whats the deal with shadow liking "nothing" and disliking "all of humanity"?
For anybody out of the loop, Maverickindigo is referring to the recently-opened Sonic 35th anniversary site which among other things includes character bios. You can find it in the "about" section
The text of these bios were taken from Sonic Channel and localized into English... I dunno what to tell you. Shadow is a true antihero and just generally not a nice guy.
I don't know how many folks see the beauty of this aspect of Shadow's character.
He doesn't LIKE the world. He sees it as a cold and cruel place that has brought him little more than pain.
But Maria LOVED the world. She saw the good in everything and everyone and wanted nothing more than to dedicate her life to seeing it flourish.
And now, she can't do that anymore. Shadow can.
So he honors his best friend's memory by dedicating his life to protecting a world that he hates but someone he loved cherished.
Once upon a time, Shadow had a purpose and a destiny. He had questions and someone to help him find answers. He doesn't have those things anymore. He has no dream to chase, and so he chases a dream that the person dearest to him never got to fulfill.
That's the tragedy and beauty of Shadow the Hedgehog
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As I type these words, we have roughly two hours before Issue 87 drops, so let's see if I can't knock this sucker out before then.
WARNING: MAJOR IDW SONIC 86 SPOILERS AHEAD
This issue brings us art from Adam Bryce Thomas, who was kind of the perfect person to pencil this very action-heavy issue. The colors here are provided by Leonardo Ito De Oliveira, whose colors pair fairly well with ABT's lines, and lend themselves to this issue well.
Issue 85 ended with Metal Sonic, still under enemy control, kidnapping Sage and taking off with Sonic and Belle giving chase. 86 opens up from this same point, continuing the chase as Metal Sonic evades his pursuers, eventually managing to lose them in the maze-like Holoska ice caves, leaving Sonic and Belle to regroup as they try to figure out where to go.
For a moment, here, Belle considers the notion of just... abandoning Sage to her fate, considering that she and Metal Sonic are both agents of the Eggman Empire, and will likely cause trouble later down the line - even going so far as to express an amount of shame over having helped Metal Sonic in the past.
Sonic steps in to reassure Belle that her desire to help is ultimately good, which is really nice - not just because he's the hero who inspires change in those around him, but also because he's dealt with this before.
This is something I've thought about a lot over the last few years of this comic's run, so I suppose it's time to carve out some space to talk about:
Sonic's Subtle Character Arc
There's been a ton of discussion concerning Sonic as a character and what his relationship should be with the notion of character development. The recent releases of the Sonic movies and Sonic Prime both relied heavily on Sonic's personal journey and growth, focusing on how he changes over the course of those stories, and it's led a lot of folks to point out that the Sonic of Prime and the movies doesn't really seem like the same character as Sonic from the main games' continuity - despite the fact that Prime Sonic is alleged by his creators to be the same guy.
This often leads to people asserting that Sonic as a character is not supposed to change. That he is a static figure often serving as the driving force behind some other character's growth over the course of a given storyline.
And for the most part, this is true. Sonic is a character who thrives on simplicity, and to throw personal character arcs into the mix might only serve to clutter up the thing that makes him so compelling - the fact approaches the complexity of life with a very simple outlook.
Still, it's not like he's never changed. I mean, look back at the way Classic Sonic is usually portrayed! He tends to be a good deal less patient and mature than his Modern counterpart.
The thing is - there is no one story that caused this growth in him. He didn't undergo some life-changing character journey that tempered his fiery spirit. He just... changed gradually over time.
And this is how I think it should be. Sure, Sonic can change and grow over time, but it's got to be subtle, and it shouldn't be the forefront of any one story, because quick changes are complicated. They force a character to question who they are and make a decision to change. Slower changes involve changing little things over time and letting them build up over time to become big changes. This is why, despite their differences, Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic really do feel like the same guy at different points in time.
And I think the subtle nature of Sonic's character growth is a very important aspect of IDW.
I will often see complaints about IDW Sonic's propensity toward mercy - the way he will give his enemies endless second chances to amend their ways, only imprisoning or slaying an enemy when he truly has no other choice. Folks will say that this is out of character. That he imprisoned Erazor Djinn, that he killed The Biolizard, that he encouraged Princess Elise to fully erase Solaris' existence from time itself.
Sonic taken drastic measures with very little trouble before, why does he actively avoid it now?
