Attendance: Can I still get tickets? Can I pay ‘On the Door’?

30th May 201829th October 2018

May 2023 marks 30 years since the launch of the UK-based Sonic the Comic, and to celebrate this milestone, the Sonic the Comic Online team are crowdfunding to host an event in York, UK.

The Kickstarter has already surpassed more than 200% of it’s original goal, and is set to include a host of events including art classes and tutorials, competions, Q&A sessions with US artists from the IDW comic such as Tracey Yardley and Reggie Graham. There is also an opportunity to meet some of the original team behind the comic such as Nigel Kitching, Richard Elson, Ferran Rodriguez, Debra Tate, Lew Stringer, and Richard Burton. In addition to this, a special convention issue of the comic will be produced as a commemorative item.

To find out more about how to help fund the event or how to attend in person, check out the Sonic the Comic Con 2023 Kickstarter page.

#Comics, #Community, News

Sonic The Comic Celebrates 25th Anniversary

10th January 201520th May 2016

5 Comments

Sonic the Comic is celebrating its 25^th anniversary this week, having first appeared in corner shops and news agents across the UK back in May 1993.

For fans living outside the UK (or are too young to remember!) the publication ran for nine years from 1993 to 2002 through Fleetway comics and later Egmont magazines, producing a total of 223 issues. The darker tone of the comics and the portrayal of characters garnered a cult following of fans, inspiring a resurrection of the comic in an online incarnation in the form of Sonic the Comic Online, which continues to present day.

To celebrate this milestone year in the comic’s lifetime, STCO has released issue number 275 with a 32-page story bringing to a conclusion some of the longest running storylines in the series.

Additionally, a Sonic the Comic 25^th anniversary party will be taking place on Sunday, 3^rd of June 2018 at the FAB café in Manchester. More information on the event, which will see many of the prolific contributors to Sonic the Comic including Richard Elson and Nigel Kitching in attendance, can be found on the event’s facebook page.

From everyone here at The Sonic Stadium, we wish Sonic the Comic a very happy birthday!

#Community

Weston Super Sonic: One Week to go and Info Round Up

JonoD

Weston Super Sonic, the South West’s Sonic Convention is only a week away on the 17th, and in the past few months, a plethora of details have been revealed about guests and what kinds of things Sonic fans can do at the event.

Attendance: Can I still get tickets? Can I pay ‘On the Door’?

The answer to both of these questions is unfortunately not. The convention completely sold out of both premium and free tickets towards the end of last year, and as a result cannot accept any further registrations to attend. There are also no on the door tickets, so it may be worth saving yourself a journey if you haven’t already gotten tickets. Thankfully, the awesome peeps at The Sonic Show will be live streaming directly from the convention space so you can see all the action as it takes place.

I’ve got tickets! Where do I go?

Weston Super Sonic is taking place on the Grand Pier in Weston Super-Mare. Full details on how to get there can be found here.

Who is coming in the way of special guests?

The convention has a wealth special guests attending. Here’s our brief, but comprehensive list of guests that we’ll have joining us:

Richard Elson: StC Artist

Nigel Kitching: StC Writer & Artist

Carl Flint: StC Artist

Ferran Rodríguez: StC Artist

Deborah Tate: StC Editor

Mike Pollock (via Skype): Series’ Dr. Eggman VA

Duncan Gutteridge: Classic Sonic/SEGA Illustrator

Radio SEGA: Internet SEGA Radio Station/Official Event DJs

The Sonic Show: Sonic the Hedgehog Podcast/Youtube Channel

VGM Awesome: Internet VGM Radio Station

Louisalulu Arts: Independent Artist

Sam Webster: Independent Artist

Sci-Fi Collectibles: Collectible vendor/retailer

You can find more in-depth bios at WSS’s website.

What events have been announced?

A few events have been announced already:

Speed Run Contest : Complete Sonic Adventure 2’s City Escape stage in the fastest time to win!

Gaming Tournament: Only one will come out the victor in this gaming knockout tournament! Bring your best skills!

Art Contest: Flex those pencils (though not too far, because they’d break otherwise) and demonstrate your artistic talents to the folk at the convention!

Cosplay Contest: Don your best Sonic gear, and show us your great costume making skills!

Mike Pollock Live Skype Q&A: Series VA and voice of Dr. Eggman Mike Pollock joins the convention live over skype in this Q&A segment, where he will be answering fan’s submitted questions!

Sonic Off 2.0: The age-old rivalry between VGM Awesome and The Sonic Show rears its ugly head. In this two part quiz, will VGM Awesome take home the elusive Sonic Off Trophy once more? Or will The Sonic Show win the day after last time’s humiliation..?

