Sonic’s Overview

When video game fans often think of Sonic the Hedgehog, they imagine a Japanese video game icon. It is hard to forget Sega’s classic and long time character that constantly fights against the forces of evil. However, what many fans of the video game series do not recognize is that Sonic and his friends have been successfully written about in hundreds of comic books. The first video game was released to fans in Japan in 1991 while American fans were introduced to Sonic in 1992. After Sonic’s successful appeal to young video gamers in between the ages of 10 and 19, Archie Comics decided to publish a monthly ongoing series regarding Japan’s favorite Hedgehog. The first issue, released in June 1993, proved a market success and immediately became a comic fan favorite. Many long time and classic characters known to the original video game series returned in the first issue. These included Sonic’s l forever-loyal sidekick Tails “Prower” Fox, arch nemesis Doctor Robotnick Egg man, and rival Knuckles the Echidna. Other well-known video game characters including Shadow the Hedgehog, Amy Rose the Hedgehog and Cream the Rabbet also returned to the comic series but at a later time. This successfully allowed Archie Comics to introduce new and vital characters that would expand Sonic’s universe. Man. Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog is a strong example of a comic book series expanding a classic, as well as mysterious, video game universe.

Mobius: Sonic’s Universe

To fans of the video game series, Archie successfully incorporates elements that are very crucial to Sonic’s universe. Both the ongoing comic book series and the video games both take place on the planet Mobius in a galaxy far away from earth. Furthermore, the series plot focuses around Sonic attempting to protect his planet from the nefarious evil plots of Doctor Robotnick Eggman. As long time video game fans remember, Sonic’s origin is based off his own heroism. In the first game installment, Sonic is seen constantly battling Eggman as the crazed scientist reaps havoc on the planet. The game centers on Sonic’s quest to recover the magical chaos emeralds from Eggman’s control. Similar to the video games, Sonic’s ultimate goal in the comics is to protect Mobius from utter destruction.   As in the video games, the ruler who controls all seven chaos emeralds is granted immense power and authority in Sonic’s world. Similar to video games, the comic also expands on both the Master Emerald and the magical rings that are crucial in Sonic’s Universe. As video gamers and Comic Fans know, the master emerald is guarded by Sonic’s rival, Knuckles the echidna. Knuckles is the guardian of the master emerald as it is the source of all the chaos emeralds’ magic. Furthermore the rings, known to heal Sonic and his friends in the video games, are seen in the comics as a form of healing power. Archie successfully incorporates elements of Sonic’s video games to appeal to comic book fans.

The Development of the Comic Book Universe

While Archie incorporates may key components from Sonic’s video game series, it also develops many aspects unique to the comic itself. The most notable is the development and personalities of the characters. In the comic book series, Sonic fans are re-introduced to Sonic and learn more about his perspective. Rather than in the video games, the comic elaborates on the long time war between Sonic’s freedom fighters and Doctor Eggman. In the comic, fans realize that Eggman has come to power through mechanization with the desire to make all of Mobius’ habitants’ robots. Different than the video game, Sonic’s own father is affected by the Great War and becomes mechanized. This leads to Sonic’s ambition to protect his planet from dangerous enemies. Long time characters, Tails “Prower” Fox and Amy Rose the Hedgehog, are also incorporated very differently in the comic than in their original Japanese adaptations. In the comic book series, Tails the Fox is seen as Sonic’s sidekick. Tails’ backstory in the comic is also revealed to be similar to Sonic’s in that he lost his family to Eggman during the course of the Great War. What fans might find interesting is that Tails is not always completely obedient to Sonic. The comic book expands on the idea of Tails constantly taking a backseat while Sonic achieves glory. At one point in the comics, Tails confronts Sonic is a long held fistfight. Like Tails, Amy Rose the Hedgehog is also massively developed in the comics. American fans usually view Amy as Sonic’s romantic follower who constantly pines for his affections. The comics incorporate this element of Amy, however they also depict her as determined and strong willed, willing to always fight for the protection of her friends. Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog focuses on developing attributes known to video game fans.

Sonic X

Due its success in both video games and comics, Sonic the Hedgehog was also recently adapted into an animated television series known as Sonic X. The series ran from 2003 to 2006 on Warner Brother’s Kids WB. This television series proved very different than the video games in that the story takes place on earth, rather than Sonic’s Universe on Mobius. Due to the success of Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog, the company also decided to adapt a comic book version of Sonic X. The comic book for Sonic X ran from 2005 to 2009 over a span of 40 issues. What I found most interesting about this comic book series is that Archie almost completely revamps the plot. First, the characters from the original Sonic the Hedgehog Comic return for Sonic X. Secondly, Archie’s comic book develops completely original stories that center around Sonic’s adventures on earth. I found this incredibly important as it gave a backstory about the transporter that led to Sonic’s transition to Earth. Furthermore, the Sonic X and Sonic the Hedgehog Comic series even crossed in 2009. In the final issue of Sonic X, fans known to Sonic’s enemy Shadow are reintroduced to the character. The issue focuses on Shadow’s attempt to return home to Sonic’s world Mobius. I found this remarkable as it showed that both the Sonic X universe and that of the video games and Archie Comics all take place in the same world.

 

Conclusion

In essence, Archie’s adaptations of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic X relate to the classic Japanese video game series. However, the comics provide fans a different perspective about the lives of Sonic and the Freedom Fighters. Archie’s adaptation allows fans to understand backstories and personalities of characters not seen in the video games. Sonic the Hedgehog represents a video game icon expanding its universe into the realm of comics.

Images Works Cited:

SEGA, Creative Solvibrations.com. Sonic the Hedgehog. 2014.

Archie Comics, Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Comics. 2014.

SEGA, Sonic The Hedgehog Wiki. Dr. Eggman. 1993.

SEGA, Infinite Loops Wiki. Knuckles the Echidna (Sonicverse). 2014.

SEGA, Sonic the Hedgehog Wiki. Tails the Fox. August 24, 2007.

SEGA, Sonic Fan Wiki. Amy Rose.

Archie Comics, Comic Book Vine.com, Sonic X Volume. 2005.

SEGA, The Black Eclipse Wiki. Shadow the Hedgehog.