What this question misses is that this is because of a subtle character arc that Sonic began to undergo the day he met Mr. Tinker.
Way back in Issue 5, Mr. Tinker was a strange, new, confusing experience for Sonic - something he didn't even believe right away:
A clear sign of the good that existed within Dr. Eggman.
From Sonic's perspective, Mr. Tinker didn't just come from nowhere - he was Eggman, separated from his dream of a global empire, his need to be recognized, surrounded by people who supported and appreciated him.
In that moment, Sonic started to consider the notion that if there was some part of Eggman that could be good, maybe anybody could have that potential, given that opportunity.
So he tried giving more of his enemies that opportunity. Metal Sonic, Dr. Starline, Zavok, Surge, and for the most part, every time he tries, it kind of blows up in his face. Metal Sonic brings Eggman back. Eggman unleashes the Metal Virus. Starline tries to take over the Eggman Empire. Surge dumps all of her pain and suffering at his feet, blaming his mercy for the life she's endured. Zavok outright tells Sonic that he will use the second chance he's being given to hurt more people.
And every step of the way, Sonic questions his decision. We see him doubt himself during the Metal Virus Saga, and he visibly considers those same doubts when deciding to spare Zavok. But then, two things happen:
Sonic meets Belle. To him, Belle is a manifestation of everything good that he saw in Mr. Tinker, allowed to live on. Had he not spared Mr. Tinker, we might not have gotten Belle - and so Sonic's mercy paid off.
Sonic reunites with Mecha Sonic Mk II. In Scrapnik Island, Sonic is clearly skeptical about Mecha Sonic at first, but as he sees more and more of Mecha's new life, he decides to go out on a limb and extend an olive branch. And this backfires. Mecha Sonic betrays him. And Sonic points this out - that he's getting tired of showing his enemies mercy only to be betrayed. But then, he gets to listen to what's going on inside Mecha Sonic's head, feels firsthand what he's going through, and with this new insight, he tries again. And this time, it works! He gets through to Mecha Sonic, changes his mind, gets him to take a chance and turn his life around for the better. At the end of Scrapnik Island, he leaves the island not having spared an enemy knowing that they'll turn on him, but having helped someone take the first steps toward a better future.
I think befriending Belle and the events of Scrapnik Island had a really profound effect on Sonic - heck, in the case of the latter, he outright states that his encounter with Mecha Sonic is what drove him to give Surge another chance. These things solidified a new philosophy for Sonic - a philosophy of trying give everybody he meets a chance to change for the better because, deep down, he knows they can. Will he still take a life? Sure, if he really has to. He destroyed The End, after all. But you can be relatively certain that if he can stop an enemy without killing them, then that's what he's gonna do.
It's easy to miss, because it happened in the background of numerous storylines spread out across multiple real-world years, but that's how it's supposed to go for Sonic.
His character arcs are gradual and subtle.
Anyway, coming back from this tangent, this character arc that we've watched Sonic undergo over time is exactly what makes him the perfect person to help Belle through her current moral crisis - to assure her that it's not wrong to help someone in need, even when they're your enemy. Especially when said enemy is her sister.
And here, they finally say it out loud. Sage and Belle are sisters. Not only are they both creations of Dr. Eggman, but he sees (or has seen) both of them as his children. That both of them are born from that little shred of humanity buried way down in his heart.
And it's the consideration of this notion that leads Belle to her solution:
She and Sage are connected.
Literally.
The two of them have been exchanging data this entire time in their pursuit of Metal Sonic, and she can still access that link, allowing her to remotely track Sage to her current location.
As Sonic and Sage arrive just in the nick of time to save Sage from the Coffin Carrier, the mysterious figure sics Metal Sonic on them, only for Sonic to keep him busy as Belle releases Sage from her confines. With a little help from Motobud, Sonic gets a lucky shot off on Metal's face, disrupting the mechanism keeping him under the Coffic Carrier's control long enough for Sage and Belle to send a joint override signal, forcing Metal to reboot, and allowing him to regain control, ripping the starfish off of his face at last.
God, when the let Adam cook, he really does go hard.
With Metal back on their side - for now - Sonic and co. chase after the Coffin Carrier, who - when cornered - gives us a little look at what this coffin of theirs can do, filling the cave with a thick, shadowy fog that forms into an enormous, shapeless monster accompanied by more of the warped Sonic reflections we saw last issue - in addition to new ones reflecting Metal Sonic as well.
