Let’s face it, all the build-up in world is going to be overshadowed here, isn’t it.
After another cooldown month to catch up with the delay, new solicitations and covers for August have finally been revealed courtesy of Comics Alliance! Their batch leads in with Sonic the Hedgehog #285, but we covered that in March so head back there if you want a refresher. What is new is Sonic the Hedgehog #286, which sees our heroes fighting back against Dr Eggman’s attack!
Sonic is squaring off with the moustachioed man himself to rescue Chip, the Freedom Fighters have managed to infiltrate the refinery of Eggmanland, and Rotor’s going all-out with the Sky Patrol against the Death Egg. And that’s just the beginning of the mayhem, as you’ll find out in “Panic in the Sky”; part 3!
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #286
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Diana Skelly, Terry Austin, John Workman and Gabriel Cassata
Sonic the Hedgehog #286 CVR A Reg: Dan Schoening and Luis Delgado
Sonic the Hedgehog #286 CVR B Variant: Tracy Yardley
“Panic in the Sky” Part Three: The finale to the “Shattered World Saga” is reaching a fevered pitch! Sonic battles Dr. Eggman in a desperate bid to rescue Chip! The Freedom Fighters invade Eggman’s refinery against impossible odds! Rotor flies the Sky Patrol into a no-win battle with the Death Egg! And it only gets more nuts from there! Featuring the third of four connecting covers by comics pro Dan Schoening plus an “Egg Dragoon” variant by Mr. Sonic comics, Tracy Yardley!
On Sale Date: 9/14
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
Meanwhile, in Sonic Universe #89, Angel Island comes closer to peril as time is running out for Knuckles and Amy! Walter Naugus is trying to complete the Master Emerald himself to regain his power, and the duo have to team up with team Dark to take him out…if they don’t get taken out first! This is “Shattered”; part 3.
SONIC UNIVERSE #89
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Adam Bryce Thomas, Jim Amash, Jack Morelli and Matt Herms
Sonic Universe #89 CVR A Reg: Tracy Yardley & Matt Herms
Sonic Universe #89 CVR B Variant: Ryan Jampole
Knuckles is about to crack in “Shattered” Part Three: Time is running out for Amy, Knuckles and all of Angel Island! As our heroes fight for their lives, the evil wizard Walter Naugus inches closer to completing the Master Emerald and regaining his full power! Can the gang pull through to stop the wacky warlock? Featuring cover art by Sonic comics veteran, Tracy Yardley and an “& Knuckles” variant by jamming Ryan Jampole!
On Sale Date: 8/31
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
This month also sees a couple of reprint compilations coming out. First up, Sonic Super Digest #17 promises to bring together the fun of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Universe and Sonic Boom in one pocket-sized package. We don’t know any of the specific stories, but we do know that there will be speed, and evil doctor-stopping goodness!
SONIC SUPER DIGEST #17
Script: Various
Art: Various
Cover: SEGA
Get ready for supersonic action & adventure—it’s Sonic Super Digest! Don’t miss all the fun and excitement you love in stories from the Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Universe and Sonic Boom™ comic series! Sonic and his friends embark on daring quests, face epic challenges and run rings around the evil Dr. Eggman! Dash into adventures that only Archie Comics and Sonic Super Digest can bring! Featuring awesome cover art by SEGA and story & art from the biggest names in Sonic comics history!
On Sale Date: 9/7
128-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.
Finally, after a long while of waiting, the first Sonic Boom volume is finally on track for a release. For those interested in the alternative take on Sonic, here’s your chance to relive the first four adventures of the (unfortunately cut short) Sonic Boom comic, with all the shenigans, hijinks and wackiness that comes with them! This is Sonic Boom Volume 1: The Big Boom.
SONIC BOOM VOL. 1: THE BIG BOOM (TR)
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Evan Stanley, Ryan Jampole, Jennifer Hernandez, Rick Bryant, Jack Morelli and Matt Herms
Cover: Patrick “SPAZ” Spaziante
Here comes the BOOM! Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends are back and ready to do battle with the evil DR. EGGMAN! This ground-breaking new branch of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise puts a different “spin” on all your favorite heroes and villains—plus brand new faces and hilarious stories chock-full of action. Written by bestselling Sonic comic scribe Ian Flynn, and based on the hit TV series! Sonic and his friends Tails, Amy, Knuckles and new member Sticks, must come together as a team to explore a new world full of comedy and adventure. SONIC BOOM Vol. 1 collects Sonic Boom #1-4.
978-1-62738-983-9
$12.99/$14.99CAN
6 5/8 x 10 3/16”
TR
104 pp, Full Color
Direct Market On-Sale Date: 9/7
We’ll have more information on all of these issues closer to the time of their release. In the meantime, you might want to get ready, because next month marks the reveal of the solicits for the Shattered World Crisis finale!
Source: Comics Alliance
YES! I knew it! “Nixus” was indeed Walter Naugus! Seriously, it was so obvious the moment I saw the previous Universe cover. Why didn’t anyone else come to this conclusion and assume it was Thrash, Boom!Knuckles, or some random character without observing all the clues and details on Sonic Universe 88 and the back-up story for STH Issue 276? Walter had the Master Emerald shard in that issue as well as Sonic Universe 83, and it was pretty damn clear who that so-called “Nixus” (the name was a dead giveaway too) really was, if you consider the fact that this whole arc is about Knuckles teaming up with Amy to get the last remaining Master Emerald shards, hence the name “Shattered”.
