sonikuUK asked:
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Will Helen be making an apearence at all? And will she be given a good part. [She was ,my favourite human in the show!]
You will definitely be seeing Helen in Sonic X. You may see her in the background of issues three and four (although Francine and Daniel are key characters in that storyline), and she definitely plays a role in issue five. I anticipate you will be seeing more of her as the series progresses. I have not scripted issues seven and eight yet, but there is a very good chance I will use her in that story arc as elements there tie in to elements in issue five.
--Joe Edkin
How much are you bound to 4K!DS' codes and practes? Do you require any clearence from them in regards to stroyline or do you have free reign over the content (I'm asking this more on a "Will there be stupid things like GUN never being mentioned or Signs that have no text in them" bais?
Locke asked:
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How much are you bound to 4K!DS' codes and practes? Do you require any clearence from them in regards to stroyline or do you have free reign over the content (I'm asking this more on a "Will there be stupid things like GUN never being mentioned or Signs that have no text in them" bais?
I can not answer the clearnace/approval questions very clearly because I'm not entirely clear on who has to approve what. I send my outlines and scripts to my editor (Mike Pellerito) and he takes it from there.
I believe that it is Sega who has the ultimate right of approval, but that I have to follow the 4Kids continuity/translations. I'm not sure, though, if 4Kids has any say in the approval process.
So far, I have not had any problems in having my scripts approved and my outline through issue fourteen has also been approved. (Although the outline may change as we progress...)
As for mentioning GUN--it has not come up so far. The first nine issues of Sonic X take place before the Shadow Saga, so there would be no occasion to reference GUN. Issue ten picks up after the Shadow Saga, so I doubt I'd be referencing GUN at that point either. Mind you, until the actual scripts are written, nothing is set in stone, but I honestly doubt I'd have any need to venture into GUN territory, making it a moot question.
As for signs--in the five and three quarter scripts I've completed, I have not done a sign gag. But I doubt that there's be any problem with me doing one should I feel so moved.
--Joe Edkin
Question: Poor university student here that doesn't have cable tv, so unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to watch Sonic X (which makes me pretty sad, I remember SATAM and early ishes of the regular Archie series quite fondly). Will I be able to get anything at all out of this comic series, or will I be completely lost without having seen the show?
A Poor University Student asked:
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I haven't had the chance to watch Sonic X (which makes me pretty sad, I remember SATAM and early ishes of the regular Archie series quite fondly). Will I be able to get anything at all out of this comic series, or will I be completely lost without having seen the show?
I'm an old school comic writer who believes that everything a reader needs to follow any given issue should be in that given issue. I have tried to make the comic as accessible as possible. The stories I am writing are stand-alone. You will get more out of them if you have seen the TV show, but it's not dependent on having seen the show. I try to sum up the basic concept at the beginning of every issue: Sonic and friends, along with their arch-enemy Dr. Eggman, have been transported from their world to a parallel world--Earth. Anything else you need to know I try to fill in on the fly.
I asked a couple friends who don't follow the show to test drive the first issue and they seemed to enjoy it. (Of course, they may have been lying since my home-made ice cream was part of the deal.) All I can say is give it a try.
--Joe Edkin
Geee, I noticed earlier today that I'd been promoted to Chao. This amused me because I'm working on the second part of a massive Chao-related story that will appear in issues five and six of Sonic X. If it goes through as written, it's going to be a major hoot. On the other hand, there is a danger of one of the funniest bits getting cut because "we don't want kids at home to try this", so I don't want to say too much.
For now, all I will say is "Evil Chao Run Amok." Well, maybe "evil" is overstating it... Perhaps "Mischevious Chao Run Amok" is better. Either way, there is a lot of Amok running around.
--Joe Edkin
Thanks for responding so quickly 
Good answer!
When the comics does any future game adaptions (ex. Sonic Rush, Shadow the Hedgehog), will both comicbooks (Sonic X and Sonic the hedghog) have to do the game adaption or only one? If only one comic has to do an adaption which one will do it?
That question might be moot, they haven't bothered with an adaptation since SA2.
I was a little iffy about this comic at first, because the fact that it kind of jumps in halfway through the story kind of put me off (I mean, it's placed between two Sonic X cartoons, rather than having its own "beginning"). Then I realised that this is pretty much exactly what Archie did with SatAM. So Joe, do you think that if the Sonic X comic is a hit and lasts for quite a while, you'll do special "origin" issues or flashbacks in order to cover all the previous ground?
