Guest Post -James M's Sonic Underground Review & Retrospective

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Salutations friends, James M here and we shall be going over another Sonic cartoon, the one, the only... SONIC UNDERGROUND!

"Game over, Robuttnik."
-Sonic in "Virtual Danger"

In 1998-1999, as the release of Sonic Adventure (which saw SEGA's beloved mascot make the jump to 3D) got closer, the world saw the airing of a 3rd Sonic cartoon. The cartoon in question? Sonic Underground. The show lasted about one season and forty episodes before being cancelled without it getting a proper ending to the show's main plot, leaving fans disappointed and upset. Despite its abrupt ending, Underground has left behind a lasting legacy and is well respected by fans, even though a handful of people hate the show for various reasons.

So what is the show about?

Its very simple, Sonic the Hedgehog is a prince and has siblings, a brother named Manic (who is a green hedgehog) and a sister named Sonia (who is freaking gorgeous and pink just like Amy). Together they tour Mobius, fighting off the influence of the evil Doctor Ivo Robotnik and helping the resistance as they seek out their mum Queen Aleena. That's right, Sonic has family and is royalty. Remember, this well before SEGA established the whole "SEGA-Sonic characters cannot have family relatives" mandate some time after the Archie Sonic comics rebooted, so of course those who made Sonic comics and cartoons had creative freedom and could give the SEGA cast a family. Also, it wouldn't be Sonic without his nemesis Doctor Ivo Eggman Robotnik himself.

However, Sonic, his siblings, their mum and Doctor Robotnik aren't the only characters in the show. Knuckles the Echidna from Sonic 3 & Knuckles makes his appearance a few times throughout the series, his grandpa Athair from Archie does show up as well. Sonic's Uncle Chuck from SatAM and Archie does show up for in the first episode and he does adopt a younger Sonic, who loses his foster parents to Robotnik's forces. There's also Cyrus, who actually very briefly works for Robotnik due to being blackmailed until he really does join the resistance. As for Doctor Robotnik? He deploys Swatbots and roboticized Mobians to do his bidding. He also uses two bounty hunters named Sleet and Dingo to try and take out or capture the hedgehogs.

Now Sleet and Dingo are Robotnik lackeys and are considered the Scratch and Grounder of Sonic Underground, so expect the two of them to be comedic relief. As for the backstory of the show's plot? Its simple... Mobius was once peaceful until Robotnik took over, turned the city of Mobotroplis into Robotroplis and began roboticizing most of the population just like in SatAM. Sonic, Manic and Sonia were babies when that happened and their mum was soon visited by the Oracle of Delphius who spoke of a prophecy that one day the hedgehog royal family would become the Council of Four and overthrow Robotnik's regime. Until then, the queen must separate her babies and go into hiding.

Sonia is brought up by Madame Windmire, an aristocrat, and is athletic/acrobatic, great at the piano and has quite a personality. Manic ends up being raised by a thief named Ferrel. As for Sonic? You already know he was raised by a couple before being adopted by Uncle Chuck after said couple was captured. When both siblings are old enough, they reunite and join up with the resistance before setting out to find their mum and save Mobius from Robotnik, while getting into some crazy adventures along the way, not to mention doing some musical numbers here and there. In the final episode of the show, Virtual Danger, they thwart Robotnik's plot involving virtual reality and, after that one, the show is over. Robotnik's defeated, but will the triplets reunite with their mama?

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In the years following the show's cancellation, fans have clamored to see a proper conclusion, to see what will happen next. In 2012, at Comic-Con, people were in for a surprise when Archie announced that the TV series would be concluded in the pages of Sonic Universe Issue 50. However, things changed. Due to behind the scenes complications and the upcoming crossover between Sonic & Mega Man, the Sonic Underground story was scrapped and replaced with a Metal Sonic story. Not long after, the Archie Sonic reboot happened and hopes for a Sonic Underground Epilogue seemed to fade when SEGA increased their mandates and labeled material from that show and others such as Sonic X off-limits. Even worse, there was the "Sonic can't have family" mandate.
A few years later, the Archie Sonic era ended and it seemed the possibility of Sonic Underground getting any proper conclusion are null and void. However, there is still hope. Many fans have taken it upon themselves VIA fanfiction to give the cartoon the conclusion it deserves. As for the comic-style epilogue to Underground, the folks at Archie Sonic Online have taken matters into their own hands and we are soon to get the long-awaited ending to Sonic Underground. As for the solicitation?

