Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW Publishing)
Sonic the Hedgehog is an ongoing American 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' Sonic the Comic and Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog series.
| Sonic the Hedgehog | |
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Promotional artwork from New York Comic-Con by Tyson Hesse (2017) | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | IDW Publishing (licensed by Sega of America) |
| Schedule | Monthly |
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| Publication date | April 4, 2018–present |
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Publication history edit
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 after a 24-year run.[1] The new series began with a four-week long event where the first four issues were 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.
On April 14, 2020, it was announced that Evan Stanley, one of the series' artists, would be writing for the series.[7]
On June 28, 2020, two original characters from the series, Tangle the Lemur and Whisper the Wolf, were announced to appear in the Sonic mobile game Sonic Forces: Speed Battle as part of its events,[8][9] with them doing so next month.[10] Merchandise, including a plush toy, of the two have been released also.[11][12] Tangle was also briefly mentioned in the 2022 Sonic game Sonic Frontiers.[13] It is confirmed by the Lore Manager Chris Hernandez that the comics are canon to the games.[14]
Synopsis edit
The comic follows the adventures of Sonic and his friends (old and new) as they thwart Doctor Eggman and other villains.
After the end of the war, Eggman has genuinely lost his memory and ended up in a remote village where he has taken on the more friendly moniker of Mr. Tinker. Sonic learns that Neo Metal Sonic is now leading the Badniks, plotting to take over the world in Eggman's stead. While Sonic and his friends fight Neo Metal Sonic and his army on Angel Island, an Eggman admirer named Starline kidnaps Mr. Tinker and successfully reverts him back to Eggman after a defeated Metal Sonic returns to him.
While Tangle helps Whisper apprehend her former comrade turned criminal Mimic, Eggman hatches a new scheme involving the Metal Virus, which turns organic material into mindless robots dubbed "Zombots", but it quickly mutates beyond his control. Starline brings in the Deadly Six in hopes that they can control the Zombots, but they betray him. This leads to a falling-out between Starline and Eggman and forces the latter to help Sonic and his friends cure the world.
Afterwards, Sonic and company decide to fix E-123 Omega, whose body was destroyed during the plague. Sonic and Tails investigate an Eggman base to find the blueprints while Rouge, Amy, Cream, and Cheese enter a competition to win parts; the former group discovers a peaceful Badnik created by Mr. Tinker named Belle while the latter comes into conflict with former crime boss Clutch. Meanwhile, Starline, hoping to regain Eggman's respect and rejoin him by proving his own superiority, sets his own plans in motion by allying himself with villains like Zavok and stalking Sonic's friends. Zavok reunites the Deadly Six and they attack the Restoration's home base, but are defeated and banished to their homeworld of Lost Hex.
From the bio-data he has collected, Starline creates Surge and Kitsunami, two cyborgs meant to replace Sonic and Tails and end the status quo between them and Eggman. Upon learning that he has been conditioning them and wiping their memories to create their personalities and being unable to find any trace of their past, Surge and Kit vow to destroy all heroes and villains. Starline, oblivious, moves to accomplish his vision by conquering the Eggman Empire's new capital, Eggperial City, which is expanding itself until it covers the entire planet, and lures Sonic, Tails, and Belle there. However, Eggman defeats Starline and leaves him to die, while Kit flees with Surge in tow after several defeats incapacitate her. Eggman himself is subsequently defeated, and Eggperial City destroyed, by the Restoration and their allies.
Characters edit
New characters to the series include:
- Tangle the Lemur – an energetic ring-tailed lemur who can elongate her tail for use in combat. She is briefly mentioned in the mainline game Sonic Frontiers.
- Whisper the Wolf – a reserved wolf who uses a Wisp-powered rifle and becomes Tangle's best friend. She was formerly a member of an anti-Eggman mercenary group called the Diamond Cutters.
- Jewel the Beetle – a beetle museum curator and Tangle's childhood friend who later becomes the newest Restoration leader following the Metal Virus pandemic.
- Belle the Tinkerer – a clumsy but kindhearted marionette-like robot created by Eggman when he was "Mr. Tinker".
- Lanolin the Sheep – a nervous sheep who joins the Restoration after Sonic and Amy saved her village.
- Doctor Starline – a platypus scientist who admires Eggman. He dies at Eggman's hands after trying to take over his empire.
- Rough & Tumble – a pair of trouble-making skunk brothers and former mercenaries.
- Mimic – a shapeshifting mimic octopus and former comrade of Whisper who betrayed his team to Eggman.
