Sonic the Comic Issue 109


 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Designer: Gary Knight
 * Production: Sarah Colley
 * Advertising: Stephen Goldsmith
 * Consultant: Richard Burton

Sonic the Hedgehog - "The Evil Empire, Part 2"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching
 * Art: Richard Elson
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
In the House of War in the Drakon Empire, Sonic has been brought before the throne of the Emperor, whose throne is flanked by stony armoured warriors. The Emperor accuses Sonic of "crimes against the Drakon Empire", to which Sonic responds that the Emperor is mistaken. Doctor Robotnik is in attendance, and takes pleasure in Sonic's confusion. "Come, come Sonic," he says. "We all know what you have done!" Sonic doesn't know what's going on, but he's sure that Robotnik's behind it, and charges at the doctor. The Emperor instructs his bodyguards: "Sentinel, subdue the prisoner!" It steps forward and hits Sonic with a powerful blast of electricity from its staff. "The prisoner is subdued."

As he gets up, Sonic recalls that he's met a Sentinel before, years ago in the Aquatic Ruin Zone. That Sentinel said he was left behind by his masters thousands of years ago, then fell to pieces. Robotnik is exultant at Sonic's "admission of guilt", and the Emperor seems convinced as well. Sonic insists that the Sentinel just fell apart by himself, as it was thousands of years old. Instead, Sonic demands to know what a Drakon Sentinel was doing on Mobius in the first place. The Emperor explains that the Drakon Empire had an outpost on Mobius thousands of years ago, in the area now called the Aquatic Ruin Zone. (Meanwhile, Tails eavesdrops on the conversation, having followed Sonic to the Drakon homeworld.) The Emperor claims that it was a mistake for them to leave Mobius, as Doctor Robotnik has informed the Drakons that Mobius has become a threat. Sonic tries to object, but the Emperor instructs his Sentinels to take him away, saying that Sonic will face trial in the morning.

Later, Sonic has been jailed in a high tower. His Spin Attacks are useless on the walls. Robotnik arrives to gloat, informing Sonic that on the following day Sonic's trial will be by combat. Sonic asks how Robotnik knew about the Sentinel he met, to which Robotnik merely responds that he had spy cameras everywhere while he was ruler of Mobius. One Robotnik has gone, Tails appears outside the window, flying high over the Drakon skyline. Tails is very worried, but Sonic tries to reassure him. "We've been in worse situations than this," he says. "Although to be honest, nothing springs to mind right now!"

Elsewhere in the House of War, Robotnik converses with his assistant Grimer. He's confident that, with the support of the Drakon Empire, he'll soon be in control of Mobius again. But first, he'll complete his revenge on Sonic... "For tomorrow, Metallix will destroy Sonic once and for all!"

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Emperor Ko-Dorr
 * Sentinels
 * Grimer
 * Prosecutor
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Knuckles Metallix
 * Flickies (two blue, one pink, one yellow, one green)

Continuity

 * Sonic has been brought to the Drakon Empire, having been captured by Robotnik and Metallix in the previous issue, "The Evil Empire, Part 1". Tails followed them to the Drakon home dimension in that same issue.
 * Sonic has been brought to the House of War. It is revealed in Sonic the Comic #116, "Best of Enemies, Part 1", that the House of War is one of three great houses in the Drakon Empire, the others being the House of Knowledge and the House of Magic.
 * Sonic relates the tale of how he met a Sentinel in the Aquatic Ruin Zone. This took place in Sonic the Comic #29, "The Sentinel".
 * The Emperor explains that the Drakon Empire once had an outpost on Mobius thousands of years ago. The Prosecutor said the same thing in Sonic the Comic #106, "Flickies' Island, Part 3".
 * The Emperor mentions that the Drakon Empire has learned that Mobius is a threat from Doctor Robotnik. Robotnik was captured by a Drakon Prosecutor in Sonic the Comic #106, "Flickies' Island, Part 3".
 * Doctor Robotnik mentions that he was once ruler of Mobius, and that he intends to rule again. He was deposed in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory". He will eventually give up this goal in Sonic the Comic #171, "Planet in Peril!".
 * Robotnik mentions that in the Drakon Empire, trial is by combat, and also states that Metallix will destroy Sonic on the following day. In Sonic the Comic #110, "The Evil Empire, Part 3", it is revealed that the Knuckles Metallix has been appointed as Sonic's temporary Prosecutor in the trial by combat.

Tails - "Kog the Mighty"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Andy Pritchett
 * Lettering: Ellie de'Ville

Synopsis
As construction workers bulldoze the remains of Citadel Robotnik, they are attacked by a flying badnik. The workers flee, but Tails setps up to attack it. The badnik shoots electricity at him, which Tails nimbly avoids. He destroys the badnik, freeing the Flicky trapped inside. However, the electricity from the badniks weapons has hit a wire burried in the rubble, and the current powers up the old cables beneath the ruins, activating a robot long forgotten!

Up above, the workers thanks Tails, and quickly call for his help again when the see the robot climbing out of a hole in the ground, loudly proclaiming that he is Kog. Tails immediately realises that the robot cannot be one of Robotnik's inventions, as it's ancient, and goes to talk to it. Kog seems confused, claiming that everything has changed. He asks after his creator, Doctor Ovi Kintobor, only for Tails to explain that many years ago Kintobor was transformed into Doctor Robotnik. "He's the meanest dude on Mobius!" This makes Kog very sad. He was the first robot that Kintobor ever made. Kintobor was so thoughtful that he shut Kog down every night to rest, but when he became evil he must have forgotten all about him.