In 1999, the world was introduced to a very different version of our heroic, blue blur. As prince to the kingdom, and armed with the power of music, Sonic and his sister Sonia and brother Manic sought to find their mother, Queen Aleena, and defeat the evil dictator, Dr. Robotnik. Now, 20 years later, the story concludes in “Swan Song”! Robotnik has the royal siblings right where he wants them, with roboticizion a foregone conclusion. Who can save the young resistance leaders? It’s our first issue of Sonic Universe Online, and the milestone no Sonic Underground fan can miss! Featuring cover art by Riggo!

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This is super promising and I cannot wait to read it as well as review it.
As for Sonic Underground's legacy? It is an honorable one, even though the show is long gone, at least we can all see it on DVD. As for the characters, their legacies will live on in reruns, fan art and many fan-made Sonic works such as fan fiction, fan comics and fan videos. As a Sonic fan, I intend to honor that legacy too and happily include anything related to Sonic Underground in some of my fan art and my fanfics as long as I continue to do any of that stuff until the day I decide I'm done.

I started watching Sonic Underground in 2012 and after watching the "Wedding Blue Bells" episode, I went on a Sonic Underground hiatus for almost a year before I dove back into the show and finished it. The show is still enjoyable and I often watch some of its episodes from time to time, I actually took it upon myself to write a little Sonic Underground Epilogue fanfic of my own in 2015-2016, but I also made it tie into another story I've yet to fully finish (as of this) known as Percy Jackson And The Legend of Zelda 2: Worlds Unite, which involves Sonia from Sonic Underground. Given that I have changed a bit as a writer, I need to edit my Sonic Underground epilogue a little bit, get rid of some... questionable stuff.

Anyways, I happily close out this review and I say thank you to Sonic Underground for being awesome. Bye guys...

-James M the CrazyGamerHistorian1999

Guest Post -James M's Review of Terminator Sector War

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Hey there Terminator fans, James M here and we will today be looking at a Terminator comic book, but not just any comic book. We're looking at Terminator Sector War by Brian Wood and Jeff Stokely.
Like other Terminator novels and comics, this comic tells a story beyond the first film and is actually taking place during the exact same time as the first movie. So, what is the plot?

Synopsis:

After a nice little intro showing the war-torn future and that same message from the beginning of the first movie talking about the final battle of the War Against The Machines happening in 1984, we cut to New York City in 1984 where a T-800 arrives from the future in an alleyway VIA time displacement field. As usual, given the fact its naked, the first thing it does is go get clothes. So where does the T-800 get clothes? From a business man who was just using a phone booth. So who is the cyborg after? A female cop named Lucy Castro. Why Lucy? We'll answer that in a bit...

Anyways, Lucy gets a call from a guy and goes to his house only for the T-800 to show up and all heck breaks loose with the gal in the house getting K.Oed and the dude gets terminated while Lucy narrowly escapes with her life. Later, while she's recovering, we learn (much to her shock) that she's basically prego. She probably must've had a night-in with a guy a month prior and didn't take any pills. Oh crap, once her boss finds out, Lucy is so getting fired. With the Terminator on her tail, Lucy finds herself without a choice but to actually form an alliance with a gang of criminals run by a crime boss whom she's been working against for years.

After meeting with the criminal cartel and working things out with them, they get ready for the Terminator's attack. When the T-800 shows up, the thugs begin attacking with their firearms, the only result leading to the Terminator's living tissue being completely destroyed, revealing its robotic endoskeleton. Lucy comes face to face with the Terminator, who tells her, "I am Cyberdine Systems Model 101. You are formidable, Lucy Castro. Forty years from now, your daughter participates in a resistance attack on a Skynet defense grid which is successful."
  Lucy is shocked. "I'm going to have a daughter?"
 "Correct." The Terminator nods
 "At least let me see my daughter." Lucy begs.
 "Not possible, Lucy Castro. Prepare to be terminated!"

