Ok, if the title didn't give it away, these are spoilers.
The story starts out with Sonic and Tails returning to the rubble formerly known as Freedom HQ. Amy, bawling her eyes out, runs to Sonic to ask him what happened. He breaks the news to her and Knuckles that Knothole is destroyed and everyone captured. He tells them to start fixing up the place while he salvages what he can from the lab to help him rescue everyone. When Tails offers his help, Sonic is adamant about going alone and refuses all assistance. Tails looses it (rightfully so) and basically tells Sonic that if he does as good a job with this as he did saving Knothole, then they're all screwed. Nicole interupts the confrontation with her own plan.
The story cuts to the Egg Vinyard, where Eggman thanks his captives for the entertainment they have provided him over the years, especially the freedom fighters. He states their somewhat symbiotic relationship- "...you were all ready to give your lives for your cause, and I've always been willing to take them!" He mocks the Chaotix for aiding the Monarchy when they knew they were weaker than him, Maximillian for letting his "inexperienced first born take the crown," and Elias for being the weakest king he ever encountered. Ouch. Meanwhile, Sonic, Tails, Amy, Knuckles, and Nicole have been speeding towards Robotropolis in a salvaged hovercar. Eggman decides to demonstrate the Eggrapes to the mobians and use an excellerated draining process on Charmy. Charmy answers Eggman's taunt with a short but courageous speech, but his energy is promptly drained, while Saffron looks on in horror. Sonic and co. burst through the wall, just in time. Sonic frees Charmy, Amy and Knuckles free everyone else, and Tails takes Nicole up to a platform where she rewires something. We'll get back to that later. Eggman and Snivily, shocked to see that Sonic is not beaten, run out of the room while Dr. Quack confirms that Charmy is alive. Sonic tells everyone to go back the way they came in. Sally tells him it won't work because it's too crowded, suggesting instead that they put everyone on the hovercar and have the freedom fighters and chaotix hold off any attacks. Sonic, dismissing her plan with a "nope," tells her to stick to theirs. She is skeptical at first, knowing Sonic isn't the brightest bulb, but Tails flies in and confirms that it is, in fact, Nicoles. All doubt erased from her mind, Sally runs foward just in time for some new doubt to take hold. Eggman flies in with his battle armor, Zapping a few mobians. Sonic, unconcerned, changes the running direction. Eggman, already having teleported most of them, is interrupted by Snively as he corners Sally, Sonic, and a few others. Telling him to shut up, he zaps a completely wigged out Sally, a disinterested Sonic, and the other random guys. Elated, Eggman tells Snively not to start the Eggrapes until he's there to watch, when Snively tells him, "I've been trying to tell you the entire time! The teleportation frequency was tampered with! THERE'S NOBODY IN THE RESERVE EGGRAPES!" Eggman sits there stunned. Really quite funny. Then he tells Snively to track down the frequency and get on the Eggfleet to confront them. It switches to an amazingly beautiful replica of Mobotropolis. Everyone is happily exploring, when Nicole appears in her lynx form. She happily tells them that she had been preparing it for them for some time, but that Eggman's attack forced her to reveal it to them now. She and Sally hug, while she tells her that she is able to have a body in New Mobotropolis due to all the holographic matrixes she built in the city. All the happiness is interrupted, however, as the Eggfleet appears on the horizon.
Ok so I was wrong about Eggman's home becoming the mobians new one, but hey even I didn't expect this. 
Meg was awesome, defending her hubby against Eggman's tauntings. Quack isn't gonna shake his reputation as Dr. DoNothing anytime soon. Eggy strikes a good balance of crazy doof and major threat. And I had to laugh at Ant's mistaken english... ah, memories.
Yardley!'s art shone in the crowd scenes. I love the reactions of the grape'd Mobians. Ray huddles in a fetal position, Espio is in a calm meditation stance, Ant & Bunnie look longingly at each other, Mighty has been punching his grape, Dulcy is packed in there like a sardine, baby Alexis bawls her eyes out, and Elias hangs his head in shame. I belive Toby mentioned on one forum or antoher how Sally reacts to Sonic's "plan" and suposed indifferce when Eggy returns. The panic really registers in that scene! If I had one art complaint I'd be that I still wish they'd recolor Tails' folks. If we changed Bernie to blue to blend in with Sonic, why not swap brown for orange on the Prowers?
An exciting issue. Folks should be able to buy it in store now-- I got a replacement copy as my sub issue had the cover detached. Rarely happens this is like the third damage issue in 6 or 7 years.
Oh yeah, I love the crowd scenes. Jon Grey (he's my favorite!) does them well too. I usually read through the whole issue once very quickly,and then the second time through I look at the crowd details closer. Third time is me doing the character voices
.
Did you know that Jon Gray used to be a webmaster/forum Admin here? He still posts occasionally. 🙂
It never feels natural to me when people refer to him as a distant artist of the comic and not as one of our own kind. XP We had him first.
