Sonic Comics - General Information

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For additional story information


History

The very first Sonic comic strip that I know of was published in the US as an Advertising Supplement in 'Disney Adventures Magazine' Volume 2 No. 1, November 1991 (the issue with Michael Jordan on the cover). Story & art were done by Franis Mao. This 6-page short story told its readers how Sonic got his blue color, and how a scientist named Kintobor was turned into the evil Robotnik.

On October 8th, 1992, Archie Comics published a Sonic the Hedgehog premiere issue, done by Paul Castiglia and Scott Shaw!. This issue was available as a free gift from SEGA of America; the issue number was "¼". The events in this comic were strongly based on the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon series, which was still in the making at that time.

Then, at the beginning of 1993, Archie Comics started it's original four-issue Sonic the Hedgehog mini-series in America, issue #0 with the same cover as the premiere issue, including the stories.

Finally, in August 1993, Archie began its regular Sonic comic series, which is still running. In the frist issues of this series, Archie tried to adopt the slapstick storytelling from the syndicated Sonic cartoon, "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog". Fortunately, they noticed that this was a move in the wrong direction, and are now mostly sticking to the more popular version of the Sonic cartoon, simply called "Sonic the Hedgehog", which has a darker, more thrilling atmosphere and a continuous storyline. Most fan-written Sonic-stories are also based on this series.

In the same year, on May 29, 1993, Fleetway Publications started another Sonic comic version in England. Unlike Archie Comics, Fleetway Publications used the same story about Sonic's origin that had aleady been shown in the previously-menitoned Disney Adventures Magazine, and created a background which was mostly based on the Sonic games from SEGA.

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Main Characters

In both comic versions, Sonic and his friends fight to free their home planet, Mobius, from the rule of the evil scientist Doctor Robotnik. However, except for Sonic and Tails, each comic has different main characters.

The main characters in the Fleetway comic are:

Sonic the Hedgehog  the fastest hedgehog on Mobius
Tails Sonic's two-tailed fox friend and trusty compagnion
Amy Rose Sonic's lady hedgehog friend from the 'Sonic CD' game
Porker Lewis a pig with technical ambitions
Johnny Lightfoot a hare who helps Sonic in the fight against Robotnik
Doctor Robotnik once Robotnik was a scientist named Kintobor, until the explosion of his R.O.C.C. machine turned him into the evil Robotnik
Grimer Robotnik's Chief Scientist and assistant

The main characters in the Archie comic and the Sonic cartoon are

Sonic the Hedgehog the world's fastest blue hedgehog
Tails Sonic's two-tailed fox friend
Princess Sally Acorn leader of the Knothole Freedom Fighter group, and the last of the House of Acorn on Mobius, since her father has been sent into the Void by Robotnik
Bunnie Rabbot a female bunny whose legs and left arm have been roboticized
Rotor a walrus inventor with high technical skills
Antoine a sometimes cowardly acting member of the Royal Guard, from the French section of Mobius
Sir Charles Hedgehog Sonic's uncle, and the inventor of the roboticizer prototype that is now used by Robotnik to turn all inhabitants of Mobius into robots
Julian/Robotnik affiliated with the Ministry of Defence; used his position to gain control over planet Mobius in the year 3224 and is now known as Robotnik
Snively Robotnik's nephew; his assistant and humble lackey

In the first few issues of the Fleetway comic there was also a Princess Sally, but she looked totally different and didn't have the leading abilities of the Sally from the cartoon. This version of Sally also appears in most of the Sonic books from England.

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List of available Sonic Comics

USA Sonic the Hedgehog
current price: $ 1.79
United KIngdom Sonic The Comic
current price: £ 1.30
Italy Sonic videogame & fumetti (discontinued)
L. 3500
Germany Sonic der comic (discontinued)
DM 3.80
France Sonic Mag - B.D. & jeux video! (discontinued)
F 20
Holland Sonic magazine (discontinued)
FI. 5.95

By the way, the comics from Italy, Germany, France and Holland were all adaptions of the UK version, with the text translated.

