Megathread Archie Sonic Main Discussion

[turbojet]

Here's a good question....

Did Eggman implant a bomb in Robo-sally like he did with the DEL? If so things could get very interesting if he starts threatening to blow her up if Sonic attacks. Even if she is de-roboticised she may still have a bomb implanted and thus still under Eggman's control.

[Toby]

Um. Chuck hasn't been a robot since issue 124. You're thinking of JULES, Sonic's dad. Who was so injured before roboticization, that reversing the process would kill him.

also, Brian? Your crackpot theories are great and all, but not really.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Toby Barrett

[turbojet]

Um. Chuck hasn't been a robot since issue 124. You're thinking of JULES, Sonic's dad. Who was so injured before roboticization, that reversing the process would kill him.

Jules. Right. Okay. There is one exception.

[Badnik Zero]

Turbo, the older issues had several rules regarding roboticization. The most important I think was that you could only be deroboticized by the same model that made you a robot. But Sonic was deroboticized once with Nicole and his one billionth ring which had special powers, blah blah blah.

The other characters all have special circumstances. Bunnie was half roboticized, but she made the choice to upgrade her limbs, removing the original parts and making her pretty much Legionized. And Julie-Su is an original Legionnaire. Robotic parts can't be reclaimed if they were never part of her.

They phased out roboticization with an alien plot because it was clear the concept was foreign to the games, but I think (strictly as a fan of the comic, not SatAM) that roboticization gives this canon its distinct charm. The danger of your friend becoming your enemy, and mindless too, has been missing.

Edited October 19, 2011 by Dabnikz

[PC the Hedgehog]

Could Sonic #250 be it for the Comic and Ian?

----------------------------------------------------------

I guess I should say this, cause I've been thinking about it recently, but didn't want to say anything yet.

But it's kind of ironic that Ian Flynn says that the effects will last a year or over that, or at least until the next mega point/milestone, which in this case is 250.

The reason I say this, is because despite how you feel about the source, the Mobius Ecyopedia has the 250th issue still listed, with no 251 listed afterwards, but yet and maybe I'm not really paying attention that much to it, it seems Sonic Universe has had another issue added after 43, so what does that tell me, well I'll tell what it may be saying to me as a long-term fan.

With the news that Ian will be taking on more in 2012, with Mighty Cursaders, more Mega Man and who knows what else. I feel that his time on the Main Sonic Comic is coming to close, but so maybe the comic itself. Why? You may ask. Because when he and Paul said that the effects will last a least a year or over that till possibly 250, ironically, 250 will be released in the summer of 2013. 2013? You may wonder "Why that year"?, because for those that don't know and I can't recall any fan that wouldn't know, that will mark the 20th anniversey of the Main Comic itself and SatAM. So I guess in Ian and Paul's mind's, what better way to have it come to close, then by having it come to a final conforation with the longest and most personal, (from a character standpoint) storyarc ever done for the comic itself.

This would explain why, according to on-site reports at the New York Comic--Con, why Sally will be Mecha Sally going forward. Now like I said before in pervious posts and Youtube Videos, I don't think her condition will last forever, or that she will be Eggman's slave for that long. However, wither she's restored to her normal body or just giving back her free will, there's no doubt (despite how some fans feel about it) that she will play a huge part in what could be the grand finale for the comic.

Now you add that in, with talk in the past, that Zonic of the Zone Cops will be involved soon, Silver looking for the traitor plot, Nagus being King, and possibly (from my prespective) time-travel, it would only make sense.

And even if this is all true, which I'm not saying it is or isn't, Sonic will still be published by Archie Comics thru Archives, Select books, Magazines, legacy books and a who's who ecyopedia, as well as possibly Sonic Universe sticking around, but I get this feeling that this new mega arc that Ian say's he's working on, could quite possibly be the last one ever for the Main Comic.

All I'm waiting for, is for Ian, Paul and Mike to make some kind of annoucment in San Diego next year at the Comic-Con there, that this may be it for the comic, not saying it will be, but I just find it ironic that all this happening all at once.

Now I know, if that annoucment was to be made, many fans may/will rejoice at the fact that the comic's coming to an end, while many other fans may/will be sad about it, while others will be like, "Hey, it had a good run, it's got a world record in Guinness and it will be a part of Comic Book History for generations to come." But this is only if that annoucment is made next year, which I feel it maybe. But hey I've been wrong in the past/present before.

Overall, this is just a feeling, that as a Iong-time fan and reader/subsciber of the comic, that I'm getting, that's all it is.

But do you have this same feeling as well?

