Sonic The Hedgehog #6 Review

Re-runs

Written By: Ian Flynn
Art By: Tracy Yardley
Inks By: Jim Amash
Colours By: Matt Herms
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 27, 2018
Publisher: IDW
Review by: Simon West

I was concerned the last issue that the big cliffhanger would lead to this issue retreading a lot of the same ideas and story beats, unfortunately, it seems I was correct. Shadows arrival kicks off the same discussion about if trust can be placed in the seemingly amnesia-afflicted Eggman and if his kindly new Mr. Tinker persona should be punished for the crimes of his past self.


As Sonic and Shadow chase and fight each other through the nearby countryside Sonic reminds shadow not only of the times when Eggman has helped them in the past but also of Shadows own villainous past, a lot of the history brought up here is from 2001’s Sonic Adventure 2 and seeing these direct references in the comic is always enjoyable but I worry that for a new series at a new publisher a little bit more could of been done to expand on the history between these two characters on page rather than relying on the readers knowledge of a game that's now 17 years old.

Sonic wins the argument but not before Shadow heads back to the village and demands Mr. Tinker show him the “Eggman Land” he's been building. It turns out to be benign, a park for the village children filled with Badnik themed rides. And with that everyone is placated for the time being.

If this review feels short that's because little of note happens until the final page reveal. The books big mystery so far has been the question of whose behind the badnik attacks, with a Dr. Claw styled villain obscured by his giant chair shouting menacing words at banks of monitors at the end of each issue.

The book has gone through great lengths so far to stress how much this mystery villain couldn’t be Eggman, from Amy’s assertion early on that the attacks are missing Eggman’s usual sense of bravado to these past 2 issues showing us what's happened to Eggman himself. Which is why the final page reveals of whose been sat in that chair is both exciting and a disappointment. The big reveal has either rendered much of the last 6 issues pointless or spun an entirely new mystery on top of it.

We’re promised answers in the next issue. And this book needs to start providing them.

Bits and Pieces:

A by the numbers affair that until the final page does little to move the story forwards. The final twist, however, could mean big things for the future of this book.

6.5/10