic Adventure arc. The Knuckles series ends prematurely and gets crammed into the last six pages of each issue until the 25YL arc ends. I blame editors for okaying this stupid format for years. That and the Karl Bollers love triangles.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Dabnikz

[Kuzu]

So, I've been looking into the Archie series for a long time now, and I'm up to about issue #8, still waaaaay deep in all the puns and goofiness. I hear things start to pick up by about issue #20, but after that Endgame thing, I hear things get really, really bad due to Pender's stuff. I hear you start getting issue after issue of nothing but a bunch of old echidnas farting around doing nothing, and covers that include things like Sonic laying in the corner crying.

Plus you apparently have to deal with art that looks like this and why does Vector have a boner and is groping that goose lady

So... what I'm asking is, if I read all the way up to Endgame, how many more issues after that should I read, and where should I pick back up? I hear by the time Ian Flynn gets involved, things get way better. Plus those covers on the Sonic Genesis issues look awesome, and I want to see what goes on in those.

QUALITY art that only Archie can deliver.

[Badnik Zero]

That was after Manny Galan departed. Galan was a great artist for Knuckles, then they had to find some other guy. That picture there is that guy.

[Vertekins]

QUALITY art that only Archie can deliver.

Tch tch, you haven't seen the art for certain Sonic X issues. One specific artist clearly had a gander through TeamArtail in order to find screenshots to trace because it's clear as day that they didn't have the faintest idea how to draw Sonic and co.

Just look!;

It's funny because that trace job is that bad that Sonic has three arms!

There are far far more examples than that.

EDIT: More image comparisons for the lulz I discovered and compiled:

Edited March 30, 2011 by Verte

[Your Vest Friend]

Seriously, WTF.

[Remynaka]

...... Yeah the offmodelness is ... no comment.

Wait....... how hard is it to draw sonic and co. correctly??????? They are made of circles.... CIRCLES o.0

[DarkLight]

Tch tch, you haven't seen the art for certain Sonic X issues. One specific artist clearly had a gander through TeamArtail in order to find screenshots to trace because it's clear as day that they didn't have the faintest idea how to draw Sonic and co.

Just look!;

It's funny because that trace job is that bad that Sonic has three arms!

There are far far more examples than that.

EDIT: More image comparisons for the lulz I discovered and compiled:

Oh, yes. I remember that. Didn't the guy get fired for that?

[PC the Hedgehog]

The odd thing is, the above artist's artwork on that Knuckles arc was fairly good starting out, but devolved into...THAT by the end.

If you want my personal opinion, here are the best and worst periods to check out the comic:

BEST:

30-50: It's around this point that the series quits being so goofy and starts to become more storyline-oriented. This is also when the comic begins an ongoing storyline as opposed to "episodic" stories. Unfortunately, after Robotnik is destroyed the series goes downhill FAST.

71-87: Robotnik makes his triumphant return in a really interesting twist, and we begin the Sonic Adventure arc. This part of the series concludes with the fantastic "Heart of the Hedgehog" 2-parter.

160 onward- The new era. All the old writers and most of the old artists are gone, and Ian Flynn and Tracy Yardley take over and work to clean up all the clutter the former staffers piled up on the comic.

WORST:

51-70: Karl Bollers takes over as head writer. The stories begin to lose any and all sense of fun as Sonic and crew try to cope with a post-Robotnik world full of more angst than ever before.

88-106: The worst storyline in the comic's history, I think: the Sword of Acorns saga. Love triangles abound, there's no sense of focus to what's going on, and it's clear the writers have no idea what they're doing anymore.

Anything in-between those issues is fairly average, in my opinion.

[Vertekins]

Oh, yes. I remember that. Didn't the guy get fired for that?

I think so, because I recall some people saying they would email Archie about it and according to them, Archie emailed them back stating that action would be taken now that they were notified of it. Considering this particular artists work doesn't seem to appear again after Issue 16, it would be safe to assume that said artist did get fired or something.

[DarkLight]

I think so, because I recall some people saying they would email Archie about it and according to them, Archie emailed them back stating that action would be taken now that they were notified of it. Considering this particular artists work doesn't seem to appear again after Issue 16, it would be safe to assume that said artist did get fired or something.

Good. It's bad enough some people go to TeamArtail to copy/paste pics in order to make their recolors, but that's for another topic....

Anyhow, got #223 today. Pretty good stuff about to happen here.

There's a subtle reference to SatBK at the end of the main story when Sonic gets the sword.

Edited March 30, 2011 by DragonSoul

[Aquaslash]

Tch tch, you haven't seen the art for certain Sonic X issues. One specific artist clearly had a gander through TeamArtail in order to find screenshots to trace because it's clear as day that they didn't have the faintest idea how to draw Sonic and co.

Just look!;

*image*

It's funny because that trace job is that bad that Sonic has three arms!

There are far far more examples than that.

EDIT: More image comparisons for the lulz I discovered and compiled:

*image*

I would normally agree with you BUUUUUUUUUUUUUT

It's common knowledge that the artists were mandated (by Sega) to match the TV show as much as possible. Like, to the letter. Therefore, tracing in this context would be understood, and frankly should be expected.

[DarkLight]

Well, if it was supposed to be mandated, why did the guy get fired then?

Because it doesn't excuse the fact that it's lazy.

Edited March 30, 2011 by DragonSoul

[Your Vest Friend]

Having to match the art style does NOT excuse tracing. A professional artist should be able to learn to mimic the style by free-hand, if not without visual references in front of them.

This was a DA journal made at the time of the accusations.

[Illuminous_Orb]

So... what I'm asking is, if I read all the way up to Endgame, how many more issues after that should I read, and where should I pick back up? I hear by the time Ian Flynn gets involved, things get way better. Plus those covers on the Sonic Genesis issues look awesome, and I want to see what goes on in those.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Illuminous_Orb

[Aquaslash]

Well, if it was supposed to be mandated, why did the guy get fired then?

Because it doesn't excuse the fact that it's lazy.

Edited March 31, 2011 by Aquaslash