“I am…the day, apparently.”
Niki Batsprite #1
Munia Edizioni (November, 2012: English digital edition)
“A Pleasant Responsibility”
WRITER/PENCILER/COLORIST: Francesca Urbinati
INKER/CO-COLORIST/EDITOR: Daniele Garbugli
TRANSLATION: Elena Garbugil
[Available free as of this writing at Drive Thru Comics]
On the world of Munia, in the kingdom of Aeria, Niki Batsprite has just won a flying race against his rival, the now former champion Luckymar Flyer. Niki, who is 50% balanced good and evil (not sure how that actually works), is summoned to the headquarters of the Guardians, who have slowly disappeared. The only one left is a young rabbit named Moari, who is also a fan of Niki’s. As the two get to know each other and become friends, the human responsible for the Guardians’ disappear is ready to conquer the world.
What they got right: The characters, including the temple priests…not so much the penguin comedian but that could just be me, are fun and interesting. The art style works for the story. The premise of protecting Moari and a set of magic stones are set-up well, as is the teaser of the threat.
What they got wrong: I’m not sure what’s a typo and what’s a translation error, but someone should have edited the translations better. (I believe the original is Italian.) I’m also not sure how a being is 50% good and 50% evil and how that will factor into the story.
What I think overall: It’s a good first issue. The next one is also available free at Drive Thru Comics, so I might check that one out as well.
BW Media Spotlight 
The translation seems about on par with Fantagraphics’ modern translations of Italian Disney comics. That is, it’s competent enough to be readable, but I get the feeling some aspect of the author’s prose is being lost in translation. The real attraction for me is the art, which couldn’t be more “I read Archie Sonic during Penders’ peak years” if it tried, an aesthetic I both cringe at remembering and love to see revived. Maybe a smidge of Neopets in there, too, and certainly coming from the same country as Winx Club and Geronimo Stilton.
I believe it appropriate kismet that the middle “Related” tab on my end is December 7, 2022’s review of “Tails” #2. I didn’t become an avid reader of Archie Sonic until relatively late in the book’s life (innocent 2002 mail order of a 1996 issue collection, woefully unprepared for how continuity-dense it was, started catching up via the Archive Collections five years later), so I missed out on a lot of the minis, Super Specials, and whatnot. I can understand why the collections skipped “Sonic Live,” “Sally Moon,” and the Sabrina crossover, but I think they’re part of what made that era so weirdly magical for young readers and deserve a bit more promotion in fan circles.
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