MODS: THIS DISCUSSION IS NOT ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS ARCHIE'S RELATIONSHIP FIXATION, NOT THE RELATIONSHIPS PER SE. PLEASE TAKE NOTE.
So I just received my 2005 Sonic Collector's set this afternoon. The first thing that strikes me is the *enormous* amount of space devoted to relationships. I mean, 144, 150, 152, 153, 154, are all ABSOLUTELY DRIPPING with filthy teenager hormones. I definitely think some attention has to be paid to relationships, but this looks excessive to me. Take 153 and 154 for example - the whole setup is undercut with a flashy bit of deus ex machina at the end to return everything to its original position at the beginning of 153. Sure, it's drama, but it's cheap drama of the most banal sort that makes me want to gouge out my eyeballs with toothpicks. We don't even get any satisfaction out of the arc, just the cheap excitement of watching a dysfunctional relationship flounder around.
The whole thing makes me want to scream "YES, you've raised several romantic possibilities. YES, we understand everyone's conflicted about the sheer angstiness of it all. YES, can we get back to the rest of the story?" into Archie's ear with a bullhorn.
And now i've vented about this, does anyone see anything like this post 160 or before 140, or have I simply chosen an unfortunate piece of the series to rant about?
After the Home Arc and the Return to Angel Island Arc, the entire comic just started drifting around aimlessly. Shadow and Metal Sonic go to this base to do...something...And there's this guy, and this robot, and it lasts four issues...Nukes!? No, no nukes.Robotnik's large and in charge again...But he really dosen't do anything. And then, there's this anonymous guy who has the ability to roboticize mobians again...but the plot point is left untouched for nearly a year...And then there's these nanites...That might be able to do something...Or something. Evil Twins! Then no more evil twins. Let's have a rerun of Heart Held Hostage; that was a good one. And then...
Yeah...Sort of the Neo-Dark Ages for Sonic. The events listed in that wandering paragraph weren't neseicairly in order, but it's okay; they were equally wandering.
agreed. first off, #150 sucked. it could've been used to end numerous plotlines, but it decided to cause numerous more.
the whole relationship thing has been taking a *small* break which is good. we need more meaningful plot anyway.
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After the Home Arc and the Return to Angel Island Arc, the entire comic just started drifting around aimlessly. Shadow and Metal Sonic go to this base to do...something...And there's this guy, and this robot, and it lasts four issues...Nukes!? No, no nukes.Robotnik's large and in charge again...But he really dosen't do anything. And then, there's this anonymous guy who has the ability to roboticize mobians again...but the plot point is left untouched for nearly a year...And then there's these nanites...That might be able to do something...Or something. Evil Twins! Then no more evil twins. Let's have a rerun of Heart Held Hostage; that was a good one. And then...
What you're talking about is the comic squeezing 2 editors and 4 writers into about 30 issues, immediately after tossed in space which was a continuity reset (sort of).
First they switched editors, then they did a continuity reset by having Sonic leave for a year, then they had to use the endless supply of out of continuity Romy Chacon fillers (which introduced the Anonymous business) even though they were written pre-reset, then Ken was feuding with Karl, then Karl quit, then Ken was fired, then Ian became the head writer and has been mostly cleaning up this confusing morass and trying to make the Romy Chacon fillers have some sense of continuity.
A number of characters have been introduced and had their identities rewritten before or right after appearing in the comic. If you've seen Dub's site, you know Kage was supposed to be General Stryker, and Karl said Dr. Finitevus was supposed to be Dmitri, which has been contradicted by Ian's M25YL. Eyepatch Antoine was the REAL Antoine, but somebody (probably Ken considering BobR's complaints about it) turned him into Anti-Antoine, which brought Evil Sonic into the story and gave Ken an excuse to do some relationship soap opera. Kintobor and Isaac were obviously supposed to be a major plot point introduced by Ken, but he got fired.
From what I've been reading it sounds like a lot of Ian's issues have been Sonic speed continuity cleanups, so hopefully once he's done the cleanup the comic will have a direction.
Wow, I didnt know Karl and Ken were feuding what happened between them?
But anyway, lately, yeah I've noticed the relationship thing becoming more and more frequent in the comic, and kinda moving away from the action stories that we loved so much, nowadays the comic makes me wonder, will there EVER be another classic as good as Mecha Madness or the Sonic Quest mini series? Will the Super Specials be brought back? Lord, I hope so.
For decades, Archie Comics has depended primarily on stories involving the relationships of one red-headed teenager.
...I guess they're applying the old lesson: "When in doubt, go with what you know."
finitevus was supposed to be dmitri? that actually makes alot of sense. whereas m25yl could've contradicted it, remember that it's only a possible future.
i'll add more later because it's a very interesting subject, but alas i am tired.
The fact that Finitevus and Dimitri are two seperate people in a possible future logically suggests that they must be two seperate people in the present time. After all, if Dimitri and Fin are the same, that would make M25yl an IMpossible future.
yeah, i guess, you're right, but i'm really interested to see where that would go.
it seemed like a good idea. since, for the most part in RTAI Finitevus didn't seem Evil, more angry. but the way ian is writing him, it seems like he's just insane.
