Here we go.
System Reboot: Penders/Lim
It seems Sonic was offended by Shadow's threat at the close of the last issue, and he now punches Shadow. The Metal Sonics have apparently moved on, and Hope lays injured. The two trade blows until rosie talks sense into them. Sonic departs with Hope, taking her to Doctor Quack. Shadow follows.
Meanwhile, Uncle Chuck is regretting having taken part in the Metal Sonic project, but Rotor reasures him that it isn't his fault. At the same time, Eggman marvels at the irony that the Metal Sonics are threatening both himself and Sonic.
While running to the doctor's, Sonic and Shadow pass a fight between Knuckles, Mighty, Espio and some Metal Sonics. Shadow spontaneously generates a portal. Before they can stop, Sonic, Shadow and Hope enter the portal and Knuckles looks on, saying only "Chaos Control?"
Sonic and Shadow arrive at the castle, where Hope is left in the doctor's care. Sonic begins to rant at Elias that the whole Metal Sonic idea was stupid in the first place, but Elias reminds him that there are more important things to worry about. Sonic rushes away.
Sonic fights some of the Metal Sonics and he is unable to defeat them all on his own. Shdow shows up and merely raises his hand, KO'ing all of the Metal Sonics (and Sonic). When he wonders how this is possible, Knuckles shows up and repeats his earlier line: "Chaos Control?" Shadow says that's impossible because he needs an emerald to do that. Knuckles suggests that perhaps he drew directly form the Chaos force, as guardians do. Sonic then wakes up and he and Shadow talk trash.
When Sonic returns to the castle, Elais awards him the rank of "Gentleman-at-Arms," with a promise to explain what that means at some later time, after the celebration. Elsewhere, Shadow recalls his parting with Shoinc, when Sonic said "Don't be a stranger!" Shadow walks away as Sir Charles watches him on the screen, saying "You have your secrets, Shadow--And we have ours! Better they should stay that way!"
"The end... For now." Note that we do NOT learn who was behind the Metal Sonics.
The Despicable Dr. Robotnik Insidious: Penders/Penders
Eggman wakes up and discusses recent events with A.D.A.M., including the events leading up to Tommy's symbiosis with the nanites. This allows him to use the Nanites to infect the Brain Trust's comupter systems, whcih he then uses to infect Jules, Bunnie, and Nicole. That's all.
In my opinion, the issue was pretty terrible. both stories were hard to follow, with neither offering any resolution.
Shadow shows up and merely raises his hand, KO'ing all the Metal Sonics
Oh, God. Oh please don't tell me that is just a wierd way to God-mod. Ken leaves on a, tick-me-off moment.
Oh, oh, look! Knuckles has a line! 'Chaos Control?' 'Chaos Control?'
I bet Knuckles fans feel really happy. XD
Knuckles has more lines then that. Those are just his first and second lines in the issue. But his appearance isn't very major nonetheless.
how would shadow be able to draw Energy from the chaos force?
ah The confusion and hopeless anger.
Quote:
how would shadow be able to draw Energy from the chaos force?
My theory? Proximity to Knuckles. That's harldy a canon explanation, though.
No Vector, Charmy, or Julie-Su? Or did they just not get in the original scene?
They don't appear, even in the crowd scenes.
Weird. Figured they'd all get shown in at least some fighting scene.
Thanks ^^
Quote:
While running to the doctor's, Sonic and Shadow pass a fight between Knuckles, Mighty, Espio and some Metal Sonics. Shadow spontaneously generates a portal.
Since when can Shadow generate a portal?
Quote:
This allows him to use the Nanites to infect the Brain Trust's comupter systems, whcih he then uses to infect Jules, Bunnie, and Nicole. That's all.
This should have been done from the beginning instead of wasting it on Tommy. Hopefully Bunnie will finally get the upgrade she deserve and Nicole might get that Neo Nicole body from Tania's story .
After reading that I am glad Penders is gone.
