Archie Sonic Commentary

Commentary on every issue has been moved here, because it's getting annoying to keep scrolling back and forth all that way. You can find my progress here.

Notes on the series:

Update: changed "Issue" on the main series issues to "Sonic" (Jan. 3, 2025, 1:00 AM approx.)
Update 2: added "Miniseries" to Tails and Princess Sally, to keep consistency with Knuckles (Dec. 18, 2025, 12:00 PM approx.)
Update 3: All notes moved to a different Blog post (Dec. 19, 2025, 9:00 AM approx.)
Update 4: Added a interjection between Sonic #31 and #32 because I picked the series back up from there (Dec. 19, 2025, 6:00 PM approx.)

Sonic #5:
Boomer has a coloring error on page 18
and Zach Abram of Missouri is my hero

Sonic #6:
Boomer's name is changed to Rotor (first use of the new name is in the Christmas Carol parody)
I believe that this is Snively's first appearance in the comic, unless I'm forgetting a previous instance
On the first Sonic-grams page, the Sonic drawing in the corner has one of his arms colored blue

Sonic #7:
Sonic's arms are wildly inconsistent throughout the issue
Sonic gets snuffles over Uncle Chuck (how sweet!)
Robotnik is an artist
Sleeping Gopher (God, rest his soul) from page 17 is my favorite Sonic character
LotR reference on page 18? ("Arise! Arise!")

Sonic #8:
Robotnik is an asshole (killed a crabmeat cuz it was reading comics, and killed a swatbot cuz it reported the crabmeat!)
all of the superhero parodies are really fun; the Wolvurkel bot is my favorite, cuz Sonic recognizes his voice
nice guitar, Sonic (he would absolutely listen to punk, right? maybe Green Day and Bowling for Soup; Bowling for Soup especially, since they worked on Endless Possibility for Sonic Unleashed)
I think this is one of the first times the comic really shows what Robotnik did to the culture of Mobius. The concert hall is decayed and decrepit and the torn visages of actors, long roboticized, still lay on the dusty ground. I think Robotnik has a soft spot for music,  even if he doesn't admit it, seeing as he left the building standing and put up a 'No Trespassing' sign instead of destroying it. Even when he does say he'll destroy it, he says that he'll have the roboticized freedom fighters do it, instead of himself. Maybe he can't bare to think of the destruction he causes, and he distracts himself with silly shenanigans and comedy, forever encasing himself in a bubble of constant praise. Perhaps the pain he feels when he hears music is caused by trauma, and he pushes such things away because of what happened to him. Or, maybe I'm a blithering moron who sees characterization where there is none. Who can say, really?

Sonic #9:
holy mackerel, what in the hell happened to Robotnik on the first page 
what the fuck even is page 4
first look at Mobian wildlife (I don't consider the anthropomorphic animals 'wild'): the Mobian Needle Bird!
holy shit, it's the meme!!!!!!!!!!!!

I accidentally misclicked and lost some notes on several issues
I'm not going to try to recreate them, but it included making fun of Ken Penders and that's all I recall

Sonic #16:
yooo Sally finally has the proper design
OK, credit where it's due, this is the first time I hear SATAM Robotnik instead of AoStH Robotnik
I also wonder if this issue is the retcon of all the previous issues. Where the wacky hijinks was all in the minds of the characters. Perhaps the things that return from these earlier issues were actual experiences they had and these are their recollections of it all in dreamspace. Then again, that would be a major tone shift, so I think maybe the comic will transition from the hijinks into serious war more gradually. Maybe Archie Sonic and my knowledge of its stupidity is getting to me.
And I spoke too soon, AoStH Robotnik is back and Sonic and Sally are waltzing into one robotnik's casinos to play cards with badniks RAAAAAAAAAAAH
I will say that it isn't as punny as before
FUCK! The information is classified! I'll never how many licks it take to get to the center of a lollipop. Oh, the humanity!
"Keep reading Sonic's comic book adventures for details on Knuckles' return!" Oh yeah, we'll get the all right...

Sonic #17:
And so it begins...

Sonic #18:
I really appreciate what Sonic says at the end of this issue. Very in character for him.

