Sonic the Poster Mag Issue 1

Sonic the Poster Mag #1

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Sonic the Poster Mag
Publication details
Issue	1
Date	December 1993
Publishing company	Fleetway Editions Ltd
Cover price	£1.35
Production staff
Editor	Richard Burton
Managing editor	Steve MacManus
Publisher	Chris Power
Special thanks	Channel 4 Television
Issue chronology
Next	Sonic the Poster Mag Issue 2

Sonic the Poster Mag #1 was the first installment of Sonic the Poster Mag, a spin-off of Sonic the Comic referred to as "A Sonic the Comic Mega-Production" and published by Fleetway Editions. It was released shortly before Sonic the Comic #15.

It contains a giant poster featuring Sonic the Hedgehog in underwater action.

On the reverse of the poster, the mag contains information about two then-upcoming TV series: Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (which had just premiered on UK's Channel 4) and Sonic the Hedgehog. The mag contains general information about both shows, including synopses and images of some important characters (particularly contrasting the different appearances of Robotnik in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and in the Sonic the Hedgehog television series). It also contains a list of the first 18 episodes of AoStH.

Most notable, however, is a double-page spread supposedly featuring screen-shots from the new Sonic the Hedgehog series. However, none of the screenshots are recognisable as SatAM material, and it is presumably concept art for an early-version of the series, or an earlier series that was never made. Fans have dubbed this early Sonic cartoon "the mystery cartoon" or "Pre-SatAM", for lack of a better term.

Staff

• Editor: Richard Burton
• Designer: Clare Gillmore
• Managing Editor: Steve MacManus
• Publisher: Chris Power
• Special thanks to: Channel 4 Television

Early Animated series

"The Resistance is Born!"

"The Freedom Team!"

"A Hero's Reward!"

"Dr. Robotnik's Reign of Terror Strikes the Planet Mobius!"

Sonic the Poster Mag #1 contains 4 "screenshots" from an unknown TV series, claiming that they relate to the then-upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog TV series. The pictures are subtitled "The Resistance is Born!", "The Freedom Team!", "A Hero's Reward!" and "Dr. Robotnik's Reign of Terror Strikes the Planet Mobius!" (One of these images, "The Freedom Team!", had previously appeared in Sonic the Comic #12's News Zone to advertise Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.)

The concept of the series, in which Sonic leads a team of animals to thwart the dictator Doctor Robotnik and prevent him from turning animals into robots with his "robotic transformation machine", does seem to have several similarities to the series that became SatAM. Sonic's female love interest is even a squirrel named "Princess Acorn", although she bears no similarity to the cartoon's version of the character. (This female character appears in all four images. Sonic appears in only three.)

The "Freedom Team" image features several characters, based on the captive animals from early Sonic games: Johnny Lightfoot (rabbit), Princess Acorn (squirrel), Tux (penguin), Chirps (chicken), Joe Sushi (walrus), Flicky (red bird), and Porker Lewis (pig). These are all named after the Sega of America names for the captive animals, with the exception of the squirrel (who was known as Sally Acorn, but not as a princess). Notably absent is Tails, suggesting that this concept art may have preceded his introduction.

The SatAM characters Sally Acorn, Bunnie Rabbot, and Rotor Walrus were based on these same captive animals, but given new identities and personalities for their series. Sonic the Comic did continue to use the Sega of America names for their supporting characters, particularly Johnny Lightfoot and Porker Lewis, but the STC characters also have very little in common with their Pre-SatAM counterparts (with the exception that both versions of Johnny wear red leather jackets and both versions of Porker wear black jackets).

See also

• Sonic the Poster Mag 1 at the Sonic the Comic Wiki.
• Early Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon at Sonic Retro

Sonic the Comic issues