Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW Publishing)

Sonic the Hedgehog is an ongoing American comic book series based on the Sega video game franchise, published by IDW Publishing. It is the third licensed comic book iteration based on Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog intellectual property, after Fleetway Publications' Sonic the Comic and Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog series.

This article is about the IDW comic series. For the Archie comic series, see Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comics). For other uses, see Sonic the Hedgehog (disambiguation).
Sonic the Hedgehog
Promotional artwork from New York Comic-Con by Tyson Hesse (2017)
Publication information
PublisherIDW Publishing (licensed by Sega of America)
ScheduleMonthly
Genre
Publication dateApril 4, 2018 (2018-04-04)–present
No. of issues
  • 60 (Main issues, including Annuals)
  • 16 (Tangle & Whisper, Bad Guys, Imposter Syndrome, Scrapnik Island)
Creative team
Written by
Artist(s)
Penciller(s)
  • Tracy Yardley
  • Tyson Hesse
  • Nathalie Fourdraine
  • Evan Stanley
  • Adam Bryce Thomas
  • Jamal Peppers
  • Jennifer Hernandez
  • Johnathan Gray
  • Kieran Gates
  • Devin Kraft
  • Edwin Huang
  • Lamar Wells
  • Jack Lawrence
  • Diana Skelly
  • Gigi Dutreix
Inker(s)
  • Bob Smith
  • Jim Amash
  • Adam Bryce Thomas
  • Jennifer Hernandez
  • Evan Stanley
  • Tracy Yardley
Letterer(s)
  • Corey Breen
Colorist(s)
  • Matt Herms
  • Adam Bryce Thomas
  • Heather Breckel
  • Reggie Graham
  • Leonardo Ito
  • Elaina Unger
Editor(s)
  • Joe Hughes
  • David Mariotte
  • Megan Brown
  • John Barber

Publication history

On July 21, 2017, IDW Publishing announced a deal with Sega to produce a new series of Sonic comics following the cancellation of the previous Sonic the Hedgehog series by Archie Comics after a 24-year run.[1] The new series began with a four-week long event where the first four issues were released each week in April 2018, followed by a monthly release of subsequent issues starting in May 2018. Archie Sonic writer Ian Flynn was later confirmed to return as the series' lead writer, alongside artist Tyson Hesse.[2]

During New York Comic Con 2017, Ian Flynn confirmed that characters old and new would be featured in the series, hinting that characters from the games and the original comics might possibly return.[3][4][5][6] In January 2018, IDW revealed that Tracy Yardley, who originally worked on Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog comics, would be one of the pencillers for the IDW series.

On April 14, 2020, it was announced that Evan Stanley, one of the series' artists, would be writing for the series.[7]

On June 28, 2020, two original characters from the series, Tangle the Lemur and Whisper the Wolf, were announced to appear in the Sonic mobile game Sonic Forces: Speed Battle as part of its events,[8][9] with them doing so next month.[10] Merchandise, including a plush toy, of the two have been released also.[11][12] Tangle was also briefly mentioned in the 2022 Sonic game Sonic Frontiers.[13]

Synopsis

Setting and characters
Main article: List of Sonic the Hedgehog characters

The comic is set in a similar universe as the video games' after the events of Sonic Forces and follows the adventures of Sonic and his friends as they defeat Dr. Eggman and other enemies. New characters to the series include Tangle, an energetic ring-tailed lemur; Whisper, a reserved wolf who uses a Wisp-powered rifle; Jewel, a beetle museum curator and Tangle's childhood friend; Belle, a clumsy but kindhearted marionette-like robot; Lanolin, a nervous sheep and Restoration member; Dr. Starline, a platypus scientist who admires Eggman; Rough & Tumble, a pair of troublemaking skunks; Mimic, a shapeshifting octopus and former comrade of Whisper who betrayed his team to Eggman; Surge, a punkish, hotheaded cyborg tenrec; Kitsunami (or "Kit" for short), a somber cyborg fennec fox; and Clutch, an opossum crime boss.