Sonic: In Your Face! Special:
my first special! I'm excited
I think the most of the art in this special is a good example I have with some other pieces of Sonic Media: there are too many bright and clashing colors. For instance, there's a panel with a neon pink and yellow robot cyclops with a bright blue eye standing next to the radiant blue of Sonic and the strong red of Sally. It's not bad! It's just a bit overwhelming. 
The art in the Tails story is nice

Sonic #20:
wowee! the Princess Sally story feels like a real comic book instead of a newspaper strip!
Oh, hello Geoffrey 
A poor soul in the Sonic-grams section asked if Knuckles has a mom. We will see, young one (who is older than me by more than a decade), we will unfortunately see

Princess Sally Miniseries #1:
I think the text blurb at the beginning is funny

Princess Sally Miniseries #3: 
wow, a bit disappointing. It wasn't even the real Sally to begin with, so it was hardly about her. Bullshit, if I'm honest

Sonic #21:
ok, what the fuck
I think I've found the weird shit
Grade A Archie bullshit right here folks, holee

Sonic #23:
wait, is the Car-heem plot just an allegory for racism? If so, that's funny as HELL

Sonic #24:
of course it's Penders who brings back Evil Sonic AND EXPANDS THE LORE
I wonder if Evil Sonics line at the end of the first page is a reference to Fleetway Sonic. Hmm...
we are now receiving more lore regarding Sally's dad. because of course we are
O no. In the Sonic-grams it says that we'll get a Knuckles solo story with Ken Penders' artwork

Sonic #25:
Nice art from Spaz on the cover (although last issue did say that Mike Gallagher would be returning & I don't much like his writing style; I prefer Penders over him, if you can believe it)
Amy is now here
I like the way Swatbots look in this issue
HOLY SHIT IS THAT PVM (at the very least, it looks like a professional CRT)
EW, MECHA SONIC HAS MOUTH, but other than that he looks great (dare I say it's based a little off of the ending animation for Sonic CD?)
Amy is going to be insufferable, isn't she?

Sonic & Knuckles Special:
what the fuck happened to Knuckles, he's so off-model
"Outlanders" reminds me of the overlanders from later in the series
Somehow, I think Penders made the Knuckles issue better and worse

Triple Trouble Special:
choas emerlade lol
KNUCKLES IS GREEN IN THAT PANEL (foreshadowing)
also that is not how that would work, thank you
holy shit it's Fang the Sniper
I mean Nack the Weasel
no no, Knuckles, tell me more about the "Book of Myths"
poor seagull has been "oiled up good"
I think that's the first time we see Vector

Sonic #27:
I've heard of Sleuth Dawggy-Dawg before (RIP Cybershell, you don't post often and are therefore basically dead)
of fucking course this was written by Ken fucking Penders
Sonic said he got hit by a truck and he can't remember who he is... did some poor fucker get isekai-ed?

Sonic #28:
that sure did just happen... anyway

Sonic #29:
man, I am so glad I'm reading scans of the original comics instead of having to read the awful ones with the gradients (I'm reading the Thanks, Ken Penders blog along with the comic, so I get a side-by-side view of each version)

Tails Miniseries #1:
I fear I might be getting bored of this comic, at least in its current form

Tails Miniseries #2:
old knuckles lol (why the fuck is this happening right now, and to Tails?!)
it feels like this miniseries is going to end up like the Sally miniseries: focused on shit other than the main character

Tails Miniseries #3:
holy shit, LORE
those are straight up real fucking dinosaurs in my SONIC COMIC

Sonic #30:
hello Uncle Chuck
y'know, I first learned of Uncle Chuck from Sonic Underground when I was like 3 or 4
hey, Spaz drew that story

Knuckles Chaotix Special:
of fucking course Ken starts with an overly-serious opening narration, only to have "Keep out!" signs on the second panel
yippee the chaotix are here
I can't wait 'til I get to that one panel of Vector at Knuckles' funeral, still with his headphones on; I think it's hysterical
poor Knuckles is so confused
OH SHIT IT'S METAL SONIC WITH A MOUTH

Sonic #31:
oh, hello again Geoffrey 
HOLY SHIT IT'S A DAMN TRANFORMER
Rotor is funking dead

(This is where I picked the series back up for the second time)

Sonic #32:
Scientifically impossible
Archimedes?
Trojan honse hehehheheeeeee

Sonic #33:
Literally me for about 3 days (12/14/25 - 12/17/25)
"French Frirus" is absolutely hysterical
Man, fuck the French, they tried to kill Rotor
Penders is on his shit again in the backup stories, although the Canada sport one is kinda fun

Super Sonic vs. Hyper Knuckles Special:
HLOLY SHIT THE BOOK OF MYTHS I TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO SEE MORE OF IT EARLIRER HOLEYEYEYYYY SHITTTTTTTTTT
Sonic and Knuckles' rivalry is the dumbest fucking thing ever, I'm in love
I love me some shitty bullshit mmhmm Ken Penders delivers only the best reskins

Sonic #34:
Snoc in tank lololol
This Echidna shit is so dumb, they're all just Knuckles lololol

Sonic #35:
ONE BILLIONTH RING HAHHAAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA
Ken, oh Ken, I will savor my enjoyment of your garbage for as long as I can, before I inevitably grow weary of it

Sonic #36:
Don't get me wrong, Ken Penders is an awful writer, but at this point in the comic his stories are the most interesting; I really wanna know what's going on with Dimitri and Edmund, but I'm sure it'll be a wet fart of an ending or unresolved cliffhanger

Knuckles Miniseries #1:
YEESS, ANOTHER OVERLY SERIOUS INTRO FROM KEN
Enerjak shows up later in the comic, I think maybe

Knuckles Miniseries #2:
Dune type shi
HL2 type shi

Knuckles Miniseries #3:
Ken's writing sucks because shit just kinda happens with no meaning or reason behind it other than "that would be cool"
Eh, about what I expected from Penders

Sonic #37:
Cool Bunnie story I guess

Sonic #38:
Holy crap it's the dudes from the Sally Miniseries
Why Sonic such a dick all of a sudden?

