Sonic the Comic Issue 47


 * Managing Editor: Richard Burton
 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Designers: Gary Knight
 * Assistant Editor: Audrey Wong
 * Publisher: Rob McMenemy

Sonic the Hedgehog - "Mystery of the Sandopolis Zone, Part 1"

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

Synopsis
Tails gives Sonic a lift on his bi-plane to the Sandopolis Zone on the Floating Island. From the Sandopolis ruins Sonic can see all the way to the Launch Base Zone, where Robotnik's Death Egg is nearly fully restored. He intends to sabotage the reconstruction, to prevent the launch. Suddenly, he is attacked by a Sandworm badnik, which moves quickly and disappears under the sand so that he can't raise his defenses in time. Knuckles appears nearby, watching. He'd offer to help, but knows full well that Sonic would say he doesn't need help... and indeed he doesn't in this case, because he manages to destroy the Sandworm with a backwards Spin Attack.

Now able to converse normally, Sonic and Knuckles reveal that they are both, individually, heading towards the Launch Base Zone in an effort to destroy the Death Egg. However, they are suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice: Captain Plunder! Captain Plunder has come searching for treasure, bringing with him his poltergeist associate Filch and an elderly purple walrus that he calls the "Per'fessor". Ignoring Knuckles' stern threats to leave, he orders the Professor to activate an ancient control panel, which causes an enormous pyramid, the Lost Pyramid of Sandopolis, to rise out of the ground!

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Captain Plunder
 * Filch
 * Professor
 * Sandworm badnik

Trivia

 * Captain Plunder previously appeared in STC 23-25, as mentioned in an editorial note.
 * This story occurs sometime after "Captain Plunder & His Sky Pirates", a backup story which begins this issue and concludes in Sonic the Comic #50.
 * Knuckles mentions having told Sonic not to come back to the Floating Island, which occurred in Sonic the Comic #42, "Ice Cap Attack, Part 2".
 * Sonic and Knuckles are both making their way towards the Launch Base Zone to stop the launch of the Death Egg. They will reach the zone in Sonic the Comic #49.
 * Knuckles refers to being delayed by the Marxio Brothers which occurred in "Carnival Night Conspiracy" from Sonic the Comic #39 to #44.
 * Captain Plunder mentions only recently having learned of the Floating Island's existence. Doctor Robotnik revealed its existence to the public of Mobius sometime after Sonic the Comic #36, "Power of the Chaos Emeralds, Part 2".

Shinobi - "Power Of The Elements, Part 1"
After Joe Musashi's defeat of the Void, top assassin of the Neo Zeed (in Sonic the Poster Mag #4), his enforcers, the four Elements, have started working for the Yakuza. Disguised as a news vendor, he watches the casino where they reside. However, they long ago detected his presence. The Elements go to their boss, Oyabun Mitusgi, asking to be allowed to subdue Musashi - the Yakuza guards have not even noticed him. Mitsugi agrees. The Elements ambush Musashi and knock him unconscious.
 * Script: Alan McKenzie
 * Art: Jon Haward
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Sonic's World - "Enter the Cybernik, Part 3"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Roberto Corona and John M. Burns
 * Lettering: Steve Potter

Synopsis
Furious that the Cybernik (once Shorty the Squirrel), Doctor Robotnik flies to the Emerald Hill Zone in his assault mobile. He fires on the Cybernik with his mounted gun, until the Cybernik destroys it. The Cybernik is about to destroy Robotnik's vehicle utterly, until Robotnik reveals his secret weapon: a device that can scramble the Cybernik's circuits!

Suddenly, Sonic the Hedgehog zooms onto the scene, attacking Robotnik and forcing the doctor to retreat. The Cybernik takes the device that scrambles his circuits and destroys it.

Later, when the rest of the Freedom Fighters have arrived, Sonic offers the Cybernik a place on the team. The Cybernik is very flattered, but declines. He wants to fight alone, to make Robotnik pay for turning him into a living machine. As he is about to fly off, his friend Hopper runs up to say he'll miss his friend. The Cybernik dubs himself "Shortfuse" ("Cool or what?") He tells his friend "Don't feel sorry for me... save it for Robotnik!" And then he flies off to begin his mission.

Appearances

 * Shortfuse the Cybernik
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Hopper
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Porker Lewis
 * Johnny Lightfoot
 * Amy Rose

Continuity

 * The Cybernik adopts the name "Shortfuse" for the first time.

Captain Plunder - "Captain Plunder & His Sky Pirates, Part 1"

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

Synopsis
On board his personal luxury airship, the 'Robotnicus', Doctor Robotnik is throwing a party for the other fiends of Mobius (possibly celebrating his birthday). Suddenly, they are attacked by Captain Plunder and his Sky Pirates! They swarm aboard the airship, capturing Robotnik. Plunder demands to know where Robotnik keeps his treasure, the "taxes" he took from the citizens of Mobius.

Robotnik takes Plunder to the vault, confident that Plunder will never be able to open it (there are only two keys: one at the airsip's destination and the other at his fortress). Unfortunately for Robotnik, however, Plunder's man Filch is a poltergeist, and is able to walk through the door of the vault and then open it from the inside. The pirates quickly carry the treasure back to their ship before Robotnik's badnik reinforcements arrive.

Some time later, back on Plunder's ship, Filch thanks Sonic for tipping them off about Robotnik's cruise. Sonic says he wants to speak to Plunder... but when the pirates search for the captain they realise they left him behind on Robotnik's ship! He's been captured by Troopers!

Appearances

 * Captain Plunder
 * Filch
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Robotnicus guests
 * Sky Pirates:
 * Pigs and boars
 * Babboon
 * Rabbits
 * Rats
 * A dog
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Troopers

Continuity

 * Sonic refers to Plunder's attempted theft of the Chaos Emeralds, which occurred in Sonic the Comic #25, "The Sonic Terminator, Part 2".

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Review Zone
 * Graphic Zone
 * Q Zone
 * Speedlines