Lucy escapes from the Terminator and a chase ensues, leading into the finale of the miniseries where the two fight, it is a battle not just for the future, but for the survival of Lucy and her unborn daughter. If Lucy does not live, neither will the baby who is still stirring and forming in her belly. The battle ends with Lucy getting the upper hand and smashing the T-800 into a river with a crane. In the aftermath, Lucy is okay and so is the unseen baby. She heads back to the police station, takes a shower to clean off and gets changed before she leaves New York to head to L.A. That's right, she just heard about the attempted assassination of Sarah Connor and wishes to speak with her, sorta. The comic pretty much ends with Lucy walking away as she narrates, "I might reach Los Angeles in a few days, me and Sarah will have a lot to talk about."

Final Thoughts:
This comic is quite good, the folks behind it did a swell job capturing the tone of the Terminator films and making everything suspenseful. I enjoyed this myself and suggest you all read it eventually. For now, this is where I take my leave.
PEACE!
-CrazyGamerHistorian1999

Guest Post -James M's review of Balena Productions Christmas with Sonic

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Hey Sonic fans, James M here and today we will be discussing another Sonic fan project i.e Christmas with Sonic by Balena Productions...

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Starting in 2011 and made by Balena Productions himself, Christmas With Sonic follows Sonic and his friends and family every December as they embark on some hilarious (and sometimes not so hilarious) holiday-themed adventures while they have fun at the same time. A little side-plot in each episode involves Sorass, a big purple echidna out for rock candy, who first marries Rouge the Bat and then ends up becoming part of Tails' family in the 2018 episode. While there wasn't an episode in 2017, the show is still going strong to this day with the creator always coming up with great ideas.

The voice actors capture Sonic and his friends' voices and personalities very well, even the guy voicing Eggman seems to be having fun. Yes, Eggman's in it and sometimes he's either up to no good or he's rejoicing the holidays with the Sonic gang. Oh and by the way, lets talk about Sonic, Tails and Eggman's family. Sonic's mom is Queen Aleena from Sonic Underground. Thats' right, Aleena's in it and so are Sonic's siblings Manic and Sonia. As for Sonic's dad Stan (not Jules)? Lets just say he's a dooshbag and call it a day. Tails has a mum and dad who are Canadians and not characters from the Archie Sonic comics. As for Eggman?

Eggman's family consist of a farmer brother, an evil lawyer for a father, a sister and, yes, his mother. Now Eggman's mom is not Mama Robotnik, Its Mrs. Robotnik. In fact, we gotta talk about Eggman's baby brother Bub. After the episode Christmas with Eggman, Mrs. Robotnik and Mr Robotnik rekindled their love and by the time of Christmas with Sonic in Paradise, she's prego with Eggman's little brother. We're introduced to Bub in the next episode and he does make an appearance in the 2018 Reunion episode.

Oh and by the way, Silver is in the show too, but he's a bit of a butt monkey as he's always being given the shaft and getting hurt a lot, the only time he never gets treated like a joke is in Christmas with Sonic Reunion where Stan shows up. Ok, we can't avoid talking about Stan. Stan is Sonic's pop as you know and, yes, he married Aleena years prior. When Sonic was little, Stan left and technically had an off-screen break up with Aleena. All these years later, Stan shows up for the events of Reunion and tries to have a second chance with his family only to completely take things too far. Kudos to Aleena for having the guts to punch Stan in the face.

My thoughts on the series? Its awesome, fun and entertaining, a great way for Sonic fans to get into the Xmas/Chrismas spirit if they have the time every year. Balena P is so creative. I happily give the series a ten for its entertaining story and rewatch value, I cannot wait to see the 2019 episode. Funny how I'm doing this one in November when Xmas falls on December 24th and December 25th. Either way, I happily bow out and say goodbye!

-James M

[Extra note: According to Balena Productions, the next episode of the series will be the finale of Christmas with Sonic. A shame to see this series go but all good things must come to an end eventually and some things are fun as they last.
Yes I will review the final episode after it drops, nothing will be unreviewed!]

Guest Post -James M's Doctor Who 56th Anniversary Review + Retrospective

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Salutations my friends, I'm here to discuss the popular British Sci-Fi show of all time, the wonderful, the well-acclaimed and incredible DOCTOR WHO.

