“Yesterday’s” Comic> Sonic The Hedgehog #84

“No, I can’t see your house from here. Neither of us live here.”

Sonic The Hedgehog #84

Archie Comics Publications (July, 2000)

“Perfect Chaos” & “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”

WRITER: Ken Penders

ARTISTS: Steve Butler & Pam Eklund

COLORST: Frank Gagliardo

LETTERER: Jeff Powell

EDITOR/STORY OUTLINE: J.F. Gabrie

Locke beats the champion of the Cat Kingdom, finally gaining a proper discussion we’ll save for the back-up story. The focus then returns to Station Square as Super Sonic weakens Chaos. Antoine is hurt as the others help with getting civilians out of danger, and Knuckles sets up a plan that electrocutes the monster, finally weakening it enough for his anger to subside. Tical takes herself and the restored Chaos back to their zone.

In the back-up, Knuckles takes the shards of the Chaos Emerald back to the Floating Island. As the other Guardians restore the Emerald and lift the Island back to the skies, Knuckles meets up with Locke and the Chaotix, learning he was named for a tribe of echidna who once attacked the cat kingdom, leading to their distrust of outsides, including echidnas. Now they’ve made peace and everything’s okay.

What they got right: I like seeing Sonic and Knuckles working together, and Knuckles gets a good moment as he struggles to put his plan into action. The arc with the cat kingdom is mostly resolved well.

What they got wrong: Though the queen does forgive rather quickly. Sonic may not have liked how quickly the Chaos story ended but I though the back-up ended short, as Penders focused on his own lore that he would later take away. I know I harp on that, but it makes it hard to get into Knuckles’ arc when outside shenanigans messed with the story. Plus, this back-up is really just part of the main story thanks to starting off with the cat kingdom situation.

What I think overall: This wraps up the Sonic Adventure adaptation and I still think it should have been an out-of-continuity graphic novel or miniseries rather than trying to work it into the Archie continuity, but it’s not a totally botched effort, though it will affect Amy Rose from here out to get her to her status in the game continuity.