Sonic the Oz-Hog Act 4/12: Knux Readux!

Knuckles the Echidna Volume 2 issue 1 AU Publication Date: 14th April 1997 Price: $2.70

Spinoffs. No self-respecting media can live with them. No self-aggrandising media can live without them. And for those of us who lived through the space year that was 1997, corporations were chomping at the bit for a slice of those sweet spinoff dollarydoos.

Best place to start and witness such influence would be, arguably, the cinema. After Baz Luhrmann's blockbuster remake Romeo + Juliet spent weeks atop the box office, the majority of March was a bitter struggle between Wes Craven's thriller Scream and Cameron Crowe's football drama Jerry Maguire. A fascinating if ultimately pointless grudge match between two distinct genres. For all their efforts, neither claimed victory when by month's end, a film 20 years their senior blasted both off the map. The Star Wars Special Editions had arrived.

The promotion (and merchandise deals) was huge. A New Hope proved an instant hit, swiftly followed on 10th April by The Empire Strikes Back. Everything old was new again, and the re-hits just kept coming. Audiences pounded the pavements, eager to revisit Jurassic Park when its sequel The Lost World saw release on 29th May (only a week after its US premiere, a then-impressive feat). Superhero buffs ignored the winter freeze to watch Batman and Robin on 26th June, a film often lauded yet pulled respectable numbers and local reviews at the time.

Speaking of space, following a successful campaign through latter 1996, the Oddbodz were back. Smith's Chips and Glow Zone launched their second series of 61 collectable glow-in-the-dark cards featuring a myriad of wacky, wicked and occasionally controversial space-themed characters. If gross-out humour wasn't your speed, ripping into packs of Thins, Ruffles, Cheetos or Doritos chips instead offered adventures in a galaxy far far away with official Star Wars 3D Magic Motion and Techno Tazos.

After the toyline's initial launch in January, Beast Wars had successfully put Transformers back on the map, though kids would have to wait at least three more months to see their favourite characters in animated action. To Channel 7's credit, they at least gave the program a decent timeslot. More than can be said for Channel 9's decision that April to broadcast the all-new Star Trek: Voyager season 2 and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 4 at the ghastly time of 11pm weeknights.

In spite of the former losing 30 minutes off its timeslot, the rivalry between weekday morning children's entertainment continued between Agro's Cartoon Connection and Cheez TV. Both were banking on the spinoff craze, and viewers waking up 14th April could choose between the premiere of Power Rangers Zeo episode 'Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise', or the premiere of Earthworm Jim episode 'Darwin's Nightmare'. For the musically inclined, American rockers No Doubt had enjoyed 8 weeks atop the music charts with the third single on their third album, 'Don't Speak'. At least until April saw them bumped off by Aussie pop prodigy Savage Garden and their third single 'Truly Madly Deeply'.

But of all the spinoffs to arise and bedazzle locals, after three years of development and an exclusive preview party the night prior, SEGA World Sydney opened its doors at 4pm on Saturday 22nd March 1997. Touted in print and on TV as "Australia's Largest Indoor Theme Park!", it offered hours of unrivalled entertainment and programs for Sydneysiders and visitors alike. Anyone who could afford its hefty entry fee lost themselves in all the games and rides they could handle (except Mortal Kombat, which was pulled last-minute). An escape into pixilated fantasy guaranteed to forget their real-world troubles for several hours. Mundane adult things like Victoria and Western Australia's brief yet brutal summer bushfire seasons where 3 lives and some 59 homes were lost. Or how after one year into the top job, captain conservative John Howard faced international anger over comments at the United Nations General Assembly, and local anger over casual dismissing threats by extreme right-wing rival Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.

Be it stage shows, costumed cameos and all types of merchandise featuring their antics, fans of Sonic, Tails, Sally and Robotnik were in paradise. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for a fifth member of the cast. For someone who enjoyed strong popularity and a species originating right there, SEGA World put the bare minimum effort into giving Knuckles the Echidna his own time to shine. A remarkable oversight undoubtedly leaving young fans wondering where that embattled echidna was hiding. As luck would soon have it, they needn't look far.

Nestled comfortably among the shelves between Sonic issues 45 and 46 came Knuckles: The Dark Legion. Sales had proven strong enough (or at least stronger than Tails and Sally's comics) to warrant the development of a second miniseries. Exciting in its own right, only amplified when exclusively announced through AOL in January 1997 it would evolve to a fully-fledged ongoing spinoff. No longer was trotting off to the newsagents exclusively a Friday end-of-month treat. Knuckles' arrival meant a mandatory Monday mid-month booster for us deprived of Mobian adventures.

Over the course of its 32 issue run, Knuckles the Echidna was, much like Endgame two months later, once praised as a pinnacle of Archie Sonic. Fans adored the series, giving ol' Rad Red his own unique mythos and adventures. While Sonic naffed around aimlessly in a post-Robotnik world, we saw Knuckles as the cool, 'mature' comic. He had stakes. He had drama. Quite a turnaround after the heavy criticism its writer took in late 1996 over Sally's leaked demise. Within months he was described as "a kewl writer!", or "one of the ONLY "good" and "balanced" writers Archie has", or how they're "so much better then sonic comics now its not funny." with "all the good villains and family members." Fans swarmed en mass to his WWWBoard, creating their own stories, characters and entire websites tied to the Brotherhood and Dark Legion. Not everyone agreed on the book's mission statement "Why does everybody liek it so much? All it is really is a bunch of Penders' characters running around with slight appearacnes by Chaotix and occasionally knuckles himself.", but it made a lot of other people happy. Enough for both The Dark Legion and Lost Paradise reissued as 'back catalogue' orders to selected comic book stores in late 2004.

And just like Endgame, those nostalgic memories have since dissipated when adults reflected on his tales with matured, scrutinous eyes. We grow. We learn. We reevaluate on what was once adored as adolescents, realising perhaps those good times weren't all that good. Maybe the series and characters were fine in concept but lacked competent execution. Maybe our childish expectations meant they were never good to begin with and the critics were right all along.

The youthful, creative glory days from the late-90's to mid-2000's of Knuckles of an Echidna, Kragok Comics, Echidna Gals, Dark Legion HQ, Echidnapolis, Knux Redux, Tisha-Li's Dark Legion Camp, Kensuke Aida's Julie-Su Shrine, Echidnoyle, Shattered Moonlight, Knuckles 9000, Kiri Megami's Chaotix Hideout, Darkest Mysteries, and of course True Red's mighty Knuckles Haven have long passed.

It's from learning said past our futures are forged, but do any of these characters have a future? Do they even deserve a future?

Or maybe it's just best they're all forever banished to the Twilight Zone of cultural irrelevance.

Next Time: For years I said it wouldn't be done. Yet promises, like the hearts and cheekbones of fictitious rodents, were made to be broken. Will May's hedgie rectrospect-y truly be worthy of such hate? Or have revisionists painted a far worse picture over the past two decades?

