#idw sonic issue 55

[hadesknockedupintheunderworld]

(Art by Natalie Fourdraine)

You know what you know what you know what?

Metonurge

[calista-222]

Power surge

[krafterwrites]

I think we should stop letting people call stuff filler unless it's DBZ or something with a similar situation to it

[000marie198]

Sonic doesn't understand what exactly Eggman is saying but Tails knows the meaning of those words. Little guy is horrified...

[spheciform]

[ID: a panel from issue 55 of the idw sonic comics. Surge is sitting on eggman's chest, presumably trying to kill him. He's attempting to push her off but she is biting his hand. End ID]

BITING HIM BITING HIM BITING HIM BITING HIM

[mr-hammer-exe]

U-Uh, Sonic? 

I don’t- uhm... 

...

[niyana-the-ambiguous-mobian]

They weren’t kidding, Surge really went and bit someone this issue. Eggman could have lost a finger for real...

[qasian-tech-support]

Please ignore if I clicked the wrong blog to respond to.

But I also want new Megas and Protomen :(

RIGHT?!?!

I mean, yeah, the Megas also have their takes on Skullman's theme ("Cracked Skulls"; inspired by MM4) and Chill Penguin's theme ("Chill XMas"; inspired by MMX), and I guess there's also one based on Storm Eagle's theme ("Rougmer Storm"; MMX), but I haven't listened to that one yet.

Like, I get that they have a good story arc to cover the first 3 classic games, but it would be so cool if they explored some of the themes of the following games, y'know? Or flesh out the MMX or other series music! Or hell, pick and choose some Robot Masters and make a new narrative, or like literally anything, please, people are starving over here! And it's not like they aren't still active. Don't get me wrong, I love their Castlevania stuff under the Belmonts label, but it would be nice to get Mega Man content outside of just remixes/remasters of their existing songs. Plus, they're still doing concerts, so like the audience is there for it!

And as for the Protomen, I hope that they actually end up releasing Act III at some point. Having listened to The Fight, it makes me crave it to an unhealthy degree. I love the grimdark kinda take on Mega Man that focuses more on the role that humanity takes in all of the conflict. I feel like that angle gets extremely neglected in Mega Man media.

Idk, as a fan, it's just kinda frustrating how neglected mega man gets. Like, it feels like the rare times whenever we do get content, it focuses on the first three or four games (if we're lucky), and then it just dies off! Or goes dormant for a decade or more. The franchise has so much creative potential that just isn't realized and it's so sad!

[smallpwbbles]

A little observation form the new idw sonic issue #55

Surge seems almost addicted to the energy gained via the dynamo cage. draining Starline base sigma of most of its power and ripping though the egg walker to get the chaos drive.

To be frank even if she didn’t hate sonic and Eggman and thought they’re out to hurt her I doubt she’d willingly part with the device but like with most ways to get an addictive boost it inevitably comes with some side effects…

Oh Surge I think things are gonna get a bit worse before it gets better for you.

I’m genuinely scared she’s gonna overload on energy and fucking blow up in the last part of this arc

[beevean]

I have yet to read the new issue myself, but I believe Surge and Kit are explicitly stated/shown to be in it just to go fuck everyone over and hurt all their enemies in the Restoration, right? That is one of the many problems with IDW for me: instead of keeping things remotely under wraps and letting us as audience put together clues ourselves that the villains did actually not turn over a new leaf, it very explicitly shows this to be the case to us from the second they appear... yet none of the hero characters know about it, and the plot honestly is specifically tailored to ensuring they will not find out until it is too late (I'm still mad at all the bs pulled in issue 63, for example). It adds such an extra layer of frustration when we know that the more sceptic characters are one hundred percent in the right, only for them to be brushed off by their peers and not taken seriously. Like, surely I am not the only one who does not like seeing a favorite character of mine be made fun of despite knowing that they're just plain correct in their suspicions? I feel that a "dramatic irony" plot does not have to immediately equate to "unenjoyable teeth-grinding of frustration"... but only if it didn't come at the expense of legit all the respect the cast has for the Woobie Characters™️ who are Only Here To Be Hurt Because Isn't That Only Why People Like Them, like Silver or Whisper.

