Well it seemed interesting so here we go...and be warned, the rapid fire transitions between future and present can be kind of dizzying...
We start off where the pages left us but this time we're back in the past, where Sonic and Shadow have hit a bit of a problem: Robotnik wants to blow up the island but Rogue needs help getting the gems out. Sonic organizes a temporary truce and they race into the building where they break in and find Rogue. Shadow easily transports them away with a Chaos Control...but before Rogue can thank him properly, he teleports away...AGAIN with the gems in hand. Bummer, where's good help these days? Sonic wants to file a formal complaint with Shadow's boss and she concurs...
Back to the present, Rogue presents Sonic with the issue: a telescope converted into a WMD, capable of wiping out the resistance, it's force field and half of the Eggdome. Sonic thinks that's a bit much but Shadow arrives in disagreement. He says that the Eggman has just about lost it (Most of the readership can attest to that! Sonic is just too close to the forest to see) and this is just one more sign. Sonic still disagrees, arguing that Eggman still has a hold on his sanity but thankfully Rogue cuts the dialogue short, saying they have a mission to do. While Sonic and Shadow distract the self defense lasers, Rogue attempts to stop it. Attempts but succeeds in activating a self destruct thingie on the panel, so she can't stop it...darn. Oh and we do jump back into the past, where Sonic and Rogue blast out of the pyramid on a space shuttle...uh yea.
Anywho, Rogue says taking care of it quietly is out of the question so Sonic and Shadow try to destroy it, which also doesn't work. Rogue suggests breaking the coupling locks to throw off it's shot...we then jump back to the past where Sonic is trying to stop the Eclipse Cannon while Shadow has other ideas, hitting Sonic in the back with a Chaos Spear when Rogue interrupts their little fight...
Back to the present! Sonic and Shadow attack the coupling joints but only succeed in angling the cannon for a perfect shot. Hedgehogs, what are they good for! Not much obviously but wait! Another time jump is in order, where Sonic and Shadow encounter...a big dinosaur looking thing (Sooo sorry, I didn't play Sonic Adventure 2!) which has fused itself to Ark and *blah blah insert SA2 story). Shadow is emo but Sonic points out they still have a backup, the emeralds! The Super Twins fly off into space, where they confront the massive beastie who somehow merged itself with the mechanical Ark...the hell? Yea I suck.
Back to the present (be still my migraine) where Shadow plans to remove his inhibitor rings so he can tap into his full power (Insert 4chan joke of choice)...we all remember how that went last time. He runs up the cannon, glowing like a giant torch and Chaos Controls, just as it fires. But first we must jump to the past where Sonic and Shadow Chaos Control Ark back into orbit. Chaos Control solves all problems!
Of course Shadow can't handle that kind of power overload and begins to float away and probably die...or something. Sonic reaches out (We're in the present now) and saves Shadow from becoming a pancake. Thanks to that, the cannon is finally stopped. Shadow urges Sonic to get some rest while Sonic is surprised that Shadow isn't interested in stealing the spotlight. Shadow argues that he owes Sonic far too much and the least he can do is allow Sonic to finish off Eggman (For real! This is for all the marbles! Okay I'll stop). Sonic thanks him, even calling him by his real name and Shadow does likewise. Awwwwww...okay, anyway. Rogue is amused by it, noting how far they've come. Shadow blows it off, saying Sonic has his respect and that's it.
Off Panel: Sonic is making fun of the fact that they are finally finishing off the SA2 story in the comics, nearly a decade later, though Shadow isn't really listening. Knux shows up, not all that pleased that he doesn't appear in SU until issue 9 (Hmmm) and asks Sonic what's up with that. Sonic gets a bit nervous and asks Shadow to elaborate but he chaos controls away. Sonic decides to take a hike before he gets worked over by Knuckles...ummm knuckles.
EDIT: Okay that dinosaur is called Biolizard. I'll still refer to him as a big ugly dino so there!
Rogue=rouge.
it sounds like a good issue, i really liked SA2 so the flashbacks should be cool to say the least.
Bah. Eggman should have used an Egg-Mole. A death ray is so cliche'. 
Knux shows up, not all that pleased that he doesn't appear in SU until issue 9
That means Knuckles doesn't show in SU 5-8 (M:XYL)? What is this madness!?