< Previous \ Index / Next >

Sonic the Oz-Hog Act 3/12: Maximum Khanage!

Sonic the Hedgehog issue 92 AU Publication Date: 9th March 2001 Price: $4.98

No self-deprecating musings or long-winded prologues this month. There's quite a bit to cover, so let's just dive into round three of this rodent-related rabbling retrospect.

Much can change in the space of three years. Australia had come far since the release of January 1998's Sonic Firsts, and unfortunately not all of it positive. After half a decade of insistently proclaiming the policy was dead, then-Fearless Leader John Howard pulled a spectacular electoral backflip and, by the skin of its teeth, legislated the GST. From 1st July 2000, goods and services across the land were hit with a 10% price hike. The policy was marketed to voters as a means of easing tax collection by procuring money during production, as opposed to a US-style system of adding percentages at checkout. It didn't quite work out smoothly as they hoped, and the policy remains as decisive today as it was over 20 years ago.

Barely any products were spared from the increase, including publications produced locally and imported. MAD Magazine took the government to task with their infamous "GST Free" issue 377, jumping from $3.95 (cheap!) to $4.35 (not so cheap!). Comic books equally suffered; X-Men might've stopped Onslaught, but they couldn't stop the rise from $4.25 to $4.68, and for anyone not quick enough to buy issue 84 immediately, Sonic the Hedgehog spun up $4.50 to hover around the $5 mark before eventually settling at $4.95. A far cry from the glory days of 1993's piggy bank busting $2.25.

From a cynical standpoint, the GST's timely implementation felt like an attempt to monopolize on the impending tourist trade. Within two months, Australia would take global limelight with the Sydney Olympic Games, or as the late Juan Antonio Samaranch infamously declared "Syddernee!". Thousands travelled from overseas to watch the two week event, while millions tuned into Channel Seven to cheer on our teams bringing home 58 medals, an unprecedented tally which remains unbeaten to this day. Unfortunately the government's price hike failed to aid the flailing SEGA World Sydney, which closed its doors one final time a month after the closing ceremony.

Beyond a hectic few days in South Australia, the 2000-01 summer bushfire season was...n't that bad. A very surprising and much-needed reprieve before the catastrophic events come year's end. Eminem and Dido's collaboration Stan was just about to knock LeAnn Rimes off musical pole position. Steven Soderbergh's Traffic usurped Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe's thrilling Proof of Life as the countries number one film, but only one week before losing to the month-long reign of Miss Congeniality. DVD's and Wi-Fi were still foreign objects, thus Hollow Man was Video Ezy's top VHS release.

When it came to media domination however, a new king stood proud. Having won hearts and wallets throughout 1999, former children's champion Pikachu and pals were overthrown by the arrival of Goku and his crew. Initially launched on 31st January 2000, it wouldn't be until a heavy promotional push come July that Aussies fell head over heels into the world of Dragon Ball Z.

By 9th March 2001, the series was unstoppable; toys, magazines, bedspreads, videotapes, cards, Crazy Bones and virtually everything in between. Dragon Ball Z came, saw and conquered, and on that particular day, Aussies tuned into Cheez TV at 8am to lap up the premiere of Last Ditch Effort. Having suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Androids 17 and 18, the Z Warriors are left arguing among themselves as Piccolo sets out to make a life-changing decision. Meanwhile there's little Chi-Chi and Yamcha can do to assist the ailing Goku, having been struck down by the insidious Heart Virus. A situation only compounded with the ruthless Androids slowly closing in on their hideout.

It's a level of public praise Archie Comics could only envy.

The comic industry had been reeling for years. Sales were down all over the board, distributors barely getting books to shelves, and smaller retail chains dropping titles left and right. Archie had a solid track record, but columnists predicted the company would be lucky to reach 2006, sooner depending on how the Dan DeCarlo litigations went. Money was tight, and had it not been for the injection of revenue and public interest from the live-action Sabrina the Teenage Witch, even their top-selling speeder came perilously close to cancellation.

In an attempt to keep Sonic alive, editor Justin Gabrie was given the unenviable order of trimming the fat, which in true comic book fashion meant abruptly dropping all their freelancers. For several months no new stories were purchased, instead running whatever material was left on file. Unfortunately most of said freelancers had moved on by the time Archie's embargo was lifted, resulting in a 'skeleton crew' of two writers, two artists and two inkers. It didn't last, as by 2001, one artist had departed for the House of Mouse and the other publicly fired.

Issue 92's double billing of The Wrath of Khan and Sonic Shuffle: Premonition perfectly encapsulated the turbulent turmoil behind closed doors. With nobody available to draw the main story, Marvel stalwart Michael Higgins was rushed in. What should've been a happy reunion with former co-conspirator Karl Bollers was anything but, as he was given only the script and several back issues for reference. The finished product proved hardly his finest work, being unfamiliar with the franchise he resorted to tracing panels from said back issues just to meet the incredibly tight deadline. All while SEGA demanded at the last minute 8 pages be dedicated to promoting their latest game.

For all Archie's efforts getting the book out on time and into fan hands, said audience were furious once it arrived. Already incited after an impromptu interview with artist James Fry revealed newcomer Mina Mongoose was set up as Sonic's new love interest, they let it be known under no uncertain terms that 2001's first offering was a sign of the apocalypse. "Cancelled!" they hollered, with "If it makes it into next year, I'll be very impressed" and "They bury themselves in plot holes, and the artists try WAY too hard to make it look more of an anime instead of a comic book" between bitter breaths. Karl Bollers and James Fry were routinely harassed on Usenet and AIM for doing their jobs, and after spending years as everyone's favourite punching bag, Nate Morgan was temporarily sidelined to make space for Mina.

The sheer vitriol aimed towards the teen mongoose was staggering. Pointless for a comic book character, but staggering. Her design was ridiculed, her name (rumoured to be a Sailor Venus homage at the time) gutted, her super speed lauded, and her connection to Sonic (feeble as it was) lambasted. Fans labelled her as "pure fan character crap there to drive the nail into SatAM's coffin". Witnessing hate spiels on message boards became par the course, while enterprising fans littered Sonic HQ and teamARTAIL with art of Mina scribbled or outright slaughtered.

It's ironic. 2001 kicked off with fans jumping online to complain about the comic's writing, Geoffrey St. John being an underhanded jerk, and Mina Mongoose' existence heavily resented. And while the entire creative team changed between them, 2011 kicked off with... fans jumping online to complain about the comic's writing, Geoffrey St. John being an underhanded jerk, and Mina Mongoose' existence heavily resented. The more things change.

A pity life turned out the way they did. Somewhere is an alternate universe where Archie Sonic was never rebooted, a universe where I can only begin to imagine what Mina did to cheese off readers in early 2021.