Oh, it's not just that. It's not just about seeing S&K teaming up with Clutch.

Surge keeps being confrontational and mocking, praising Whisper for being suspicious of her, at one point literally suggesting to burn the base down, to which Sonic responds "yeah sure fuck around and find out"...

But he still has the balls to say "but they deserve a second and third chance 🥺"

You idiot. You clown. You absolute buffoon. What. In the fuck. Are you doing.

Yes sure Surge and Kit deserve to have the chance to be free! But

they can't. Not so easily. You have learned in #55 that they were literally programmed to be antagonistic: you can't really get over brainwashing after a few nice words. I know you refused to give a shit because you're a heartless asshole, but you know this.

they have done literally nothing to indicate that they want to do better. "oh buh muh knuckles, muh shadow, muh silver" shut the fuck up, all these three actually HELPED Sonic to prove that they had a change of heart! Knuckles brought them to Sky Sanctuary! Shadow went to fight the Biolizard! Silver saved Sonic from Eggman's robots and helped him to look for the Egg Carrier! Surge has literally walked to Amy like "yo bestie are we cool?" and Amy... I don't even know what her deal is.

SHE JOKED ABOUT BURNING THE BASE. TO YOUR FACE. YOU KNOW THAT SHE'S MORE THAN CAPABLE OF DOING THAT. YOU EVEN TOOK THE THREAT TO FACE VALUE.

What about Whisper and Belle's choice? They don't want Surge and Kit around, for legitimate reasons. But you steamrolled over their mistrust because you are so eager to play Mr. Principles. Hell he even responded to Belle's "but Dr. Starline made them!" with "and Eggman made Gemerl and Omega", which makes my head bang on the wall so hard you have no idea.

you are the biggest hypocrite on this cursed earth:

I hate you and everything you stand for.

But most importantly... we went through this already. With Duo. Duo infiltrating the base and rousing Silver and Whisper's suspicious. Why should I see this again. What do I gain from this.

My brain is melting.

[luescris]

Okay alright okay just got done reading issue 55 of the IDW Sonic comics and I have so much I need to say on god so. Spoilers under the cut fhfh

Okay. First. Surge.

At first, I was meh about her. Thought she was just another one of those average villains and all that. But this issue.. Put up a new light.

This... This is a panic attacks, right??? Like I'm not crazy, or the only one that sees it as that, it is one right???

I don't know why it didn't hit me until now but like. Starline really did screw them up big time didn't he?? Cuz god if this isn't the definition of trauma then idk what is, and the fact that IDW is going this hard for it?? That's just crazy.

Like I said earlier I just thought that Kit and Surge were kind meh, but now it's like. They're like villains I can sympathize with now because Surge can't see that Sonic is trying to help her, she actively thinks he wants her gone. I had more coherent thoughts on this earlier but this was the gist shdbdg

Hell Starline just. Kidnapped them when they were children. Stole them away from their homes. I don't remember how he did it but was their growth accelerated?? Did they stay down there for like. Years? Like what Surge said:

Who were they before all this. Will we learn? What will happen then??

And not only that, but when Sonic and Tails learned that they were made Sonic's face.

I know that people have probably already talked about it but he is. Genuinely horrified. We don't see him get shaken like this very often, and now that he knows he just wants to help her. This is like going down a road he probably didn't expect.

If we find out where Surge and Kit comes from it's going to be like. Idk but it's probably not gonna be fun for him fhhfhh

Starline just. Is a lot worse than I already thought he was. Good lord these poor kids. ):

And to make the mood lighter oh my god this

ARE THEY. ARE THEY ON A DATE????? DID AMY ASK HIM TO GO AND HE ACTUALLY WENT WITH HER???? WAS IT WILLINGLY????

