Sonic the Comic Issue 84


 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Assistant Editor: Audrey Wong
 * Designer: Gary Knight
 * Production: Sarah Colley
 * Consultant: Richard Burton

Sonic the Hedgehog - "Heroes & Villains, Part 1"

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

Synopsis
In the weird alternate dimension known as the Special Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog arrives by means of the Omni-Viewer in the headquarters of the Chaotix Crew. Vector is not happy that Omni is working for Sonic, although Omni points out that he and Sonic are old friends and he was happy to help out.

Sonic has dire news. He explains that the Chaos Emeralds created an evil alternate personality in him, an uncontrollable fiend named Super Sonic, who was recently separated from him by means of a Star Post and sent into the Special Zone. As Super Sonic is completely unstoppable, the entire Special Zone could be in danger! However, none of the Chaotix Crew seem to be bothered. They're certain they can handle this "Super Sonic" if he shows up. Sonic is outraged at their moronic complacency, but Vector points out that they're quite busy and asks Omni to send them all down to New Tek City on Planet Meridian. Sonic is confused that there is a whole planet in the Special Zone, until Charmy explains: the Special Zone is an entire universe! "We got Suns, moons, planets and everything! Guess you only seen the weird bit, huh?"

Meanwhile, in New Tek City, the Justice Brigade (a bizarre collection of "superheroes" led by Captain Tornado) and the Discriminators (an equally bizarre collection of "supervillains" led by Baron X) are lining up for a final showdown! And, according to a spectator, "This time they're playing for keeps!" When Chaotix arrives, they immediately pitch in to help out the Justice Brigade, and offer to let Sonic help them "fight for truth, justice and all stuff like that!" Sonic would love to... except he has no idea which bizarrely-dressed people he's supposed to be hitting. Even when one shaggy wolfman sneaks up behind him, he can't tell whether it's a good guy or a bad guy until the wolfman sucker punches him and admits to being a Discriminator. Sonic then punches him back, sending him out of the fight.

"This is stupid" says Sonic, who wonders what the fight is even about. Mighty the Armadillo overhears and explains: "We're the heroes an' they're the villains... and fighting villains is just what us heroes do!" To Sonic (who is used to fighting for a genuine cause), this all seems ridiculous. When the police show up a moment later, everyone runs away, "heroes" and "villains" alike. Sonic wonders why, and Vector admits that Chaotix have a little misunderstanding with them. While the others dive into the Omni-Viewer and escape, Sonic is pulled up by a cop and arrested... but frankly, he's past caring...

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Chaotix:
 * Vector the Crocodile
 * Espio the Chameleon
 * Mighty the Armadillo
 * Charmy Bee
 * Omni-Viewer
 * Justice Brigade (led by Captain Tornado)
 * Discriminators (led by Baron X)
 * New Tek City citizens
 * New Tek City police officers

Continuity

 * Sonic recaps the events of "Running Wild" (Sonic the Comic #80 to #83), in which Super Sonic became more dangerous than ever before, and was finally separated from Sonic by having his energy siphoned off into the Special Zone.

Trivia

 * The Justice Brigade and Discriminators are intended as parodies of American comic book superhero teams, who (according to writer Nigel Kitching) seem to "knock hell out of each other for no particular reason".

Knuckles - "Village of the Damned, Part 1"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching
 * Art: Nigel Dobbyn
 * Lettering: Elitta Fell

Synopsis
Knuckles drags the huge chest of ancient documents through a dark and creepy forest at night. It's very late, and he's tired after dragging the chest all day, but it looks as though he'll have to sleep out in the open again... until he notices a light in the distance: it's a village! It seems too good to be true, and there's even a tavern (The Green Man) that's still open!

However, when Knuckles walks through the door, the reception he receives is extremely frosty. Every patron in the room is glaring at him. However, when he asks for a room, the landlord, a brown-feathered chicken, immediately insists that they have a room - in fact, he'll let Knuckles have the very best room, and even offers some of their finest beer. Knuckles declines and heads off to bed, as he hasn't slept well in days. Once he is gone, a grey-furred goat tells the still-scowling tavern patrons "It's him. He's the one."

That night, as he is dozing, Knuckles hears a screech outside his window. He bolts upright, but is relieved to see that it is just an owl. However, when he hears the scream again, he realises that it is not from an owl at all: he rushes to the window, and sees a hideous parade on the street below. The men from the tavern earlier, now all gaudily dressed and carrying torches, and in the middle they are carrying a standing stone, to which a helpless sheep girl is tied and screaming for her life!

Appearances

 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * "Landlord" of The Green Man
 * Mesmer
 * Sacrificial sheep
 * Tavern workers (Seth and Maurice)
 * Tavern patrons:
 * Sheep
 * Horse
 * Pig
 * Duck
 * Dog

