Archie Sonic Comics

Submission 45,202

Part of a series on Sonic the Hedgehog. [View Related Entries]

About

Sonic the Hedgehog Comics is a comic book series based on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, which holds the world record for the longest-running comic book series based on a video game.^[2]

History

In 1991, the first Sonic the Hedgehog comic appeared as a 16-page promotional ad for the original Sonic the Hedgehog game on the Sega Genesis console (shown below).^[1]

In November 1992, Archie Comics published Issue 0 of the Original Sonic Miniseries,^[4] the first in a four-issue series published monthly until February 1993.

Sonic the Hedgehog

In May 1993, Archie officially launched the Sonic the Hedgehog line of comic books.^[6] The plot was largely based on the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon, which fans commonly refer to as "Sonic SatAM."

Knuckles the Echidna

From 1997 to 1999, a 32 issue spin-off series Knuckles the Echidna was published. The story was written by Ken Penders and was set in the same universe as Sonic the Hedgehog, but focused on the protagonist Knuckles the Echidna and his investigations on Angel Island. After the series was cancelled in 2000, it was included as a feature comic inside the Sonic the Hedgehog comics for the next three years.^[21]

Sonic Universe

In 2009, Archie launched the Sonic Universe line of comics. Issues typically featured storylines about other characters in the series, such as: Shadow the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna and Team Chaotix.^[8]

Sonic Boom

In October 2014, the 11 issue comic series Sonic Boom was created based on the titular animated series. Running until September 2015, the series was notable for a focus on humor absent from other Sonic comics. The comics were produced by writer Ian Flynn and artist Evan Stanley in collaboration with writers for Cartoon Network's Sonic Boom cartoon.^[20]

Sonic X

In 2005, Archie launched the Sonic X comic series, which ran for 40 issues over the next three years. The series is centered around the adventures of Sonic and friends after they have been transported to Earth and live with the Thorndyke family.

Writers

Ian Flynn

Ian Flynn is the current chief writer of Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe series, having previously worked on the discontinued Sonic Boom and Mega Man comics. His first comic in the Sonic the Hedgehog series was STH #160.^[15]

Ken Penders

Ken Penders is an ex-writer and artist for Sonic the Hedgehog comics known for his legal battles with Sega, Archie and EA Games over copyrights on various characters, leading to the removal of several characters from the series.^[18] His first work on the Sonic the Hedgehog series was STH #11, and he continued to work on the series as a writer and occasional artist up until STH #159.

Characters

Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe have invented and expanded on a large cast of popular characters in the Sonic fandom. The cast introduced in a short-lived cartoon series, most notably Princess Sally Acorn and the artificial intelligence Nicole (shown below, right), are included as main characters in the comics. Characters created specifically for the comics include Dimitri (shown below, left), Scourge the Hedgehog, Shard (the series' version of the video game-originated Metal Sonic), Elias Acorn, Dr. Finitevus (shown below, center), Fiona Fox, Mina Mongoose and many others. Many of the characters have since been removed from the series due to legal battles with Ken Penders.^[17]

Reception

Notable sites dedicated to reviewing Sonic comics include Hedgehogs Can't Swim,^[9] Archie Sonic Comic Reviews^[10] and First Comics News.^[11] In the Sega Forums,^[12] a thread was made discussing how Sonic the Hedgehog lasted as a comic series for 20 years. Comic Vine contains numerous threads with thousands of views discussing the nature of Sonic Comics.^[13] In addition, the news site Destructoid^[14] published an article discussing the expanded universes in Sonic comics and cartoons.

Comic Reviews

Fandom

Fan Art

Comic Screenshots

Voice-Overs

Alone On A Friday Night? God, You're Pathetic

Alone on a Friday Night? God, You’re Pathetic is a quote said by Sonic the Hedgehog in an edit of a panel from the ninth issue of Archie Comics’ eponymous comic book series. Online, the popularity of the exploitable image has led to the creation of many variations in which the smug-looking Sonic and his quote are replaced with another fictional character asking a different question that ends with the snide expression “God, you’re pathetic.”

Mighty Lips

Mighty Lips is a photoshop meme, which involves photoshopping oddly styled lips originating from an old Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series over an image’s original lips. The meme is normally circulated through the Sonic fandom, particularly on Tumblr.