LIKE I KNOW CREAM AND VANILLA IS THERE BUT LIKE. THE FACT THAT HE'S GOING WITH IS INSANE ON IT'S OWN. Like he always made some other excuse or refused her if Amy asked him to go on a date and I don't want to look to far into things but it's a big deal to me that he agreed. They would probably make the excuse that they were just hanging out but then there's. There's the bottom one.

Look at the way Sonic is looking at her. Everyone else has their eyes closed, even Amy. But Sonic is just looking at her. And holding her hand. On god this is insane I am going so insane

I can't wait to read this I'm gonna die of happiness 😭😭

[randomthefox]

Going through issue 55 of idw sonic and this has to be the most unbearably stupid iteration of Sonic ever made

"Metal I'm not giving up on you yet!"

This is the same comic where Metal straight up tells Sonic that Eggman removed his ability to want anything other than being evil

Does this Sonic really not understand that Metal is a robot and can only do what he's programmed to do?

Why did this terrible comic add this dumb narrative about mercy and choices? Just why?

Legitimately IDW Sonic is a fucking monster. It is impossible to read his character as anything but a completely reprehensible hypocrite.

[sth-lgbtq]

I made a "Sonic characters who play Minecraft" headcanon post and several "Sonic characters with disabilities" headcanon posts so here's the logical next step:

Sonic characters who are undoubtedly systems:

Gonna start this post by saying that the most correct answer is all of them, but if we're only going off of ones that can be quote unquote justified, here's the list:

Sonic the Hedgehog: he is a fucking mess of trauma and internalized emotions. He's also a homeless orphan and has been for literally as long as he can remember. There's like 12 hedgehogs in there, maybe more. Also, insert that one post my friend @sonicaspeed123 made about how easy it is to read basically the entire ost of Sonic Frontiers as This Hog's A System. Also also, the whole Nicky situation from the manga.

Infinite is IMHO one of the best candidates for being a system, even if admittedly I base most of my judgement off of popular headcanons that's just BARELY hinted towards in official media, if at all. He seems very much like a "forced to mature at the age of 3, raised by himself" kinda guy. Insanely easy to exploit his desire for stability and just... general compensation from the world, and that's indicative of him having experienced the worst of it for himself (not to imply you need to experience intense trauma to have DID but it surely helps). Hell the one we call "Infinite" is probably a protector-turned-host who is protecting the old exploitable mercenary he used to be and / or someone else entirely (my money's on a scared little kid, the "weak" side of him. Makes sense to retain that level of vulnerability and immaturity when you're forced to grow up overnight.)

Shadow the Hedgehog

Surge is an interesting case because her dissociative symptoms are fully canonical. Like not to spoil issues 50-55 of the IDW comics but holy shit

I'll add more to this probably but right now I'm eepy

[tailschannel]

"Surge the Tenrec is a walking disaster, but she’s our walking disaster."

With only one more issue to go, the “Overcharged” arc is drawing to a close.

By way of summary, most of this arc has featured the new antagonist Surge getting into fights and then losing them.

Using a piece of stolen Eggman tech called the Dynamo Cage, Surge has been supercharging her powers to put herself on equal footing (power-wise) with other Sonic characters—and then losing whatever fights she has with them.

Given everything that has happened so far, the name “Overcompensated” may be better suited for the story.

Read more in our issue 55 roundup by guest contributor Ringpenz:

[000marie198]

He yoinked her away with her quills

Sometimes, Eggman really does something that reminds you he's a human who has been dealing with crazy powered up mobians for years

[omegafan101]

You know what? It’s been a while since I shared my thoughts on the IDW comics, and I wanna get back into that. Let’s talk about Issue 55!

Right away this cover art is fucking GREAT! Might be some of the best in the series. I’m a big fan.