I feel the same way - just as I can't see people getting excited about Ian J. and RPG World without remembering a certain MF alumnus named Ian J. Flicky tentatively posting a few sketches and ideas he'd had for a web comic and asking whether we thought it could take off...
(I hope I don't come across as bragging when I say that I've known Dub since he was in high school and we chat on the 'phone regularly - it's just very strange to see someone talk about a friend that close and from that far back as a big deal...
When the heck did we all grow up?! :))
Really? That's pretty cool. Sorry for the ignorance. I will realign my associations of his origin.
**sneaks in and steals a bag of cheetos**
**sneaks out without anyone noticing he was ever there...**
^_^
That's pretty neat, actually. I think you're more sharing your expression of wonder than bragging.
I wonder how Oprah Winfrey's classmates feel.
EDIT omg someone fix the plumbing, all these posts cam up at oooonnnce
No apologies necessary. He's one of our better kept not-very-secrets. 🙂
*looks around as the impeccably-timed sneaking Dub vanishes*
Did anyone just feel a breeze? 🙂
'Tis the Phantom Weasel Nacker of Old Sega City! We're all DOOOOOOMED!
Haha! Oh, by the way, another ignorance moment, but why did the picture on my thingy switch from a trooper thingy to some chao?
The picture changes with each member level you reach, if you haven't set a custom avatar of your own. 🙂
Acrio: I've known Dub since I was seventeen (a few months before I started university) - I turn twenty-seven this year. How much has happened in the intervening time seems very, very sobering...
Ah. And what is this custom setting of avatars of which you speak? I'm one of those people who struggle with locating the on switch.
Queries like this normally go in the EVC, but since we're here...
Go to the "My Control Centre" link at the top of the forum.
Select "Edit Profile".
Add the URL you want to the "My Photo" box. 🙂
Woo, thanks, I'll do that sometime!
*puts on best superhero voice*
No thanks necessary, citizen. Just doin' my duty. 🙂
To change the subject, was anyone as happy about Nicole getting to have her lynx body as me? I love her like that.
Also If you want to personalize more, you can get a custom title by
clicking this link and asking nicely.
The new title appears under your avvy, it may take a day or two for the change to be made.
EDIT: Ayep, furry NICOLE rocks. Her reunion w/ Sal was very cute.
EDIT EDIT: ...dang, I missed Dubs. Next time we should hold him down and have Becca steal his shoes. No escape for our celebs!
I like Nicole's lynx form a lot - particularly with Bunnie getting married and having to put some distance between them, it gives Sally another female friend to talk to.
And in her own right, we have an outsider coming in, like Mina - but hopefully, someone the fans're familiar enough with not to hate.
My only concern is that we already know that, like Mina used to, she has a crush on Sonic... 🙂
Yeah, but I really don't think Sonic's going to hook up with a computer, even if she does have a body now. It'd just be too weird. And besides, wasn't that emotion just a carryover from the time she spent in Sally's body?
I don't have the relevant issue within easy grabbing reach right now, but I'm not 100% sure.
(EDIT: The relevant exposition scans're both in SHQ's scan archive:
)
And if Nicole likes keeping her holographic body because she wants to learn more about biological thoughts and feelings, I wouldn't rule anything out in the future, either.
I couldn't see it being reciprocated, but whilst it'd be quite nice to see Nicole going through a series of Commander Data-esque learning experiences to aspire to humanity... umm... furriness, a seeming rite of passage for anything female and having hit puberty in Knothole is to try their luck with the eponymous 'hog.
Doesn't help though that Sonic was being quite flirty with her in their first appearance together. I wonder when this will show up in comic stores...
I absolutely LOVED this issue. My favorite ever. The art was fabulous. Every expression was spot on. I loved picking out all the different characters in the Egg Grapes.
Nice to see furry Nicole again, as well as seeing Dulcy around for more than one panel. And Nice to see Meg do something other than look pretty.
As for Charmy, I would have liked to see at least ONE other person get zapped before him, so we could see the damage and feel the scariness. (Shoulda killed King Max! I'm telling you! And it makes a LOT more sense for him to pick Max first. Or Arlo! Kill Arlo!!!!) It didn't even HAVE to be a named character! But all the same.
Now that he'll be turned into SegaCharmy, I wonder what'll happen with Saffron. I'd much rather her get interesting than get deleted.
Like I said: Sonic seems to increasingly flirt with anything - even if it's just platonic, he appreciates a pretty face.
Whether Ian's obvious SonSally-ness is going to tone that down, I don't know - but we've already seen with Mina that an inexperienced girl can get the wrong idea.
This is Sonic we're talking about. Not the most commitment sure guy around.
Miss Puar, is it OK if you show scans of 176? (I also like the fact that you didn't show scans of 175 because it was an important issue thank you.)
Yea Pur, think of the kids that have no time and money to get comics. 