"Allons-y!"
-Tenth Doctor, David Tennant
(Various episodes) 2005 to 2009-2010

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I am so honored to be a fan of this amazing franchise and it has a special place in my heart as it had from the moment I started watching this show back in 2015 after a few years of reluctance about the show. Back when I was young, my only exposure to Doctor Who was through the Daleks, who appeared in stop-motion videos I watched on the internet, and a brief appearance by The Doctor himself in a LEGO Harry Potter video. However, in 2013, when I was 13 years old, my pop showed me a montage of Daleks shouting "Exterminate" and I freaked out. I decided, "No, I'm not gonna watch Doctor Who."

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A few years later, with pop bugging me about Doctor Who, I was like "Fine I'll give it a shot" and I recorded the episode "Lets Kill Hitler", given my interest in Nazis then, and I soon fell in love with the show. Over time, I immersed myself in the lore of Doctor Who and the show's history, understanding everything about The Doctor, the Time Lords, The Doctor's friends and foes, the universe and everything else including the infamous event known as The Last Great Time War where it originally ended with The Doctor wiping out all the Time Lords and almost all The Daleks. Looking at when the show first aired that fateful day in 1963, I am amazed that it became more than what it was intended to be and survived beyond the sixties, despite cancellation in the 80s.

Who could've thought back in November of 1963, the day An Unearthly Child  first aired, that Doctor Who would become a sci-fi mainstay? Who could've foreseen The Doctor's first regeneration and the changing/recasting of actors?? Who else could've expected our first glimpse at the Doctor's arch enemies, the pepper pot-looking humanoid-turned mutant robot race known as The Daleks? Almost nobody. But if you went back in time to the night Doctor Who first aired and you told somebody in England "Hey, you know about that cool show that just aired? Well guess what, Doctor Who's gonna be a sci-fi staple and become the longest-running TV show fifty years from now." nobody would believe you and would think that you're some sort of madman.

But fifty six years later, those who saw Doctor Who back in 1963 and still alive today would believe you now. This show has had a long history of success with highs and lows, incredible stories and being a bit weird... in a good way. When Doctor Who went off the air in 1989 and experienced a 16 year hiatus, with the show briefly returning in 1996 with a movie for one night, nobody could've anticipated its return thanks to Russel T Davies and the incredible Christopher Eccleston and the lovely Billie Piper. But hey, Doctor Who is still with us and always will be, long after we've kicked the can and the show has long moved on a thousand years from now.

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Also, back when the show returned in 2005, who expected The Doctor to be played by a female by the name of Jodie Whitaker. I mean, thats crazy weird, the main character played by men for decades becomes a female played by a woman. The whole idea has been in discussion as far back as 1983 when Peter Davidson was about to leave the show. But Colin Baker came in, the discussion continued, even after Sylvester McCoy came and went and after the show was cancelled. 2017 came along and BOOM, Female Doctor. I had expectations for the Twelfth Doctor's final episode Twice Upon a Time and how The Doctor would react to becoming a woman. I actually expected the Doctor to check herself, look in the mirror and be in absolute shock and be like, "You gotta be kidding me."

But instead, all we got was The Doctor smiling and saying "Oh brilliant" happily before The TARDIS went haywire and started to blow up. *Facepalm* Nobody likes it when expectations are subverted! Either way, Doctor Who has proven to be the best, even when its off the air. In its decades long history, there have been more than just the show. We've gotten comics, novels and video games to name a whole ton. Yes, I've actually collected some Doctor Who comics and I've just about read a few novels. Video games? Thats a different story but I will play one of them soon. I have a few Doctor Who favorites, I have my least favorites like that two parter where The Doctor encountered a creature who claimed to be "The Demon" himself which was interesting but absurd at the same time.

Doctor Who has a legacy, one that will be respected forever. As of this review, series 12 of the revival series has not aired so its best to wait patiently by watching old Doctor Who episodes, writing Dr Who stories (if you're a writer and fanfics are your thing), read Doctor Who stories, play some video games and, yes, listen to some audio adventures. This is CrazyGamerHistorian1999 signing off and I shall leave you all be.

-James M


Guest Post -Top Ten Godzilla movies

Salutations out there, James M here and we're about to discuss the Top 10 Godzilla movies...

