Sonic the Comic Issue 120


 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Design incl. Cover Design & Digital Imaging: Gary Knight
 * Production: Sarah Colley
 * Managing Editor: Steve MacManus
 * Marketing Manager: Douglas Pocock
 * Advertising: Stephen Goldsmith

Sonic - "Riot Resolution"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * B & w art: Bob Corona
 * Colour: Nigel Dobbyn
 * Lettering: Gordon Robson

Synopsis
It's New Year's Day in the Emerald Hill Zone and the snow is still lying thick on the ground. A civilian asks Sonic the Hedgehog whether he's made any resolutions, to which he replies "Just the usual. To stay cool and keep Robotnik from taking over the world!" However, none of the other Emerald Hill residents have been able to decide on what to resolve about. They are all on their way to Wally Dithers' Centre for the Undecided, where Wally Dithers promises to make folk more assertive.

Later, at the Centre for the Undecided, Wally Dithers tells his customers to make a bold resolution and stick to it... he tells them to resolve to destroy Sonic! They initially seem uncertain, but he taunts them for their cowardice and finally convinces them. However, once they head off to destroy Sonic, it is revealed that Dithers is a member of D.R.A.T. and is working directly for the Grand Chief Whip. They are using the indecisive Emerald Hill Folk while they prepare to carry out the second stage of their plan.

The Emerald Hill Folk quickly find Sonic and dog pile on him, but he uses his super speed to spin them round in a tornado. However, when he finds out they still want to attack him, he instead decides to lead them on a cross-country run, which soon leaves them all exhausted and panting. They finally give up, wishing they were still wimps and that Dithers had given them a different resolution. Sonic suddenly realises that they were just being used as a distraction and zooms back to the village, where Wally Dithers and the Grand Chief Whip are preparing to destroy Sonic's Control Centre that houses the Kintobor Computer with a massive tank. Sonic arrives and Grand Chief Whip orders Dithers to destroy him with the tank's firepower... but Dithers can't decide whether to use the Proplasmic Energon Blaster or the Electrobolt Pulsar Pumper, giving Sonic enough time to destroy the tank completely!

The locals turn up and apologise to Sonic for being so loopy. They think it might be a good idea to make New Year's resolutions to think for themselves from now on. "What do you think, Sonic?" Sonic sighs.

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Wally Dithers
 * Grand Chief Whip
 * Emerald Hill Folk:
 * Blond dog in red sweater
 * Black bird in white coat
 * Brown dog in black beret
 * Grey warthog in yellow hoodie
 * Woman in pink coat and purple hat
 * Brown bear in red bobble hat
 * Ginger cat and green-and-yellow long-sleeved T-shirt
 * Blonde cat woman with glasses and blue-and-white top

Continuity

 * D.R.A.T. and the Grand Chief Whip last appeared in Sonic the Comic #117, "High in the Sky".

Trivia

 * On the first page of the story, one of the Emerald Hill Folk refers to "Wally Dither's Centre for the Undecided", however the character's name is Wally Dithers and the apostrophe is misplaced.
 * The ginger cat in this story wears a green-and-yellow shirt with a symbol resembling the Brazilian flag.

Tails + Knuckles - "New Year Twister"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * B & W art: Carl Flint
 * Colour: John M Burns
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
Tails arrives in the Ice Cap Zone on the Floating Island in his bi-plane to wish Knuckles a Happy New Year. Knuckles comments that Sonic didn't bother coming, and Tails says that Sonic is rushed off his feet. Just then, the two of them are nearly caught in an avalanche. Knuckles pulls Tails out of the way just in time, but the bi-plane is buried under the snow. As the echidna digs it out, Tails suggests they go to another zone in case there are any more avalanches.

A short while later in the Mushroom Hill Zone, the pair believe that they are safe when a tornado appears and heads straight for them. Again, Knuckles saves the day by grabbing on to Tails and then anchoring them both to a cliff with his knuckles. When the tornado disappears, Tails notices that it didn't cause any damage to the natural environment (which Knuckles thinks is weird). Then Tails notices some rustling in the bushes and thinks it might be badniks. Knuckles quickly punches the ground and causes a shockwave that reveals the source of the mystery... Sonic! Sonic explains that he used his Spin Attack and speed to cause the avalanche and tornado, but it wasn't a practical joke: he was testing Knuckles to see if he still has what it takes. Tails sheepishly admits he was in on it too. Knuckles is rightfully outraged, but Sonic says that Robotnik is still a danger on Mobius and they need people like Knuckles in the fight against him. Knuckles assures Sonic that he'll be there when needed, and the three heroes agree to carry on the Hogmanay celebrations. "Or Hedgehog-manay in your case, Sonic!" says Knuckles, causing Sonic to groan. "I guess I deserved that!"

Appearances

 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Sonic the Hedgehog

Continuity

 * Knuckles claims to enjoy his solitude on the Floating Island. However, Porker Lewis is currently living with Knuckles on the Floating Island, having decided to stay to help Knuckles with the Island's ancient technology when the Emerald Hill Folk returned to the Emerald Hill Zone in Sonic the Comic #104, "Flickies' Island, Part 1".
 * Knuckles previous invited the Freedom Fighters to spend New Year on the Floating Island in Sonic the Comic #68, "Snow Business".

