Archie Comics

This article is about a subject in the real world. Information in this article is about real-life people, companies, and objects, which do not relate to the in-universe Sonic series.

Archie Comics has been publishing original comic adaptions of Sonic the Hedgehog (or SatAM), Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic X and an original title called Sonic Universe. All the comics are officially sponsored by Sega and are ongoing. Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe are still running, but Knuckles the Echidna and Sonic X have ended.

Archie Comics carried the Comics Code Authority (CCA) seal, however it was removed in February 2011 in favor of self-regulation of content. The CCA is a ratings authority which was established in the 1950s amid a witch hunt that targeted the comic book industry. Led by psychiatrist Frederick Werthem, the industry reacted by setting up the CCA to regulate itself and censor questionable content. This regulation nearly destroyed the industry and has since become more lacks over the years. Archie Comics was one of the few companies that continued to use the CCA stamp on all of its publications, and no longer currently does so.

Sonic Comic Series

Sonic the Hedgehog

Published since 1993 and currently ongoing, it was heavily inspired by the American Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon and contains many characters from that series in its storyline along with many Archie exclusive characters as well as game characters. Occasionally, they are combined with actual cartoon or game adaptions, with the former tending to be non-canon side stories.

Major Characters

• Freedom Fighters:
  • Sonic
  • Tails
  • Amy
  • Sally
  • Rotor (now on Council of Acorn)
  • Antoine
  • Bunnie
  • NICOLE
• The Chaotix:
  • Knuckles
  • Mighty
  • Espio
  • Vector
  • Charmy
  • Ray
  • Julie-Su
  • Saffron
  • Archimedes
• Eggman
• Robotnik Prime (deceased)
• Snively
• Iron Queen
• Iron King
• Fiona
• The Destructix:
  • Scourge
  • Fiona
  • Sergeant Simian
  • Predator Hawk
  • Flying Frog
  • Lightning Lynx
  • Drago (formerly)
  • Sleuth Dawg (formerly)
• Council of Acorn:
  • Elias
  • Sir Charles "Chuck"
  • Rosemary Prower
  • Hamlin
  • Penelope
  • Dylan
  • Rotor "Boomer"
• Ancient Walkers (deceased)
• Merlin
• Athair
• Aurora
• Team Dark:
  • Shadow
  • Rouge
  • E-123 Omega
  • Hope
• Zone Cops:
  • Zonic
  • Zector
  • Zespio
  • Zobotnik
  • Znively
• Gamma (destroyed, coding present in Omega)
• E.V.E. (destroyed)
• A.D.A.M. (destroyed)
• Mecha (destroyed)

• Silver
• Metal Sonic and many Metal/Mecha/roboticized characters
• Mammoth Mogul
• Locke (deceased) and the Brotherhood of Guardians
• Dr. Finitevus
• Monkey Khan
• Blaze
• Marine
• Dr. Nega
• Nack
• Nic
• Bean
• Bark
• Lara-Su
• Geoffrey
• Ixis Naugus
• Dimitri
• Lien-Da and the Dark Egg Legion
• Various Freedom Fighter groups:
  • Downunda Freedom Fighters
  • Arctic Freedom Fighters
  • Sandblast Freedom Fighters
  • Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters
  • Dragon Kingdom Freedom Fighters (destroyed)
  • Wolf Pack (disbanded)
• Enerjak (spirit)
• Remington
• Abraham Tower and G.U.N.
• Lara-Le
• Rob
• Mari-An
• Kneecapeon Mace
• Amadeus Prower
• Cream
• Vanilla
• Dragon Kingdom Clans and Brides
• Nate Morgan (deceased)
• Colin (deceased)
• Helmut Von Stryker and Dingoes
• Catweazle
• Harry
• Kage Von Stryker (deceased)
• Felidae
• Big
• Battle Bird Armada
  • Speedy
  • Battle Lord
  • Doctor Fukurokov
• Isaac
• Dr. Ivan Kintobor (deceased)
• Various citizens of Moebius and other alternate universes
• Moritori Rex
• Xorda
• Bem
• Black Arms led by Black Doom
• Maria (deceased)
• Prof. Gerald (deceased)
• Kodos (deceased)
• Uma Arachnis and Arachne (all deceased)
• Mina, Ash, and their band, the Forget Me Knots

Knuckles the Echidna

Starting as a mini-series called Knuckles the Dark Legion, Archie decided to extend it into an ongoing series called Knuckles the Echidna which lasted a total of 32 issues. These comics were written by Ken Penders. These comics starred Knuckles and Julie-Su the Echidna resulting in a lot of sexual tension until after the series ended and the two finally got together.

