#225
August 2003
#225
August 2003
CONTROL ZONE
Hey Boomers!
The sun is scorching, the surf is up and it’s about time for another
thrilling online STC! It warmed my circuits to see the reaction to our online splash-down last issue. There was so much mail sent our way that we just didn’t have time to give you all replies, but thanks to everyone who wrote in. Never underestimate the power of vocal humes!
Right then, I think it’s time we had some new strips. This issue Sonic proves that even cool hedgehogs need to cool off sometimes, heading to the bottom of the ocean to look for the Floating Island. Meanwhile, Tails is making a splash as he defends Metropolis City from the cunning Nack the Weasel.
Sadly Boomers, hume delay has meant that Knuckles won’t be joining us this issue, but stay tuned for his future adventures soon!
Eagle-eyed boomers will also notice the brand new back issues section! You’ll find issue 224 there for your reading pleasure!
Have fun and stay cool!
DATA ZONE
The Story So Far...
Sonic’s battle with the terrifying Chaos creature was going badly until Ebony showed up with her friend, Super Sonic. Super had split from Sonic and had become a pacifist, never daring to use the terrible power that the chaos energy bestowed upon him.
That all changed when he absorbed Chaos’ energy and reverted to a terrifying monster. Luckily, Ebony was able to merge Sonic and Super again – back to the way it was in the beginning.
With Chaos destroyed, the Chaos Emeralds recovered and Robotnik captured, it appears that Sonic’s troubles are finally over. Now he has time to embark on a new mission – to find the Floating Island which has sunk beneath the ocean!
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COMICS
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COVER
SONIC
TAILS
PINUPS
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SPEEDLINES
View all of our original Speedlines letters in the original version of our site (link in the footer) or start a new conversation below.
Unfortunately, we can’t re-print them all, but here’s some of our favourites!
Spice Artist
Dear Megadroid,
I’ve managed to have a look at the work and I’m very impressed.
It is so nice to know that the work we did on STC has had such an influence (on at least a few people!) and that the work you’re producing is of such a professional standard, both in writing and artwork. There seems to be a nice mixture of influences from both the American and British strips in the artwork for the Sonic strip. The freedom from having to comform to style sheets has allowed you to come up with a really fresh looking approach. And you’ve used Ebony! It’s so cool to see you drawing a character that I helped create. It makes me realise we weren’t working in as much of a void as I thought. Any chance you might use the Spice Maidens? Just kidding. Heh.
A couple of slight criticisms: when I opened up the pages, they resized to such an extent that I was unable to read the lettering. I had to save the pages to look at them properly. It would be better to have the pages come up full size and let people scroll down them? I’m not keen on the Tails lettering, either. I far prefer that on the Sonic strip. Did you know that Roberto Corona uses that translucent balloon effect on his Welcome to Heck strip?
http://www.komikwerks.com/comic_title.php?ti=49
Other than that, it’s a lovely looking piece of work. Most of all, I’m just really amazed that you’ve put all this together. If I don’t have to meet a deadline, I’m hopeless at producing anything much! I hope there’s going to be more to come? I’ll look forward to further instalments.
Cheers,
Nigel Dobbyn
Nigel Dobbyn was the genius art hume behind many of the Knuckles stories, including the debuts of the Kohenyu, Ebony, Pirate Queen Zorabel, the Tantaragor, Hammerhead, the elite crime team that attacked the Floating Island (Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta) and others, too numerous to mention.
Thanks for your letter, Nigel! It’s great to hear from a golden-age artists like yourself.
By the way, the STC Online humes are regularly in stitches over Roberto Corona’s splendid “Welcome to Heck” – all Boomers should take a look!
No Good!
Dear Megadroid,
What can I say, except, no, no, no, no, NO!
I don’t know what I’d done to deserve this, but this is NOT the STC I read and loved, oh no, far from it. The new online style has ruined it, but not in any way near the amount it’s been ruined by the fact that some fans made it. I used to love STC, I really, truly, honestly did, but now… now I don’t know what to do with it anymore. It angers me to see that such a high quality and amazing Comic as STC has been left in the hands of whom I see as incapable people, who can’t seem to grasp what STC was, and still should be today.
I’m sure this will get me on the bad side of many people, but as an STC fan for many years, I can safely say that my favourite comic of all time has just been destroyed. I would rather go on without STC at all, than continue to read this.
Unless things improve, I will have no change of opinion on this at all, and can say with no regrets that this Comic is not worthy of the name Sonic the Comic, in any way at all. It’s just awful.
All the best (how ironic that sounded),
Rich C (Fan of the TRUE Sonic the Comic)
Don’t hold back, Rich – tell us what you really think!
Art Critique
Dear Megadroid,
At the ripe old age of twenty-one, I’ve sorely missed STC since it departed the shelves of our newsagents. You’ve all done a brilliant job of capturing the feel of the original comic.
I would have to confess to not being as fond of the “Sonic Adventure”-inspired “stretched” look that Sonic’s taken on in the main strip, although it works very well with Tails and Nack, but perhaps that’s the artist. “Amy vs. Tekno” was nothing short of beautiful – was that painted? It was so much more striking than the digital colouring of the other strips (although they were great too). Mainly, it brought back memories of the earlier issues of STC, with the painted colouring. Simply excellent.
And words can’t describe the thrill I got seeing Megadroid again! What’s the old fella up to now, Mark III? Ah, Boomers, Humes… it all comes roaring back. This is a wonderful thing you’ve made, here.
Any chance of seeing Brutus or the Metallixes make returns from the grave? They always were my favourite villains.
Chris McFeely
In STC, Chris, anything can happen!
Old Favourites
Dear Megadroid,
First of all I must say a big hearty congratulations to all involved in the making of this comic. I’m not a big fan of fan-comics, but I can easily say that this is an exception. Everything about it feels right, like the return of Megadroid! I hope that this can continue for a long time, and with the original staff’s blessings I feel I can see it for some time now! What do you think the chances are of them contributing to the comic?
Also, I would like to know if there will be a return of old Sega favourites Shinobi, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe and Kid Chameleon? I do remember in the 2nd and final story that Casey was going to battle the voice but we never heard anything about it, and whether Joe would finally defeat Neo Zeed etc!
During the entire 8+ year run of STC I was kicking myself that I never sent a letter to the STC offices and felt like an elite boomer who got their letter printed, but now with the new STC I can finally do so!
Keep up the good work,
Best regards,
Benjamin Copeman
You can indeed, Benjamin! It’s a safe bet that continuations of the classic Sega strips from a bygone era will surface sooner or later, but there’s nothing in the immediate future.
Join the conversation!
Hume-in-Charge: Michael Corker
Special thanks this issue to:
Ed Reynolds, Michael Corker, Nigel Kitching, Richard Elson, Dave Bulmer, Thalia Evans, Tom Huxley, Zak Simmonds-Hurn, Nigel Dobbyn
Sonic the Comic is copyright © Egmont Magazines Ltd. Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters © SEGA. Other characters belong to their creators. Used without permission. Published by the Sonic the Comic online team. This comic is only available on the internet.