[NiGHTS]

I really hope they don't end it. Example, how many writers, artists ect, switch during the long run of Spiderman comics or Fantastic Four? Even when say.... sales are down, when people move on or retire, they just either revamp it or continue with someone else. Since Sonic is Archie's big seller, or one of them, I doubt they will end it, along with Universe.

[Mangoaxe5]

Could Sonic #250 be it for the Comic and Ian?

The comic will only end if (1.)It stops selling well or (2.)Sega takes the Sonic licence away from Archie.

[turbojet]

Turbo, the older issues had several rules regarding roboticization. The most important I think was that you could only be deroboticized by the same model that made you a robot. But Sonic was deroboticized once with Nicole and his one billionth ring which had special powers, blah blah blah.

The other characters all have special circumstances. Bunnie was half roboticized, but she made the choice to upgrade her limbs, removing the original parts and making her pretty much Legionized. And Julie-Su is an original Legionnaire. Robotic parts can't be reclaimed if they were never part of her.

They phased out roboticization with an alien plot because it was clear the concept was foreign to the games, but I think (strictly as a fan of the comic, not SatAM) that roboticization gives this canon its distinct charm. The danger of your friend becoming your enemy, and mindless too, has been missing.

When you say "older issues," you mean before 130, right?

[The Tenth Doctor]

Babylon Rising part 1 previews!

[Blazey Firekitty]

Still not too fond of the concept behind the Battlebird Armada in this comic, mainly since their motivations seems mostly limited to "random racism against everyone who's not a bird." Still, it's nice to see Jet and the other Rogues getting a chance for development beyond being a bunch of mercenaries who just show up, fight a bit, and leave.

[KittyNakajima]

Caught the tail end of the big "announcement" at the Archie Panel at NYCC on Sunday. Shook my head too because unless you were living under a rock (or not paying attention to cover previews), you could easily deduce what was going to happen.

As for the transformation, as with such devices the writer has implemented (i.e. Knuckles as Enerjak), I don't expect it to last too long. Roboticization hasn't been scary, threatening or the like since....well, since the cartoon this comic is largely based on.

[Badnik Zero]

You were at the panel Kitty? I was in the back with the Sonic hoodie, I might have seen you. As for the lasting effects, Ian did hint it would carry on all the way to #250. But I'm betting the effects on Sally and the FF will be huge. She's more than a robot, she's a psychological weapon. I hope Ian writes it well.

Edited October 20, 2011 by Dabnikz

[KittyNakajima]

You were at the panel Kitty? I was in the back with the Sonic hoodie, I might have seen you. As for the lasting effects, Ian did hint it would carry on all the way to #250. But I'm betting the effects on Sally and the FF will be huge. She's more than a robot, she's a psychological weapon. I hope Ian writes it well.

Yes I was, and to simply say I wore a Sonic hoodie wouldn't suffice as I saw at least four or five people with the same gray Classic one. I simply wore a blue Sonic hoodie and was lugging around a Minecraft Creeper head. I also snapped a few pictures of Ian, Spaz, and Paul K. during the Q&A session. Truth be told I missed a good part of the initially, but my friend Taz had been taking careful notes and filled me in on what I did miss lol.

[Viku]

Wait, Soleanna? Was Soleanna ever stated as canon in the comics before?

And yeah, I'm totally missing the point by getting distracted with some minor detail, but still...

[Soniman]

Wait, Soleanna? Was Soleanna ever stated as canon in the comics before?

And yeah, I'm totally missing the point by getting distracted with some minor detail, but still...

Way back in Sonic Universe 4, when Shadow was being emo on a mountain, Hope came to comfort him, she commented that on a clear day, you could see all the way to Soleanna.

That's it though.

[bwrosas]

The comic is Archie's best seller, along with the myriad of graphic novels being published.

So no.

here

[Blazey Firekitty]

I find the comic's tradition of having a "big event" every twenty five issues a little weird. Not bad, just...strange in the sense that I can't think of any other comic book that follows that pattern.

[Rynnec]

I think the "big event every 25 issues" is supposed be an analogue for a season finale of sorts.

[Kuzu]

I think the "big event every 25 issues" is supposed be an analogue for a season finale of sorts.

[Soniman]

Holy crap you're right.

Yeah I think Sally's comin back in #250, it seems a milestone issue happens every 25 issues.

[Kuzu]

Don't seasons usually have recurring themes?

[NiGHTS]

That would make sense. Normally in any comic, story's last about 15-25 issues, depending how big or important it is.

