Sonic the Comic Issue 121


 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Designer: Gary Knight
 * Production: Sarah Colley
 * Managing Editor: Steve MacManus
 * Marketing Manager: Douglas Pocock
 * Advertising: Stephen Goldsmith

Sonic - "Hobson & Choy, Part 1"

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

Synopsis
Inside Sonic's new base of operations in the Emerald Hill Village, Sonic checks in with the Kintobor Computer to see what's new. Kintobor says that the Zones have been pretty quiet lately, although Tails is currently battling some badniks in the Metropolis Zone. Sonic is initially concerned that Tails will need his help, until Kintobor reveals that Tails is actually doing rather well... at which point Sonic decides he should go and take a look anyway, since he doesn't want Tails getting the idea he can do without Sonic.

Meanwhile, in the House of War on the Drakon Empire's home planet, Grimer tells Emperor Ko-Dorr that the Chaos Emeralds are on the Floating Island, guarded by Knuckles the Echidna and an army of Guardian Robots. Emperor Ko-Dorr is not intimidated by Knuckles and intends to steal the Chaos Emeralds and use them to rule the universe. Just then, a Prosecutor brings two prisoners before the Emperor: Hobson and Choy, accused of defacing one of Ko-Dorr's statues. Ko-Dorr isn't interested and tells the Prosecutor to throw them in the cells for a year or two until he's ready to decide their punishment.

However, while Hobson and Choy are being escorted to their cells, they suddenly spring into action. The massive Hobson smashes their two Sentinel guards and punches the Prosecutor through a wall, while Choy takes the Prosecutor's Dimensional Staff and summons a Mobius Ring. They jump through the Ring with no idea where it will take them, because anywhere is better than the Drakon homeworld.

Back in the Metropolis Zone, Sonic sees that Tails really doesn't need his help. However, Sonic quickly realises that Tails is fighting outdated badnik models and deduces that they aren't being controlled by Robotnik. Instead, he finds four members of D.R.A.T. (Doctor Robotnik's Appreciation Tribe) are controlling them. Sonic is disgusted with them, and leaves them to the police while he and Tails leave.

Just then, a Mobius Ring materialises in Doctor Robotnik's base on Flickies' Island. A hidden Robotnik watches as two figures emerge... Hobson and Choy!

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Kintobor Computer
 * Grimer
 * Emperor Ko-Dorr
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Hobson and Choy
 * Prosecutor
 * Sentinels
 * D.R.A.T. members
 * Metropolis Zone police officers
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Badniks:
 * Newtron
 * Splats
 * Caterkiller
 * Ball Hog/Bat Brain hybrids
 * Motobug

Continuity

 * Sonic's new Control Centre base was set up in Sonic the Comic #108, "The Evil Empire, Part 1".
 * Grimer is with the Drakon Empire on Drak, having apparently betrayed Doctor Robotnik to join them in Sonic the Comic #118, "Best of Enemies, Part 3". However, Grimer's sour expression and hesistation when trying to explain why he switched sides foreshadows the revelation in Sonic the Comic #125, "Order & Chaos, Part 3", that Grimer never really betrayed Robotnik and this is all part of Robotnik's plan to get the Chaos Emeralds.
 * Grimer reveals to Emperor Ko-Dorr that the Chaos Emeralds are on the Floating Island. It was revealed that Ko-Dorr was looking for the Emeralds in Sonic the Comic #116, "Best of Enemies, Part 1". The Drakon Empire invades the Floating Island in Sonic the Comic #123, "Order & Chaos, Part 1".
 * Grimer explains that the Chaos Emeralds are guarded by Knuckles the Echidna and his army of Guardian Robots. The Guardian Robots attempt to defend the island when the Drakons invade in Sonic the Comic #123, "Order & Chaos, Part 1". However, Knuckles is transported to the Special Zone in this issue, "On the Run, Part 1", and will not return until Sonic the Comic #125, "Order & Chaos, Part 3".
 * The old model badniks from this story are from the original Sonic the Hedgehog game. All of these badniks were destroyed by Super Sonic's electromagnetic pulse in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory". The badniks also do not contain organic batteries, another clue that they are not created by Robotnik since the most recent models use Flickies as their power source (since Sonic the Comic #104, "Flickies' Island, Part 1".