Next Time: The mayhem continues in April with the revisitation of a spinoff comic equally popular as it was polarising. Until then, have a reconstruction of March 2001's personal survival kit. Life was fairly turbulent back then, but certainly could've been far worse compared to travesties going on in the world then and as now. Never forget to be grateful for what we already have and give even a minute of our times for those without. Even just lending an ear to someone worse off can make all the difference.

&lt; Previous \ Index / Next >

Sonic the Oz-Hog Act 2/12: All My Friends are Echidnapped!

Sonic the Hedgehog issue 244 AU Publication Date: 20th February 2013 Price: $6.50

Back for more, eh? Unfortunately the time has come for a shocking second installment in these monthly musings of hedgehog history. Why? Maybe it's the masochist in me. Nostalgic pertinence? Stockholm Syndrome? Whichever way, reflecting on the past can be a merciless drug. Archie Sonic is long cancelled and unlikely to be of any further significance within my lifetime, so where lies the point of writing these posts nobody would rightfully read anyway?

Lunacy. Sheer lunacy.

If this is the result of two posts, part twelve will likely be DOA. When one considers the legacy of pointless shouting matches, ego stroking and litigations this comic suffered equally as it caused, giving it any thoughts beyond apoplectic is almost self-destructive. Still, if the book's vivid international history is to ever see the light of day again, guess I must make use of whatever avenues are at hand. Thus in the epic tradition of another 12-part pop culture event, if last month's introspective retrospective on Sonic Super Special 3 was a 'Nightmare Begins' scenario, then now comes a true 'Day of Armageddon'.

It's 20th February. Among the dwindling selection of comic books available across newsagents was a new high-speed hedgehog adventure. A multi-part story many moons in the making handled by a long-time writer which saw Knuckles take front and centre. With cameos from an echidna cast, he faced off against a powerful enemy destined to change the very future of Mobius. A story only superseded by immense publication turmoil that it left writer and editor scrambling by the seats of their pants, leading to a fanbase bitterly disappointed by its depressingly dour and rushed conclusion.

But we're not talking about issue 131. An incredible coincidence to be sure, but hardly a welcome one. Instead let's take a trip forward nine more years to that very same day in 2013.

The state of Australian politics were, as ever, chaotic. Julia Gillard, the nation's first female Prime Minister, was reaching the end of her turbulent three year term in the top job. Despite legislating sweeping changes to assist disabled citizens, better internet, student education and environmental protection, her conservative detractors were ruthless. Be it newspapers, radio or self-aggrandizing musicians, their demands to "burn the witch" were loud and clear, and none more so than misogynistic maestro and onion connoisseur Tony Abbott.

It wouldn't be an Aussie summer without bushfires, and true to form, early 2013 was plentiful. Records for hottest days previously set in January 1998 were smashed. Volunteer firefighters travelled the wide charred land to tame nature's chaos, resulting in multiple deaths. Thankfully the worst had already come to pass by this point as the extreme weather gradually wound down. A difficult recovery time began for many, but with hindsight on our sides, that summer paled compared to the sheer tragedy which awaited us come October.

Life that February wasn't all doom and gloom. Millions of viewers tuned in Channel 10 to watch our home teams weave their way to gold in the Sochi Olympics. Martin Scorsese's adaptation of 'The Wolf of Wall Street' was number one at the box office. Red Hot Chili Peppers led the charge for the 20th Big Day Out concert. Stone Music Festival swept the land later, spearheaded after a last-second venue shift by the triumphant return of Aerosmith, their first Aussie tour in over 20 years. And I suppose it's worth a mention how 'Harlem Shake' toppled P!nk and Nate Ruess' dominance of the charts for a grand total of… one week.

Baauer wasn't the only one left shaking. Upon conclusion of the 20th anniversary tale 'Genesis', a discontent among Archie Sonic readers began to seep across message boards. Questions and critiques over the book's direction, plus whether editorial or SEGA were responsible, became increasingly frequent topics of fiery debate. A sentiment which reached a peak by the time Sonic Universe's 'Scrambled' arc ran its course, ultimately spilling over to the BumbleKing Forums.

In response, Ian Flynn called an official "State of the Books" topic on 11th May 2012 for fans to civilly discuss their grievances. It's important to remember the fanbase was already running on knife's edge since certain litigations were announced back in July 2010, which intentionally or unintentionally influenced several commentators. Critiques over its 48 pages ranged from slowly erasing the Freedom Fighters in favour of game characters, a meandering plot going around in circles, Sonic himself being a boring hero, a lack of Knuckles, to forced melodrama and a constant string of depressing losses (complaints fans already aired to former writers a decade earlier. Oh, the more things change…). In spite of fan disagreements, civility won the day.

Which sadly could not be said when issue 244 was released. Once it became clear the story was hastily rewritten at the behest of Collen IP to remove legally contentious cast, forum members hit the roof in an intense 34 page debate. "Convoluted and convenient", "This. Development. Sucks!" and "Empty filler" were slung around. Nor was veteran artist Steven Butler spared, yet again heavily criticized for his page layouts and character proportions. One optimistic commentator opined "Why do i have a feeling that when issue 245 comes out everybody that was worrying a lot is going to wind up loving this arc?". A resolution they'd have to find elsewhere after the thread was locked.

"Where is everyone?" Knuckles yelled on the first page as he wandered into the abandoned wasteland of Albi-erm, echidna homeland. A good question, rad red. Perhaps they're all hung over after last night's Cliff Richard in Melbourne concert.

'Endangered Species' is Archie's ultimate Monkey's Paw story. The mind boggles how this same company who infamously toppled Dan DeCarlo and set creators rights back to the stone age ended up firing their own legal team. What should read like an Outhousers article is now part of Sonic's history. Yet for all the readers upset over cast culling, plenty more made it shamelessly clear they approved the move.

Page 11's "Now then -- to clean up the garbage." became a call to arms for fans sick of the series' expansive echidna cast. After 'Return to Angel Island' set the standard, they were poised, primed, ready for latter-era Archie Sonic to continue its indulgence in some permanent eth-chidna cleansing. No matter the character or relevance to the plot, "And nothing of value was lost" echoed across BumbleKing and beyond. A selfishly spiteful sentiment people steadfastly hold to this very day.

T(h)rash would be proud.

Next Time: Swing back to March 2001, a time where Sonic faced a foe far greater than any robo scientist or machine monkey could dare compare. The very real and deadly threat that was… mass unemployment? Had things behind the scenes truly gotten that bad for Riverdale's top-selling high-speed hero? Absolutely. But for Australia, it was Friday.

&lt; Previous | Index | Next >

Sonic the Oz-Hog Act 1/12: Never Forget Your Firsts!

Sonic Super Special issue 3 AU Publication Date: 14th January 1998 Price: $3.95

It's January 1998. The Rural Fires Act had come into effect just in time, for the nation's traditional summer of sports were only superseded by its traditional summer of bushfires. Both east and west coasts had taken a hammering through a combination of record breaking heatwaves and arsonists, leading to at least four preventable deaths. Residents praying for rain got more than they bargained for within days when fires gave way to weeks of floods and cyclones.

