Welcome to the Archive site of The Sonic Stadium (2008-2023)
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San Diego Comic Con is right around the corner, and IDW Publishing is hyping up its annual Sonic the Hedgehog panel this year with teases of sneak peeks for upcoming works and brand new announcements – promising it will be “one for the history books”.
Titled “Sonic the Hedgehog: Speeding to the 900th Adventure!”, the event will no doubt be heavily discussing the latest one-shot comic (called, funnily enough, “Sonic the Hedgehog: 900th Adventure”) – but as this special book represents something of a landmark for IDW’s licensed series, it’s understandable that the publisher would also want to celebrate a little by announcing something cool there too.
For those attending (and for those curious to follow the news live with us online), IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog panel will take place on Sunday 22 July between 10am – 11am Pacific Time (that’s 6pm – 7pm in the UK), in Room 25ABC. Comic editor David Mariotte and writer/artist Evan Stanley will be present to discuss and answer questions, and there will also be a signing event taking place just after (11:30am – 12:30pm PT) featuring Stanley, Adam Bryce Thomas, Min Ho Kim and SEGA’s Mike Cisneros.
Full details from IDW’s press release below (courtesy AIPT, where you can find schedules and information on all the other IDW Publishing panels as well, such as TMNT and Star Trek):
Panels:
SUNDAY, JULY 22
Sonic The Hedgehog: Speeding to the 900th Adventure! 10:00am-11:00am, Room 25ABC
Gotta go fast to the IDW Sonic the Hedgehog panel at San Diego Comic-Con! Join the creative team – including Sonic editor David Mariotte and writer Evan Stanley – as they celebrate the upcoming 900th adventure of the Blue Blur with super fun stories that will leave fans spinning. Get ready to race into action with exciting sneak peeks and announcements that will make this panel one for the history books.
Signing Schedule:
SUNDAY, JULY 23
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 11:30am-12:30pm Evan Stanley, Adam Bryce Thomas, Mike Cisneros, Min Ho Kim
You can bet your bottom dollar we at the Sonic Stadium are preparing our trip there so we can give you top coverage. As always, keep an eye on the Sonic Stadium for the latest news (and post in our forums to discuss the latest before we even get to it!).
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IDW Sonic’s 900th Adventure is getting a lot more action-packed with the reveal of two new cover variants for the upcoming one-shot comic. Evan Stanley brings us a whale-biting encounter with the book’s Cover C, while the Retail Incentive artwork offers a Fleetway throwback courtesy of legendary UK artist Richard Elson.
As we’ve come to expect from Stanley, her Cover C artwork is a phenomenal piece, featuring a fantastic art style that really captures the dynamism of both Sonic and Amy as they try to escape a whale (what is it with whales?). The IDW writer also shared a clean version of this artwork as well as some thumbnail sketches on her social media channel, as a treat.
As for the Retail Incentive cover? Well, UK-based Sonic fans who grew up in the 1990s are in for a real treat with this one, as this cover is by none other than Sonic the Comic artist Richard Elson. And those with the ‘STC Style’ burned into their memories will truly appreciate Elson’s familiar take on Sonic and Dr. Eggman here.
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Solicitations for the next issue of IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog have come flying out the gate, and those who miss the racing action of Sonic Riders will be pleased to know that the Babylon Rogues are back in a new story.
You can check out the synopsis below from from Penguin Random House. The issue is written by Ian Flynn and Evan Stanley, and will be illustrated by Mauro Fonseca and Adam Bryce Thomas.
The misadventures continue! It’s Knuckles vs. the Babylon Rogues! They have stolen a relic from Angel Island, so Knuckles enlists the Chaotix to track them down. But the Chaotix have a super important date to keep: dinner with Vanilla and Cream! The pair are busy preparing when they get two very unexpected and stinky visitors…
But somehow there is alternative preview text that exists, which outline some new details (revealing Rough and Tumble, for example), which has been provided to us by Sonictrainer:
The Babylon Rouges have stolen a relic from Angel Island and Knuckles has hired Team Chaotix to help. However, the Chaotix might miss their get together at Cream’s house. To make matters worse, Rough and Tumble plan on inviting themselves over for dinner.
Check out the covers below!
Cover A: Natalie Haines
Cover B: Eric Lide
Cover RI: Nathalie Fourdraine
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It’s really happening: Classic Amy is getting her own one-shot comic from IDW in celebration of her 30th anniversary. This will be in keeping with the Classic Sonic and Tails 30th anniversay one-shots, which have practically made these Classic Sonic comics an annual tradition.
The comic will be written by Ian Flynn, with art by Aaron Hammerstrom and Reggie Graham. The issue will release in September for $5.99. Check out the full solicit with the plot summary below:
Cool, sweet, and pink! All words that describe our absolute favorite hedgehog. That’s right, step aside, Sonic, and have no fear, because Amy Rose is here!
Ian Flynn, Aaron Hammerstrom, and Reggie Graham are back for another Classic Sonic special! And this time, Amy’s doing the saving!
