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Sonic X (Archie comics)

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Sonic X
Publisher: Archie Comics
Country of origin: United States
First issue date: 2005-09
Last issue date: 2008-12
Number of issues: 40
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Sonic X was a comic book series published by Archie Comics that lasted for 40 issues, and is an adaptation of the English dub of the anime of the same name. It began in September 2005 and was originally meant to be a four-issue mini series. However, due to the positive reaction to the series' announcement, it was extended to ongoing status before the first issue premiered. The comic ended in December 2008 with issue #40, and was then replaced with Sonic Universe.

Up to issue 15 of the series, it was usually written by Joe Edkin and penciled by Tim Smith III, but other pencillers such as Tracy Yardley, David Hutchinson, and Steven Butler have been featured. Ian Flynn wrote issues 16 and 17, although Edkin returned with issue 18.

Sonic X is unique among Archie's Sonic-related series in that it does not take place in the same fictional universe as the original series, but rather as one of many parallel universes to that continuity. This has been the case for most of the issues right until the final issue.

The comic borrows elements from the series first two seasons of the show, including Eggman's fort, destroyed in season one of the anime, and characters from the Sonic Adventure storyline. The series generally does not include characters and plot elements absent from the animated series, with few exceptions (most notably the presence of classic Badniks and other elements of the original Sonic the Hedgehog video game in the story "No Thanks for the Memories").

Stories from the comic were also published in the UK's official Jetix magazine for a brief period.

Comic summary

The Sonic X comic series tells the untold stories of the anime, which take place between certain episodes in the show. All the stories in the series run take place between the "Chaos" saga, to sometime before episode 52 of the anime, taking place at certain times in between the episodes.

The first seven issues take place right between the Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 adaptations, as several references are made to the events of said series. Issues 8-11 take place right before the "Eggmoon Saga" (this is also the time he meets Emerl). Issues 12-14 then span between certain episodes of the Sonic Battle Saga (Eggman and his robots are in prison for the "Eggmoon Saga", while Emerl is living at the Thorndykes mansion), while issues 14-22 take place sometime afterwards.

In issue #23, Sonic meets the S.O.N.I.C.X. organization, and one of its members, Card Passer, mentions his unauthorized attack on Eggman, which, in the anime, took place at the same time Sonic and his friends were supposed to be returning to their world. Since no mention of Sonic trying to go home is ever made in the comic, it is presumed that, from #23 onward, the comic series stems off into a separate continuity from the anime.

In the final issue (#40), Shadow the Hedgehog and Metal Sonic appear, but are actually from the main Sonic comic series (having arrived through Chaos Control while fighting). Shadow encounters the Sonic of this world, and is slightly shocked to learn that he's presumed dead by everybody he meets (though readers get a brief glimpse of this world's Shadow in suspended animation). Metal Sonic, meanwhile, recognizes this world's Eggman for the Dr. Robotnik of its own and obeys him, despite Eggman never having seen such a robot in his life. Shadow and Metal Sonic eventually resume their fight and use Chaos Control to warp out of the world, (later appearing in the series' replacement, Sonic Universe) leaving Sonic and the others to resume their normal lives.

Production credits

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Characters

Main characters

  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic is the main protagonist in the comic book. He's the world's fastest hedgehog. Sonic loves to run, have adventures and foil Dr. Eggman's schemes.
  • Christopher Chris Thorndyke: Chris is a 12-year-old boy and the main human protagonist, and Sonic's best human friend ever since he saved Sonic from drowning in his parent's swimming pool. Chris is exclusive to the Sonic X anime and comic, and does not appear in any of the Sonic the Hedgehog games.
  • Dr. Eggman: Dr. Eggman is the main antagonist in the comic book. He has an IQ of 300, and considers himself as the world's greatest mind, of all time. Even though he is very intelligent, he's unable to defeat Sonic and his friends. A new trait not found in the Sonic X animated series is that Eggman is a master of disguise, frequently donning various costumes in his schemes. Though they usually do little to conceal his identity, the characters in the comic are fooled by his disguises most of the time. In Sonic X, Doctor Eggman also shows some expertise at wrestling.
  • Miles "Tails" Prower: Tails is a young fox who often helps Sonic out on his adventures. He's also Sonic's best friend and is always ready to fight all mechanical menaces that the evil genius Dr. Eggman builds to destroy.
  • Amy Rose: Amy Rose is in love with Sonic. She's a professional with her Piko Piko Hammer and is a real danger for her enemies, and sometimes, also for her friends.
  • Shadow the Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog is Sonic's main rival. Shadow is only seen in a brief glimpse in the final issue, still in suspended animation, since it takes place after his "death" in the anime. However, his counterpart from the main Sonic comic series makes a surprise appearance in the final issue (#40), along with his world's Metal Sonic.
  • Cream the Rabbit: is a young rabbit who often helps out on Sonic's adventures. She takes her best friend Cheese the Chao everywhere she goes.
  • Rouge the Bat: Rouge is a treasure-hunter, thief, and works for the government as a spy. She loves jewels and has the dream of collecting the world's most valuable and precious jewels, such as the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald. She also works as an agent of the Station Square military force G.U.N., alongside Agent Topaz. She is usually seen working with Shadow.

