Right...so we start off as always where the spoiler pages left us: Sonic and Kahn getting their tails handed to them. Lien-Da orders the Legion to show them the business which results in Kahn getting shot in the shoulder (This will be a recurring theme). He responds with a lightning blast for their troubles and Sonic tells him not to give up. Kahn says it's possible as long as they don't send in...someone
We never know because their cutoff by the arrival of the Iron King, who says he has hugered (Opps spelling error!) for this day, him and the Tremor Mace. Sonic remembers him and also remembers how they dealt with him last time, though Kahn tells him that the fan is in the king's possession now, so much for that idea! They decide to take their chances, Sonic covers Kahn while he gets his staff.
Sonic attacks the king full force but is about as successful as a paper fan against a flamethrower, things just don't work out. Kahn tries his luck and discovers that stone is a poor conductor of electricity: again things just don't work out! Espio arrives and Sonic thinks he's here to help, until Espio clocks him with an open palm fist attack of power! Kahn is annoyed that Sonic's head doesn't work as fast as his legs but his interrupted by Lynx, who hails from the Raiju clan (All together now: Too many bloody clans!).
Espio isn't talking to the annoyance of Sonic who tries to get through to him but again the lavender ninja isn't in a talking mood. so Sonic takes him out. Monkey Kahn deals with Lynx with a massive blast of lightning but gets shot up by the Legion for his troubles...again. What were they doing during the fight, eating popcorn? Sonic in true blue fashion says he's wrong (Not in those words) and thinks they should be going. The Iron King says they may serve him if they swear loyalty to him...and the Queenie of course. Sonic wants to know the benefits but Kahn says the King doesn't get sarcasm (Neither does the internet!). Sonic suggests they get a cloud and go on home and Kahn obliges.
Lien Da orders the Legion to shoot them down but the King says not so fast. He says their enemy is wounded and to just let them run with their tails between their legs on home and tell the people of their failure...blah blah blah. Honestly they should have just shot them down.
Back at home, Sonic reports his findings to Knux, Elias and Sally. Knux is a bit distressed about Espio's Benedict act while Elias asks Sonic to report his findings to the entire Council tomorrow. Sonic agrees while Kahn mopes. Sally asks him if he's all right, though he isn't and he asks her to refer to him by his real name, Ken. Kahn mutters this about being another in a long line of failures for him and mopes off. What an emo!
I'll review the side story shortly.
Shortly is now!
Snively and Regina are reveling in the events of the past story, while cuddling in Regina's bedroom (Hmmmmmm). Snively confesses that he knows very little of her past and she obliges, though it isn't a happy one. Seems Regina hails from a cult of techno mages who once lived in Mega Central, far before the Great War. She was taught how to control the electric impulses in electronics and send them out at will: in short she can control electronics and speak their language (Any wonder she was part of the Eggman Empire?).
The good times didn't last as magitek was illegal and the cult was arrested. Due to her age, they just sent her into exile (Nice, real nice guys). The Great War had also begun so going to the Mobians was out of the question. While in exile, she honed her craft until she came across the Dragon Kingdom. This is where she met the warlord Jun Kun and well...that's that. Snives (As she calls him) has more questions but she tells him they can wait for another night...heh.
And thus, with the ability to control electronic impulses, it's made all the more clear how IQ took control of Khan, and most obviously due to #203's cover, Bunnie.
and he asks her to refer to him by his real name, Ken.
Oh, yeah, I forgot about that!
And thus, with the ability to control electronic impulses, it's made all the more clear how IQ took control of Khan, and most obviously due to #203's cover, Bunnie.
Heh, you know I wasn't even thinking about that but you're right.
I got this today, and the second I saw "technomage", I closed the book.
I was like "Oh that explains everything." Shes a human Eggman Nega with his roboticize-touch business, only instead of turning them into slaves, she makes them into marionette puppets.
Explains Khan, explains Bunnie,..hell it's gonna explain the Legion at one point (kill. Dimitri >
I think we need a lil Enerjak!! :O Could also use a lil Finetivus right now....
But uhh ok so there's a bunch of Yagyu, there's at least 6 Arachne...but there's only 1 Shinobi and Raiju clan member? Cause none of the other chameleons looked like ninjas, and Larry Lynx danged sure aint a Ninja.
Or maybe he is...Chris Farley style n_n
i could seriously go for dimitri being a legitimate threat again. even if he doesn't get chaos powered again, i'd like him to get a more badass body at the very least.
Scans of the new artist, Jamal Pepper's work:
Overall, great issue. I personally think this arc keeps getting better and better. Regina (aka Iron Queen), Jun (aka Iron King), the clans and Brides are all awesome and a nice breath of fresh air. I also think Regina's Technomage powers are kind of cool, I'll look forward to seeing them in action. The back-up did pretty much give away the next two issues, but I'm still interested in seeing it all unfold. Sonic's characterization was great, I was loving how he was depicted. Nice reveals and teasers here, left me wanting more.
I also believe that they've revealed the species of the last clan in the first scan I provided. Looks like we'll be having some spider ninja in the comic again (hopefully they aren't as flat as Uma and her kids). I'll post Bystander #3's post from Bumbleking, since I think his analysis was clearer than mine and a few others:
Bystander #3 wrote:
Plus, the banners in Iron Queen's chambers in the backup story are intriguing and revealing.
Here's my best attempt at a translation:
1) Crescent Moon + Gemstone = Rich Nights = Yagyu Clan
2) Lightning-shaped Sword + Cloud = Conquering Storm = Raiju Clan
3) Purple Spider-web = ???? = ???? Clan
4) Eyeball + Infinity Symbol = Constant Vigilance = Shinobi ClanI'm assuming that the fifth banner in the exalted central position is the personal emblem for the Bride of Four Houses. It's a bit cryptic, but it looks to me like am iron hand with the four colors that represent the Four clans in it's palm. The message is something like "The Iron Queen holds the Four Houses in the palm of her hand".
5) Iron Hand + Four Colors = Bride of Four Houses = Iron Queen
Darkest Light- the issues hint there are more ninjas somewhere. From the looks of things, most remained in the Dragon Kingdom. I'm sure more from the clans other than the Yagyu will be showing up in due time. Also, the Arachne we knew are dead, not sure if I'd really count them at this point.
i really like his work! i didn't even know a new artist was supposed to be starting.
o.O Bsonic, when did the kids die? I don't remember this happening? Sure they may be the only Arachne we know, but still!
And yeah, I only pondered the amount of Ninjas because of what Lien-Da said bout the DEL's numbers doubling with the onset of Yagyu clan members. But yeah maybe there are more just hiding back in the DK.
o.O Bsonic, when did the kids die? I don't remember this happening? Sure they may be the only Arachne we know, but still!
In the Darkest Strom (#162-164) all of them were put in Egg Grapes due to Eggman's Egg Fleet blasting them, and transporting them into the Vineyard. Mogul could only use his powers to protect so many people from being drained after a while, and he chose to protect the Destructix and Naugus (all of whom had proven to be very loyal to him) over the Arachne. Rouge informed us in #165 that they had all died and were basically empty husks.
Basically Uma and her kids are effectively dead and gone. Now if we see any more Spider Ninjas (as I strongly suspect we will), they'll be new characters. Hopefully this time they won't be almost completely mute and/or at least have some more characterization.
As for the other ninjas, maybe some are on their way to the empire right now. Although, if what Iron King said is any indication, the Iron Dominion and Yagyu have plans of returning to the DK soon. So I'm guessing the rest are all there for now.
I need that arc. All these things that are happening now afe in that Arc that I didn't collect because the Comic made me so mad around that time.
You probably aren't the only one...