After Metal Sonic interrupts her picnic, Amy uses her Fortune Cards as a guide to free her friends and stop Doctor Eggman. Can she save the day and still get back in time for tea?!
The comic has three covers, with Cover A done by Aarom Hammerstrom, Cover B being done by Mauro Fonseca, and the retail incentive cover being done by Jennifer Hernandez. Check them out below:
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Thirty years ago today, the very first issue of Egmont Fleetway’s Sonic The Comic hit store shelves in the UK. And with it began a revolution in video game universe storytelling that gripped an entire generation.
‘STC’ initially started out as a more general SEGA-themed comic book that happened to feature Sonic the Hedgehog as the headliner. Early issues always had a one-shot Sonic story at the front, but also ran strips for other Mega Drive titles such as Ecco the Dolphin, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage and even Decap Attack.
The first few Sonic adventures were pretty simple affairs, without much substance beyond the blue blur taking on Dr Robotnik’s “mean trap of the day”. But Sonic the Comic really came into its own some ten books in, when writer Nigel Kitching decided to break away from one-shot stories and introduced a universe-setting event that would allow for much more interesting plots and multi-issue arcs.
As the comic evolved, so too did the complexity of the characterisations of SEGA’s mascot and his friends. Sonic, as a hot-headed leader of a pressed team of freedom fighters, often plays against incredible odds in order to take back Emerald Hill and the rest of Mobius from Robotnik’s rule, while Knuckles’ ancestry and duty to Angel Island is explored through multiple side stories and adventures with the Chaotix crew.
And while the Fleetway team was careful to stay incredibly close to the video game source material (unlike the US Sonic comic of the time by Archie Comics, which leaned more towards the DiC cartoon universe), in doing so they were able to create original, vicious enemies that really felt like they could have belonged in a Mega Drive game. Robotnik’s near-invincible robot general Brutus gave Sonic – and Robotnik – a serious challenge, while the Brotherhood of Metallix took the Metal Sonic concept and evolved it into something more of a creepy and incredibly dangerous robo-cult bent on transforming the universe.
Over the years, characters such as Tails, Knuckles and Amy got their own strips (pushing out the other SEGA IP until Sonic the Comic was filled with nothing but blue blur adventures) with equally-interesting arcs (Tails having a secret life in an alternate dimension as a Troll-defeating knight of honour?), and many of these crossed over to great effect.
Knuckles would co-star in Tails adventures, while Knuckles’ strips often canonically ran alongside – or preceded – the events that were taking place in the headline Sonic story. Even minor Fleetway-original characters like Tekno the Canary and Shortfuse the Cybernik had their fans, and starred in strips of their own.
Throughout all the years of incredible game adaptations, original story arcs and crossover events, Sonic the Comic sadly came to the end of its original run at the end of 2001, the publication squeaking along for a few years more as mere reprints of what happened before. In a world where many video game IPs now have some form of expanded universe multimedia, the UK’s Sonic the Comic arguably blazed a trail and set the standard for what could be done. And in our view, it still hasn’t been topped.
Happy 30th Anniversary, Sonic the Comic! Share your favourite stories and memories in the comments below!
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It’s starting to feel like a little Sonic the Comic reunion! Nigel Kitching, a writer known for his work on Fleetway’s UK-exclusive Sonic the Comic series, has been confirmed as one of the six writers who will be working on the Sonic’s 900th Adventure one-shot. He will be joining fellow Sonic the Comic alumni Richard Elson, who was confirmed as one of the comic’s cover artists last week. Elson has not yet been announced as one of the comic’s interior artists. The other members of the writing team include the comic’s current headwriter, Evan Stanley, longtime Sonic writer Ian Flynn, Scrapnik Island author Daniel Barnes, as well as Caleb Goellner and Aaron Hammerstrom.
The comic has also been confirmed for an August 16 release date, roughly two week ahead of IDW’s “Endless Summer” Sonic one-shot, which’ll be arriving August 30. The comic’s story will center around Sonic and friends playing “hot potato” with the warp topaz, trying to keep it from warping the world into oblivion.
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Well that was quick! IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog Issue #60 has barely been on store shelves for a day or so, and already preview pages are appearing for Issue #61.
The above page was spotted by a keen-eyed social media account, as most likely an advance leak from the usual original comic preview sources such as Previews World (which currently doesn’t have pages for this issue lined up yet).
As a reminder, Sonic #61 is set to be the finale of the current arc, so it’s probably fair that IDW wants to get preview pages out sooner rather than later so they can wrap things up for the next storyline.
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IDW has revealed their line-up of Sonic comics for August, and it’s a doozy: the month will see the release of two jumbo-sized Sonic one-shots, plus the monthly comic’s 64th issue, which’ll be all about Sonic.
First, we have a special issue about Sonic’s “900th” adventure, which appears to be commemorating Sonic’s 900th issue of sequential storytelling, including all the comics and manga released over the decades (which you can read about here, FYI, though I really need to add Sonic Adventures & fix some typ-os). Check out the solicit below:
Saving the world is a piece of cake when you’re a speedy blue hedgehog. And Sonic is about to go on his 900th world-saving adventure! Sonic and his friends are playing a game of hot potato! Only the potato is the Warp Topaz, and it could warp the whole world into oblivion! The gang is passing off the Warp Topaz in a relarace to get rid of it once and for all.