Sonic #39:
I know this story, can't wait
Bunnie is awesome here

Mecha Madness Special:
I like big dumb robots fighting
Sonic hates Knuckles so much it's so funny
Oh shit, Mammoth Mogul. He's important, isn't he?
This guy's a finja warrior

(This is when the notes were moved)

Sonic #40:
Oh shit, Amy's back

Sonic #41:
They got King Acorn back, which is important I guess

Sonic Quest Miniseries #1:
Y'know, I really like the art here. It's kinda shitty, but in a way I enjoy. Some of it looks kinda Junio inspired

Sonic Quest Miniseries #2:
Oh gosh, what did they do to poor Knuckles

Sonic Quest Miniseries #3:
I had no idea this is where that Silver Sonic design is from, I've been using that panel as reference for YEARS now

Sonic #42:
Holy crap guys, Knuckles gets a solo story and IT'S WRITTEN BY... Ken Penders. Who woulda thunk it
I genuinely did not think we'd be going back to Downunda
Can't wait for Ken to do his thing and smear shit all over the beginning of Knuckles' series (coming very soon!!)

Sonic Live Special:
Oh boy, haven't even opened it and I'm already excited; I've heard of this story, very much so
SONIC IS KIDNAPPING CHILDREN THAT IS WHAT HE IS DOING REAL CHILDREN AAAAAAAA
Those are Penders' kids, y'know. "They worked for free" (Technically one of 'em is his niece, but shut up)
Larry Lynx :|
Oh boy, it's another Knuckles story. Guess this is why this issue isn't optional in the reading order

Sonic #43:
I KNOW that Panda fucker comes back and is really important; I think Flynn does it so it'll prolly be good

Sonic #44:
EVIL SONIC?!?!
Yep, it is; Penders loves his weird shit, don't he

Sonic Blast Special:
Off to a bad start, with Sally and Sonic doin' weird shit for no reason
This is scientifically impossible
This felt like OG Archie Sonic for a second
Yeah, pretty harmless stuff here; just feels the same as Archie did before Ken started injecting his crazy shit
This is the silly before the storm, because of what comes next

Knuckles #1:
OH BOY, WE FINALLY GET TO START PENDERS' CRAZIEST SHIT 
I'M SOOOOOO EXCITED
When the hell did Archimedes get the mind link thing, wtf
Poor guy is giving away his Genesis :(
Mighty looks bad here
So I guess the dudes with the red faces are the Dark Legion; they're probably really important

Knuckles #2:
Kragok is a dumb name, ngl
Oh shit guys, it's Athair from Downunda (what the fuck is this series lololol)

Knuckles #3:
So Steppenwolf is the son of Edmund, and he fought Menniker the son of Dimitri/Enerjak
what the fuuuuuck
Okay, now Menniker (who is actually Kragok, I think) is fighting Knuckles
Penders definitely wrote this miniseries... definitely

Sonic #45:
Knuckles has been enslaved; what the fuck

Sonic #46:
Y'know, I don't much like Geoffrey, he's weird and annoying
Apparently people like Bunnie and Antoine's relationship, but right now I don't because it's way too sudden and badly placed
Yippee! Knuckles finally finished this subplot!

Battle Royale/Sonic Super Special #1:
Oh shit guys, it's Mammoth Mogul back at it again
Antoine isn't totally useless. Who woulda thunk it

Sonic #47:
We're in the Endgame now; I'm so excited! I remember Cybershell talking about this in his video, back when I first got into Sonic
Ok, Sonic killed Sally and now Donald Duck says she isn't dead and her heart is just weak
Oh no, Sonic is going to the Devil's Gulag!!!!

Sonic #48:
Ok, so this version of the King is absolutely fake
This shit is so dumb; "You killed the woman I love!" Bro, Geoffrey, you're almost 30 and she's a teenager, you deserve prison you bastard (what was Ken thinking)

Sonic #49:
Drago and Hershey's relationship is really uncomfortable to read in a fucking Sonic comic; Ken is a damn idiot

Sonic #50:
Robotnik is funking dead
For real, and he doesn't come back for like two years
The Director's Cut isn't too much different btw, just a couple extra pages that are barely important