Sonic the Comic Issue 97

Sonic the Comic #97 is the ninety-seventh issue of the British publication Sonic the Comic by Egmont Fleetway Ltd. It contains four all new stories, and begins the countdown to the series' landmark hundredth issue. "Doomsday" and "Victims" (the Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles stories) both lead directy into the events of the hundredth issue story, "The Final Victory". The Sonic's World story, "Boiling Point", features the departure of Shortfuse the Cybernik from the Freedom Fighters, also setting the stage for the Freedom Fighters' final adventures before "The Final Victory". The fourth story is a Decap Attack story called "Dead!"


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

Sonic the Hedgehog - "Doomsday, Part 1"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching
 * Art: Richard Elson
 * Colouring: John Burns
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

Synopsis
In the Eastern District of New Tek City, Lord Sidewinder frantically searches for Super Sonic, convinced that adamant he can use Super Sonic's power to rule the entire planet. He intends to make Super Sonic his slave.

On the other side of the city, Chaotix knock out the henchman of a villain named Doctor Plague, leaving them for the police to arrest. Suddenly, Plague himself appears with a vial that contains a virus powerful enough to wipe out all life in the city. He threatens to smash it if anyone takes one more step... so, naturally, Sonic takes one step forward. Plague hurls the vial, and Sonic catches it easily. However, Plague has eight more vials which he hurls. Sonic speeds around the square, collecting the vials into Plague's discarded container. Being Sonic, he cannot resist showing off as he catches the last one, much to Vector's irritation.

Sonic receives a transmission from Porker Lewis back on Mobius, who says there is terrible trouble before the transmission is cut off. Sonic wants to go home, but can't because he's still trapped in the Special Zone. Suddenly, a second Sun appears in the sky, and the people of New Tek City are terrified. There is a legend about the end of the world, and it begins with the appearance of two Suns. Worse still, the legend could turn out to be true, as at that moment the Omni-Viewer reappears claiming the whole planet is in danger.

Meanwhile, Lord Sidewinder looks up at the second Sun in glee. His computations are complete. He has found Super Sonic at last.!

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Chaotix:
 * Vector the Crocodile
 * Mighty the Armadillo
 * Espio the Chameleon
 * Charmy Bee
 * Doctor Plague
 * Lord Sidewinder
 * Omni-Viewer
 * Porker Lewis
 * Doctor Plague's goons
 * Tek City Police Department officers
 * Panicked New Tek City residents

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".
 * Lord Sidewinder is convinced he can enslave Super Sonic and use his power to rule Planet Meridian. In Sonic the Comic #98, "Doomsday, Part 2", Lightmare will claim that Sidewinder's plan cannot succeed and that he has become insane. This is shown to be accurate in Sonic the Comic #99, "Doomsday, Part 3", in which Sidewinder reveals his plan is to control Super Sonic "with the power of my mind".
 * An editorial comment reveals that Chaotix are no longer wanted by the police. It was revealed in Sonic the Comic #85 that they were framed for a robbery. Since then, they have presumably been cleared of these charges.
 * Sonic receives a communication from Porker Lewis, who says there is terrible trouble on Mobius before being cut off. The other side of this conversation is depicted in the Knuckles story for this issue, "Victims, Part 1".
 * A second Sun appears in the sky, and Lord Sidewinder implies that it may be Super Sonic. It is revealed in Sonic the Comic #98, "Doomsday, Part 2", that the second Sun is in fact the Black Asteroid, which has been heated up to millions to degrees by Super Sonic as part of an escape attempt. It will eventually explode in Sonic the Comic #99, "Doomsday, Part 3".
 * The Omni-Viewer reappears. He previously stopped time for himself in order to imprison Super Sonic within his forcefield, as shown in Sonic the Comic #86, "Heroes & Villains, Part 2". Since then, Sonic has been trapped in the Special Zone (also mentioned by Mighty the Armadillo in this issue). Omni will reveal in Sonic the Comic #98, "Doomsday, Part 2", that Super Sonic was able to escape by charging himself up into an electron bomb.

Trivia

 * When Porker Lewis appears on the communication screen, he is seen wearing the black jacket he wore as a member of the Freedom Fighters. Porker returned the jacket when he resigned the Freedom Fighters in Sonic the Comic #76, "The Big Decision". He is not shown wearing the jacket in the Knuckles story for this issue, "Victims, Part 1", instead wearing his customary white T-shirt.

Knuckles - "Victims, Part 1"

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

Synopsis
Riding atop his green pterodactyl, Knuckles the Echidna returns home to the Floating Island after a long journey. He hopes that his chest of ancient documents will help him repair the damaged equipment in the Emerald Chamber. First, however, he stops by the Mushroom Hill Zone to check on the Emerald Hill Folk, only to find that the place is completely deserted. As he rushes to the Emerald Chamber to find answers, two shadowy figures watch him go.

In the Emerald Chamber, Knuckles spots someone running through the corridors. He gives chase and tackles the figure to the ground, only to find that it is his friend Porker Lewis, who ran because he believed that Knuckles was one of the people who took the Emerald Hill Folk. He explains that he managed to hide in the Floating Island's tunnel system, and had just managed to contact the Special Zone when Knuckles turned up. Charmy Bee is on the other end of the line, and Porker asks to speak to Sonic. He tries to tell Sonic that there is terrible trouble, only for the device to be suddenly destroyed by a laser blast. Porker is knocked unconscious but Knuckles turns to see who is responsible: it's Robotnik and a cyborg Doctor Zachary, with an army of guardian robots! Robotnik is particularly happy to see Knuckles: "I have plans for you Knuckles! Big, big plans!"

