Luke Owen looks at Sonic The Hedgehog #253 from Archie Comics…
The biggest, most shocking event in Sonic comic history is underway, and YOU can grab a front-row seat in Countdown to Chaos Part One! Sonic and Tails are on a journey to the Mystic Ruins jungle in search of their missing pals. What they encounter is sure to surprise you! Meanwhile, Dr. Eggman begins the long trek back to his deadly Death Egg II battle fortress. Will our heroes find him and stop him before he launches again? And just who, or what, is the “Sky Patrol” and what does it have to do with the missing Freedom Fighters?
Last issue of Sonic The Hedgehog was easily the best of the three main video-game based comics in Archie’s line-up to come out of the epic World’s Collide cross over. It was a smart, slick and well-written comic with some interesting ideas and a great sense of “what’s going to happen next”. And while the follow-up, Sonic The Hedgehog #253, is okay, it’s not as good as its predecessor in inspiring its reader.
There is some action for Sonic and Tails in this issue as the battle a load of Badniks and Metal Silver with the help of Rotor and Big the Cat – but it’s sadly lacking in any real drama. Ian Flynn has always been praised as a writer for his great script-work when it comes to comic book action, however this multi-man melee just feels very flat and lazy. Even the build-up of Metal Silver attacking them is given an extremely weak payoff and the whole scene just felt like filler as opposed to heart-pumping action. Having said that, you have to give the team credit for making Rotor something more than the bumbling idiot he usually is.
But, this is really Eggman’s issue. We had all the exposition dialogue last issue setting up Sonic’s views on this alternate universe and this time it’s the turn of his arch nemesis. Crash landed with no hope of survival, Eggman is pleasantly surprised to discover that in this reality, he has Egg Armies with an array of Egg Bosses – something he is quite eager to take advantage of. This element of the comic is very good and it’s always fun to see the overt-campy side of the former Dr. Robotnik. It may not be as good as his bromance with Dr. Wily, but he’s doing pretty good on his own.
As mentioned in the review of Sonic The Hedgehog #252, the new artwork team of Tracey Yardley, Lamar Wells and Terry Austin has been a much needed improvement over the work of Ben Bates – whose work was exemplary. They capture the essence of the Sonic universe, but never take it down the comedic and “childish” route that previous Sonic artists have fallen for. Grown men and women like this comic too y’know.
With the tease of “the most shocking event in Sonic history” on the horizon, one has to wonder what Flynn and his team have up their sleeves. Can they pull something out of the bag that beats World’s Collide? Some of the writing has almost hinted at a role reversal for Sonic and Eggman which would be a fantastic angle to take the series, but there is also the chance that Flynn takes the easy route with a simple “Eggman attempts to destroy the world” storyline.
It all remains to be seen and it’s quite exciting, but Sonic The Hedgehog #253 is not the most thrilling or interesting comic you’ll read this month. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s not exactly right either. It’s just your typical filler comic with a rather lame action scene.
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.
Originally published October 3, 2013. Updated November 7, 2019.