Solo asked:
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When the comics does any future game adaptions (ex. Sonic Rush, Shadow the Hedgehog), will both comicbooks (Sonic X and Sonic the hedghog) have to do the game adaption or only one? If only one comic has to do an adaption which one will do it?
I can't speak for the Sonic the Hedgehog comic as I am not involved in its creation and don't know what is being planned for that title.
As for Sonic X, I have not been asked/instructed to do any specific adaptations of specific games. I certainly reference elements of various games in my scripts and there is a two-part story that we have planned to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the original Sonic the Hedgehog game, but you will not see any plot point by plot point adaptations of any games during the first 14 issues of Sonic X (unless something changes). I can't speak to anything after that because I haven't officially plotted anything beyond issue 14.
MattManic asked:
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So Joe, do you think that if the Sonic X comic is a hit and lasts for quite a while, you'll do special "origin" issues or flashbacks in order to cover all the previous ground?
Please note that what follows is personal philosphy, not editorial policy...
I consider the stories that you have seen in the TV show as stories that have already been told, and I'm far more interested in telling my own stories based on what has gone before. Anyone who wants to relive the show has the option of seeing it on DVD, videotape, and in reruns. Therefore, my focus will be on telling new stories based on elements from the TV show and videogames rather than slavishly retelling the stories from the show.
However, I certainly will reference past adventures when they relate directly to the story I'm telling. There will be brief flashbacks to stories from the TV show to help remind (or introduce new) readers of what has gone before and why it is important to what's happening now. For example, issue two makes a reference to the underwater adventure in episode 16 and issues five & six pick up on elements from episode 32, and then show you additional information that leads to the action in the comic book story.
There is also a flashback in issue five that shows us a little about Chris's life *before* Sonic arrived on Earth, and this bit of perspective will have an impact on the storytelling in issues five through ten.
I guess the best way to sum up my approach is that I am taking elements from the fertile ground laid out in the series and building my new stories. When it is important to flash back to explain how and why things are happening, I will, but I would prefer to fill the comics with as much new material as possible. That means looking both forward (linear progression of time from where the comic starts) and backward (for example, I someday might want to tell the story that lead up to Sonic's attack on Eggman's base and caused them all to be transported to Earth).
--Joe Edkin
Hi Joe! I apologize for bring this off topic but may I suggest a few things (not related to the topic at hand but the format you reply (if that's ok).
Use the HTML format > check the preview box and press preview > edit the "Quote:" with something like "Quote from [insert the person in question here]:" > post unless you have tried that and you were not successful (the ezboards don't place name of users when quoting which I find a bit annoying).
And keep up the good work.
Quote from True Red:
Ah, cool. Thanks for the news on Knuckles (most people here know my bias by now ;p).
ANYTHING that resembles or makes her remember of Knuckles (even the letter K), would make her happy.
>>
<<
Oh and she hides a Sonic plushie under her bed. ** hides **
I don't hide a Sonic plushie. I only have a Rouge Sonic X plushie and a SA Knuckles action figure. 😉
...right next to your computer. Anything else?
Actually the Knux figure is on my dresser now. It used to be by my comp. ;p
Semi-on-topic, I used the $5 offer to subscribe to the first 5 issues. So, that's 5 issues to see if I stay interested beyond the fact that Knux is in many of them.
True Red wrote:
Semi-on-topic, I used the $5 offer to subscribe to the first 5 issues. So, that's 5 issues to see if I stay interested beyond the fact that Knux is in many of them.
Ha ha! Now I've got you! Issue five is the first part of a two part story in which Knuckles appears, so you've gotta at least get issue six too!
It's all part of my evil plan! Ha ha ha!
Aside to Dreamer: thanks for the suggestion. I tried the preview option, but the editing pane still had the [ quote ] [ / quote ] tages and i wasn't able to edit the attribution. It would appear that I'm stuck with my clunky way of quoting folks. Sorry.
--Joe Edkin
I have a question, it's more related to Snoc x in general though, but I think it will be vital for my understanding of the Sonic X comic. I realize that that the origins of how Sonic and Co were transported to Earth will not be told in this comic, but for me to fully enjoy the comic could someone tell me how they actually arrived there?
I have a question Joe; will it be mentioned anywhere in the comic which TV episodes each story takes place inbetween (whether it be an editor's note at the beginning, a mention on the letters page, or a once-a-year 2 page feature as in the old Untold Tales of Spider-Man comic series)?
