ASR Sonic Universe 95 to 96
The last stories I want to review are Sonic Universe Restored’s issues 95 and 96, both of which are available here. You may recall in my last blog how the clear setup is that each of the individual Freedom Fighters were going to pursue their own individual quests moving forward, with each of those stories being part of the Sonic Universe (at least, that is as far as we know based on what was completed before the comic was cancelled). I actually debated whether or not I would blog on these or wait, as these two comics are actually part of a set of 4, with two more coming eventually. However, because fan projects obviously take time, and these two stories are both very standalone, I felt it fine to start and either amend this blog post or make a new one when those stories are available.
Both comics are also excellent and I wanted to talk about them. So there’s that. Once again, the comic is free, and if somehow you stumbled onto my blog without reading them, do so. They are both worth your time. In fact, when I eventually do a tier list for the individual stories, I would rate them quite high, though I will likely refrain from adding them until the whole set is complete.
The reason these stories are so great? Because we are getting more focused stories on the individual Freedom Fighters. While we had snippets, generally side stories or even origins fleshing out the characters in this new world, there really have been no adventures highlighting their individual backstories. And now that we are getting to see them, it is impressive how much work went into connecting the individual Freedom Fighters to the world as a whole. It is so impressive, that I would argue that in some ways, Reboot does a better job of tying some of the underappreciated or underutilized elements of Sonic’s world together. And it works so well.
It is easy to say “oh, reboot just took the SATAM cast and added them to the videogame world” but that undersells what the team was able to accomplish. Part of the fun of reboot is that, with the unfortunate exception of other preboot characters (thanks Penders) and the original Sonic X cast, everyone who existed at the time is here, not just the SATAM/Archie Freedom Fighters, not just the main cast of the videogames, but even characters from the classic DiC cartoons (such as Breezie), “classic” characters like Mighty, or even just weirdly ignored ones like Honey. The reboot team was allowed to use a large swathe of characters.
And because SEGA, frankly, did not give a crap about the Freedom Fighters, the team was allowed a lot of leeway to connect them to different elements of the videogames. What am I referring to? Well…we will get there.
First, a note about the covers…I love them. It is very neat seeing the Freedom Fighters incorporated into the videogame cover art. Antoine taking Tails’s place in the Sonic 2 logo? Bunnie in Sonic’s spot on the Sonic Rush cover (remember, the girls can only take Sonic’s spot on a cover if he is mad about it - Aleah Baker)? Great stuff. The variants are also excellent, with the Freedom Fighters Forever variant being a standout (and possibly a prelude to the cover style that became much more iconic for IDW). This one is actually the background for my phone and I absolutely adore it.
Sonic Universe 95 - Birthright
Sonic Universe 95 focuses on the odd couple of Antoine and Sonic who, as we discussed in the last issue, are visiting Antoine’s home. As we know from Sonic Origins, Antoine lost his parents, a moment made clear in one of the most emotional panels in the entire series. I can’t help but find it interesting that Sonic and Antoine are the pair we get here. We have certainly had some moments where Antoine gets to act as a foil for Sonic, one who works alongside him even if he finds him annoying (Ray of Hope comes to mind). That being said, don’t let Sonic’s presence fool you. This is Antoine’s story.
This is another issue where much of the work was completed, with the writing being done by Flynn and the pencil work by Adam Bryce Thomas, even though it was never fully completed. And once again, as it had for Shattered and the Case of the Pirate Princess, Thomas’s art shines here. His style, combined with some of the medieval iconography, shines here and makes a big impression. It’s honestly one of the best looking issues from Reboot in my opinion and the original and ASR teams both deserve a lot of credit for. I am also just a sucker for knights and stuff.
You're too slow.
Things start off immediately with Sonic and Antoine fighting a man whose name has not been revealed yet, wielding a magic sword (one that personally reminds me of Soul Edge). And you might think that one man against two, especially with one of them being the main hero of the series, would put him in danger, but you would be wrong, as their mysterious assailant actually makes short work of our heroes…for now.
The dialogue and action are both superb right off the bat. It shows that I am a DnD that I found the magic sword to be sick. But it is also apparent that our enemy, frankly, is really insulting Antoine, mocking him, calling him a coward, saying that the only real threat here is Sonic. Antoine gets knocked down via the shadow magic of his foe’s sword, falling to a floor below, before we go back to how this story began.
