Sonic the Comic Issue 124


 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Designer: Gary Knight
 * Production: Sarah Colley
 * Managing Editor: Steve MacManus
 * Marketing Manager: Douglas Pocock
 * Product Buyer: Jane Ballard
 * Advertising: Stephen Goldsmith

Sonic - "Order & Chaos, Part 2"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching
 * B & w art: Richard Elson
 * Colour: Nigel Kitching
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
On Drak, home of the Drakon Empire, Emperor Ko-Dorr of the House of War receives a communication from Grimer on the Floating Island. Grimer reports that everything has gone according to plan, and that they will soon take the Chaos Emeralds. Ko-Dorr is pleased, as the Emeralds will give him power to rule the galaxy.

In the Emerald Chamber, the Drakon Prosecutor with Grimer demands to know what the delay is. Sonic (who has been captured and is held in chains by two Sentinels) points out that, if the Drakons take the Emeralds, then the Island will fall out of the sky. Grimer is confident that enough power will remain in the systems to support the Island for a couple of hours, long enough for the Drakons to escape, and the Sentinels begin transferring the Emeralds into a special device designed to carry them. Suddenly, the Floating Island's Guardian Robots burst into the Chamber and attack the Sentinels. Taking advantage of the distraction, Sonic uses his super speed to break free of his chains and escape. He quickly develops a plan that won't involve him getting in another "dumb fight" with the Sentinels.

While the Guardian Robots and the Sentinels fight, Grimer and the Prosecutor finish loading the Chaos Emeralds into the container. But just as Grimer says it is time to go, he feels a draught and turns to find that the Master Emerald has been taken... by Sonic! Sonic zooms away through the corridor, trying to figure out how to get the Emeralds back in place before the Island crashes. While thinking, he crashes at full speed into Tails, who has just managed to land the plane miles away. Suddenly, their reunion is interrupted by a bright flash of light...

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Grimer
 * Guardian Robots
 * Drakon Prosecutor (purple)
 * Sentinels
 * Miles "Tails" Prower

Continuity

 * Emperor Ko-Dorr revealed his interest in using the Chaos Emeralds to rule the galaxy in "Best of Enemies" from Sonic the Comic #116 to #118. That invasion was also an attempt to find out the location of the Chaos Emeralds.
 * Sonic and Grimer reveal that the Floating Island can stay afloat for only a few hours without the Chaos Emeralds and will eventually crash into the planet below. The Master Emerald was previously stolen in Sonic the Comic #49, "Count Down to Disaster, Part 1", and the Island indeed retained enough power to remain in the sky until the Emerald was restored in Sonic the Comic #53, "Disaster! Part 3".
 * Sonic mentions that Grimer was better off working for Doctor Robotnik. He turned against Robotnik to join the Drakon Empire in Sonic the Comic #118, "Best of Enemies, Part 3", but it is revealed in Sonic the Comic #125, "Order & Chaos, Part 3", that Grimer is still loyal to Robotnik and the defection is all part of Robotnik's plan to take the Chaos Emeralds for himself.
 * Tails returns from landing the plane. Sonic and Tails arrived on the Floating Island by plane in the previous issue, "Order & Chaos, Part 1".
 * The bright light at the end of the issue is the Omni-Viewer teleporting Knuckles back to the Floating Island. He has been in the Special Zone since Sonic the Comic #121, "On the Run, Part 1". His return follows the culmination of his adventure in the Knuckles story this issue, and is revealed in Sonic the Comic #125, "Order & Chaos, Part 3".

Knuckles - "On the Run, Part 4"

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

Synopsis
In a New Tek City Police Station in the Special Zone, Lieutenant Furor orders the criminal Hammerhead to stop yelling, while Knuckles, Porker Lewis, Mighty and Espio look on. Hammerhead rants that his argument is with Oscar the Pig (i.e. Porker Lewis), and Furor has Hammerhead taken to the cells to cool off. Just then, Vector and Charmy Bee arrive, and a fed up Furor decides to let them in. "We might as well have the whole Chaotix Crew in on the act!"

Knuckles convinces Furor to let Porker Lewis tell his story in his own words. Knuckles has known Porker for years, and the pig was an important part in Sonic's victory over Robotnik, so Knuckles can't believe he used to be a criminal working for Hammerhead. Sadly, Porker says that it is true. Porker was originally known as Oscar the Pig. After "Oscar" earned his university degree, Hammerhead was his first employer (before anyone knew Hammerhead was a criminal). Hammerhead told him his research would help to produce a new, clean, cheap and safe energy supply, but he came to realise that the energy he was creating was too unstable to be used domestically. One night, he snuck into Hammerhead's office, looked through his files and discovered he was helping to create a massive bomb, the most powerful one ever seen. "Oscar" burned all evidence of his work and, when Hammerhead was revealed as a master criminal, the shark made sure everyone knew "Oscar" was his right-hand man. Fortunately, Porker managed to flee to Mobius.

When the story is over, Furor calls O'Brien into his office. Vector tells Porker that Furor will have to follow official procedure, although this could take months and Porker could end up in prison. Everyone is surprised when Furor berates O'Brien for bringing in the wrong pig. "This is Oscar the Pig," says Furor, pulling up an image on his handheld computer, "he's nothing like the guy I have sitting here!" O'Brien is confused and tries to point out that the two look identical, but Furor interrupts him. "You're never going to get that promotion arguing with me, boy!"

O'Brien asks if they should keep looking for Oscar, but Furor says not to bother. "We're never going to see Oscar the Pig in the Special Zone again, are we Porker?" Porker guarantees it! Vector tells Lieutenant Furor that he's amazed, but Furor isn't interested and kicks them all out of his office, so he can take care of important police business.

