IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 68 is the sixty-eighth issue in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series published by IDW Publishing.
Official solicitation[]
- When Sonic and Tails go to test out Tails' new extreme gear design, they run into extreme trouble! The board malfunctions at just the wrong time, plunging them down into a deep cave. What's waiting for them down there, and will it help them get out or keep them there forever?![1]
Featured stories[]
The Protector[]
- Story: Evan Stanley
- Inks: Evan Stanley & Matt Froese
- Colors: Josh Burcham
- Letters: Shawn Lee
- Editor: David Mariotte
- Production: Johanna Nattalie
- Special thanks to: Mai Kiyotaki, Afia Kahn, Michael Cisneros, Sandra Jo, Sonic Team, and everyone at Sega for their invaluable assistance
Synopsis[]
Sonic and Tails are tracking down the location of a Chaos Emerald. Tails is able to locate it, but Sonic goes without asking where it is. Suddenly an earthquake happens, causing Sonic to fall. Tails tries to help him only to get dragged in too. Sonic tries to catch him but fails, falling deeper into the abyss.
Sonic wakes up alongside Tails, discovering that they have landed in a underground cave system. As they explore, Tails locates the Chaos Emerald again, discovering that this was once a mine that has since been abandoned. The heroes move forward, finding a glowing, neon cave with an interesting flora. Sonic finds the Chaos Emerald, but is suddenly attacked by a giant salamander.
As the salamander and Sonic brawl against each other, Tails saves him by throwing his Extreme Gear to irritate the salamander. Tails' theorizes that the salamander is territorial: it's only attacking Sonic because they're intruding onto its unique territory. Sonic attempts to reason with the creature, promising to leave it and its territory alone, even offering the Chaos Emerald if that's what the salamander is trying to protect. Fortunately, the salamander complies and shows them the exit route.
The two heroes leave the cavern, with Sonic cementing the cave's protection by causing a cave-in. Disappointed by this, Tails accepts Sonic's reasoning, as the hedgehog understands the salamander's solitude. They leave the premises with the Chaos Emerald at hand, with no one to disturb the creature or its home again.
Appearances[]
Characters:
- Salamander (first appearance)
- Knuckles the Echidna (mentioned)
- Miles "Tails" Prower
- Sonic the Hedgehog
Races and species:
- Echidna (mentioned)
Locations:
Items:
Misc.:
Trivia[]
- This issue was originally set for release on 27 December 2023 before being pushed back to 3 January 2024.
- As a remnant of the original release date, the end of issue message reads "see you in 2024!", despite the issue releasing in 2024.
- The publication date also shows this, with it being December 2023 instead of January 2024.
- As a remnant of the original release date, the end of issue message reads "see you in 2024!", despite the issue releasing in 2024.
- This is the last issue before a planned hiatus to focus on the Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter mini-series.[4][5]
Gallery[]
Cover artwork[]
| Gallery |
|---|
 Cover A thumbnails. Art by Min Ho Kim.  Cover A colors. Art by Min Ho Kim.  Cover B colors. Art by Evan Stanley. |
Early covers[]
| Gallery |
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Preview pages[]
| Gallery |
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 Page one  Page two  Page three  Page four  Page five |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Sonic the Hedgehog #68 Cover A (Kim). Penguin Random House (September 22, 2023). Retrieved on September 22, 2023.
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #68 Variant B (Stanley). Penguin Random House (September 22, 2023). Retrieved on September 22, 2023.
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #68 Variant RI (10) (Fourdraine). Penguin Random House (September 22, 2023). Retrieved on September 22, 2023.
- ↑ @IDWSonicNews on twitter (19 November 2023). Retrieved on 3 January 2024. "As the Fang the Hunter mini-series prepares to debut, #IDWSonic is going to take a temporary break, according to editor David Mariotte on Bluesky. Similar to Imposter Syndrome's accomodation, new Sonic issues will resume following the Fang mini, starting at Issue 69."
- ↑ SonicStadium (November 19, 2023). IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog Going On Break in Early 2024. Retrieved on January 3, 2024. "David Mariotte: Yeah. We're making space for the Fang mini. We think it's cool and the ongoing series starting with issue #69 will be back later in 2024 after Fang wraps up!"
