Sonic The Hedgehog #133 Review by True Red
The cover isn't anything extremely special. Sonic does have a nice pose, however, Bunnie doesn't look right. Her eyes are off as well as her top. I do like the frontpiece a lot more considering it's an action scene with the heroes fighting (Julie-Su looks real cool, IMO), though I do wish they would color it all--or put Sonic in the same colored form as the others now.
"Home, Part 4: Finale"
Writer: Karl Bollers
Penciler: Steven Butler
Inker: Jim Amash
Sonic barely manages to dodge the laser beams from Mecha's eyes while his family (Bernie has blond hair again--yay!) and the royals watch back in Knothole. Not too far away, Robotnik and Shadow (with the gold fur again--white on the cover though) continue their meeting. Shadow tells Robotnik that he wants to kill Robotnik. Robotnik tries to run away--sure, like that is going to work against someone with super speed. When that doesn't work, Robotnik tries saying that heroes have a "moral code" but Shadow informs him that Shadow isn't like Sonic and most definitely doesn't have one. Meanwhile, Tails and A.D.A.M. are still playing the riddle game, with A.D.A.M. still not being able to solve any, but wanting to try so that he can prove he's capable of figuring them out.
Back at the Fort, Knuckles pretty much is giving the "rally speech" before the main fight. After he's done, Julie-Su questions Knux desire to be front since he doesn't even have the ability to glide anymore. Rouge gets in the middle and mentions that she can help if that's the problem. Knux accepts the offer for a ride, which annoys Julie-Su. With everything settled, the group at the Fort (Knux, Chaotix, Amy, Rouge, G.U.N., & Gen. D'Coolette and his troops) attack the remaining robot horde.
Back at Megaopolis, Sonic is making jokes since Mecha hasn't been able to hit him. Of course, his talking makes her change her strategy to aim at where she believes he'll be taking into account his speed. That strategic change enables her to finally nail Sonic on his right shoulder. That hit being the "straw that broke the camel's back" causes Sonic to fall to the ground. In the castle, Sally sees Sonic's not moving and starts crying and runs out. Mecha starts stepping on Sonic as she wants him to "beg." However, Mecha is tapped from behind and then gets a fistful from Bunnie, which sends Mecha flying through the wall of a nearby building. Then, Bunnie crushes the camera, so no more live broadcast to Knothole. Sonic asks what took the gang, while Bunnie moves him (his arm is bleeding--ooohh). Geoffrey says "Turbulence" (as good an answer as any) while throwing a grenade to where Mecha was sent. Since the building has now come down on Mecha, Fiona starts tending to Sonic (Fiona's the field medic it seems). Sonic asks Bunnie to take Antoine and stop the launch. Bunnie asks to take someone else to Sonic's surprise but in the end takes Antoine. Sonic is still confused and Fiona fills him in that Bunnie and Antoine broke up six months ago. That bit of news is immediately followed by a large "Wruncht" (gotta love the made up sounds) as Mecha unburies herself (but with her circuitry exposed--an important factor later on) to remind them that the fight isn't over yet.
Elsewhere in Megaopolis, A.D.A.M. has finally figured out a riddle. Tails is happy and asks A.D.A.M. if he realizes that these games are fun. A.D.A.M. doesn't answer and seemingly disappears. Near the fort where Knux and company are fighting, all the robots stop attacking. No one knows why, but they don't care as it makes trashing them all that much easier. At Robotnik's carrier, the countdown for the launch has stopped at 30 seconds. Robotnik yells at A.D.A.M. to resume the countdown, while Shadow takes the opportunity to smack Robotnik. It's at this moment that Bunnie and Antoine arrive on the carrier with Bunnie commenting that no one had seen Shadow for months. Since Shadow's smack sent Robotnik to the ground above his escape route, Robotnik goes below to escape from the group--despite Shadow trying to re-open the door (super speed you have, not super strength). Tails, meanwhile, has noticed that he can now control Tornado but is wondering what happened to A.D.A.M. just like Robotnik. A.D.A.M. finally responds to Robotnik, who is getting away within a submarine, and begins the countdown again. Bunnie sees that the time has started moving again and tells Shadow to get Antoine to safety. Before Antoine can get out his protest, Shadow has grabbed him and is running over the water toward land. Bunnie flies high up into the air and then comes down by going through the carrier several times until it sinks. The atomic bombs go off in the water as the carrier blows up.
