I've noticed that Archie is really pushing the Sonic X series, which moved from mini-series to fulltime series really fast and the long running Satam comic seems to be getting neglected a bit. Have you noticed there hasn't been a Sonic-Grams, history file, fan art, or "Find your Name in Print" section forever? I know it's been awhile since we've even gotten a note from the editor about upcoming issues.
I really hate to see it happen but it makes sense that Sega/Archie would want one universe for their mascot as to not confuse new fans... hopefully someone can prove me wrong though.
Well, one universe with 4 or 5 crammed together so sloppily that even the longest running fans are confused 
But, Archie!Sonic is a dead dog these days keeping alive by it's fanbase. I think it's finally reached the point that StC in the UK did, ironically enough at about the same issue count as we were at when it happened. The comic is a convulsing mess of continuity which egotistical writter Kenders Suprise wants to abuse like so many stressdolls. New readership is impossible to obtain because the universe is just so vastly seperate from the target audiences' familiar universe (please note that the 12 year olds I know don't have any idea what a SatAm is and they're in a country where it's still aired).
Thusly, they're alienating new readers and with the fanbase slowly peeling away with disappointing milestones, like 150; a focus on soap opera drama instead of action and the instance on using continuity which only a small demographic have knowledge of (ie. Knuckles stuff, things from 75+ issues ago etc) and various other factors like the loss of certain talent.
I'm not predicting Archie!Sonic's death for another 50 odd issues, but this is more or less the same thing that happened with Sonic the Comic, we got tied into stupid continuity by egotistical writer which involved things from over 100 issues ago which even devoted fans were confused by, a focus on silly comedy instead of decent plots, disappointing milestones (after 100 being the most awesome comic event of my childhood) and the loss of Elson and Kitching.
If you start seeing reprint stories, you know it's all over ;p
Calling Sonic a dead dog is far from true. With the popularity he has recieved with the re-releases of the Adventure games, as well as the Sonic Mega Collection and Sonic Gems Collection on gamecube, and the newer games like Sonic Advance, Sonic Heroes, or the recently released "Shadow the Hedgehog" and (the absolutely superb) "Sonic Rush," plus upcoming titles "Sonic Riders" and "Sonic the Hedgehog," (Not to mention the Sonic X cartoon and Comic)Sonic is far from dead.
But I agree that the convoluted continuity of Sonic the Hedgehog makes it near-impossible for new readers to jump on board. I've been reading since issue 14 and I'm still lost. And trying to follow the echidna history is harder than most college classes. But personally I'm attached to the SatAM/Archie universe and I'd hate to see it end.
I'd much rather they pulled a "Crisis" like DC comics has, and clear out all the continuity, basically starting from square one again. Sonic X is too juvenile (although issue 3 has shown promise for the series) and StH is too convoluted and becoming too 'soap-operaish.' What we need is a middle-ground between the two.
I clearly stated Archie!Sonic. None of the things you listed relate to the comic.
Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog title isn't going anywhere any time in the near future. It is Archie's bestselling title. They're not about to cancel it as long as it sells as well as it does.
Craig suggested:
But, Archie!Sonic is a dead dog these days keeping alive by it's fanbase ... Thusly, they're alienating new readers and with the fanbase slowly peeling away with disappointing milestones...
I don't know if that's true. The fact of the matter is that the sales on the book have been increasing since Mike Pellerito took over as editor, so new readers are coming from somewhere. This is a good thing.
As for the lack of Sonic-Grams and the editorial pages--this is not a reflection of neglect. If you look at all the Archie titles, the editorial pages are being dropped due to ad content. While this is disappointing on one hand (yes, we miss the letters pages), on the other hand, the fact that DC Comics (who sells the ad space on behalf of Archie) can attract so many advertisers is also a good thing--at least for the bottom line. It means more cash coming in for the publisher which makes it possible to keep publishing their comics without having to raise the prices.
So, unless the sales suddenly and drastically drop, you have nothing to worry about.
--Joe Edkin
Addtionally - -
Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic X are purposefully being kept as seperate entities. Joe has access to characters and Sega-canon plotlines that Ken and I do not. Likewise, Ken and I have our own exclusives - namely Blaze and the Babylon Rogues.
Sonic the Hedgehog is purposefully moving to align itself more with the Sega-canon material. We can't be 100% true to the source material, that's obvious, but we will be trying to incorperate it to an extent we haven't in past issues. To say we're moving away from SatAM, however, isn't saying much. Sonic stopped being a SatAM-book at S#50 - at the latest. Sonic is its own fascinating, wonderful organism now.