The story will retail for $5.99 and feature contributions from “various” writers and artists. Amongst the writers, Ian Flynn has confirmed he’s writing the comic’s bookend framing device. Daniel Barnes (Scrapnik Island) and Aaron Hammerstrom have also been confirmed. Aaron Hammerstrom will also be penciling his story, and Mauro Fonseca will also be penciling a story. Nathalie Fourdraine and Reggie Graham have both been confirmed for colors, and Rik Mack will be handling some of the issue’s inks.
The comic will also have seven different covers, all from pretty notable Sonic comic artists. Easily the most surprising (and most familiar, for our older British readers) is legendary Sonic the Comic artist Richard Elson. His cover was not among the ones shown today, unfortunately.
In addition to elson, we’ve got other legendary Sonic artists such as Tracy Yardley!, Jon Gray, Yuji Uekawa, Adam Bryce Thomas, Evan Stanley, and Nathalie Fourdraine. You can check out Uekawa’s (B) ,Thomas’ (D), and Fourdraine’s (retail incentive) covers below:
Next, we have “Sonic the Hedgehog Endless Summer,” which is part of a larger line of IDW one-shots of summer-centered stories featuring other characters including My Little Pony, TMNT, and Dungeons and Dragons.
We’re bringing you an endless summer with everyone’s favorite characters in four unique one-shots! Wave goodbye to the office and say hello to the beach! Sonic drags Jewel on a well-deserved beach day to spend time with her besties, Tangle and Whisper! But when they all settle in for some rest and relaxation…they realize the Babylon Rogues had the same idea… at the same beach. The only way to settle this is with a totally tubular beach showdown!
The issue will feature writing by Gale Galligan and art by Tracy Yardley! and retail for $7.99. It will also feature three covers from Tracy Yardley! (cover A), Jack Lawerence and Reggie Graham (cover B), and Natalie Haines (retail incentive cover). There will also be a coloring book version of Yardley’s cover. You can check out all of these covers below:
Finally, we have issue 64, which’ll be a special Silver-centered issue featuring two stories. The story is part of a larger story arc about the villain Mimic infiltrating the Diamond Cutters. This will, oddly enough, be the second time Silver has attempted to weed out a potential traitor in a Sonic comic.
This issue is all about Silver the Hedgehog! First, he’s incredibly suspicious of the Diamond Cutter’s new member and he jumps to a conclusion that leads him to some hasty accusations. Awkwardness ensues. Then, Blaze comforts Silver as they bond over being away from home and in Sonic’s world.
The comic will retail for $3.99 and feature writing from Evan Stanley, who is writing the comic’s main story, and Ian Flynn, who will be writing the back up. It will also feature interior art by Aarom Hammerstrom and Evan Stanley, as well as three covers from Jack Lawerence (A), Jennifer Hernandez (B), and Nathalie Fourdraine (retail incentive). Check them out below:
Although these comics are all currently scheduled for August, this could change in the future, as IDW has been known to delay comics. Stay tuned for future IDW Sonic updates!
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The 60th issue of IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog series is right around the corner, and to entice fans further the comic publisher has revealed a special variant cover that is only available online.
The below cover has been created by artist Gigi Dutreix, and makes a big deal out of the number ’60’ (which is a bit off as it’s not exactly a milestone issue number for comics). It looks pretty cool though, so if you want to get a copy you’ll have to do it via IDW’s website (pre-order price is $10).
It’s reported that a special foil version of this very cover will also be released as a Convention Exclusive, meaning you’ll have two ways to get this new variant. The foil version sounds like it’ll probably be very good indeed.
We’ve covered this already but in case you need a reminder, here’s the synopsis for the upcoming issue.
The battle rages on! But how do you fight a city?! Sonic and friends race to stop Eggperial City from expanding, badniks from attacking, and Dr. Eggman from…doing whatever it is Dr. Eggman does.
Sonic #60 is set to be available from 17th May.
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While a formal corporate response is still forthcoming, Curran’s words in the letter could be interpreted as positive. The exec stated that “Union matters are new to me and SOA and we are investigating and considering the options available to the company” – however, he later made clear that “No SOA employee will be treated any differently whether they support or do not support unionization.”
The letter, published by Axios journalist Stephen Totilo on social media, added: “Some of you may support unionization and some not. That is your legal right… We have a wonderful culture at SOA with a strong commitment to working together as a team. In my mind, it is the SOA employee culture that makes us such a successful company.”
Next steps, as Curran is said to understand it, is for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to conduct a secret ballot of employees – in job positions selected by the NLRB – to determine if unionization will go ahead in a special vote.
