Sonic the Comic Issue 89


 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Assistant Editor: Audrey Wong
 * Designer: Gary Knight
 * Production: Sarah Colley
 * Consultant: Richard Burton

Sonic the Hedgehog - "The Tomb, Part 1"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching
 * Art: Nigel Kitching
 * Colouring: Andy Pritchett
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
In the communications room of the Chaotix Crew's satellite headquarters in the Special Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog finally manages to contact the Freedom Fighters in the Metropolis City on Mobius. He relates how Super Sonic was trapped in the Omni-Viewer's energy field, where time was slowed down to a crawl. This means Super Sonic could eventually escape, and Sonic intends to stay in the Special Zone for as long as Super Sonic is still a threat. Amy realises that they'll just have to manage without Sonic's help for a bit longer.

Sonic and Chaotix load the Omni-Viewer (and Super Sonic) onto a transport craft and set off for the Black Asteroid. The Black Asteroid was once the biggest gemstone mine on Mobius, but all that's left now are the tunnels and a single entrace. They intend to take Super Sonic to the centre of the Asteroid and leave him there, then seal up the main tunnel with a Graviton Bomb. They're not sure it will hold Super Sonic, but it's worth a shot.

Suddenly, the craft hits something. Chaotix brush it off as a piece of debris hitting the hull, but in fact it's a miniscule ship piloted by Nack the Weasel, who has shrunk himself to the size of a mouse. He enters the Chaotix craft through an inspection hatch and sneaks to the cockpit. He plans to strand them all within the Black Asteroid and steal Super Sonic for Lord Sidewinder (he personally thinks Sidewinder is mad, but Sidewinder is paying him plenty).

As the ship enters the Black Asteroid, Nack enlarges himself to full size, surprising the ship's other occupants and spraying them with a shrinking capsule - reducing them down to the size of mice instead! But without Vector at the controls, the ship veers into the tunnel wall and crashes. Sonic uses the distraction to zoom away and hide, but Nack manages to catch all the others and trap them in a small globe the size of his fist. Nack starts looking for Sonic, who knows that there must be a way to stop him. "But at this size, what can I do?"

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Chaotix (Sonic the Comic):
 * Vector the Crocodile
 * Charmy Bee
 * Mighty the Armadillo
 * Espio the Chameleon
 * Nack the Weasel
 * Omni-Viewer
 * Super Sonic
 * Freedom Fighters:
 * Amy Rose
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Johnny Lightfoot

Continuity

 * Sonic contacts the Freedom Fighters for the first time since he travelled to the Special Zone in Sonic the Comic #84, "Heroes & Villains, Part 1".
 * Super Sonic was trapped in the Omni-Viewer in Sonic the Comic #86, "Heroes & Villains, Part 3". It was implied in that issue, and subsequently confirmed in Sonic the Comic #88, "The Ultimate Nightmare", that time had not fully stopped within the forcefield, having been merely slowed down. Super Sonic will eventually escape from the Omni-Viewer in Sonic the Comic #97, "Doomsday, Part 1".
 * Amy Rose realises that the Freedom Fighters will have to do without Sonic's help for a bit longer. Sonic will eventually rejoin the team in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory". Until then, the team receives support from Shortfuse the Cybernik (who joins in this issue, "A New Hope") and Tekno the Canary (who joins in Sonic the Comic #91, "Secret Weapon, Part 2").
 * Nack the Weasel was mentioned in the previous issue, "The Ultimate Nightmare". He last appeared in the Knuckles Knock-Out Special, "Traitor of the Lost Pyramid".
 * Nack is familiar with the schematics of Chaotix's craft, since he was himself a member of Chaotix before betraying them in "Total Chaotix" (Sonic the Comic #53 to #58).
 * Nack mentions that he has been hired to steal Super Sonic by Lord Sidewinder, who previously attempted to do this himself in issue 88, "The Ultimate Nightmare".

Knuckles - "The Good, the Bad and the Echidna, Part 2"

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

Synopsis
In the wild frontier town of Backwater, the local Sheriff tosses his Deputy into the dirt outside his office. The Deputy let a mob drag a prisoner from the cells and try to lynch him - he's a disgrace to the Deputy's badge. It looks like he needs a new Deputy, and the first person he asks is Knuckles the Echidna!

Later that day, Rooster flies back to his Apterix herd so that they can get the meat to Metropolis City by the end of the week. The Sheriff tells him that Chito was behind the attempt on his life, and he disappeared after the townsfolk tried to string up Knuckles. He warns Rooster to be careful, in case there is another attempt on his life.

Meanwhile, in Backwater's saloon, Knuckles - in full Deputy's uniform - wanders in, looking for "a slimy rabbit named Chito!" Chito walks up to Knuckles, pulling a gun on the young echidna that Knuckles bats away, sending it flying into a drink across the room. It splashes someone's suit, who throws a punch, and soon the entire saloon has broken out in a brawl! Deciding it is a bit crowded, Knuckles throws Chito out through a window so that they can talk outside.