Sonic and Antoine land at his family’s castle. Our blue hedgehog is very impressed by the size and girth of Antoine’s castle. Antoine tries to undersell it, saying that it really is just a small castle, hardly worth talking about, but Sonic makes it very clear that erecting any castle is notable. Just a couple of guys taking castles.
Unfortunately, with his parents gone, the castle and its gardens have not been well maintained, and a bush shaped like father 's has been beheaded. Pretty dark imagery. To help cheer Antoine up, in a moment I quite liked, asked him about some banners he saw and allowed him to do something he knows will cheer him up…brag about his family history.
Page six is the one that made me pause. That’s right, we get imagery inspired by Sonic and the Black Knight. A game that I wanna say I tried a long time ago, but this was during the post Sonic 06 days where I basically had given up on the games, and it was not well received at all. But…the imagery of Sonic characters in armor was cool. Including Excalibur Sonic.
This is all fascinating to me on several levels. First, Sonic and the Black Knight is really not connected to the canon lore of the games. Not that I ever gave a crap, even though it is a big thing nowadays for the brand (don’t tell me that SEGA gave two craps about how their game gimmicks tied into an overarching narrative), but seeing Flynn tie it into Antoine’s homeland is so fitting. Flynn really has a better vision of Sonic’s world than the game developers, at least from my perspective.
Excalibur Sonic is actually King Arthur Sylvannia, and he fought alongside ancestors from the Kingdom of Acorn and the D’Coolette’s. The fact that we are actually getting knight lore for the Kingdom of Acorn really got my mind buzzing. And is Arthur an ancestor of Sonic? Probably not something they would ever explore but I love the idea of it, especially because SEGA prefers that Sonic just emerged into the world like Jesus.
This all just fits Antoine and the rest of the world so well, and is just plain cool. I really hope this sort of thing gets explored further someday.
However, our heroes slowly discover they are not alone, finding an image of Antoine’s father vandalized, and we discover the foe we had seen our heroes fighting before…Inigo Cortez, Master of Blades who works under Mordred Hood. I can’t help but think this guy is a reference to Inigo Montoya from the Princess Bride, and frankly, I dig everything about him. He honestly makes such a big impression as a foil for Antoine. I am wondering if he should have been the Egg Boss instead as opposed to Hood, who frankly was not nearly as memorable.
Cortez reveals that the reason he is here is because he is looking for a sacred sword, but he has been unable to find it, and decides to calm his nerves by mocking Antoine and claims that he needed Sonic to work up the courage to return. Right away, Cortez gets in Antoine’s head, claiming that what Antoine is showing is not courage, but anger and shame over his failures. Really damn good dialogue.
We also learn about our next Macguffin…seven sacred swords. But unlike the keys for Gaia, which were pretty lame, the idea of there being several magic blades out there sounds awesome to me. And now, we pick up where our opening fight scene left off, Antoine having fallen through the floor, a defeated expression on his face, as he reflects on how Cortez was right, that he had been away from home for too long, only to discover hidden nearby the sword Cortez was looking for. Antoine also has a banner of his family on his back like a sick cape.
A brief aside about the cape…I know a lot of folks dislike some of the reboot designs, but I quite liked Antoine’s look. But after my initial excitement over seeing these characters again, Antoine seems to have something missing. And the cape is a nice touch that makes him look more heroic and knightly. I hope he keeps it.
Page 13 is a very emotional one as, along with the sword, is a note from Antoine’s parents. They tell Antoine that they are proud of him, that they did not want to burden him as a Freedom Fighter, as Antoine reads on with tears in his eyes. Moments like these, emotional and I daresay human moments, are what make me feel drawn to the Freedom Fighters. The cast from the games, at least as far as Reboot is concerned, are not allowed to show these kinds of emotions. They don’t have families or as strong a connection to the setting, so there isn’t as much for them to lose. Beautiful.
To my surprise, Sonic is actually struggling with Cortez, and it is Antoine who comes to his rescue, his own sacred sword in hand. Never had Antoine looked closer to wearing the pants in his marriage. And to Cortez’s surprise, Antoine is able to disarm him, and has him at his mercy…which he decides to show. Cortez is left to leave, tail between his legs, to warn his brethren that he is the protector of the Sacred Swords (by the sounds of it, a new macguffin for them to find had the comic continued).