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Today, IDW has announced plans to cut 39% of its staff and delist itself from the New York Stock Exchange, as reported by Yahoo Finance. While an IDW Media Holdings investor report highlights the “approximately $4.4 million in annual savings,” this decision follows significant reported losses this year of $335,000. ICV2 notes that book channel sales were up in the company’s Q1 2023 financial reports, including those from the Sonic series and TMNT: The Last Ronin; however, major drops hit the company from their games division and streaming series.
As part of big shake-up, IDW’s Board of Directors has moved Davidi Jonas, previously Board Vice Chairman (and son of the Board Chairman), to CEO, and Amber Huerta, Senior VP of People and Organizational Development, to COO.
At this time, we do not have any specific information regarding how this may impact IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog series, nor have we heard any reports of its staff being part of the 39% cut. With the series being one of IDW’s bigger successes, and SEGA continuing to collaborate with IDW writers and artists on non-IDW projects, it’s unlikely that Sonic himself will be on the chopping block. That said, executive shifts and deep staff cuts still have the potential to directly or indirectly impact the series.
We extend sympathies to all whose job was hit by these cuts.
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The third issue in IDW Sonic’s Eggperial City arc is out today in comic shops and on IDW’s website and Comixology! This issue sees Sonic and friends battling Shadow androids while trying to take down Dr. Eggman’s self-repairing & expanding Eggperial City.
Check out the official solicit, cover variants, and preview pages below:
solicit:
“ Androids everywhere! Three teams are trapped in Eggperial City, fighting wave after wave of androids. Sonic is speeding, Amy is smashing, Tails is flying. Shadow is punching, Omega is ripping, Rouge is…looting. But will it be enough? And has anyone seen Tangle?!
Preview pages:
Cover variants:
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IDW Comics is celebrating five years of non-stop Sonic action by re-releasing its landmark debut issue from 2018 in a special collector’s package.
The “5th Anniversary Edition” reprint of IDW Sonic #1 will, as you’d expect, come complete with all the original stories that published with the original comic’s release, along with a bonus short story and some additional commemorative material. Some of this will include a special look at how the IDW Sonic comics are made.
We’re used to IDW going a little bit variant-cover happy with its releases these days, but on this occasion there will be no less than five covers to collect! Cover A will be a collection of all the first four issues’ connecting covers, with the other Covers handled by well-known artists that have had a hand in the Sonic comic series over the years.
IDW Sonic #1 5th Anniversary Edition: Cover A by Tyson Hesse
Cover B by Tracy Yardley
Cover C by Matt Herms
Cover D by Jennifer Hernandez
Cover RI by Jon Gray and Reggie Graham
The 5th Anniversary Edition should be in stores right now for you to buy (release date 5 April), at a price of $7.99. Solicitation information below.
It has been five years since Sonic the Hedgehog #1, can you believe it?! Five years of friendship, speediness, and chili dogs!
To celebrate, we’re getting the team back together! Join Ian Flynn and Tracy Yardley for a reprint of #1, plus an all-new bonus short story, a look at how the comics get made, and more!
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The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
With Sonic #57, the Urban Warfare went underway. Sonic returned to Eggperial city where he recently defeated Surge and brought along Tangle, Whisper, and the new team leader, Lanolin. Tangle decided to name the team “Diamond Cutters” to honor Whisper’s old team which the wolf is NOT happy with. The group soon finds out that Eggman’s city is growing rapidly on its own by using up all the resources below the ground. The issue ends with Sonic barely escaping a portal that sucks up the rest of the team. He realizes that this adventure is too much even for him.
In Sonic #58, backup has arrived! Tails, Amy, Blaze, and Silver quickly show up to help Sonic look for his missing teammates while the rest of the Diamond Cutters are trapped in what appears to be another dimension, but in the same location. They can see and hear Sonic and their friends, but they can’t interact with them or the environment. During this time, we get some emotional moments with Tangle, Whisper, and Lanolin. Meanwhile, we get some fun action moments with Sonic and his crew.
REVIEW
Sonic #58 is one of my favorite issues in months! We get some emotional moments followed up with great action. Let’s start off with Lanolin. My biggest issue is her being made a team leader while being brand new. In issue #57, she gave off this over-serious, “Sally Acorn” vibe without really earning it. Here, we get her backstory and she admits that she’s new and inexperienced. While I still don’t like the idea of a brand new character who just stepped out of the background given a leadership position, showing her flaws does help me like her character more.
Meanwhile Whisper finally confronts Tangle about the “Diamond Cutter” team name. The team she lost. Tangle thought it would be a good way to honor Whisper’s former teammates. She knew how close they were to Whisper and hoped the same for herself so they wouldn’t drift apart again. She apologizes to Whisper with the most adorable and comical sobbing I’ve ever seen. Wrapping her tail around her face to hide her tears as she breaks down crying. Whisper thinks back to how others have been doing nothing but helping her as of late (both physically and emotionally) while she’s been keeping her distance. She realizes that constantly keeping her friends away isn’t helping anyone. It looks like Whisper is no longer acting as a lone wolf. It’s a huge moment for her character.