I really cannot overstate how perfect Adam Bryce Thomas is for this issue. These action scenes are so sick, it's crazy.
Moving to confront the mastermind directly, Sonic yanks the mask off of the Coffin Carrier, and...
We don't get to see who it is.
Sonic clearly recognizes them, but before he can relay the information to the others, the Coffin Carrier forms a giant star out of the shadows, and brings it down on top of everyone. As the darkness dissipates, the Coffin Carrier is gone, everyone is back outside, and Sonic seemingly can't recall what he was about to say, as if the information was pulled from his mind.
This... feels like a little bit of a cop-out to me. At this point, my sentiments toward this mystery villain are similar to Sonic's:
Enough smoke and mirrors. Show me who it is.
That being said, I think I have a pretty good idea of who it is, and... my feelings are a little mixed.
...
I mean...
...
It's Starline, right? Operating from the shadows, stealing and repurposing Eggman Empire technology, surrounding themselves with nice, comfy furnishings, the generally creepy vibe, and then they throw a big, shadowy star at the heroes?? Pretty sure we've got our guy.
And while this notion disappoints me a little bit - I really would have liked Starline to stay dead for a few more years before they inevitably trot him back out - I'm also somewhat intrigued, because even if it is Starline, there is definitely more going on here.
The coffin, the shadows, the weird reflections, something's definitely up, and I don't think it's just Starline. Whether he's tapping into some new, ancient power - which is a pretty common concept for Sonic storylines that I'm surprised IDW hasn't pulled yet - or if he's got some other ally working with him, there's something up for sure.
If nothing else, I remain intrigued to find out.
With nothing else to be done, Sage and Metal Sonic depart to return to base and fight another day - but not before Sage removes Eggman's trojan virus from Belle's programming.
She says this is because the program presents a security concern, but it's still a sweet gesture nonetheless - bolstered by Belle requesting that she leaves the system link between the two of them in tact so they can chat if they should ever desire to do so, thus solidifying the relationship between these two characters as sisters.
I really like this. Normally, they don't like to tie game concepts or characters to those from the comics too thoroughly, so for them to take this character from the games and firmly establish an ongoing familial bond with a character from the comics like this is really nice, and helps the comics feel a bit more like they really do take place in the same world as the games.
As the issue winds to a close, Tails and Amy arrive to help Sonic and Belle repair Belle's wrecked wagon while Sage and Metal Sonic return to base for analysis and a mission report delivered to an uncharacteristically worrywart Dr. Eggman.
And this wraps up Issue 86, and the Sage & Belle leg of the Stealing the Show arc. I really enjoyed this story - I know I threw out some complaints here and there, but the highs outweighed the lows so much that I honestly think it's been one of my favorite stories from the comic thus far.
I'm excited to see what they do with Belle and Sage going forward, and of course to see where we go with this Coffin Carrier storyline. The next chapter is due here in about a half hour, so until I get around to reviewing it:
I've spent the better part of the last few months writing and directing a short film! It was an extremely cool experience, but it did eat most of my focus for a while there. Currently, I'm not working on a ton of side projects, so let's talk about Sonic the Hedgehog comics for a minute!
Issue #85 here is the second part of the Stealing the Show arc - which I have just learned is longer than I had initially anticipated, and is not actually over yet! Fun!
Art for this one is provided by the Min Ho Kim, who remains consistently fantabulous, with colors by Valentina Pinto, who has been gradually growing into one of my favorite colorists working on the series. Paired with art from Kim or Aaron Hammerstrom, they get to show off just how well their colors suit the Sonic franchise.
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR ISSUE 85 AHEAD.
The story here opens with Sonic, Sage, and Belle continuing to explore a series of icy caves in Holoska after a narrow escape from Metal Sonic, who remains under enemy control. Sage and Belle continue to get on less-than-optimally with each other, until Motobud and Sonic stumble upon a secret headquarters dug out of the caves, presumably belonging to our mysterious coffin-toting villain.
While Sage and Belle start to catalogue the various stolen Eggman Empire supplies, Sonic investigates the different chambers of the complex, finding the place oddly cozy and well-decorated, clearly being lived in by someone. What stands out, however, are the presence of a series of computer monitors - from which we've seen the Coffin Carrier spying on the cast from time to time - and...
THE COFFIN.