‘Where’s Sonic?’ Contest: Where’s Sonic Hiding? Pick a zone, and win a SEGA Prize Europe Shadow the Hedgehog Plush! All funds raised from this contest (£1 per entry) will go towards the Burnham on Sea Rainbows Group.

What about other prizes..?

Winners of the various contests will each take home one of these awesome engraved Chaos Emerald trophies. There are 4 trophies up for grabs for the Speed Run winner, the Tournament winner, the Cosplay winner and finally the Art Winner.

What other events will there be?

Lucky you asked… Next week, WSS will be revealing the complete line up of events scheduled to take place via their Facebook page in a series of announcements leading up to the event. We’ll be covering the announcements as they come!

One more thing…

Those of you on social media may have noticed this coming from First 4 Figures’ Twitter/Facebook feeds. Whatever could it mean? You’ll have to wait and see what we have planned in regards to that

With all that said, Rurifuu and I look forward to seeing all our attendees on the pier this coming Saturday!

xxOLDCommunity News, xxOLDOfficial News

SOS 2013: Nigel Dobbyn & Nigel Kitching Confirmed

28th June 2013

Dave Luty

12 Comments

The Summer of Sonic website has made it’s first guest announcement, Nigel Dobbyn & Nigel Kitching will be returning for this years event.

2013 will mark the 20th anniversary of Fleetway’s Sonic the Comic, first published back 1993, so if you are old enough to remember walking into a newsagent and picking up issue 1 with those stickers on the cover, why not come meet two of the main reasons as to why the comic became so popular and ran for as long as it did?

Both Nigels will be at a meet and greet session at the signing booth and art classes will be happening this year too, details will be announced at a later date.

Furthermore, the art corner will be returning to SOS this year, so if you fancy putting pen to paper and wowing your fellow fans with your art skills, they’ve got you covered. As with previous SOS’ there will be prizes given out, thats right, the art competition is also returning.

For the full story, check out the SOS website if you havn’t already done so.

xxOLDArticles

20 Years of Sonic the Comic

30th May 20132nd June 2013

Continue reading 20 Years of Sonic the Comic

33 Comments

Twenty years ago, many veteran fans amongst the community will probably remember racing to their local newsagents in order to grab the first issue of Sonic the Comic for the paltry price of 95 pence, and thumbing excitedly through the first pages of Sonic and SEGA-themed strips. In the many years that followed, fans saw the publication of 223 issues, 9 poster magazines and several special one-offs across nearly a decade of production.

The comic was renowned for its well-pitched storylines that appealed to both the younger and older audiences, for expanding the Sonic universe beyond the canon of the game and introducing several original characters; some of whom suffered a grisly demise (poor old Johnny Lightfoot!). For the majority of issues, the comic was presented by Megadroid, a robot reminiscent of a SEGA Megadrive (and later a SEGA Saturn), who took to naming the readers “Boomers” (and the writers “Humes” – short for “Humans”). As well as the Sonic-themed strips, the comic included a whole host of stories from SEGA titles such as Golden Axe, Decap Attack and Streets of Rage, as well as features and reviews on games, as well as fan art and mail; many fan-works featured were created by many of those who have remained fans to this day! Indeed, the publication garnered many fans, and some of you reading this today will probably owe STC as your introduction to the world of Sonic the Hedgehog.

9th December 20119th December 2011

Fleetway’s Sonic the Comic Set For Re-Release

21 Comments

TSSZ News have reported on the emerging of the possibility that the original Sonic stories, which first appeared in the UK based Fleetway Sonic the Comic will be re-published in the near future.

Joe Schumaker from the Sonic Zone has recently posted on the site with regards to recent communications between himself and SEGA. The Sonic Zone, which until recently hosted the comics online, have now removed all the comics from their site in order to prevent damage to any future sales. However, many fans will be pleased with the potential prospect of seeing these classic stories, first seen way back in 1993, hitting the shelves once more.

However, no details are currently available as to when and how these comics will be published. We will, as always, keep you updated!

30th April 201122nd December 2011

Nigel Kitching to Return to Summer of Sonic

9 Comments

The Summer of Sonic convention has always been an awesome place to chill out with the legendary writers and artists behind the Sonic the Comic series, and this year is no exception. Nigel Kitching will be attending SoS this year to help celebrate the blue blur’s 20th Anniversary in style.

From the Summer of Sonic website:

Licensed by SEGA and published by Egmont Fleetway, Sonic the Comic was the perfect (and cheap!) way for British fans of the blue blur to get their dose of hedgehog antics. While initial issues back in 1993 played it safe with the license and offered one-issue strips, Kitching was responsible for spicing up the comic’s plot and giving the book its own unique flavour.