Death ray=cliche? Why yes.
Kamikaze death ray (Remember, it could take out half the Eggdome)=not cliche!
/sarcasm
Eggman just have to make sure he stands on the half that doesn't get taken out.
Only about a 50/50 chance he'll pick the right half, though. *cough*
He could have Wile E. Coyote'd it and accidentally blew himself, Snively, and the Legion to smithereens trying to aim at the Freedom Fighters. Then they win by preposterous default.
That means Knuckles doesn't show in SU 5-8 (M:XYL)? What is this madness!?
Welcome to The Mary-Su *coughdidIsaythatoutloudcough* Lara-Su Show!
Two off-panels trying to hype the same storyline? I'm sorry, but this is coming across as trying a bit too hard to drum up enthusiasm...
Bah. Eggman should have used an Egg-Mole. A death ray is so cliche'.
Knux shows up, not all that pleased that he doesn't appear in SU until issue 9
That means Knuckles doesn't show in SU 5-8 (M:XYL)? What is this madness!?
I'm not sure that's the case, after all, Knux is on the cover of SU #5, but the way I see it, I don't think Knux is considering future Knux as himself as far as appearances go. Sam, shouldn't you be just a tad bit less cynical until we actually see how the M:30YL storyline pans out? I mean, Lara-Su may not be as big a part of it as you think and it could be actually good.
I'm not sure that's the case, after all, Knux is on the cover of SU #5
Covers aren't always an accurate interpretion of what's inside the book. I mean ... how many times have we seen Sonic dying or dead?
Lara-Su may not be as big a part of it as you think and it could be actually good.
I think it's comparable to completely totaling my car and my insurance company telling me I can just buff it out. 
Welcome to The Mary-Su *coughdidIsaythatoutloudcough* Lara-Su Show!
Two off-panels trying to hype the same storyline? I'm sorry, but this is coming across as trying a bit too hard to drum up enthusiasm...
No, silly, Mari-Su is her grandmother on her mom's side.
Seriously, that's her name.
I don't think the off-panels are "hyping" the story so much as just mentioning it on the way of poking fun at Knuckles' lack of pagetime since his series ended. After all that time, his first arc in SU got bumped back in place of 30YL, so it's just further making fun of the delay.
Well you don't have to yell. 
Wow, it didn't look like that in the preview. o_O Sorry.
very confusing at first. but it is a good issue. can't wait for the next one.
No, silly, Mari-Su is her grandmother on her mom's side.
Seriously, that's her name.
Y'know, I completely forgot about that. Thanks. 
Now Sam's doing it. 
And again, it didn't look like that in the preview. I'll fix it.
My subscription lasts till issue #5, but I'm really glad I'm getting these issues, Ian's like the only guy that can write Shadow in a way that makes me enjoy the character. XD
Also, scanned up the Off Panel, for those of you who havn't seen it yet..
Man, I never was much of a fan of Butler's work in the past, but now that he's toned down on the odd, gangly proportions and everything, I absolutely love his work! XD
Just finished reading #2 and enjoyed it in principle - it didn't feel as fresh as #1, but given that we were back on familiar territory and expanding the main series' plotline, that isn't really surprising me. The parallels in the flashback sequences were a nice touch in both nodding to fanboys and showing the character relationships, but I think that if they were going to make it a non-linear story, the points where the time periods changed could've been made clearer. I had to double take and backtrack a few times, but I'm not sure whether that was down to box placing or samey, muted colours making the location descriptions easy to overlook.
Otherwise, I'm another person looking at the action and voicing concerns that if this is Archie's idea of two separate books that you don't need to read together to understand the plot, then I'd hate to see them really trying to cross over. Hopefully, after the book's found its feet and they've pulled a few Archie readers in to boost the sales figures, we'll actually get to see what it was sold to us as...
My subscription lasts till issue #5, but I'm really glad I'm getting these issues, Ian's like the only guy that can write Shadow in a way that makes me enjoy the character. XD
I strongly agree. Just like Amy who's only ever been a decent character in Sonic Battle, Ian is the only one who ever uses him effectively - as the straight man who's so straight he becomes the funny.
Also I ws surprised that Ian managed to make Marine entertaining.
