Articles By WB

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #128

Benny Lee, Dawn Best, Jim Amash

"Starmada" - Sonic hooks up with a fleet of alien mercenary starships banded together to find and destroy a space being of incredible power that has left a trail of galactic destruction in its wake. It turns out to be a nemesis from Sonic's past, namely: "E.V.E III," originally Robotnik's creation! E.V.E. was set free by Sonic way back in issue 22. Now Sonic finds out what she's been been doing with that freedom...destroying whole planets. Sonic feels responsible and sets out to find her first. Can he put an end to this "eve of destruction"?

Sources: Previews & Westfield Comics

The latest issue of Comic Shop News contains a rather large article on the upcoming tenth anniversary of the Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Comic. Featured in the article is a long interview with writer Karl Bollers. The article talks about Bollers' experience writing for the comic and contains some spoilers for issues #124-129.

In addition, the article contained a better colored version of the cover for Sonic #125.

Click below for the full-text of the article.

Rlan was kind enough to zip up some new Sonic Adventure DX and Sonic Pinball Party screenshots.

New Pinball Party Screenshots

New Sonic Adventure DX Screenshots

Pinball Party Logo

A few things to note about Pinball Party -

Lots of new screenies!!! The NiGHTS boards looks very pretty. There seem to be more than one board per game which IMO is a plus. Two Nights boards are shown here as well as two Sonic boards and one Samba board. there also seems to be a tournament option as well. The Tiny Chao Garden is accessible from these screenshots. There also seems to be a Memory game and a "Sonic Roulette" game as well. The minigame section here is hosted by Cream and Cheese too.

As far as DX goes - same ol same stuff. Newer screens of stuff we hadnt seen previously, but I will say that in these shots the characters don't look as "super shiny plastic" as they did before.

Source: Rlan of Sonic Fan Games HQ

I knew the previews were late for this month but dang....Two In One DOUBLE PREVIEWS !!! Well now THIS is just nuts - Geoffrey St. John, Tails The Fox, Uncle Chuck, A Sonic Adventure 2 Cover, Missing Overlanders, An undercover Sonic The Hedgehog, Sally sneaking away from Knothole to find Sonic whose trying to find Tails, Tails whose busy somewhere off with Knuckles but has some link to Dr. Robotnik (?????), And Mina finally being acknowledged as Sally's rival????

Attention Tails The Fox fans! You're gonna have a lot of fun tryng to decipher THESE previews....

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Sonic The Hedgehog #97
"My Secret Identity"
"The Chosen One - Part Three"

Writers: Karl Bollers & Ken Penders
Pencilers:James Fry & Ron Lim
Inkers: Andrew Pepoy & Pam Eklund

Geoffrey manages to piece together half of Uncle Chuck's message from the damaged Shadow-Bot, and he and his secret service team embark on a mission to Robotropolis to retrieve it. Meanwhile, an incognito Sonic begins his quest for Arachnis and Tails, but is sidetracked by Geoffrey's mission. The intrigue thickens when both the secret service and Sonic are captured by Overlanders, and Sonic does his best to maintain his anonymity in the midst of his cellmates. Can Sonic aid in their escape without blowing his cover? Plus, surprising unexpected revelations about Robotnik and Tails. And what's with all the missing Overlanders? Also: another Knuckles back-up story, this time guest-starring Sonic's buddy Tails.

Sonic The Hedgehog #98
"Blow By Blow"
"The Chosen One - Part Four"

Writers: Karl Bollers & Ken Penders
Pencilers:James Fry & Ron Lim
Inkers: Andrew Pepoy & Pam Eklund

After returning to Knothole, Geoffrey informs Elias that Robotnik still has robotization on his mind. Sally disguises herself as a servant and manages to sneak out of Castle Acorn in order to go see Sonic, but Sonic has his hands full trying to stay incognito while he continues his quest for Arachnis and the Sword - not to mention Mina, Sally's latest rival for Sonic's affection. And just like last issue - what's with all the missing Overlanders? Plus, another Knuckles back-up story, guest-starring Sonic's buddy Tails.