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"SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOONNNK!"
Over the course of his 6-7 decade long history, the king of the monsters has had countless movies, over thirty something of 'em all. So its best to discuss the top ten and see which is the best of all. Before we begin, I just want ya to know that this is a top ten and not all movies will be ranked.

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10. Godzilla aka Godzilla King of the Monsters
How can we not start off the list with the film that started it all. Starring an incredible cast and releasing at a time when the memories of WW2 and its horrors were fresh in everybody's mind, Godzilla 1954 kicks off the Kaiju genre and marks the beginning of a new era in movies. This film is totally worth a watch if you have the time. Be it the American version or the uncut Japanese version, Godzilla 1954 is super awesome.

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9. GODZILLA 1998
America's very first Hollywood-made Godzilla movie and released near the end of the 90s just three years after the release of Godzilla vs Destoroyah, the movie takes the series in a whole new direction and gives Godzilla a new look. Though it wasn't well-received, this movie is still great and actually not that bad. Starring Mathew Broadrick and a cast of great actors, this film tells a compelling plot and pays respect to not just Godzilla's origins but to Jurassic Park. Godzilla 1998 is my favorite...

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8. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962)
The battle of the century, the king of the monsters versus the king of Skull Island, who will walk away victorious? Released just 7 years after Godzilla's first sequel, Godzilla's biggest challenge is the beast who served as inspiration for him in the first place; King Kong. With the two of them about to meet again very soon, its best to see this film at some point to see how the two titans' first encounter played out and how the big battle ended.

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7. The Return of Godzilla/Godzilla 1984/Godzilla 1985
Released nearly ten years after Terror of Mechagodzilla, Godzilla 1984 returns the Big G to the big screen and reboots the franchise, making Godzilla a force to be reckoned with again as this movie ignores all else in between with the exception of the original Gojira 1954. Including great special effects, soundtrack, epic plot and a great cast, Godzilla 1984 is the best movie out there and sees Raymond Burr return to reprise his role as Steve Martin from the first movie... in the American edit that is...

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6. Godzilla 2014
Hollywood's second Godzilla film. Directed by Gareth Edwards and released around the same time as the Big G's looming 60th anniversary just ten years after Toho's last film, Godzilla 2014 is an epic monster action movie that is worth a watch. I wouldn't worry about Godzilla's design in this film though nor think of it as Legendary just had make him look hideous. Either way, great movie.

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5. Godzilla vs Biollante
Just as Godzilla was meant to be a warning against nuclear weapons, you might say this film also serves as a warning against biological warfare. Released 4 years after the last movie, Godzilla finds himself going up against a plant monster named Biollante. Is this film cool? Yes it is. Does the Big G look scary? Yes, yes he does.

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4. Shin Godzilla/Godzilla Resurgence
With the success of the 2014 American Godzilla, who could've thought Toho would follow suit with their first Godzilla movie since Final Wars? Released twelve years after 2004's Godzilla Final Wars and 2 years after Godzilla 2014, Shin Godzilla serves as a massive continuity reboot as it revolves around Japan trying to combat the threat of a huge monster that comes ashore and wrecks Tokyo. The monster? GODZILLA himself. However, this version of Godzilla is hideous, can change shape and is one ugly monster. Go ahead and watch it if you want to risk being scared by Shin.

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3. Godzilla 2000 Millennium
The first in the Millennium series, Godzilla 2000 released in 1999, just one year by Toho after Tristar's Godzilla 1998, and was one heck of a movie, featuring an all new Godzilla as he attacks Japan and faces the threat of aliens who came here thousands of years prior. Ironically, despite having a PG rating, this movie feels as though it should've gotten a PG-13, but its still good anyway.


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2. Terror of Mechagodzilla
The last film in the Showa era, Godzilla faces his robotic nemesis again and a giant dinosaur all by himself as aliens plot to take over the world for themselves in the sequel to the previous movie known as Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla. Terror of Mechagodzilla closes out the Showa era with a bang.

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1. Godzilla Final Wars
The final entry in the Millennium series, the 50th anniversary title and the big finale to the Godzilla saga for the time being, TOHO went all out with this movie in terms of plot, pacing, action and execution. Starring a wide cast of characters and monsters, Final Wars pays tribute to Godzilla's (at the time) 50 year history and serves as a great send off to the series until the next movie came. Even though it can be weird at times, this film is worth watching...