[Mangoaxe5]

Personally I don't want roboticizing to come back. The comic never really handled it well. In the early issues roboticizing was a joke and it was pretty easy to undo(see issue 29, and the main story in issue 37). And in the later issues it just became silly(Robo-Robotnik being able to roboticize people just by touching them).

Edited October 20, 2011 by Darkfox

[bwrosas]

Should have done before hand and put this all in at one time :

I guess I should say this, cause I've been thinking about it recently, but didn't want to say anything yet.

With Ian, it seems to me that anytime someone criticizes his work, or predicts what will happen in a future storyarc or issue, he gets defensive, to the point that he will/might ban those people from his message forums.

The reason I say that, is because I think, he knows that he can't fool the long-time fans anymore. Not saying he can't do good stories and at times pull some unseen surprises out of his hat, but I think he's starting to run out of story ideas, because with this Sally situation, it's almost a repeat of the Knuckles/Enerjak story in someway or a longer extension of the story from #29, whatever the reason, he's running out of ideas, in my opinion.

You know, if I was in Ian's shoes, Instead of banning folks like you, me and your friends, he should have just put in his rules for his board, that he's trying to attract new readers/fans and if the veteran readers would not spoil the surprises for the new readers by asking certain questions. To me, that would have been simpler, and I'm sure that might have helped.

The only reason for this blow up is because he did something fans old and new don't like or feel is unnecessary, and that's turn Sally into what she will/has become, even if it is for a few issues or so. I really don't think he expected this kind of a response from all sides of the fanbase. I mean, did he actually think everyone would be just ok with it? I wouldn't have. I would have been prepared for the backlash that I knew was/would be coming, if I was Ian that is.

So in closing, again I say this, knowing Ian, this may be all a nightmarish dream Sonic's having, just like he did in a certain webcomic, plus, I also get this feeling, that after it's all said and done, that many fans (here @ the SMS Forums and other Sonic related sites) will probably not even consider this canon, in other words, just act and pretend that it never happen at all, which I feel many will do.

As well as in final closing, I say this and ask this question, What would you have done If you were in Ian's shoes? Plus, here's my advice, if you have the SatAM DVD Box Set, watch that to bide the time while you wait or read the issues up till or before 225 and Genesis to again bide the time till her situation is over and done with. That's just my advice, because that's what I would do to bide the time.

Here's the thing with Ian, as with some NEW head writers that take the reigns of a poplaur comic, they always want to put their own spin on things, and take the comic in a direction they want, instead of relying on what made the comic popular in the first place.

Now sometimes this is a good thing to have happen, and sometimes it's a bad thing, or in the case of someone like say Ian, it could end up as a converstional thing. The reason I say this, is because some NEW head writers do a such a good job that fans old and new keep coming back for more. However if the NEW head writer does a bad job the fans won't want to read the book no more and thus sales are at times effected, both newsstand and subscription wise. Now if a NEW head writer starts out converstionally, fans old and new may be up in the air, because they won't know what the heck that head writer has planned, because they don't know if it will be good or bad, because if it's good, their want to see more, if it's bad, then they won't want to see anymore of it.

Now with Ian, some of things he's done, with Fiona's change of character possibly at the top of the list, as well as some of the character deaths that he did, some good in the eyes of the fans (Tommy) and some not needed (Locke).

But let's not forget, he also has done what many consider some of the most horrendous storyarc's out there, with the Iron Dominion saga which last about a year, which also had a spin-off in the Journey to the East 4-part mini-series in Sonic Universe possibly at the top of that list. Now me, personally I had no problem with this saga, but I can fully understand other fans frustration with it.

As for covering his rear and banning people who criticize his work, I can fully understand that, because I've been and am currently there myself. And in my opinion, he just doesn't like when people figure his storyarc's out and call him out on it.

Now as far as 232 goes, word going around is Ian is NOT HAPPY with Big Wayne Comics relieving the official cover of 232 so soon. Well the way I see it, and I said this before on other sites and on the YT, he's eventually going to slip up along the way with this storyarc, and well here's one of those slip up's he didn't see or should have seen coming. I mean (no offense) does Ian think we're that dumb, I mean if he's doing this to attach more NEW readers, I can fully understand that, but when comes to long-times readers, who's he kidding.

Now before I end this, let me clear something up, I don't hate Ian Flynn, as matter of fact I respect him for being the first fan or least one of the first fans to become a writer (head or not) for the comic. The only problem I have with him, is he doesn't make himself clear when he's working on the stories for the comic, in other words, he doesn't give a straight answer when it comes to what he plans to do in the stories contained within the comic. I only wish he would just come out and tells straight forward what he has planned for the future of both Sonic Comics when it comes to stories, not play games.