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we got tied into stupid continuity by egotistical writer which involved things from over 100 issues ago which even devoted fans were confused by
Such as...? The only thing I can think of that come under that was the Drakon Empire being tied in to the old Sentinel story, and that was hardly confusing- "Sonic met a big stone robot once, it fell apart, these bad guys here aren't happy about that". Which is all just a plot device to have Sonic fight a Knuckles-style Metallix on an alien planet with talking fish anyway.
EDIT: Wait, hang on, remembered the Kintobor thing in Shanazar. Which doesn't sound like a big deal when the whole "Robotnik used to be Kintobor" had been mentioned quite a few times after #8, and the latest had been a whole 5 issues before he showed up in #149.
Yeah those are about the only two real examples, and neither one of them were huge, just as Archie finally finishing the Chosen One stuff is not troublesome. It was just one thing among many others. Poor Megadroid left notes all over the place. Shortfuse was one big annoying bump in things throughout, everytime we saw him it'd be 30+ issues until he came back and they'd have to spend half the story explaining where he was (lava'd, alt. dimension'd, Tekno'd, suit less'd) before explaining what he's doing this time. Well, exclude the part-time job issue, as that was taking him from one place in stasis to another.
Yeah...
Anywho...
You know what? Screw this!
A quote my Dan Drazen, it fits Archie perfectly.
The Sonic the Hedgehog comic has been pretty directionless and lacking in identity since after #50, when it (rightly so) stopped being a tie-in comic to the cartoon. Since then there's been a lot of throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks, but without clearing up any of the gunk that falls to the bottom, resulting in a strange impenetrable mess.
It still manages to pick up a lot of readers though, so they must be doing something right.
I can truly see the comic going on long after the 200 mark...I mean, how many of us forumers (is that the right name?) still subscribe to the comic...or at least buy it still. I know True Red has stated that she hasn't renewed her's, but other than that I know of no others. I mean it isn't that bad...and even if it was, I would still be buying it because I'm trying to get a complete set (I'm short 29 in the "Satam" series...I have everything from 66-156)
Yes, I LOVE the comic. I have every issue since #20, (excluding a couple of specials) and I plan on continuing suscribing forever.
Some of you are feeling the comic is getting worse, and some of you think it's a mess. I don't feel that at all; I think it gets better with each issue.
I'm with you all the way, EE! I have every issue that has came out into print, and other than the confusing continuity crap I feel that the comic is getting better! I felt I was one of the only ones that loved the GBU storyline! I know #150 let me down, but #152 more than made up for it! I've subscribed since I was six, and I will continue to.
Same here! Like my name sake, I've been a fan since issue 10, meaning I was about seven at the time. From that day on, I've beeen collecting the comic along with every special and spin-off series, and currently am lacking only #4 & 134. I agree the continuity has its fair share of issues (Dulcy last breathed fire in #46 and Battle Royale, not #29), and a number of the stories in the past 3-4 years (namely #108-121, 145-149, 153-154) were either lackluster or overall sucked, but it still has its good points. Dub was one (is he stil working there or not?) and Steven Butler was another plus. I liked the explanation of Patch and Evil Sonic, as it revived an element from the classic days and I simply found it hard to believe Antione could become an emotionless blackhole. I was just sorry it happened in #150 & 151. Regardless, I will continue to buy Archie's Sonic with full confidence that given enough time (and brow-beating from concerned fans like us), the overall quality in stories and artwork will improve from Ken and maybe from Ron although I prefer they don't use him at all.
wow...fansinceissue 10...I just got your name...
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Sonic is its own fascinating, wonderful organism now.
Hoo boy.. I mean, woa... I just... eesh, I kinda read through your post real quickly and, for a second, I thought you said something else. 
It took you this long to figure it out Hiro?! And this is what, the second or third time I've said so? 
Remind me to hit you the next time I get a chance.
But you guys started collecting early, i was 12 and i tried my first issue, #127. God was I confused. Sonic in space! i went WTF (i did not say that i just expressing it). And since 129 i've got past issues and continued to collect up to #156, and i'm going to keep on collecting until the end (i'm trying to get #101 to #126 during Christmas).
Don't forget to try and get all the specials and mini-series you can find too! Especially Knuckles' series, man I loved that one.
You know, I've been hoping for a new series to back up the main series. Using the same continuity as the main book, Sth, I was thinking of reborning the Knuckles series, or even a SHADOW series. If SHADOW was a possibility, I'd like for Ken Penders to work on that, while Ian Flynn takes over the main book for a while. 
I really think Ken could do some awesome stories with Shadow, if he had a whole series to work with. Meanwhile, Ian could put some fresh new action into StH.
I agree with EE and the like. I still like the comics and will continue to do so until it does die. Also for me, as a hard core Sonic fan, I must buy the comics even if I did think they were bad; as a matter of fact, as of now, I like the main comic more than I do Sonic X, no offense Joe.