Decap Attack - "Chuck's Savings"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching
 * Art: Nigel Kitching
 * Lettering: Ellie de'Ville

Castle Frank N Stein receives two visitors from the Transylvanian Friendly Bank, who ask to see Mr Chuck D. Head. The first is a diminutive banker named Mr Lowe and the other is a hulking green associate, Klaus, who immediately punches Chuck in the face. Mr Lowe says that Chuck owes them money and asks Klaus to explain; Klaus then proceeds to bash in Chuck's head with a brick, a vase, a TV, a pineapple, a barbell, a bell, a model of the Starship Enterprise, a pig, and the kitchen sink (for completeness).

After all that, Mr Lowe says that Chuck's account is in the red. Chuck demands to know how that happened, since he only opened the account twenty minutes ago, and asks what happened to all the money he deposited. Mr Lowe then rattles off a list of fees and charges, and Chuck asks about the leaflet that Igor gave him saying that the Transylvanian Friendly Bank offers "Free Money". Mr Lowe explains: "Oh, that's all a fib. It's what advertising is all about!" After all, if they went around telling the truth, they'd never get any customers.

Prof is angry that Igor tricked Chuck into joining "the most feared money men in the banking underworld", and Chuck vows to get even. Mr Lowe says that all Chuck needs to do is sign a form promising to pay all his debts by tomorrow dinnertime - and if he doesn't raise the funds, he will be sold for medical experimentation. Chuck thinks this is reasonable and signs.

Once Lowe and Klaus has gone, Igor bursts into hysterical laughter. Then Chuck tells him: "If you think that's funny, wait 'til you hear this... I signed your name on that form!" Igor screams "NOOOOOO!" as Lowe and Klaus head off to their next customer: a little old lady who borrowed fifty pence so she could afford to eat this week! "Pah!" says Lowe. "People like her, they've got it coming!"

Sonic's World: Amy & Tekno - "Breakout, Part 1"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * B & w art: Andy Pritchett
 * Colouring: Steve White
 * Lettering: Gordon Robson

Synopsis
On New Year's Eve, it is time for Amber, the alien from Planet Kaamdaarn, to return home from Mobius, since the gateway between the dimensions will soon close. Before she leaves, she gives Shortfuse the Cybernik a gift: a computer program designed by Kaamdaarn psi technology that enters his armour's system, and lets Shorty out of the armour for the first time since he was turned into a Cybernik two years earlier. He can now wear the armour by choice whenever he wants to. Amber says her final farewells and leaves. Shorty says that now he's out of the armour he just wants to party, but Tekno suggests a bath first.

Later, Shorty, Tekno and Amy go to a New Year's Eve party in the Metropolis Zone. Shorty brings his armour in case there's any badnik activity, but Tekno tells him to relax. However, the party is soon interrupted by a villain named the Party Pooper, who wants to use his "Magnetic Ray" (actually a giant horseshoe magnet on caterpillar tracks) to prevent the city bell from ringing, effectively freezing time and preventing 1998 from ever arriving. Amy Rose points out that stopping a clock wouldn't freeze time, and Tekno the Canary says that the magnet won't affect the bell anyway since it is made of brass, thwarting Pooper's plan. Instead, he turns his Magnetic Ray on Shorty's Cybernik armour, only to be attacked by Shorty himself who is still not wearing the armour. The attack knocks the magnet upwards and it pulls some scaffolding down on them, but Shorty and Party Pooper are saved by Amy and Tekno. Defeated and dejected, Pooper explains that he only turned to crime because he was never invited to parties, and makes a New Year's resolution to do good.

However, at a nearby top security prison, Party Pooper's magnetic waves have reactivated the imprisoned Vermin the Cybernik, who promptly breaks out and swears revenge!

Appearances

 * Amy Rose
 * Tekno the Canary
 * Shortfuse the Cybernik
 * Amber
 * Party Pooper
 * Vermin the Cybernik
 * New Year's Eve revellers
 * Prison guards (pig and dog)

Continuity

 * Amber returns to her homeworld, having arrived on Mobius in Sonic the Comic #119, "Peace of the Action".
 * Amber gives Shortfuse a computer program that allows him to exit his armour. Shortfuse originally decided to stay with the Kaamdaarn in Sonic the Comic #113, "Spaced Out, Part 3", specifically in the hope that they could develop such a program.
 * Shorty the Squirrel is able to leave his armour for the first time since he was turned into a Cybernik in Sonic the Comic #45, "Enter the Cybernik, Part 1". He will once again be trapped in the armour in Sonic the Comic #121, "Breakout, Part 2".
 * Vermin the Cybernik is reactivated and escapes from prison. His armour was deactivated and he was captured in Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory, Part 4".

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Speedlines
 * STC Pin-Up - Sonic, Knuckles and Tails
 * Graphic Zone