Sonic and Antoine wrap things up and get ready to leave, with Sonic saying that Bunnie will love his new, rugged look (oui ou) and do some cleanup. One thing I found interesting is how they reference, but do not show, other local warriors, particularly one by the name of “Bow” who escorted Cortez away. Seems like if they had more time Antoine may have had a new group with him. Antoine also tells Sonic that he needs to focus on restoring his homeland, his obligations to King Acorn having been fulfilled. And Sonic, in a rare move, decides to pilot so Antoine gets the cool but precarious shot of standing on the wings of the plane.
So overall, how was Sonic Universe 95? On its own, easily a ten out of ten storyline. Phenomenal art, with Thomas really bringing his a-game, and the ASR team doing a wonderful job of completing his work. A cool new villain who has an awesome magic sword. Worldbuilding as we learn more about Antoine’s homeland. And even some genuinely emotional moments, as Antoine makes peace with the loss of his family and realizes his destiny.
Going from SATAM Antoine to Reboot really highlights how much more the comics were able to do with the character over time. Going from a fairly unfunny stereotype to a fun knight who fights alongside Sonic is such a shift for the better. I highly recommend checking it out. It’s everything I personally want out of one of these comics.
One final note…had to mention the off panel here, where Bunnie reasserts her authority as “da wife” and drags Antoine to the infirmary. Gotta fix her man’s booboos and ensure he does not start getting too full of himself.
Sonic Universe 96
Anyway, it’s time to turn our attention to the top in the relationship, Bunnie Rabbot. Bunnie is doing some soul searching, and while we have gotten hints (notably in the side story Homesick) that there is more to her origin than we have been made privy to, this is the first time we have really delved into it. Bunnie was largely raised by Uncle Chuck and Rosie, but where she came from, and what her life was like before she was partially roboticized, have remained a mystery.
This is another story where the pencil work was done by Adam Bryce Thomas, but everything else, including the writing, was done by fans. Given some of the revelations that we find in this issue, it is important to specify that this was apparently the original plan from the start. What am I referring to, well folks who read it already are aware, but if you are going along with me, we will get there. Also, given her presence on the cover, we know that Blaze is involved.
A couple of quick comments about Bunnie and Blaze…I know that I have said it before, and will likely say it again, but Bunnie always struck me as the character with the most unrealized potential on the Freedom Fighters. You might be surprised if you rewatch Sonic SATAM how little she actually does, mostly taking a backseat for Sonic and Sally. But between her look and cool powers, she always seemed like the Freedom Fighter who would have translated best to the games (well, now her and Antoine if he is getting magic swords) and it's a shame that she is not being better utilized. That being said, that can be said about much of the extended Sonic cast.
Blaze is kind of in a similar boat for me. She appears in the Crossover games, but her and the Sol Dimension, despite being an established part of the world from Pirate Plunder Panic, feel disconnected from the rest of the world. I know a lot of folks were not fond of how Blaze was portrayed in that story, but given how it was my first exposure to the character (I have not played Sonic Rush but want to try its fan upgrade, seriously this franchise’s fans treat it better than SEGA), I enjoyed it. I liked her intensity. Either way, knowing this story was almost released and focusing on two characters I wanted to see more of, but not actually getting it officially, was pretty disappointing. Thankfully I was getting close to the end of Reboot once it was finished by ASR.
You might think, given the many names involved in the art, that things might be inconsistent…but it never feels that way. Which is really a testament to the high standards of the ASR team. They put out quality products that could easily match up to many of those that were officially released.
You know the art is going to be good on this issue from the first page, between Bunnie, the shading, and the silhouette of Marine as she appears with staff in hand. Marine, despite being a bit dizzy and nauseous, explains that she has come here looking for help from Sonic. Bunnie offers to help in his stead. Marine asks Bunnie why she is part robot (a fair reaction), and Bunnie points out it's rude to ask. I liked Marine in Pirate Plunder Panic. A little one note compared to other characters, but it's an amusing note nonetheless.
In case it wasn’t obvious where the plot was going at this point, Bunnie is going to be doing a trip to the Sol Dimension to help deal with a threat, with Marine by her guide. Bunnie asks Marine how they plan to get there, and Marine shares that she stole it from a shrine. One of our heroes ladies and gentlemen. Marine gets sick again after teleporting, and Bunnie is in the Sol Dimension, and runs off to see what all the commotion is about.
We then switch scenes to Blaze the cat, desperately fending off what I would describe as shadowy, Heartless like monsters, along with a new character to me, Gardon. Who is Gardon? Doesn’t matter, they get his Koala ass really easy. Blaze tries to save him with fire, but even her fire doesn’t help. Blaze is forced to watch as the monsters assimilate Gardon, turning him into one of them, and that he taunts the Princess for her failure. Pretty badass and a little bit horrifying.