As soon as he opens the thing, Sonic is assailed by a bright flash of light, after which, he finds himself in a long, dimly lit corridor. The place is covered in strange, warped terrain that almost seems to be alive, and eerie, cyan flames illuminating the space.
This is clearly meant to be the same place - or same type of place - where we saw the yellow Chaos Emerald after it was stolen at the end of the Collision Course arc. However, that room was lit by dingy, yellow lights rather than this one's light blue hue. My working theory is that this space is somehow connected to the Emeralds, or constructed using their power, and that the color of the hallway indicates which Emerald it's connected to.
One detail I haven't seen much discussion around, though, is this:
In the corner of the room, we see what looks like a strange chair, built from/covered in the same material as the rest of the room, as well as a desk made from the same stuff. As far as I can tell, this is supposed to be the security station with all of the spy monitors we saw just moments ago.
If this is true, that would mean this whole space is not just some extradimensional realm that exists fully separately from reality like the Special Zone, but would actually be a warped reflection of the real world, perhaps more akin to Cyber Space. As far as I can gather, both places were created using the Chaos Emeralds' power, so perhaps our new villain has built something like that themselves? Who knows.
As Sonic gets his bearings within this space, he notices that something is... off. His echo and reflection just aren't quite right. So he calls them out, and is subsequently met with this weird, autonomous mirror version of himself.
I have no idea what this dude's deal is, but I love him. They're clearly a recreation of Sonic - or at least presenting as one right now - but they're not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Everything about them is warped and wrong, but just right enough to be recognizable. They've got such a cool, creepy vibe that we don't get in the Sonic series super often.
Sonic tries to talk to them, get some info out of them, but every question he asks is only met with a cryptic half-answer built from the echoes of words that Sonic himself has already used.
So, of course, Sonic does the Sonic thing... and challenges it to a race.
I just really like this scene. It's got such similar pacing to the final confrontation between Sonic and Shadow before the end of the Hero and Dark stories in Sonic Adventure 2, with the characters walking alongside one another as they converse before eventually picking up to a run as the tension rises.
As for what this says about the greater storyline at play, I really can't tell - and I love that! We've got a real mystery on our hands here! Is this guy the Coffin Carrier? Are they someone working with the Coffin Carrier? Are they the manifestation of some power the Coffin Carrier is harnessing? What's the connection between them, the coffin, and the Emeralds? I don't know, but the fact that I can even think to ask these questions means that we've at least got enough information to lead us in some direction, while also not giving all the answers away. It's not all-or nothing, and I appreciate that.
Outside the creepy mirror hallway, we see Sage and Belle keep plugging away at the inventory, and we get a bit of a look at how Sage views Belle, with Belle expressing disdain for the way that the Coffin Carrier exerts his control over Metal Sonic the same way Eggman tried to control her at the beginning of the arc. Sage responds by stating that Eggman has every right to control Belle, as he created her, and she is therefore his property.
I like this scene for a couple reasons - aside from the fact that it's a really juicy bit of character drama, which I continue to love.
One thing I really dig in this panel specifically is the framing. The way the pipes hanging in shadow from the ceiling frame Sage's head during this exchange lend her a particularly villainous presence as she drops what is potentially her coldest line yet.
This also gives us a bit of insight into the very literal, binary way that Sage thinks, and into her absolutely undying loyalty to the Eggman Empire. I really appreciate the fact that, despite Sage's personal growth over time, there's basically zero chance of her betraying Eggman at any point in the future. A lot of the time, Sonic stories will introduce a new character as an antagonist of sorts, only to have them undergo some kind of transformative character arc that ends with them as either a full-blown friend or a rival who begrudgingly helps out every so often.
Sage, however, was introduced as an antagonist, underwent a very personal series of tribulations that changed her outlook on her place in the world, and still walked away as an antagonist. Sure, she'll fight alongside the heroes when the fate of Eggman and his Empire are in the balance, but after all is said and done, that is where her allegiances continue to lie. It's a neat little bit of complexity I always enjoy from the Sonic series.
Before the two Eggman daughters can unpack all the baggage of this interaction, though, they are assailed by the starfish-clad Metal Sonic. As they hunker down and hide, it starts to set in for Sage just how much real danger she's in, which leads to a really human moment for her.
She keeps trying to come up with solutions, only to repeatedly run into reasons they won't work, and she kind of spirals for a bit in a way that... I recognize. When overwhelmed, I often find myself in this same loop, trying to rapidly find ways out of the situation, only to run into one barrier after another, becoming more frantic with each failed attempt - I get this. I dunno, I would not say Sage is the Sonic character with whom I best identify, but I can't say I've ever related to an experience I've seen a character have in this series quite as well as I do with this one.
