Sonic the Comic Issue 63


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

Sonic the Hedgehog - "Project Brutus, Part 1"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Richard Elson
 * Lettering: Ellie de'Ville

Synopsis
Doctor Robotnik, dictator of Mobius, engages in a "high-power think session" (that is, hurling rotten fruit and eggs at a poster of Sonic the Hedgehog). Grimer appears, saying that Project Brutus is almost complete, requiring only one final ingredient: a copy of Robotnik's own brain patterns! Using the brain scanner, Robotnik transfers his mind into Brutus, the Ultimate Trooper, whom Robotnik immediately appoints as his second-in-command! With Robotnik's personality and a computer brain, Brutus is confident he is fit to exterminate Sonic the Hedgehog!

The Freedom Fighters (Sonic, Johnny Lightfoot and Amy Rose) arrive in the Pleasant Zone, disguised as Bob Beaky's Travelling Circus. Sonic goes for a run, but is spotted by one of Robotnik's spies (a rat). The spy reports back to Citadel Robotnik, but before Receptionik can inform Doctor Robotnik, Commander Brutus insists that he will deal with the problem.

A Troop ship lands in the Pleasant Zone, containing Commander Brutus and an army of Troopers. They demand the hedgehog, and Sonic immediately presents himself. The Freedom Fighters do well against the Troopers, but not against Brutus himself, who counters Sonic's attack with a flick of the wrist. He's much stronger than the other Troopers, and claims to be unbeatable! Sonic scoffs that no robot is unbeatable. Before Sonic can even finish his banter, Brutus orders his Troopers to fire!

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Porker Lewis
 * Amy Rose
 * Johnny Lightfoot
 * Emperor Metallix
 * Metallix

Continuity

 * Neither Porker Lewis nor Miles "Tails" Prower appear in this issue. Porker was trapped on the Miracle Planet in another dimension in Sonic the Comic #62, "The Brotherood of Metallix, Part 4", and will not be seen again until Sonic the Comic #68, "The Return of Chaotix, Part 2". Tails is taking part on an adventure with Knuckles the Echidna in the Nameless Zone, as seen in "The Revenge of Trogg" (Sonic the Comic #59 to #64).
 * The Freedom Fighters last visited the Pleasant Zone in Sonic the Comic #40, "The Frozen Zone".

Ecco the Dolphin - "Return of Ecco the Dolphin, Part 4"
The Asterite has given Ecco the power to swim through space, to the Vortex gate in orbit over Earth. He now possesses so much knowledge of the Vortex that he can scarcely remember his own language, but he remembers that he must appear to be merely another sea creature. He is sucked through the gate, and deposited in a strange red-coloured sea, where the water is thick like oil. With his sonar he locates a fellow dolphin, to whom he explains everything. He knows where they have been taken, and has a plan to get home.
 * Script: Alan McKenzie
 * Art: Steve White
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

The other dolphin, able to speak much better than the empowered Ecco, gathers the dolphins and all the captured sea creatures and tells them to prepare for the journey home. When everyone is gathered together, Ecco sends a telepathic message to the Asterite back on Earth: they are ready!

Knuckles and Tails - "The Revenge of Trogg, Part 5"

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

Synopsis
In an attempt to rescue the Enchanter Kings from Trogg, Knuckles, Tails and Morain Blackthorn have been trapped in a forcefield by the demonic being known as the Dark One, which was summoned from the Dark Orb. They can only watch as the Dark One transforms the two Enchanter Kings into evil monsters just like Trogg, in which form they will help Trogg conquer the entire Nameless Zone.

However, with the Dark One's energies totally focussed on the transformation, the force field disappears and releases the three heroes. Knuckles gets an idea, and while everyone is distracted, they steal the Dark Orb and escape. They plan to take it back to the Nameless Zone, and there find a way of using it to force the Dark One to restore their friends. However, Trogg, the Dark One and the transformed Enchanter Kings catch up to them at the Dimension Bridge. With no time left and no hope of defeating the Dark One, Knuckles tells Tails to throw the Dark Orb over the side, which he does. Morain explains that the Dimension Bridge spans "non-existent space", and that anything falling from it will cease to exist. The Dark Orb vanishes, sucking the Dark One itself down with it, destroying the demon completely!

The Enchanter Kings begin to revert back to their original, vulpine selves. Unfortunately, when they turn to Trogg, he is still as evil and twisted as ever. Even worse, he is now so furious that he plans to destroy them all!

Appearances

 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Morain Blackthorn
 * Trogg
 * Dark One
 * Enchanter Kings

Continuity

 * The Enchanter Kings refer to Trogg's previous existence as Shirob, the third Enchanter King. This was previously mentioned in Sonic the Comic #21, "The Land Beyond, Part 4", and foreshadows Shirob's restoration in Sonic the Comic #64, "The Revenge of Trogg, Part 6".

Sonic's World - "Cybernik Strikes Back, Part 1"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Carl Flint & John Burns
 * Lettering: Elitta Fell

Synopsis
Troopers herd a chain gang of animals to be made into the organic batteries of badniks. Suddenly, they are attacked by the Cybernik, Shortfuse, who destroys them all with little effort. Even when one self-destructs, intending to take Shortfuse with it, the Cybernik remains completely unharmed.

One of the prisoners, a green canary, asks why the Troopers called Cybernik a "traitor". He explains his backstory - that he was once Shorty the Squirrel, until turned into Robotnik's ultimate badnik, but that he retained his free will and now fights Robotnik's evil plans. He reveals that he is connected to the circuitry of his armour, and hence trapped as the Cybernik for the rest of his life. The prisoner says she is an engineer, and offers to help him. In fact, the Cybernik already knows who she is, even that her name is Tekno, and tis is why he freed her. He needs her help, not to get out of the armour, but to build a bomb to destroy Robotnik's factory in the Chemical Plant Zone!

At Citadel Robotnik, Robotnik himself is furious that the Cybernik has interfered with his plans again. Grimer suggests using the shape-shifter, Metamorphia, and Robotnik agrees. Metamorphia promises to destroy the Cybernik utterly!

Appearances

 * Shortfuse the Cybernik
 * Tekno the Canary
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Grimer
 * Metamorphia
 * Troopers
 * Prisoners:
 * A yellow duck
 * A bear
 * A rabbit
 * Others

Continuity

 * Shortfuse recounts his backstory, from "Enter the Cybernik", Sonic the Comic #45 to #47.
 * Metamorphia last appeared in Sonic the Comic #52, "Face from the Past, Part 2".

Trivia

 * One of the Troopers has symbols on his gun barrel, of three animal heads that have been crossed out. The suggestion is that these are three Mobians that the Trooper has killed.
 * The name "Shortfuse" is not used in this issue. Instead, the character is referred to simply as "Cybernik", but mentions that he was once Shorty the Squirrel.

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Ghoulish Graphic Zone
 * STC Pin-Up! - Chaotix: Vector the Crocodile!
 * Q&A Zone
 * Speedlines