Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 72 is the seventy-second issue of the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series published by Archie Comics.
Official solicitation[]
I, Robotnik[]
- I, Robotnik. Television comes to Mobotropolis. A royal ceremony is scheduled to be the inaugural broadcast, but what's this? A history of Robotnik instead? What's going on here? Whatever you do, don't touch that dial!
Tales Of the Great War - Part I - The Shot Heard 'Round The World[]
- Emerson roams the forest and comes across a friendly Overlander with a gun. And with a gun around, someone could get hurt...
Featured stories[]
I, Robotnik[]
- Writer: Karl Bollers
- Pencils: Steven Butler
- Inks: Pam Eklund
- Colors: Frank Gagliardo
- Letters: J. P. Money
- Editor & Art director: J. F. Gabrie
- Managing Editor: Victor Gorelick
- Editor-in-Chief: Richard Goldwater
Synopsis[]
In Knothole Village, the Knothole Freedom Fighters and Nate Morgan gather in Sonic's home to watch Maximillian Acorn's first broadcast on the new Telecrates created by Nate and Rotor. The machines, built from leftover Robotnik technology and fueled by Power Rings, have been mass produced to allow all the citizens of the Kingdom of Acorn to view the broadcast. However, Sally informs the others that she is expected at the palace for the broadcast, while Rotor announces his intent to finally learn the fate of the Walrus Herd. The Freedom Fighters bid their friend farewell, and Sally and Nate then depart to join the king, Elias, and Geoffrey St. John at the palace. Maximillian reveals that he intends to announce the status of Queen Alicia Acorn as well as the recent defeat of Ixis Naugus. The broadcast begins and is viewed by the Hedgehog family, the Freedom Fighters, Kodos Lion—on a stolen Telecrate—and even John Doe and his wife Jane.
All viewers are soon treated to a shock, however, as the king's broadcast is preempted by another, courtesy of yet another mystery satellite. The new program is a documentary on the late Dr. Robotnik, detailing his birth to Ivo and Bertha Kintobor and the existence of his older brother Colin. His brief tenure as Nate's lab assistant is noted, as is the start of the Great War and the original design of the Ultimate Annihilator. It is then revealed that Robotnik—then known as Julian Kintobor—was sentenced to ten years in prison for wanting to use fellow overlanders as test subjects, but chose instead to flee to the Kingdom of Acorn. His betrayal of King Maximillian Acorn and Kodos, his sabotage of Uncle Chuck's Roboticizer, the arrival of his nephew Snively and his takeover of Mobotropolis are recounted, as is the Freedom Fighters' resistance effort. The heroes are then informed of Robotnik's attempts to seek revenge on the overlanders, only to find their cities vacated.
Robotnik's supposed demise at the hands of E.V.E. is touched upon, as is his return to Mobius as enabled by Robo-Robotnik. The program ends on the events of Operation: EndGame and his "tragic" demise. Sally immediately contacts Sonic, and it is assumed by all that the Telecrates malfunctioned due to the inclusion of Robotnik technology. Responding to the worries of his parents and uncle, Sonic admits to being overwhelmed by having his family with him again. Though he missed being a Freedom Fighter, he is now fully committed to enjoying a peaceful life with his parents. Unbeknownst to the Hedgehog hero, in an unknown location, Snively—his previous demise apparently falsified—is confronted with evidence of his treachery against Dr. Robotnik by a shadowy figure that appears to be none other than Robotnik himself.
Appearances[]
Characters:
- Alicia Acorn (mentioned)
- Amy Rose
- Badnik Horde (recording)
- Bernadette Hedgehog
- Bertha Kintobor (first appearance) (recording)
- Colin Kintobor (first appearance) (recording)
- Dr. Ivo Robotnik (recording)
- E.V.E. (recording)
- Elias Acorn
- Fleming
- Freedom Fighters
- Geoffrey St. John
- Ian St. John (recording)
- Ivo Kintobor (recording) (first appearance)
- Ixis Naugus (mentioned)
- Jakkar & Londo (recording)
- Jane Doe
- John Doe
- Jules Hedgehog
- Kodos Lion
- Maximillian Acorn
- Muttski
- Nate Morgan
- Robo-Robotnik
- Rosie Woodchuck
- Smiley
- Snively Robotnik
- Uma Arachnis (mentioned)
- Walrus Herd (mentioned)
Races and species:
Locations:
- Multiverse
- Mobius (future version) (recording)
- Prime Zone
- Mobius
- Zone of Silence (recording)
Items:
- Blaster (recording)
- Communicator
- Crown of Acorns
- Eyewear
- N-Sat unit (first appearance)
- Neuron Eradicator (recording)
- Roboticizer (recording)
- Sonic's sneakers
- Telecrate (first appearance)
- Ultimate Annihilator (recording)
- Zone Portal (recording)
Vehicles:
- Destroyer (recording)
- Egg Mobile (recording)
Misc.:
- Great War (recording)
- Kingdom of Acorn
- House of Ivo (mentioned)
- Ministry of Conflict
- Ministry of Justice
- Operation: EndGame (recording)
- Propeller Flying
Continuity[]
- Maximillian mentions Sonic and Tails' adventure stopping Ixis Naugus from Sonic the Hedgehog #64-#66
- E.V.E. sending Robotnik Prime to an alternate timeline of Mobius is seen in Sonic the Hedgehog #21, where Robotnik Prime would meet his counterpart of that timeline, Robo-Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog #22.