With that emotional moment out of the way, we get some fun action with Sonic and his friends. In the midst of taking down an Egg Hammer bot, Amy, with some telekinesis assistance (try saying that three times fast) from Silver, smash the robot with its own massive hammer. It’s one of the best Amy Rose moments I’ve seen in quite some time. Silver is absolutely floored as he confesses Amy did most of the heavy lifting. Even Sonic tells her she’s awesome. We also get some continuity with the previous annual as Blaze mentions she’s still on vacation and Silver is glad to be useful (although you’d think they’d get more use from a guy who has telekinesis and can fly). Both teams decide to head to the central control hub, just before a huge explosion happens and we are introduced to our third group, Team Dark. Looks like we’ll be seeing some antihero shenanigans in the next issue.
This issue had everything. Action, humor, and a lot of heart. This is the best work I’ve seen out of Ian Flynn in a while, giving us a more text-heavy issue than we’ve had in ages. It felt twice as long to read as most issues and I mean that in the best way. The art by Thomas Rothlisberger is both cartoony and expressive. Allowing the more emotional moments to go through while still having a great pace for humor and action. Tangle’s tearful apology was both sweet and hilarious. I’ve never seen a character sobbing drawn in such a humorous manner.
My main critiques of the issue are the same as the last one. We still don’t get a good showing of the city expanding. It would be nice to get some distance shots to help show its progression. Even some walls suddenly springing up around Sonic and his friends would help show off the environment better. Also, if the city is hollowed out from the earth below it, how is it not falling in on itself since it should be a massive sinkhole? Everything needs a foundation. But those are minor nitpicks of an otherwise solid arc so far. Can’t wait for the next two issues!
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Shadow fans, rejoice! According to IDW Sonic comics writer and artist Evan Stanley, SEGA has established some revised guidelines on how to work with the moody anti-hero, opening the door for Stanley, Flynn and co to further develop his character arc in the future.
Addressing questions about the “red tape” around writing for Shadow, Stanley revealed on Tumblr that the guidelines have become a lot clearer in recent times, allowing more freedom for writers looking to flesh out his character on paper.
We’ve gotten some clearer, more workable guidelines for how to handle [Shadow]! I had very little trouble writing his part in the upcoming issues, and SEGA’s notes actually feed me up to write him more how I’d like to.
Whereas in the past, SEGA’s strict guidelines surrounding Shadow only left enough room for comic authors to write him in as a rather two-dimensional character, there now seems to be an active interest from the Sonic Brand team to make the Chaos Controller more understood. Stanley recalls a recent situation in a separate Tumblr post about this and how SEGA’s change of heart has opened up doors for the character.
Shadow being more understood is precisely what happened. I’m reminded of a scene in an upcoming issue where in the original draft Shadow acted without explaining himself, only giving an aggressive, confident response to his team-mates. This isn’t how I would have liked him to handle the situation. But in previous issues, this is how I’ve been asked to write him… so that’s what I did.
So you can imagine my delight to get the script back from SEGA with the request to have him instead explain his reasoning when it makes sense to do so and to showcase his intelligence, pragmatism, and capacity for strategy in the future. Not only does this make him much more workable within storylines, it helps make it clear that his “pride” is, from his perspective, a non-judgemental statement of fact and not an ego trip. It’s also an honest reflection of reality– 99 out of 100 times he really IS that good.
It all sounds really promising, and hopefully this will mean Shadow will have the space to grow as a character and not just be some grumpy git without much of a motive anymore.
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The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
IDW is set to re-release its popular Sonic 30th Anniversary special book later this year, with a paperback edition titled “Sonic the Hedgehog: Seasons of Chaos”.
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The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The artwork that has graced the covers of the IDW Sonic the Hedgehog series has been nothing short of spectacular – and the piece to be used for issue 59 is no exception!
Artist Natalie Haines has chosen to put down the digital pen in favour of the brush, to create this spectacular 3′ x 2′ acrylic on canvas piece.
Haines took cues from Renaissance masters, citing on Twitter it had always been a hope to create something in a more academic style.
I took lots of inspiration from classic paintings, and also specifically from “The Fallen Angel” by Alexandre Cabanel for Shadow himself.
Natalie Haines
I think we can all agree this piece is nothing short of spectacular!
IDW Sonic the Hedgehog issue 59 will be available from the 29th of March 2023.
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Solicitations for IDW Sonic Issue 61 has come through the wire, and while it doesn’t give us an awful lot of information to go on, it does suggest that this book will mark the end of the long-running Urban Warfare story arc.
The complete, three-line synopsis can be seen below. Story is being written by Evan Stanley, with lineart by Adam Bryce Thomas.
This is it! The end! (Of the arc, that is)
Everyone is focused on the command tower: if that goes down, the city will fall.
But are 3 teams enough to stop something it seems even Dr. Eggman can’t control?
No cover has yet to be revealed, but we do know that Mauro Fonseca is lined up to handle Cover A duties, with Miles Arq and Nathalie Fourdraine pegged for Covers B and RI respectively.
The release date is currently set for 24 May 2023, but knowing how IDW is with keeping to schedule we should expect that release to be delayed over the next couple weeks.
