Sonic the Comic Issue 59


 * Managing Editor: Richard Burton
 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Designer: Gary Knight & Tim Read
 * Assistant Editor: Audrey Wong
 * Publisher: Rob McMenemy

Sonic the Hedgehog - "The Brotherhood of Metallix, Part 1"

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

Synopsis
The Freedom Fighters have arrived in the Metropolis Zone, searching for a new badnik that has been detected by the Kintobor Computer (who is now stuck inside a cramped laptop). After Porker Lewis protects their caravan with a security field, they run into the new badnik... a ridiculous-looking and obviously incompetent robot called Mister Blobnik, who carries a yellow umbrella and a floral-patterned bubble pipe. It insists that it has been designed to defeat Sonic, but is so slow that it can't even touch him, and whines for the hedgehog to "keep still!" Sonic thinks Robotnik has "finally flipped", and is quite happy dealing with the strange robot single-handed, while his friends sit back and watch.

Meanwhile, in Citadel Robotnik at the centre of the Metropolis Zone, Robotnik and Grimer discuss their latest plan. Despite the absurdity of Mister Blobnik, Grimer is certain that it cannot fail. Suddenly, a red screen materialises in mid-air in front of them. A Metallix steps through the viewing surface, and drags Grimer back through it, before both it and the screen disappear. Robotnik demands that the Metallix stop, to come back, but when the robot refuses, Robotnik realises that perhaps the Metallix Project is no longer under his control... they could be capable of anything!

Mister Blobnik reveals that his secret Blobnik weapon (his pink-and-yellow umbrella) will blast Sonic into... oh, wait, he forgot to put the batteries in. As he fumbles with the two red batteries, Sonic decides he's had enough and that Blobnik's time is now up.

Grimer is brought before the Emperor Metallix in the Special Zone Egg Fortress. They show him an image of the Miracle Planet on their Main Viewer, which Grimer mentions was once supposed to be a power source for the original Metallix. The Emperor reveals that the Brotherhood of Metallix now need this power... and Grimer is going to help them get it!

Sonic spins around Mister Blobnik at super speed, and suddenly the robot explodes in a stream of bubbles. As Amy helps the young bear that was trapped inside the odd machine, Porker and Johnny look for Sonic... only to find that Sonic is now trapped inside an impenetrable bubble, that seems to be floating away. Mister Blobnik's head detaches from the wreckage, scoffing at them for being put off guard by his appearance. The head grabs onto Sonic's bubble and takes him away, as a prisoner! Sonic is very embarrassed...

Back at Citadel Robotnik, Sonic expects that Robotnik plans to torture him. However, the doctor actually plans to let Sonic go (though it pains him to say so). There is an enemy so dangerous that it threatens to destroy them both, and they must combine their forces to stop it. "And if we fail, the Brotherhood of Metallix will rule all of Mobius!"

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Amy Rose
 * Porker Lewis
 * Johnny Lightfoot
 * Kintobor Computer
 * Mister Blobnik
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Grimer
 * Metallix
 * Emperor Metallix
 * Main Viewer
 * Metropolis Zone residents:
 * A lion
 * A fox

Continuity

 * The Freedom Fighters have been travelling light (as Bob Beaky's Travelling Circus) since Sonic the Comic #38, "Robotnik's Revenge, Part 2". Since then, the Kintobor Computer has been stuck inside a cramped laptop (though he insists he is still state of the art).
 * The Brotherhood of Metallix finally make their play for world domination, after revealing this was their ultimate goal in Sonic the Comic #58, "Total Chaotix, Part 6". Their Main Viewer, a red, pirated copy of the Omni-Viewer, also first appeared in that story.
 * Grimer mentions that Robotnik once tried to use the whole Miracle Planet as a power source for the original Metallix, which happened in "The Sonic Terminator" (from Sonic the Comic #24 to #28).
 * The Metallixes' kidnapping Grimer foreshadows the revelation (in the next issue) that Grimer was the one who designed the Metallixes in the first place.

Kid Chameleon - "Back to Unreality! Part 6"

 * Script: Michael Cook
 * Art: Brian Williamson/Steve White
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Casey has revealed his identity to Brad, the school bully. Apparently, the Voice had told Brad that "Kid Chameleon" was some "super-human virtual warrior" rather than a schoolkid... but then, as Casey points out, it also told Brad to lock up other kids, so it probably can't be trusted. Suddenly, their rowboat is attacked by a giant shark! And Casey needs more time to recharge his powers! Brad beats it away, but it comes back and capsizes the boat. Casey is certain he'll drown (or be eaten), especially when he sees Brad swimming away without him... that is, until Brad pulls him out of the water. Together, they climb back up towards Islecatraz, and the telepad that will take them to freedom. Then they find out that the telepad has only enough power to take one of them home. The Voice tells Brad to leave "Chameleon" behind, and Casey agrees. But Brad feels he has too much to atone for, and pushes Casey onto the pad instead, trapping himself in the game.

Casey finds himself in another level. The Voice won't let him go - he is the "ultimate challenge". And if he wants to exit Wildside, he'll have to take it to the final level. Casey, his powers returned, is more than happy to oblige. "Chameleon!"

The End.

Trivia
This story ends on a cliff-hanger. No more Kid Chameleon stories were made for STC.

