| Sonic the Hedgehog | |
|---|---|
 Promotional artwork from New York Comic-Con by Tyson Hesse (2017) | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | IDW Publishing Sega of America |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | April 4, 2018–present |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Ian Flynn |
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Sonic the Hedgehog is a comic book series based on the Sega video game franchise, published by IDW Publishing. It is the third licensed comic book iteration based on Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog intellectual property, after Fleetway Publications's Sonic the Comic and Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Publication history[]
On July 21, 2017, IDW Publishing announced a deal with Sega to produce a new series of Sonic comics following the cancellation of the previous Sonic the Hedgehog series by Archie Comics.[1] The new series would begin with a four-week long event where the first four issues will be released each week in April 2018, followed by a monthly release of subsequent issues starting in May 2018. Archie Sonic writer Ian Flynn was later confirmed to return as the series' lead writer, alongside artist Tyson Hesse.[2]
During New York Comic Con 2017, Ian Flynn confirmed that characters old and new would be featured in the series, hinting that characters from the games and the original comics might possibly return.[3][4][5][6] In January 2018, IDW revealed that Tracy Yardley, who originally worked on Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog comics, would be one of the pencillers for the IDW series. Several other artists from the Archie Comics series have also contributed to the IDW series.
Plot[]
The story begins shortly after the events of Sonic Forces.[7] Doctor Eggman has gone missing following his defeat by the Resistance, but the remnants of his robot army continue to attack small villages around the world. When the robot attacks suddenly become more coordinated, Sonic must work together with old friends like Tails, Knuckles and Amy, along with new allies like Tangle the Lemur and Whisper the Wolf, in order to protect the innocent, fight against Eggman's robots, and find out who is controlling Eggman's forces. Along the way, they also battle Rough and Tumble, a pair of skunk mercenaries who took over a village during the war; the villainous duo quickly vow revenge on Sonic and his allies.
Sonic eventually discovers that Eggman has sustained amnesia after their last battle, taking on the friendly persona of "Mr. Tinker" in the village that found him. After observing Mr. Tinker's work, Sonic decides he is truly reformed, although he ends up having to convince Shadow of the same. It is later revealed that Metal Sonic is leading the Eggman Empire in his master's absence, intending to eventually restore Eggman to his proper place. He eventually conquers Angel Island, leading the heroes to take him on. Utilizing the powers of the Master Emerald, Metal Sonic assumes a Super Mode to battle Sonic and Knuckles; when Shadow intervenes on their behalf, he copies his bio-data to transform into the stronger, monstrous Master Overlord. Through a combined effort by the Resistance and their allies, Metal Sonic is thwarted and Angel Island liberated. In the aftermath, Knuckles decides to resume his vigil over the Master Emerald.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tinker is kidnapped by Rough and Tumble at the behest of a new villain: Dr. Starline, a platypus who has become enamored by Eggman's work. With some help from Metal Sonic, Dr. Starline restores Eggman's memories, being rewarded with a position as the doctor's head assistant. Eggman then develops the Metal Virus, a contagion that turns organic material to machines under his control, and prepares to unleash it on the world from his new "Faceship" flying base. He tricks Rough and Tumble into infecting themselves during a battle with Sonic and Amy; the hedgehogs defeat the newly-coined "Zombots", but Sonic is infected in the process.
Comics[]
Main[]
| Title | Issue(s) | Start date | End date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonic the Hedgehog | 1- | April 2018 | N/A | Began weekly publications in April 2018 and then it became monthly in May 2018. |
| Sonic: Tangle & Whisper | 0-3 | April 2019 | September 2019 | An upcoming comic miniseries and spinoff of the main series featuring the adventures of two original fan favorite characters from the main series, Tangle the Lemur and Whisper the Wolf. A prequel comic was released in April 2019 and the series will debut in the summer of 2019 and will last four issues in total. |
Others[]
| Title | Issue(s) | Start date | End date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Sonic Racing | One-shot | December 2018 | A prequel story for the 2019 Sonic game Team Sonic Racing. | |
| Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2019 | One-shot | May 2019 | An annual edition comic which contains 5 new stories. | |
Reprints[]
- Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 1-4 Box Set (June 2018) (collects issues #1-4)
- Team Sonic Racing Plus Deluxe Turbo Championship Edition one-shot (May 2019) (a reprint of the story featured in Team Sonic Racing One-Shot, which also includes bonus features)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 1: Fallout! (September 2018) (a reprint of #1-4 containing the arc "Fallout!")
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 2: The Fate of Dr. Eggman (February 2019) (a reprint of #5-8)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 3: Battle For Angel Island (July 2019) (a reprint of #9-12)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 4: Infection (September 2019) (a reprint of #13-16)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 5: Crisis City (February 2020) (a reprint of #17-20)
Reception[]
Bleeding Cool gave the first issue a score of 6.5/10, praising the art and creativity of the story but criticizing Sonic's characterization: "Sonic is an insufferable character... He's smug, annoying, and radical in that 1990's sense."[8]
References[]
- ↑ "SEGA® and IDW Publishing Dash Forward with Partnership Deal". IDW Publishing. July 21, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "New Sonic the Hedgehog™ Series Will Launch in April 2018 with a Four-Week Event". IDW Publishing. October 8, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Sonic IDW NYCC Ian Flynn".
{{cite web}}: / - ↑ "New 'Sonic The Hedgehog' Comics Revealed".
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: Sonic the Hedgehog Speeds Into the IDW Era with Two New Covers". 23 January 2018.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Sonic The Hedgehog Returns to Comics in 2018 - Nerdist". 23 January 2018.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ https://www.gamesradar.com/what-the-new-sonic-the-hedgehog-comic-pulls-from-the-blue-blurs-history-and-what-it-leaves-behind/
- ↑ Davison, Joshua (April 5, 2018). "Sonic the Hedgehog #1 Review: Creative Action Scenes Make Up for an Annoying Lead". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
{{cite web}}:
External links[]
Template:IDW Publishing