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Okay - say it with me. "Damn." ^___^

Where do I start on THIS one? First of all Tails is getting a LOT of recognition lately...More attention than he's gotten in a long time. Hmmmm. That, AND Tails and Dr. Robotnik (???) now seem to have some sort of connection? Plus it seems that the Chosen One saga is being extended to 4 parts. THIS is a good thing. ^^ Maybe Tails The Fox is the rumored "Ultimate Villian" ^__^ But Archie wouldnt have Sonic fighting Tails, his own sidekick and "psuedo-little brother" on the 100th issue anniversary - would they? ;D

Sonic's incognito identity makes him look like an X-Man with that cape and X gloves. Hehehe. ^__^ But the biggest shocker (to me anyway) was the cover of Sonic #98. Juct click on it for a sec, and tell me if you see the same thing I saw. Does that cover say Sonic Adventure 2 in the background? We know its not gonna be in the book in time for Sonic #100. Archie's already gotten that and the first few issues after it planned out. But I think that after #100.... Plus - something I noticed, but its amazing that the June cover sports SA2. Especially since thats the release date for America. But not to worry or anything. Like I said - #100 and the first issues past are probably already planned out, so theres no need to worry about Sega intrusions on the big "UV Story" for now. But at least we know that theres a large possibility that its coming...

And last but not least, those spoilers. Whats with the all missing Overlanders? Its ABOUT TIME we finally saw Sally take some initiative again. Perhaps she wont be playing second fiddle for a while, but it looks like a meeting between her and Mina and Sonic is imminent. Uncle Chuck returns, Geoffrey's proabably still gonna be a prude with Elias on puppet strings, and I'm still trying to figure out just what this link is between Tails and Dr. Robotnik...

One more issue to go....Hmmmmm...... ;D

First things first: MORE Sonic Adventure 2 News or: How to get an A Ranking In City Escape ^__^!

Been playing the demo and wondering why you keep getting C Rankings over and over? How do you get a Grade Of A, let alone a B? Well I'm here to tell you that Sonic Team has officially gone insane. :) Replay value's gonna be BIG in SA2. Get this:

To get an A, you need to get 2/3's of all the rings, land at least 4 Awesome Tricks, and NEVER a Trick worth less than 300. You need to HIT every trick (even when running from the truck) and you need to kill everything you see (in the game). FYI 2/3's of all the rings in the level is 290 or so. Also (one last thing) you need to beat the level in under 3:10. There you go. The "impossible run".

Looks like the dificulty levels have been upped a huge notch since Sonic Adventure 1 in the replay department. And in case you've played the demo already, its not as easy as it sounds, especially since you cant see the ramps until you get square on them during the truck sequence! Have fun! ^__^

Now for the Phantasy Star Online News which is in a way, connected to Sonic. One of the most identifying details that set characters apart in Phantasy Star Online is the MAGs. For those not in the know, MAGs are those hovering robotic "pets" near the back of each character. By feeding the MAG different utility items you either find or buy in PSO you increase the MAGs abilities and additionally, you also help the MAG evolve into different forms. So, how many forms are there to the MAGs? A quick "E-Lingo"-ing of the PSO Jazz japanese website has revealed the numerous MAGS located in PSO!

Theres the Opa-Opa MAG (from Fantasy Zone) and the NiGHTopian MAG (from NiGHTS of course). And supposedly, there is a Omochao MAG (from Sonic Adventure 2) as well as a Sonic MAG though both aren't shown on the webpage. If you wanna see the full list, check out or source links below.

Source: IGN Dreamcast and PSO Jazz (Japanese)

Well I can't very well say I'm surprised at the matter after the brouhaha of the last two weeks BUT...but it seems ODCM is officially dead. :P

According to IGN, with SEGA's changes to its business strategy, it's been a tough time for the Official Dreamcast Magazine. First comes the loss of the demo disc, then SEGA goes third party only, and when SEGA decides to cut off from the hardware race, that means less third party titles, and that means less coverage for ODCM. It was inevitable, but after more than a year of delivering some of the most interesting Dreamcast coverage, the Official Dreamcast Magazine is officially gone.

According to inside.com, the Future/Imagine company that publishes various magazines announced that it will lay off 350 employees or slightly more than 17 percent of the company workforce. Publications that are effected include the digital music magazine Revolution, the gadget magazine T3, and a few others totaling 20 different publications in the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany. However, the one that hits us home ODCM. Sad to see em go. :(

The final issue is the one out now, with Spider Man gracing the front cover.

Remember that laughable old tidbit that was rumored ages ago that everyone scoffed at? You know - the one that said Sega and Nintendo were thinking about a joint RPG together? Well it may not be so laughable anymore...Sega is playing chums with Nintendo and the impact could be significant. An RPG is a good start, eh?

