I wonder why he assumed Knuckles' "reset" was Sega-mandated? I've heard nothing to that effect.
And I just thought Locke heard what Finitevus said about the hex because he was concealed in the shadows of the Emerald Shrine the whole time. If he took a warp ring to Shrine Island, he could easily have beaten Archy and Julie-Su there.
As for Dan's admittedly frequent inaccuracies and misinterpretations of events in STH ... I'm inclined to forgive them, mostly because he makes me laugh. (I put a high premium on humor.) Even in this review, which surprised me, given how much the original issue, and even some of the specific things he made fun of here, originally distressed me.
I think a lot of Dan's problem is that he kind of "doesn't get out much," WRT the fan community. It sounds as if he's never been to Ian's Forum, and he very rarely posts here; I can't recall him ever engaging in an actual discussion with other fans, as he used to do at Penders' forum.*
My point is that he's become largely self-contained, if he wasn't already. A lot of these plot points that we take for granted because we've discussed them so thoroughly (like Alexis as step-daughter or Zone of Exile vs. Zone of Silence; they do kind of look alike) are just blips on the radar for Dan. They were mentioned once or twice in the comic, and I guess he missed that and has consequently been mistaken ever since.
That said, I can see how this might be kind of harmful to the perceptions of fans who only read his reviews in addition to the comics, which is unfortunately a rather large portion of the fanbase, last I heard anything about it. (That may have changed since though, if most of the comic's current readership was attracted to STH through the games, as I've also heard.)
Such fans would be much better served to get their Sonic info from a wider variety of sources online. I myself maintain ties to both Ian's forum and this one, in addition to reading Dan's reviews and the Power Rings serials, and occasionally lurking about PR's forums too, when I get bored. Of course, I do this mostly for my own entertainment, but I'd also like to think it ultimately helps me come to more informed opinions too. Even so, I could probably afford to do more.
* I think. Don't quote me on that though, as I never got over to Penders' forum very often. I hated the navigation scheme, and that fugly forum background, too much to stick around.
I kinda wish Dan would talk to forumers more. People do better work when they have feedback. I remember back in the late 90's his interviews were the only info I had on Knux series, my comic shop only stocked Sonic. (I first found a link to his site thru Team Artail) He seemed like he knew his stuff and I was happy to read along.
The older refernces were funny, maybe cuz they catered more to his tastes? I strongly doubt he's a Harry Potter fanatic tho he plugged it as a good read (Non-muggle is not a phrase wizards toss about. Non-magic,or just plain muggle.) When he talked of Ken borrowing from Star Trek I had no place to correct him, they both know more than me about that fandom. If you're not up on current trends, don't try to fake it. People have caught him on Capt. America storyline, yet there was no edit.
I know everyone makes slip-ups but maybe Dan should give up the reviews? This lack of fact-checking is really hurting his rep. He hasn't written a fic in years, and much of the continuity is out-dated such as his Sonic FAQs. It's alot of time to maintain a website and can seem even more so if you're not enjoying the work. I just the vibe that his heart really isn't in it anymore, and hasn't been since TiS--Home. If so I'd rather he bow out gracefully, before he burns out.
http://www.andrews.edu/~drazen/S185.txt
I dunno why he's complaining about lots of dialogue on a _fourteen page monthly_ strip. If it didn't have that, wouldn't people complaing that it moves too quickly?
This is coming from the man who was complaining that there was too much action in the previous issues.
True. But if he thinks that the pendulum's swung too far the other way, that's his privilege.
This is strictly a personal preference, but even though Drazen's pop culture references, constantly using his own fanfics as yardstyicks and often expecting too much can sem parodically picky at times, I'd rather see an oversensitive review than one that just goes "It's Sonic! Whee!", "It's SatAM! Whee!" or (just an example - no offence meant, Ian) "Ian Flynn is like the best thing like EVAH!" constantly. I might not understand some of his likes and dislikes (Marine for one), but at least he is willing to be critical, rather than just give a new Sonic comic a high score just for being a new Sonic comic, or because it's got a lot of a personal favourite character.
Yeah, he's willing to be critical - but as Toby points out, his criticisms are inconsistent and in some cases just plain daft. He complained about "three pages of exposition" where the characters talk to each other at the start of the story to say what they've been doing and, oh yeah, how one of them feels to find her old home turned to charred little sticks. That's a pretty daft complaint, unless he'd be happy if there was no explanation for what Mina had been up to and she didn't mention Knothole (which I doubt he would).
Like I said: I don't claim to understand or justify half of it. 
True. But if he thinks that the pendulum's swung too far the other way, that's his privilege.