And it's Belle, the character with whom Sage's relationship is most complicated, who manages to help her find a way through this conundrum. She narrows the problem down to something solvable, something to focus on, and it turns out to be the perfect answer - again, something I can identify with.
We're shown that Belle grabbed a handful of mechanical components while fleeing from Metal Sonic in the hopes of quickly throwing together some type of weapon to defend themselves. Sage is able to quickly work out how to put something together and directs Belle through the process. This is the point where these two characters start to understand each other, and it's really nice! After all the hissing and clawing at one another, to see Belle and Sage find the similarities to cut through their differences is a move that I didn't necessarily expect this story to make, but I really admire all the same.
The weapon, of course, only gets one shot off before it falls apart, but it does manage to blow a hole in the wall, releasing Sonic from his weird mirror prison. While this is a nice climax to the action of this issue, I do wish it was paced a little better. The last little bit of this weapon's construction happen with Metal Sonic - who is notedly very fast - actively approaching. It almost feels like the peak of the buildup happens with Metal just, like, standing overhead? I don't know how else they could have handled it, but it was a bit awkward for me.
Just as Sonic begins to recover, so too does Metal, who takes advantage of the heroes' unsteadiness and snatches up Sage before taking off with her in tow - indicating that the Coffin Carrier clearly has some form of intention for her - with Sonic and Belle chasing behind in pursuit, closing out Issue 85.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this issue. I love Min Ho Kim's art, I think it pairs nicely with Valentina Pinto's colors, there was a nice progression to the character drama, a cool new look at the villainous forces at play, and some decent action!
While the Stealing the Show arc is ongoing, the end of this Bell & Sage leg of it has already happened in Issue 86, so I do know where this all goes at the time of this writing, but I'll say at this point that we still do not have all the answers, so I'm excited to see what we learn when Issue 87 drops at midnight.
I will try to get the review for 86 done by then, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Having fewer projects to work on does not mean having no projects to work on, after all.
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given the current climate this pride especially i feel i must mention that i love my trans friends, i stand with trans people in the fight against transphobic legislation and those who would enforce it, and this blog is not a good place for you to be if you do not vibe with that
No offense, but the group with some of the most unexamined internalized privilege are right-handed people.
A right-handed co-worker told me once that I put the papers in the plastic sleeve upside-down. I joked that from my perspective, she's the one putting them upside-down and she just didn't get it and started arguing with me.
I had to physically demonstrate to her that the papers are right-side up when you hold the sleeve so that the opening is on the left.
All the desks are my university are right handed. You know, the kind where you flip up the top to get seated and flip it back down to write? All right handed. There's no place to rest my arm. By the time class is over, I have a line on my arm from where the edge presses in. It's just uncomfortable. (Not to mention that those desks are hell for anyone who is not super super skinny and athletic. There's no space for bigger people.)
We have the same thing at the local movie theater which means that I'm constantly elbowing my girlfriend's drink trying to eat popcorn. It's less of an issue at a movie theater, though.
ever tried to use a computer mouse with your left hand? your pointer finger naturally rests on right click so you gotta move it to press left click. very inconvenient. (I just recently thought to change my mouse settings to switch left and right click but I haven't tried it yet) and that's not even mentioning those specialized computer mice that are designed to fit your hand shape more, those are so inconvenient for left handed people.
also, left handed people have actually been openly discriminated against up until pretty recently. my grandmother got her left handedness "corrected" at school and she's not the only one from her generation who have. I've heard of tactics from slapping them with a ruler to tying their left hand to the back of the chair.
isn't this kinda crazy how this discrimination existed and still exists independently in so many places in the world and against such a simple and unimportant human trait as a dominant hand?? it's not a different look, it's not a differebt gender, it's not a different lifestyle or culture, a different belief, or a different way of acting, it's literally just which hand you use for tasks.
I'm honestly just used to using my middle finger to click things and my pointer finger to right click. My fiance gives me shit for putting my mouse on the left, but it feels weird to have it on the right side.