Any kids looking to escape the ravaging weather would be disappointed; 1998 was the first summer in nearly 20 years of waking up to a host-less morning show. After one complaint from moral guardians too many, beloved wisecracking puppet Agro was booted from his own program, with Channel Seven instead offering repeats of Gargoyles, The Jetsons and All Dogs Go to Heaven. The lack of Agro meant Channel Ten's rival program Cheez TV had little to worry about, and it showed with their own January lineup of Transformers Generation Two, Spider-Man and The Tick repeats.

Having vowed to never introduce a 10% tax on all goods and services under their watch, John Howard’s conservative Government prepared to backflip on their election promise. A move destined to make teen wallets even lighter when buying CD singles of that month's chart-topping song, Aqua's Doctor Jones. Personally the already high price of CDs was of little concern back then, instead more worried about accidentally sleeping in Saturday mornings and miss another installment of The Dinky-Di's quest to stop Earth's number-one eco enemy Mephisto. Sadly if ratings were any indication, I was the only one waking up early enough to watch anyway.

Names including “Beetleborgs”, “Extreme Dinosaurs”, “Venus DeMilo” and “Pokemon” were unheard of, though would certainly go on to pester parents by year's end. SEGA World Sydney, Australia's largest indoor theme park and last refuge for everyone's favourite rodent, was crawling towards its first anniversary. Two new final volumes of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, a series which hadn't aired on TV in years by that point, trundled onto VHS with all the invigoration of an afterthought. In short the high-speed hedgehog's classic heyday was coming to an end.

Yet things weren't all doom and gloom. For fans still yearning that new hedgey action, Archie Sonic continued to thrive among the mass of imported titles jostling for pole position on newsagent shelves. Quantities were plentiful and demand remained strong, even through a whole dollar price increase by year's end.

As the title boasts, life is built on firsts. Those unforgettable turning points destined to remain etched within our minds. Be them first kiss, first job, first concert or even first Star Wars action figure. When we grow old, the urge swells to reflect or even revisit those small, beautiful starting points. It's a feeling Archie certainly shared, with their appropriately first comic to reach Aussie shores that year: Sonic Firsts.

For a publisher who spent decades following the Mad Magazine bread-and-butter approach of constantly publishing past material, it’s surprising Archie took so long adding their best-selling title to the reprint rotisserie. Within its fancy 48 pages, Sonic Firsts offered a quartet of classic adventures invaluable to new readers while attempting to smooth out what eventually became continuity snares. Michael Gallagher and Scott Shaw! kicked things off with the eponymous Don't Cry For Me, Mobius, a fine starting point for the comic if ever there was one. Rabbot Deployment saw Shaw! superseded by Dave Manak and the introduction of Bunnie, who was granted something of a backstory when such things for anyone outside Sonic and Sally was rare. The pair returned for their flatulence flaunting The Lizard of Odd, an otherwise standard tale if not for Super Sonic's debut. Mike Kanterovich and Ken Penders brought it home with This Island Hedgehog, a straightforward misadventure which nobody could've guessed at the time just how important (or bloated, take your pick) a certain Rad Red's life story would become.

For some newsagents the switch to Sonic Super Special's permanently numbered quarterly format proved difficult to grasp. This issue was often solicited by retailers as Brave New World, raising more than a few eyebrows on parents who already forked out for that edition. It was unusual but ultimately humourous in hindsight when years later, the first eight issues of Sonic Universe were billed as Sonic X. But more on that another time.

The Special was a success for Archie. It showed there was a market for reprints among Sonic fans, even if it took several more years to truly milk its potential. Fans could fork out the standard price for their 48 page floppy, or if feeling a little more extravagant, shell out double the price for a comic book shop exclusive 'perfect-bound' edition. Touted by Archie as "Sonic's first ever Trade Paperback", the simultaneously released special boasted heavier cover stock and a minimally-formatted introduction by former editor/writer Paul Castiglia. If that wasn't enough, both versions were later reissued (either 1:1 perfect reprints or just unmoving warehouse stock, you be the judge.) to comic shops among a slew of 'back catalogue' miniseries and specials around late 2004. Marvellous.

In all, Sonic Firsts was a nifty if unintended celebration just in time and right on the mark for Archie Sonic’s 5th anniversary. The future was bright and the only way was up. Juuuuuust pay no heed to one of the Special's writers banging on about reprint royalties when this issue was announced. They certainly did. :P

Next Time: Take a flier to the comic's future as everyone's favourite embattled Echidna faces a deeply personal dilemma. A true clash for the ages which left both fans and editor reeling from its outcome. Will things ever be the same again? Will this description quit with the cheesy song references? Unlikely.

< Previous \ Index / Next >

Sonic the Oz-Hog: The Unfortunately Obligatory Self-Aggrandizing Introductory Post-a-Roony.

Some of humanity's finest and beloved stories are built on myths. Tales of grandeur passed down through generations, further embellished with each storyteller's spin. Unequivocal, unquestionable, and under no uncertain terms the real deal. At least until something strides along to suggest otherwise.

Modern fandoms are hardly different. Be it trying to reconcile conflicting facts or pushing their own biased agendas to win worthless arguments, the myths automatically evolve into facts. Conventional wisdom dictates Thunderbirds co-creator Gerry Anderson always hated puppets, an opinion he expressed later in life yet was quite the opposite in its heyday. The warehouse in Toronto intentionally hoarding dozens of missing Doctor Who episodes omni rumour which plagued fans through the early 90's. Or the established "truth" Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman loathes Venus DeMilo, when he has gone on public record multiple times how proud he is of the character.

Hardly equivocal to the above examples, let alone important in the grander scheme of life, is the purported "fact" the former Sonic the Hedgehog comics produced by Archie were purely a United States product and never made available to anybody living elsewhere around the globe.

A bizarre patriotism effort? Cheap shots trying to downplay the comic for one reason or another? Who's to say? If only Archie had printed some type of page in each issue which fans could skim hoping to find their names. And were such a mythical page to exist, it may furthermore list which countries their monthly stack of letters originate. Diverse cultures spanning through the lands such as Canada, The Bahamas, Brazil, Trinidad, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Norway, Germany, Qatar, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore or New Zealand.

And maybe, just maybe, the majority of those budding fan letters and art beyond the US and Canada could be traced back to… Australia?

Farfetched to be sure, but no more than anything the writers and editors used to conjure up.

It astounds me to think how Archie Sonic is culturally dead and buried, has been for years and will never see the light of day again beyond a miracle, yet continues drawing an active fanbase. Much as it goes against my sensibilities and would rather never think about this series again, it's sad seeing myths such as above persist among new and old fans as irrefutable gospel. They will continue so long as nobody sets the records straight, and when some bright spark in the future writes an extensive history of the comic, will repeat those same past mistakes.