This is strictly a personal preference, but even though Drazen's pop culture references, constantly using his own fanfics as yardstyicks and often expecting too much can sem parodically picky at times, I'd rather see an oversensitive review than one that just goes "It's Sonic! Whee!", "It's SatAM! Whee!" or (just an example - no offence meant, Ian) "Ian Flynn is like the best thing like EVAH!" constantly. I might not understand some of his likes and dislikes (Marine for one), but at least he is willing to be critical, rather than just give a new Sonic comic a high score just for being a new Sonic comic, or because it's got a lot of a personal favourite character.
*nods* I'm actually honestly glad that I'm not the only one who feels this way (with all the people criticizing him, I felt rather left out) because I like to say on record that I do enjoy reading Drazen's reviews because of his detailed and like Samanfur said--oversensitive--review because at least then I can see exactly what he likes or dislikes about it (and really, I have no right to complain, my Danny Phantom reviews on my website is filled with detailed mumble jumbles). But I, too, don't agree with everything he says. In general, I just tend to be neutral and just read his reviews, is all; I just like the insightful-ness of it.
Dan does bring up a good point in his #185 review: why didn't Mogul hex a member of the royal family, or if he did(like some of us think he might have)why hasn't he taken advantage of it to get out of jail?
he likes it!
Yes, every once in awhile Dan does like an issue of the comic.
A couple of years ago he said he was going to completely stop reading the comic.
He says that all the time. Never does.
That was during the end of the Penders era where stuff like hundreds of Metal Sonics made by Uncle Chuck and somebody called Anonymous had some kind of power, somewhere, and wanted something, maybe. If it wasn't the darkest chapter for the book it had to pretty close to it. I've noticed in the reviews since he 'quit' have been considerably shorter than the older reviews and he only throws in a classic-literary reference when he's feeling extra cantankerous.
Yeah thats very true. I think it's better that he's writing shorter reviews. He getting more directly to the point although his long reviews were an interesting read.
A couple of years ago he said he was going to completely stop reading the comic.
I don't know if he said he'd stop reading them, but he DID say he'd stop reviewing them in his review of issue #156. It was apparently Ken Penders being replaced by Ian Flynn that got him to come back (he mentions this in his 2005 Best/Worst List)
Except for the head score, Dan seemed to like it(#187) that is.
Since no one else has posted it, Dan's review of #188 is up.
http://www.andrews.edu/~drazen/S188.txt
No surprise there.
And with Rotor and Nicole looking on, we launch into the battle royal: TailsxMiles, AntoinexPatch, BunniexBoomer, Amy RosexFiona, SallyxAlicia, and the main event, SonicxScourge.
HOT DAMN IT'S AN ORGY!!!
Did he ever have an issue with the Chaotix (who were less in number) taking on the whole Legion any of the other times they did it back in the Knuckles series, or is this only a problem now because he needs something to complain about? I think he's looking far too hard to find the negative in everything; smarmy comments might get attention at first but it gets old eventually, especially when it's there only for the sake of being there. Nowadays he only offers the art about two lines' worth of throwaway comment, whereas SonicGrams gets seven paragraphs of commentary.
Dan, either rethink your approach or admit you don't care anymore.
That's kind of the vibe I've been getting from him lately. More than usual anyway. It feels like this is a chore to him now. He had no problem with the Chaotix taking out the DL in the Knuckles comic, like Lea said. They do that now, and he complains. When he does complain, which he does often, it's usually to nitpick. He's also always complaining about Sonic fighting, for instance. Again, he never had a problem with Sonic fighting when anybody else had Sonic fight. It's as if he wants the comic to be a soap opera. When he gets little action or no fighting however, he complains. It gets a little old, and it makes it seem as if nothing will make him happy.
...man I was surprised he's still doing these.
#189: Too much action!
#190: Too much talking!
Good lord.
He's so positive in his reviews it's blinding... O.o
Dan does have a good point in his review of issue #190, why doesn't Nicole mess with Scourge and the Supression Squard's minds? Maybe she will at some point, though.
Dan does have a good point in his review of issue #190, why doesn't Nicole mess with Scourge and the Supression Squard's minds?
Because they're not in New Mobotropolis, the only place where Nicole could do such a thing. How is that a good point when it's not plausible in the current situation? All she could do in Freedom HQ is talk and analyze things, and all they'd have to do is turn off the computer.
I stand corrected than, Crazy Cham Lea, I didn't take into account that Freedom HQ is not in the city.
Some of his annoyance is warranted, I think. The evil twin plot is probably one of the biggest cliches in the world of comics -- even vaguely Sci-Fi/Fantasy shows can push in evil twins now and then. Sonic and company also excecute the same "Partner switch" tactic they used when first tangled with the Anti-FFs back in the day. The comic has literally been there and done that. Although, I guess it had a different outcome with Sonic and friends losing this time around.