Do you agree with my picks?
See you next time!

-James M


Guest Post -James M's review of Archie Mega Man



Hey comic fans, CrazyGamerHistorian1999 here and today we will be discussing the Archie Mega Man comics which started in 2011 and went on until its cancellation in 2015 just a year and a half before the Archie Sonic comics came to an end.

Lets get started...

Mega Man has been going strong for over thirty years strong, fighting other robots and stopping the ambitions of the evil Doctor Wily and other villains who seek to take over the world. Starring in countless games, Mega Man has gone on to earn the hearts of countless fans and star in other media. Comics, cartoons, you name it. While Mega Man has been in comics loads of times, one Mega Man comic stands out from all the others, Archie Mega Man.
Headed by Ian Flynn, who was writing for Archie Sonic during that time, Mega Man adapts the events of the classic games while going in new directions by telling original stories and introducing original characters to avoid being a repeat of the games themselves. But in the beginning, the Archie Mega Man comics were a success but they had trouble selling very well. What helped get the comic a sales boost was thanks to the Worlds Collide crossover between Sonic and the Blue Bomber.

The first four issues of the comic adapted the events of the first Mega Man game in an arc known as "Let the Games Begin" before the second arc told an original story which ended up serving as a loose adaption of Mega Man Powered Up. The next arc afterwards adapted Mega Man 2 before, thanks to the looming Worlds Collide crossover, the following arcs told original stories and one-offs. After the first crossover, the comic adapted Super Adventure Rockman before telling a long storyline leading up to the events of Mega Man 3, while introducing Mega Man X. The Mega Man 3 adaptation lasted 8 issues and two arcs before the first issue afterwards served as a prelude to the next crossover between Sonic and Mega Man known as Worlds Unite.

After the Worlds Unite crossover? The comic was put on hiatus after its 55th issue and has not yet returned. Archie Mega Man has a legacy that will be respected for years to come, even if it was resurrected at some point by IDW or Archie. Is this comic worth reading? Yes it is. Funny how this review was short, but it doesn't matter, I will see you all next time. I love Mega Man!

-James M

Guest Post -James M's review of Archie Sonic Online

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Whats up bloggers out there, CrazyGamerHistorian1999 here, and today we will be taking a look at the most popular of Sonic fanworks, the Sonic fanbase's love letter to the late Archie Sonic era -Archie Sonic Online.

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As many of you know, after a long-fought, 3-4 year legal battle between Archie and one of its former writers, the Archie Sonic comics continuity was forced to change and reboot in 2013. Issue 247 served as the final issue in the old continuity before the events of the Sonic and Mega Man Worlds Collide crossover set in. Near the end of the crossover, Sonic attempted to restore his universe to normal only for Eggman to interfere. In Issue 252, we learned that the botched Super Genesis Wave reversal created a whole new world, one that was identical to that of the Sonic games.
With the continuity reboot, the old universe was gone and then-ongoing plot arcs were given a rushed conclusion and/or just abandoned all-together. While few fans were happy to see the reboot happen, a handful were outraged and did not like it. A few years later, SEGA severed ties with Archie, bringing an end to the comic and thus dashing the dreams of many who wished to see the abandoned stories from the old continuity get a proper conclusion...

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This is where the fans came in. In 2015, two years following the Archie Sonic reboot and just a few years before the end of the Archie era, a group of fans came together to create Archie Sonic Online. Originally a forum that discussed the Sonic franchise as well as the comic books, ASO eventually became more and those involved began working on a fan comic to continue the old continuity and finish the stories that were unfinished thanks to the legal behind the scenes issues of 2012-2013. It took a long time to get the project off the ground, but in the end, the wait was worth it...

Mobius Legends #1 – CoverSonic the Hedgehog Online #248 – Cover

In November of 2016, we got the very first entry in the Archie Sonic Online comics -Archie Sonic Online Mobius Legends issue 1. Now, Mobius Legends (like Sonic Universe) was an anthology series that expanded upon the world of Mobius and told its own stories. However, Mobius Legends was a miniseries and wasn't really meant to be. It ended with issue five, but it was not the end of Archie Sonic Online. In 2017, we officially got Archie Sonic Online issue 248, which picked up right after the official 247 of the Archie Sonic comics. Trust me, I actually looked into this whole thing and looking at it all now, it is really good and I dig this one, I feel as though the reboot never happened and I'm still reading the Archie Sonic comics set in the old universe again.

