Sonic the Comic Issue 93


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

Sonic the Hedgehog - "A Christmas Wish"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Andy Pritchett
 * Colouring: Steve White
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
On Christmas Eve in New Tek City, Planet Meridian in the Special Zone, Sonic strolls through the park. Even though he can't get home for Christmas, the New Tek citizens have the right spirit: snow, presents, carol singers. Sonic even thinks he sees Santa flying away on a sleigh.

Christmas morning, a young pup named Richie Rover wakes up to find his stocking full of presents: he's got an Insect-Guy outfit just like he wanted! Putting the costume on, Richie wishes he had powers like the real Insect-Guy, and when he is bitten by an insect on his hand he thinks his wish came true! Before his parents can stop him, he leaps out of the window... but he does not have powers, and nearly plunges to his death until he is saved by Charmy Bee.

On the ground, he is chastised by the other members of Chaotix for his recklessness. Richie claims to be a super-dude named Insect-Pup and asks to join Chaotix. When a supervillain named the Blazer attacks them, Richie goes up to fight him and is nearly burnt to a crisp before he is saved again, this time by Sonic. Richie doesn't recognise Sonic (who is newly arrived in the Special Zone), but is instantly impressed. Sonic douses the Blazer's flames by covering him in a snowdrift, giving Espio and Mighty the opportunity to knock the villain out.

Sonic finds Richie sobbing in an alleyway. He only wanted to be a hero, but they wouldn't let him. Sonic points out that you don't need to risk your life to be a hero. He invites Richie to join him and Chaotix in delivering presents to the local hospital, where he can really do some good. At the children's ward later, Richie is embarassed when one of the children calls Sonic, Richie and Chaotix their heroes. And Sonic has one last present for Richie, to prevent any more "wild fantasies about radioactive insects biting you": a can of flea spray!

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Richie Rover
 * Chaotix:
 * Vector the Crocodile
 * Espio the Chameleon
 * Charmy Bee
 * Mighty the Armadillo
 * Insect-Guy
 * The Blazer
 * Mr and Mrs Rover
 * Christmas revellers
 * Carolers
 * Nurse
 * Children

Continuity

 * Sonic the Hedgehog is still trapped in the Special Zone, having travelled there in Sonic the Comic #84, "Heroes & Villains, Part 1". He will eventually return to Mobius in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory".

Trivia

 * On the page when Richie leaps out of the window, a message reminds readers not to go near open windows or copy Richie's actions.

Captain Plunder - "Shanghaied, Part 3"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching & Richard Elson
 * Art: Richard Elson
 * Lettering: Elitta Fell

Synopsis
In the seas around New Tek City, Captain Plunder's ship is suddenly invaded by mutated sharks that have drunk Proctor Speckle's transforming serum. The sharks look so mean that none of Plunder's pirates dare attack them, but Mister Fry leaps into the fray, dragging Simpson the Cat (and the main sail) behind him. A few moments later, Proctor Speckle climbs out from underneath the sail - the transforming serum wore off, and he has turned back from Mister Fry. That means Simpson is in there fighting all alone.

Plunder's patience at an end, he breaks a glass panel marked "shark repellant" and pulls out a massive wooden mallet, which he brings crashing down on the writhing sailcloth, knocking all of the sharks unconcscious. When they pull off the sail, they find that Simpson has been eaten, but Plunder reaches down one shark's throat and pulls Simpson out by the tail. The serum starts wearing off the sharks, reverting them back to normal, so Plunder orders them thrown into the hold for a snack before supper.

As it has been a rough day, Plunder says the crew deserves a treat (to great celebration). He sends Simpson to fetch the last crate of vintage rum truffles from his cabin... but Simpson finds that they've disappeared! Proctor Speckle has stolen the crate, which he uses to float back to shore, munching on the truffles as he goes!

press gang captured Proctor Speckle, but when Plunder made him walk the plank he drank some transforming serum and turned into the monstrous ! Plunder sends his crew to take Fry down, but Fry clobbers them all and then starts pounding on a shark he dragged out of the sea. As he explains, "sharks from these waters is notoriously tough eatin'! I was just tenderising the blighter!" Fry asks to be taken to the galley so he can grill the fish before it "starts smellin' as bad as Proctor Speckle!" When Filch says he thought Fry was Proctor Speckle, Fry explodes in anger: "Don't call me that! I'm Mr Fry, you understand...Fry...Fry...FRY!" Luckily, Simpson the Cat is able to diffuse the situation before it becomes violent (again), and leads Fry away to the galley to cook!

Soon, Fry and Simpson emerge with a platter full of crispy shark steaks, which they share with the whole crew. Captain Plunder (who naturally gets the biggest piece) apologises for making Fry walk the plank - he wouldn't have done so if he'd known Fry was a cook. Fry says not to give it another thought - it was Speckle that walked the plank, and Fry doesn't blame Plunder for wanting that little runt dead! He explains that the bottle of transforming serum broke open with Speckle hit the water and he managed to drink some. Just as Plunder wonders what happened to the serum he didn't drink, Filch finds out: the sharks drank it! Now the sharks are monstrously large and gathering around the ship!