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I have a question, it's more related to Snoc x in general though, but I think it will be vital for my understanding of the Sonic X comic. I realize that that the origins of how Sonic and Co were transported to Earth will not be told in this comic, but for me to fully enjoy the comic could someone tell me how they actually arrived there?
There was an accident with one of Dr Eggman's Chaos Emerald powered machines that created a huge Chaos Control teleportation blast, sending Eggman and his minions, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, Cream and Cheese and Big and Froggy to an alternate Earth where they met Chris and friends. Later in the series as Chaos Control is performed again and again, more and more islands and animals from Sonic's world appear in Chris' world.
That Very Crazy Penguin asked:
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...will it be mentioned anywhere in the comic which TV episodes each story takes place inbetween (whether it be an editor's note at the beginning, a mention on the letters page, or a once-a-year 2 page feature as in the old Untold Tales of Spider-Man comic series)?
This was something that editor Mike Pellerito and I discussed, and we were (are) of two minds about it.
On one hand, we are comics geeks and we like to know how everything fits into place, so we did talk about putting a footnote someplace in the context of the story to tell readers when it was happening. Ultimately I vetoed having it done as a footnote, prefering the information appear on the text/editorial (letters) page. However, since that decision was made, things have changed because of advertising concerns, and we are no longer expecting to have room for a text/editorial page. This means in the first couple issues, we will not be flat out stating between what episodes the issues run. (hah hah. pun.)
On the other hand, I am personally not sure if telling people that the stories happen between episodes X and Y really helps. I doubt that casual readers would know the series well enough to know what happened in epsiode # whatever.
I think that devoted fans will be able to figure out pretty well when the stories are happening by context. For example, Vanilla doesn't appear in the first nine issues and numerous references are made to Cream missing her mother. By that context, folks who follow the show closely should be able to tell that the stories are taking place before episode 39 (or, even if you don't have the episode numbers memorized, you know the stories happen before Vanilla arrives). For people who don't follow the show that closely, I don't think this detail will matter.
I am trying to be careful to make sure that there are references in the stories that will help you understand where the story falls in the timeline. For the record, the current plan is for issues 1 through 9 to take place following the conlusion of the Chaos Monster story (episode 32) and the beginning of the Shadow storyline (episode 33). There are flashbacks in issues 5 and 6 that spin directly out of the conclusion of the Chaos Monster story.
Issues 10 and 11 pick up after episode #39 and Vanilla's arrival on Earth. This should be pretty evident as to whent he story is happening because Vanilla is in it! I will probably make passing references to the state of the moon so that we'll know that Eggman's eggmoon plot is in its very early stages. (And, just to whet your appetite, issues 10 and 11 are planned as a story to celebrate Sonic's 15th anniversary.)
Issue 12 picks up after episode #41 with Eggman in prison.
However, you should be aware that this is all subject to change based on any number of external factors (sales, fan reaction, etc.) or because I change my mind.
I turned in my first draft of the script for issue 7 today, so I expect everything above to be valid through that particular issue, and I doubt anything will change the trajectory of issues 8 and 9, but I know better than to make any promises.
In any event, I am hoping that the information regarding when and where the stories are happening will be available somewhere--if not in the actual comic, then on Archie's website. If nothing else, the information can be found here--all you have to do is ask me. I'll tell ya!
-Joe Edkin
This sounds like the stories will be all over the place. In one story arch Eggman is out and about, and then the next he is abruptly in prison. For me, I dont think I would accept just a simple text blurb stating "Eggman was captured and imprisoned" or whatever. That is a pretty huge and radical jump. Will the comic go indepth about these changes, or will they be abrupt between story arcs?
AstrobotRBH asked:
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This sounds like the stories will be all over the place. In one story arch Eggman is out and about, and then the next he is abruptly in prison. For me, I dont think I would accept just a simple text blurb stating "Eggman was captured and imprisoned" or whatever. That is a pretty huge and radical jump. Will the comic go indepth about these changes, or will they be abrupt between story arcs?
When put in those terms, I can understand your concern. I will always try to make things as clear as possible. From a style standpoint, I generally try to avoid the use of footnotes to explain major plotpoints--so it's more likely that I would use dialog to fill the gap, a flashback to show what had gone before, or pick up directly from the conclusion of a TV story to show its aftermath as use that as the launching point for my new story. I can't say which I'll do because it's likely to change every time and be dictated by the needs of the story I'm telling.