Plot

After the end of the war, Eggman has mysteriously gone missing, and the remains of his Badnik army roam around and attack people. When the Badniks become more organized and powerful, Sonic decides to investigate. And with the help of the Chaotix, he discovers that Eggman has lost his memory and taken on the more friendly moniker of Mr. Tinker. After making sure it is genuine, Sonic decides to let him go, and discovers that Neo Metal Sonic is behind the attacks, plotting to take over the world in Eggman's stead. While Sonic and his friends fight Neo Metal Sonic and his army on Angel Island, Dr. Starline kidnaps Mr. Tinker and tries to revert him back to Eggman, which ultimately happens when a defeated Metal Sonic returns after being repaired by Tails. Eggman makes Starline his assistant as he goes to work on a new plan.

In the Tangle & Whisper miniseries, Tangle helps Whisper hunt down Mimic, who betrayed Whisper's old team, the Diamond Cutters. The two manage to capture him, and he is jailed.

Eggman's next scheme involves the Metal Virus, which turns organic material into mindless robots dubbed "Zombots". The Metal Virus quickly mutates beyond his control, infecting Sonic and most of his friends. Starline, disillusioned due to Eggman showing no interest in regaining the virus' control, brings in the Zeti known as the Deadly Six in hopes that they can control the Zombots, but they betray him, wanting to claim the world for themselves. After banishing Starline, Eggman and Metal Sonic take refuge with Sonic and company on Angel Island, helping them defeat the Zeti and collect the Chaos Emeralds. The Zeti's leader, Zavok, invades Angel Island, but Sonic and Silver assume their Super forms, defeat him, and destroy the Metal Virus, curing the world. But in the process, Sonic suffers amnesia and ends up on Blaze's world, who restores his memory and helps him return home.

In the Bad Guys miniseries, Starline, hoping to conquer the world and regain Eggman's respect, breaks Rough, Tumble, Mimic, and Zavok out of prison and recruits their help in raiding Eggman's Power Core factory and Eggnet Hub. Mimic and Zavok learn that Starline plans to dispose of them afterwards, exposing his deceit to Rough and Tumble. Starline escapes using his new Tricore, which can amplify multiple abilities, and the villains part ways as Eggman attacks. In the aftermath, Starline, while still respecting Eggman, resolves to prove his own superiority.

While investigating an Eggman base, Sonic and Tails discover Belle, a wooden robot. Meanwhile, Amy, Rouge, and Cream try to win parts to rebuild E-123 Omega by having Cheese compete in Chao races. The group learn from Shadow that the champion, Clutch, has a surplus of Badnik parts and is abusive to his losing Chao. Starline kidnaps Tails and Rouge for research but they manage to escape. With Belle's help, Sonic's friends free the Chao and defeat Starline as an avalanche buries him. Over the following weeks, Belle discovers that she is a Badnik built by Eggman when he was Mr. Tinker and is kidnapped by Starline when the now-reunited Deadly Six attack Sonic and co.'s home base. Sonic and Tails defeat the Deadly Six and deport them back to their homeworld, the Lost Hex, while the Chaotix rescue Belle.

In the Imposter Syndrome miniseries, Starline creates Surge and Kitsunami, two cyborgs emulating Sonic and Tails, with the bio-data he has collected. On his orders, they cause a forest fire that is halted by Amy, Tangle, Jewel, and Belle, then sabotage Central City's power grid. After Surge survives a fatal strike during another mission, she and Kit become suspicious of Starline's motives, which leads them to discover that he has been conditioning them and wiping their memories to create their personalities. When they are unable to find any trace of their past, they vow to destroy the heroes and villains. Meanwhile, the Chaotix investigate the incident in Central City and thwart a smuggling ring led by Clutch, who plans to restart his old criminal empire; he escapes with Rough and Tumble, now in his employ, after the Chaotix destroy his Badnik collection.

Starline, Surge, and Kit conquer Eggman's headquarters, Eggperial City, which gets the attention of Sonic, Tails, and Belle. Eggman retaliates and murders Starline while Sonic and Tails defeat Surge and Kit. With the latter's help, the heroes escape, while Surge steals Eggman's Dynamo Cage, a device which can harness power from other sources, but causes her to hallucinate Starline as a side effect. To further empower herself, Surge attacks Central City and steals Whisper's Wisps. Kit soon rejoins Surge and takes her back to Starline's base, where they lure Sonic, Tails, Eggman and Metal Sonic into a trap. Surge gains the upper-hand in the ensuing battle, but eventually overloads and breaks the Dynamo Cage, releasing the captive Wisps and incapacitating herself. Eggman attempts to capture Surge, but Kit rescues her and destroys the base as they escape; surviving, Sonic's and Eggman's groups bitterly part ways.