Appearances

 * Captain Plunder
 * Filch
 * Simpson the Cat
 * Proctor Speckle and Mr. Fry
 * Sky Pirates:
 * Dogs
 * Rats
 * Hogs

Decap Attack - "The Legend of Mr Cuddle Bunny, Part 3"

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

Mr Twitch the Hamster and his henchman, Mick C McTosis, has come to steal the hat of Mr Cuddly Bunny and thus claim his great fortune. (They'll get away with it too, since all blue hatted rabbits look alike to most people.) The Prof isn't about to let that happen, and orders Chuck to throw the two villains out, but Chuck is left screaming when Mr Twitch bites his finger.

McTosis demands that Mr Cuddle Bunny hand over the hat, which he cheerfully does. Just then, Chuck hurls Head at the hat. Head grabs the hat... and then lands in the open fireplace, where the hat is burned to cinders (and Head is singed a little himself). Twitch and McTosis leave.

Mr Cuddle Bunny was locked up in the castle's south west tower by Igor for ten years, and Igor would do it again to stop him writing "those flipping fluffy bunny books!" But Prof is glad that Cuddle Bunny is back. It's been ten years without a new book, but now Cuddle Bunny will write again! But, in fact, Mr Cuddle Bunny says he never stopped writing. He filled his time by writing 643 new cuddle bunny stories, all thanks to Igor! And what's more, Cuddle Bunny loves it in the castle so much that he wants to stay! Igor wanders away in a daze, with a sudden urge to throw himself into the moat!

Sonic's World - "Season of Goodwill"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Andy Pritchett
 * Colouring: Steve White
 * Lettering: Gordon Robson

Synopsis
It's Christmas Day in the Emerald Hill Zone, but the Zone is deserted since the Emerald Hill Folk fled to the Floating Island to escape Doctor Robotnik. The only remaining resident is Tekno the Canary in her underground laboratory, and she has invited the Freedom Fighters to her Christmas party! Tails thinks even Robotnik wouldn't do anything bad on Christmas, but Shortfuse isn't so sure.

Meanwhile, in Citadel Robotnik, Robotnik is indeed hatching an evil plot: his new deadly space satellite is armed and ready to fire a heat ray into the Happy Valley Zone, melting the snow and washing away the citizens' homes. Before he can press the button however, there is a blinding white light and Father Christmas suddenly appears in Robotnik's office. Robotnik immediately summons his Troopers to grab the intruder, but they can't even see him - only living beings can see or hear Father Christmas. Robotnik decides to deal with him personally, but finds that his hands pass right through Father Christmas' body. Father Christmas tells him, "I cannot be touched in anger, Ovi."

Robotnik protests that his name isn't Ovi, it's Ivo Robotnik, but Father Christmas says that he was once Doctor Ovi Kintobor until a lab accident made him evil. He offers Robotnik a chance to do a good deed for Christmas, by using the self-destruct button to blow up the satellite instead of using it for evil. But Robotnik wants power, not the mere peace of mind that Father Christmas offers. The satellite is a symbol of his power, so he rejects the offer! "Very well," says Father Christmas, then directs Robotnik's attention to a screen that shows Shortfuse the Cybernik destroying Robotnik's satellite.

As Father Christmas got what he wanted after all, Robotnik sneeringly asks if he's going to get a present. But Father Christmas wanted Robotnik to make the right choice and he refused, so he gets no presents. As Father Christmas vanishes the way he appeared, he gives a final warning: if Robotnik continues on his destructive path, his empire will fall in the next few months. Robotnik scoffs at this prediction. He likes being evil and he doesn't need presents! "I'm in charge! I've got power! I've got... I've got... I've got... no friends on Christmas Day..."

Appearances

 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Father Christmas
 * Shortfuse the Cybernik
 * Tekno the Canary
 * Amy Rose
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Johnny Lightfoot
 * Troopers

Continuity

 * The Emerald Hill Folk were transplanted to the Mushroom Hill Zone on the Floating Island in Sonic the Comic #53, "Disaster! Part 3". They will eventually return home in Sonic the Comic #101, "Loose Ends".
 * Tekno has invited the Freedom Fighters to her underground laboratory. They first visited in Sonic the Comic #91, "Secret Weapon, Part 2". She will offer to let them use it as their new base in Sonic the Comic #94, "The Monster Wakes, Part 1".
 * Father Christmas prophesies that Robotnik's empire will fall in the next few months. This prophecy comes true with Robotnik's overthrow in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory".
 * Amy says she wishes Sonic was with them. Sonic is still trapped in the Special Zone (see the Sonic the Hedgehog story in this issue).
 * Tails mentions that Shortfuse the Cybernik has joined the Freedom Fighters in Sonic's absence. Shortfuse joined the team in Sonic the Comic #89, "A New Hope". He will leave the team in Sonic the Comic #97, "Boiling Point".
 * Father Christmas mentions that Robotnik was once a good man, Doctor Ovi Kintobor, until a lab accident made him evil. This was depicted in Sonic the Comic #8, "The Origin of Sonic".

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Review Zone
 * Grabber Badnik Pin-Up!
 * Q Zone
 * Speedlines