I know no one really listens at times to my videos, so I will say it in text.

Sally's situation is possible for the big storyarc coming very soon. Now Ian did't say it was permentery, nor did he say it was tempory, all that was reported by TSSZ was that Sally would be roboticized going forward, but we all know that doesn't mean forever. Many media outlets in comics, television and even in movies have been known to do that and never last.

A few good examples are, and I mentioned this before, Chibiusa Moon from Sailor Moon. When she returns to the future with Sailor Moon, Chibiusa becomes Black Lady (Wicked Lady in the English adaptation) when she is captured outside of the Palace. Wiseman comes across the lonely Chibiusa, who is feeling frustrated after a failed attempt to revive her mother, and twists her memories of her family to make her do his bidding. Wiseman converts her by laying the seeds of guilt for what she has done, and by telling her nobody loves her. He makes her feel that her parents didn't want her. So he said he would take great care of her and decide to join forces

Infected with the power of the Black Crystal, she grows older, donning an organdy and satin dress and the earrings worn by the Black Moon Clan. Her hair becomes even longer than Usagi's. Her crescent becomes that of the Clan, and she is frequently seen with Prince Dimande or Wiseman. As Chibiusa's dream is to become a beautiful lady like her mother, Black Lady's form is something like a femme fatale.

Her history and personality differ between the anime and the manga. In the anime, Black Lady hates her family and the Sailor Senshi and tries to kill them because she believes she is unloved. She also considers her toy, Luna-P, as her only friend. In the manga, she throws away the Luna-P after her transformation and derides it as a childish toy.

Black Lady uses her brainwashing powers to try to seduce her future father, Mamoru Chiba, and tries to destroy the Senshi for their various acts of insensitivity toward her. She first appears in Act 20 of the manga and Episode 85 of the anime. In the anime, Black Lady tries to kill Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, but is saved from her anger by Sailor Moon, who changes into Neo-Queen Serenity and embraces her daughter, allowing her to turn back into Chibiusa. In the manga, her sorrow over the death of Sailor Pluto shatters Wiseman's power over her, her tears activating the future Silver Crystal, and she changes into Sailor Chibi Moon for the first time.

Another example that I've mentioned before has been Cammy From the USA Network cartoon of Street Fighter. Cammy is the central focus of a sub-plot in the second season. She is brainwashed by Bison and becomes one of his underlings, fighting her former allies (both Street Fighters and Delta Red) during the remainder of the series. However, she turns on Bison when she learns that he had killed her parents, and switches sides back to her original allies.

Someone even mentioned Willow From Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Dark Willow is preternaturally focused on revenge, relentless and unstoppable. Lights explode when she walks past. She forcefully takes advantage of any opportunity to further her goals. She saves Buffy by removing the bullet from her chest, but later commandeers a tractor trailer, making it slam into Xander's car while he and Buffy are inside protecting Jonathan and Andrew, the other two members of the Trio. She floats, teleports herself at will, and dismantles the local jail where Jonathan and Andrew are held. She is cruelly honest to Dawn and Buffy, and overpowers everyone with whom she comes in contact. When she takes Giles' magic from him, she gains the ability to feel the world's pain, becoming determined to put the world out of its misery. She does not acknowledge her grief, and only Xander can force her to face it when he tells her that he loves her no matter what or who she is, and if she is determined to end the world she must start by killing him. Only then does Willow return, sobbing. Her dark side continues to be a part of Willow. A story arc in Season Eight has Buffy travel 200 years into the future to battle and kill Dark Willow. Present-day Willow is aware of her capabilities, ever watchful of what she may turn into.

Heck even sport teams try to change and supposly go forward with a new logo and look. Take The Washington Redskins for example a few years back. In 2002, the team celebrated the passing of 70 years since its creation as the Boston Braves in 1932, and wore a special home uniform of burgundy jersey over gold pants which roughly resembled the home uniforms used from 1969-1978. The helmets used with this special home uniform during that year were a reproduction of the helmets used by the team from 1965-69. And as you can see that didn't last long but for one season.

Even retail stories and companies have done this, Said they this new logo will be the logo going forward, prime example, GAP. Gap. They released their new logo last year, and it was a huge disaster. The old logo was well-loved and familiar to all, used for more than two decades. The dark blue square with the familiar serif white font was well-loved and familiar, almost homey.