Which brings to the whole point of this post. Sonic the Oz-Hog is an experimental monthly series reflecting on the comic's long history in Australia; how readily available they were, which issues were skipped, and its enduring survival while other books crashed and burned. Twelve notable issues have been selected, each representing a different month and year (so issue 82 would cover April 2000, 163 is August 2006 etc.). Four from each decade the comic was available, and with luck intended to be posted on their original publication dates. To sweeten the deal, one issue of Sonic Super Special, Sonic X, Sonic Universe, Super Special Magazine, and yes even Knuckles will round off this randomised roster.

This isn't an in-depth analytical overview of the comics or their cast. If that's what you seek, they've already been covered many times by many better blogs, some of which can be found on this site. Instead the intent is to provide a local experience from someone who lived it first-hand. Where Australia was at the time, what rocked (or flopped) popular culture, how Sonic as a franchise was felt by the public, online fan reactions, and the gradual self-destruction of the local comic industry. Then maybe a smattering of trivia about the stories.

We live in an ever-increasingly disposable society where the old phrase of "When it's out there on the Internet, it's out there forever" fades further into irrelevance. With luck, and assuming anyone out there cares for such stuff, this information once completed can remain accessible to the next generation of fans long after I'm dead and gone. Who knows? Maybe they'll have moved on from debating the events of Say You Will by then, but I doubt it. :P

< Previous | Index | Next >

RIP Pauline Newstone

10th December marked 25 years since the Beast Wars episode Other Visits: Part 2 aired on Australian TV. Taking a moment to reflect, I vividly remember watching it (along with much of that season) on a small wall-mounted TV in a dimly-lit hospital waiting room. Hardly my idea of a grand way to spend multiple afternoons, but the prospect of more checkups and needles paled compared to the swelling dread of how, as the credits rolled, I might never see my favourite character again.

When Candice Santora announced three days later that Airazor's voice actor Pauline Newstone had passed away, that all-too familiar dread seeped its way back.

Beast Wars was far from my first foray into the world of those warrior Robots in Disguise, but certainly played an integral part of my life during the latter half of the 90's. Its writing and expansion of the Transformers history was captivating, its animation at the time second-to-none, and its voice acting nothing short of immaculate. Vancouver's finest breathed life into what could've easily been written off as another 20 minute toy commercial, but it excelled. They made the characters memorable, raw with wild, well-rounded emotions and truly raised the bar for future actors.

From the moment she burst onto the scene, I adored Airazor. Smart, sassy, more than strong enough to fight tooth and claw in battle, refused to put up with Rattrap's antics, and mistress in the art of dry wit. A welcome addition to the Maximal cast with a plethora of potential to grow. Granted the good times weren't to last; she was swiftly demoted to cannon fodder and later the role of "Mrs. Tigatron", but I was happy just to have her around. Whenever roleplaying our favourite scenes or making new adventures at school, Airazor was always my first choice. The original (and Transmetal figure a cherished Easter gift the following year) continued to have imaginative adventures after the show ran its course. For a time, something as trivial as a cartoon alien robot bird meant the world to me.

And it all came down to how awesome Ms. Newstone performed her.

It's a feeling the Aussie public clearly shared, as her video pack became one of the top 10 selling boys' toys of Christmas '98 (or maybe it's because the VHS repaint was, and remains to this day, the only version of her basic-class toy to see release here. But I digress). Yet Beast Wars proved a tip of the iceberg for Ms. Newstone's career. She lent her voice to shows including G.I. Joe, Mummies Alive!, Inuyasha, Monster Rancher, X-Men Evolution, Ninjago, and I certainly can't go without mentioning her portrayal of big baddie Frieza during Ocean Group's tenure on Dragon Ball Z (The infamous "Caressing the Balls" meme? That was her. Iconic).

Ms. Newstone was one of those voice actors I always hoped to meet someday. No means an easy feat, as she preferred to keep away from the spotlight in a fashion not dissimilar to the late Christine Cavanaugh. It would've been nice, but I understood and respected her desire for privacy, and commend the extra effort Pete and the other organizers went to adhering her "no photos" request at BotCon 2006.

Learning of her passing, let alone nobody reporting it until fellow actor Garry Chalk saw her name over six months later at the annual UBCP/ACTRA Awards, is a sad reminder how none of us are getting any younger, and each day those little things which used to give us joy slip further into the abyss of time. Cherish those memories and the ones you love, while always leaving room to create more tomorrow. Fiction generally doesn't last forever, but I like to think her memory and legacy both as a voice actor and person will for many out there.

The above image was taken back in 2011 while in Lithgow, but never made public until now. Far from my best work (assuming anything I do can be considered good to begin with :P ), but a decent day. History repeats itself, as that particular Airazor figure went on to appear in many more photos, accompanied me to multiple BotCons, a college graduation party (!), and most recently appeared on the official Oliver Brown social media page for their Rise of the Beasts promotion.

RIP Pauline Newstone. May many glasses be raised in your honour. You came, you stooped, and you sure as hell conquered.

Morganic Musings

20th November 1998 saw the 65th issue of Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog comic escape its continental cargo confines and reach the hands of Australian retailers. For us then-avid readers, it meant hopping on a bike after school to make that traditional end-of-month pledge over to the local newsagent, ready to swap a hard-earned $3.95 (and any extra loose change for an ice block when possible) for another enthralling escape to Mobius.

And yet it all felt different this time.

In the aptly titled The Fellowship of the Rings, audiences were introduced to the story of Nate Morgan. Having cameoed in the previous issue (released here on 22nd October '98 for the curious), this humble human sheltered the battered Sonic and Tails into his isolated tundra abode, while giving that nuisance Ixis Naugus a well-deserved booting out. The small, seemingly insignificant old man would prove anything but, as the issue recounted his adventures and adversities over the decades; from creating and refining the Power Rings, serving as key member of Royal Acorn court, even establishing how the Lake of Rings operated while visiting the future Knothole Village and Freedom Fighters' underground HQ

The road from concept to completion for this character was far from easy, and for years looked as though he'd never see the light of day. Morgan's origins can be traced all the way back to early 1992 during DiC's initial development of their Sonic the Hedgehog cartoons, where he was depicted in their story bible as a 110 year old black human with flowing white beard living in Knothole. A former environmental advisor now proud Freedom Fighter, he was a friend to all animals, offering advice/support and boosting morale where he could with the occasional magic trick. Two rough sketches accompanied his profile, with the choice of tall or short designs.

By the time 1997 rolled around, a copy of that story bible and designs made their way into Archie's office. Having combed through its contents, editor Justin Gabrie decided the character deserved a second chance and ordered his inclusion in the comic. The task fell on newly-minted head writer Karl Bollers to breathe life into the character opting to go with the shorter model, which artist Patrick Spaziante imbued with his Midas touch. And lo, the old man was reborn a new old man.