I do reset videogame configurations to replace WASD with the arrow keys and put all the most used keys on the right side of the keyboard.
damn. i'm left handed but i just managed to learn to use the mouse and keyboard how a right handed person would
a lot of other things bother me tho. my wallet for one. i keep opening it upsate down and things fall from it. scissors - i have to use left handed scissors otherwise i simply cant cut shit. i'm sure there's more things these are just two that came to mind
one thing tho, i did use to find it convinient to he a legt handed perosn who uses the computer mouse with the right hand because it meant i could write something down in paper while using the mouse
I'm ambidextrous (except for english writing because i never trained my brain to format the letters directionally like that) and am constantly having to pick things up twice because if i grab them with my left they just function worse. Obviously this is not a real problem (except when my nerve damage is flared up because occasionally i gotta function as a one handed leftie lol) but its just like... you would not believe how common this is for things you wouldnt even think about.
eventually i just started sewing myself backpacks and stuff because a few hours on a MYOG forum was a much more efficient way of ending up with the zips going the "correct" direction (for me, that's so the pull ends up at the top of anything i wear crossbody or pulls from the right to the left of a big compartment)
Lemme tell ya about writing things on a chalkboard and/or whiteboard. I've started learning to write my letters in reverse order so I'm not constantly erasing what I'm writing as I'm writing it.
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A deep dive into the story of one of the most controversial IDW Sonic characters, and how algorithmic social media and fandom expectations m
Here it is! My deep dive into the story of Lanolin the Sheep, one of the most controversial IDW Sonic characters, and how algorithmic social media and fandom expectations made her so controversial in the first place. Yes, this is it, at long last: my big thesis on why the Sonic fandom on Twitter is like that, and my concern that it's starting to bleed into the comics.
Ive received the go-ahead to post this here, so...
Here's TEARS FOR TINKER, a Sonic the Hedgehog fan story I wrote as part of the IDW Sonic Fan Annual Project's Year 3 release! (I'll have to do a second post to fit all 14 pages.)
Story by Me
Pencils by mellodillo
Pencils and Inks by @bubblybumblebee
Inks by @anoucky
Letters by josue2132xd
You can check out all of the Fan Annual Year 3 stories here: https://tapas.io/episode/3721252
I'm about a week late with this one, but tbh, I'd expect to be a bit late with reviews for the foreseeable future. I have my fingers in a lot of pies right now.
Issue 84 here marks the first appearance of Sage in the comics, and our hard confirmation that IDW has overtaken Sonic Frontiers in the series' chronology!
Since its release, we've gotten word from Evan Stanley that Frontiers specifically takes place between Issues 67 and 68, and I personally think that's a pretty good place for it. It tells us for sure that the white Chaos Emerald Rouge had wasn't necessarily stolen by the enigmatic coffin carrier, but instead went missing as a result of Frontiers' events, only to be picked up by the coffin carrier some time after the fact. Presumably, whether the purple Emerald ended up with Rouge or Tails at the end of the Winter Jam special, it also left their possession when Frontiers went down - only to end up in Sequin City where the coffin carrier grabbed it while Sonic and co. were throwing down with Eggman.
Kicking off a new arc titled Stealing the Show, the story for this issue was penned by both Evan Stanley and Ian Flynn, with art by Mauro Fonseca - who seems to have provided both pencils and inks this time - and colors by Iasmin Omar Ata.
I've gone back and forth on Fonseca's art a few times. They portray the characters in a really expressive way that I enjoy quite a lot, but oftentimes, there's something just a little... off about their lines. I think that comes down, in part, though, to inks. It's almost as if IDW has never managed to pair Fonseca with an inker who has a good handle on their art, and it makes the result seem sloppier than it actually is. Here, though, with Fonseca doing their own inks, the result is much cleaner. There are still a few panels that I'd call far from perfect, but by and large, everything is much more cohesive, allowing the Adventure Era-esque quality of their art to shine through.
The setup for the issue has Belle the Tinkerer traveling the world after the events of Issue 76, helping folks out by fixing whatever broken trinkets they bring her way.
It's nice to see Belle so confident here, like she's finally grown out of the shell of self-doubt that plagued her throughout a lot of her earlier appearances, and rather than continuing to dwell on the loss of Mr. Tinker, carrying on his legacy by helping out wherever she can. It's a very sweet reminder of the bond she had with him.
Her peaceful life isn't to last, though, as Dr. Eggman attempts to strong-arm her into a mission using a virus uploaded into her system when she connected with Metal Sonic way back in Issue 50.