However, I am glad that we do have Sonic X now because it relieves the wait of the next regular issue and vice versa. As far as a Shadow book, I'm game; however, I rather have the Knux comic back as I enjoyed it more than I did Sonic's. One more thing, to show how much I love the books, I ordered 2 collector sets just to get a few issues I missed!
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I rather have the Knux comic back
Amen to that! A Shadow book? It just might work considering how much I love that black Hedgehog, and Archie produces work to please just me so it just might happen!
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However, I am glad that we do have Sonic X now because it relieves the wait of the next regular issue and vice versa.
I feel the same way! 
Excellent ideas! Why was Knuckles even cancelled in the first place? When it came out I found it more engaging than Sonic and thought it would have a strong fan-base. Heck, why not take Bollers' idea of Bunnie looking for her old home and turning it into her own 3-issue mini-series? They gave a 3-parter to Sally, Tails, and Knuckles so why not? Frankly, I always considered Knuckles' Nemesis 3-parter to be the true begining of his series and not the Dark Legion arc.
Knuckles the Echidna died off due to poor sales. Yeah, I know, it doesn't make sense to me either. It was an excellent book. But anyway . . .
The mini-series for Sally was requested by Sega to see if her character was marketable enough to warrant more attention. Did we get close to Sally being in the games? I don't know. I just know Sega has had its eye on her in the past.
I don't know if Tails' mini was brought about for the same reason. I haven't heard anything on that.
There's definitely a desire for a return of the minis and specials, but there's more to it than just want. Rest assured, however, that we'll leap at the opportunity to have more Sonic books.
POOR SALES?!?!?!?!?! How is that possible?!?! My dad read both the Sonic AND the Knuckles series just like I did up until a few years ago! He's over 50 now! We often liked to discuss the situations at hand and what might happen next... With what you said about Sally, I'm also shocked they didn't make a Knuckles game based off the Archie universe. Maybe something like an RPG a`la Kingdom Hearts....
What exactly do you mean by more SONIC books? Specials, mini-series, or something else?
By the way, what exactly is your position at Archie with Sonic the Hedgehog?
Ian is a brand new writer for StH, and I'm assuming is going to be a miracle to the comic!
As for the Knuckles comics: One important factor of getting readers is the COVER. When I was a kid, truthfully, I thought the StH covers were MUCH prettier than the Knuckles ones, and, therefore, I started out with Sonic the Hedgehog comics. Later, I decided to go back and buy Knuckles issues, once I heard how awesome the writing was.
That's one thing I'm worried about; I hope Spaz is putting as much effort into StH comics as he is into Sonic X, otherwise, the same thing may happen between Sonic X and StH. I hope otherwise, though.
Anyway, I can't wait for your debut, Ian! (Actually, as you pointed out, I have to wait!) ^^
By other books I mean mini-series (like Tails/Sally) spin-offs (like Knuckles) and Specials (the 48-pagers).
None of those are in the works, but they are something I'd like to do one day. I don't know if we ever will, but the desire is there.
Well, see what you can do, if anything, about getting that Bunnie(/Antoine) mini-series, as well as picking Knux's book back up, because that would be very interesting.
Yes, yes, yes!!!!!!!! 
Please, please, please, please, if you ever get any kind of extra leverage to do so, THEN GO FOR IT!!!! 
We're all behind you 110%!!!!
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The mini-series for Sally was requested by Sega to see if her character was marketable enough to warrant more attention. Did we get close to Sally being in the games? I don't know. I just know Sega has had its eye on her in the past.
Definitely. Around 1997, when SegaWorld opened in Sydney, Sally was alongside Sonic and Tails and Robotnik as the four main stars. No Knuckles whatsoever, which was surprising. I guess that SoA had some plans to integrate her somewhat, but when SoJ started pushing Sonic's Adventure makeover, whatever plans they had for Sally disappeared.
Sonic the Hedgehog is purposefully moving to align itself more with the Sega-canon material. We can't be 100% true to the source material, that's obvious, but we will be trying to incorperate it to an extent we haven't in past issues. To say we're moving away from SatAM, however, isn't saying much. Sonic stopped being a SatAM-book at S#50 - at the latest. Sonic is its own fascinating, wonderful organism now.
Exactly how close are you talking about? Focusing more on the sega characters? adding more of game elements in (badniks/robots)? Making Sonic and Tails a globe traveller team again? Bring in some of the bad dialog heard in Sonic Heros... oh wait that is already done .
"If you start seeing reprint stories, you know it's all over ;p "
I'll second that. As soon as I saw that STC were running re-prints I knew the comic wasnt going to last that much longer.
