Sonic the Comic Issue 117


 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Designer: Gary Knight
 * Production: Sarah Colley
 * Marketing manager: Douglas Pocock

Sonic the Hedgehog - "Best of Enemies, Part 2"

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

Synopsis
In the Emerald Hill Zone, Sonic is struck by a Sentinel. Sonic and Tails were warned of an intruder in the Zone by the Kintobor Computer, but they have no idea why the Drakon Empire would send a Sentinel to the Emerald Hill Zone.

Meanwhile, in Robotnik's Flickies' Island base, Drakon Emperor Ko-Dorr believes Sonic is as good as captured. Robotnik and Grimer advise him not to underestimate Sonic, but Ko-Dorr doesn't listen. When he captures Sonic, he looks forward to extracting the location of the Chaos Emeralds, with which he will make the House of War dominate the Drakon Empire and thus become "Master of the Universe!" A short distance away, Grimer asks Robotnik why he has convinced Ko-Dorr to capture Sonic, since they already know the Chaos Emeralds are on the Floating Island. Robotnik reveals that he has no intention of giving the Chaos Emeralds to the Drakons, and he has a plan to get the power of the Chaos Emeralds himself, but before he can explain it, they are interrupted by Ko-Dorr shouting. Sonic has destroyed the Sentinel, but Ko-Dorr vows that Sonic hasn't escaped yet.

Back in the Emerald Hill Zone, Sonic claims that Sentinels aren't much tougher than an average badnik. Suddenly, a Prosecutor arrives through a Mobius Ring with a whole squad of Sentinels. Tails worries that the Drakon Empire might be invading Mobius, but Sonic is ready to stop any invasion "right here". The Prosecutor orders the Sentinels to capture Sonic alive, but Sonic and Tails destroy them handily.

"Guys, you sure picked the wrong Zone to try and take me out! This is the Emerald Hill Zone... this is the place I learned to use my sonic speed! In other word, I run this Zone!"

When Sonic destroys the last of the Sentinels by crushing them with a palm tree, the Prosecutor admits he underestimated the hedgehog. However, there is still one last Sentinel to defeat, and the Prosecutor pushes a button on his Drakon Sword to summon it. It rises out of the water behind them, ten times the size of the other Sentinels... the Master Sentinel!

On Flickies' Island, Ko-Dorr exults at Sonic's impending capture... and even Robotnik and Grimer don't look so sure about Sonic's chances anymore...

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Emperor Ko-Dorr
 * Grimer
 * Prosecutor
 * Kintobor Computer
 * Sentinels
 * Master Sentinel
 * Flickies (one purple, one blue)

Continuity

 * Sonic and Tails previously encountered Emperor Ko-Dorr and the Drakon Empire in "The Evil Empire", from Sonic the Comic #108 to #111.
 * The Chaos Emeralds have been on the Floating Island since Sonic the Comic #36, "Power of the Chaos Emeralds, Part 2". The Drakon Empire will invade the Floating Island looking for the Chaos Emeralds in Sonic the Comic #123, "Order & Chaos, Part 1".
 * Robotnik reveals he has a plan to take the Chaos Emeralds for himself. This plan is put into operation (without the reader's knowledge) in Sonic the Comic #118, "Best of Enemies, Part 3", but the details of the plan are not revealed until Sonic the Comic #125, "Order & Chaos, Part 3", in which Robotnik finally succeeds in obtaining them.
 * The Master Sentinel is the same size as the first Sentinel that Sonic ever encountered, back in Sonic the Comic #29, "The Sentinel".

Super Sonic - "Hunter & The Hunted, Part 2"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching
 * Art: Nigel Dobbyn
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
In The Groovy Train coffee bar in the Metropolis Zone, Bio-Hazard is on a mission to find Super Sonic. However, he causes such a panic by smashing up tables that the bar's owners, Ebony and Pyjamas, can't hear what he's saying over the yelling. Despite that, Ebony tells Pyjamas to take their new friend - an amnesiac Super Sonic - into the back room while she fights Bio-Hazard. Pyjamas objects because of the evil energy she senses in him, but soon agrees. Unfortunately, Ebony's magic proves useless against Bio-Hazard: the Golden Rays of Adezza just bounce off him. She realises that magic works mainly on the mind, so Bio-Hazard's "immunity" is really because he's "seriously thick". Using this knowledge, Ebony conjures up images of Super Sonic to distract him while Ebony, Pyjamas and the real Super Sonic escape. Thankfully, Bio-Hazard is completely fooled!

Meanwhile, in the Special Zone, Lord Sidewinder, Lightmare and Mr Fry monitor progress via a computer signal. They can see that Bio-Hazard is just a few feet from Super Sonic, but Sidewinder doesn't understand why Bio-Hazard hasn't grabbed him and teleported back. Mr Fry suggests that Bio-Hazard may have "lost his cool" and started spraying toxic waste around, despite Sidewinder's orders to bring Super Sonic back unharmed. Lightmare assures Sidewinder that even Bio-Hazard isn't that stupid...

...However, it turns out that Bio-Hazard is that stupid, and that's exactly what he's doing. He accuses the copies of Super Sonic of laughing at him and attacks them with his toxic chemicals, but of course the chemicals just pass straight through the silent images.