He can make a portal because that's how they decided to show Shadow's teleporting ability--though it's incorrect to do it that way. ;p
Oh as for the proximity to Knux thing, remember Knux is supposed to be "a living chaos emerald" and Knux got his powers back in #141.
The nature of Shadow's Chaos Control hasn't even been consistent in the games. Who's to say he can't generate a temporary portal if he needs to transport several people at once? After all, in the games, Chaos energy has generated portals (to the special stages).
Knuckles comments that only the Brotherhood can tap directly into the Chaos Force, and we know that that's Ken's major area of expertise, so we'll take Knuckles at his word. Recall that the Chaos Emeralds aren't the source of Chaos Energy, just one manifestation. According to Isaac the Boring Robot, the Chaos Emeralds were created when the radiation of the Xorda Gene-Bomb contaminated mineral deposits of beryl beneath Mobo-Earth's surface. This all but confirmed that Xorda technology is powered by the Chaos Force. And remember how Sonic was Tossed in Space after deactivating the Xorda's Quantam Dial? That's almost certainly another example of involuntary Chaos Control without the aid of an Emerald.
Okay, so that was a little bit of a digression, but it's evidence that Ken was actually going somewhere with this whole Shadow thing, since he's worked to establish a connection between Shadow, the Guardians, Isaac, Ivan Kintobor, and Pre-Mobian history. But it's all moot now, as it's Ian who's taking the baton.
So, the penultimate stories that Ken is writing... contain no resolution at all? Ouch.
Quote:
The nature of Shadow's Chaos Control hasn't even been consistent in the games. Who's to say he can't generate a temporary portal if he needs to transport several people at once?
He's transported people/objects without creating a portal to do so whether it's the games or Sonic X, and even with the cuts in yesterday's episode that aired in the US that much was clear--but he'd done it before in SA2. So, unless there's been a change in how Shadow teleports in the recent Shadow The Hedgehog, there hasn't been any inconsistency there.
Quote:
After all, in the games, Chaos energy has generated portals (to the special stages).
Shadow doesn't equal chaos energy, and I'm talking about Shadow. ;p
Quote:
He's transported people/objects without creating a portal to do so whether it's the games or Sonic X, and even with the cuts in yesterday's episode that aired in the US that much was clear--but he'd done it before in SA2. So, unless there's been a change in how Shadow teleports in the recent Shadow The Hedgehog, there hasn't been any inconsistency there.
Yes, but Chaos Control has been shown to do other things as well. Sometimes, it's teleportation. Sometimes, it's freezing time. I don't think Chaos Control is a specifically defined ability, it's just the ability to use Chaos energy to bend the laws of time and space in whatever form is necesary. At the time, Sonic was running ahead of Shadow, and generating a portal in his path was the simplest way of teleporting him.
Quote:
Shadow doesn't equal chaos energy, and I'm talking about Shadow. ;p
Right, but Shadow uses Chaos Energy. So my point is that if Chaos Energy can be used to generate a portal, then it's feasible that Shadow would be able to do so.
Ken's script probably said [Shadow teleports], or something to that effect, and Ron probably thought, "What does that mean?" and drew the first thing that popped into his mind.
Seriously, it's just not worth to delve into the mechanics of the world within the context of said world when they're this hopelessly screwed up.
As, for not resolving anything, from the tone of his recent posts, he probably didn't realize this would be his swan song. More's the pity to Mike for not giving Ken such a chance. After his decision not to scrap those Romy Chacon stories, it's the least he could have done.
-Shakudo-
"Rouge teams up with...Cream?"
Quote:
I don't think Chaos Control is a specifically defined ability, it's just the ability to use Chaos energy to bend the laws of time and space in whatever form is necesary.
You just gave the definition of chaos control right there.
Quote:
At the time, Sonic was running ahead of Shadow, and generating a portal in his path was the simplest way of teleporting him.
No, it wasn't. If you have the ability to teleport anything/anyone, creating a portal to do so isn't necessary and is actually less likely to acheive the desired goal if the person can avoid it--and a portal can be avoided (even if Sonic didn't in this case) whereas "just doing it" can't be.