- Surge the Tenrec – a punkish cyborg lowland streaked tenrec created by Starline to be Sonic's doppelgänger, who is deeply traumatized by Starline's experiments.
- Kitsunami "Kit" the Fennec – a somber cyborg fennec fox created by Starline to be Tails' doppelgänger and Surge's sidekick, who is also deeply traumatized by Starline's experiments.
- Clutch the Opossum – an opossum crime boss who collects Eggtech and uses it for personal profit.
Publications edit
Main edit
| Title | Issue(s) | Start date | End date | Note |
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| Sonic the Hedgehog | 1– | April 4, 2018 | — | Began weekly publications in April 2018 and then it became monthly in May 2018. Features Sonic, Tails and friends battling the forces of Doctor Eggman and other foes. The series is set after the events of Sonic Forces. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper | 0–4 | April 24, 2019 | December 11, 2019 | Miniseries and spin-off of the main series featuring the adventures of two original fan favorite characters from the main series, Tangle the Lemur and Whisper the Wolf. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Bad Guys | 1–4 | October 7, 2020 | December 16, 2020 | Miniseries and spin-off of the main series centered on Dr. Starline and his villainous crew consisting of Zavok, Mimic and Rough & Tumble. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome | 1–4 | November 17, 2021 | May 11, 2022 | Miniseries and spin-off of the main series focusing on Dr. Eggman and Dr. Starline along with new antagonistic characters Surge the Tenrec and Kitsunami "Kit" the Fennec. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island | 1–4 | October 19, 2022 | January 18, 2023 | Psychological horror miniseries and spin-off of the main series focusing on Sonic and Tails trapped on an island full of disused Badniks who call themselves "Scrapniks". |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter | 1–4 | January 17, 2024 | TBA | An upcoming mini-series featuring Fang the Hunter and his mercenary group of hooligans. |
One-shots edit
| Title | Publication date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Team Sonic Racing | December 5, 2018 | A prequel to the 2019 Sonic game Team Sonic Racing. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2019 | May 1, 2019 | An annual edition comic which contains 5 new stories. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog Halloween ComicFest 2019 | October 26, 2019 | A Halloween ComicFest special edition comic which contains a reprint of Fallout Part 1. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2020 | July 8, 2020 | An annual edition comic which contains 6 new stories set during the events of the Metal Virus Saga. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Special | June 23, 2021 | A one-shot comic book special in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2021 | August 14, 2021 | A Free Comic Book Day special edition comic. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-quill | April 5, 2022 | A prequel to the 2022 film. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2022 | May 7, 2022 | A Free Comic Book Day special edition comic. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2022 | August 17, 2022 | An annual edition comic which contains 6 new stories about odd pair ups. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Tails 30th Anniversary Special | November 16, 2022 | A one-shot comic book special celebrating the 30th anniversary of Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog series. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: 5th Anniversary Edition | April 5, 2023 | A one-shot comic book special celebrating the 5th anniversary of the IDW Sonic the Hedgehog comic series. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Endless Summer | August 30, 2023 | Part of the "IDW Endless Summer" event. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog's 900th Adventure | September 13, 2023 | A one-shot comic book special celebrating the entire Sonic the Hedgehog comic book run, which includes the Fleetway and Archie eras. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Amy's 30th Anniversary Special | September 27, 2023 | A one-shot comic book special celebrating the 30th anniversary of Amy Rose from Sonic the Hedgehog series. |
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Halloween Special | 11 October, 2023 | A Halloween one-shot comic book special focusing on the Chaotix (Vector, Espio and Charmy Bee) from Sonic the Hedgehog series. |
Graphic novel edit
| Title | Publication date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Celebration: Deluxe Edition | October 6, 2021 | A graphic novel starring Classic Sonic as part of the franchise's 30th anniversary. |
Reprints edit
- Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 1–4 Box Set (June 27, 2018) (collects issues #1–4)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 1: Fallout! (September 18, 2018) (a reprint of #1–4)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 2: The Fate of Dr. Eggman (February 19, 2019) (a reprint of #5–8)
