Comic Book Review – Sonic Universe #59

Brand New Story Arc! Jump aboard the action as we begin the ‘Shadow Fall’ saga! Team Dark is sent into the deep, dark depths of space to stop the approach of the Black Comet! It hasn’t even been fifty years! The Black Comet is home to an evil, violent race of aliens known as The Black Arms, but the Black Arms were defeated months ago – so who are these new alien invaders inhabiting the comet sent to consume the earth? And what sinister new villain awaits Shadow in its depths?

For some reason, Shadow the Hedgehog has always been seen as the redheaded step-child of the Sonic Universe. Not hated for being cutesy like Amy Rose or stupid like Big the Cat, instead Shadow has been shunned by Sonic fans for being “too grown up”. Which is odd as he’s a character with a very rich and interesting sci-fi backstory and he exudes the kind of cool that is missing from the world of everyone’s favourite blue hedgehog. If anything, he should be loved (or at the very least, liked). Perhaps it’s just the Sonic fanbase rejecting anything that isn’t the core characters from his humble Mega Drive beginnings?

Regardless of fan’s feelings towards Shadow, Sega have never given up on their ‘adult’ character – and neither have Archie Comics. And while Sonic is off saving the world again in his solo comic, Shadow has been given some limelight in the first part of four called Shadow Fall in the latest issue of the usually impressive (but not as of late) Sonic Universe.

Throwing us right into the action, Shadow along with Rogue, Omega and the Spider Troupe head to an alien asteroid/ship which they fear is the return of Black Arms. Although the treat of alien attackers doesn’t seem to dangerous to begin with, things start to go wrong for our heroes leading to a tension-driven cliff-hanger.

In terms of being a first part of a story, Sonic Universe #59 does a fantastic job of not only setting up its story, but also cluing in readers to the characters and their histories. When the comic isn’t balls-to-the-wall action, it’s explaining the plot through very well-written exposition which allows the reader to settle themselves into the world without feeling lost. Sonic loyalists will know the Black Arms as the main bad guys in Shadow’s first (and only) solo video game outing, but thankfully Archie’s Sonic comic book hero Ian Flynn is aware that not many gamers played/liked the game so he gives a brief history to set them up as the comics antagonists.

As with every Sonic comic book put out by Archie, the artwork is gorgeous and colourful but it keeps a nice dark and gloomy edge to reflect the character. Jamal Peppers has a real knack for capturing these characters and his work bounces off well off Flynn’s script. The comic is quite action heavy and peppers only loses the thread a couple of times, but when he nails it he gets it spot on.

After Worlds Collide, Sonic Universe hasn’t been putting out the best material but Sonic Universe #59 is a good sign of things to come. It’s well-written, it looks good and the story has a good level of intrigue. If you perhaps gave up on the comic during the Amy Rose centred pirate debacle, then it might be time to pick it up again.

Luke Owen is one of Flickering Myth’s co-editors and the host of the Flickering Myth Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @LukeWritesStuff.