Megathread Archie Sonic Main Discussion

[Eitarou]

Yeah, but they at least got to use Sonic Man in WU!

[Dantemustdie00]

I think it'd be wiser if the Knuckles clan just...you know...conquered and killed the Tasmanian Devils for power, as the story in Adventure said they'd done to everyone.

Yeah that would make more sense without having to throw "science" into it.

[Sunwalker]

Download of Ian's interview on RadioSEGA from today:

https://www.radiosega.net/content/podcasts/The%20SEGA%20Lounge/The%20SEGA%20Lounge%20-%20S2E10%20-%20Ian%20Flynn%20(21%20May%202015).m4a

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

It's also a tad less...uncomfortable than messing with an entire race's genetics. Certainly seems like a better fit for a Sonic book, anyhow.

[Monkey Destruction Switch]

Yeah, now that the non-anthro "devil dogs" that Ken Penders created have been erased, having the Tasmania devils' genetics being messed with doesn't make much sense.

 

That was an awkward, uncomfortable, and not very Sonic-appropriate plot point anyway, in my opinion.

[kirby1up]

yeah I would love to see thrash show up again in the comics

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Yeah, now that the non-anthro "devil dogs" that Ken Penders created have been erased, having the Tasmania devils' genetics being messed with doesn't make much sense.

 

That was an awkward, uncomfortable, and not very Sonic-appropriate plot point anyway, in my opinion.

Okay, I'm not sure I'm getting you right, but we've had creepy bad futures (Sonic CD), echidna genocide (SA1), space colony massacres (SA2), fiery apocalypses (Sonic 06, Rivals 2), forced mutation of cute aliens (Colors), and demonic possession and god-monster bleeding upon being "killed," in a loose sense, by Sonic himself in Unleashed, just to list off the biggest examples done.

 

Not that I'm defending what Penders made, but exactly what counts as "Sonic appropriate" these days? Because messing with genetics is pretty mild compared to everything else that's been done.

[Your Vest Friend]

Download of Ian's interview on RadioSEGA from today:

https://www.radiosega.net/content/podcasts/The%20SEGA%20Lounge/The%20SEGA%20Lounge%20-%20S2E10%20-%20Ian%20Flynn%20(21%20May%202015).m4a

[Ryannumber1gamer]

And there's one of the best reasons Ian is such a good writer for the comic. Unlike Penderp or Karl, or the other writers, Ian will do research on characters and series he doesn't know. Any of the other writers basically just said fuck it and took a shot in the dark with characters, and game elements and fucked them up badly. Ian on the other hand actually takes the time to do severe research in order to understand these characters, elements, and game series.

[Monkey Destruction Switch]

By "Sonic-appropriate", I honestly wasn't talking about the darkness of the plot point at all. I find it annoying when people insist that Sonic be lighthearted without any of the kind of elements you specified, CSS.

 

I probably should've specified that my problem was with just the very idea of de-anthropomorphizing Sonic-style anthro characters. That bothers me because Sonic characters in general are so completely detached from "real animals" (in terms of behavior and appearance, and the fact that non-anthro animals have been appearing since the very first Sonic game and have just been called Sonic's "animal friends" without even bothering with the fact that Sonic is technically an animal himself) that the very concept barely makes sense in the context of Sonic.

 

That wasn't even remotely clear from my post though, so yeah...

[Zaysho]

Yeah, now that the non-anthro "devil dogs" that Ken Penders created have been erased, having the Tasmania devils' genetics being messed with doesn't make much sense.

 

That was an awkward, uncomfortable, and not very Sonic-appropriate plot point anyway, in my opinion.

 

I would like to point out that Penders didn't create the plot point of the Devil Dogs being created from genetic experiments by the Echidnas. That was Flynn. During Penders's run, they were referred to as the one species that never evolved (see "End Game," #48).

 

That said, while I get why it's not something people really like, I don't think it's entirely inappropriate for reasons stated. But I know it's not the tone you have an issue with, but how the idea was done. I'm a little mixed on it, but I personally found it intriguing when Thrash came onto the scene, having known/remembered that the Devils introduced much earlier on were simply animals, not anthropes/Mobians.

[biznizz]

Wow. So Ian actually DID want Phoenix Wright in, but Capcom denied it.

This is starting to confirm my fears that Ace Attorney is turning into the new Mega Man in terms of how done Capcom seems to want it to go away. Things are looking bleak for Dai Gyakuten Saiban getting translated.

[Dejimon11]

Wow. So Ian actually DID want Phoenix Wright in, but Capcom denied it.

This is starting to confirm my fears that Ace Attorney is turning into the new Mega Man in terms of how done Capcom seems to want it to go away. Things are looking bleak for Dai Gyakuten Saiban getting translated.

[Sunwalker]

Wow. So Ian actually DID want Phoenix Wright in, but Capcom denied it.

This is starting to confirm my fears that Ace Attorney is turning into the new Mega Man in terms of how done Capcom seems to want it to go away. Things are looking bleak for Dai Gyakuten Saiban getting translated.

[QuantumEdge]

So Vectorman was just a back-up guy?  Aww, the humour with Mega Man had so much potential.

[Dantemustdie00]

Yeesh, what's with all these crazy no's to Phoenix Wright?

