Sonic the Comic Issue 51


 * Managing Editor: Richard Burton
 * Editor: Deborah Tate
 * Designers: Gary Knight
 * Assistant Editor: Audrey Wong
 * Publisher: Rob McMenemy

Sonic the Hedgehog - "Disaster! Part 1"

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

Synopsis
Having finally got his hands on the Master Emerald, Robotnik has launched his ultimate weapon: the Death Egg! However, Sonic and Knuckles, who are watching from what remains of the Sky Sanctuary, have a more immediate problem: the ground is falling apart under their feet!

In the Death Egg's control room, Robotnik laughs at his triumph. He has the Master Emerald, without which the Floating Island will crash back onto Mobius - the perfect revenge against the "traitor" Knuckles. Then he plans to take the Death Egg down to Mobius, and replace the Emerald Hill Zone with a new zone that he calls "The Completely and Utterly Destroyed Zone!" Just then, he notices Sonic and Knuckles on a monitor, and decides to gloat: they're running out of places to go, running up a spiral column with the ground crumbling beneath them.

At the last minute, they leap off the top of the pillar, Sonic sitting on Knuckles' back and clinging onto the echidna's dreadlocks as Knuckles attempts to glide towards the Death Egg. EggRobos pour out of the flying egg, firing their lasers in every direction. Sonic leaps off Knuckles' back, using his Spin Attack to destroy the EggRobos, and ricochet himself towards the Death Egg, breaking inside by smashing through a window. Knuckles can't gain enough height, though, and angles himself back towards the Floating Island. He has an idea! Sonic is annoyed, because though he'd never admit it to Knuckles, he thinks he could use the echidna's help. He finds the core, only to be attacked by Spikebonkers, the Death Egg security system. Sonic thinks the name is ridiculous, as are the badniks themselves.

Meanwhile, back on the Floating Island, Knuckles sits in an ancient chamber. With piles of ancient scrolls and texts for reference, he activates technology that has not been used for eons, and to his amazement it all still works!

Slowly at first, the Floating Island beings to move! Then gradually begins to pick up speed as it moves towards the Death Egg! "Watch out, Robotnik," calls Knuckles, "I'm coming for you!"

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Grimer
 * EggRobos
 * Spikebonkers

Continuity

 * The Death Egg has finally been launched, after crashing in Sonic the Summer Special (1994), "Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds" (some time prior to the events of Sonic the Comic #33, "Enter Knuckles, Part 1"). It will crash again in Sonic the Comic #53, "Disaster! Part 3".
 * The Master Emerald has been installed as the Death Egg's power source. It was stolen by Metallix in Sonic the Comic #49, "Count Down to Disaster, Part 1", and delivered to Robotnik in Sonic the Comic #50, "Count Down to Disaster, Part 2". Sonic will steal the Emerald back again in Sonic the Comic #52, "Disaster! Part 2".
 * Robotnik mentions that, without the Master Emerald, the Floating Island will crash onto Mobius. Knuckles said the same thing in issue #49, "Count Down to Disaster, Part 1". The same thing happened to the Carnival Night Zone in Sonic the Comic #44, "Carnival Night Conspiracy, Part 6", once it was isolated from the rest of the Island.
 * Robotnik refers to Knuckles as a "traitor". Knuckles had worked with Robotnik from his first appearance in Sonic the Summer Special, until turning on the evil dictator in Sonic the Comic #36, "Power of the Chaos Emeralds, Part 2". Since then, Knuckles has been working non-stop to eradicate Robotnik's presence from the Floating Island.
 * Robotnik mentions again his desire to obliterate the Emerald Hill Zone, leading to the evacuation of the Emerald Hill Folk in issue #53, "Disaster! Part 3".

Trivia

 * The corkscrew pillar that Sonic and Knuckles run up in this issue actually appears at the end of the Sky Sanctuary Zone in Sonic's storyline of Sonic & Knuckles. As here, Sonic uses it to gain enough height to jump onto the Death Egg, although in the game Knuckles is not with him.
 * In the core of the Death Egg, Sonic finds a massive dark pillar, which actually appears in the background art of Sonic & Knuckles ' Death Egg Zone, Act 1.

Shinobi - "Power Of The Elements, Part 5"
Joe Musashi and the Roofworlders have defeated the Four Elements and the Yakuza thugs, but Kotomi-sensei has been shot. He insists it is just a flesh wound and sits upright. Clapping his hands sharply, his hands begin to glow. He reaches over to his shoulder, and pulls out the bullet - the wound has completely disappeared! Kotomi-sensei says he may one day teach the skill to Musashi. The Roofworlders prepare another ambush for the Four Elements, who will soon return.
 * Script: Alan McKenzie
 * Art: Jon Haward
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

The Four Elements send their enforcers to spread out in wait, but the Yakuza are individually picked off by Roofworlders before they can even get into hiding. Air realises that she cannot hear the Yakuza blundering in the shadows, and fears they may have underestimated Musashi and the Roofworlders.