I genuinely liked Nate Morgan (or as my younger self used to mispronounce him, "Mor-Gain". Hey, we all do stupid things from time to time) as a character. His appearance in the comic was something of a revelation, especially in a pre-Adventure era where the idea of other humans let alone a whole city of them living on Mobius was pretty farfetched. It added intriguing new layers to the series' lore, nor could I say no to another kindly father figure at a time when the likes of King Max and Locke were anything but. His backstory of seeking acceptance only to find hate and deception at every turn really touched a nerve, and was saddened to pick up and see his demise years later in issue 105's Touch of Evil.

Unfortunately that same hatred manifested in the real-world, and it felt more than a few times that I was the only person who cared.

How disheartening it was to boot up the 25.5kph modem, peruse the message groups and see fellow readers' reactions. Whether it be through dislike of change or some underlying racial prejudice (which he sadly was a target of more than once), fans certainly didn't hold back when voicing their displeasure over the character. A chaotic chorus which only grew as the millennium drew to a close; some hated his sudden importance to the history of Power Rings and the Acorn Kingdom, others thought he'd outright steal the spotlight from Uncle Chuck and Rotor as the residential techspert, the shameless self-insert of Karl Bollers (or Ken Penders depending on which fan you asked), and of course the ever-present decries of "Mr. Walking Plot Device". In that light, early Mina Mongoose fans got off lucky. It would be nice to see Nate Morgan resurrected or even reevaluated in some form or other in future media, but like the rest of the cast, this series had its time and its day. New ideas and characters have since stepped up to fill their void, even if it's quite the pickle finding a similar substitute for him.

But stranger things have happened. His appearance in the first place being the best one.

The World is 4ull of Stuff

It's time for another long-winded, attention-seeking post to remind myself social media exists, and keeping in the spirit of last month's venture into Saturday morning nostalgia, decided to look back on another turning point in Australian pop culture history from exactly 30 years ago. Yeesh, this had better not become habit forming.

While locals across the land counted down the remaining few days before they flocked to witness an adventure 65 million years in the making, another world of adventure opened its doors for the first time on 19th August 1993. A world gargantuan in scope bounding with flashy colours and near-limitless opportunities for youthful imagination. A world guaranteed to leave boys and girls' heads spinning with ranges and prices on a scale almost inconceivable. A world... 4 kids!

This multimillion dollar project had been a long time coming for the Coles Myer group. And who could blame them? Their combined retail output at the time controlled a staggering 40 percent of all local toy sales, and with the nation slowly finding its feet after a crippling recession, saw an opportunity to cash in.

Such aspirations resulted in Coles Myer hitting hard and fast with intense production and marketing campaigns. Stores soon flowed with stock under long leases. Commercials and letterbox advertisements bombarded homes. They shamelessly boasted that unlike other stores, World 4 Kids was number one in a field of one. Oh sure people could visit other smaller chains like Casey's, Toyworld or Uncle Pete's, but this? This was an event. *The* toy store with *the* unbeatable prices and everything a kid could ever want under a single roof. Well, except for the ever elusive Thunderbirds Tracy Island playset and Grape Escape board game.

From that very day the first World 4 Kids opened its doors on the fourth level of Sydney's Chatswood Chase, a plethora of cherished memories would be forged. Be it running around with tiny trolleys or donating old toys for their in-store recycling program (both of which have since become the norm for a number of large retailers), many kids shouted with glee at the prospect of walking home with their first Nerf. First Barbie. First Biker Mice. First Cabbage Patch Kid. First Action Man. First Littlest Pet Shop. First video game.

But while ol' Globey greeted every shopper with a big green smile, the bean-counters gradually saw nothing but red. As the years rolled on, Coles Myer were hit by loss after loss, struggling to keep the franchise open. Perhaps they tried too hard? Or underestimated a frugal buying economy who preferred saving their spending until Christmas?

Or it was simply a case of envious corporate greed catching up after hoping to nip their former business partners and distinguished competition in the bud before they set up shop? Whatever the reason, World 4 Kids swiftly led to a near-decade long battle for the ages between two parties, with many independent stores caught in the crossfire.

But that's a tale saved for another day. In the meantime however, how strange it feels to (quite literally) revisit a few of said memories. Indeed Chatswood Chase was the first store to open, but Coles Myer had initially planned to kick things off in Penrith of all places. Situated on the corner of High and Station Street, this outlet was poised, primed, ready to be their flagship store... until a last second decision by upper management wanted it somewhere closer to Sydney's CBD.

Having made the pilgrimge across the M4 on what turned out a rather mild weathered early Saturday morning, it's quite astounding the building remains intact to this day. Being separate from a shopping centre undoubtedly had its advantages. For exactly two years World 4 Kids called this little corner of the Riff home before moving to Riley Street opposite the back of Penrith Plaza. That particular site was lucky enough to be one of the final shops standing until 2002 when it eventually became a Supre outlet (with some of the original décor left intact) until Westfield demolished the whole block several years later to expand said Plaza. In its place is an outdoor fooderie.

As for this old site, it too has shared quite a coloured history. The instant World 4 Kids left the premises, Spotlight took over and expanded to both ground and lower levels complete with upper enclosed car park. They persevered for many years until a new shopping centre opened on Mulgoa Road saw them move by the late-2000's. Nobody wanted to lease the massive floor space, so they cut the lower level off and made it a separate business. Trade Secret eventually chose the top floor, and the bottom remained vacant until Paul's Warehouse stepped in by late 2013. Losing the overhead carpark by early 2017 came as a blow, and even Paul's expanding to include rejected goods from the US didn't help. Neither store made it to the decade's end.

World 4 Kids may be long gone, its history stripped and buildings either renovated or destroyed, but for many Aussie kids and teens growing up in the 90's, was nothing short of paradise. It brought countless smiles and paved the way for some modern shopping experiences. It created memories to be proud of, even if none of us were aware of the tumultuous cavalcade of chaos behind the scenes.

(Sa)Tuneday Supercade!

Imagine it's 31st July 1993. After scouring the kitchen for a plate of your preferred breakfast, you scurry out to take prime position on the lounge. Wrapped within the blankets pulled from your bed, there's no better way to spend a cool, lazy morning than accompanied by the low hum of the adjacent television set. Flicking between channels, there's plenty of choice from cartoons to cool tunes. As you continue munching down, something flashes across the screen. A flurry of new and exciting faces accompanied by beloved heroes of old. Over the subsequent two hours, the Australian Saturday morning landscape had changed, with the grand premiere of "What's Up Doc".

Having successfully wrangled the rights to Warner Brothers' library of Looney Tunes cartoons from their traditional home on Seven, Channel Nine had grand plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of everyone's favourite wascally wabbit. Their initial attempt, aptly titled "The Bugs Bunny Show", was hosted by Sophie Lee and aired weekdays beginning on 4th June 1990. In spite of drawing strong ratings from kids and parents with heavy emphasis on Merrie Melodies shorts (and the occasional Real Ghostbusters, another show poached from Seven), it wasn't to last, with the final episode airing 7th February 1992.