Gap’s mistake was radically changing everything. The logo was designed by Laird & Partners, in the effort to create a more contemporary and modern expression. Personally I think the new logo is not great, it looks more like a clip art from Microsoft than a “contemporary, modern logo.” I was not alone in this opinion. There was a public outcry when it was released online, major backlash and criticism poured on Gap’s Facebook and Twitter page. Some harsh criticisms include: ‘looks like a child made it’, ‘a joke’ and ‘amateur’. It only gets worse. Gap chose to remain silent about all the controversy, when they finally responded it added more fuel to the fire. Gap tried to handle its blunder by covering the whole thing up. Gap posted on their official Facebook page, thanking everyone for their input on the logo. They are ‘thrilled to see a passionate debate unfolding’, and asked the online community to share their designs. They ended the statement with: ‘we love our version but we would like to see other ideas’. People were laughing with disbelief over Gap’s response. They dismissed their error as a so-called social experiment, and still had the nerve to ask designs from others. The story ends with Gap ditching their new logo, and returning to their old one. Gap president Marka Hansen was fired by execs weeks after the failed redesign episode. Moral of the story? Don’t mess with a well-loved brand and image valued at $4 billion. As the old adage says, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

What I'm saying, is that even though, Ian says Sally will be robotized going forward, doesn't mean it's forever, just for the upcoming storyarc and possible as Paul said to deal with her story of possible regaining her free will, but learning to cope with what's happen to her and trying to find a way to reverse it, perhaps a Sonic Universe Arc will be done to coinsde with it, who knows.

But going forward doesn't mean permentery or temporary, it overall means just for the time being, not forever.

But it's kind of ironic that Ian Flynn says that the effects will last a year or over that, or at least until the next mega point/milestone, which in this case is 250.

The reason I say this, is because despite how you feel about the source, the Mobius Ecyopedia has the 250th issue still listed, with no 251 listed afterwards, but yet and maybe I'm not really paying attention that much to it, it seems Sonic Universe has had another issue added after 43, so what does that tell me, well I'll tell what it may be saying to me as a long-term fan.

With the news that Ian will be taking on more in 2012, with Mighty Cursaders, more Mega Man and who knows what else. I feel that his time on the Main Sonic Comic is coming to close, but so maybe the comic itself. Why? You may ask. Because when he and Paul said that the effects will last a least a year or over that till possibly 250, ironically, 250 will be released in the summer of 2013. 2013? You may wonder "Why that year"?, because for those that don't know and I can't recall any fan that wouldn't know, that will mark the 20th anniversey of the Main Comic itself and SatAM. So I guess in Ian and Paul's mind's, what better way to have it come to close, then by having it come to a final conforation with the longest and most personal, (from a character standpoint) storyarc ever done for the comic itself.

This would explain why, according to on-site reports at the New York Comic--Con, why Sally will be Mecha Sally going forward. Now like I said before in pervious posts and Youtube Videos, I don't think her condition will last forever, or that she will be Eggman's slave for that long. However, wither she's restored to her normal body or just giving back her free will, there's no doubt (despite how some fans feel about it) that she will play a huge part in what could be the grand finale for the comic.

Now you add that in, with talk in the past, that Zonic of the Zone Cops will be involved soon, Silver looking for the traitor plot, Nagus being King, and possibly (from my prespective) time-travel, it would only make sense.

And even if this is all true, which I'm not saying it is or isn't, Sonic will still be published by Archie Comics thru Archives, Select books, Magazines, legacy books and a who's who ecyopedia, as well as possibly Sonic Universe sticking around, but I get this feeling that this new mega arc that Ian say's he's working on, could quite possibly be the last one ever for the Main Comic.

All I'm waiting for, is for Ian, Paul and Mike to make some kind of annoucment in San Diego next year at the Comic-Con there, that this may be it for the comic, not saying it will be, but I just find it ironic that all this happening all at once.

Now I know, if that annoucment was to be made, many fans may/will rejoice at the fact that the comic's coming to an end, while many other fans may/will be sad about it, while others will be like, "Hey, it had a good run, it's got a world record in Guinness and it will be a part of Comic Book History for generations to come." But this is only if that annoucment is made next year, which I feel it maybe. But hey I've been wrong in the past/present before.

Overall, this is just a feeling, that as a Iong-time fan and reader/subsciber of the comic, that I'm getting, that's all it is.

But do you have this same feeling as well?

[Toby]

With Ian, it seems to me that anytime someone criticizes his work, or predicts what will happen in a future storyarc or issue, he gets defensive, to the point that he will/might ban those people from his message forums.

No. You were banned because of your complete lack of respect towards staff and disregard for any of the rules of the board. Get over it.