First off, the Egg Walkers back! Cool! The Egg Mobile is nice and all back Eggman tromping around in a big legged version of the thing has always been fun.

Secondly, love that Metal just rushed in to attack Sonic immediately without Eggman’s orders. Weather it’s just Metal’s prime programming to kill Sonic, or his own free will beginning to creep through is up in the air. And I like that.

Really faked me out here, thought for sure we’d have the classic horror trope with Surge jumping down right before Eggman fully realizes where she is. But Eggman being quick witted enough to realize where she is and shooting that close to her is way better!

Also Eggman having a gun will never not be funny to me. Sure it just shoots lasers but god the image of Eggman holding a pistol is metal and hilarious at the same time.

I’m so god damn happy with what Ian and Evan have been doing with Eggman this arc. The fact that this is the second time in 6 issues that he has grabbed and attacked a character with his bare hands is amazing and really paints him as the threat he’s meant to be. Eggman being physically stronger than he looks, while still needing to rely more on his machines, is just a fantasic bit of characterization.

God I love the way the ENTIRE panel is washed in color whenever Surge uses the wisp powers. It’s absolutely stunning and is a FANTASTIC showcase of her power.

HOT DAMN CHAOS DRIVES ARE BEING ACKNOWLEDGED!

You know after two mini-series of “Starline manipulates people for his plan, they find out, he almost dies, Starline manipulates people for his plan, they found out, he DOES die,” it’s great to be reminded, post-mortem, Starline is an absolute genius and could have been a genuine terrible threat to the world had he not been so focused on one upping Eggman.

I love how Sonic and Eggman aren’t working together yet here, but are smart enough to know that both of them are enemies to Surge and coming at her from both sides like this before confronting each other is a good play. Also Metal looks AWESOME!

I continue to feel so bad for Surge it hurts. The crippling paranoia and anxiety over both her own safety and Kit’s is heart breaking and really makes me want to see her come out okay in the end, which unfortunately I don’t think will happen at this point.

I have nothing of value to say here i just like the image of Eggman drinking water like a professional athlete.

I gotta say it’s a little jarring to see Eggman so quickly accept Sonic’s help after he was so stubbornly against it in Sonic Frontiers, but I guess he just knows that he’s in a completely modified base that he’s unfamiliar with, has no form of transport anymore, and his only form of defense is Metal Sonic who would probably struggle against Sonic and Tails at the same time.

Plus I really can’t blame the writing team for it since they were almost certainly writing this before Frontiers came out and only Ian knew what was going on in that story and he didn’t work on this issue.

And there it is folks, that sweet, horrid realization that Surge isn’t just some brute who Starline hired, but a horrific creation of Starline who doesn’t know anything else than to hate Sonic. God this arc is creepy.

And once again a reminder that Starline is an evil genius on the same level as Eggman, just blinded by his own ego. Eggman admitting himself that Starline was brilliant but only AFTER he’s dead is great to see. I adore a villain who respects their enemies abilities and Eggman is prime for that.

Kit continues to look creepy and Sure is doing the Vegeta pose.

But enough about that I wanna talk about how calm Surge looks in those first couple panels. Or at the very least not angry like she usually is. Surge has been fighting running around and fighting non stop since Issue 50 and she’s clearly scared of the fact that Sonic and Eggman are working together. She’s tired, she’s scared, and she doesn’t know what else to do but to fight Sonic.

And oh BOY this last page is pretty!!! I cannot stress enough how amazing the art of this series is, it’s astounding!

Conclusion

Surge and Kit continue to be really fun and compelling villains and I’m so glad they’ve been added. Feels like we’re getting close to the end of this first major arc involving them, but whatever happens next issue I hope that the two of them can continue to appear in later comics down the line. Giving Sonic more of a rogues gallery is always neat to me, even if Eggman deserves more of the spotlight.

8/10