Sonic the Comic Issue 78


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

Sonic the Hedgehog - "Plasma"

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

Synopsis
In Metropolis City, things have gone from bad to worse for the citizens. Troopers now kick down doors and arbitrarily arrest people... after all "Everyone is guilty of something"! The brooding figure of Doctor Robotnik watches over the city from Citadel Robotnik - if the people think he's gone soft, then he'll give them a reason to fear the very mention of his name!

In a section house in a poor part of town, where prisoners wait before being taken to the badnik processing plants, the Freedom Fighters (Sonic, Amy, and Johnny Lightfoot) are making a raid. They get ready to spring the three prisoners, but when one recognises Amy as "Sonic's girlfriend", Sonic is outraged. He has to stop and explain that Amy is not his girlfriend and he's sick of people always assuming that she is. When Johnny quietly suggests that this is not the time, Sonic realises he's right and asks Amy to open the cell door. "Anything for you, sweetheart!" she replies, putting Sonic in a grump.

No sooner are the prisoners out of the cell, however, then the guard shows up: a giant, glowing, energy being known as Plasma, master of electrons (and positive ions too, but he never talks about it)! He's accompanied by a short Mobian named Arnem Abacus is overalls and carying a small handheld device. Robotnik put Plasma (and Abacus) in charge of this district of Metropolis City, and will be very pleased when Plasma gives him Sonic the Hedgehog!

Sonic charges at Plasma, only to be electrified by Plasma's charged "body". He tries creating a Sonic-cyclone to rip Plasma to pieces, but the villain laughs it off and blasts Sonic aside with an energy bolt. Sonic seems momentarily worried that none of his attacks are having an effect, but Amy insists that Plasma looked worried there for a second, and Sonic is right back in the fight. And as Sonic fights Plasma, Amy sidles up to Arnem Abacus, bashes him on the head and steals his box-device. She figures that Plasms isn't a person at all, but some sort of focused energy field that Arnem Abacus is controlling - and she's proved right when she smashes the device and Plasma disappears, just as Sonic was delivering a punch (much to the hedgehog's confusion).

Amy immediately congratulates Sonic on defeating Plasma, and he very quickly takes the credit. Johnny knows that Amy was really the one who beat Plasma, but she explains: Sonic is the hero of Mobius, and a symbol of hope to the people. They have to believe that it's him who wins the day. Amy herself prefers to stay out of the spotlight. As Sonic shakes hands with the prisoners and recieves their adoring praise, Amy points out that Sonic takes the credit so well!

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Amy Rose
 * Johnny Lightfoot
 * Plasma
 * Arnem Abacus
 * Troopers
 * Prisoners:
 * Warthog wearing leathers
 * Brown bear in jeans and T-shirt
 * Yellow bird
 * Metropolis City civilians (dog family: father, mother and baby)

Continuity

 * Robotnik has implemented his harsh new regime, following the protests in the previous issue (Sonic the Comic #77, "Voice of the People").

Knuckles - "The Ghost Ship, Part 4"

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

Synopsis
Knuckles and a small group of pirates (including Captain Plunder and Zorabel) find themselves transported to the weird Tantaragor dimension. A giant elephant-headed Tantaror named Ekkletos introduces himself as the spritual leader of the Tantaror and demands that they introduce themelves and explain how they came to possess the Tantaragor Idol. Plunder tries to hide the Idol and claim he doesn't have it, although Knuckles snatches it out of Plunder's grasp and explains that Plunder stole it. Plunder tries to make a deal for the return of the Idol, but Knuckles points out that they are clearly out of their depth.

Ekkletos says that he had in fact hoped to transport three heretics back to Tantaragor - the same heretics from the Ghost Ship of Tantaragor. Ekkletos explains that they were followers of an evil priest named Orkym-Ro, who recently died. Believing that Orkym-Ro needed to be buried in a stone monument, they took a ship and used the teleportation powers of the Idol to travel to Mobius and gather slaves to build the monument. When Ekkletos discovered their intentions, he remotely activated the Idol, attempting to bring then back, only to get Knuckles and the pirates instead.

Knuckles claims that the Tantaror have already taken slaves, and insists that the only thing that matters is rescuing them. Ekkletos activates the Idol again, sending Knuckles alone back to the hold of the Ghost Ship. He tries to free the slaves, but not fast enough, because the heretic Tantaror soon appear and demand the return of their Idol!

Appearances

 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Captain Plunder
 * Ekkletos
 * Filch
 * Simpson the Cat
 * Zorabel
 * Tom
 * Heretic Tantaror (jackal, cat, serpent)
 * Orkym-Ro
 * Pirates:
 * Rhino
 * Monkey
 * Dog
 * Cat
 * Slaves:
 * A rabbit
 * An anteater
 * A brown terrier dog
 * A black labrador dog
 * Others

Continuity

 * Knuckles last encountered the slaves in Sonic the Comic #76, "The Ghost Ship, Part 3". He insisted that he go back to save them in Sonic the Comic #77, "The Ghost Ship, Part 4".

Shining Force - "The Curse of Zeon, Part 5"

 * Script: Nigel Kitching
 * Art: Martin Griffiths
 * Colouring: Gina Hart
 * Lettering: Tom Frame

The Zeonites have brought the "mystical device" (nuclear bomb) to the portal to the Abyss, behind which the demon Zeon is sealed. Soon, the device will destroy the portal and Zeon will be free.

Nearby, the Shining Force teleports into the tower. Bowie explains that he seems to have picked up some magical power when Max brought him back from near-death. They charge into the hall and defeat the Zeonites, then demand that they halt the "countdown ritual" - only to find that this isn't possible. The robot Zynk recognises that the device is a nuclear bomb, and could destroy not only the portal but half of Granseal Island as well!

Thinking fast, Zynk tells Bowie to open the portal his his sword, which he does. Together they push the bomb through the portal, and Bowie seals it again. However, even from inside the Abyss, the nuclear explosion blasts through the portal and knocks them all aside. Nevertheless, they have won. Max's spirit rises again from the sword. The World of Rune has new champions, he says: the Shining Force!

The End

Sonic's World - "Hidden Danger, Part 1"

 * Script: Lew Stringer
 * Art: Nigel Kitching
 * Colouring: John Burns
 * Lettering: Elitta Fell

Synopsis
Doctor Robotnik has sent an invisible robot to destroy the Tropical Jungle Zone. Sonic and Tails came to investigate, but Sonic was soon knocked down by the invisible assailant. He's soon on his feet, and pulls Tails to safety.

With the invisible robot following, they arrive at a lake. Sonic tells Tails to fly him just over the water's surface, and when he pumps his legs full force on the water, it sends a spray of water that drenches the robot. While the robot is still dripping (and thus slightly visible), Sonic covers it with a leafy vine, then performs a Spin Attack on its chest so powerful that its cloaking device is damaged and it becomes visible. Sonic and Tails press their advantage, forcing the robot off a cliff and into the lake, where its exposed wires short-circuit.

Robotnik, watching on his monitor, believes the heroes won only through luck. He still intends to build an army of invisible robots... until Grimer mentions a small problem. While working on the cloaking technology, he accidentally turned the plans invisible! He has no idea how to make any more invisible robots! Robotnik is furious, and Grimer decides it's time he vanished too!

Appearances

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Invisible robot
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik
 * Grimer

Other features

 * Control Zone
 * Pirate Graphic Zone
 * Review Zone
 * Q Zone
 * Speedlines