Appearances

 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Porker Lewis
 * Chaotix:
 * Vector the Crocodile
 * Espio the Chameleon
 * Mighty the Armadillo
 * Charmy Bee
 * Hammerhead
 * New Tek City police officers
 * Lieutenant Furor
 * Officer O'Brien
 * Chimp
 * Horse
 * Gerbil
 * Scientists in flashback

Continuity

 * Following this story, but before Sonic the Comic #125, "Order & Chaos, Part 3", the Omni-Viewer transports Knuckles and Porker back to Mobius. Porker is dropped off in the Emerald Hill Zone and Knuckles is taken to the Floating Island.

Double Sonic - "Fan Friction"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Mick McMahon
 * Lettering: Ellie de'Ville

Synopsis
Sonic us holding an autograph session in the Metropolis Zone, and huge crowds have turned out to meet him. However, when he gets restless he tries to sign the autographs at super-speed, leading the paper to catch fire. This presents an opportunity for one member of the crowd to enact his plan. This "fan" gives Sonic a special pen and pad that he claims will not catch fire, but when Sonic tries to use them they spring a trap and encase him in an energy bubble. Worse, anyone who touches the sphere gets an energy blast too. The "fan" laughs triumphantly and introduces himself as Ryan Baggit, who has added Sonic to his collection to be used as a paperweight.

Just then, Ryan is interrupted by another nerd, Norris Wimple, Baggit's main rival. Norris challenges Baggit to a trivia quiz, which Baggit is forced to accept. However, Baggit proves more than a match for Norris, who loses when he cannot recall how Sonic defeated the Master Sentinel. But just as Baggit is celebrating his victory, Sonic decides to take matters into his own hands. He rolls the energy bubble towards Baggit, who cuts the power so that he won't be hurt by the energy blast. This frees Sonic, who knocks out Baggit with a Spin Attack.

Everything is sorted out. Suddenly, people want Norris Wimple's autograph too because he helped Sonic. Even Ryan Baggit is honoured to have been defeated by one of Sonic's Super-Spin Attacks. For once, Sonic is speechless.

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Ryan Baggit
 * Norris Wimple
 * Metropolis Zone citizens:
 * Woodpecker
 * Dogs
 * Dalmatian
 * Rabbits
 * Cats
 * Deer
 * Mice
 * Frog
 * Ape
 * Bull
 * Elephant
 * Many others

Continuity

 * Norris Wimple previously appeared in Sonic the Comic #117, "High in the Sky".
 * During Norris Wimple and Ryan Baggit's trivia quiz, they refer to several previous STC stories. Questions include:
 * the species of Fleabyte the Bounty Hunter, who first appeared in Sonic the Comic #73, "Fox on the Run, Part 1". (He was a bionic cat.)
 * the colour of the cloak worn by Commander Brutus, who first appeared in Sonic the Comic #63, "Project Brutus, Part 1". (It was red.)
 * the name of Ebony's best friend, who first appeared in Sonic the Comic #94, "Roots, Part 1". (Her name was Pyjamas.)
 * the method that Sonic used to defeat the Master Sentinel in Sonic the Comic #118, "Best of Enemies, Part 3". (He pulled out its mechanics.)

Trivia

 * While celebrating his victory, Ryan Baggit says "Somebody stop me!" This is a reference to the movie The Mask, in which the title character uses the line in the same context.

Sonic's World: Amy & Tekno - "The Lump"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * B & w art: Carl Flint
 * Colouring: Steve White
 * Lettering: Gordon Robson

Synopsis
Amy and Tekno the Canary answer a distress call from the Timber Village Zone, which is being terrorised by a monster. But rather than being any of the usual sorts, this monster is a giant Lump, with a body composed of a springy material with the consistency of sponge. When Amy punches the roaring monster as it walks into town, she is flung backwards. However, she thinks the monster's roaring might be a form of communication. Tekno quickly uses her translator-scan device (on "Monster" mode) and uses it on the Lump, so that he suddenly gains the ability to speak normally instead of roaring.

The Lump explains he wasn't attacking the town, but rather popped in to do shopping, but everyone got scared of his appearance. He was a failed experiment of Doctor Robotnik's, and much prefers handicrafts and pressing flowers to destroying things. Unfortunately, before the girls can explain to the townspeople, they form a mob and chase the Lump away. They chase the Lump onto a rope bridge, which snaps under their weight. Amy and Tekno catch two of the civilians, but the Lump and two others (including the Zone Leader) plummet to the bottom of a chasm. The Lump lands first, uninjured, and uses his soft springy body to save the others. Realising that he is not really a monster, they decide to give him a proper name instead of an insulting nickname. The Lump says he wants to be called "Keanu". The Zone Leader welcomes Keanu to their community (joking, a little insensitively, that he can be a bouncy castle if nothing else). Tekno and Amy leave, hoping that the villagers will accept Keanu as an equal from now on.

Appearances

 * Amy Rose
 * Tekno the Canary
 * Lump (aka Keanu)
 * Timber Village Zone residents:
 * Zone Leader (monocled boar)
 * Goat
 * Bear with red waistcoat
 * Dog with green hat
 * Bear wife in black dress and white apron
 * Young bear girl in pink dress
 * Others

Trivia

 * Carl Flint identified this story as being enjoyable to draw.
 * In the first panel of this story, the clouds over the Timber Village Zone resemble the Lump.

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Pin-Up - Chaotix Crew Member: Charmee Bee [sic]. Presented with STC. Art: Mick McMahon.
 * Speedlines
 * Graphic Zone - Chaotix Zone