“Yesterday’s” Comic> Knuckles The Echidna #17

Everybody’s a hat critic.

Knuckles The Echidna #17

Archie Comics Publications (October, 1998)

“Deep Cover” part 1

WRITER: Ken Penders

PENCILER: Manny Galan

INKER: Andrew Pepoy

COLORIST: Barry Grossman

LETTERER: Vickie Williams

EDITOR: Justin Gabrie

Julie-Su is out riding when she’s attacked by an echidna who really doesn’t like the Dark Legion, but she manages to convince him not to strangle her. Instead she takes him to Knuckles just as the power goes out in the Brotherhood base, Haven. As they search around, Knuckles is introduced to another relative, Tobor, another former Guardian. When the Brotherhood invaded he ended up going mano a mano with their leader, Moritori Rex. Rex zapped them off the Floating Island and both were buried by debris, but Tobor’s father, Hawking, somehow mistook Rex for his son in all the debris and took him back to the Floating Island. Now the real Tobor has found his way back…so who’s the Tobor among the Guardians?

What they got right: It’s an interesting backstory, and a storyline sure to mess with the Guardians.

What they got wrong: The Tobor reveal is way too early, like Penders didn’t even try to hide it except by not pointing out. Any smart reader, even a kid, will pick up on it immediately. Maybe don’t reveal the name of the guy with the visor this quick? Also not sure how Hawking didn’t notice the lack of a collar ring, which is supposed to be proof of being a Guardian, or even how different Rex’s outfit is from his sons. It’s not the characters in the Archie Sonicverse own a wide assortment of clothes, if they have clothes at all.

What I think overall: Penders’ obsession with his lore in this comic will come back to bite everybody between his legal wrangling later and how removed this ends up being from the story as the video games will take it. As good as the stories are, it’s hard for me to really enjoy this readthrough as much as I did before in hindsight and even then there’s just a lot of stories going on. I didn’t even mention the mystery lady in stasis and Athair’s continued coma.