Back then, we saw Eggman's interest piqued by Belle's ability to directly interface with Metal's software, but by this point, Battle for the Empire is almost four years in the rear view, so I had long given up on the notion of that plot point ever going anywhere. Therefore, I am pleased as punch to see it coming to fruition here, even if it's resolved pretty quickly.
The mission: Use her unique connection to Metal Sonic to rescue him from an unknown entity who appears to have taken control of him.
Belle, still seeing Metal Sonic as a relative of sorts despite their opposing alignments, agrees to help Eggman on the condition that Sonic is allowed to accompany her. Eggman agrees to these terms, but decides to send an envoy of his own to assure the mission goes smoothly - somebody he knows Sonic will trust to some degree:
Sage.
I know a lot of folks were not fond of this method of reintroducing this character to the series' story, but I don't see any problem with it. Yeah, it doesn't tell us which ending of Frontiers is canon - but the Final Horizons ending was pretty clearly crafted so that the audience could choose whether they prefer it or the original ending and choose either one to consider canon. They both work, and each ending provides pretty similar circumstances from which to go forward.
Personally, I'm part of the minority that prefers the original ending, so I'm very glad not to see the version of the story I like cast aside in favor of the more popular one. Maybe one day I'll do a post about why I gravitate toward the original ending over Final Horizons, but that's for another day.
This also does not tell us what she's been doing since Frontiers or where she was during Extreme Competition and Collision Course, but that's fine, too! Eggman's operations are pretty widespread and varied, so it's not hard to imagine she he had her working on other things! Just the way that Metal Sonic isn't always in every story - even the one's that focus on Eggman as an antagonist - Sage doesn't need to be either!
I really have no problems with the way they incorporate her here.
I especially like that the first comic story they decide to introduce her in is also one that hinges so heavily on Belle.
Ever since Sage was first introduced in Frontiers, my mind has been buzzing, wondering what would happen when this character dynamic was finally explored. What happens when the daughter Eggman rejected and abandoned meets the daughter Eggman loves and cherishes - the daughter he actually wants?
Needless to say, this issue did not leave me disappointed. Immediately, the tension between these two is evident, with Belle's insecurities over her abandonment being instantly dug up and brought straight to the surface, because now she has to deal not only with the fact that she wasn't wanted - but with the fact that she was replaced.
I love this so much, yall.
If you've been reading along with me, you probably know by now just how much I adore some good character drama in this series, so this is like a Vegas Buffet for me.
I feel for the poor puppet robot!
When they finally do manage to track Metal Sonic down, he's got this weird mechanical starfish thing attached to his face that keeps them from quickly being able to connect to him and free him from its control.
I like how creepy this thing looks, it gives me some real Starro vibes - which I assume they were going for.
Needing some distance to regroup and form a plan of attack, Sonic, Sage, and Belle ultimately retreat to an underground cave system with no escape route, no resources, and no backup. All the while, they - among others - are being watched by our nameless coffin carrier.
Ultimately, I liked this issue a lot! It was a really great way to set up a new arc, reintroduce a recent character addition from the games, and explore the existing characters' dynamic in a really interesting way!
I really have very little idea what to expect going forward besides what I've seen in Issue 85 and the art from some upcoming covers, but - mild spoiler - those really haven't provided me with much more information.
I'm still not sure of the identity of our new villain - I've considered that it might be Starline but... I don't know, something about it doesn't quite feel like him to me. But then, who could it be? This doesn't really fit any other villains' M.O., and if it was an entirely new character, why has the comic gone to so many lengths to obscure their identity from us up till now?
It'll be a while before we get any answers, I'm afraid, as - again, mild spoiler - Issue 85 will not be giving us a reveal, and Issue 86 is not due to release until the later part of next month.
Who knows, maybe that'll give me ample time to get the next review done sooner rather than later. I wouldn't count on it to much, though - I truly am working on a lot of projects right now.
Till then, though, wish me luck - and thanks for reading!
Headcanon: Before the Echidna Tribe Massacre, the Chaos Emeralds were simply known as "The Seven Emeralds." It was only after legends began to spread about the God of Destruction and the Emeralds whose power he used to nearly wipe out the Echidnas that they began to be known by their current moniker.
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Issue 84 drops at midnight tonight, so now's the time to sit down and look back at Issue 83 - and back upon the Reprise arc as a whole.