The Roofworlders attack the isolated Four Elements! While Kotomi-sensei takes on Fire, Musashi squares off against Air. The Neo Zeed woman is very quick, and it seems Musashi doesn't stand a chance...

Tails in - "Zonerunner & The Big Freeze, Part 4"

 * Script: Mark Eyles
 * Art: Roberto Corona & Brian Williamson
 * Lettering: Steve Potter

Synopsis
Tails has been captured by the crazed Nutzan Bolt, who now has a body of living ice. As Nutzan Bolt prepares to kill the helpless fox, Tails says he wishes Sonic was there, making Nutzan Bolt furious that he used the 'S' word! Steam shoots out of his robotic head. "You don't like it when I say Sonic?" asks Tails. Nutzan Bolt screams again, steam and fire shooting out of his ears and nostrils... melting the connection to his living ice body! Nutzan Bolt's head loses control, dropping to the ground, and the ice body shatters!

Nutzan Bolt, truly mad, decides to melt the chemical ice that has covered the Chemical Plant Zone! Tails can never escape the ice castle - he'll be drowned and poisoned! Still laughing, Nutzan Bolt's head sinks into the noxious melting chemicals, disappearing forever.

Sab and Sol Furic wakes up (having been knocked out by Nutzan Bolt previously). With the ice castle collapsing around them, Sol says it was an honour to have known the Zonerunner (Tails). Tails replies that it was nice meeting him too. Sab wishes they had a microputer, which they could use to stabilise the temperature... and luckily, Tails just happens to have his to hand! Running an instant-freeze program, they prevent the zone from melting, and then set the controls to stabilise the weather.

Outside the ice castle, the chemical clouds have disappeared and the Chemical Plant residents emerge from the underground city. The Zonerunner saved everyone in the zone (to his own surprise) - the chemicals had been flooding into the underground city. Nobody had a chance. Sab hails Tails the Zonerunner, saying he has defeated the tyrant Nutzan Bolt and given them a chance to start anew and live in peace. Tails tries to explain that he didn't really do anything, but quickly gives up - they'd never believe him and he'd just get in trouble. Leaving his coat and microputer with Sab, he flies off on a Floater Drone amid wild cheers. Sab still can't believe how modest he is.

The Drone returns Tails to where he was sleeping before this adventure. He wants to go to sleep again before Sonic shows up, but he's too late. Sonic and Amy arrive. He wants to tell them what happened, but Sonic tells him to "save it for later". After all, they've got work to do!

Appearances

 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Nutzan Bolt
 * Sab
 * Sol Furic
 * Chemical Plant Zone residents
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Amy Rose

Continuity

 * Tails returns by floater drone to the spot it had originally found him in Sonic the Comic #48, "Zonerunner & The Big Freeze, Part 1".

Sonic's World - "Face from the Past, Part 1"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Gary Andrew
 * Lettering: Elitta Fell

Synopsis
In Grimer's lab on the Death Egg, Robotnik and Grimer have a new plan to destroy the Freedom Fighters... by means of a spiky brown hedgehog who will infiltrate their group and destroy them from within!

In the Jungle Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog and the Freedom Fighters liberate a prisoner transport, destroying a group of Troopers. The last captive to emerge is the spiky brown hedgehog, who claims to be Sonic's long-lost brother, Tonic! Sonic is immediately suspicious (despite Tonic looking just like he did before his accident with the Kinetic Gyratoscope). Tonic says he probably doesn't remember since "we were born at a very young age!", but still Sonic refuses to let Tonic join the team. Tonic runs off, sobbing, and Amy accuses Sonic of being insensitive.

Tails runs after him to see if he's okay, only to see Tonic making a call to Doctor Robotnik. When Tails tries to attack Tonic, Tonic's arm elongates and transforms into a claw, and slams Tails against a tree. With the deception discovered, Tonic takes on his true form... that of the female shape-shifter Metamorphia!

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * "Tonic the Hedgehog"
 * Amy Rose
 * Johnny Lightfoot
 * Porker Lewis
 * Metamorphia
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Grimer
 * Troopers
 * Captive animals
 * Squirrel
 * Mouse
 * Cat

Continuity

 * Grimer's lab is mentioned as being on the Death Egg, which means this story takes place some time prior to Sonic the Comic #47, "Mystery of the Sandopolis Zone, Part 1".
 * Tonic looks just like Sonic did prior to his accident with the Kinetic Gyratoscope, as shown in Sonic the Comic #8, "The Origin of Sonic".
 * Metamorphia last appeared in Sonic the Comic #31, "The Pretender".

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Review Zone
 * S.T.C. Star Pin-Up - Shinobi
 * Graphic Zone
 * Q Zone
 * Speedlines