(For example--and this is just an example, I'm not saying it will happen--if I'm telling a story that doesn't involve Eggman during the period that Eggman is in prison, do you need to know that Eggman is in prison? Or, under the same scenario, I could cut to a scene of Eggman in prison working on appliances and complaining about how Sonic ruined his Eggmoon scheme. Set up that way, you'd know he was in prison and why, plus it would even foreshadow his next TV scheme.)
I suspect that the bigger the leap in the characters' circumstances, the more time/space I will devote to setting everything up. For example, when the comic hits the point that we move into Sonic's world, I am sure I'll spend a lot more time/space explaining how we got there as it is a *HUGE* leap.
However, with space extremely limited in a comic book (22 story pages is not a lot of room), I don't want too get bogged down in connecting every little dot. I trust the readers' intelligence to fill in small gaps and every panel/page I use to explain what happened on the TV show is one less panel/page I have to tell the new story.
--Joe Edkin
Thanks for the insightful answer Joe, it sounds like the best approach is being taken. I hope we'll be seeing the animals from Sonic's world (Flicky, Pecky, Cucky, Rocky etc) once we reach post episode 39. Especially the Flickies.
Here is a question for you Joe? Will MacGyver ever make a cameo in the series? If so I will totally buy it! Just kidding...
Here's the real question (even though MacGyver should be there, haha) do you plan for the chao to have a major role in the stories like they did in Sonic Adventure 1, and to an Extenet Sonic Heroes (for team Rose anyway).
And by the way, all of your answers so far have been very helpfull. I'm definitly going to give this series a chance!
AstrobotRBH 7000
... do you plan for the chao to have a major role in the stories like they did in Sonic Adventure 1, and to an Extenet Sonic Heroes (for team Rose anyway).
How is this for an answer? Issues five and six are a two-part story called "I Never Promised You a Chao Garden." You will see lots and lots of Chao in it.
On top of that, Cheese plays an important role in issues three and four as well.
Aside to Dreamer: I finally go the quote thing to work properly!
--Joe Edkin
How much of an input will SEGA (OF America) have with the SonicX comic? Or are you just working inline with 4Kids?
I ask, becuase I had heard that Sega America had pretty much no input with english dubb of the series. (Sonic's Offical VA Ryan Drummond wanted to play sonic in the show. But was told my Sega that they didnt have much say in it. And that it was all up to 4Kids.)
Also, have you been actually watching the show for information and such, or just relying on 4kids transcripts/internet site message boards like this?
Sorry if they sound like weird questions. ^^;
I'm pretty sure he's already answered those questions-- he gets episode scripts (English dub, 'natch) to pore over, and he doesn't know if Sega or 4Kids have any say in how the stories are presented. Everything he outputs goes through the Editor, who decides what goes, what stays and what changes need to be made. He'd be the one to ask.
sonikuUK asked:
How much of an input will SEGA (OF America) have with the SonicX comic? Or are you just working inline with 4Kids?
I have no interaction with anyone at any Sega entity or at 4Kids TV. That is all handled through the editorial office and I have no place commenting on any of it as I am not involved in any of that loop and therefore don't know the any details.
I am very far removed--read that as not involved in any way, shape, or form--with translatations, voice casting, or anything else involved with the packaging of the TV show, so I can not and will not comment on anything related to it.
sonikuUK also asked:
Also, have you been actually watching the show for information and such, or just relying on 4kids transcripts/internet site message boards like this?
Yes, I have watched most of the episodes as packaged by 4Kids TV. There are a few I have missed along the way, hence a couple gaps in my knowledge. I do have transcripts from which to work. When I can't get the information I need from the shows I have on DVD, from the transcripts I have on hand, from my editor, or from various online sources, I post questions here.
As I mentioned previously, I do not have access to non-4Kids versions of the show as they are not legally available to me. I am bound to work within the confines of the 4Kids translations.
--Joe Edkin
Joe,
What do you think the best thing is that the fans have to look forward to, in the SonicX comic?
EE
Energy Emerald asked:
What do you think the best thing is that the fans have to look forward to, in the SonicX comic?
You mean, besides the brilliant writing?
Seriously--I'm having fun writing this comic, and I hope that translates to the published pages. I'm hoping that Sonic X fans will find the stories tru to the to the series and its characters, while putting some new spins on the various characters and situations.
I'm also enjoying seeing Tim Smith III's pages as they come in for ballooning. He has suprised and delighted me many times over, giving me fodder for more good lines and character bits. He's been adding some fun things to the backgrounds, showing that he cares as much about trying to capture the source material as I do, so I think the art is also a big plus. For people who wanted to see a more anime/manga flair to the art, I think Tim has been trying to capture that feel and combine it with American comic sensibilities.
