I’m jumping ahead because this book is a reprint of stories that appeared in earlier issues of the comics. This felt like a better point in the review cycle to go over it. Next week (barring incidents) it will be a Free Comic Book Day reprint of the first issue.
“Hey, what am I doing down there?”
Sonic Super Special #3
Archie Comic Publications (1997)
ORIGINAL EDITORS: Daryl Edelman, Scott Fulop, & Victor Gorelick
COMPLATION EDITOR: J. Freddy Gabrie
“Don’t Cry For Me, Mobius!” (from Sonic The Hedgehog #0 [miniseries])
WRITER: Michael Gallagher
PENCILER: Scott Shaw!
INKER: Jorge Pacheco
COLORIST: Barry Grossman
LETTERER: Dan Nakrosis
“Rabbot Development” (from Sonic The Hedgehog #3)
WRITER: Michael Gallagher
PENCILER: Dave Manak
INKER: Jon D’Agostino
COLORISTS: Linda & Daryl America
LETTERER: Bill Yoshida
“Lizard Of Odd” (from Sonic The Hedgehog #4)
WRITER: Michael Gallagher (if he had written all four this wouldn’t be as long)
PENCILER: Dave Manak
INKER: Henry Scarpelli
COLORIST: Barry Grossman
LETTERER: Bill Yoshida
“This Island Hedgehog” (from Sonic The Hedgehog #13)
WRITERS: Mike Kanterovich & Ken Penders
PENCILER: Dave Manak
INKER: Jon D’Agostino
COLORIST: Barry Grossman
LETTERER: Bill Yoshida
Being the first story in a miniseries (the other stories come from the ongoing series), we’re introduced to Sonic, Robotnik, their respective teams, and then get into the plot. A leak has sprung up in the secret Knothole headquarters of the Freedom Fighters…because the Weeping Willows are upset their friends were cut down. After avoiding the second Robotnik attack this story Sonic’s solution is to plant new trees. This is an early example of the comic using the characters from the more serious SatAM show on ABC but the comedic tone of the weekday syndicated show plus hints of the video games at the time and still feels weird. Also, Sally doesn’t have her vest, which means she’s technically naked even though Antoine is the only one who wears a full outfit except for pants. Thankfully Robotnik does have those on.
The second one is kind of ruined by that division because it’s the debut and origin of SatAM character Bunnie Rabbot, whom Sonic and Rotor save from a Roboticizer, but not before her left arm and both legs are turned mechanical. She helps Sonic defeat a deforesting robot that was actually a trap. But she really wants to be a hairdresser…and her classic Southern-for-some-reason accent is overdone here. Mobius shouldn’t have “Yankees”, but that’s more of the odd humor of this book. I like the concept but I’m not a fan of the execution.
If this is how they introduced the Super Sonic power-up from the game they didn’t do it well, or maybe it ties in to another story that issue. When Robotnik’s attempt to roboticize a salamander hits an overload, they end up with the destructive Universalamander, who wants to wreck the planet. Sonic’s ring and gem count to enter the special zone needed to become Super Sonic, with no clue how he knows to do any of that, comes out of nowhere as they’re just sitting where he needs they because they were set-up earlier, like the Batman “prep time” gag. Another concept done in by the execution.
The final story is the debut of Knuckles and the Floating Island…and apparently you can put the Chaos Emerald on a pile of stones to make it move, something that will be fixed in later issues to something that makes more sense to channel power. It’s also the first time we see Snively in this book, but as a cameo and I don’t know if it’s his first appearance. Someone also just watched the 60s Batman show because there’s a few references to it. It may be the better story here, though suffering the same flaws as the others.
Early Sonic The Hedgehog is generally uneven. Mixing the more serious Saturday morning show with the wackier weekday show, both produced by DiC and sharing Sonic and Tails’ voice actors, works about as well as the Whedon cut of Justice League and is tough to recommend. Of course it’s also tough to recommend the later comics given what happened but unless you want the complete collection there isn’t much here that holds up.
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