Bunnie arrives, kicking one of the creatures in spectacular fashion, hair and ears upright, as she joins the fray. Blaze does not know who Bunnie is, but at this moment, doesn’t really care as the two fight. Some pretty great action here aided by excellent art. It’s a simple design with the black and white sludge-creatures fighting our colorful heroes, but it all looks awesome.
Turns out, these creatures are after the scepter that Marine has (probably means that Marine staying here was a bad idea), as the foes coalesce into one form: their leader Null. I have heard some compare this guy to Mephiles, who I recall from Sonic 06, but that game is trash and frankly I do not know much about it, so I will defer to those who have stockholm syndromed themselves into thinking it's worth their time. The resemblance is there though.
Fun fact, Mephiles made it to the top 12 characters in the franchise on a recent magazine poll. Over Eggman, Rouge, Vector, and many other popular characters. Make it make sense.
Anyway, Null “reverse unos” Blaze and tells her that he is actually here because of her actions, not for the scepter, and claims to be a cleansing force here to restore order. What does that mean? We don’t fully get this part explained, but we do see Null share that Blaze has caused damage due to her jaunts between dimensions. Pretty interesting. For a short dude, Null gives a good jrpg villain speech, and once again the art really makes him feel like a threat.
Blaze tries to use the wizard ace in the hole and casts “fireball” at Null, and it has no effect. While Blaze is distracted, one of the creatures latches into Bunnie, and it is a pretty horrific sight as it tries to absorb her like it did Gardon. Thankfully, Bunnie has developed a tolerance for traumatic experiences and focuses on Antoine, gazing at her ring, resisting the influence, as she shoots Null in surprisingly gruesome fashion, turning him into a puddle. Everything here is excellent, the art, the dialogue, the thematics, ten-outta-ten all around.
Bunnie however is still assimilating, her eyes turning black (which looks really cool), saying that she can’t see, that she is scared, as Blaze uses her fire to cleanse her. Marine pokes her head out, asking if the monsters are gone. Once again, our hero, bravely leading from behind a wall.
Bunnie shares that while she was partially assimilated, she could “feel” the other people who were taken over. Pretty dark stuff. She and Blaze agree that Null is unlikely to be really gone, but that she could call her if he shows up again. Marine reminds them she still has the scepter, making Blaze annoyed, and Bunnie shares that she can ask for Bunnie D’Coolette, or her maiden name, Bunnie Rabbot. Which reminds Blaze of something she wants to show her…
There is what I would best describe as a sigil of the Rabbot family, guardians of the scepter, in the catacombs, and Blaze mentions that the family still serves the Sol Empire in a reduced capacity. Bunnie realizes she grew up in the Sol Dimension, that this is why she feels comfortable around the sea. Marine takes Bunnie by the hand, and reminds her mid-panic that this changes nothing, that she still has all her friends at home and a pet husband who obeys her every whim.
This was the part of the comic that got some traction on social media. Not a ton, it is a fran project, but that I definitely heard about prior to reading the issue. This is a very different element of the story from Reboot, whereas prior, Bunnie had a family in Mobius. That being said, some folks may forget what it was like when Bunnie first appeared in the comic…
Personally, I like it. It is an excuse to tell new stories and much like Antoine with the swords, helps to tie the Freedom Fighters to the world. I actually think it does more favors for Blaze than anyone else, who needs an excuse to leave her dimension to interact with the rest of our heroes. Tying Bunnie to it allows us to flesh out and explore the Sol Dimension more. Bunnie takes the opportunity to diss Marine, and with the scepter and a wave, returns to her home.
So how was Sonic Universe 96? Much like 95, excellent. Thomas was really showing his skills off in Sonic Universe, and the ASR team was able to complete his work in amazing fashion, with the dimension hopping and the monsters they faced both looking excellent. The action was excellent, and the story included some very dark and even emotional moments. I feel like there is much more story to tell here with Bunnie in the Sol Dimension, and look forward to what the fans bring forth.
While the overall set is incomplete, for me these two issues were both phenomenal issues that really did not have any flaws to speak of. They focused on the characters I am most interested in, had emotional moments, beautiful art, and great world building. I look forward to what else the fans can produce moving forward.
See you next time! For a full review of my posts, please go here.