Hello there once again, fellow enthusiasts of all things Blue Blur! It’s time to dig into the final issue of IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island by Daniel Barnes, Jack Lawrence and Nathalie Fourdraine. This book has been a real hardcore fan pleaser to be sure – it’s certainly done that for me at least, and given the reaction this issue’s preview got on Twitter from other Sonic fans, I’d say you can already tell this one’s worth a read… so here’s your warning to take a look before I spoil the whole thing.
Onto the matter at hand, that’s right folks… he DID say the thing!
IDW Publishing
I have to get this out of the way first: the iconic “I’LL CRUSH YOU” line from the massively popular fan series Super Mario Bros Z got a huge shout out in the final issue’s opening pages. For those who didn’t lurk on Newgrounds circa 2008, SMBZ is a very popular series of sprite animations that crossed over Sonic and Mario, and is well known by fans as what popularized Mecha Sonic in the eyes of many. One of Mecha’s catchphrases was the previously mentioned “I’ll crush you”, sampled originally from Cooler of DBZ fame, but has become inseparably associated with the character since. So this is my long-winded way of saying that this is a pretty cool (and honestly shocking) reference to the massive legacy this character has in the fan community. I’m sure the creator of SMBZ is quite proud.
IDW Publishing
All that aside, the actual plot of the issue does everything I had hoped. I expressed some concern that Mecha might forever turn back to evil and potentially be destroyed after such a strong showing as a changed bot, but thankfully, my faith in this creative team was well placed, and the issue deals with helping Mecha come to terms with no longer needing to walk a dark path. He doesn’t need Eggman’s approval to be his own person, or hijack Sonic’s body to get his attention. Oh, and the references don’t stop with Mecha’s iconic catchphrase – there’s a very obvious homage to the original Sonic OVA from the ’90s, and I gotta admit it had me smiling ear to ear.
It’s not just a surface level reference, either. Barnes takes the original idea of that scene in the OVA and contextualizes it, highlighting Mecha’s inferiority complex and having Sonic actually succeed in changing his mind about living on in harmony. It’s a great moment, and it speaks to what kind of character Sonic is at his core: a compassionate guy who wants everybody to feel free to live their lives as they see fit. It’s a lesson transplanted right from that old OVA, but this time it manages to stick with the antagonist. Mecha may not be the real flesh and blood Sonic, but he’s still a living being (in a sense…), and his namesake helped show him that he doesn’t have to be in order to have worth, to be able to live his own way. Great stuff.
IDW Publishing
The art of course is as great as it’s been, every panel filled with carefully crafted detail. This whole mini has had great visual flourish. From being packed to the brim with fan-servicey details to an honestly sublime atmosphere being set every step of the way, this may be a contender for my favorite Sonic art in the whole of his comic history. A big claim sure, but one I’m confident in. Hats off to Lawrence and Fourdraine, you guys did amazing work here.
Another big claim here, but I think this is the best Sonic miniseries in IDW’s entire catalog. While things like the 30th Anniversary Special gave us more Classic Sonic adventures to chew on, this book gives us that in a sense and even more. Returning favorites being given new life, a hopeful message that brings out the best in Sonic’s life philosophy, appropriately profound in its execution. The fan service is icing on that layered cake of great storytelling and art, and my hat is off to the team who put this together. I’m shocked a book like this exists at all for all its deep cuts and profound love for Sonic’s history, but I’m glad it does. It’s worth every penny, so please show your support.
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