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Tips for Reading Sonic Archie Comics?


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So as a kid, I was fully aware of the existence of the Archie Sonic Comics. Unfortunately, little me at that time was too busy playing New Super Mario Bros Wii, so I never got to read them.

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But alas, I'm older and "wiser" and is now more committed to the Sonic Franchise. Due to this I want to start reading all, and I mean all of the comics of the Archie Sonic series.

In other words, (without spoilers) is there anything I should know when diving into the comics? Like, what's the Pre/Post-Super Genesis Wave and stuff like that?

 

Edited by ChaoticPix
Grammatical Errors

While I never really read the main Archie comic series growing up, I did grow up reading Sonic Universe whenever I got the chance.  They’re really good one-off arcs featuring the wider Sonic cast and you don’t really have to know much about the wider universe to get enjoyment out of their stories.  That’s where I would start if I were you, just to get a sense of what that part of the franchise is like.

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I'll leave suggestions on where to start or what to read to others in the thread.

But broadly, the #1 thing I'd suggest is, just be aware of what it is: a 25-year-long series that shifted pretty significantly in its aims and tone across its run, varying based on leadership, writers, and artists. It was a series that, for most of its life, was more interested in building its own internal mythology and interpretation of the franchise than building off of the stories and world of the games. And that mythology is wild, but indulges in some of the weird excesses of sci-fi and fantasy pretty hard, especially in the earlier half.  It also leans hard into the soap opera aspect (no wonder coming from the home of one of culture's longest running love triangles), so I hope you enjoy or at least tolerate extended love interest plot threads.

Beyond that, enjoy, and I hope that you find an appreciation for this historical artifact from a time when SEGA was barely holding the leash on Sonic brand continuity! It's a weird but (mostly) fun time.

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If you want to know EVERYTHING about Archie Sonic, it goes without saying start at the first issue. Even when Ian Flynn makes his start into his career of Sonic taking over the writing reins in Issue #160, he still uses material that goes WAY, way back to the early days that artists and writers before him neglected or forgot about, like the Iron Queen.

But if you want a more game-centric take, then start with Issue #252 where you don't have to know much about anything that came before that point. That's when the reboot fully hits.

Just remember that it's always been it's own thing: it uses and adapts many game elements, but it does so with its own take much like how the Sonic Movies veer off into their own thing while using game elements and plots, some of which you might like more than the games and others not so much.

Edited by ChaosSupremeSonic
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Ian Flynn's run starts with 160, the big reboot Genisis wave is 252, issues 1-24 are largely gag era stuff, 25-50 mostly like SatAM. 54-68 the world tour arc, aka the Nagus arc. The tossed in Space arc starts in 126. You won't see Shadow until like 124. I urge you not to go in with any preconceived notions and to enjoy the ride. Do read Mecha Madness. it's great.

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Many people will suggest having the broad strokes of the material up to #159 and start right from #160. Not sure I entirely agree with that. If you wanna go straight to the rebooted material, start from #252. However, #160 onward itself is reliant on material from the older books.

The quality and time could be rather inconsistent from that one. I feel like #160 onwards was when it truly got more consistent with what it wanted to be. Still, if you're interested in seeing this evolution for yourself, start with the original four-issue miniseries and go from there. They at least tried to make this material matter, until legal issues pretty much forced them to ignore it in the reboot.

If you plan to read everything, there is much tricks to it. Just reading orders.

But to give you general eras, so you know what to expect.

1-20 GAG
Puns, 4th wall breaks, references. Cute, harmless fun.
Knuckles is introduced.

21-50 SATAM
40 % stories are funny, 60% serious more less. A bit more continuity, arcs, the most like cartoon period. First attemps at love triangles melodrama.
Knuckles gets quite a lot of okay-ish stories

51-75 DUAL BOOK
Very experimental era, a lot of ideas will be thrown against the wall to see what sticks. Some good, some bad.
Love live melodramas intensify and will be one worse part of the comics.
Knuckles gets his own book. There are 2 crossovers, so you should read this part in order:
Knuckles 7-9, Sonic 56-57, Knuckles 10-11, Sonic 58, Knuckles 12
I feel like warning now: Penders is pretty good at setting mysteries and making you excited for next Knuckes issue, but answer come slowly and are rarely satisfying.

76-125 SOAP OPERA
Era when no one knew what to do next with the book. Way too much melodrama, love triangles, not enough action or adventure. Around 105 the plot will just pause with a bunch of filler-ish ? And art will hit it's lowest.
Knuckles book was canceled so his adventures continues in 5-page back-up stories. Penders will not be able to adjust, giving the story snail's pace.

126-159 TRANSITION
A weird period when book finally tried to figure what to do with itself, even if two main writers kept fighting each other. Books finally gets some kind of momentum, but also this is the home of few worst stories Sonic ever produced.

160-291 FLYNN
Is this the perfect era? No
Were questionable decisions made? Sure
Is art as good as IDW? Many times no.
Is it way better, both art and story than everything before? Are Sega characters like Shadow, Silver or Cream finally utilized and characterized properly? Will you scenarios never seen in IDW, cartoons or games? Is it fun read?
Yes, yes, yes, yes

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