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The Off Panel's logo in the Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe comic books.
The Off Panel, also known as the Archie Zone,[1] is a recurring comedy comic strip published by Archie Comics across various Sonic the Hedgehog comic book titles.
Description[]
Off Panels included a series of comic strips featured in the letter columns across various Sonic the Hedgehog comic book titles released by Archie Comics. These strips featured self-contained stories about the length of a strip to an entire page. These stories focus solely on comedy, often with emphasis on fourth wall breaking.
Canonicity[]
It's questionable if Off Panel is canon to the story of the Archie Sonic the Hedgehog comics as a whole or not.
While the events in the Off Panel strips don't effect the titles' ongoing storylines, supposedly, the main book started as a fourth wall breaking story and later writers often referenced those fourth wall stories as canon, while ignoring the fourth wall element. Off Panel itself was hit several times by the Genesis Waves and characters with a history of utilizing the fourth wall in the main book seemingly make their appearance into Off Panel, like the mysterious Zonic the Zone Cop[1] and Dr. Eggman[2] (who'd had his head bonked by Justin Freddy Gabrie). Off Panel later expanded into larger stories in the main book in Sonic the Hedgehog #126, #147 and #158.
Off Panel would even survive the Super Genesis Wave, despite complications with the lawsuits caused practically all other pre-Super Genesis Wave concepts to be thrown out when Archie Comics enacted the comic's reboot.
Overview[]
Structure[]
The first, proper version of Off Panel, from Sonic the Hedgehog #25.
The Off Panel was first seen in Sonic the Hedgehog #12 as a series of untitled illustrations about the Archie Comics staff. This version of the Off Panel was briefly known as "The Adventures of Scott & Paul" after editors Scott Fulop and Paul Castiglia. It ran semi-regularly starting with Sonic the Hedgehog #25 before eventually being discontinued in Sonic the Hedgehog #43.
The second version of the Off Panel, from Sonic the Hedgehog #170.
The feature returned in Sonic the Hedgehog #67, now under the title "Off Panel". This version of the strip, like the previous version, ran irregularly. It also focused more of its humor on the core Sonic cast interacting with Archie Comics employees, usually with Sonic or Knuckles bugging the current editor about the comic's production and stories. Three backup stories (seen in Sonic the Hedgehog #126, #147 and #158) acted as extended Off Panels. The final Off Panels written in this style were featured in Sonic the Hedgehog #170, after this issue the Off Panels were discontinued again, only returning in Sonic the Hedgehog #205.
The third version of the Off Panel, from Sonic the Hedgehog #278.
Starting with Sonic Universe #1, the Off Panel returned in its third (and final) form. Instead of focusing on the real world Archie Comics staff, these strips were jokes told in-universe featuring characters from the issue the Off Panel was printed in, usually about the issue's story. Off Panel began a monthly publication schedule starting with Sonic Universe #13 and Sonic the Hedgehog #205.
Plot[]
Scott Fulop starts his tenure as editor, from Sonic the Hedgehog #12.
While Off Panel is primarily focused on fourth wall humor condensed into a single strip, the connective narrative thread between the strips from Sonic the Hedgehog #12 to #170 tracks the tenure of the editors of Archie Sonic the Hedgehog from Scott Fulop to Mike Pellerito as they worked on/with Sonic the Hedgehog. Scott Fulop and Justin Freddy Gabrie in particular both had their beginnings depicted in Off Panel.
After Sonic the Hedgehog #170, Off Panel took a break till the later end of Mike Pellerito’s tenure in Sonic Universe #1. The strips would no longer feature the Staff Avatars and while they mostly continued the humor, Sonic and the fourth wall characters became more commentary focused on the events happening in the main book and nearly stopped having their own subplots in Off Panel. The trade off allowed them to be more free to reference more past Sonic media concepts outside the book.
Off Panel exclusive concepts[]
Sonic the Hedgehog (Off Panel)[]
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Staff Avatar[]
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Extended cast (Off Panel)[]
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Deadline[]
Deadline, from Sonic the Hedgehog #126.
Deadline was a character featured solely in the Off Panel story for Sonic the Hedgehog #126. Apparently an aspiring writer, he sent in his story ideas in the hopes that they would be published. When this failed to occur, he used his magical "horror glass" to speed up the deadline for the comics, resulting in the comics becoming low quality. However, Justin Freddy Gabrie managed to defeat him by calling upon every then-current and past member of the comics staff to bury him beneath an "onslaught of talent!"[3]
Blackstage[]
Blackstage, from Sonic the Hedgehog #158.
Blackstage was a character featured solely in the Off Panel story for Sonic the Hedgehog #158. He was an industry insider with access to "Top-secret behind-the-scenes Sonic footage", such as how King Max had to go through six hours of makeup for his crystallized form, or the several "stunt doubles" of Sonic used throughout Sonic Super Special #15. He attempted to use said footage to discredit the comic series, but in reality, the readers enjoyed all the inside information, foiling Blackstage's scheme. Sonic and Mike Pellerito then discussed what to do with him, eventually settling on "De-frocking" him by taking his costume, causing him to run off in terror.[4]
Archie Zone[]
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‘Real world’ (Off Panel)[]
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List of titles with Off Panels[]
- Sonic the Hedgehog ("Sonic Grams" columns)
- Sonic Super Special ("Sonic Grams" columns)
- Knuckles the Echidna ("Fistful of Letters" columns)
- Sonic Universe ("My Sonic Universe" columns)
- Sonic Boom ("Sonic Boom Blast" columns)
Trivia[]
- Earlier predecessors to the Off Panel series can be found in the earliest issues of the Sonic comics' run, as well as the original mini-series; the short stories, pinup posters, and activity sheets have the same comedic focus and fourth wall nature as Off Panel.
- The Mega Man comic series has its own equivalent to the Off Panel strips, entitled "Short Circuits", which serve the same purpose. The Sonic characters appeared in these strips during the Worlds Collide and Worlds Unite sagas, and vice versa.
- Momma Robotnik from the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog television series makes frequent appearances in the Off Panel, fitting in with the humorous nature of the strips.
Gallery[]
Logos[]
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 The original logo for the third version of the Off Panel.  The Sonic Boom comics' motif for the Off Panel's logo.  "Officer Sonic" variant, from Sonic the Hedgehog #288 |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 (comic book) "Off Panel". Archie Comics. January 2000. "Justin Freddy Gabrie: Welcome to the "Archie Zone," Zonic... Let me show you around... The Bullpen's in here..."
- ↑ (comic book) "Off Panel". Archie Comics. March 2000. "Dr. Eggman: AHA! I have broken through to your "Off Panel" universe! / Off Panel Sonic: I knew it was just a matter of time, Robotnik!"
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #126, "Better Read Than Dead"
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #158, "Insider Treading"
External links[]
- Off Panel at Mobius Encyclopaedia, the Archie Sonic wiki.