Quote:
Right, but Shadow uses Chaos Energy. So my point is that if Chaos Energy can be used to generate a portal, then it's feasible that Shadow would be able to do so.
Feasible? Yes. Likely? No, and that's due to style. Each character has their own style and a portal isn't necessary to do what you're describing with the many ways chaos energy can be used.
Quote:
Ken's script probably said [Shadow teleports], or something to that effect, and Ron probably thought, "What does that mean?" and drew the first thing that popped into his mind.
You're probably correct, particularly considering most of the creatives don't pay attention to the details the obsessive fans do. Another possible explanation is the "what looks cool" effect.
Quote:
No, it wasn't. If you have the ability to teleport anything/anyone, creating a portal to do so isn't necessary and is actually less likely to acheive the desired goal if the person can avoid it--and a portal can be avoided (even if Sonic didn't in this case) whereas "just doing it" can't be.
My memory is fuzzy, but I thought Shadow had to be touching (or at least close to) someone/thing in order to teleport him/her/it. If not, then you're right. But if so, a portal would probably have been the best method since he wouldn't have been able to catch up to Sonic and touch him.
My memory is fuzzy, but I thought Shadow had to be touching (or at least close to) someone/thing in order to teleport him/her/it. If not, then you're right. But if so, a portal would probably have been the best method since he wouldn't have been able to catch up to Sonic and touch him.
Not really, remember in SA2 how Super Sonic and Super Shadow shoot some sort of energy ball that engulfed the Ark and transported it back into orbit. Of course the comic hasn't been consistent with it.
Scans now available. Witness Uncle Chuck's pity party. Behold Elias' knowledge of military rankings. All this plus Chaos Control? Whoopee!
just when i thought he was getting better, Ron Lim has resumed his role as the most constantly dissapointing artist.
Let's look at the bright side. FRY has returned, Tracy Yardley is now the lead-artist of StH, and Axer and Tania are doing some upcoming backstories.
I don't think we'll have much more lim after #159.
Edit:
ALSO, the Rays made a big (positive) difference in #158 and #159. Jason Jensen's coloring, as seen in #157, isn't quite as good as the Rays, in my opinion.
who is tracy yardley?
i've heard the name on the board before but since when is she the head artist?
Tracy = "he"
He's doing the artwork for some of Ian's upcoming stories and has done the art for Sonic X #5 (and soon to be released Sonic X #6).
And, according to what he has said at Ian's messageboard, he is the lead penciler of StH.
can one of you post a link to ian's board?
According to Isaac the Boring Robot, the Chaos Emeralds were created when the radiation of the Xorda Gene-Bomb contaminated mineral deposits of beryl beneath Mobo-Earth's surface.
"OH GOD!! The pain....the PAIN!!!!"
*is immediately pelted*
...Sorry. I couldn't resist.
Anyways, this issue sounds almost as bad as the past couple of issues. Nothing is resolved, nothing is explained ,and I for one am glad that Ken is gone.
Maybe we can finally get some plot resolution going on from here on in. :/
well i think ian is cool for letting us know what will be resolved in the future. (without giving us spoilers.)
Ken usually kept to himself for the most part, and barely listened to his fans.
Quote:
Ken usually kept to himself for the most part, and barely listened to his fans.
That's absolutely ridiculous, not to mention untrue. Ken doesn't keep to himself. He communicates with is fans more than most comic creatives, and certainly more than anyone who's written for StH other than Ian, who's a special case, having been active in the online fan community prior to being hired Archie. To say Ken never listened to his fans is equally untrue. Not only did he discuss the comic with fans on his own board, he also answered mail in the comic for a while. Not to mention the fact that, due to fan outcry, Ken reunited Bunnie and Antoine.
This comic's fans have been spoiled rotten.
okay, you may have a point there.