Also, there’s no mention of Wendy and the Witchcarters on any of the “Shattered” Universe covers nor the solicits. It almost seems inevitable that Wendy is the last Egg Boss…
That main SU cover is amazing.
Indeed. Crystal Omega is pretty interesting and I can’t wait to see how this plays out…
Love that alternate cover. “Why am I connected to the bee?!” Archie using an old Egoraptor joke.
Anyone else excited to see what happens after the Shattered Wolrd Crisis saga ends?
Honestly, I am. I’m kinda sick of the whole arc at this point.
SU is what’s keeping my interest mostly.
Me too but I feel this whole are was made almost from thin air and on the go since it was released just after the Penders lawsuit.
You know how comic writers plan like 5 years of stories in advance? Must be tough how Ian and co had to scrap every story involving Penders characters and start from zero, I can’t help but think the Sonic & Megaman crossovers and this arc were just place holders while the writers worked on new, long-term game-changing arcs for the future.
Yes yes me too. I’m really looking forwatd to see what happens nect.
I guess I’m late to the party, but it’s nice that we’ll be seeing the reboot post-Shattered-World so soon. I thought Archie was just going to wait until #300 to resolve it.
Uh, random comment, I apologize. But are you the same MetaRyan that made a chunk of my childhood on ROBLOX? Thanks.
did…did they just use a egoraptor joke?
What the hell? Team Dark? Oh common people, there was no need to squeeze these guys in at the last minute just to placate inpatient fans. Shadow had 2 story arcs already, one he already shared with Knux. Maybe bring in Rouge but not her whole posse. The un-explored dynamics between Knux, Amy and Walter is what most interested me about the upcoming arc and the unexplored new settings from the reboot-Angel Island.
Yeah, I’m being nitpicky, but the arc hasn’t even started and it’s starting to feel condensed and crowded. Archie should have held off Team Dark until the next arc. Curiously…dreadfully…there hasn’t been much talk about Archie’s long term plans for the future of Sonic, so I pray that this is not an omen of things to come….
Did you forget that Team Dark is technically working for Dr. Julian Snively who desperately wants the Master Emerald shards for himself? It’s not JUST about Knuckles and Amy. Other people are looking for those shards too. Why Team Dark, you may ask? Because Snively ordered them to do so. That’s why.
If you read the “Sonic Grams” fan-mail section of STH Issue 281, it states and confirms that Shadow will be playing a huge role in the Shattered World Crisis resolution as well, pointing to seeing it in Shattered.
Shadow’s the 2nd most popular character in the Sonic franchise, so it makes perfect sense to have him appear once again in the SWC conclusion.
Second this.
Also, it will be interesting to see how different the ending of the Shattered World crisis will be from Sonic Unleashed.
Well, it IS a worldwide crisis. Why wouldn’t GUN and, by extension, Team Dark be involved in some way? Remember, GUN is based on the US military, the same military/government that’s now infamous for shoving its nose into literally every crisis in an attempt to help.
If that where the case, where the hell where they during all the times the FF could’ve used their help? Archie had a million chances to place them into any random story arc during this time, if it makes sense for G.U.N to “spread some democracy”. (now I want an arc where Team Dark parodies Team America and Omega will be patriotic as fuck)
So why now, when the only target is Angel Island and it’s fate is inconsequential to the bigger picture of restoring the planet; let’s remember that Shadow is the same prick who was willing to let Angle Island fall just to “protect the Master Emerald”. The only one with stakes in it’s survival is appropriately, Knuckles.
And he has Amy, Mighty and Ray to help him, not to mention Relic and Fixit on the island; that’s already a sizable cast for a 4 issue arc to take on Wally. Team Dark coming out of no where is unnecessary and may cause pacing issues, and the Shattered World thing has enough pacing problems as it is. My complaint is that putting Team Dark in at the last minute just screams executive meddling to help sales and doesn’t help the story.
You’re missing the ENTIRE point here. Dr. Julian Snively is the reason why Team Dark’s getting involved with the Master Emerald shards. I don’t know why you’re not getting any of this.
Team Dark is there cause they wanna help Knux fix Master Emerald It’s their duty since Shadow is partly reason why Knux shattered Master Emerald. (Remember: ‘Total Eclipse’ arc)
Because he tried that shit already in ECLIPSED and was already reprimanded by GUN. Snively doesn’t have no real authority with GUN anyways and even if he did, Team Dark doesn’t like him so they wouldn’t jump through hoops for the little bastard.
Here’s something I don’t why You’re not getting: THERE’S ALREADY A VILLAIN FROM SATAM TRYING TO STEAL THE EMERDOOD. Or are we just going to ignore the big fat magic troll with beard now that Snively is here? And Wally’s not that big of a deal they he needs two separate teams of Sonic characters to go against him, and yet here we are.
THE ENTIRE POINT is adding ANOTHER villain with ANOTHER group of heroes from an entirely different plot thread to another just complicates the original story and kills the pacing. It’s like Ian and co. are trying to rush through all of their other plot lines to wrap them up in time for the finale of Shattered World….oh wait, they are? To what end? Nobody knows, but it better be worth it if they’re rushing through the big Unleashed plot line that launched their reboot.