Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 10

Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 10 is the tenth issue of the Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series published by Archie Comics.

Revenge of the Nerbs

 * While attempting to steal power from Robotropolis, the Freedom Fighters are caught in an electric force field. And before the Swatbot Armada can come to claim their prize, the Freedom Fighters escape through a hole in the ground dug for them by a Nerb, part of an underground-dewlling nasty acting, ungrateful race of underground nerds. The King Nerbs maintains that contact with surface-dwellers is bad news, but their air vents and water supply are being threatened by construction activity above ground. The Freedom Fighters, now disgusted head towards the surface and discovers one of the old Mobian sewer pipes and come to find Robotnik doing some excavating to build an new underground installation and three Nerb prisoners!

Part One
On this mission, the Freedom Fighters attempted to locate one of Dr. Robotnik's power cables in order to steal power for Freedom HQ. Following Sonic the Hedgehog's reckless but thorough detonation of several land mines, they succeeded in locating two cables. However, one of them turned out to be booby-trapped, leaving them imprisoned inside a giant force field dome with an army of SWATbots closing in. Quite suddenly, a Nerb emerged from a tunnel directly beneath them and behaves quite rudely. Ignoring his manners, they used the tunnel to escape the force field, following the tunnel to the city of Nerberhood. Despite their best efforts, the ruler of the Nerbs proved as rude as his subjects and refusing to provide them with any help. Additionally, he blamed the Freedom Fighters for disrupting the city's water and air supplies with underground construction, which in truth was the fault of Dr. Robotnik. Forced to leave, they found their way to the Mobius Sewer System, which Sonic opened. Hearing a loud noise, he sped off to investigate.

Part Two
Upon reaching the source of the noise, Sonic discovered Robotnik operating a massive digging robot in the center of a large construction project, as well as three captured Nerbs. After tricking Robotnik into destroying the force field holding them prisoner, Sonic sped the three to the other Freedom Fighters and asked them to get the three to safety and seal the sewer entrance. He then raced to a door holding back the Mobius River, opened it, and let the river flood the sewer. Racing to avoid it, he tunneled his way to the surface and created a small geyser, while the rest of the river went into lifting the entire city of Robotropolis. Afterwards, another geyser sent Robotnik and his wrecked digging robot flying. The Nerbs thanked the heroes for saving them by making them honorary Nerbs–an honor the heroes would rather have refused.

Twan With the Wind
On their way to the annual Freedom Fighters Picnic, the Freedom Fighters employed Antoine's hot-air balloon, which he claimed as a souvenir from his days as head of the King of Mobius' Head of Balloons. Unfortunately, they were spotted by a pair of Buzzbombers, who quickly brought the balloon down. The other Freedom Fighters were quick to declare the balloon's uselessness in the face of Robotnik's threat, which Antoine was quick to deny. Meanwhile, back in Robotropolis, the two Buzzbombers reported to Robotnik, who learned from Snively that the Freedom Fighters were holding their picnic.

While the other Freedom Fighters set about with the picnic, Antoine brooded, but after a talk with Tails, Antoine became determined to repair the balloon. The Buzzbombers soon returned, accompanied by Robotnik and a horde of SWATbots. Luckily, Antoine returned with the repaired balloon, and was able to thwart the Buzzbombers by tossing mud on them and made them unable to fly. He then dropped explosives on Robotnik's forces and sent them running before air-lifting Robotnik to the nearest lake and dropping him in. Afterwards, the Freedom Fighters headed for home, their damaged hot air burner easily replaced by a boastful Antoine's embellished account of his victory.

Key Events

 * The Knothole Freedom Fighters encounter the Nerbs for the first and only time.

Trivia

 * During Sonic's trek through the sewers, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles make a cameo in the background of one panel, commenting that they're in the wrong comic book. (Fittingly, Archie had also been publishing a comic based on the Ninja Turtles license at the time.)
 * This was the first issue Art Mawhinney penciled for the comics.
 * Revenge of the Nerbs is a reference to the Revenge of the Nerds film series.