In the Scrapnik Island miniseries, on their way back from battling Surge, Sonic and Tails are caught in a storm onboard the Tornado and crash-land on an island composed of Eggman's old Death Egg, which is inhabited by his reformed Badniks, who call themselves Scrapniks, led by E-117 Sigma. Among them are Mecha Sonic and Mecha Knuckles, whose programmings were too complicated for Sigma to fully reverse. A fight with Mecha Knuckles and Sonic's stay restores Mecha Sonic's original protocol and he attempts to swap bodies with Sonic, but the other Scrapniks save the latter. Although handicapped by a sprained ankle, Sonic defeats Mecha Sonic and restores his peaceful personality. With Mecha Sonic's and Mecha Knuckles's new protocols now permanent and the Tornado repaired, Sonic and Tails leave Scrapnik Island.

Afterwards, the Restoration turns their attention to the Eggperial City, which is expanding itself until it covers the entire planet, Jewel dispatches Sonic along with Tangle, Whisper and lanolin to investigate, but Sonic is separated from them and is forced to call for backup.

Publications

Main
Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note
Sonic the Hedgehog 1– April 4, 2018 — Began weekly publications in April 2018 and then it became monthly in May 2018. Features Sonic, Tails and friends battling the forces of Doctor Eggman and other foes. The series is set after the events of Sonic Forces.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper 0–4 April 24, 2019 December 11, 2019 Miniseries and spin-off of the main series featuring the adventures of two original fan favorite characters from the main series, Tangle the Lemur and Whisper the Wolf.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Bad Guys 1–4 October 7, 2020 December 16, 2020 Miniseries and spin-off of the main series centered on Dr. Starline and his villainous crew consisting of Zavok, Mimic and Rough & Tumble.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome 1–4 November 17, 2021 May 11, 2022 Miniseries and spin-off of the main series focusing on Dr. Eggman and Dr. Starline along with new antagonistic characters Surge the Tenrec and Kitsunami "Kit" the Fennec.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island 1–4 October 19, 2022 January 18, 2023 Horror-themed miniseries and spin-off of the main series focusing on Sonic and Tails trapped on an island full of disused Badniks who call themselves "Scrapniks".

One-shots
Title Publication date Note
Team Sonic Racing December 5, 2018 A prequel to the 2019 Sonic game Team Sonic Racing.
Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2019 May 1, 2019 An annual edition comic which contains 5 new stories.
Sonic the Hedgehog Halloween ComicFest 2019 October 26, 2019 A Halloween ComicFest special edition comic which contains a reprint of Fallout Part 1.
Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2020 July 8, 2020 An annual edition comic which contains 6 new stories set during the events of the Metal Virus Saga.
Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Special June 23, 2021 A one-shot comic book special in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2021 August 14, 2021 A Free Comic Book Day special edition comic.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-quill April 5, 2022 A prequel to the 2022 film.
Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2022 May 7, 2022 A Free Comic Book Day special edition comic.
Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2022 August 17, 2022 An annual edition comic which contains 6 new stories about odd pair ups.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Tails 30th Anniversary Special November 16, 2022 A one-shot comic book special celebrating the 30th anniversary of Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Sonic the Hedgehog: 5th Anniversary Edition April 2023

Graphic novel
Title Publication date Note
Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Celebration: Deluxe Edition October 6, 2021 A graphic novel starring Classic Sonic as part of the franchise's 30th anniversary.

