Sonic the Comic Issue 110


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

Sonic the Hedgehog - "The Evil Empire, Part 3"

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

Synopsis
It is time for the accused, Sonic the Hedgehog, to enter the arena of judgement to face his trial by combat. Tails watches from a nearby hiding spot, desperately searching for a way to help, but unable to find one.

Sonic enters the arena. The Emperor and Doctor Robotnik are in a gallery in the auditorium. The Emperor again announces that Sonic is charged with crimes against the Drakon Empire and asks how he pleads, to which Sonic replies "Oh, get on with it!" The Emperor takes that as a 'not guilty', much to Robotnik's delight. Sonic takes the opportunity to tell Robotnik that he'll never take control of Mobius again, as the people are ready for him, but Robotnik says otherwise: he now has the support of the Drakon Empire, and nothing can top him! The Emperor agrees, but reminds Robotnik that they have a bargain, and Robotnik will one day be expected to hold up his side of the agreement! "O...of course, Emperor!"

The Emperor summons the Prosecutor, who is revealed to be the Knuckles Metallix! This was, naturally, Robotnik's idea. Sonic asks what kind of society believes there's any justice in trial by combat, only for the Emperor to tell him "A strong society!" A Sentinel hands Sonic a weapon for the trial, which then begins. Sonic initially puts on a good show, deftly using the Drakon weapon and knocking Metallix to the ground. But things quickly turn against him as he approaches the fallen robot, which emits a death ray from its chest. Sonic only manages to survive by attempting to dodge at the last moment - even as it is, he is badly hurt. Fortunately, Sonic is back on his feet just as Metallix tries to deliver the finishing blow. The trial isn't over yet!

Outside the arena, massive public screens broadcast the trial to the Drakon citizens. Tails hides in the crowd, disguised with some robes he has acquired. To his surprise, the citizens actually seem to think that trial by combat is a fair system - they think that Sonic may be innocent when he fights back, and that the verdict may be guilty when the Prosecutor "presses his case" (with his fists). Tails doesn't think Sonic can take much more of a beating - he has to do something! But how?

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Emperor Ko-Dorr
 * Knuckles Metallix
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Sentinels
 * Grimer
 * Drakon Prosecutor
 * Citizens of the Drakon Empire

Continuity

 * Sonic was sentence to trial in Sonic the Comic #109, "The Evil Empire, Part 2".

Trivia

 * The arena resembles a Roman amphitheatre.

Tails - "The Unbrushables"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Nigel Dobbyn
 * Lettering: Ellie de'Ville

Synopsis
Tails visits the Casino Night Zone for some rest and relaxation, only to find out the a Mob working for Max Gamble have been shaking down residents for protection money, and trashing the properties of anyone who can't pay.

In Max Gamble's penthouse, the Mob brings Gamble their takings. The man they were shaking down had no money, so they took everything he owned. They tip the take onto the floor of the apartment. It includes: an alarm clock, a TV, a video recorder, a teddy bear, a candle, a toothbrush, some dentures and a radio. Gamble is furious! He wants cash, do orders his Mob back out to put the squeeze on people.

Meanwhile, Tails rallies the local citizens, convincing them that they can't let themselves be bullied any more. When the Mob shows up, Tails and the citizens beat them by using a high-powered hose from a street cleaner. Then Tails flies to Gamble's apartment for a showdown with Gamble himself.

As Tails gets to the penthouse, he sees through the window that Max Gamble is communicating with Doctor Robotnik. Tails sneaks in and films Gamble using the video recorder that the Mob stole earlier. Gamble plans to pay over his protection money to Robotnik, who will use it to finance a new army of Troopers. In return, Gamble will be rewarded when Robotnik returns to power.

Once Robotnik has signed off, Tails reveals himself to Gamble, only to be captured by the timely arrival of the Mob (still soaking wet). Tails convinces them to watch the tape before they do anything drastic. They are angry with Gamble for tricking them, as they don't want Robotnik back in power for fear of being turned into badniks. The Mob forces Gamble to return all of the money he stole. Furthermore, the Mob are no longer a threat to regular citizens, as the people have learned to stand up to them (and the Mob seems to have developed a fear of water).

Appearances

 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Max Gamble
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Mob:
 * Gorilla in a pinstripe suit and bowler hat
 * Rat in a yellow suit and wide-brimmed hat
 * Pig in a red suit and black cloth hat
 * Others
 * Casino Night Zone residents:
 * Destitute grey dog
 * Tusked pig in a leather jacket
 * Elephant with a sleeveless top and heart-shaped tattoo
 * Many others

Continuity

 * Tails last visited the Casino Night Zone (and came up against Max Gamble) in Sonic the Comic #96, "Furtual Reality".