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How to send fan-mail

Alas, the Speedlines fan-mail page of the Fleetway Sonic comic has been removed to reduce production costs. But if anyone does want to contact them, I suggest they write directly to the editor:

Andy Diggle
c/o Egmont Fleetway Ltd.
25/31 Travistock Place
London WC1H 9SU
ENGLAND

To send letters to the Archie Comics Sonic-Grams page, use

Sonic-Grams
c/o Archie Comic Publications, Inc.
P.O. Box #419
Mamaroneck, NY 10543-0419
USA

If you want to send some drawings, try

Archie Comic Publications, Inc.
Sonic Fan Art
P.O. Box #419
Mamaroneck, NY 10543-0419
USA

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How to get a subscription

To get a subscription for the Fleetway Sonic comic, write to

Egmont Fleetway Subscriptions
Sonic the Comic
P.O. Box 315
Sittingbourne
Kent, ME9 8DT
ENGLAND

Prices:

One year UK subscription (26 issues) 32.50 pounds sterling
Europe 48.00 pounds sterling
Overseas (surface) 58.00 pounds sterling
Overseas (airmail) 60.40 pounds sterling

Issue frequency is 2 weeks.

Subscription requests for the American Sonic comic go to

Archie Comic Publications Inc.
Sonic Checklist!
P.O. Box #573
Mamaroneck, NY 10543
All orders must be made payable in U.S. currency or by International Money Order.

Prices:

Sonic 6 issues USA $ 7.50
($ 8.50 - Can.)
Sonic 12 issues (get a 13th issue free!) USA $ 15.00
($ 17.00 Can.)

Available in US and Canada only. Issue frequency is 1 month.

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How to order back issues

To order back issues of the UK Sonic comic, write to

Dept. BIM
Sonic The Comic
25 - 31 Travistock Place
London WC1H 9SU
ENGLAND

To order by phone with a credit card, call

020 7344 6444

If you have subscription queries, try calling the Customer Service at

020 7396 8000

You may have to use a dial-prefix if you live outside the UK. For example, to order from the US you would have to dial something like 01144 20 7344 6444 (I hope).

Issues are only available from #120 upward. Checks must be payable to Fleetway Editions Ltd. and must be in pounds sterling.

To order back issues of the American Comic write to:

Archie Comic Publications Inc.
Sonic Checklist!
P.O. Box #573
Mamaroneck, NY 10543

All orders must be made payable in U.S. currency or by International Money Order.

Mini-Series (back-order only)

Sonic End Game Series 4 issues #47 - #50 USA $ 7.00
($ 8.00 - Can.)
Sonic's Friendly Nemesis Knuckles 3 issue mini-series USA $ 6.00
($ 7.00 - Can.)
Tails 3 issue mini-series USA $ 6.00
($ 7.00 - Can.)
Sonic Quest "The Death Egg Saga" 3 issue mini-series USA $ 6.00
($ 7.00 - Can.)
Princess Sally 3 issue mini-series USA $ 6.00
($ 7.00 - Can.)
Knuckles "The Dark Legion" 3 issues #1 - #3 USA $ 4.50
($ 5.50 - Can.)
Knuckles "Lost Paradise" 3 issues #4 - #6 USA $ 4.50
($ 5.50 - Can.)
Knuckles "Dark Vengeance" 3 issues #7 - #9 USA $ 4.50
($ 5.50 - Can.)
Knuckles Regular Series 3 issues #10 - #32 USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
for each issue

Specials (back-order only)

Sonic & Knuckles - 48 page special USA $ 3.00
($ 3.50 - Can.)
Sonic: In Your Face - 48 page special USA $ 3.00
($ 3.50 - Can.)
Sonic Blast - 48 page special USA $ 3.00
($ 3.50 - Can.)
Sonic Presents Chaotix - 48 page special USA $ 3.00
($ 3.50 - Can.)
Sonic Triple Trouble - 48 page special USA $ 3.00
($ 3.50 - Can.)
Sonic & Knuckles Mecha Madness - 48 page special USA $ 3.00
($ 3.50 - Can.)
Super Sonic vs. Hyper Knuckles - 48 page special USA $ 3.00
($ 3.50 - Can.)
Super Live! - 48 page special USA $ 3.00
($ 3.50 - Can.)

Super-Specials (back-order only)

#1 Battle Royal USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#2 Brave New World USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#3 Sonic Firsts USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#4 Return Of The King USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#5 Sonic Kids USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#6 Sonic #50 Director's Cut USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#7 Sonic / IMAGE Crossover USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#8 Sonic / Sailor Moon Crossover USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#9 Sonic Kids #2 USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#10 Sonic / Sabrina The Teen-Age Witch Crossover USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)
#11 Sonic: Female Heroines USA $ 2.50
($ 3.00 - Can.)

Available in the US & Canada only.

You may also try to order some of the above issues through the Previews Comics Catalog, available in almost every shop that sells American comic books.

If you live in the UK, I suggest you try Ace Comics, they are a pretty good source for comics too.

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