Super Sonic Monthly #1: New arcs, big plans, and even bigger hints!

– PlugBoy asks: I really enjoyed Knuckles’ story in the 2024 Annual! Are there any plans for him to pop up in a future story sometime soon?

Sonic Editorial: We’re glad you enjoyed the Knuckles story in the Annual! We never want to leave characters out of the action, so he will certainly be returning to the ongoing. As far as when you can expect to see him… Well, not to make any promises, but we may have the next arc featuring Knuckles in our inbox right now!

Knuckles from Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2024.
Courtesy IDW

– Mel asks: Are there any more Classic Era comics planned for the future? Seeing Trip and Fang’s gang in the comics was so fun!

Sonic Editorial: We’d hate to spoil anything, but you might’ve hit the nail right on the head… In fact, a little birdie (A.K.A. the editorial planning document) told me that there might just be something in the Classic Era coming out in 2026… I guess we’ll just have to keep an eye out for it!

– Dalton Sneeds asks: When will the next mini-series (in the same vein as imposter syndrome, or scrapnik island) be happening?

Sonic Editorial: It may be closer than you think! There might even be a hint in the next response.

– milky wilky asks: Are there any plans to release spin-off books?

Sonic Editorial: Funny you should ask that!! So, we all know how Sage is getting introduced to the Sonic comics in issue #84? Well, that same little birdie from before told me that there maaaaay be a spin-off featuring everyone’s favorite Artificial Intelligence in the works!

The cover to Sonic the Hedgehog #84.
Courtesy IDW

– milky wilky asks: Is there a specific storyline or concept you guys shut down? If so, were there arguments within the creative team?

Sonic Editorial: We get pitches all the time from creatives, but obviously not all of them see the light of day. Anything from timing, story focus, or even just the bandwidth of the people working on the books doesn’t always work out. Characters, locations, gizmos, and even gadgets all have decades of history and motivations across books, TV, movies, and games, and we try to be very mindful of that as well.

The creatives we work with are absolute professionals, though, and our Sonic crew is one of the most respectful and polite groups of folks I’ve had the pleasure to work with. Ultimately, we’re all on the same team with the same goal: to create the best comics possible for you guys.

– Mayui asks: Will Surge and Kitsunami have reliable friends in the future ……?

Sonic Editorial: Do you really think Sonic, Amy, and Tails would turn down the chance to befriend complicated characters with a tragic backstory and ever-changing morals? No! Because of their creation, Surge and Kit obviously have a hard time with others. While they’re starting to play better with others, it’ll take a while for them to get used to friendship and the trust that brings.

Holiday 2022 Surge and Kit by Evan Stanley.

– Dev2430 asks: What is the future of Silver now that him, Whisper, and Tangle are finally done with Mimic?

Sonic Editorial: Mimic might have been the most immediate threat to the reformed Diamond Cutters, but we’ve still got plans for Silver beyond Mimic. As the new storyline kicks off in #81, Silver is eventually going to get pulled into the mystery of the stolen Emeralds and who is behind it!

Character Arcs & Relationships

– Brent asks: Which comic character would you like to see show up in a mainline Sonic game the most?

Sonic Editorial: Gosh, this is a difficult question! I think Starline could’ve been amazing in a mainline Sonic game, just so he could stir up trouble, but I also must say that I think Tangle and Whisper would be total shoe-ins for the games! Also, as someone who loves games, Tangle’s tail mechanic and Whisper’s wispons would be SO fun to play!

The cover to Sonic the Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper trade paperback.
Courtesy IDW

– Brent asks: Any odd character pairings you’d like to see in action for a story?

Sonic Editorial: Don’t get me started on this! From day one at IDW, I have wanted a comic where Shadow and Amy are forced to pair up and save the world. I am a sucker for sunshine x grumpy, and I know it would be a hilarious (and heart wrenching) comic! We’re just waiting for the perfect story pitch!

– Mel asks: Will we ever learn more about Whisper’s old teammates? I would love to see more about the original Diamond Cutters, they’ve intrigued me a lot and we know so little about their history!

Sonic Editorial: Honestly, probably not for a long while! As it stands in the ongoing comic series, Whisper has broken her cycle of pain with Mimic and is on to bigger and brighter things. While she carries love and the memories of the original Diamond Cutters, it’s not a history that we’re planning on revisiting at the moment. If you’re ever missing the original Diamond Cutters, though, the Tangle & Whisper miniseries is always a great reread!

– Maya asks: Will we see what Surge and Kit are up to soon? I miss them!

Sonic Editorial: Totally understandable! We always love whenever Surge and Kit make a totally not destructive entrance! After their appearance in Sonic #78, they are off living their lives as the heroes they want to be. Rest assured, they will return and this heroism will be put to the test, although for the moment, there are more… pressing matters.

