Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 37
IDW Publishing
Story: Evan Stanley
Art: Adam Bryce Thomas
Colours: Reggie Graham
There’s a new kid on the block! And a new… tower? While Tangle tries to initiate Belle into the Restoration, Sonic, Amy, and Tails investigate a mysterious looking tower that has popped up. Everyone is pushed to their limits in “Test Run”!
We have an interesting selection of covers this issue. Cover A is by current head writer Evan Stanley and has a Twilight Zone vibe to it that fits nicely with the tone of the final few pages. Jonathan Gray’s Cover B is a nice piece featuring a whole bunch of characters. I’d love to think they’re all appearing in this arc, but I suspect that would be quite unwieldy given their sheer numbers. Cover RI by Nathalie Fourdraine is reminiscent of the old game title screens, but featuring Tangle and Belle, who look set to play a key role in this arc.
So, story-wise, we see the heroes beginning an investigation into a mysterious tower that appears to be at the centre of a recent spate of storms. The main team that is going along are Sonic, Tails, and Amy. The trio gets in easy enough but soon find themselves facing a room that shifts as they move. Their part of the issue was enjoyable enough, and I really like the concept of the tower, but it does feel like the stars of this arc will be Tangle and Belle.
Belle is faced with some resistance from the other volunteers in the Restoration, and accidentally causes an incident that leads to her meeting Tangle. The interesting thing is, they’re both so different as characters, and it really shows here. Tangle is, as always, a ball of energy with a thirst for adventure. She does have a conscience though, and we can see here that she misses spending time with Jewel. Meanwhile, Belle believes her creator may be in the tower and so comes up with a plan to get her and Tangle inside. She actually seems pretty sneaky this time around.
It’s the character work that makes this such a good arc-opener. We get to set up the location, see some of the challenges it’ll present, and then launch our main stars towards the action. Tangle is such a delight, and I’m looking forward to seeing how she plays off Belle going forward. I’m also interested t see if Belle’s creator will be revealed in this arc and how the others will react. I mean, it ahs be Eggman’s short-lived good guy personality, Mr Tinker, right? And let’s not forget, the adorable sheep girl Lanolin got another appearance, so that’s always a bonus.
Meanwhile, the art was pretty strong again. It’s the over-exaggerated facial expressions that really get me. From the cheeky glint in Tangles eye at the thought of mischief to Amy’s exasperation at the team’s situation, it’s all so full of personality. That alone is enough to push this one up into scoring 4 out of 5.
Matt Doyle Media 