At one time it would be too far-fetched to imagine Nintendo and Sega walking hand-in-hand, smiling happily together as they slap competitors in the face. Since Sega's recent departure from the hardware industry, however, the vision of these former "enemies" has become all too real. Sega has willingly admitted to its support for both Game Boy Advance and GameCube. It even admits to having GameCube development hardware since as early as last November. (Shock! Horror! Hehehehehe - WB) What everyone wants to know, though, is exactly what Sega is working on for GameCube.

Well, you may want to sit down for this one, because the plot has thickened greatly. Last year there were reports that Sega and Nintendo had talks about doing an RPG together. Whether the supposed title uses Sega and Nintendo-branded characters or not is unknown, but the thought of the two most talented developers on earth teaming up for an RPG is unbelievably delicious. Since then Nintendo's Peter Main has smirked at the possibility, and just recently in a GameWeek interview Sega of America's Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Charles Bellfield, confirmed the existence (in a roundabout way) of the RPG and praised Nintendo. Here is the excerpt from the interview courtesy IGN....

GameWeek: Let me get right to it: was there any truth to the reports Nintendo was looking to buy?
Charles Bellfield: (long pause) Yeah. So were Microsoft, so were Sony.

GW: Can you expand on that?
CB: Sure. The truth is, if we didn't think we would be successful with our new strategy, something might have happened. In 2000, we were the sixth largest publisher in North America. That was with a 2-3 million Dreamcast install base. Imagine the potential for us when we get to PSX, GameCube, Xbox, and Game Boy Advance. There's only one way for us to go and that's up. That's the reality of it.

GW: Theoretically, Sega could be a difference maker in the upcoming console wars, depending on what franchises are delivered to each particular platform. Any thoughts?
CB: Let me turn the tables a bit. What do you know about GameCube?

GW: You probably know a lot more than we do; Nintendo is the most quiet company we've ever dealt with. It's scary.
CB: Four words: don't write off Nintendo. A lot of companies have, but Nintendo's got a five billion dollar war chest and a lot of great, original franchises.

GW: Yes, they have the one key ingredient that Sega has: content. They really are self-sufficient.
CB: Agreed.

GW: Charles, can you confirm or deny the existence of this so-called "top-secret RPG" being worked on by Sega and Nintendo?
CB: (long pause) I'm trying to recall… Tetsu Kayama talked about a number of things last week and I would normally refer back to what he said, but... Let's put it this way: whatever he said, the answer is "yes."

GW: You know, Peter Main had the same suspicious grin when I asked him this question two and a half months ago...
CB: Did he really? Yes. (another long pause) We've got a great content line ahead. (smiles)

The comments are even surprising to IGNcube, who is all too aware of Sega's support for GameCube. It seems that Sega and Nintendo have banded together to show the industry how it's done. Consider the above comment again. When Charles was asked if he thought Sega could make a difference in the upcoming console wars, the first thing that came to his mind was GameCube. The interviewer didn't ask this Sega head figure if he liked GameCube, he willingly touted Nintendo. We're not sure what Nintendo and Sega are up to, but this is just short of an official confirmation that there is a Sega/Nintendo RPG underway. We ask that you do keep in mind that the quote could be taken a few ways. Nontheless, what a truly astounding possibility this is. If Sega is backing Nintendo's GameCube so much, how should we view the exclusive Virtua Fighter 4 on the PS2? You can't straddle the fence too much, and it seems that Sega is definitely leaning towards Nintendo. The PS2 may be getting VF4, but it now seems obvious that Nintendo and Sega have far bigger plans for GameCube. As each day goes by, Sega's withdrawal from the hardware business gets sweeter and sweeter. Life is good.

Source: IGN Gamecube

And its about friggin time too..... >:P

The dates careened all over creation and theres never been a SOLID pinpointed date on it till now....Sega of America has informed IGN that Sonic Adventure 2 has finally been tagged with a tentative date for June 21, 2001. While the date isn't set in stone, sources indicate that things are looking good for our blazin' blue buddy, and that the demo was but a taste of the action that lies ahead.

Source: IGN Dreamcast

KP just spoke on his messageboard about the latest concerning his website, LO, the upcoming Sonic storyline, and other stuff. here's his message reprinted below:

If you see the words YOU ARE HERE! above the photo of me on the home page, your browser is accessing the site on our new server. If not, you're receiving the transmission from the old server while able to still access this message board on the new server. It may all sound confusing, but trust me, Bob's got it all worked out as far as the tech stuff goes. Needless to say, until the transition is totally complete, the site updates have been delayed until then.

