“Yesterday’s” Comic> Knuckles The Echidna #29

Happier days.

Knuckles The Echidna #29

Archie Comics Publications (October, 1999)

“My Special Friend”

WRITER: Ken Penders

PENCILER: Art Mawhinney

INKER: Rich Koslowski

COLORIST: Frank Gagliardo

LETTERER: Vickie Williams

EDITOR: J.F. Gabrie

Having enough of being kept out of every loop, Sally confronts pretty much everybody when it comes to her mother’s being alive and her secret brother. The King sends her to the Floating Island to seek the aid of the Brotherhood, but because they aren’t willing to do what the Brotherhood thinks is “whatever it takes” to stop Robo-Robotnik they turn her down. Knuckles tries to comfort his childhood friend, but he is still the current Guardian and their paths go in different directions…as does their friendship.

What they got right: It is nice seeing more of Sally and Knuckles friendship and how they were there for each other during their childhoods.

What they got wrong: Which is why I’m disappointed that the story decides to end the friendship here. Knuckles has his duties as Guardian, so he can’t just run off even if the Chaotix could. I don’t see the need to end their friendship, and in Sonic The Hedgehog she would have at least already had time to get mad at Antoine over his part in all this. Which as I recall was very little. Getting mad at Geoffrey would have made more sense.

What I think overall: This feels like an excuse for Penders to separate the Sonic stories from the Knuckles stories, as he really wanted to develop his ideas apart from the games or the other comics. There is evidence supporting that given how he used legal loopholes to take most of the Floating Island lore and Julie-Su with him when he left the title and Archie Comics. This is another victim of what Penders did to this series.