Reprints
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 1–4 Box Set (June 27, 2018) (collects issues #1–4)
    • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 1: Fallout! (September 18, 2018) (a reprint of #1–4)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 2: The Fate of Dr. Eggman (February 19, 2019) (a reprint of #5–8)
  • Team Sonic Racing Plus Deluxe Turbo Championship Edition one-shot (May 22, 2019) (a reprint of the story featured in Team Sonic Racing One-Shot, which also includes bonus features)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Bonds of Friendship (2019) (a Scholastic-exclusive collection of several reprinted issues in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 3: Battle For Angel Island (July 23, 2019) (a reprint of #9–12)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 4: Infection (September 3, 2019) (a reprint of #13–16)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper Box Set (December 4, 2019) (collects issues #1–4)
    • Sonic the Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper (April 14, 2020) (a reprint of Tangle & Whisper issues #1–4 including the 2019 Annual)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 5: Crisis City (February 11, 2020) (a reprint of #17–20)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 6: The Last Minute (June 23, 2020) (a reprint of #21–24)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 7: All or Nothing (December 8, 2020) (a reprint of #25–29)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 8: Out of the Blue (March 30, 2021) (a reprint of #30–32 including the 2020 Annual)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Bad Guys (May 11, 2021) (a reprint of Bad Guys issues #1–4)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 9: Chao Races & Badnik Bases (January 11, 2022) (a reprint of #33–36)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic & Tails: Best Buds Forever (February 23, 2022) (a reprint of stories from #1, #13, #34 and #35)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 10: Test Run! (March 22, 2022) (a reprint of #37–40)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 11: Zeti Hunt! (June 7, 2022) (a reprint of #41-44)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 12: Trial by Fire (September 13, 2022) (a reprint of #45–49)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome (October 11, 2022) (a reprint of Imposter Syndrome issues #1–4)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 13: Battle for the Empire (February 7, 2023) (a reprint of #50-51 including the 2022 Annual)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 14: Overpowered (June 20, 2023) (a reprint of #52-56)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island (August 29, 2023) (a reprint of Scrapnik Island issues #1–4)

The IDW Collection
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: The IDW Collection, Vol. 1 (June 8, 2021) (a reprint of Issues #1–12)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: The IDW Collection, Vol. 2 (March 15, 2022) (a reprint of Issues #13–20, including the 2019 Annual and the Tangle & Whisper miniseries.)
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: The IDW Collection, Vol. 3 (March 14, 2023) (a reprint of Issues #21–32, including the 2020 Annual.)

Reception

Joshua Davison on Bleeding Cool gave the first issue a score of 6.5/10, praising the art and creativity of the story but criticizing Sonic's characterization: "Sonic is an insufferable character... He's smug, annoying, and radical in that 1990's sense."[14]

Dustin Holland's review of the first issue of the Imposter Syndrome miniseries on Comic Book Resources praised the personalities of new villains Surge the Tenrec and Kit the Fennec, action-filled plot, and appropriately expressive art.[15]

References
  1. "SEGA® and IDW Publishing Dash Forward with Partnership Deal". IDW Publishing. July 21, 2017. Archived from the original on September 30, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  2. "New Sonic the Hedgehog™ Series Will Launch in April 2018 with a Four-Week Event". IDW Publishing. October 8, 2017. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  3. Johnston, Rich (October 9, 2017). "Sonic Finds A New Home In IDW At NYCC With Ian Flynn". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved June 13, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. Bonomolo, Cameron (January 22, 2018). "New 'Sonic The Hedgehog' Comics Revealed". Comicbook.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. Ching, Albert (January 23, 2018). "EXCLUSIVE: Sonic the Hedgehog Speeds Into the IDW Era with Two New Covers". Comic Book Resources. Valent Inc. Retrieved June 13, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. Marnell, Blair (January 23, 2018). "Sonic The Hedgehog Returns to Comics in 2018". Nerdist. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  7. Jennings, Collier (April 14, 2020). "Sonic the Hedgehog Gets New Writer, Miniseries". Comic Book Resources. Valent Inc. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  8. Deschamps, Marc (June 28, 2020). "Sonic Fans Are Thrilled That Two IDW Characters Are Coming to the Video Games". Comicbook.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. Lada, Jenni (June 29, 2020). "Sonic Forces Tangle and Whisper Event Announced". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  10. Musgrave, Shawn (July 13, 2020). "Best iPhone Game Updates: 'Sneaky Sasquatch', 'PUBG Mobile', 'Retro City Rampage DX', 'Homescapes', and More". TouchArcade. TouchArcade.com, LLC. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  11. Brown, Tom (May 12, 2021). "IDW's Sonic comic characters Tangle & Whisper get official merchandise". Nintendo Wire. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  12. Brown, Tom (August 31, 2021). "New Sonic franchise plush wave featuring Mephiles, Whisper, Chao, more announced". Nintendo Wire. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  13. Foster, George (11 November 2022). "Sonic Frontiers Has References To Jet, Tangle, Cream, And More Of Sonic's Friends". TheGamer. Valnet Inc. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  14. Davison, Joshua (April 5, 2018). "Sonic the Hedgehog #1 Review: Creative Action Scenes Make Up for an Annoying Lead". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  15. Holland, Dustin (23 November 2021). "IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #1 Comic Review". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
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