Knuckles: Endangered Species #1 – Cover

Oh and guess what? The folks behind Archie Sonic Online are so nice enough to actually revisit the Endangered Species story arc that ran from Archie Sonic #243 to #246 around the same time the legal behind the scenes court case issues were beginning to take their toll on Archie Sonic, beginning the build up to the reboot. In fact, the writers of this amazing project are working to present the whole arc as it was meant to be, actually taking it in the direction it was supposed to go in when the behind the scenes issues got worse to a point where certain characters could not be used and things changed. But the continuation of the old continuity and the resurrection/rewrite of Endangered Species aren't the only big benefits of Archie Sonic Online and fan-fiction in general...

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Remember Sonic Underground? That cheesy Sonic cartoon that aired in 1998-1999 where Sonic had siblings and got cancelled without having a proper conclusion? It was supposed to get an epilogue in the pages of Sonic Universe around Issue 50. However, that got nixed thanks to a combination of the upcoming Sonic & Mega Man Worlds Collide crossover and the behind the scenes issues ranging from a certain lawsuit to increasing mandates by the higher-ups.
In 2013, shortly after the reboot, Ian stated that the Underground Epilogue was on hold and the main reason was due to the fact that material from Sonic Underground was off-limits. Four years later, Archie Sonic ended and any dreams the Underground epilogue happening were dashed...
Until now.  The writers and artists who made the continuation of the Pre-reboot Archie Sonic continuity a reality are finally bringing to life the long awaited conclusion of Sonic Underground in the first issue of Sonic Universe Online known as Archie Sonic Universe Online #50 with the story known as Swansong. While we may not be officially getting this from SEGA or the writers of Archie and IDW, at least there are fans out there willing to take matters into their own hands.

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Final Thoughts/Conclusion:

Sonic's nearly three decade long legacy is a strong one and has left a strong impact on the hedgehog's fan base to a point where so many are willing to write their own stories about Sonic. Archie Sonic Online is a fine example of when fans come together to bring to life what could've been for the defunct old continuity for the old Sonic comic. I proudly commend the fan base for its best efforts in reviving the old stories from years past, these people sure as heck are Sonic fans and do their best to respect and hold in great regard the characters and the source material.

But of course, these fine, brave and devoted Sonic fans are not alone in this incredible effort to revive Archie Sonic to its old glory. A handful of others are hard at work on the comic known as Sonic Retold, which also revives the pre-reboot Archie universe but takes it in a different direction, and then there's Archie Sonic Restoration, which revives the post-reboot New 252 Archie Sonic universe to finish the cancelled story lines and plans on going in new directions. As of this report, the first issue of Restoration has dropped and ASO has yet to release Sonic #250, the next part of the Knuckles Endangered Species and Sonic Underground Online.

If you are reading this, ASO staff members, I wish you good luck on giving the Archie Sonic comics the proper conclusion it deserves. If there was one story I'd love to see that would serve as an epic finale to Archie Sonic, it would be one where Eggman was defeated and imprisoned, bringing an end to the Second Robotnik War and saving Mobius as Sonic and Sally tie the knot. Just like that, I close out this review.

-James M








Guest Post -Top Ten Sonic Fan-Works

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Hello there people, welcome and today we will be discussing the top ten Sonic fan creations by fans for the fans. Over the years of the hedgehog's popularity, fans have come together to make the most epic of Sonic works all by themselves, from fan fiction to fan films and fan comics, you name it, Sonic's been in all of it. We will not include fan art though. But without delay, lets get on with it...

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10. Sonic Fan film
Released in 2013 and produced by Blue Core Studios, the same company that produced the successful Mega Man fan film, this fan film successfully delivers in just 18 minutes, action-packed and full of great moments, this one also has Jaleel White reprise his role as the voice of Sonic after last voicing him in Sonic Underground. Will this movie get a sequel? Who knows, but we cannot be left on a cliffhanger with Knuckles.