Meanwhile, Fiona is still bandaging up Sonic while Espio attempts to use his tongue to take on Mecha. She grabs it and sends him into Geoffrey, which knocks them both out. Hershey attacks her in retaliation, but Mecha swats her away like a fly. Minor time-out, but are they all stupid? Sonic is not chop-liver as a fighter even when caught off-guard (which they probably didn't even know happened). They had to see the state Mecha left Sonic in and they don't even try to be just a tad more sensible in attacking, such as Espio at least trying to go invisible before attacking Mecha. Thinking before fighting is advised, especially when you don't have Bunnie around at the moment to bail you out. Minor time-out is over--back to review. Since Fiona is finished, Sonic uses his speed to burn the ground around Mecha. The spot that Mecha is standing on falls apart and into the water below (can we say lucky?) and since her circuitry is exposed, Mecha seemingly short-circuits and sinks to the bottom. The battle now officially over, everyone (save Shadow) in Megaopolis and near the Fort begins to head for "home." Queen Alicia comforts Sally as she tells her Sonic is alive, while Shadow watches the sunset (seemingly thinking about his missed opportunity). Robotnik complains to A.D.A.M. about his 10 month long plan going to waste due to A.D.A.M. getting caught up in a game with Tails. A.D.A.M. says that the game wasn't satisfying, but it was "fun."
Rating:  1/2 Rings
I loved this story. It did what I wanted in terms of mixing action with story. My only problem with the story at all really was I hated that "makeup" line. Just about anything I probably would've appreciated over that. That's just the female-side of me that gets annoyed at the usual girl = concerned with her looks stuff. Having it come from Mecha of all people considering her attitude throughout the storyline bothered me. Storywise, the biggest surprise (yet logically--not a surprise) was learning that Antoine & Bunnie are no longer a couple. The main thing that I'm pleased with storywise is Sally's development. Granted she's not doing what most may want her to do, but she's in character if you account for her situation and her emotions. I'd say more, but I said plenty on the message board about it in the #133 topic and I don't feel like repeating. Artistically, Bunnie's new design has one bit of overkill. She doesn't need the guns or the bullets. She's supposed to have a laser gun (not counting the fact that she's got her super strength and extendable limbs). The only other major art issue was Fiona's look as it seems she dumped her outfit from Sonic #131-32 for her original look in this issue. Consistency with colors is all I would like from Jensen, so hopefully the gold/white fur issue with Shadow will be resolved sooner than later. Seeing Bernie with blond hair was actually a nice surprise. I don't think she should have white hair. Actually, I don't really think Uncle Chuck should have white hair either, and that it should be brown. Sonic's parents and his Uncle shouldn't be that old yet that their hair is all-white. Some white--yes. All white--no.
"Mobius 25 Years Later: Midnight In The Garden"
Writer & Inker: Ken Penders
Penciler: Steven Butler
Knuckles and Rotor have some small chit-chat about Rotor not making Lara-Su's Unveiling, though Knuckles didn't mind. Knux did mention that Julie-Su wished Sally and the royal kids had gone and Rotor said that Sally had wanted to go. After that bit, Rotor asks Knuckles to look at the sky--in particular the lightning that could be the only thing they see for a very long time.
Back at home, Lara-Su is having her hair combed by Julie-Su as she complains that both Julie-Su & Knuckles treat her like a kid. Lara-Su is upset that she has to go straight home after her Unveiling instead of getting to spend the night out as well as the fact that she's monitored all the time when both Knux & Julie were on their own at young ages. Julie-Su mentions that they were both watched though they didn't know it, so they weren't alone either. When Lara-Su starts to bring up the fact that Julie & Knuckles aren't married (I was wondering if that was officially ever going to come up), Julie stops Lara and tells her to wait until she has children. Lara-Su says that she wouldn't be on her kids' cases like they're on hers, which Julie-Su says she doubts considering she'll want what is best for them just like she & Knux want for Lara-Su. Lara-Su asks if she gets to have an opinion on the matter and is told that she doesn't--hey, I like honesty. :D
Meanwhile, Rotor has told Knuckles about his predictions for the destruction of the world due to the collapse of the time stream. Knuckles points out that Rotor & Cobar could be wrong, which Rotor agrees but mentions that they can't just hope that they are wrong since the stakes are so high. Rotor can only guess how long they have and as Knuckles semi-blows up over the fact that Rotor can only guess, the attention of two love-birds (Rutan and his girlfriend, Salma--a chameleon actually) who happen to be making out nearby. Salma notices that it's Rutan's "uncle" so the two start listening in on the conversation (as Knux promises to provide the resources they'll need & Rotor saying that he'll work on the Sonic-angle), with Rutan figuring that his mom would love to know about the current turn of events.
Rating: 1/2 Rings
Not a bad story though the main highlight is the Julie-Su/Lara-Su exchange in the middle. Nothing major though a little more back-story is given and I'd guess that Julie & Sally have become rather good friends over the years despite the distance. It's more than blatantly clear that Lara-Su is being "protected" from the "battle scars" that her parents went through as kids/teens and as such, Lara wants the "battle scars" even more. Artistically, Rutan's swollen bump went back down to normal pretty quickly considering it is the same day as #131 though it's possible that the echidnas possess fast-acting medication. |
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