A Special Thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.
Following up on the first volume review of Sonic the Hedgehog: ON THE GO! Vol. One (Available Now at your LCS and on Amazon), Sonic and his friends have stopped the rampage of Neo Metal Sonic, but are about to face their deadliest enemy yet in The Metal Virus Saga. As always, for more of my reviews, click here to head over to the Reviews Category.
After saving the world from the threat of Neo Metal Sonic, a familiar threat returns from the shadows as Doctor Eggman regained his memories as he prepares to unleash his most vile creation yet. Meanwhile, our focus is on another up and coming duo, Tangle the Lemur and Whisper the Wolf! This classic odd couple duo are on the trail of a mysterious shapeshifter who has been causing trouble behind-the-scenes! Can Tangle and Whisper help solve each other’s problems, or will they just make things worse? Finally, join Sonic and some of his coolest friends in adventures that show just how wonderful Sonic’s world really is. This volume collects issues #13–20 from volumes 4 and 5 (Infection and Crisis City) of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the 2019 Annual, and the Tangle and Whisper four-issue miniseries.
Thanks to Doctor Starline, Eggman regained his memories and is up to more villainous mischief, one could say deadlier than before. The first arc served more as an introductory arc for new readers, but the second story arc reminded veteran Sonic fans how evil the Doctor can be. The introduction of Zombots, the shapeshifter known as Mimic, and the most vile bioweapon in Eggman’s arsenal, the Metal Virus, a synthetic manufactured virus that transforms organic matter into metallic matter. Any creatures exposed to the virus became a robotic servant of Dr. Eggman.
The approach for the Metal Virus was dark, but fascinating. It was the closest thing to a homage to Sonic’s history with Roboticization (SaTAM/Archie Comics), where he could roboticize mobians in a Roboticizer or through a mere touch, which Ian Flynn referenced through during the arc. Next, I liked that this On The Go Edition also collects miniseries titles, the Tangle & Whisper miniseries is certainly a fan favorite (my favorite as well!) That had a great story that was dark, but not enough to give young readers nightmares and it showed off the strengths of both Tangle and Whisper, while offering some great humor to accompany its action-packed scenery.
Aside from a good story, it was filled with great artistic detail with non-stop action, vibrant colors, and full-spread illustrations. In terms of an art team, it varied between artists such as Tracy Yardley, Evan Stanley, Adam Bryce Thomas, and Jack Lawrence. Each artist brought a unique vision for the Blue Hedgehog’s world, including to character design and creature design in terms of the new threat, the Zombots. I enjoyed the action sequences, offering fun, fast-paced layouts that can hook the reader instantly. The book itself is filled with neat characters with different personalities, adventures, and worlds for fans to sink into and enjoy, even for those fans of Zombie films and shows such as The Walking Dead (minus the gore and flesh eating creatures.)
Sonic the Hedgehog: On the Go! Vol. Two is available now at your local comic store, book store, and e-retailer. You can order it now on Amazon.
Final Grade:
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