 

And he was recently announced for Project X Zone as well and that's a far more crazy and massive crossover than what the comics are doing.

[Eitarou]

Because he's just a lawyer.

Guy's pretty fit, but he's still a normal guy compared to most of the other characters. What's he gonna do? Find out Sigma's secrets with his Magatama?

They can't just make his objections, hold its, and take thats work on the boss without turning it into pure comedy. And as much as I'd like to see Phoenix try and get the bad guys a Guilty verdict, it'd take at least multiple issues.

What works in video game spinoffs won't necessarily work in a comic or animated adaptation.

[biznizz]

I understand that, but Ace Attorney's got little ad recognition as it is; the 5th game had no ad push for its digital only release, PWvsPL at best only had some Youtube ads, Edgeworth's 2nd game only has a presence in the West with an English FAN-patch, and Capcom is silent on DGS getting a wider release of any kind, which is almost never good.

It's just... you already have several 'joke' characters like Arthur taking one hit before his armor breaks to his skivvies, we're probably gonna have Cream and Charmy who last I checked were five...

I could live with Phoenix not being an active battler; he'd probably be better suited for a support role on the Sky Patol, or helping Dr. Light or SOMETHING.

Even if its just a small role, appearing in a big crossover would have helped give his series more recognition, ya know?

[King Scoopa Koopa]

Wow. So Ian actually DID want Phoenix Wright in, but Capcom denied it.

 

Don't you mean "Capcom had an objection to it"?

 

 

Guy's pretty fit, but he's still a normal guy compared to most of the other characters. What's he gonna do? Find out Sigma's secrets with his Magatama?

 

Why not? Maybe he could use it to discern his hidden weak spot.

[Eitarou]

That requires him to ask questions, right?

Kinda hard when Sigma would probably just shoot him or whatever.

[King Scoopa Koopa]

That requires him to ask questions, right?

Kinda hard when Sigma would probably just shoot him or whatever.

[Dantemustdie00]

Actually, come to think of it, wasn't ian denied the use of Phantasy Star Characters for this crossover?

[Mauro Fonseca]

Yes, although that's more likely to be due to questions with Phantasy Star being generally not a Western franchise for some reason in the last few years.

[Dantemustdie00]

Yes, although that's more likely to be due to questions with Phantasy Star being generally not a Western franchise for some reason in the last few years.

Damn, that ticks me off, shoot we never even got the SEGA AGES versions of Phantasia Star 1 & 2, in addition to the games past Portable 2 and Zero which I think were the last two games to come out here.

 

Sheesh, they are REALLY hell bent on us Western folks not getting any Phantasy Star love, not even in crossovers.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

And there's one of the best reasons Ian is such a good writer for the comic. Unlike Penderp or Karl, or the other writers, Ian will do research on characters and series he doesn't know. Any of the other writers basically just said fuck it and took a shot in the dark with characters, and game elements and fucked them up badly. Ian on the other hand actually takes the time to do severe research in order to understand these characters, elements, and game series.

Not just that, but how he deals with deals with fan reaction to his writing. It's great to know we have some influence in how he writes the comics, but it's even better that he doesn't let us dictate how it should be written. Not that there is anything wrong with trying to please as many people as possible and not annoy certain camps, but at the end of the day you can't let that be the main decider over how to write the work - some people aren't going to be pleased if something they don't like is even around.

 

Not to mention we can't exactly predict the events of writing anyway. So for a writer writing what they love and respecting the people they want reading their work, it's best they write a good plot they know people will love, and for the readers judge how it's performed than how it's different to some other source. Even if, for example, I'm not too fond of the Black Arm aliens being around or how Boom!Knuckles is different compared to Game!, Archie!, or even OVA!Knuckles, they're of a different setting than each of other, so whatever comes in or what they decide to take from the others it should be judged more on growth of it's own merits as well. (seems like Ian's been lurking this topic more than I thought)

 

I also like the summarized process of how the comics are made. Looks even more brisk and rapid than I thought.

 

By "Sonic-appropriate", I honestly wasn't talking about the darkness of the plot point at all. I find it annoying when people insist that Sonic be lighthearted without any of the kind of elements you specified, CSS.

 

I probably should've specified that my problem was with just the very idea of de-anthropomorphizing Sonic-style anthro characters. That bothers me because Sonic characters in general are so completely detached from "real animals" (in terms of behavior and appearance, and the fact that non-anthro animals have been appearing since the very first Sonic game and have just been called Sonic's "animal friends" without even bothering with the fact that Sonic is technically an animal himself) that the very concept barely makes sense in the context of Sonic.

 

That wasn't even remotely clear from my post though, so yeah...

Ah, I see.

 

Though I don't fully agree with it not making sense in the context of Sonic tho. Awkward, maybe (though even that's a stretch for me to see), but other than that I have trouble seeing the problem with it. Maybe it's because of all the other concepts that we've had like aliens, gods and prophecies, genetic experiments, and militaries among a bunch of other things, it's just hard to see that as out of place compared to everything else - that and I'm one who thinks it has little to do with the concept and more to do with the execution of said concept.

 

It's whatever though, it's not something that bothers me in the slightest whether it does or doesn't make sense. If anything, it just seemed a bit out of nowhere rather than lacking sense.