I rather curiouse on how they draw Dr. Quack in this issue. Last time I saw him was in that issue whean sally had to marry evil ant. He's my only favorate comic charthers. Too bad we don't see him much.
Gha, I need to recap on some issues. I have no ideal on what the heck is going on here. 0.o
I second the idea for some scans
Indeed... wait, Nicole has a crush on Sonic? Heh, if that's true, then it looks like sparks will soon fly...
Anyways, I guess we should rename the forum to the "New Mobotropolis Forum! (Archie Comics US)" then, eh? xD
It's more of a carryover from when she switched bodies with Sally, who at the time had feelings for Sonic (Darn this on an d off relationship!). I think...
I've added a scan from Circuit Me (the body swap story) to my earlier post.
I'm not sure whether Nicole thinks that Sally finds Sonic "appealing" or she does (I actually think that she does, and just hadn't realised until she had the body to appreciate it with), or how far "understand basic emotions" means having them, since she is sentient.
And I still can't forget the look on her face when Sonic first said that her new look was cute...
Tails seems to be fed up with Sonic these days
um no offence wrawd but duh thats why Sonic and Tails are gonna get into a fight in issues 178 and 179 anyway I agree with the Idea of changing the name of the forum to "New Mobotropolis Forum! (Archie Comics US)" seeing as how Knothole Kindom is destroyed already.
Double dose of scans coming up! 5 each from 175 & 176 can be found here Thanks for being patient and hope y'all are having a great day.
Saw the scans. Scary teeth from Dulcy when she escapes! 
Sally's panicking face is hillarious! 
Also, I had no idea how beautiful Mobotropolis was before Robotnik took control of it. (I know it's a replica, but still...) Does anyone else notice that the background Morbians have a Sega look to them? (men wearing only gloves and shoes, etc.)
Thanks a million miss Puar I'm sure everyone appreciates it 
Wow. I love how Nicole's furry form looks.
Me too. By the way, you can also find her furry form in issues 151, 169, and 171.
I knew we could always count on you to come through with those scans, Puar!
Thanks puar.Wow. Am I ever behind on issues. Shadow crying? Nicole furry form is back? Rouge being a slut? (Wait, she's one already. Whoops.)Wow, I feel like reading the comics again.
Thanks for the scans...
Hmmm....mmhmmm....
I'll leave it at that for now, until I get the full issue, read it, and go from there.
I find it funny that after all the talk about someone dying, or people wanting someone to die, that no one died.
From the spoilers, I feel sorry for Elias in what Robotnik said about him. So far, I think he is doing an ok job as king, certainly no worse than Max did.
I am only mentioning this since the issue was brought up, I hope Ian doesn't do a Sonic/Sally/Nicole love triangles. I have had enough of Sonic and Sally(mostly Sonic these days) flirting with other creatures, put them back together and have them stay together. I hope I am not in trouble.
Quote:
I have had enough of Sonic and Sally(mostly Sonic these days)flirting with other creatures, put them back together and have them stay together. I hope I am not in trouble.
You are not in trouble, I argee. They have changed Sonic into the animal who chases around everything whose a girl and breathes. It's not right, I mean, its a kid's comic!
Another dispatch from the old 
--
Let's see, in S175 Sonic got beat up, the Egg Fleet attacked, and Robotnik zapped everybody. This time around Sonic fights back, the Egg Fleet is on the verge of attacking, and Robotnik zaps everybody.
Seriously, though, I liked this one better than S175 which, in retrospect, felt more like a set-up to this issue than a story in its own right. I had some questions about the details, such as how Nicole could build Neo-Knothole (or maybe it's Kneo-Knothole?) without Robotnik finding out -- short answer, she couldn't. But now we have to wait to see if Ian springs another surprise on us in S177; something tells me he's got one lined up.
I want an answer to the Neo-Mobotropolis question, too.
No, you're not in trouble, DC - although I'm more dreading Sally back in the picture at all than any sort of love triangle, as I already said.
As a long-time Other-M fan, I know that Ian's a good writer - but backsliding to what the comic'd been working since 134 to get away from's a big mistake in my book.
Wait..w.hat?
Holographic Mobotropolis overlay? Wait, Nicole transmuted everyone there...
wait..WHAT?
...I'm utterly confused. Watch it not be the real tails -.-
For the life of me, I can't see this new fangled Mobotropolis lasting all that long. Maybe for this arc but c'mon, nothing is ever THAT easy. And if Nicole can keep her body because of the holographical matrices throughout the city, how is she able to hug Sally? That's some serious computing power to accomplish that...
For the life of me, I can't see this new fangled Mobotropolis lasting all that long. Maybe for this arc but c'mon, nothing is ever THAT easy.
well, where would they go if new-mobo gets destroyed? station square? hah! i have a feeling this new-mobotropolis may serve a greater purpose. but thats just me.
