Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary #1
Recap
Hard to believe it's been 30 years since we were first introduced to beloved Sega mascot Sonic the Hedgehog but somehow if you're a comic/cartoon/gaming fan...kinda hard to remember what any of those things were like before the Blue Blur. Let's see what Mr. GottaGoFast has on deck to celebrate his 30th birthday!
Review
First up is Seasons of Change, a sort of mystery tale that serves to reintroduce however briefly the wealth of beloved Sonic characters from both the games and comics. If you have a favorite odds are they got a shout out here. The art is vibrant to be expected and the layout changes through the panels also serve to freshen up nostalgia for the various game entries in different eras of Sonic gaming. Pairing the presented casts with what game era it being somewhat subtlety represented is enjoyable all it’s own here.
The rebuilt Robot Robotnik, Heavy King forces Sonic, his friends, his freenemies and Eggman to work together to solve the mystery of why Robotnik’s Heavy King went rogue and why it’s using his co-opted robot army to gather the Chaos Emeralds. The result is a colorful, fun and energetic adventure that will scratch the itch for Sonic action of all kinds. To add to the already impressive job done is how after all these years writing Sonic Ian Flynn can still keep the characterization and dialogue fresh without having to do anything out of sorts. Dude just genuinely gets these characters and why we love them, the light hearted fun that still holds your attention is a treat for any reader new or old.
Following the main tale are two slice of life style stories which I won’t spoil for you but both are fun and worth the price of admission. Sonic learns to drive was particularly interesting because it draws parallels to another icon Goku from DBZ when *he* went through a similar experience with the DMV.
Final Thoughts
All in all, there's not a ton of surprises here. If you're familiar with Sonic then you know what to expect but that's a good thing. Sometimes familiar is best. What you get here is a great set of stories that are perfect for nostalgia buffs and a bridge for new and old readers both in comic experience but also actual age. It's not everyday you get a solid wholesome but not lacking read for all ages yet here we are, Sega fans rejoice!
Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary: Heavy Mettle
- Writing - 8/108/10
- Storyline - 8/108/10
- Art - 10/1010/10
- Color - 10/1010/10
- Cover Art - 10/1010/10
