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COMIC REVIEW: FTN reviews Sonic Universe #55

August 22nd, 2013 by Irwin Fletcher Comments

Script and Pencils: Tracy Yardley

Inks: Jim Amash

Colors: Thomas Mason

Publisher: Archie

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE fan of Tracy Yardley. For many of us he is the sequential Sonic the Hedgehog artist. His work has become the staple of every Sonic comic that comes out each month. So what happens when he not only draws but also creates a script full of treasure hunting and pirates? We get the newest story arc from Sonic Universe titled “Pirate Plunder Panic”.

Coming off the finale of the Worlds Collide saga, we get our first look at what has become of some of the characters from Sonic’s world. We are told what has become of Amy Rose and Cream the Rabbit and may I say it really seems to be one of those out of the frying pan and into the fryer moments for those two. This is actually rather fitting as this story, as I was told from Yardley himself, is in fact a kind of sequel to the Treasure Team Tango series that ran in Sonic Universe issues 21 to24 not too long ago.

Joining Amy and Cream on this wild high seas adventure are fellow characters Blaze the Cat and Marine the Raccoon and anyone who has ever read a story with Marine in it knows that you are in for some wild, crazy and often times unintelligible fun and excitement. While you may have to re-read her word bubbles to get everything she says, it is actually one of the few times when re-reading is not a bad thing. In fact it’s actually pretty enjoyable as you find yourself donning your best accent trying to recreate what she is saying. This could be pretty hilarious if you decide to read it at your desk during lunch and you find yourself reading out loud instead of in your head.

Also returning to the pages of Sonic Universe are Bark the Polar Bear and Bean the Dynamite. These two characters, if you are not familiar with them, have been within the general Sonic Universe (not to be confused with the comic I am reviewing) since their first appearance in “Sonic the Fighters” in 1996. They have made several appearances in both the main Sonic title and in Universe. If this will be your first time reading an issue with Bean you may notice he is a bit nuts. Well that’s because he is, he is insane and has a love of shiny objects and throwing vast amounts of bombs at everyone. So be prepared to raise an eyebrow, but also laugh at his nonsensical ramblings throughout this issue.

Add in high seas battles, new villains and even a few surprises at the end and you have a perfect fun filled adventure to mark the first arc after Worlds Collide.

Yardley did a fantastic job here with this tale and really, it could go in many different ways as the story continues. He has been illustrating the Sonic books for so long that when you read his script you know this is someone who knows these characters inside and out. He understands the quirks and behaviors of them all and how fitting is it that as he writes the story he also know exactly how they would look, stand and emote during certain situations. That comes from a love of the material and of the characters and that is something that is the most fun to read. When you who love the character and stories read an issue done by someone who has the same love you do, there is a connection that happens on a very high level. It is a feeling that is hard to describe but we can feel it and Yardley made me feel that way with this book.

The cover alone should have you darting for this book when you go to your local shop. The image of Sonic a’la Jack Sparrow is fantastic and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a great pirate tale? Granted this tale has robots, talking animals and bombs, but still it is fantastic.

With all the dark storylines going on in comics these days and all the adult oriented themes, sometimes it’s good to grab a book like Sonic Universe and just sit back, relax and have fun with it. We all deserve that, don’t you think?

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.