I enjoyed the Robotnik Land (New Robotropolis? Megopolis? Eggman City?) segments of the comic because I like how the blues, purples, and greys managed to create an atmosphere of un-ease. It kind of reminded me of back in Sonic SatAM when Robotropolis was always depicted as kind of a freaky place to be except they managed to sneak in more colors without losing that feeling.
I also think that the fact that Drazen still reviews the comics at all are a testament to his 'love' of Sonic. He's critical of it, sure, but approaches his writings as if he's doing a critique.
#191 Review:
http://www.andrews.edu/~drazen/S191.txt
To paraphrase: the Sonic bits sucked, the Knuckles bits were good but could have used better art, he complains at the lack of Suppression Squad and a bunch of other things. Oh yeah, he hated the Chronicles back-up, and felt Ian could have done better. He suggests six pages of ad copy. You know, because kids love reading like that in their comic books. To his credit, he is a little more calm about the Chronicles back up saying it "might not have been Ian's fault" or something along those lines.
I don't get why Dan keeps harping on about Locke and the Brotherhood needing closure. They're either dead (or in an afterlife dimension which is the same thing) or permanently trapped in another dimension from which Ian has said he has no plans to remove them from. It's really not that complicated. And I am sicking of hearing about how Sir Connery "Obi-Wan"'d himself. There's nothing to suggest it happened at all and I hardly think Ian's going to bother to resurrect such a minor and obscure character who sacrificed himself for something so important.
Also, whining about not seeing Robotnik, the SS or Moebius: bet your bottom dollar if any of these things had appeared, he'd be complaining about Ian trying to cram too much into the story. Seeing as how they're all appearing within the next two issues after #191, it just seems like Dan is annoyed because the comic isn't going exactly the way he would write it. And I think that's the biggest problem with him, that he's unable to enjoy the comic the way it's written when he would do something differently. Like last month's review, he wouldn't shutup about Nicole terrorizing the SS - which is a stupid idea anyway - and the whole review suffered because he couldn't and won't focus on the parts that are really good.
And I am sicking of hearing about how Sir Connery "Obi-Wan"'d himself.
Agreed. So very much.
Complaining on and on and ON about a death cheat that never happened is ridiculous.
Connery is dead. Locke is dead (nothing "coy" about it). Tommy Turtle is dust. When's the last time we had a death cheat? And does the person who wrote it currently have an affect on the comic? Nope.
Knuckles has been trying to deal with his father's death for several issues now, and Mr. Drazen apparently expects that's just for the hell of it because Locke is obviously gonna pop out from behind the Master Emerald any minute now or something. Because... why exactly? Because a magical sacrifice that was obviously successful (as Knuckles wouldn't have been freed otherwise) didn't leave a body (Mr. Drazen apparently watches Avatar; I wonder if he thinks Zhao was still alive)? If we DID have dead bodies littering the comic (which I'm sure the CCA would love) and the word "dead" all over the place, he'd probably complain about a lack of subtlety.
Mr. Drazen is not reading or reviewing the comic for what it is but rather whatever he's cemented in his mind. Part of this, as, again, has been speculated here, is because he's almost completely removed from the fandom (posting on a near-dead forum with no current ties to the series doesn't count for much). Even if he doesn't recognize most of the game references himself (most recently, going off a portrayal of Metal Sonic from five years ago rather than that of Sonic Rivals 2), interacting with other fans would at least make him aware of details like that. Or how an in-continuity story for Chronicles was planned, but the higher-ups decided to go with this presentation instead. Or how his spooky-Nicole-ghost idea wouldn't have been possible or even probable (and who complains about loose continuity?).
Instead, we get "reviews" from a removed standpoint full of misconceptions and complaints that just seem to be there for the sake of complaining. Oh, we have to assume that Eggman's speaking through Metal because Sonic and Scourge must be wrong and because a blatant visual wasn't crammed in an already-busy issue. He describes Miles as having "disappeared from the story completely" and complains that the other SS members aren't blatantly shown (even though we have no reason to assume they left the HQ) as well as the FF (even though we know they went back to New Mobotroplis to recover/replan, which we then saw being handled by the council), and given that this is a multi-part story, that's akin to reading half of the last Harry Potter book and complaining that Ron was cut from the story and Bellatrix and Dobby had gone god knows where. Furthermore, even if he did like it, I don't see how Knuckles coming to terms with his father abandoning him = Knuckles coming to terms with his father and a large amount of his people being killed because of his apparent misplaced actions.