The result was a two-part story (Dr. Robotnik sending Sonic the Hedgehog into the near-future and taking over Mobius in his absence) that would set the foundations for an incredible alternate Sonic universe – one that wasn’t shy to veer from the convention set by the official games, but was also intimately respectful of its source material.

Nigel will be present at The Summer of Sonic 2011 to meet with fans and feature in a panel discussing his comic career and his time on Sonic the Comic.

The fun part is, so far The Summer of Sonic has exclusively announced comic stars as special guests. Could there be yet more guests in other areas that we don’t know about yet, or is this going to be an all-out Comic fest? I certainly wouldn’t place bets on the latter, if I were you…

13th July 20094th August 2009

Nigel Kitching, Nigel Dobbyn Attending Summer of Sonic

14th August 20082nd June 2013

5 Comments

Sonic the Comic legends Nigel Kitching and Nigel Dobbyn are to be special guests at the Summer of Sonic 2009 convention, it has been revealed. The two are well known for their influence in creating, arguably, one of the greatest canons outside of the computer game series.

A Q&A session will be arranged on the day to chat to the duo on stage, and they will be available for signings and general chit-chat with fans who grew up with the Egmont Fleetway publication. Kitching is a return guest from last year’s debut convention, while Dobbyn contributed to Summer of Sonic 2008 by lending original prints to be displayed.

This is the first of many large announcements regarding guests, features and activities to be made over the course of the next few weeks on the Summer of Sonic 2009 website. You can keep a track of the action, and communicate with the organisers directly by heading there now.

xxOLDColumns

Bird’s Eye View: Summer of Sonic 2008

Continue reading Bird’s Eye View: Summer of Sonic 2008

YOSH! I remember back to October 2006, chilling out at Lee Rosey’s Tea Room in Nottingham after watching Richard Jacques and TJ Davis perform for the first time. I was conversing with my two new friends Kevin and Svend about the event; “We could do something like this” I remember one of them saying. The thought didn’t cross my mind that two years later I’d be setting up a mixer desk and sound system at 8:30am for the Summer of Sonic 2008 event in London, while having a quick chat with Richard Jacques about life in general, as he sifted through the selection of CDs I’d brought along to play.

To say the event was a success would be a massive understatement; it was a roaring torrent of win. Walking around the event after finishing up on my slot on the decks, my ears were treated to what I can only describe as a choral rendition of Live and Learn – everyone was singing along to the song as they explored the event, and it was beautiful!!! I couldn’t walk five steps without spotting a familiar face, or having someone stop me to introduce themselves, to put a face to a (screen) name. Nigel Kitching was trapped in his corner, surrounded by fans asking questions having cherished copies of Sonic the Comic signed. The room was filled with people of different colours, creeds and ages, some having travelled hundreds, even thousands of miles to be here, and all to celebrate their one mutual love…Sonic the Hedgehog.

24th July 20084th March 2009

Summer of Sonic Registrations Close

15th May 20024th May 2020

The first ever Sonic the Hedgehog convention has had to close registrations for attendees – because the event has proved too popular.

Citing problems with fitting the current number of named attendees into the 200-strong Dragon Hall in London’s Covent Garden, the organisers behind the event has has to warn that entrance may involve a waiting period, or those entering may have their time limited if they intend to stay all day. The aim is to let everyone have a fair chance of experiencing the event and seeing evertything the show has lined up, it was announced.

Summer of Sonic 2008 has risen in popularity since its announcement in June 2008, gaining attendance interest of almost double the capacity of the venue’s hall space and earning coverage across respected gaming websites such as Eurogamer, Computer and Video Games and Destructoid. Special Guests announced so far include Sonic the Comic writer Nigel Kitching and Dreams of an Absolution star Lee Brotherton, with more guests expected to be announced.

Attendees will be able to meet, greet, experience live performances and play games with one another, including contests and the first ever play at Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Entrance is free, with the costs of staging the event funded by members of the Sonic community and support from SEGA Europe. The convention will be recorded and the Summer of Sonic website updated, for those unable to attend to experience the event as well.

Summer of Sonic – Registration CLOSED – Summer of Sonic

#Comics, News

Sonic the Comic’s Richard Elson, Nigel Kitching and More Attending Bristol Comics Con

30th December 200126th February 2019

The UK’s flagship SEGA magazine, Sonic the Comic, might be dead and buried now, but the burning passion for the series lives on amongst fans across the country. And an upcoming comics festival will allow you to meet a large number of the STC creators in person. Continue reading Sonic the Comic’s Richard Elson, Nigel Kitching and More Attending Bristol Comics Con

#Comics, News

Sayonara, Sonic the Comic: Last Issue Out Now on UK Store Shelves