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The second part of the official Sonic Frontiers prologue has dropped, leaving fans with the perfect cliffhanger to excite them ahead of the release of the latest Sonic video game on November 8.
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It only got announced last week, but already the first part of the official Sonic Frontiers prologue comic, Convergence, has been published. You can read it right here to get a sense of the journey that Sonic, Tails, Amy and Eggman take that leads to their situation at the start of the Sonic Frontiers video game.
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SEGA has just announced a brand new digital comic that will be released to promote the upcoming release of Sonic Frontiers. Titled ‘Sonic Frontiers: Convergence’, the two-part comic series will begin this coming Tuesday, with the official Sonic channel revealing the ‘book’s cover art today.
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It’s still San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, and while the guy in the Sonic mascot suit couldn’t make it to the IDW Sonic panel, our own Shigs could, and he brought back a few tidbits from upcoming issues and the series Q&A.
Representing IDW were Daniel Barnes (writer), Adam Bryce Thomas (artist), Michael Cisneros (licensing), Gigi Dutreix (artist/writer), and David Mariotte (editor/writer). The crew thanked fans for helping them make it to the landmark Issue 50, and teased that the next several issues will deal with the fallout from the events of 50, starting with the cast escaping Eggman’s city. Introducing the upcoming Scrapnik Island series, the panel offered concept art for the battered bots Mecha Knuckles and Sigma. The slightly diminutive Mecha Knuckles acts as “Guardian” of the island (like his fuzzy counterpart). He wields a mace, Adventure 1 and 2’s shovel claw, and Knuckles’ three-star hat from the anime OVA. Sigma was introduced as a green E-Series robot in the style of Gamma and his “brothers.” Worse for wear with an Eggbot arm and flat caster for his right foot, he still towers at his full height over both Sonic and Dr. Eggman.
The panelists also gave a reminder that the Tails 30th Anniversary special is in the works, and includes some villains from Tails’ classic game history (previously revealed to include Wendy Witchcart from Tails Sky Patrol). They showed off some of the previously shared cover art for this special, the upcoming 2022 annual, and issues 51 and 52:
The Q&A focused on a handful of topics, and unsurprisingly, the series’ original characters were on everyone’s mind. Whisper will be returning in the next series arc, and they’re continuing to discuss story plans for her and Tangle next year. Surge and Kit, the fakers we found in Imposter Syndrome and Issue 50, were originally planned for early in the series, but SEGA preferred not to introduce that many new characters that quickly, which ultimately gave Dr. Starline more time to develop as a character. Instead, the panel noted that the Metal Virus Arc gave them an opportunity to see exactly how far they could push the core Sonic cast emotionally, something that really endeared Cream with Barnes.
For those curious about the effort needed to put together an IDW issues (and why we get more “we have notes” situations than other previous Sonic comics), the panel explained that all issues have to go through Sonic Team, meaning that they also have to be translated into Japanese as well. It’s roughly a three month process for each issue. Prior to Q&A, Cisneros also noted that the direction of the comic is intended to be welcoming to new fans “at any time without 30 years of canon to go through.”
Finally, outside of the panel, the Comic art team worked on putting together a sweet Sonic mural featuring members of the game and comic cast:
— Sonic Stadium ✪ Sonic News & Community (@sonicstadium) July 24, 2022
While this panel didn’t quite give us a vision of the comic’s future after the big 50 milestone, it’s exciting to see more unique ways for the games’ extended cast to work back into stories. The 2022 annual is expected to launch next month, with Scrapnik Island to follow in October.
Once again, thanks to Shigs for his great coverage of the show!
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If you’re looking for some October spookytimes, IDW will be introducing a new Sonic 4-issue mini-series from Daniel Barnes, Jack Lawrence, and Nathalie Fourdraine. As reported by ComicBook.com, Scrapnik Island is set to “tell a really creepy and atmospheric story with a vibe that Sonic fans aren’t normally used to,” describes Barnes.
Among the classic enemies Sonic and Tails will scrap with is Mecha Knuckles, the silver, hex-eyed doppelganger from Sonic Advance, this time sporting Knuckles’ iconic treasure hunting hat.
Meanwhile, classic Tails and a truly classic baddie return (as do Ian Flynn, Aaron Hammerstrom, and Reggie Graham) for Tails’ 30th Anniversary Special this November. The special will pit Tails against the forces of Wendy Witchcart, the main boss of the Japanese Game Gear’s Tails’ Sky Patrol. An obscure character indeed, but not the first time she’s shown up in comics (she had a brief place in late-era Archie). The placeholder cover art seems to suggest the adventure will take Tails and his far less relevant buddy back to Flicky Island (which isn’t an especially Tails-heavy game, but I’m all in favor of revisionist history).
Thanks to Josiahblaze for the tip over on Discord!