In Ebony's office, Super Sonic offers to give himself up, since he's the one that Bio-Hazard wants. Pyjamas agrees, but Ebony says that the matter is now personal since Bio-Hazard is smashing up her place. She suggests that Pyjamas uses a mind-link on Super Sonic to unlock his memory. Despite more protests, Pyjamas enters Super Sonic's mind... just as Bio-Hazard realises he's been tricked, and that Super Sonic is hiding just behind that door!

Appearances

 * Super Sonic
 * Ebony
 * Pyjamas
 * Bio-Hazard
 * Lord Sidewinder
 * Lightmare
 * Mr Fry
 * Groovy Train patrons

Continuity

 * Ebony previously used her magic powers in "Roots" from Sonic the Comic #94 to #96.
 * Bio-Hazard first demonstrated his ability to spew toxic chemicals in Sonic the Comic #86, "Heroes & Villains, Part 3". The danger it posed was revealed in Sonic the Comic #88, "The Ultimate Nightmare", when he accidentally used it on Sidewinder.
 * Super Sonic lost his memory (and his powers) in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory". He will finally get his memory (but not his powers) back in Sonic the Comic #118, "Hunter & The Hunted, Part 3".

Double Sonic - "Hot Legs"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Mick McMahon
 * Lettering: Elitta Fell

Synopsis
The residents of the Emerald Hill Zone prepare to burn effigies of Doctor Robotnik on a public bonfire while Sonic and Tails look on. While a couple of participants argue about who has the ugliest Robotnik, one resident in a bowler hat reveals that there is a new effigy that beats the lot: a gigantic wooden statue of Robotnik from an "anonymous overseas benefactor"... Doctor Robotnik!

Watching by cameras far away, Robotnik has Grimer open up his "gift" of a statue, releasing the horde of badniks within. Sonic and Tails destroy several, but there are too many. Suddenly, Sonic gets an idea. He leaves Tails to fight the badniks, then runs at super speed around the gigantic Robotnik statue. The friction causes the statue to catch on fire and burn down. Just in time, Tails lures the badniks under the statue, which falls on top of them.

Robotnik and Grimer are not happy that their attack failed, but the bonfire is a great success.

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Grimer
 * Emerald Hill Folk:
 * Dog in bowler hat
 * Raccoon
 * Rabbit
 * Female cat in striped shirt
 * Various others
 * Badniks

Trivia

 * The public bonfire in which effigies of Robotnik are burned is a reference to the British holiday of Guy Fawkes Night, also called Bonfire Night, which is celebrated on 5 November each year. On this night, effigies of Guy Fawkes are burned on bonfires around the country.

Sonic's World: Amy & Tekno - "High in the Sky"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * B & W Art: Carl Flint
 * Colour: John M Burns
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
Nerdy Norris Wimple has taken up UFO-spotting, although often the UFOs he sees turn out to be specks of dust on his binoculars. However, when Norris really does see something, he snaps a picture with his camera and immediately tells the press (although he can't give them proof because he hasn't processed the film yet). However, agents of Doctor Robotnik Appreciation Tribe (D.R.A.T.) see the broadcast and believe that the "UFO snapshot" could be one of Doctor Robotnik's new secret weapons. They resolve to stop the picture being developed, whatever it takes.

As Norris is walking into town to get the film developed, D.R.A.T. members drive up in a van and kidnap him. They are spotted by Amy and Tekno. The Grand Chief Whip sends a group of 6 miniature robotic flying saucers to attack them. Amy shoots some with her crossbow as Tekno realises that they all follow the one at the front. She uses a nearby fishing net to catch it, then reprogrammes it to attack the D.R.A.T. van instead.

D.R.A.T. are defeated and Norris is rescued, but when he goes to get his film developed it is revealed that it's not of a new secret weapon or a UFO: it's actually a picture of Tails, who thinks it's quite a good likeness!

Appearances

 * Amy Rose
 * Tekno the Canary
 * Norris Wimple
 * Weasel reporter
 * D.R.A.T.:
 * Grand Chief Whip
 * Bulldog
 * Two pigs
 * Miles "Tails" Prower

Continuity

 * Amy and Tekno previously rescued Norris Wimple from a badnik attack (again caused by his geeky hobbies) in Sonic the Comic #108, "Spot of Bother".
 * Amy and Tekno previously fought D.R.A.T. (including the Grand Chief Whip) in Sonic the Comic #103, "Crawling from the Wreckage".

Trivia

 * The Golden Nose of Robotnik, the Grand Chief Whip's badge of office, is seen hanging on the wall of the D.R.A.T. headquarters in this story, but he does not wear it around his neck.
 * Amy wears a T-shirt with a crown on it.
 * As Norris is walking to get his pictures developed, he is about to step in dog poo in the middle of the road. Two panels later, some of the poo can be seen on the under-side of his shoe.
 * The D.R.A.T. van has the words "CLEAN ME" written on the back in the grime.

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * STC Pin-Up - Astral Amy and Tekno. B & W art by Roberto Corona, colouring by John M Burns. From Sonic the Comic #114, "Earthbound, Part 1".
 * Speedlines
 * Alien Nation (Graphic Zone)