Suddenly, one of the construction workers scoops up Kog with a mechanical digger. Tails pulls the worker out of the cockpit, allowing Kog to go free. The worker doesn't understand what use Kog could be to anyone, but Tails points out that he could teach people about history. Indeed, Kog has loads of information in his memory circuits! So Kog is given an overhaul and a polish, and sets about teaching people about life before Doctor Robotnik ever existed. Soon everyone agrees he's much more interesting than any history lesson.

Appearances

 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Kog
 * Flying badnik
 * Green Flicky
 * Construction workers
 * Metropolis Zone residents

Continuity

 * Construction workers are bulldozing the remains of Citadel Robotnik, which was destroyed in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory". Amy, Tekno and Johnny Lightfoot previously investigated the ruins in Sonic the Comic #103, "Crawling from the Wreckage".
 * Tails tells Kog that Doctor Ovi Kintobor was transformed into Doctor Ivo Robotnik, as shown in Sonic the Comic #8, "The Origin of Sonic".

Trivia

 * There is an error in Kog's dialogue in this story. When he speaks to Tails for the first time, he asks for his creator "Doctor Robotnik". Context, and Tails' subsequent dialogue, indicate that he meant to ask for "Doctor Kintobor".

Decap Attack - "Dreaded Poople Plague"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching & Richard Raynor
 * Art: Mick McMahon
 * Lettering: Ellie de'Ville

It's another normal day at Castle Frank N Stein, and the Prof bursts with terrible news: he's caused a terrible plague in mediaevel Swansea! "Oh boy," says Igor, "he's really gone this time, Chuck!" Nevertheless, as Prof gets his medical bag, Chuck, Igor and Head decide to humour him. He shows them to a room with a smoking portal in the ground - a doorway into the past! He pushes everyone in, whisking them back to the 1400s, the time of the dreaded poople plague!

They land in a street in mediaevel Swansea, next to a man lying immobile on the ground. Prof explains that he landed on the man last time he used the time machine and thinks he's dead. Worse, this man is the famous Doctor Daffyd Leek, who saved Wales from the poople plague, so now Prof and the others have to save them instead!

Prof enters the house of a man suffering the first symptom of poopleism: a rumbling tummy. He tries giving the man some bicarbonate of soda, but the man and his wife think he's crazy. They want an up-to-date medical treatment, like leeches, or a fish to sit on. Suddenly, Doctor Daffyd Leek himself bursts in, alive and with nothing more serious then a bump on the head. He immediately diagnoses the man with pooples by listening to his tummy, tells him to take one leech after meals and sit on a fish for three days. If that doesn't work, they'll try a course of barnacles! The Prof tries to leave them a bottle of headache pills but is sternly rebuked: "He's not sitting on them, boyo! Huh, you're like something out of the dark ages!"

With that, the Decap Attackers' time in the past is up, and they are returned to the present. History goes on to record that Doctor Leeg saved Wales from the poople plague... apparently by having everyone sit on fish. That evening, the Prof's tummy begins to feel very ill. Just as it starts rumbling, he orders Igor to the fishmongers!

Trivia

 * The name Daffyd is a typically Welsh variant of the name David. Saint David is the patron saint of Wales. The leek is his symbol, and also the symbol of Wales.
 * The man with pooples and his wife are called Gareth and Blodwyn respectively.

Amy - "Star Struck, Part 1"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * B & W Art: Roberto Corona
 * Colour: John M Burns
 * Lettering: Elitta Fell

Synopsis
Amy and Tekno are attending a concert featuring chart-topping (and self-important) pop singer, Fabian Vane. Neither of them likes Fabian's songs, which are incredibly self-aggrandizing, but they received free tickets in gratitutde from Norris Wimple for saving his life. Norris himself is a huge Fabian Vane fan, and even takes off his shirt to throw at the stage, disgusting Amy.

Suddenly, a burly grey warthog storms onto the stage, telling Fabian Vane that it is "payback time". Amy and Tekno tackle the warthog to the ground, allowing Fabian Vane to escape backstage. The crowd cheer that now the concert can continue (leading Amy to wonder whether stopping the warthog was really a good idea after all), until Fabian Vane's manager comes on stage and says that Fabian has cancelled the rest of the concert. The manager then invited Amy and Tekno backstage (but specifically brushes off Norris Wimple).

In his dressing room, Fabian Vane asks Amy and Tekno to be his bodyguards for the rest of the tour, claiming that he's in serious danger from some of his fans. Despite their dislike of him, they agree to help on condition that he stops calling them "babes". They lead him outside to his expensive hover car, just as a group of people (including the warthog from earlier) show up. One shouts "I want a piece of you!" Amy and Tekno pull Fabian into the car and drive away, while the supposed "fans" are left screaming "You can't run forever, creep!" Fabian claims this is merely the price he pays for being talented, but Amy and Tekno are not so sure. They suspect that those people weren't really fans, and that there's something that Vane is not telling them... but they are going to find out what it is!

Appearances

 * Amy Rose
 * Tekno the Canary
 * Norris Wimple
 * Fabian Vane
 * Bruiser Magoon
 * Fabian Vane's manager
 * Fabian Vane's "fans":
 * Woman in lab coat
 * Builder
 * Others
 * Screaming fans

Continuity

 * Norris Wimple has brought Amy and Tekno to the concert in gratitude for them saving his life in Sonic the Comic #108, "Spot of Bother".
 * The opening narration claims that the concert is only possible now that Doctor Robotnik is no longer in charge. He was deposed in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory".
 * Fabian Vane is seen brushing his hair in this issue. In Sonic the Comic #110, "Star Struck, Part 2", his hair is revealed to be a wig.

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * STC Pin-up! - Metallix. Art by Richard Elson
 * Furry(ish) Zone (Graphic Zone)
 * Speedlines