Sonic the Comic Issue 33


 * Editor: Richard Burton
 * Assistant Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Designer: Gary Knight
 * Managing Editor: Steve MacManus
 * Special Thanks to: Audrey Wong
 * Publisher: Chris Power

Sonic the Hedgehog - "Enter Knuckles, Part 1"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching
 * Art: Richard Elson
 * Lettering: Ellie de'Ville

Synopsis
Doctor Robotnik has gone missing! His space station, the Death Egg II, has crashed but authorities are unable to find the crash site. Kintobor Computer has calculated that the Death Egg crashed before it got back to ground level. Johnny Lightfoot thinks it may have hit the Floating Island, but Amy thinks this is ridiculous, since the Floating Island in the sky is just a legend! Nevertheless Sonic and Tails fly off in the Tornado to investigate. And, incredibly, the find the Floating Island!

Sonic and Tails land in a large garden area (the Marble Garden Zone). Sonic comments that, even though the Island is real, it doesn't necessarily mean that Robotnik is there. Suddenly, a relief of an ugly face on a wall starts firing arrows at them. Sonic destroys it with a Spin Attack, but then finds himself sliding uncontrollably down a long ramp - straight off the edge of the island! Tails manages to catch him, and fly them both into a tunnel on the island's underside, which leads them back outside.

They finally find proof of Robotnik's presence when a badnik floats by. It looks pretty stupid - just blue and round - but as Sonic tries to attack, it unleashes a set of spikes! Sonic only just manages to raise his previously-unseen forcefield before being impaled.

Just then, Robotnik himself appears between two pillars! Sonic charges, confident that there's nobody to protect the fat doctor this time... but then Sonic is knocked out cold by a new figure: Knuckles the Echidna, invincible guardian of the Floating Island and Robothnik's personal bodyguard!

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Amy Rose
 * Johnny Lightfoot
 * Porker Lewis
 * Kintobor Computer
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Badnik (Bubbles or Pointdexter)
 * Newsreader (presumably Sally Acorn)

Continuity

 * Knuckles the Echidna and the Floating Island both first appeared in Sonic the Summer Special (1994), "Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds". The Death Egg II first crashed onto the Floating Island in that story as well, which is mentioned in an editorial note in this issue.

Trivia

 * This issue is the first part of Sonic the Comic ' s adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
 * When Sonic and Tails land on the Floating Island, they are in the Marble Garden Zone (although it is not named in the issue).
 * The puffer-fish style badnik in this issue is probably intended to be a Bubbles, which are found in the Marble Garden Zone in Sonic 3, but it more resembles the Pointdexter badnik from Hydrocity Zone in the same game. Both badniks have the same abilities, although Pointdexter is a submarine badnik while Bubbles hovers in the air.

Mutant League - "Bring Me The Head of Coach Brikka, Part 3"
The Midway Monsters (Bones Jackson, Brenda Brikka, Grim, and Razor Kid) are making good progress chasing the head of Coach Brikka (stolen by K.T. Slayer) in their tank. That is until the top is ripped off by an enormous muscular man with four arms. The man picks up Razor Kid, who is suddenly saved when a mob of his fans turn up and swarm over the big fighter. Razor Kid throws one of his sweaty hankies at some of the other rivals trying to stop the Monsters from reaching Brikka's head, and the crazed fans make quick work clearing a path for them.
 * Script: Steve White / Brian Williamson
 * Art: Anthony Williams / Brian Williamson
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Sonic's World - "No More Mr. Nice Bug, Part 2"

 * Script: Mark Eyles
 * Art: Mike Hadley/John M. Burns
 * Lettering: Elitta Fell

Synopsis
Cam 'n' Bert, search and repair operatives for B.A.R.F., finish tearing apart an incompetent Trooper who let two Niceniks escape. The turn the scrap parts into a work of modern art, then leave to track the niceniks down.

In order to determine which robots are the niceniks and which are badniks, Bert is instructed to inflate the SSS (Synthetic Sonic Simulation, which is really just a balloon with Sonic's picture on it). All true badniks will attack Sonic on site (even a balloon), so those that don't must be the niceniks. However, Bert tests over 200 badniks without success, and takes a lot of punishment when the badniks swarm in on the balloon. And Cam still won't take a turn.

Meanwhile, the two niceniks (who have now named each other Bom and Bim) are appreciating nature. They have found 982 perfect flowers, and head off to find more. However, when another badnik accidentally runs over a flower they were smelling, they become furious and crush it between them. When Cam 'n' Bert land on yet more flowers in their Barfmobile (and when the niceniks see that the pair have apparently deflated Sonic the Hedgehog), they get mad and charge at the two repair functionaries! Cam is pretty sure they're the niceniks, but Bert doesn't think they look very nice at all!

Appearances

 * B.A.R.F. (Cam and Bert)
 * Trooper
 * Bom and Bim (niceniks)
 * Badniks

Trivia

 * Although dialogue consistently refers to the robots in this story as Motobugs, the art makes it clear that they are Buzz Bombers.
 * This story was reprinted in Sonic the Comic #202.

Pirate S.T.C. - "Pirate S.T.C., Part 6"
Grrr and Bob are frozen in ice cream, and their friends are fighting to free them. One of their enemies has sentient ear wax that attacks Sackhead, who goes flying into Robonicnik. Y Not Y-Front Man starts beating himself up. Flame strikes Granee 8 Ball with a space hopper, but she explodes into a large gang of pigs that shoot carrots from their nostrils. The pigs eat the ice cream, freeing Grrr and Bob.
 * Script: Stephen Bliss
 * Art: Stephen Bliss
 * Lettering: Steve Potter

Then Fezhead and Skull arrive on a floating cloud of consciousness, having turned the couch potatoes into commandoes, and now intend to move them on to the next level. They use love spray over the whole area and then float away...

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