- Team Sonic Racing Plus Deluxe Turbo Championship Edition one-shot (May 22, 2019) (a reprint of the story featured in Team Sonic Racing One-Shot, which also includes bonus features)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Bonds of Friendship (2019) (a Scholastic-exclusive collection of several reprinted issues in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 3: Battle For Angel Island (July 23, 2019) (a reprint of #9–12)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 4: Infection (September 3, 2019) (a reprint of #13–16)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper Box Set (December 4, 2019) (collects issues #1–4)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper (April 14, 2020) (a reprint of Tangle & Whisper issues #1–4 including the 2019 Annual)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 5: Crisis City (February 11, 2020) (a reprint of #17–20)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 6: The Last Minute (June 23, 2020) (a reprint of #21–24)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 7: All or Nothing (December 8, 2020) (a reprint of #25–29)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 8: Out of the Blue (March 30, 2021) (a reprint of #30–32 including the 2020 Annual)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Bad Guys (May 11, 2021) (a reprint of Bad Guys issues #1–4)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 9: Chao Races & Badnik Bases (January 11, 2022) (a reprint of #33–36)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic & Tails: Best Buds Forever (February 23, 2022) (a reprint of stories from #1, #13, #34 and #35)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 10: Test Run! (March 22, 2022) (a reprint of #37–40)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 11: Zeti Hunt! (June 7, 2022) (a reprint of #41-44)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 12: Trial by Fire (September 13, 2022) (a reprint of #45–49)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome (October 11, 2022) (a reprint of Imposter Syndrome issues #1–4)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 13: Battle for the Empire (February 7, 2023) (a reprint of #50-51 including the 2022 Free Comic Book Day and 2022 Annual)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 14: Overpowered (June 20, 2023) (a reprint of #52-56)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island (August 29, 2023) (a reprint of Scrapnik Island issues #1–4)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 15: Urban Warfare (October 24, 2023) (a reprint of #57-61)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 16: Misadventures (April 23, 2024) (a reprint of #62-66)
The IDW Collection edit
- Sonic the Hedgehog: The IDW Collection, Vol. 1 (June 8, 2021) (a reprint of Issues #1–12)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: The IDW Collection, Vol. 2 (March 15, 2022) (a reprint of Issues #13–20, including the 2019 Annual and the Tangle & Whisper miniseries.)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: The IDW Collection, Vol. 3 (March 14, 2023) (a reprint of Issues #21–32, including the 2020 Annual.)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: The IDW Collection, Vol. 4 (March 12, 2024) (a reprint of Issues #33-40, including the Bad Guys miniseries.)
Reception edit
Joshua Davison on 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."[15]
Dustin Holland's review of the first issue of the Imposter Syndrome miniseries on Comic Book Resources praised the personalities of new villains Surge the Tenrec and Kit the Fennec, action-filled plot, and appropriately expressive art.[16]
References edit
- ^ . IDW Publishing. July 21, 2017. Archived from the original on September 30, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- ^ . IDW Publishing. October 8, 2017. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- ^ Johnston, Rich (October 9, 2017). "Sonic Finds A New Home In IDW At NYCC With Ian Flynn". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Bonomolo, Cameron (January 22, 2018). "New 'Sonic The Hedgehog' Comics Revealed". Comicbook.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Ching, Albert (January 23, 2018). "EXCLUSIVE: Sonic the Hedgehog Speeds Into the IDW Era with Two New Covers". Comic Book Resources. Valent Inc. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Marnell, Blair (January 23, 2018). . Nerdist. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Jennings, Collier (April 14, 2020). "Sonic the Hedgehog Gets New Writer, Miniseries". Comic Book Resources. Valent Inc. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ Deschamps, Marc (June 28, 2020). "Sonic Fans Are Thrilled That Two IDW Characters Are Coming to the Video Games". Comicbook.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ Lada, Jenni (June 29, 2020). "Sonic Forces Tangle and Whisper Event Announced". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Musgrave, Shawn (July 13, 2020). "Best iPhone Game Updates: 'Sneaky Sasquatch', 'PUBG Mobile', 'Retro City Rampage DX', 'Homescapes', and More". TouchArcade. TouchArcade.com, LLC. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Brown, Tom (May 12, 2021). "IDW's Sonic comic characters Tangle & Whisper get official merchandise". Nintendo Wire. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Brown, Tom (August 31, 2021). "New Sonic franchise plush wave featuring Mephiles, Whisper, Chao, more announced". Nintendo Wire. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Foster, George (11 November 2022). "Sonic Frontiers Has References To Jet, Tangle, Cream, And More Of Sonic's Friends". TheGamer. Valnet Inc. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ "Sonic Official - Season 7 Episode 7". YouTube.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Holland, Dustin (23 November 2021). "IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #1 Comic Review". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
External links edit
- Official website