But if Archie did that... wouldnt that increase the page amaount per issue? If they did it like fleetways. New + old.
Exactly how close are you talking about? Focusing more on the sega characters? adding more of game elements in (badniks/robots)? Making Sonic and Tails a globe traveller team again? Bring in some of the bad dialog heard in Sonic Heros... oh wait that is already done .
Now, now. Sonic Heroes had some redeemable lines. Some. Let's not get into the laundry list of lacking traits again, though.
You're on the right track with your thinking. If I can incorperate something from the games that:
1) works within the Archie-Sonic world
2) is approved by all parties
...then it'll be in there. So we'll be seeing Dr. Eggman's forces enter the same stardard as in the games, but don't hold your breath waiting for the Egg Dealer =P I'll also be trying to weave in small nods to the Sega-canon for the hardcore - I'm talking level names, song lyrics, inside jokes - whatever and where ever I can put it in without making it clumsy.
I want to bring more of a focus onto the core Sega-character (i.e. get Amy Rose involved more), but I will not be abandoning the Knothole crowd. That would be madness. It's a tricky juggling act since the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix alone make 15 characters. Somebody has to sit out on occasion =P
At the same time I won't be ignoring the rich and unexplored stories set in the Archieverse. The ailing Anciet Walkers, the Great Harmony, Antoine's father - I'll be touching on all those as well.
SO: More Sega-minded while not forgetting the world we've come to know and love. That's it in a nutshell. Now I'm shutting up before I slip any spoilers ^^;
About not slipping spoilers.... what exactly is the Great Harmony? This is the first time I can remember hearing that term.
Great Harmony, I don't remember it either but it probably has to deal with the intertwined destinies of Sonic/Knuckles/Tails. I don't think the chaos emerald thing had that name. I'm too lazy/tired to look through comics that might have that term, or something similar.
Your link doesn't work... at least not for me.
because SHQ has blocked direct linking to things such as images.
The link works for you because of your browser's cache.
http://www.sonichq.org/newsite/comics/images/specials.php
That's the page that has it, under the Tails mini-series, and it's labeled "Chosen One."
...If I can incorperate something from the games that:
1) works within the Archie-Sonic world
2) is approved by all parties
...then it'll be in there. So we'll be seeing Dr. Eggman's forces enter the same stardard as in the games, but don't hold your breath waiting for the Egg Dealer =P I'll also be trying to weave in small nods to the Sega-canon for the hardcore - I'm talking level names, song lyrics, inside jokes - whatever and where ever I can put it in without making it clumsy.
Without spoiling what going to be seen, any idea how soon this is going to take effect? Are you working on it now or saving it for later? Does bringing Eggman closer to the games mean him being a intelligent goofball trying to take over the world (ex. Sonic X) or an intelligent but barely restrain lunatic with some territory (like he is right now in the comic)?
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Without spoiling what going to be seen, any idea how soon this is going to take effect? Are you working on it now or saving it for later? Does bringing Eggman closer to the games mean him being a intelligent goofball trying to take over the world (ex. Sonic X) or an intelligent but barely restrain lunatic with some territory (like he is right now in the comic)?
The answer is two-fold: firstly, the "change" won't be an overt shift. It's the mentality I have when I write each script, and that alone will color how the comic sounds, feels and moves. Most of my stories work towards resolving a number of old issues and plant new ones. Most of those, I would say, are more obviously rooted in the Archieverse.
Secondly, it will be overt in some ways. S#158-159 will run "See Ya Later, Chao!" (disclaimer: as of this post; things may change again). That story will bring a certain element of the games into the lives of Knothole. Egg Pawns will be the new SWAT Bots. And there's a huge change I'm working on now, but that won't run until the end of 2006.
As for Dr. Eggman, I'm aiming for something in the middle of your two ideas. I love how he's completely cornball, tacky, can't-see-the-forest-for-the-trees silly. He wouldn't bat an eyelash at attacking in a giant mechanical teddy bear. The thing is, though, the teddy bear would be armed with enough missiles to level Central City as well as a mouth-mounted death ray. The booming voice would cry "I wuv you!" as your friends and neighbors were reduced to atoms.
No, that won't be in the comic. I'm just giving a hypothetical example. I'm trying to combine the menacing dictator of SatAM with the nutty professor of Sonic X.
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No, that won't be in the comic. I'm just giving a hypothetical example. I'm trying to combine the menacing dictator of SatAM with the nutty professor of Sonic X.
Y'mean something more on the lines of Dr.Draken from Kim Possible? XD
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Y'mean something more on the lines of Dr.Draken from Kim Possible? XD
Yeah! Something like that, only more competant and menacing.
Sounds intresting. Change to the book is what we need at the moment! I'm game!