With Evan Stanley continuing to write, this time we're getting art by Thomas Rothlisberger and colors by Leonardo Ito. I'm kind of surprised to see Rothlisberger's very cartoon-y art style being applied here, since this is a very action-heavy issue - the kind where I would normally expect Stanley herself or Adam Bryce Thomas on pencils. Rothlisberger's art is, in my opinion, really well-suited for light-hearted comedy stories. They've worked on some bigger action stories in the past - I remember seeing a lot of their work in the Urban Warfare arc - but I'd really love to see what they do with a cozier, lower-stakes story.
Ito's colors continue to lend to the dreamy, fantasy-esque tone that this story's setting established, putting a nice period onto the work started by the last two issues.
Issue 82 ended with the arrival of Dr. Eggman and his forces in Sequin City amongst Sonic and Shadow's scuffling over the purple Chaos Emerald. As Issue 83 begins, everyone leaps into action to fight back against him, and from there, the issue is basically one long fight scene.
The fight doesn't begin with anything too spectacular, though I do like that Sonic and Tails are just kind of dragging Soleil around as it starts.
As the fight continues, Soleil - with Soleil's newfound confidence - begins to take a more active role, finding themselves surprisingly coordinated with Sonic and Tails' very frenetic combat style.
The real fun of this issue starts for me when Shadow gets involved - which I promise is not just because I'm a filthy little Shadow simp, but because the second he goes to to anything...
... he gets the Chaos Emerald stolen, allowing Eggman to upgrade his Egg Juggler.
I think the panel of the Egg Juggler just yoinking the Emerald away with its great, big hand is so funny. Maybe Rothlisberger secretly was the perfect choice for this issue, because I don't know if another artist could have sold how amusing this moment is.
I also really appreciate just how much this event turns the tide of the fight. With the Emerald's power at its disposal, this thing manages to keep Sonic and Shadow on their toes, even once they start working together.
I also need to take a moment to admire the Egg Juggler's design.
Not just from a visual standpoint, but in how it operates. It starts off swinging these big, electrified batons around, then as the fight progresses, it produces rad energy chainsaws, and as it continues to accrue even more damage, the ball it balances on sprouts rocket thrusters - which, I might add, are visually modeled after the Barrel of Doom from Sonic 3 & Knuckles' Carnival Night Zone - and starts flying. I love the way it seems to switch phases over the course of the battle, just like an actual video game boss fight.
Even despite the Egg Juggler's big power boost, however, some quick tech manipulation from Tails and a coordinated attack by the Celestial Troupe led by Soleil - thus putting a distinct climax on Soleil's chatacter arc - ultimately manage to bring the mech down.
With that, the day is saved and everyone begins to go their separate ways, but one question still lingers:
What became of the Chaos Emerald?
As Tails scans for its energy signature, it appears that the Emerald has simply disappeared at some point during the fight - and so the heroes are left with an unsatisfying answer to cap off this little adventure.
We, on the other hand, don't have to wait nearly as long for an explanation. As relative peace begins to settle over Sequin City, we see...
The Emerald has fallen into the hands of our mysterious, coffin-carrying antagonist, who now has all seven Chaos Emeralds.
Thus ends the Reprise arc. Overall, I liked this arc quite a bit. There was a good bit of character drama here, though I do think its final act could have been paced a bit better. It really feels like Soleil finding confidence and coming to terms with Soleil's family does not take all that long, and I feel like some other parts of this arc maybe didn't need quite as much time as they got. Still, this was a nice little story that managed to introduce a new player in this world and advance the main plot while still remaining somewhat self-contained.
I'm looking forward to seeing who this Coffin Carrier is and what their plans for the Emerald are. It is getting harder to ignore one possibility, though:
This... might be Dr. Starline.
The presence of the coffin could be foreshadowing his seeming return from the dead, and that last panel of him holding the Emerald with his entirely bandaged left hand reminded me of the fact that Starline's glove was also situated on his left hand, and that beneath the glove, we could see that his hand was rough and charred. The purpose of those bandages could be to keep us from seeing that hand, though the fingers do appear to be missing the webbing from Dr. Starline's hands, so who knows?
I doubt we're going to find out right away, but we may get some insight next issue, along with the first comic appearance of Sage! I'm very excited for this one, as finally moving past Sonic Frontiers definitively will come with some form of status quo shift, something I've been hungry for since the comic started.
I've still got about 8 hours before Issue 84 drops for me, though, so until then - thanks for reading!