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9. SonAmy Wedding (by Evay)
Aw, SonAmy, everybody's favorite Sonic pairing. This comic takes its time and shows how cute the relationship between Sonic and Amy can be. Even though its not official, Sonic and Amy's "wedding" is amazing and entertaining. Tails as the go-between? Ha ha ha ha! Its also heartwarming to hear Amy promise Sonic that he can still have his adventures when he's married, can you imagine that, Sonic the Hedgehog marrying Amy Rose and still going on adventures just a little bit and the beautiful pink hedgehog waiting for him when he comes home? I can... in my fanfic multiverse!

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8. Sonic in Camping Chaos
Produced by Balena Productions and running at 18 minutes, this fan film is super freaking hilarious and is worth watching again and again, even setting up the 2019 Chrismas with Sonic episode. Featuring incredible voice actors and great animation, Sonic in Camping Chaos never stops short of being awesome and is totally made by fans for the fans...

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7. SonAmy Boom Baby
Whats this, you ask, another SonAmy comic. Ah, but its not in the main universe, its SONIC BOOM! This cute and heartwarming fan comic shows Boom Sonic and Boom Amy, as a married couple, about to have a baby together and they're preparing for it. There's a little bit of conflict with Boom Eggman just as their daughter is born. Thats right, Sonic and Amy's baby is a girl.

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6. Christmas with Sonic
Another awesome work of art from Balena Productions himself, starting in 2011, this series shows Sonic, his friends and family as they experience Christmas together and go on a few wacky adventures, one of them being tropical-themed a few years ago. Even the most recent episode had Sonic come face to face with his... doosh-bag father Stan the Hedgehog.

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5. Sonic Family Life
Produced by JayFoxFire, this series is set in a universe that combines the games, comics and old SatAM cartoon, focusing on Sonic and Sally, who've tied the knot, long after Eggman/Robotnik was defeated. Currently, 5 episodes have been produced and another is on the way, it takes time to put animated episodes together my friends. I reviewed this before and I stand by what I said, this should be the epilogue of Sonic SatAM, somehow.

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4. Archie Sonic Online
After the pre-reboot universe ended in 2013 and the comic ended 4 years later, fans have taken it upon themselves to revive the old continuity and continue the Archie Sonic comics from there, finishing up unresolved plots and going in a new direction, Archie Sonic Online has already proven to be more amazing than the official Archie Sonic or Sonic Retold, also a fan comic continuing the old continuity run of Archie Sonic.

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3. Sonic's Space Adventures Against Hitler
"Well well," I hear you say, "Whats this about Sonic going up against the madman responsible for World War II and the loss of millions of lives?" Yes, my friends, this actually is a thing. Produced by AvidSonicFan1991 aka Russel Freymuth, this ten part saga focuses on Sonic and friends as they journey to take down Hitler and stop him from taking over their world. Despite being full of language and crude humor a few times, this is still a fun watch and has an epic ending. Fun fact, Honey the Cat is Silver and Blaze's daughter.


2. SonAmy: Unexpected Baby
Another SonAmy comic! Written by SonikkuFan94, this comic focuses on Sonic and Amy, who are a couple in the future, as they discover that Sonic accidentally got Amy pregnant. Divided into four chapters, the comic focuses on the discovery of Amy being pregnant, the wedding of Sonic and Amy, a small relationship crisis and the birth of their baby as Eggman tries to screw Sonic over. Even though it can't be viewed on DeviantArt anymore, you can find this on Tumblr or on Youtube, its fun and inspiring, even doing a fine job with the characters' personalities.

-Honorable Mention-
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-Sonic Zombies
Lets not forget this, despite its crude and sexual humor, its still funny.

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-Sonic in Jaws
This is one heck of a crossover movie, its super cool and worth watching!
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1. Sonic Travels To Jurassic Park aka Sonic In Jurassic Park: The Crossover
At last, we come to the most awesome piece of Sonic fan made works ever... the ultimate project, Sonic Travels To Jurassic Park by Great White Studios. Serving as a crossover between the Sonic franchise and Jurassic Park movies, this movies follow Sonic and his friends as they face off against prehistoric creatures when it turns out Vector is building a dinosaur theme park and hits the fan. Running at an hour and several minutes, this film is suspenseful and epic with brilliant animation, hilarious moments and a great musical score. This one you cannot avoid checking out...

Well, thats all folks, see you next time...
-James M