--Joe Edkin
I'm not too wild about the art but i guess the story will be ok. i'll pick up the first issue this month and see how it is. i wasn't too sure about subscribing in 152 so i didn't.
Joe Edkin said:
I suspect that the bigger the leap in the characters' circumstances, the more time/space I will devote to setting everything up. For example, when the comic hits the point that we move into Sonic's world, I am sure I'll spend a lot more time/space explaining how we got there as it is a *HUGE* leap.
I bet the transition would be eased a bit if instead of jumping straight into the Metarex storyline, you had some stories that took place between episodes 52 and 53, on either or both worlds. I'm sure it would please many fans to see stories ivolving the Sega regulars without the SX exclusives (and vice versa!) for a change.
Speaking of which, this morning episode 53 hit the US. Did you watch it? I'm curious to know what you think about the potential that this new season has as far as Archie-SX is concerned, but I'm sure it's too soon for you to make a decision, since the stage isn't even fully set for that storyline yet.
Dirk Amoeba wrote:
I bet the transition would be eased a bit if instead of jumping straight into the Metarex storyline, you had some stories that took place between episodes 52 and 53, on either or both worlds. I'm sure it would please many fans to see stories ivolving the Sega regulars without the SX exclusives (and vice versa!) for a change.
I agree that there is a large gap of time between episodes 52 and 53 that can be explored. One of the questions I have been asking myself is who is/was Sonic on his own world? What was he doing before he (and the others) were transported to Earth? It's an area that I feel can and should be explored.
I can't really say when the comic will get to the point where we cross the line from 52 to 53. Currently, the overview is approved through issue fifteen, and that puts us between episodes 44 and 45. After that, I have one four part epic I'd like to tell, plus several other stories using the Earth-based cast. However, I don't want to ignore Sonic's world either (you should catch a brief glimpse of Cosmo in issue 5--if for no other reason than to assure everyone that we aren't ignoring the new season), so how or if I'll tell the Earth-based stories, I don't know. The thing of it is, I can't tell the stories I have in mind once I cross the time shift between episodes 52 and 53. If the comic goes into Sonic's world a la 53, that means when or if we return to Earth, we're dealing with Chris as young adult. While I'm sure that I can come up with interesting stories in that time frame, the ones I already have percolating deal with Chris when he's still in grade school. It's a dilemma, but not one I will have to face for some time. I started working ont he script for issue eight today, so it will be a while before I have to face the question.
Speaking of which, this morning episode 53 hit the US. Did you watch it? I'm curious to know what you think about the potential that this new season has as far as Archie-SX is concerned, but I'm sure it's too soon for you to make a decision, since the stage isn't even fully set for that storyline yet.
I certainly did watch it and I have set my DVR to record all new episodes, so that will help me keep up to date. I intend to keep the episodes so that I can refer to them as needed. I am vaguely aware of some of the plot elements to come in the new episodes (just because I haven't seen them doesn't mean I don't try to have some idea of what's to come), but you're right in that I will have to see more before it will all start gelling in my mind.
One thing that this morning's episode did leave me scratching my head about--I don't remember the chaos emeralds being used to power the portal in epsiodes 51 and 52. I am the first to admit that this may be due to foggy memory on my part (I didn't have my DVR until recently, so I don't have recordings of the story), but in 53, Sonic has the emeralds and Chris mentions his new portal doesn't require them. Did we see Chuck and Tails using the emeralds in the original portal?
For that matter, I have never been able to keep track of the emeralds in the early episodes. I always had the feeling that there must be more than seven because every time we turned around, somebody else had or found one. It's kinda like figuring out where the rings come from and how exactly they work.
Anyone who'd like to fill me in on these details is more than welcome to do so. I'd be most appreciative! I would like to get the details right.
Cheers,
Joe Edkin
i also don't remember them using the chaos emeralds. i suppose they may have just retroactively included them, intending their instalation into the portal to be an event between the scenes we actually saw.
in fact, when you reach that point in continuity, you might want to use a flashback to show the emeralds' uses in the first portal, so as to fix the apparent plothole.
-----------------------------------------------the-Krayon
SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 49/50 AHEAD
I don't know about the dub, but in the original it is explicitly stated that the emeralds are necessary. In fact, during episode 50, Chuck and Tails attempt to activate the machine with one emerald missing. It begins to work, then fails immediately because they need another emerald. Sonic shows up with the final emerald (which he found at the very, very, very end of the previous episode) and gives it to Tails. After this, they use the machine again. All of the small animals are sucked into the portal, as is Eggman. after this, the machine fails again and then the Eclipse Cannon on the space station ARK makes it work.