Knuckles - "On the Run, Part 1"

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

Synopsis
Knuckles the Echidna, lone guardian of the Floating Island, is having trouble with the Island's ancient technology, so he goes looking for Porker Lewis. Knuckles is glad Porker volunteered to help him repair the island, because he knows he couldn't have done it without Porker's help.

Knuckles finds Porker elsewhere in the complex, trying to translate the writing on an ancient ring artefact. Knuckles immediately recognises the artefact as a Dimensional Gateway to the Special Zone. Porker accidentally bumps into it and activates the portal, and before they can get away they are sucked through.

An instant later, they emerge through an identical ring at the bottom of the East River in New Tek City. Knuckles manages to pull Porker to safety, and they emege spluttering on the bank. Immediately Porker wants to get back to their own dimension, but he nearly drowned in the river and refuses to try and swim back down to the Dimensional Gateway.

At that moment in a different district of the city, the Chaotix Crew are finishing off a battle with the Zombie Brothers. Espio the Chameleon says that if he uses his spinning power than he can hit just as hard as Mighty the Armadillo, but Mighty disagrees. Espio decides to ask one of the dazed Zombie Brothers who hit him the hardest, and declares himself the winner when the Zombie Brother mumbles "Eng-hunnn?"

Porker and Knuckles decide to contact Chaotix, but don't have any change for a payphone. Although Knuckles isn't sure about it, Porker decides to hotwire a payphone. Unfortunately, they are spotted by the police, who think that Porker is "Oscar the Pig".

Appearances

 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Porker Lewis
 * Chaotix:
 * Espio the Chameleon
 * Mighty the Armadillo
 * Vector the Crocodile
 * Charmy Bee
 * Zombie Brothers
 * Fisherman
 * New Tek City police officers

Continuity

 * Porker Lewis went to live on the Floating Island after retiring from the Freedom Fighters in Sonic the Comic #76, "The Big Decision". He decided to remain on the Island when the Emerald Hill Folk returned to the Emerald Hill Zone in Sonic the Comic #104, "Flickies' Island, Part 1".
 * The Floating Island's systems were damaged in Sonic the Comic #73, "New Master Emerald", and Porker has been helping Knuckles with the systems since Sonic the Comic #74, "The Ghost Ship, Part 1". Repairs began in earnest in Sonic the Comic #101, "Loose Ends", when Knuckles showed Porker a chest of ancient documents that he had received from Captain Plunder.
 * Knuckles last saw a Dimensional Gateway to the Special Zone in Sonic the Comic #53, "Total Chaotix". In that issue, the Gateway deposited Knuckles in the Weird Bit of the Special Zone, and did not connect to a Dimensional Gateway on the other side.
 * Knuckles previously met Chaotix in "Total Chaotix" from Sonic the Comic #53 to #58. Porker previously met Chaotix in "The Return of Chaotix" from Sonic the Comic #67 to #72.
 * A police officer recognises Porker Lewis as "Oscar the Pig". It is revealed in Sonic the Comic #123, "On the Run, Part 3", that this is not a mistake and that Porker really is Oscar the Pig.

Double Sonic - "Bee Prepared"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Mick McMahon
 * Lettering: Ellie de'Ville

Synopsis
In the Casino Night Zone, Max Gamble is addressing wealthy visitors from the Eldorado Zone, trying to sell them his new robot builder: Metal Mate, who works all hours and doesn't need payment. The local builders are upset because Metal Mate can do ten times the work they can, and at a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, Gamble's attempts to get money from the Eldorado investors make the workers think the whole thing is a con scheme. Sonic sympathizes, but is confident Gamble won't get away with it.

Suddenly, Metal Mate begins to malfunction and chases the visitors with his hammer. Gamble blurts out that the robot wasn't supposed to short circuit until after he'd sold it, revealing to Sonic that Gamble was trying to sell faulty goods.