But Nine weren't willing to give up just yet. They switched tactics and set out to challenge then-juggernaut Saturday Disney, kicking off "What's Up Doc" at 8:30am. With Danielle Fairclough as the first in a rotating roster of hosts, viewers saw the continuation of popular series including Tiny Toon Adventures and Beetlejuice, along with an extra helping of new shows such as (and certainly not limited to) Taz-Mania, Animaniacs, Free Willy, Freakazoid, Superman: The Animated Series, and Histeria.

Yet it was Batman: The Animated Series which truly broke the mould. Riding high on the unprecedented success of Tim Burton's live-action films, the show took everything popular from Bob Kane and Bill Finger's beloved Caped Crusader and elevated them to a new level. The action more intense, the heroes more nuanced, the villains more three dimensional. And they in turn went on to influence and inspire their comic counterparts. Airing in its original production order, the series launched that same day and ran an unbroken 65 weeks, swiftly spawning an expansive toyline and slew of matching merchandise.

From Sophie Lee to Lauren Phillips, Andy Sunderland and everyone in between, "What's Up Doc" cemented the Looney Tunes' home on Nine. Its popularity led to a return of weekday afternoon cartoons, and later spinoffs for the next generation of fans including "The Cool Room" And "Kids' WB", each with their own unique hosts and lineups of animated adventures. The relationship between network and studio remained a strong one for just shy of two decades until it all came crashing down; with Nine choosing not to renew their exclusive license, the final "Kids' WB", and Looney Tunes on Australian TV in general, walked into the sunset on 29th November 2019.

To everyone out there celebrating, be it the US or anywhere in the world, wishing you all a very Happy Pride Month! While not necessarily seen as a mainstream event in Australia (certainly not near the same level as Mardi Gras), it’s pleasing to see so many locals embracing the tradition. 

Get out there. Meet new people. Build lifelong kinships. Y'all have and always will matter. 

Now, where are those hunky boys at? :P

TTTurtle TTTriple TTTrouble!

Dust off your Time Scepters and stop for a quick slice of pizza along the way, as 8th April marked 30 years since fans watched the third live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film "schwing" into Australian cinemas.

Everyone's favourite Green Machines were back, and this time it's (quite literally) temporal. A magical mishap sends intrepid reporter April O'Neil tumbling back to 1603 Japan and into the clutches of Lord Norinaga. With time running out to rescue their friend, the brothers follow in hot pursuit. Naturally feudal hijinks ensued as they mastered horse-riding, assisted the nearby rebellion and fought the wicked Walker, at one point even contemplating their place in a world that now appreciates them.

Timed to coincide perfectly with the Easter school holidays, the film was accompanied by a major promotional blitz. Each of the brothers appeared "live" at various shopping centres, fetes and parks across the country to meet their adoring public and perform stage shows, culminating with a reunion for Wonderland Sydney's KidzFest '93.

While Turtlemania had long since reached its peak, the promotion was overall successful. It pulled respectable numbers at the box office, and local critics praised it more often than not. They cited the film as "well-produced" with its "laughable slapsticks, dry wit and special effects", and "well-choreographed" fight scenes "slightly more restrained than the original". Setting the film in feudal Japan "opened new possibilities" for the franchise, and although not high art by any stretch, it nonetheless "makes its popularity with children easy to comprehend", enough to secure a spot among the top 10 VHS tapes of 1993.

It would be another 5 years before Aussies saw the Turtles return to live-action, but until then, they was about to have a real struggle when 1994 saw a new team of heroes arrive to win the hearts (and wallets) of kids nationwide.

Cruisin’ For an Oozin’!

It's 6th June 1991. Eastman & Laird's totally triumphant terrapins were on top of the world, or at least Down Under. An unstoppable merchandising juggernaut had taken the country full-force, & with the mid-year school holidays right around the corner, all the kiddies were begging their parents to go ninja, go ninja go straight to their nearest cinema. Many eyes rolled back into orbit. That time had come again. In spite of protests that their ragamuffins had plenty of Turtles at home, they fell on deaf ears.

Ruefully finding their place at allocated seats, they settled in amongst the crowded & louded children. Over the subsequent 85 minutes, both cheers & Turtlemania as a whole reached fever pitch, as the second live-action film 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze' premiered in Australia on this day 30 years ago.

The Awesome Foursome were back, this time boasting bigger action, bigger mysteries, bigger baddies, bigger cameos, & bigger... laughs? Wait, what?

It's amazing how public perception can change over the course of a year. When the first Ninja Turtles film hit local shores (barely 6 months after the franchise launched period), kids understandably adored their new action heroes. The parents & moral guardians however weren't afraid to deliver more than a few strong words. Most notably how the film opted to focus less on the comedic antics of their pizza-pumping cartoon selves in favour of the more violent, gritty original comic books.

This time around, the Turtles had (excuse the pun) softened their image, slowly earning top shelf among the sceptical hearts & minds. A force of weaponised warriors despised openly on television for their supposed wicked ways had morphed into a force of good. When not performing stage shows in Darling Harbour, they were busy spruiking new Government regulations on compulsory bicycle helmets for everyone under 16. Kids still loved them, but now so did critics, describing this film as "Better directed, faster, brighter & more amusing sequel to last year's slightly shabby kiddy money-spinner". But it was new villains Tokka & Rahzar who drew the most praise, for being "a couple of lovably grotesque monsters".

Many still discuss how 'Secret of the Ooze' was a step backward from traditional Turtle tales both violently & financially, but here at the time, was a major success. It brought back people by the droves, staying in cinemas for several months, ultimately landing 7th place on the top-grossing films of 1991. None too shabby effort for the once & former enemy of the people.

Which leaves one big, burning question; who can claim top spot as Australia's Ninja Turtle Warrior? If this were the live-action ‘Next Mutation’ series, y'all can bet they'd chortle at Venus DeMilo wanting to give the course a shot, watch in awe as she almost perfectly blitzes through it, then try saving face by accusing her of using "Shinobi" magic to cheat. Much as I enjoyed that show as a kid, yeesh the Fab Four were real dicks to her in hindsight.

Valley of the Dead!

It's World Environment Day. A time to acknowledge the fragile ecosystem we humans cohabitate with the vast, diverse variety of flora & fauna. Every triumph in finding new species, every tribulation in rehabilitating pastures broken & with them, every tragedy. And no tragedy within living memory reaches close to what has now become colloquially known as the Black Summer bushfires.

Far better journalists & websites have dedicated extensive analysis on these fires, what caused them, plus the subsequent fallouts. They all make for depressing reading. Be it fires, the resulting smoke or both, no state was spared. Records broken, families left homeless, loss of native wildlife incalculable. And in dead centre stood the towering monstrosity that mercilessly ravaged Gospers Mountain. 

