Sonic the Hedgehog: Free Comic Book Day Edition 2007

From the Random Stack of Unread Comics by way of Free Comic Book Day 2007.

Title: Sonic the Hedgehog: Free Comic Book Day Edition
Date: 2007
Publisher: Archie Comics / Sega
Writer: Ian Flynn
Penciler: Tracey Yardley
Inker: Jim Amash
Letterer: John Workman
Colorist: Jacob Jensen
Editor: Mike Pellerito
Cover: Pat "Spaz" Spaziante

Eggman captures Sonic and uses a device to take control of him and turn him against his friends. Knuckles realizes that it's going to take a big punch to the head to get Sonic back in control of himself, and the fight is on.

This was fairly simple in terms of plot, and it could have worked just as well with fewer of the supporting cast, who didn't do much besides try to get in Sonic's way and get knocked down.

I did like the tease of a bit of intrigue between Eggman and Snively.

All in all, this was a decent look at what the series has to offer, and  should work well for a younger audience who knows the video games, but may not have read any of the comics.

Rating: 6/10

Sonic the Hedgehog: Free Comic Book Day 2008

Another of the stack of random unread comics proves to be a 2008 FCBD book

Title: Sonic the Hedgehog: Free Comic Book Day Edition
Date: 2008
Publisher: Archie Comics / Sega
Writer: Ian Flynn, Michael Gallagher
Penciler: Dave Manak
Inker: Bill White
Letterer: Bill Yoshida
Colorist: Lyrad Namlede
Editor: Daryl Edelman, Richard Goldwater

This Free Comic Book Day offering from 2008 reprints the complete first issue of Sonic the Hedgehog from 1993.

There are two main stories here. First up, Dr. Robotnik has a horde of robotic Aubrey-II-resembling plants all set to take over the forest above Knothole. But much like the invading aliens in the film, Signs, Dr. Robotnik fails to take one question into consideration: What if it rains?

Next, Sonic attends a casino sales pitch by Dr. Robotnik only to be captured and trapped inside the ball of a giant pinbasll machine.

The book finishes with a trio of joke strips (not all that funny, but kids might enjoy the slapstick moments). There is also a recipe for chilli. No, really! Actually it's technically  a recipe for chilli DOGS, but it still looks quite tasty.

The jokes were hit-and-miss throughout this book. The action had its moments, but overall this early issue seemed to still be finding its footing.

Rating: 5/10

Sonic The Hedgehog #253

The last in my short series of kids' comics, representing most of the comics in my five-year-old son's small collection. To cap off this week, I bought two comics for the Kiddo yesterday, this one and the first issue of Avengers Assemble (which I reviewed yesterday). I read both to my son tonight and he enjoyed both of them. He seemed to particularly like the bits where Sonic was spinning around and bouncing off of objects. These scenes elicited a chorus of "Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!", so I know he was having fun.

While I was at Newbury Comics yesterday, I also picked up a couple of new comics for me. Those will be up for review next.

Title: Sonic the Hedgehog
Issue: 253
Date: November, 2013
Publisher: Archie Comics / Sega
Writer: Ian Flynn
Penciler: Tracy Yardley, Lamar Wells
Inker: Terry Austin
Letterer: John Workman
Colorist: Matt Herms
Editor: Vincent Lovallo, Paul Kaminski
Cover: T. Rex

This is the variant cover by T. Rex.

Unlike the other kids' comics I've reviewed this week, Sonic is a single chapter of a long-running ongoing story with no backup stories. And it's a pretty complex ongoing story.

Seriously. We're talking alternate realities and parallel universes. This is apparently part 1 of something called "Countdown to Chaos" but it didn't feel like the first part of anything. It did, however, feel plenty chaotic.

Sonic and Tails are trying to hit the quantum equivalent of a reset button to get their reality back to normal. They are getting somewhat inconsistent help from Nicole, an A.I. who may hold the key to reassembling reality, but who has been rather frazzled by the recent reality-alteration, and so is of less help than she might otherwise be.

Nicole has determined that Sonic needs to make contact with the freedom fighters who are opposing the dictatorial Dr. Eggman, who is also dimensionally displaced, but he is adapting quickly to his new situation in which he commands powerful armies and rules most of the world.

In spite of the need for a scorecard for all of this, the character interactions are pretty good, and Eggman's antics provide some nice comic relief.

This was entertaining in spite of me having not much idea what was going on.

Rating: 6/10