Major Characters

• Knuckles
• Julie-Su
• The Dark Legion
• Mighty
• Espio
• Vector
• Charmy
• Locke
• Archimedes
• Rob O' the Hedge
• Harry
• Lara-Le
• Remington
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Enerjak
• Athair
• Monk
• Dimitri the Echidna

Sonic X

The comics have been in existence since the end of at least the first Sonic X series. The majority of the series involves real-life relations or other Sonic games that tie into the main storyline of the games. In response to the fan letters, Archie writers have stated that the comic series takes place between the second and third seasons (so after the Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 adaptations, but before the gang returns to their unnamed homeworld). The series had 40 total issues. The last issue notably featured a crossover with the regular Sonic the Hedgehog series involving Shadow and Metal Sonic from that universe.

Major Characters

• Sonic
• Tails
• Knuckles
• Amy
• Eggman
• Rouge
• Shadow
• Shadow (from the Archie universe)
• Metal Sonic (from the Archie universe)
• Cream and Cheese
• Decoe and Bocoe
• Bokkun
• Chuck
• Ella
• Mr. Tanaka
• Chris
• Emerl
• Topaz
• Scarlet Garcia

Many other characters have had cameo appearances, including Cosmo who never appeared until around the time Series 2 of Sonic X was announced.

Sonic Universe

After the Sonic X comic was cancelled it was replaced by a spin off series called Sonic Universe which picked up right after its predecessor. The series is made up of 4-issue story arcs that are able to explore characters and locations not necessary in the main book. The arcs were also created with trade paperbacks in mind (see graphic novel section below).

Story Arcs

• Issues 1-4: The Shadow Saga (aka The Ultimate Lifeform)
• Issues 5-8: Mobius: 30 Years Later
• Issues 9-12: Knuckles: The Return (aka Echoes From the Past)
• Issues 13-16: Journey to the East
• Issues 17-20: The Tails Adventure (aka Trouble in Paradise)
• Issues 21-24: Treasure Team Tango
• Issues 25-28: The Silver Saga (aka Fractured Mirror)
• Issues 29-32: Scourge: Lockdown (aka Inside Job)

Other Sonic Series

Along with these ongoing series' Archie also produced 5 mini-series' (Sonic the Hedgehog, Princess Sally, Tails, Knuckles the Echidna and Sonic Quest). Archie also produced 8 special issues many of which were adaptations of video games. 15 more specials were made under the title of Sonic Super Special. Archie also produces special issues of Sonic the Hedgehog for Free Comic Book day from 2007-2011.

Sonic Trade Paperbacks

Throughout the run of the Sonic comics Archie has produced many individual graphic novels as well as several series, each reprinting past issues or stories.

• Sonic Firsts (originally published as Sonic Super Special Issue 3
• Sonic: The Beginning, reprinting the original 4 issue Sonic miniseries
• Sonic Archives, (beginning with a reprint of Sonic: The Beginning as Volume 0), collects the Sonic the Hedgehog series from issue 1, 4 issues each (Volume 13 contains 2 issues, one in its Sonic Super Special directors cut form as well as 2 more stories from the Sonic Super Specials).
• Sonic Select, reprinting canon stories from the Sonic Specials, Sonic Super Specials, and various Sonic miniseries
• Knuckles Archives: Reprints the Knuckles the Echidna issues, 6 per volume. The first volume contains the Knuckles miniseries as well as the first 3 issues of the Knuckles series.
• Sonic Legacy: Each volume reprints 16 issues of the Sonic the Hedgehog series in a cheaper, more affordable format--black and white.
• Sonic Universe: Collects one 4 issue story arc from Sonic Universe per volume.
• Sonic: Genesis: A hardcover book which collects the Genesis saga from the Sonic series, meaning issues 226-229.

Trivia

• Both Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic X started with a four-issue mini-series to see if the series would gain much popularity. Later issues state connections to them as part of the main storyline. NiGHTS and Knuckles the Echidna also had a 3-issue adaption-- twice. Unfortunately, NiGHTS fell, but the second Knuckles series became an ongoing comic.
• Sonic, Sally, Tails, and Knuckles had their own mini-series.
• Sonic X, though closer in canonicity to the games, does not have a comic adaptions of any of the games.