However, in the interest of giving you some idea of what's in store, besides a sneak preview of pages from THE CHOSEN ONE storyline, I'll touch base on a number of topics.

For a long time, I've been looking to make this site more interactive, and this year looks like I'll finally achieve that. One of the concepts I've been exploring is conducting an online course of drawing as well as a course on creating a comic book from initial concept to finished publication. Because of the time and resources involved with doing this right, the size of the classes will be limited and there will be a cost. I hope to have all the details finalized within the next couple of months and begin conducting the first classes come September.

Another thing I'm looking to initiate is more original online comics, new material that hasn't been seen before. To that end, pages from THE LOST ONES graphic novel will begin showing up before long, as well as the first installment of CAPTAIN HAZZARD.

There's a lot of new art to be uploaded, including a sneak preview of pages from the upcoming THE CHOSEN ONE storyline that begins in SONIC #95. I guarantee a major shocker where this one is concerned.

Also, check back later this week for confirmation of when my next online chat will occur, as I'll discuss these and many other subjects as well.

Finally, in regards to the Knuckles story in Sonic #93, I'd like to say a few words.

Some people have criticized my use of photos with the artwork. To that I say... this is how you learn. I've been wanting to experiment with the concept for some time. The problem was that I didn't end up having the control over the finished look like I was originally supposed to have. I was supposed to color the story on Photoshop, which would allow me to do the color seps at the same time. Due to contractual obligations with a third party, the editors at Archie informed me that they would be doing the work. Thus, I found myself essentially creating a road map for them to interpret what I wanted. To say the results were unsatisfying would be an understatement of epic proportions. Would it stop me from doing this again? Not if I was given the control I was originally supposed to have. But that's for another time.

Another final thing... yeah, I know.... :-) ...

I'm going to be closing down my AOL account within the next 30 to 60 days, so from now on, until I get all the e-mail links on this site changed, if anyone wants to send a message or ask a question, please e-mail me at the following address:

KenPenders@kenpenders.com

Thank you.

And THAT is THAT. ^__^

Source: Ken Penders' Message Board

**laughs at title**

Any longtime Sonic fan in the game scene will remember the name - Simon Wai, the guy who helped Sonic fans everywhere discover the longlost Sonic 2 Beta. Well guess what?

He's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaacck.... ^__^ So just where did he vanish to? This was the post made yesterday to the Sonic 2 Beta Messsage Board...

Hey guys (anyone here?), It's Simon Wai here. It has been a loooong time... Looks like lots of things have changed. How are you guys?

You probably have many questions to ask, but let me clear up something first. I seemed to vanish because of the heavy workload (okay that does sound way too familiar LOL). I promised to myself to explain to you guys my departure of the Sonic scene, but being such a lazy guy, I kind of postponed the announcement day by day. And I ended up never made the annoucement at all. So if I made a mess (and it seems so), I'm willing to apologize. Sorry guys.

So what makes me suddenly come back.... I was downloading some MP3s on Napster and someone popped up and asked me if I'm "THE Simon Wai" (my username is simonwai). That reminded me to explain what has been going on to you S2Beta fans.

Thanks to Pelord for maintaining the site. I'm sure lots of Sonic fans have been helped. I'm afraid I can't contribute anymore to the Sonic scene, as any Sonic-related data have been wiped out of my hard drive long ago. I also won't have enough time (remember?). And no, I didn't find any Sonic 1 beta etc when I was in Hong Kong ;)

Thanks for listening, I am sure that clears up lots of "clouds" inside you head. Also thanks to everyone who supported me during the old days.

Oh one more thing, I dumped @home and am now on Bell ADSL. My e-mail is simonwai@sympatico.ca. If you want to ask anything, or simply want to confirm my identity, feel free to send me an e-mail (I WILL reply this time, hehe).

P.S. Are Sonique, Dezmond, Andre, Kulock, etc still around?

I never knew Simon at all, but I know Sonique and sometime Kulock visit here at the news page so hopefully they'll get this message and respond. As for Andre Dirk he vanished a long time ago as well if I remember correctly and I never knew Dezmond. But if you knew him, pop by and say hi - message link below.

Source Response:Simons Welcome Back Message - Sonic 2 Beta MB