MINOR SPOILERS FOR NEW SEASON
Chris tells Eggman near the end of the Metarex storyline that his portal is much like Chuck's, except it works by locking onto the Master Emerald. Obviously, this is why it took quite a while to build although a similar machine was consteucted in just days during episodes 49-50. After all, the ME is on Sonic's world, and the gate is n Chris's.
Dirk,
Thank you for the information. Apparently I have some gaps in my memory (I did see these episodes quite a while ago) and did not remember anything about the emeralds being involved with the portal. I just reviewed the dialog scripts I was given for reference, and lo and behold, there are a couple throwaway lines about the emeralds, so I guess they were necessary--but finding them wasn't a plot point.
--Joe Edkin
Except for getting the last emerald. Remember?
Six emeralds weren't enough. They had to go out to find the last emerald to get the portal working. That was a plot point.
Don't forget the hunt for the final emerald. 
EE
Okay, Joe, I noticed in the original article about the X comic is that it's supposed to be printed for ten months a year. Why, 10? Are the 2 months of no X comics for y'all to review the next season or what? Second, are you going to make any comics that are just comedy issues? Not speaking for other readers, but I think it would be cool to have one or two issues that have no adventure in it and is just pure comedy like when Sonic and co. are on the cruise ship in the cartoon.
Super Rayzor asked:
Okay, Joe, I noticed in the original article about the X comic is that it's supposed to be printed for ten months a year. Why, 10? Are the 2 months of no X comics for y'all to review the next season or what?
The schedule is set by the publisher, so I can't speak as to why they decided on ten. It has nothing to do with allowing me to see upcoming episodes/new seasons. I see them for the first time Saturday mornings on Fox. This is one of the reasons why there will be a huge lag time between seeing Sonic in space on the show and seeing Sonic in space in the comic book. I just turned in the script to issue eight, and we're still on Earth (and we will be at least through issue fifteen, and probably beyond that). Part of that is because it's impossible for me to write stories based on material I don't have access to. (Remember, I have to work from 4Kids translations.)
Part of it is because I have a wealth of stories based on the characters and situations on Earth and am enjoying playing them out. We are trying to make sure the Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic X comics have very different looks and feels, and one way we can do that is to have SX taking place on Earth with Sonic interacting with human characters you will not see in StH.
Second, are you going to make any comics that are just comedy issues? Not speaking for other readers, but I think it would be cool to have one or two issues that have no adventure in it and is just pure comedy like when Sonic and co. are on the cruise ship in the cartoon.
We don't have any purely comic (as in comedy) issues in the works at this point, but I do try to mix comic elements into the adventure stories. Purely comic stories are something I will consider as we move forward becuase I do agree that a steady diet of just one style of story gets boring after a while. I am trying to mix up the kind of adventures and the rhythms of the stories so that they don't get repetitive.
And sorry that I can't stop by Knoxville to say hello. I don't do a lot of conventions/store appearances. I'll probably try to do a few more every year once Sonic X starts coming out. I'm doing the Ithaca store appearance because it's right near me and I used to work for them. I'm going to try to get to Mid-Ohio-Con again this year, but I don't know if my schedule will allow me to. That's it for appearances this year unless I get an interesting invitation (or two) and my schedule allows.
Cheers,
Joe Edkin
well i'm glad you are writing episodes set on earth when chris is younger and not rush to the current place the show is in because there is a lot of material you can write about there and if you rush it to the shows current timeline then you won't have as much to work with and you can't go to the past to write those stories you didn't at first because you wanted to get to the "good" stuff.
i'm glad you're expanding the characters, specially ones that might not get as much development, you can now do that and not only make the comic great, but make the tv show better.
I've only watched a handful of episodes and not a big fan of them, but i greatly enjoyed issue #1, good job, hopefully this comic outlasts the cartoon like the archie Sonic TH comic did,
What I find interesting is what the creatives will do once they REACH the end of the show. While I don't want to give anything away concerning the ending to the Metarex saga that's currently airing in the US, I will say that it's left fairly open-ended from what I've seen of the French dub. The fate of certain characters is left up in the air, and there's likely not going to be a continuation of the series once episode 78 airs (but we'll see when we get there, won't we?).
The possibilities of what can be done to continue what the animation established is promising, so long as it doesn't become somewhat the mess Archie Sonic The Hedgehog has.
"Somewhat"? 