Trivia[]
- The name of this story is a reference to Isaac Asimov's book I, Robot.
- This story featured what was, apparently, a guest appearance from Chester Cheetah as the director of King Maximillian Acorn's broadcast.
- On page eight of this story, Dr. Robotnik's name was misspelled as "Doctor Robotik".
- The history of how Dr. Robotnik took over Mobotropolis mirrors the intro to the Sonic the Hedgehog television series.
Tales Of the Great War Part One: The Shot Heard 'Round The World![]
- Writer: Ken Penders
- Pencils: Art Mawhinney
- Inks: Jim Amash
- Colors: Barry Grossman
- Letters: Jeff Powell
- Editor: J. F. Gabrie
Synopsis[]
Several generations in the past, a rare meeting takes place between an overlander and a mobian: in this case, two young boys named Emerson Acorn and Paladin. They meet each other in the forest bordering the Badlands separating their two homelands and immediately befriend each other. Paladin reveals that he has been out target shooting and invites Emerson to try out his gun.
Thrown back by the recoil, Emerson returns the gun to Paladin, who then sets his sights on a moving target: a nearby bird. Realizing his intent, Emerson gets in the way of the shot, taking the bullet for the bird. Horrified by the consequences of his actions, Paladin flees, leaving Emerson's body to be found by his father: Theodore Acorn. Rather than seek vengeance, however, the king forbade all contact with the overlanders and decreed that the Kingdom of Acorn would from that point forward hold guns and similar weapons in contempt. The tale is revealed to be included in one of Kirby's volumes, being read by Tails, Amy and Jeremiah.
Appearances[]
Characters:
- Alexander Acorn (flashback) (mentioned)
- Amy Rose
- Emerson Acorn (only appearance) (flashback)
- Jeremiah
- Kirby (mentioned)
- Miles "Tails" Prower
- Paladin (only appearance) (flashback)
- Theodore Acorn (only appearance) (flashback)
Races and species:
- Mobian
- Mobini (flashback)
- Overlander (flashback)
Locations:
- Prime Zone
- Mobius
- Northamer
- Badlands (mentioned) (flashback)
- Mobotropolis
- Roundabout Creek (only appearance) (flashback)
- Northamer
- Mobius
Items:
- Crown of Acorns (flashback)
- Tales of the Great War
Misc.:
- Kingdom of Acorn (flashback) (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- The subtitle of this story appears to be taken from the the opening battle of the American Revolution, Battles of Lexington and Concord, the beginning of which is described as "the shot heard around the world".
Off Panel[]
- Writer: Michael Gallagher
- Pencils: Dave Manak
- Inks: Harvo
Synopsis[]
Off Panel
Sonic and J. F. Gabrie plot an issue by engaging in a made-up battle involving a fifty-foot Combot. They destroy objects and mess up the office while acting out the fight. A cleaner later comes by ready to clean Gabrie's office, expressing her hate for when Sonic and Gabrie engage in their Thursday night plotting sessions.
Appearances[]
Characters:
Races and species:
Items:
Other features[]
- Sonic-Grams
- Find Your Name In Print
- Sonic Fan Art
- "Pro Art" pin-up: A pin-up page of Sally in the Great Forest. Presented in black-and-white as a coloring page. Pencils by Suzanne Paddock, inks by Pam Eklund.
Quotes[]
- K-Bot: But as is true with so many historic figures, the good doctor sacrificed his own life in the service of his planet -- protecting her from evil!
Gallery[]
Preview pages[]
| Gallery |
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 Page one  Page two-three  Page four  Page five |
External links[]
- Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 72 at Mobius Encyclopaedia, the Archie Sonic wiki.
- Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 72 at Sonic Retro
