Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 45 [Comic Review]

Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 45

IDW Publishing

Story: Evan Stanley

Art: Matt Froese

Colours: Reggie Graham

The ROAD TO #50 starts here! Enjoy a TEN-ISSUE long adventure leading up to the EPIC SHOWDOWN in milestone issue #50.

ROAD TRIP!!! The girls; Amy, Jewel, Tangle, and Belle, are heading off on a well-deserved camping trip. Between Dr. Eggman, Dr. Starline, and the Deadly Six, life has been a bit stressful, so they hope rest and relaxation will bring them some peace. Unfortunately… tensions are high and Amy’s fortune card readings leave everyone feeling confused. Can the girls extinguish the awkwardness before it burns out of control? Find out in “TRIAL BY FIRE,” part one by Evan Stanley

Cover-wise, Tangle is definitely the star of the show this month. From her roof surfing on Evan Stanley’s Cover A to her ponderous jester look on Diana Skelly’s Cover B, all the way to her being somewhat tangled on Nathalie Fourdraine’s Cover RI, she’s a ball of energy and emotiveness. That carries over to the internal art too, with her usual, self-assured energy in full force. Tangle actually got to show a more sensitive side again too; her concern for Whisper after the brief flashback was sweet, and she had some real concern on her face when she saw the fire burning towards the end of the issue.

The other girls were given a few opportunities to shine too. Jewel is clearly beginning to buckle under the pressure of leading the Restoration. You really feel for her here, especially as Tangle is taking her frustrations about Whisper out on her. Meanwhile, Belle is continuing her self-doubt after the events of issue 44. I love the glow in her eyes in the darker night scenes, and I’m looking forward to her finally finding her way. Amy Rose is perhaps given fewer opportunities to progress, but you always feel like she’s leading the proceedings here, keeping the group – and the trip – together.

This being the start of a new arc, the story leaves plenty open. I did like we get a storyline reason for Sonic and Tails not being present. It was set up in a way that places the focus on the laid-back feel the girls are going for too. The Whisper flashback was decent and sets up a few things going forward, and the couple of moments of foreshadowing for the forest fire was nice. The tarot card readings were fun too, and we were left with a few moments to let us know what’s to come next issue.

Overall, this was a lot of fun. It isn’t quite on par with the last issue, but it does a good job of getting things ready for what should be a more perilous issue 46. It was cool seeing Amy, Belle, Jewel, and Tangle getting the spotlight, and Evan’s writing is still solid too. I give this a solid 4 out of 5.