Trivia

 * The name of this story is derived from the Untouchables, a group of prohibition-era law-enforcement agents who opposed gangster Al Capone.
 * The story is narrated in first person by Tails, in the style of film noir and hardboiled fiction.
 * The first line of the story, by Tails, is "The name's Prower. Miles Prower." This is a reference to the typical introduction of James Bond.
 * In the first panel, a patron of the Casino Night Zone is seen holding a balloon shaped like Doctor Robotnik.
 * In another panel, on the story's third page, a balloon is seen that is shaped like Phoney Bone from the comic series Bone.

Decap Attack - "The Tooth"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching & Richard Raynor
 * Art: Mick McMahon
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

District dentist Nerys H. Aboristwith arrives at Castle Frank N Stein. She bursts in to find Chuck in the castle's main room, and demands that he "SIT DOWN! OPEN WIDE! THIS WON'T HURT A BIT!" Although once he is sitting down she admits that it actually hurts a lot. She yanks out one of his teeth with a huge set of pliars, then pulls out a pneumatic drill to set the filling. Before Chuck can say anything, she's hammered away at the tooth, then slapped a pile of cement onto a tray for her to use as filling. Chuck tries to run away, but she tackles him to the ground and pours the cement into his mouth... at which point she pauses to inform the reader that real dentists aren't like this at all.

Just then, the Prof walks in, dressed on a nightshirt, demanding to know what the commotion is. Nerys, in turn, asks who he is, and he tells her that he is the "famous" Professor Frank N Stein. Nerys says she thought the castle was old Lord Wobblebury's place, only for the Prof to tell her that he lives in the next valley. At this, Nerys quickly packs up and leaves, leaving Chuck with a mouthful of cement. Once she's gone, Head wakes up, complaining of a terrible toothache!

Trivia

 * The dentist, Nerys Aboristwith, is named after the Welsh city Aberystwyth.

Amy - "Star Struck, Part 2"

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

Synopsis
After saving chart-topping pop singer Fabian Vane from danger, Amy and Tekno have been hired as his bodyguards. As Fabian goes on a TV show hosted by Chloe to promote his new release, Amy and Tekno stand backstage. Neither of them is happy about working for such a poseur, but they did promise to protect him from fans who go over the top. Just then, Fabian receives a call from just such a "fan" on the show's live phone-in. The caller, Bruiser Magoon, says he wants to "pull [Vane's] head off!"

Tekno uses a device to track the call, and she and Amy quickly run off to find the culprit while Fabian skips the phone-in and performs a song. Amy and Tekno trace the call to a building, where they spot the same large warthog who attacked Vane at the concert previously. Determined not to be stopped by two girls, Bruise Magoon charges at them... only to get his head stuck in a wrought iron fence when they jump out of the way. Amy asks him why he wants to hurt Fabian Vane is he's such a big fan, and Bruise Magoon explains that he's not a fan. In fact, before Amy and Tekno got the job, he was Vane's bodyguard!

Back at the studio, Fabian is performing a typically self-important song when a group of people burst in. He calls for Amy and Tekno to keep these "fans" back while he escapes, but they're not going to help him any more and actually stop him from leaving. Bruiser Magoon told them that these people are only after him because he owes them a lot of money - among the irate crowd is his songwriter, the man who built his platform shoes, his wig-maker and his plastic surgeon. Grudgingly, Fabian Vane pays them everything he owes, leaving him poor. He's confident that his status as a superstar means that fans will still buy his records... until Chloe says that he's been replaced as the hot favourite with a new star named Peter Android! That's showbusiness!

Months later, Vane is brought down to performing DJ duties at children's parties. And he's no better at that than he was at singing...

Appearances

 * Amy Rose
 * Tekno the Canary
 * Fabian Vane
 * Chloe
 * Bruiser Magoon
 * Peter Android
 * Fabian Vane's "fans":
 * Plastic surgeon (woman in lab coat)
 * Shoe builder
 * Songwriter
 * Others
 * Screaming fans
 * Children at party

Continuity

 * Bruiser Magoon is the same "fan" who attacked Fabian Vane at the concert in the previous issue, "Star Struck, Part 1".

Trivia

 * In this story, Amy wears a T-shirt with the words "Nice Girl" written on it.

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * STC Pin-up! - Elliot from NiGHTS on the Sega Saturn
 * Speedlines
 * On the Ball Zone (Graphic Zone)