COMIC REVIEW: FTN reviews Sonic #256

January 17th, 2014 by Irwin Fletcher Comments

Writer: Ian Flynn

Pencils: Tracy Yardley

Publisher: Archie Comics

So it’s been awhile since I have reviewed a Sonic issue, but what better issue to return to what brought me to the game than this one!

The Sonic series has taken me on a whirlwind ride since the conclusion of the Worlds Collide Saga. Now in issue #256 we are at the conclusion to the follow up story “Countdown to Chaos”.

In the wake of Worlds Collide the Sonic universe has been changed in many drastic ways. The most prominent of them is the return of lost Freedom Fighters. Before the Mega Man crossover several things had happened to the Freedom Fighters such as Antoine being in a coma, Bunnie disappears and Sally being robotocized and become Mecha-Sally. Now in the alternate world all are back and better than ever.

However not all is well.

With the changes as a result of the Genesis wave we find out that it was not just the planet that was affected by the wave and not just Sonics’ reality, the entire multi-verse has collapsed on its self. This does not fare well for our true blue hero as now that the countdown as ended the chase is on to stop the end of the world.

This issue was everything I come to expect from the Sonic team over at Archie. Never once have I been disappointed in an issue of Sonic. Not only did it tie in well with the return of Amy and Cream from their adventure in Sonic Universe but it also gave us the first look at all the well known Freedom Fighters that we have had in a long time. This is especially welcoming to this reader as I have been without Antoine since issue 134 and to finally see all the team back in tip top form as they were when this whole series started was a joy to see.

I was a little worried as to how Sally would react when her memories were restored by Nicole. During this arc the only way for Nicole to be able to understand the full ramifications of the Genesis Wave was to interact with each of the Freedom Fighters which in turn restored their memories. Having witnessed this is Rotor, Bunnie and Antoine I was afraid as to what might happen seeing as how Sally had most recently been a robot. I wasn’t sure if it would cause her to revert to a more vicious nature, however my worries where put to rest when it made her more emotional and determined to right the wrongs she had committed. However this also made me wonder why they were quick to do it to Sally when in a previous issue Sonic didn’t want to do have the memories restored to his Uncle Chuck because they were afraid the memories of his time as a robian would make him go crazy. Not sure if this was an oversight or what but still it had me wondering.

There are other questions that have sprung to me during this issue and that are when the resolutions to some of the storylines that were going on before Worlds Collide will be brought forth. We have not had any finalization to Ixis Naugus taking over the body of Geoffrey St. John nor do we know if they save the world will Sally return to her Mecha form. These are questions I hope to get answers to soon.

Even with those minor fan boy concerns there is no doubt that once again Ian Flynn has done a spectacular job with this issue. He brought us not only happiness for having all the team back together but also so much emotion when Sally has to come to terms with what she had done. That is what most people don’t see when it comes to the Sonic comics. There is so much emotion in them and they can make you feel so many different things that it is clearly one of the best books out there. However Flynn does what he always does to me and that is give me a conclusion to an arc that is not really a conclusion and has me on pins and needles until the next issue hits stands. I literally groaned when the issue ended because I wanted to read what comes next, oh well I guess I can wait.

Add all that with the always spectacular art from Tracy Yardley and you have a pure winner on your hand. Tracy draws these characters like no one else and his style is what I come to look for in every piece of Sonic material as I feel no one can do these characters justice the way he can.

So with all that gushing once again Sonic #256 is a solid issue and sets you up nicely for the next story arc title “The Chase”.

So from Spin to all of you I give this issue a Freedom Fighting

4.5 out of 5 nerds

 

I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.