Chito admits that he tried to kill Rooster on Boss Krouch's orders. But Krouch has left town, in order to kill Rooster himself! "Yeah?" says Knuckles. "Well, we'll just see about that!"

Appearances

 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Sheriff
 * Rooster
 * Chito
 * Deputy Krouch
 * Dog with bulbous nose
 * Beaver barman
 * Saloon patrons

Continuity

 * The Sheriff and Rooster realise that Chito started the stampede from the previous issue, "The Good, the Bad and the Echidna, Part 1", which readers found out in Sonic the Comic #88, "The Good, the Bad and the Echidna, Part 2".

Trivia

 * "The Good, the Bad and the Echidna" is a homage to Western films. (The whole arc of stories in which Knuckles is returning to the Floating Island with the chest happened because artist Nigel Dobbyn mentioned he would like to do genre stories.) There are several specific references to specific Westerns, for example:
 * The title of the story is based on the film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach in the title roles.
 * Rooster is modelled on and named after the character Rooster Cogburn from the films True Grit and Rooster Cogburn. In the films, Cogburn was played by John Wayne, who won his only Oscar for the portrayal.

Decap Attack - "The Pumpkin Chaser"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching & Richard Rayner
 * Art: Nigel Kitching
 * Lettering: Ellie de'Ville

An exterminator has been summoned to Castle Frank N. Stein, where they have "ein grossen problem mit der pumpelkin"... that is, pumpkins. The exterminator, a member of the Transylvanian Pest Controllers named Kevin, exclaims that they have an infestation! The pumpkins have revolted and burrowed their way into the nooks and crannies of the castle! "Is dat usual?" asks the Prof, and Kevin says it is, particularly around Halloween. (Prof has to agree: last year he saw a cow with two heads, eight legs, two bodies and two tails! Igor suggests he may have seen two cows.)

Kevin dashes to the attic, where he is certain the pumpkins will be hiding. Head wonders whether Kevin really knows what he's doing, but Chuck is sure he does. The T.P.C. is a professional outfit - they even have their own theme song!

As Kevin sneaks into the attic, he tells the others to be quiet. "They're cunning vegetables, pumpkins... not like your turnip!" As he looks in further, he asks whether these are the first pumpkins that have gone missing. The Prof says that it's been happening every Halloween for the last ten years... just as Kevin finds a horde of pumpkins, filling the attic to the brim. The angry vegetables stream out of the attic, bombarding the residents of the castle while Kevin runs away. In an effort to keep them at bay, Chuck hurls Head at them, but there's just too many! All seems lost until... Kevin returns, with his patented pumpkin net!

He rounds up all the pumpkins in a flash, loads them into the back of his van and drives off. Once he's gone, Igor and Prof suddenly start screaming! There's one last pumpkin on top of Chuck's shoulders! And that means... Head is being carted off in the pest control van!

Sonic's World - "Future Shock, Part 3"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Roberto Corona
 * Colouring: Andy Pritchett
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
Although Sonic is stuck in the Special Zone, Tails, Amy and Johnny are still on Mobius continuing the struggle against Doctor Robotnik's badniks. However, their current battle doesn't seem to be going very well: Tails is knocked out of the sky by a Bat Brain and then Amy is whisked off by a Balkiry. She is soon out of range of Johnny's javelin throw, and Tails can't fly after his fall. Johnny fears they're just not strong enough without Sonic, as the remaining badniks close in for the kill...

In the air, the Balkiry carrying Amy is blasted out of the sky. Amy falls, only to be caught by Shortfuse the Cybernik. He takes her back to Tails and Johnny, and together the four of them make quick work of the badniks. Amy invites Shortfuse to join the Freedom Fighters, and even though Shortfuse insists that he's a loner, he agrees to help them out while Sonic's away: "for as long as it takes to bring Robotnik down!"

Appearances

 * Amy Rose
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Johnny Lightfoot
 * Shortfuse the Cybernik
 * Badniks:
 * Bat Brain
 * Nebula
 * Burrobot
 * Flasher
 * Caterkiller
 * Balkiry
 * Newtron
 * Motobug

Continuity

 * Sonic the Hedgehog vanished into the Special Zone in Sonic the Comic #84, "Heroes & Villains, Part 1".
 * Shortfuse recaps his origins from "Enter the Cybernik" (Sonic the Comic #45 to #47).
 * Shortfuse joins the Freedom Fighters in this issue. He will remain with the team until Sonic the Comic #97, "Boiling Point".

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Review Zone
 * Fright Zone (Graphics Zone)
 * Q Zone
 * Speedlines
 * STC Pin-Up! - Elliott from NiGHTS