Continuity

 * Knuckles is still travelling back to the Floating Island with the great chest of documents that he received from Captain Plunder in Sonic the Comic #79, "The Ghost Ship, Part 6". He will eventually reach home again in Sonic the Comic #97, "Victims, Part 1".
 * Knuckles mentions that he needs the plans in the chest to help get the Floating Island's computer systems back online. They were damaged in Sonic the Comic #73, "New Master Emerald".
 * Knuckles mentions that he let Captain Claw go free. He defeated and captured Captain Claw in "Troubled Waters, Part 2" in the previous issue.
 * Knuckles mentions that, since Robotnik rules Mobius, there is nobody he can trust to lock up a villain like Captain Claw. Robotnik himself throws this back in Knuckles' face in Sonic the Comic #86, "Village of the Damned, Part 3", pointing out that Knuckles cannot send him to prison, and thus the dictator is perfectly safe unless Knuckles plans to kill him, which the honourable echidna will not do.
 * The landlord of The Green Man is revealed to be a disguised Doctor Robotnik in "Village of the Damned, Part 3". This explains his quickly-hidden relief in this issue that Knuckles is merely looking for a room for the night.
 * This issue foreshadows the revelation (from "Village of the Damned, Part 3") that the residents of the village have been hypnotised by Mesmer in a number of ways:
 * After Knuckles leaves the main room of the tavern, Mesmer raises his staff and says "It's him. He is the one." The phrase is immediately echoed by the other patrons of the tavern, an indication of the hypnotism.
 * When Knuckles sees the sacrificial parade outside his window, Mesmer can be clearly seen at the back of the crowd, again holding up his staff.
 * There is a golden Sun-burst face carving on the tavern wall, foreshadowing the revelation that the village have begun to worship the "Ancient Sun Goddess".

Trivia

 * Many items from the tavern reappear in the final panel (and in subsequent issues) as part of the costumes and props of the cult's ritual parade, which appears to resemble a twisted morris dance. These include:
 * A jester's outfit and hat, hanging on a peg in the tavern, are later worn by a labrador. The jester, or fool, is a common part of many morris dances.
 * A strip of bells hanging over the bar is later worn on the ankles of a pig and a horse, as part of traditional morris garb (along with white shirts and red handkerchiefs).
 * A pair of antlers on the wall are later worn on the head of a duck. This might be representative of "beast" morris dancers, who dress up as animals and interact with the audience
 * Mesmer's staff can also be seen next to him on the bar, and in his hand a short while later.
 * That the cult's sacrifice is a sheep may be a reference to the phrase sacrificial lamb.
 * According to Nigel Kitching, "Village of the Damned" is based on the horror movie The Wicker Man. This is particularly evident in part 2, in which the villagers attempt to burn Knuckles alive in a giant wicker cage. (In fact, the whole arc of stories in which Knuckles is returning to the Floating Island with the chest happened because artist Nigel Dobbyn mentioned he would like to do genre stories.)
 * The story's title is based on the 1960 film of the same name, or its 1995 remake.

Tails - "Sneaker Seeker"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Rob Corona
 * Colouring: John M Burns
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
As Tails is enjoying a peaceful day out flying, he is waved down by a bear in a lab coat. The bear says that he designs shoes for a living, and that he'd like to give Tails a nice new pair of sneakers as a reward for all the times he's beaten Doctor Robotnik. Tails accepts, and runs off to show his friends... but once he's gone, the "sneaker designer" removes his mask and reveals himself as Robotnik's top scientist, Grimer!

Tails' shoes are really popular as he strolls through town. Everyone says they're great, and one girl even says that Tails looks like a hunk in his new footwear. Suddenly, everyone runs away - there's a missile heading straight for them! Tails flies off to find some way to divert it, only for it to immediately change course to follow him. No matter how he flies, he can't shake it off, and he quickly realises that there must be a homing device in his new shoes!

He quickly takes off the shoes and searches for somewhere to dump them. He goes to the sea, but changes his mind when he sees a dolphin swimming up to meet him. Instead, he flies back to the old "sneaker designer" and drops the shoes at Grimer's feet. Grimer, panicking, activates the missile's self-destruct. Tails puts on his old sneakers again, leaving Grimer fuming at his failure. That's the last time Tails will accept gifts from strangers.

Back in his old shoes, Tails is no longer really popular, but he doesn't mind. "Fashion to die for," he thinks, "just isn't worth it!"

Appearances

 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Grimer
 * Civilians

Trivia

 * Even while Grimer is disguised as the bear, his green hands are clearly visible.

Sonic's World - "New Image"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Carl Flint
 * Colouring: Steve White
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
Sonic the Hedgehog is trying to relax by taking a run through a business district when he is interrupted by a warthog and a flamingo who call themselves Sneaky and Snooty. They say Sonic needs a new look, but when Sonic laughs at the suggestion they reveal that they have kidnapped Amy! Sonic threatens them to tell him where she is, but they know he's bluffing and eventually he is forced to go along with their plan.

Sneaky and Snooty dress Sonic in a yellow anorak with their names on - the idea is that Sonic will advertise their services, and Amy will remain unharmed. Just then, Sonic spots badniks in the distance and rushes off to fight them, only to find that the anorak is slowing him down and they get the drop on him. Luckily, one of the badniks is destroyed by Amy's crossbow, who managed to slip out of her ropes and escape. Seeing her unharmed, Sonic rips off the anorak and quickly dispatches the other badnik.

He chases down Sneaky and Snooty who, it is revealed, were actually working for Doctor Robotnik, and ties them up with strips from the torn anorak. He mails Sneaky and Snooty to Citadel Robotnik, where the dictator decides they would be better use as badniks.

Amy is touched that Sonic allowed the goons to make him look like a nerd just for her, but Sonic insists he was just making a fashion statement: he was proving that he doesn't need a new image, because "after all, you can't improve perfection!"

Synopsis

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Sneaky and Snooty
 * Amy Rose
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Grimer
 * Two Buzzer Badniks
 * Businessmen:
 * Six meerkats
 * An elephant
 * A possom
 * A seal
 * An antelope
 * A gorilla

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Review Zone
 * SEGA Channel: Ready Willing and Cable!
 * Q Zone
 * Speedlines