They are interrupted by the sudden appearance of Charmy Bee, whose team-mate Vector found a way to send him to Mobius from the Special Zone. However, explanations are cut short when Sonic pushes Charmy out of the way of Metal Mate's hammer. While Charmy distracts the robot with a pickaxe, Sonic charges through the nuisance, destroying it. It's not over yet, though, as the plutonium core in the robot's head is set to explode! This looks like a job for Charmy, who flies into the air with the robot head and hurls it away, causing it to explode harmlessly in mid-air.

The day is saved, but Gamble has gone into hiding. Charmy is worried about the situation and starts gabbling in his usual irritiating way. When Sonic asks if he has to gabble on like that, he replies "I don't have to, but I see it as my cutey-duty as a buzzy bee!" His "cutey-duty" drives Gamble over the edge, forcing him out of hiding. He pleads with Sonic to lock him away so he doesn't have to listen any more. Charmy claims it sometimes pays to be irritating, and Sonic admits that Charmy may not be as dumb as he looks... which Charmy chooses to take as a compliment.

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Charmy Bee
 * Max Gamble
 * Metal Mate
 * Eldorado Zone investors
 * Casino Night Zone builders

Continuity

 * Charmy says that Vector "found a way" to transport Charmy from the Special Zone to Mobius. Charmy, Vector and the rest of the Chaotix Crew previously visited Mobius with the help of the Omni-Viewer in Sonic the Comic #67, "The Return of Chaoti, Part 1".
 * Sonic recalls that Charmy is secretly a prince in another world. Charmy was revealed to be prince of the Hive in Sonic the Comic #91, "The Hive, Part 1".

Sonic's World: Amy & Tekno - "Breakout, Part 2"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * B & w art: Andy Pritchett
 * Colouring: Steve White
 * Lettering: Gordon Robson

Synopsis
Vermin the Cybernik has escaped from his cell in the Metropolis Zone and wasted no time wreaking havoc on the city. News quickly reaches Tekno the Canary, Amy Rose and Shorty the Squirrel in the Emerald Hill Zone. They are celebrating Shorty being released from his own Cybernik armour for the first time in years, but Shorty decides that he needs to suit up as Shortfuse the Cybernik in order to face his evil counterpart.

The heroes find Vermin attacking the workmen on a construction site, but the villain is happy to turn his attention to Shortfuse. And even though Vermin no longer has to follow Robotnik's orders, he'd rather go freelance than turn good. Tekno reminds Shortfuse to watch out for Vermin's tail, which can inject him with a computer virus, but Vermin has other plans: he attaches his tail to an electric generator and absorbs its power, becoming stronger than ever.

Shortfuse taunts Vermin into trying to absorb Shortfuse's power. However, when Vermin tries this, he suddenly finds his armour opening up. Shortfuse pulls the rat out of his suit and blasts the inside of the armour, causing the entire suit to explode. A now powerless Vermin tries to escape so that he can find Robotnik to build him some new armour, but he is caught by Amy.

Shortfuse sacrificed his armour release program to defeat Vermin, meaning he is once again trapped in his armour. Vermin can't understand why Shortfuse gave up the program just to save a city full of people he hardly knows, but Amy says that someone like Vermin could never understand: "That's partly what being a hero is all about!"

Appearances

 * Amy Rose
 * Tekno the Canary
 * Shortfuse the Cybernik
 * Vermin the Cybernik
 * Civilians:
 * Badger
 * Pig
 * Two ant workmen

Continuity

 * Shorty was released from his Cybernik armour (and Vermin released from prison) in the last issue, "Breakout, Part 2".
 * Amy tells Vermin that Robotnik is no longer world ruler. He was deposed in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory" (the same story in which Vermin was de-powered and captured).
 * Vermin previously used his tail to inject a virus into Shortfuse's computer system in Sonic the Comic #91, "Secret Weapon, Part 2".
 * Vermin's Cybernik armour is destroyed. He has been a Cybernik since Sonic the Comic #90, "Secret Weapon, Part 1".

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Pin-Up - Decap Attack ' s Chuck, Head and Igor. Presented with STC. Art by Nigel Kitching.
 * Speedlines
 * Competition - 30 Sonic Baseball Jackets to be won
 * Graphic Zone