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It’s been a rough few years due to the pandemic, but things seem to slowly be going back to normal. Since 2020, the San Diego Comic-Con has been an online event only. Now, it’s finally back to a live event with many of its popular panels returning, including a Sonic presentation from IDW. The panel, “Sonic the Hedgehog: 50 Way Past Cool Issues and Counting!” will be hosted on Sunday, July 24th from 10:30-11:30 am PST. Here are all the panel details straight from the San Diego Comic-Con website.
IDW’s Sonic The Hedgehog comic book reaches its 50th issue this summer, a mind-blowing face-off with Sonic and Tails facing their twisted counterparts, Surge and Kit. IDW editor David Mariotte, artists Gigi Dutreix and Adam Bryce Thomas, and writer Daniel Barnes provide a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a milestone and tease what’s next for the Blue Blur!
I’ll be there to cover the panel along with any other Sonic news coming out of Comic-Con. If permitted, I may even be covering the panel live here on the Sonic Stadium!
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Today’s the day, IDW Sonic fans! Modern Sonic is back for Free Comic Book Day 2022 with a brand new story meant to serve as part of the lead up to issue 50. The story features Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in a new adventure!
Both US and international fans can find participating comic book stores here. The comic features writing by Ian Flynn and art by Adam Bryce Thomas.
For those of you who can’t make it, don’t worry: a digital copy should be officially available in a few weeks on Amazon via Comixology! This was the case last year, anyway.
We’ve got the cover and synopsis below, but first, a brief PSA: although the comics are free, stores do need to pay for them. So if you can, try to buy something while your there! Maybe a comic, graphic novel, or manga. Lumberjanes, Atomic Robo and Mamo are personal favorites of mine! Invincible is also great if you don’t mind a lot of gore.
Anyway, on to the cover and synopsis:
Sonic’s racing into a brand-new adventure with his best buds (and co-stars of the hit new movie) Tails and Knuckles by his side! But Sonic’s not the only super-speedster in town . . . Get caught up with everything you need to know about Sonic’s evil counterpart Surge before she and Sonic go head-to-head in the epic issue #50, a story years in the making! Exclusive Original Material Rating: All Ages
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Team Dark may have been a consistent team for years in both the games and Archie comics, but they no longer exist as anything but an out-of-unverse brand, according to IDW Sonic and Sonic Frontiers writer Ian Flynn. When a fan asked Flynn on his podcast what kind of base Team Dark would have, Flynn answered they wouldn’t have a base, because SEGA does not consider them a team.
“Team Dark isn’t a thing. It’s an out-of-universe brand, apparently. They are not a unit, they are not even friends,” Flynn said, “They don’t do mission things together unless the story has them doing it.” He want on to state his belief that Team Dark makes the most sense out of all of the teams (aside from the Chaotix), and that he doesn’t like this.
You can find the answer on his latest podcast, embedded below. The answer starts at 10:20.
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After well over a year of build up, we are finally reaching IDW Sonic’s 50th issue. The issue is scheduled to release just a day before Sonic’s 31st anniversary, on June 22. Curiously, while the issue’s listed price is $7.99, double the comics usual price, one of the covers has a list price of $3.99.
Check out the solicit and the two released covers below. The primary cover features art by Yui Karasuno, who has frequently done art for Sonic Team in the past. The retail incentive cover was drawn by Nathalie Fourdraine. A currently-unrevealed third cover will feature art by the comic’s lead writer, Evan Stanley. This issue will be written by Ian Flynn, and feature interior art by Adam Bryce Thomas.
(W) Ian Flynn (A) Adam Bryce Thomas (CA) Sonic Team (Yui Karasuno)
Sonic the Hedgehog #50 is here! To celebrate, this issue features two Sonics! And two Tails! Wait… One of them is green… And the other has tails made out of water?! Imposters! And they’re working with Dr. Starline?! After assembling a squad of bad guys, kidnapping Belle, starting a forest fire, and causing chaos in Central City, Starline is finally ready to unleash his monstrous imposters: Surge and Kit! Will his meticulous planning be enough to defeat Sonic and Dr. Eggman? The throne is only big enough for one!
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We’re just a week away from the release of IDW’s Sonic 2 prequel comic, and you all know what that means: preview pages!
Courtesy of Apple Books, the fist three pages of the comic have been released. The pages are drawn by Adam Bryce Thomas and feature writing by Keil Phegley. In addition to the pages, we also got the titles for all five stories: Hedgehog Day Afternoon, Always Bet on Red, Mushroom With a View, The Secret of My Distress, and Two For the Road. If I had to guess, “Mushroom With a View” will be the Robotnik story that had input from Jim Carrey.
The comic will be available next week, on March 23!
You can check out the preview pages and comic synopsis below:
Catch up with Sonic and friends-if you can-in this exclusive prequel to 2022’s most anticipated family film! Life is good in Green Hills for Sonic the Hedgehog . . . maybe too good. He’s starting to get bored, and when Sonic gets bored, things become a lot less boring for everyone else-fast! Quicker than you can say “Chili Dog,” the Fastest Thing Alive is saving the day and causing all sorts of chaos along the way! Plus, new and returning characters starring in the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 film take the lead in stories of their own!
via Apple Books Store Page
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So, we’ve known about that Sonic 2 movie “Pre-quill” comic for a little while now, and the comic’s writer Keil Phegley has dropped a few new interesting details. The comic will have 40 pages with five stories focusing on different characters from the movie. Among those stories will be a Robotnik-centered one, featuring contributions by none other than character’s actor himself, Jim Carrey.
