I really dig #72′s cover and its pixel-ly look! The guys could have been drawn without the exact same expression but Big looks like he’s seen some shit (as always) so I ain’t complaining. xD

Also legit, Big is the MVP in this entire issue. He’s a big doof but really he has some of the best moments; the Archie continuity really balanced his low intelligence with his genuine care for his friends.

Here it is! The page that endeared many to Big’s lovable doofiness! You can potentially take this as a metaphor for many things, like him being cool with Sally and Nicole’s subtle relationship, or Nicole not being identified as any gender and Big being a total ally...

This issue ends with Dr. Ellidy being all confrontational with Sally, but we all know from the game that people go all negative and crazy when night falls, as evidenced by the weird swirls of purple clouds. Dark Gaia kinda does that to everyone. I’ll always appreciate Tracy Yardley’s use of shadows!

Issue #72 is essentially the “flashback episode”. In the present, the heroes are going about their own ways, like Nicole in the Digital World and Sally and Big getting a Red Star Ring from the lake, but in-between all that are these pages showing us snippets of the past, including how Sally dealt with grief and becoming a leader figure. This is also to show how far she and Nicole had come, the latter going from being a typically emotionless device and AI to Sally’s super-close friend.

How can I not talk about #72′s variant cover?? Its one part wholesome and one part odd that they were trying to a appeal specifically to Sonic shippers.

Oh hey, Red Rings are a thing! Its almost surreal seeing them be a part of the story and not the optional collectable seen in the games. That and they’re actually useful for something.