With how hectic and fight heavy Sonic the Hedgehog has been lately, issue #62 by Ian Flynn and Thomas Rothlisberger is a much-needed breather issue. Let’s make like the blue blur himself, waste no time, and do it to it.
This one is mostly a chill, down to earth story, and I’m grateful for that. Often I feel like this book feels the need to shove a long action sequence into every issue, and while I understand that it’s ultimately for the benefit of the kids reading, it can get a bit monotonous. An issue like this that’s more on the down low, and more of an adventure than an action sequence, was quite welcome. When your focus is Knuckles and Angel Island, exploration and adventure is definitely the more appropriate flavor to hone in on. And with that said, it was really awesome to see Knuckles get some spotlight… for half the issue, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers. Am I sounding too negative? I hope not, because Amy and Knuckles are both very underrated characters, and I was pretty happy seeing both of them shine here.
IDW Publishing
The second chunk of the issue concerns the minor villain Mimic being hired by other minor villain Clutch in order to infiltrate the new Diamond Cutters, which is clearly setting up for some bigger story plans down the line (though I do hope that isn’t for a while). My only issue with this series lately is the shotgun approach to banging out major events and set pieces one after the other… and this issue really showed how much the books needs a break from that format. Smaller-scale adventures would be a nice change of pace for a little bit before we get back to the big stuff.
IDW Publishing
The characterization here is on point, as it always is with the forever fan fave Flynn-comma-Ian. Sorry, I really wanted the alliteration. Anyways, Knuckles is still my favorite part of this issue, and it’s obvious that Flynn knows what fans want from the guy. Knuckles is a tragically underused and oversimplified character in a lot of Sonic media, and hasn’t seen much focus or attention since the Archie days of the comics, so any chance to see him just do his thing is great. I think Amy makes a good foil for him too, with her chipper and sweet attitude doing a good job of leveling off Knux’s more hotheaded tendencies that make him clash with Sonic. It’s a good dynamic, they should do this more often. I also love how strong the Diamond Cutters personalities are here, quick and easy display of their contrasting traits to let you know what their team dynamic is.
IDW Publishing
Even the villains are pretty well done here, and I’m fascinated with the niche that Clutch fills in the Sonic universe as a sort of underground strings puller. It’s not a concept that’s regular to this franchise, so I’m really curious about what his long term goals are and where they’re gonna lead. More villains that aren’t just would-be world conquerors or minions is a welcome addition.
The art is great; Rothlisberger is one of my personal favorite artists that the Sonic books pull. His work is always very dynamic and focused on body language and facial expression, which is the perfect direction to take a character like Sonic. I feel like I’ve praised his work plenty in these reviews before though, so I won’t ramble on too much. Needless to say, when it comes to a more down to earth and talky issue like this, he’s the perfect fit.
Sonic the Hedgehog #62 was a really fun breather issue, in my opinion. I may have come down hard on some things in relation to the book’s recent developments, but I only critique from a place of love. I adore the Sonic comics, have for years even prior to this series, so I just want to see the book flourish and hopefully not start to get stale in any places. I think more fun, lighthearted issues like this are what the book really needs more of. I’m always excited for the IDW Sonic creative staff to take us on a wild ride, but even Sonic needs to stop and recharge with a Chili Dog and a nap every so often, y’know? Good stuff guys, as always. Keep on keepin’ it real.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login