Appearances

 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Porker Lewis
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Doctor Zachary
 * Charmy Bee
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Guardian robots

Continuity

 * Knuckles finally returns to the Floating Island. He left the island with Captain Plunder in Sonic the Comic #75, "The Ghost Ship, Part 2", who promised him a chest of ancient Floating Island documents in exchange. Knuckles took possession of the chest in Sonic the Comic #79, "The Ghost Ship, Part 6".
 * Knuckles mentions that he needs the chest of documents to help him repair the damaged equipment in the Emerald Chamber, which was damaged in Sonic the Comic #73, "New Master Emerald". In particular, the Floating Island's forcefield was damaged, which is how Robotnik's forces were able to gain access to the island prior to this issue.
 * Knuckles is seen riding a green pterodactyl back to the Floating Island. He received the pterodactyl as a gift from a rancher named Rooster in Sonic the Comic #90, "The Good, The Bad and the Echidna, Part 4".
 * Knuckles mentions that the Emerald Hill Folk have been living in the Mushroom Hill Zone on the Floating Island. They were moved there to protect them from Robotnik in Sonic the Comic #53, "Disaster! Part 3".
 * Knuckles finds the Mushroom Hill Zone ransacked and the Emerald Hill Folk missing. In Sonic the Comic #98, "Victims, Part 2", it is revealed that they have been captured by Robotnik, who intends to turn them into a massive biological computer.
 * Knuckles leaves the chest of documents in the Emerald Chamber until he returns to it in Sonic the Comic #101, "Loose Ends".
 * Porker Lewis has been living on the Floating Island since he retired from the Freedom Fighters in Sonic the Comic #76, "The Big Decision".
 * Porker manages to contact Charmy Bee and Sonic in the Special Zone, before the transmitting device is destroyed. The other side of the conversation is shown in the Sonic the Hedgehog story in this issue, "Doomsday, Part 1".
 * Doctor Zachary is re-introduced as a cyborg, having last been seen falling off the Floating Island in Sonic the Comic #68, "Homecoming, Part 4". He explains how he survived (and how he became a cyborg) in Sonic the Comic #98, "Victims, Part 2".
 * Doctor Robotnik refers to Knuckles as "my old friend". Knuckles previously worked for Robotnik between his first appearance in Sonic the Summer Special (1994), "Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds", and Sonic the Comic #36, "Power of the Chaos Emeralds, Part 2".

Decap Attack - "Dead!"

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

At Castle Frank N Stein, Chuck and Head feel a bit under the weather so the Prof does some tests... and finds that Chuck appears to be dead. Chuck immediately panics, and Igor accuses him of showing off (instead of lying down and keeping quiet, like the other corpses). Suddenly, an elevator from the Netherworld bursts up through the ground and two red-skinned "men" in uniform emerge asking for the stiff. Rather than try to determine which one is dead (they think it might be the Prof, because of his white face and green hair), they bundle everyone into the lift and head down.

Deep underground, Chuck, Head, Igor and the Prof are loaded onto a demon train for Hell, with all the other dead people. Prof demands to speak to the person in charge, so they are all led up to the train... only to find out that the boss is none other than their old enemy Max D Cap (and his accountant Rupert)!

Sonic's World - "Boiling Point"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Roberto Corona
 * Colouring: Steve White
 * Lettering: Gordon Robson

Synopsis
In a factory in the Chemical Plant Zone, kidnapped workers are forced by Troopers to produce deadly Toxo Cubes, dehydrated blocks that can pollute an entire lake when dropped in water. The Freedom Fighters, hiding on a gangplank above, intend to free the slaves, but the plan goes awry when Shortfuse the Cybernik sees that his rival Vermin the Cybernik has been put in charge of the operation. Rather than waiting, Shortfuse leaps into combat with Vermin, giving away the Freedom Fighters' position at the same time.

Troopers fire at the Freedom Fighters. Amy and Tails escape, but Johnny ends up hanging precariously over a boiling vat of acid. Before Tails can save him, he and Amy are grabbed by Troopers. Amy tells Shortfuse to forget Vermin and rescue Johnny, but he ignores her, and smashes Vermin into the processing machine, destroying it. This distracts the Trooper holding Tails, allowing the fox to escape and lift Johnny to safety.

With the machine destroyed, Vermin and the Troopers escape by means of a transporter beam. Shortfuse seems pleased that they've won, but Amy is very angry: Johnny was almost killed, and SHortfuse should have saved him. Shortfuse argues that the mission is more important, but Amy disagrees: "Our priority is to save lives!" Shortfuse finally decides he's not wanted and quits the team, flying off to fight Robotnik in his own way.

Appearances

 * Amy Rose
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Johnny Lightfoot
 * Shortfuse the Cybernik
 * Vermin the Cybernik
 * Troopers
 * Workers:
 * Dog
 * Bird
 * Badger
 * Bear
 * Others

Continuity

 * Shortfuse the Cybernik finally leaves the Freedom Fighters, after having joined up in Sonic the Comic #89, "A New Hope". His cocky attitude and short temper has previously put him at odds with other members of the team, for example in Sonic the Comic #95, "The Monster Wakes, Part 2".
 * Vermin the Cybernik previously appeared in Sonic the Comic #90 and #91, "Secret Weapon", in which Vermin was able to defeat Shortfuse in a fight. Shortfuse developed a grudge against Vermin, which is played out here.

Trivia

 * The Toxo Cubes are a reference to Oxo Cubes.

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * STC Pin-Up! - Decap Attack, art by Mick McMahon


 * Change of Art (Valentine's Day Graphic Zone)
 * Speedlines