– Mayui asks: Are there any characters that work well with Kitsunami?

Sonic Editorial: Wow, that is a good question… Um, huh… If Surge is excluded, this one’s a bit of a head scratcher for us. Well, we guess everyone gets along with Cream…right?

Everyone loves Cream!

Lighter/Fun/Niche

– Philip Doctor asks: What is your favorite issue of the series as of #81?

Sonic Editorial: It’s hard to choose! I really enjoy the beginning of the Metal Virus arc, so about issue #13. I also love the high emotional and physical stakes of Sonic #50-51! Everything comes to such a heartbreaking head there, it’s hard to ignore! Beyond that, I’ve honestly enjoyed the new arcs, especially Phantom Riders, which begins at #69!

There’s so much intrigue, and I adore Clutch, Surge, and Kit!

– Blake! asks: Have you ever thought of doing a gimmick issue? Something like a Choose-your-own-adventure, for example!

Sonic Editorial: Right now, we’re focusing heavily on the stories along the Road to 100, but eventually, we would love to do a choose-your-own-adventure book! Honestly, the Sonic editors adore a gimmick, so we need to start cooking some more up!

In the meantime, check out the jam issue for The Chaotix 35th Anniversary– it’s pretty cool how many styles we got to squeeze in!

The cover to The Chaotix 35th Anniversary!
Courtesy IDW

– Bob asks: What does everyone think of Barry the quokka?

Sonic Editorial: Eagle eyed readers might sometimes spot them making a quick cameo appearance in the ongoing comics here and there!

General

– TheNintenGuru asks: If you had to pick an IP to crossover with Sonic for the comics, which would you pick and why?

Sonic Editorial: Without a doubt, it has to be Godzilla! The Blue Blur versus the King of the Monsters? Come on! Let’s see that on your comic book shelf!

– Beaky asks: Hypothetically, if Mimic won the fight a few issues back, what would change?

Sonic Editorial: Emotionally, it would’ve changed a lot in Sonic’s world. Mimic has escaped the consequences of his actions before, but if he truly ended the original Diamond Cutters, I’m sure all of Whisper’s friends would rally to defeat him.

Sonic, Tangle, and Silver would be first to continue the fight to get Mimic, but think of Lanolin, Amy, and all of their other friends! They would do everything they could to stop the evil! They’d have their heartache over the loss, but I believe they would persevere and continue their fight for good and justice!

Mimic from Sonic the Hedgehog #30.
Courtesy IDW

– Maya asks: Are Mimic and Star-Line truly gone? 

Sonic Editorial: We can’t tell you that! Our editors will get mad at us… oh, wait. All we can say is that these are comic books – characters return all the time after you thought you’d seen the last of them! Both Starline and Mimic are great villains, so maybe you’ll see them again some day, but you’ll have to keep picking up the comics to find out!

– Blake! asks: How did the Endless Summer overlay from 2023 come to be? Did all of the comics involved just happen to have a summer issue planned, or were they made specifically for the event?

Sonic Editorial: Endless Summer was a special editorial initiative created for IDW’s all ages licensed books. All four comics were made specifically for the event, which is also how we were able to coordinate the awesome connecting cover set across all the issues, which was done by Sonic creators Jack Lawrence and Reggie Graham!

Endless Summer cover by Tracy Yardley.
Courtesy IDW

– Dalton Sneeds asks: How was the development of Lunar like? Was there anything Lunar was before a sugar glider?

Sonic Editorial: Lunar started out as a written character pitch, just one paragraph long! Once the written concept was finalized, we then created an initial character design sheet that (with a few tweaks) became the final design you saw in #81! Sonic writer and artist Evan Stanley knew Lunar needed to be a dexterous, acrobatic animal due to the story arc’s circus setting, but in the very early stages of development, other animal possibilities included a squirrel or monkey.

– David Daranijo asks: When next are we going to see super forms?

Sonic Editorial: It has been awhile since we last saw Super Sonic, hasn’t it? It’s pretty rare that Sonic finds himself in a position where he needs the power of all the Chaos Emeralds in order to save the day! We want the storylines in the comics to be properly built up so that when power ups happen, they feel narratively developed, satisfying, and occur in the most climatic moments possible (think boss fights, in the games!). That said, as the Road to 100 unfolds, we may reach a point where Sonic needs all the help he can get!

And that’s a wrap on Super Sonic Monthly #1! Be sure to check back next month for another edition of fan questions answered, and exclusives too!

But that’s not all, check out exclusive art for Sonic the Hedgehog #82 below!