">
Joe, I've been loving the series so far, particularly and especially issue 4. Now that the ball's been rolling for a few months and we have an idea of what to expect, I have a few more questions if you don't mind.
1) You mentioned early in this topic that Big's scenes got cut from "See Sonic! Sea Battle! See Sonic Sea Battle!" in issue 2. Now that I've read the story, I'm wondering what sort of role Big was going to play.
2) As far as you know, will the comic continue to be 10-issues-per-year for the forseeable future, or will it expand in its second year to become 13-issues-per-year like StH? I think I heard that somewhere, but it might just have been wishful thinking! I have fond memories of the days when there was a Knuckles series alongside StH, receiving a new dose of Sonic and Knuckles every two weeks.
3) This is just to clarify something Ken said on his board. Now that he's no longer a regular on StH, he's said "it's Ian's, Joe's and any other writer's ballgame from this point on." does this mean that there's plans for you to write stories for StH?
4)This is kind of a greedy question, because you've spoiled us so badly thus far. It regards timeline placement. So far, you've told us that:
Issues 1-9 happen between episodes 32 and 33.
Issues 10-11 happen between episodes 39 and 40.
Issue 12 happens between epsisodes 41 and 42.
Issue 15 happens between episodes 44 and 45.
Well, this question is a three-parter: firstly, is that all currrently still correct? Secondly, can you tell us about the placement of issues 13-14 (I assume they're directly after issue 12, but you haven't said anything)? And thirdly, can you tell us anything about issue 16 and beyond?
Okay, that's all I'll pester you with for now. Thanks in advance!
Dirk had lots of questions, so here we go...
1) You mentioned early in this topic that Big's scenes got cut from "See Sonic! Sea Battle! See Sonic Sea Battle!" in issue 2. Now that I've read the story, I'm wondering what sort of role Big was going to play.
I'm afraid I can't comment too directly on the subject because Big's involvement would have tied into another plotline that would have been running through the issue and may appear at a later date, so I don't want to give it away.
However, Big plays a major role in issues 8 & 9.
2) As far as you know, will the comic continue to be 10-issues-per-year for the forseeable future, or will it expand in its second year to become 13-issues-per-year like StH? I think I heard that somewhere, but it might just have been wishful thinking! I have fond memories of the days when there was a Knuckles series alongside StH, receiving a new dose of Sonic and Knuckles every two weeks.
Well, you, Mike Pellerito, and I would all love to see SX go to 13 issues a year in 2007 (or sooner), but that all depends on sales. Sales are good so far, so there is hope. FYI, it would appear there will be 11 issues in 2006.
3) This is just to clarify something Ken said on his board. Now that he's no longer a regular on StH, he's said "it's Ian's, Joe's and any other writer's ballgame from this point on." does this mean that there's plans for you to write stories for StH?
I think Ken was talking about the big picture referring to both titles. Mike has not asked me to submit anything for StH and he wants to keep the two books separate. I agree with him on that level--that StH and SX should have separate and distinct personalities. Therefore, I'm more than happy to let Ian, Tania, et. al. do their thing in StH while I do my thing in SX. It might be cool somewhere down the line if we could all get together and stir the pot in each other's books (although don't expect any crossovers as such). Before I can even think about that, I want to take more time to develop the voice of the SX book. I think it's shaping up nicely, and now that it is an ongoing series, I'm having the opportunity to develop some really interesting long range plans.
4)This is kind of a greedy question, because you've spoiled us so badly thus far. It regards timeline placement. So far, you've told us that:
Issues 1-9 happen between episodes 32 and 33.
Issues 10-11 happen between episodes 39 and 40.
Issue 12 happens between epsisodes 41 and 42.
Issue 15 happens between episodes 44 and 45.Well, this question is a three-parter: firstly, is that all currrently still correct? Secondly, can you tell us about the placement of issues 13-14 (I assume they're directly after issue 12, but you haven't said anything)?
Still correct. Issues 13 & 14 follow directly from issue 12 and focus on Cream, Cheese, and Vanilla.
For the record, here are the titles of the upcoming stories...
Issues 5 & 6 - "I Never Promised You a Chao Garden"
Issue 7 - "Take This Job and Shovel It"
Issues 8 & 9 - "Wicked Sweet Shuttle Shenanigans"
Issues 10 & 11 - "No Thanks for the Memories"
Issue 12 - "Attack from Area 99"
Issues 13 & 14 - "Hare-Um Scare-Um"
Issue 15 - "Bad Eggnog"
And thirdly, can you tell us anything about issue 16 and beyond?