"Insidious," which I believe is the name of the Robotnik-ADAM back story, is first off story-telling at its worst: a heavy-handed exercise where Ken literally takes the reader by the hand and walks him/her through the plot pretty much panel-by-panel. It's so detatched from the characters we know and care about (except for Typhoid Tommy Turtle) it's an apt symbol that they're removed from the action by the device of the Omniscient View Screen.
And while I'm not Mr. Science Guy, I don't think ANY kind of virus, let alone nanites, can migrate from one mech to another as easily as they do here. It's like "ADAM, infest Nicole!" "Uh, OK Doctor Robotnik." And you've got nanites jumping around like lice from Tommy's shell to Jules, Nicole, and Bunnie.
A pretty sad legacy for Ken, who of course didn't PLAN for this thing to be his official farewell to the book. Seriously 
.
o.O Oh my goddess.
...No one else seems to care about Elias so I'm gonna give him a bit of attention here...
...What is UP with that hair? His appearance... It literally changes from issue to issue. They're ruining everything, right down to the art. It isn't right. T_T
(The only reason I bother reading the comic is because of Elias anymore--the rest of it started to suck a long time ago.)
Quote:
What is UP with that hair? His appearance... It literally changes from issue to issue. They're ruining everything, right down to the art. It isn't right.
Two words: Ron Lim. He should stick to hyoomons.
Yes but in the back-upstory he has a nantie affect Bunnie after reuntiing her witn Ant, boy talk about going out the wrong way, but hopefully Ian will work something out of this, like maybe Bunnie starts feeling sick or maybe the Freedom fighter's brain trust will have footage of the natnies being placed.
Guess we'll find out in time.
Quote:
Yes but in the back-upstory he has a nantie affect Bunnie after reuntiing her witn Ant, boy talk about going out the wrong way, but hopefully Ian will work something out of this, like maybe Bunnie starts feeling sick or maybe the Freedom fighter's brain trust will have footage of the natnies being placed.
what exactly are you talking about?
>Insert quote from Dan Drazen here<
Ugh, well, whoever it is, they really need to stop. >.< It looks so awful! I mean, really? He looks so... Pointy! Shouldn't he be, like. twenty or something? He looks much too old.
I also think Ron Lim's art added things that contradict recent stories, or just don't make sense. For instance, when Sonic and Shadow are fighting, Rosie THINKS "That's enough!" why doesn't she say or yell it? Was this a mistake in using a thought balloon instead of a word balloon?
Also, Bunnie in one scene is shown with a bow and arrow. Doesn't she have two holsters with guns, not to mention a laser gun built in her mechincal arm?
Finally during the celebration scene Tails is shown patting Sonic on the back. I thought he hated Sonic right now! Why is he buddying up to him all of the sudden?
Quote:
Doesn't she have two holsters with guns, not to mention a laser gun built in her mechincal arm?
Bunnie only had two holsters with guns in Sonic #133. She's never had them again. As for her laser gun, she's hasn't used that in forever so it's either been forgotten or when she was "upgraded" it was removed. **shrugs**
Quote:
in the back-upstory he has a nantie affect Bunnie after reuntiing her witn Ant, boy talk about going out the wrong way, but hopefully Ian will work something out of this
Which is why I think loose continuity sux. Because you only think you know how much time you have to develop a story arc and properly deal with a favorite plot point. IMO this is a fast track to lazy writing and, in the case of Ken Penders, outside events (i.e., losing your job) keep you from doing anything about it.
Man, where are my comics? I haven't even got 158 yet...
I feel ya, UDC, I haven't received 159 yet, but...you haven't got 158 yet either? I highly suggest emailing Archie about it. They forgot to send me an issue once, and after I emailed them, they promptly shipped the issue I missed.
Got it. Well, not too bad for once. The main story is rather laid-back ("plan-plan") but correct and I appreciate Antoine and Elias more and more. Ron Lim deserved a 7/10 for "System Reconfiguration" but I'd not be so generous here. On the other hand, Penders confirms his mediocrity in penciling. But his introduction of "the Nanites invasion" is interesting.
Can't wait for Axer's return...