If he'd just bother to interact with the fandom he's supposed to be a part of (I'm pretty sure he has accounts both here and at Bumbleking), I'd love to see his viewpoints actually discussed instead of just slapped down as worldwide fact. It's weird to see him talk about how Finitevus is a candidate for worse character design when most visible reactions online love his look. It comes off as a lack of connection with the source.
Really, as Lea said, it's rather old now. His reviews are a sham. Half the time he has no idea what he is talking about. If he even did research on Sonic today he'd be more in the know. I get tired of his continual talk of the Brotherhood and Locke and how he expects they are all alive and bound to come back any minute. Same goes for Connery, he complains about death cheats, yet I have yet to see one death cheat during Ian's time as writer. It sounds more like he wants a death cheat more than anything, then he could go on for five paragraphs describing how stupid he feels it is and how right he was all along. Rather than having suspense or waiting an issue to see what happens, he expects it all to happen in one issue. If it did happen in one issue, he'd complain about it. It's like what Lea, Mike and Toby have said in the past. Even when the man does get what he wants (an issue with no fighting for example), he complains and says there should be more action. He is constantly criticizing something and often comes across as hypocritical. As for a lot of the things he says, sometimes it doesn't even seem like he reads the comic. If he did, then he might have seen that Scourge, Sonic, and Metal Sonic took their fight a little ways from FHQ, Miles didn't just disappear into thin air. If he didn't complain just to complain, his reviews might be worth more and have some validity. He doesn't even try to understand, all he tries to do is find something that might be wrong, when ironically enough half the time he is wrong about his complaints, misinterprets what is going on, and just harps about Ian's work for no apparent reason.
While I agree that perhaps Dan should do a little more reseach, I can't honestly say that I blame him for his bitterness. It's a bitterness that even I deal with, though not to the same degree, and I've been with the comic since the beginning practically.
I have to admit, I barely give the comic a passing glance when I'm in a bookstore. The comic has just lost the magic that it once had. I don't know if it's just that I can't get into the plots, can't get behind the characters, or the agitation of the recent body count. I will admit that Ian has done an excellent job of pulling it out from the mire that it was in, but maybe for some people, it was too little, too late.
I've been reading since #10 and I'm enjoying the comic more than I have for years. Which is not to shoot your point Kayla, but I just wanted to point out that there are a lot of us long-term fans who are now in college (or even finished) and are still in love with the comic.
I'm aware of that, Matt. I'm just saying that there are also some of us who have lost interest in the comic.
Drazen's review for 192 is now online. Check it out:
http://www.andrews.edu/~drazen/S192.txt
He gave the main story a pretty decent review. I didn't read the second half of the review, though. I haven't got my copy of Issue #192 yet and I think I'd actually like to read the back up story without being spoiled.
The backup got all 10s...
I obviously don't really read his reviews much anymore but this is the first time in a while I've seen him be this positive...
Honestly, I thought he'd hate this issue, especially the main story. I'm surprised he liked it. The back-up makes sense, though I thought he'd throw a hissy fit about Scourge in New Mobotropolis. Seems he still loves Dub after all this time. I could argue some points of his, though I won't. To be honest, it isn't that hard to find info on Sonic Universe so I don't know why he doesn't know that much about it. Although I guess when you don't follow anything Sonic (save for the comics once a month) it makes sense that you know almost nothing about the current games, comics, and other Sonic media.
#194 Revew:
http://www.andrews.edu/~drazen/S194.txt
As he let on in the #194 spoiler thread, he doesn't really like it and pretty much predicts upcoming ones will be as bad or worse. He does say that he looked at the previews for upcoming issues, but he must have mis-read #196 and #197's previews or not seen them, as he's under the impression that "Bold New Moebius" lasts through #200. Which is wrong, as it ends in #196, and Scourge only appears in #197, but he isn't the focus.
#194 Revew:
http://sonichqcommunity.y...en-s-Reviews.html?page=18As he let on in the #194 spoiler thread, he doesn't really like it and pretty much predicts upcoming ones will be as bad or worse. He does say that he looked at the previews for upcoming issues, but he must have mis-read #196 and #197's previews or not seen them, as he's under the impression that "Bold New Moebius" lasts through #200. Which is wrong, as it ends in #196, and Scourge only appears in #197, but he isn't the focus.
Check your link. ^_^;;
I honestly have no idea how I made that mistake, but I fixed it.
No worries. Thank you.
I must say, arc's starting to wear me out too, though. And Sonic #195 looks... cluttered. Seemes like such an odd time for Silver and Shadow to join in. But I haven't read it yet, so I hope I'm proved right wrong. (EDIT: Freakin' typos. o_O)
I believe that it was partly for gag's sake as there are too many hedgehogs in the comics and Ian wanted to somewhat poke at it, but still make something worthwhile in story telling.
At least that's what I got from it. The dialog was worth it, though.