It's too soon to say anything definite. Mike and I will be working out our game plan later this month or early next month (after I've turned in the scripts for issues 13 & 14. 15 is already done). I have a lot of neat ideas I've been playing with that could lead up to a real kicker of an epic that would start in issue 25, but until Mike and I compare notes, I can't be sure where we will wind up going.
I would like to stay on Earth for quite a while longer. You're going to see the role of Cowboy (Captain Westwood) evolve in an interesting way. There is a subplot that I've been building with Mr. Tanaka that I want to pay off. I also have a neat explanation of why/how Chuck is only 12 years older than his son Nelson. I have a story I'd like to do with Vector, Espy, and Charmy. I've got an idea for a Lucky story, plus a return visit from Hawk. And there's a story I really want to do called "Extremely Cruel Shoes." But keep in mind that it's very possible none of these things will come to pass depending on what comes out of the planning session I have with Mike, so I can't make any promises as to what you'll see.
--Joe Edkin
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However, Big plays a major role in issues 8 & 9
Well, NeoRemington is gonna be glad to hear this.
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FYI, it would appear there will be 11 issues in 2006.
Do you have any idea what month we won't get an issue?
Finally, will the 25th issue sport a silver inked cover like StH #25 did?
Joe, I'd like to say thanks for doing what many don't and actually talking to us fans. We really appreciate that you can listen to our feedback and at the very least, take in what we think of the book.
I posted the following in a previous thread, but you hadn't taken a look back in there since then, so I'll transplant the question I asked into this topic...
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Hey Joe, I hope it's alright for me to ask - what was 'ProtoShadow' going to be like? I understand if it's not something you're allowed to talk about, but I'm assuming that since this ProtoShadow didn't actually make it into the comic, it'd be no different than one of the rest of us talking about a fancharacter we'd created, so.. yeah. I'm interested. Was he/she/it going to be an anthropomorphic hedgehog like Shadow, or would it be some other creature, like the Biolizard [Prototype of the Ultimate Life Form]? If it was indeed a hedgehog, did it look much like Shadow?
Just curious, but like I said, s'alright if you can't say anything, and sorry in advance if that's the case ^^;
Well, NeoRemington is gonna be glad to hear this.
I perfer to be just called plain "Neo" or "Neo Yi", but yes, I am happy to see Big playing a major role in #8 and #9. He gets aboslutely no love in either the comics and video games, so it's all yay! for me.
~Neo
Super Rayzor asked:
Do you have any idea what month we won't get an issue?
According to the schedule that I received in early 2005, the skip month was going to be August. However, given how fluid the ship dates have been, I can't guarantee that is still accurate. There are a lot of things that can happen to change the ship dates.
Then Super Rayzor asked:
Finally, will the 25th issue sport a silver inked cover like StH #25 did?
It's way, way too soon to speculate about that, but my gut reaction is no. If I recall correctly, StH #25 came out during the speculator craze when publishers were doing all sorts of "special" covers to create a collectors' buzz. As cool as it might be, I'd prefer not to have something jack up the price like a special ink would.
I'm afraid I didn't notice this question previously. I apologize for not answering it before. In the future, the best way to make sure I see your question is to post it in this thread.
CyberKnux asked:
Hey Joe, I hope it's alright for me to ask - what was 'ProtoShadow' going to be like? I understand if it's not something you're allowed to talk about, but I'm assuming that since this ProtoShadow didn't actually make it into the comic, it'd be no different than one of the rest of us talking about a fancharacter we'd created, so.. yeah. I'm interested. Was he/she/it going to be an anthropomorphic hedgehog like Shadow, or would it be some other creature, like the Biolizard [Prototype of the Ultimate Life Form]? If it was indeed a hedgehog, did it look much like Shadow? Just curious, but like I said, s'alright if you can't say anything, and sorry in advance if that's the case ^^;
I'd prefer not to say anything about ProtoShadow at this time. Elements of that story still appear in issue 8 & 9, so I don't want to give anything away before the comics come out. As for the character itself, I'm still hoping I'll be able to use it somewhere down the line, so I'm going to keep quiet about who and what it is for the time being.
--Joe Edkin
Besides, we all know it's just Shadow in a Proto Man suit.
Or Protoman in a Shadow suit. You know he's been looking for work ever since Megaman & Bass...
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I also have a neat explanation of why/how Chuck is only 12 years older than his son Nelson.
All ages appropriate, I'm sure!
Adoption?