Exclusive characters

These characters only appear on the original series, or in the comic book:

  • Chuck Thorndyke: Chuck is Chris's grandpa. Being a scientist and an inventor, most of the times he helps Tails with a few projects.
  • Nelson Thorndyke: Nelson is Chris's dad and Chuck's son. Nelson is the CEO of a successful computer company.
  • Decoe and Bocoe: Decoe and Bocoe are Dr. Eggman's robotic henchmen, who help him with his schemes of world domination. Unlike their boss, they usually see that every plan Eggman comes up with will eventually fail, and behave like a couple of clowns when things get ugly. They are obviously modeled after Scratch and Grounder from Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, though are more intelligent in the fact they know when a plan will fail.
  • Bokkun: Dr. Eggman's messenger. He has the job of giving the messages that Dr. Eggman sends to Sonic and his pals, calling them for a fight or to warn them that he will try to conquer the world. Almost every time after he delivers the message, it explodes. It is believed that Bokkun is some sort of mutant Chao, since he shows a wide range of normal emotions and has a constant appetite, something the other robots don't have. In the Japanese version of the cartoon, it was revealed he has a crush on Cream the Rabbit.
  • Agent Topaz: She is a G.U.N. Tac Team agent and the human partner of Rouge the Bat, not to mention also best-friend. Though at first the regimental Topaz disapproves of the scheming Rouge, the two become friends fast. Even when Rouge was framed, Topaz believed in her, proving that although she may not like the ways of work of her partner, she still believes and trusts her as a friend and colleague. Her uniform in both the series and comic resembles the uniforms worn in Virtua Cop 2, only blue instead of white.
  • Scarlet Garcia: She is the prime news reporter of the SSTV (Station Square Television), and is always on the scene to report what's going on, to the citizens of Station Square. Thanks to her, Sonic and the rest of the gang always know when someone needs their help.
  • Sam Speed: He's the leader of the S-Team, and Sonic's main rival when it comes to speed. He's also Lindsay's brother, and Chris' uncle. Although is sometimes too stubborn to see his own mistakes, he's one of the most powerful allies against Dr. Eggman's robots. In the Japanese version of the series, he constantly went by various nicknames.
  • El Gran Gordo: El Gran Gordo is a wrestler and luchador who has gain quite an admiration by the public in Station Square, becoming the Wrestling World Champion, more than once. But in reality, he's actually Dr. Eggman disguised. He started to use this identity to gain money for its schemes, but ended up liking to be the good guy for once. Although he cheated to win his matches, he was able to defeat Andes the Ginormous (an allusion to the wrestler André the Giant) using his own fighting skills.
  • Captain Westwood: Captain Westwood is one of the main G.U.N. agents and is Rouge and Topaz's superior. His main objective is to overthrow Agent Topaz along with Rouge, so he could be #1 in the agency, although most of the times he needs the help of Sonic to get out of messes. He harbors a deep jealousy against Sonic and his friends, and has been known to do some seriously illegal and dangerous things behind the backs of his superiors. His character design, demeanor, and actions are heavily influenced by Albert Wesker of Resident Evil fame.
  • S.O.N.I.C.X.: A group of humans dedicated to destroying Sonic, due to how the hedgehog and his friends ruined their lives and careers in one way or another. The members are:
    • The Organizer: The highest-ranking member of the S.O.N.I.C.X. team, who only appears to his fellow members via TV communication, and always staying hidden in shadow. His true identity is never revealed, though deliberately alluded to be Captain Westwood.
    • Card Passer: A former G.U.N. commander who led an unauthorized attack on Eggman. He was fired from his position upon the President finding out.
    • Hector Dragg: A former Speed Team member, originally Sam Speed's rival until Sonic arrived and shoved him to third. His determination to beat them both led Hector to get more reckless in his performance, ultimately forcing Sam to remove him from the team.
    • Howard Watcher: Ex-Warden of Prison Island, fired after Sonic's escape and the island's subsequent destruction.
    • Doctor Kai Narasu: A scientist who originally wrote a paper about Sonic being nothing but a robot (Episode 2). However, his theories were proven false and he ultimately lost his tenure.
    • Li Yan: Although he has no real issues with Sonic, he desires to get revenge on Knuckles and Hawk after they made a fool of him and stole the Red Chaos Emerald (Episode 17).
    • Jerome Wise: Former aide to the President, who was fired after he was discovered to be conspiring with Eggman (Episode 21). He has since been reduced to a homeless laughingstock.

Whilst the comics never explored any storyline from the third season of the anime, the season's main deuteragonist character Cosmo still managed to make cameo appearances in some form.

Back issues

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Issue 01
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Issue 02
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Issue 03
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Issue 04
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Issue 05
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Issue 06
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Issue 07
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Issue 08
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Issue 09
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Issue 10
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Issue 11
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Issue 12
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Issue 13
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Issue 14
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Issue 15
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Issue 16
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Issue 17
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Issue 18
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Issue 19
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Issue 20
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Issue 21
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Issue 22
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Issue 23
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Issue 24
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Issue 25
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Issue 26
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Issue 27
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Issue 28
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Issue 29
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Issue 30
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Issue 31
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Issue 32
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Issue 33
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Issue 34
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Issue 35
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Issue 36
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Issue 37
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Issue 38
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Issue 39
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Issue 40

See also

References


Sonic X
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Main page


Magazine articles
Reception
Merchandise


Development

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  • Season 1 episodes
  • Season 2 episodes
  • Season 3 episodes
  • Media
Sonic X (Archie comics)
SonicX Comic US 01.jpg

Main page


Reception


Development

Archie Comics ongoing series
Mini-series
Stand alone specials
Free Comic Book Day issues
Crossover issues
Digests & Compilations
Single Compilations & Digital Exclusives
Miscellaneous