It is important to note that Phegley’s exact words for Carrey’s contribution was “spearheading.” Carrey does not have a writer’s credit in the comic solicitation.
The comic will hit comic stores on March 23rd for $6.99, and will feature art by Tracey Yardley!, Adam Bryce Thomas, and Evan Stanley. Quite an all-star time for a Sonic comic! It will feature stories set between the two movies. Check out the full solicitation below:
Catch up with Sonic and friends-if you can-in this exclusive prequel to 2022’s most anticipated family film! Life is good in Green Hills for Sonic the Hedgehog . . . maybe too good. He’s starting to get bored, and when Sonic gets bored, things become a lot less boring for everyone else-fast! Quicker than you can say “Chili Dog,” the Fastest Thing Alive is saving the day and causing all sorts of chaos along the way! Plus, new and returning characters starring in the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 film take the lead in stories of their own!
In case you missed it last month, here’s the cover!
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If you’re looking forward to Paramount’s upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog movie sequel, IDW will be publishing a one-off special to take place between the two movies. Per the issue’s solicitations via comicreleases.com, it will hit stores around March 23, with Kiel Phegley writing, and Thomas, Yardley, and Stanley on art. The solicitations also provide the issue’s synopsis:
Catch up with Sonic and friends—if you can—in this exclusive prequel to 2022’s most anticipated family film! Life is good in Green Hills for Sonic the Hedgehog . . . maybe too good. He’s starting to get bored, and when Sonic gets bored, things become a lot less boring for everyone else—fast! Quicker than you can say “Chili Dog,” the Fastest Thing Alive is saving the day and causing all sorts of chaos along the way! Plus, new and returning characters starring in the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 film take the lead in stories of their own!
Tails’ Channel reported on the cover of this upcoming one-off special:
This is not the first promotional special IDW has put out. In 2018, the publisher released a one -shot book promoting Team Sonic Racing prior to the game’s release. This is the first time, however, IDW is tackling a Sonic franchise branch outside of the world of the games.
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We don’t always report on every Sonic Forces: Speed Battle event, mostly because there are a LOT of them; however, this seems like an occasion worth mentioning, so let’s have at.
The current in-game event celebrating Lunar New Year features a new variant of IDW-favorite Whisper:
Lucky Whisper’s event runs until February 3, and she’s unlocked the standard event way: by completing missions and collecting 300+ cards across that time. Lucky Whisper’s boost item replaces her hover with a new “Golden Boost.”
While it has become common for guest characters like Pac-Man or Hello Kitty to join Sonic Dash, or for Sonic characters to get special event variants in both Dash and Speed Battle, this marks the first time a character who doesn’t originate from Sonic games to get a special variant version. Here’s hoping for an Arbor Day Tangle this Spring.
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It has been confirmed by FCBD and IDW that Sonic will be getting a comic featuring an original story for next year’s Free Comic Book Day, which will be on May 7. Earlier this year, Sonic returned to the event after a multi-year absence, and this announcement confirms that that wasn’t a one-off.
Unlike Sonic’s previous FCBD outing, however, this one will take place in IDW’s primary Sonic universe. It will feature writing from Ian Flynn, cover and interior art by Adam Bryce Thomas. The story will directly tie into the comic’s larger ongoing story leading into issue 50.
The synopsis is as follows:
Sonic’s racing into a brand-new adventure with his best buds (and co-stars of the hit new movie) Tails and Knuckles by his side! But Sonic’s not the only super-speedster in town… Get caught up with everything you need to know about Sonic’s evil counterpart Surge before she and Sonic go head-to-head in the epic issue #50, a story years in the making!
Check out the cover below:
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IDW have released the full preview for Sonic the Hedghog #46, and we’re still on the road to the big 5-0. It may still be early on but it looks like our heroines are already hot under the collar! After a forest fire breaks out under mysterious circumstances, Amy, Tangle, Jewel and Belle need to put their heads together to work out how to save the people and animals in time. But can they do it without letting the friction get to them, and will we get more of an idea what’s lurking out of sight? Find out in “Trial by Fire”; part 2.
(W) Evan Stanley (A) Evan Stanley (CA) Ryan Jampole The ROAD TO #50 continues here! Enjoy a TEN-ISSUE long adventure leading up to the EPIC SHOWDOWN in milestone issue #50. This is not a drill! In “Trial by Fire,” part two by Evan Stanely, forest fire threatens the ecosystem and the campers-luckily, Amy, Tangle, Jewel, and Belle are there to help! The Heroines must overcome their differences and work together to save the day. In Shops: Oct 27, 2021 SRP: $3.99
Sonic the Hedgehog #46 is due out in all good outlets on October 27th. If you want to keep up with the countdown to the showdown, make sure you don’t miss it!
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