Eighteen months have passed since Australia's largest recorded forest fire. A drive through sights along Bells Line of Road, Chifley Road or the Darling Causeway today reveal how rain may have washed away the ash, but a scarred land remains. A land that will remain inhospitable to wildlife for many generations to come. 

A biting air greets any visitor daring enough to stop for more than a few moments. Low shrubs & climbing weeds have regenerated, but many if not all the trees will never bloom again. No foraging animals left, having either long perished or moved on. The only signs of life being one or two birds passing fleetingly to find any greener pastures.

If they were real, any environmentally-conscious cartoon hero of the 90's (believe me, they were plentiful; be them Captain Planet, Toxic Crusaders, G.I. Joe/Action Man, Widget the World Watcher, Phantom 2040, Ace Ventura, Swamp Thing & Sonic the Hedgehog himself) would weep. But they're not, so instead, we're left with the grim outlook on a future already shifting forward today.

The Way of the Warrior

Now I've never claimed to be a smartie, especially in these uncertain times whether the future will go this way or that way.

But on a scorching first day of Summer in Downunda, I definitely know 'de way' Or more specifically, 'dee why'. :P

Song Sung Blue

🎶Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice/And before you know, it get to feeling good/You simply got no choice/Song Sung Blue/Everybody Knows One/Song Sung Blue/Weeping like a Willow 🎶

Stormclouds swept low over the citizens of Knothole Village on this day 15 years ago, as the final story penned by prolific Sonic the Hedgehog writer Karl Bollers, was published.

From beginning his tenure colouring various one-shot issues and miniseries, to being among the four co-plotters of the infamous 'Endgame' saga, Bollers was swiftly elevated to head writer in 1996, starting issue 51.

Over the subsequent decade, he led the charge in the art of shaping Hedgehog history. From globe-spanning epics, resurrecting Sonic's numero-uno nemesis, to unveiling the lost origins of Mobius. He introduced forgotten elements from outlines past (Nate Morgan, the Super Emeralds), took other writers' characters and actually did interesting things with them (Geoffrey St. John, Elias Acorn, Fiona Fox, Robo-Robotnik) and created new heroes and villains so deeply engrained in the collective fandom conscience, that they remain as popular if not moreso today.

Even behind the scenes he brought changes, particularly with fan-turned-pro artist Jay Axer personally picked to join the book's roster. Mining talent from Sonic's fanbase had only been done once before, but now the floodgates were broken, and remains the industry standard today.

Under Karl's pen, the stories and characters were always evolving, perpetually moving forward as the battle escalated, simmered, and escalated once more. Some subtle and natural, others almost overnight. By the time One Year Later hit 80 issues later, the Acorn Kingdom had grown leaps and bounds, while the Freedom Fighters matured from children running guerilla warfare tactics against seemingly impossible odds, to specially trained young adults in the Knothole Special Forces Team. The future was bright, the sky was the limit, and even that was put to the test when our hero found himself literally Tossed in Space.

Until it all, sadly, came crashing down across 2004. By that point directions (and managements) underwent drastic changes. Egos reared their ugly heads, leading what should've been handled internally devolve into very public shouting matches, with fans caught in the crossfire. As the new year that was 2005 ultimately swept away the smoke, Bollers was gone, among what would be a growing list of casualties.

His sudden final contribution in issue 154 came not with an all-out bang, but a more personal tale. A surprisingly fitting inventory story, where Sonic goes full Kevin Costner to protect the now-superstar Mina, ensuring her song's sung blue from Robotnik's assassination attempts, be them on-stage snipers or bombs in the dressing room.

(As as aside, someone really should illustrate a parody of The Bodyguard, but with Sonic and Mina in Frank and Rachel's place. Hmm...)

Because it seems almost sacrilege not to mention this when talking about his tenure these days, no. I'm not even touching a certain panel from issue 134, except to say I find the whole thing bemusing. The book is gone. The characters aren't coming back. The scene was erased even before its cancellation. Yet fans still argue and commentate over it, even to this very day.

(As another aside, it would be interesting to see someone do a parody in the style of William Shatner's infamous "Get A Life!" skit from Saturday Night Live, but with Sonic fans demanding answers at a convention. Double-Hmm...)

For all maybe... six or so Sonic fans linked to this account who made it this far, I'm interested to hear your memories, if any, of Mr. Bollers. Are there any particular stories or characters you remember enjoying? Did some of his ideas help define your experience as a fan? Did they leave a sour taste? Or are any of his many, many unused storylines worth revisiting someday? As for the man himself, it feels only fitting to end with a quote from his Sonic HQ interview published way back in May 2003.

“Sonic carries a message of hope that many of todays comics have forgotten. It seems that in a lot of comics, the stories jst keep getting darker and darker from issue to issue, and the situations that the characters find themselves in just gets worse and worse. There’s never any light at the end of the tunnel to break up the gloom. Don’t get me wrong, Sonic isn’t all sunshine. Don’t let the blue spines and the red sneakers fool you. It has its fair share of tragedy, but we tend to balance that with humorous moments and a series of wins to equal the heroes losses.”

“I think younger readers, in particular, need to see both sides of the coin as they develop a view of the world around them without being talked down to. The world can be a pretty bad place, but amidst the badness there are happy moments that we can cherish with those we love. Even if they have two tails.”

Can Sonic survive Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction?

"Looks like we've got a real party going! So glad of you to drop by Hedgehog, but if you're here to escape from the city & save your precious Princess, I'm afraid you're just too slow!" "An overcharged Egg Pawn with an Aurora Complex, no problem!" "A far greater problem than you suspect! I've called on a few familiar faces, & they're all just itching to settle old scores.”

"Prepare to be blitzed off your feet by Motobug, shattered in the steel grip of Grabber, blasted away by Mono Beetle, shocked into submission by Spinner, ravaged to shreds by Lblis Biter, before ultimately coiled and consumed by my Sandworm! But even if you & that talking trinket somehow succeed, there's still me, Eggor the Overlord! That's seven against one, Hedgehog! What do you have to say about those odds?" "...Like I said before, shellhead. No problem!"

Doctor Ro-Brush-Ink!

For an account boasting "Art" in its name, there's barely any of the stuff on exhibit. Time for a course correction.

Very little artwork survives from my school days, some disappeared after marking, others became rat food. This sample was recently recovered from storage (among Transformers boxes!) & represents the first time I used a traditional ink brush. Each of us picked a subject to sketch, before inking over a lightbox. As something of a Hedgehog enthusiast, I chose that despicable despot with a doctorate in destruction, that eggstreme epitome of bad & all things gone wrong, our favourite hedgehog-hating human himself, Doctor Ivo Rrrrrrrrobotnik! The results were a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. 

The comic's included not only for scale, but because 275 was the last issue I bought during the original Archie Sonic run. While I stopped reading the prior year when Australian distributors cancelled the book, I couldn't resist buying one more (and unexpectedly final) milestone issue.