Knuckles and Tails - "The Revenge of Trogg, Part 1"

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

Synopsis
In the Emerald Chamber on the Floating Island, Knuckles is attempting to get all the ancient technology of the island back online (now that the Chaos Emeralds have been restored). When the security alarm starts going haywire, Knuckles detects an energy surge in the Mushroom Hill Zone. Fearing an attack on the Emerald Hill Folk, he dives through a Zoom Tube and straight to the scene.

When he gets there, everything seems quiet, although there is an ominous green glow behind a hill. Investigating, he sees Tails (who had been helping out in the Mushroom Hill Zone) and a wizened figure beckoning him through a floating portal. Fearing that Tails is being kidnapped, Knuckles tackles the old figure, knocking all three of them through the portal!

On the other side, they emerge in a quaint rural village, with thatched houses and picket fences on all sides. The old figure (in fact Shaman Warpull) explains that they are in the Nameless Zone, a parallel dimension, and that he was merely attempting to summon their champion, Miles Prower. Knuckles has no idea who that is, until Tails points out that he is Miles Prower. Before Tails can make introductions, Shaman Warpull assumes that Knuckles is actually Sonic, whom he believes to be Tails' sidekick in the struggle against Robotnik. Knuckles is amused by this little misunderstanding, but doesn't correct the old fox.

Warpull explains why he has summoned Tails: the two Enchanter Kings have been take captive! They were captured by the evil Trogg and taken across the Dimension Bridge to the Land Beyond. Errol Blackthorn was sent to rescue them. Knuckles assumes he did not return, but the truth is much worse. Errol did come back, but he had been changed in the Land Beyond...

Suddenly, Errol appears behind them and they can see just what has happened. He has been transformed into a monstrous troll, just like Trogg!

Appearances

 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Shaman Warpull
 * Errol Blackthorn
 * Emerald Hill Folk

Continuity

 * The Chaos Emeralds are mentioned as being fully restored. They were recombined from twelve into the original six back in Sonic the Comic #36, "Power of the Chaos Emeralds, Part 2", and slowly regenerated over time back to their full power (as mentioned in Sonic the Comic #49, "Count Down to Disaster, Part 1"). When the Master Emerald was restored as well (in Sonic the Comic #53, "Disaster! Part 3"), the Emeralds were finally back on full power. Since then, Knuckles has not had a chance to work on the ancient technology, because of his adventure in the Special Zone, as seen in "Total Chaotix" from Sonic the Comic #53 to #58.
 * The Nameless Zone is Tails' native dimension. It first appeared in Sonic the Comic #16, "The Nameless Zone, Part 1". In this story, the Enchanter Kings summoned Tails to be their champion, after believing the things he wrote in his letters him, including that he was the hero of Mobius and that Sonic was his sidekick.
 * Shaman Warpull previously appeared (and was shown to have the ability to summon Tails to the Nameless Zone) in "The Morbidden Hunt" from Sonic the Comic #28 to #31.
 * Errol Blackthorn previously appeared in "The Land Beyond", from Sonic the Comic #18 to #21.

Trivia

 * This story is reprinted in Sonic the Comic #198.

Sonic's World - "The Seven Badniks, Part 1"

 * Script: Mark Eyles
 * Art: Mike Hadley & John Burns
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
In the Hill Top Zone, Sonic and Tails use fire extinguishers to help them destroy a Rexon badnik (a destroyed Crawlton is already part submerged in the lava). Then they run off, their work finished.

Some time later, the Badnik Army Repair Functionaries (Cam and Bert) arrive. They find the badniks destroyed beyond repair, and wonder how they'll explain this to Doctor Robotnik, when he suddenly arrives in his Egg-O-Matic. They express their disappointment that Sonic doesn't appreciate the improvements that Robotnik is making to Mobius, and their irritation that he always knows which badniks to expect in each zone. "Incredible," says Robotnik, "the very thoughts I was about to have!" After they've cleaned up the Zone, he asks them to join him in his headquarters, to hear a cunning plan.

Robotnik's idea is this: to confuse the rebels, B.A.R.F. will transport advanced badniks from the Palmtree Panic Zone on the Miracle Planet to the Green Hill Zone. It's a great plan, they later admit, but it'll be very difficult to capture live badniks. They'll need the Ark Pod. Attaching the Ark Pod to their Barfmobile, they fly off to the Miracle Planet (which happens to be in orbit over Mobius at that time). But as they land, Cam gets a bad feeling about this.

Appearances

 * B.A.R.F. (Cam and Bert)
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Hill Top Zone badniks:
 * Rexon
 * Crawlton
 * Green Hill Zone badniks:
 * Crabmeat
 * Chopper
 * Motobug
 * Palmtree Panic Zone badniks:
 * Anton
 * Mosqui (possibly)
 * Pata-Bata
 * Unnamed beetle badnik

Continuity

 * This must take place some time before "The Brotherhood of Metallix", a story which begins in this issue, because both involve the Miracle Planet, but in vastly different ways.

Trivia

 * Cam says that the Miracle Planet always appears in the last month of the year, which agrees with the storyline from Sonic CD but is contrary to established Sonic the Comic canon, which states that the planet appears once a month. She could just be incorrect.

Other Features

 * Control Zone
 * Graphic Zone - Surf's Up!
 * STC Pin-up - B.A.R.F.
 * Q Zone (FIFA '95)
 * Record Baker! - An interview with O'Neill Windsurfing Champion (and STC fan) Nik Baker
 * Speedlines