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‘Sonic Boom’ #3 answers where the hammer goes

‘Sonic Boom’ #3 answers where the hammer goes

Sonic Boom #3 Cover

Sonic Boom #3: “Hammer-Spaced”

Written by Ian Flynn

Artists: Ryan Jampole and Jennifer Hernandez

Inker: Rick Bryant

Colorist: Matt Herms

Published by Archie Coimcs

Licensed by SEGA

 

Archie has created an interesting occurrence in their latest issue of Sonic Boom: an easy to follow continuity. Something that happens in a previous work leads into the next, and considering the quality of the stories in the Sonic video games, this is a good thing.

During the conclusion of the Issue #2 story, “Knuckleduster”, Amy Rose finds that her hammer has turned up missing. Normally, this would be a normal locate and fetch scenario, except for one crucial thing: Never in any of the Sonic media has Amy lost her Piko-Piko hammer. This weapon is a massive part of her identity, as she realizes during her breakdown on the first couple of pages. The title pokes fun at this occurrence, as to this day, no one knows how a pink, female hedgehog keeps a hammer on her person, concealed at all times. This in part inspired the term “Hammerspace.” Needless to say, the beloved hammer ends up inside our egg-shaped antagonist’s workshop. This marks the proper introduction of Orbot and Cubot, Dr. Eggman’s robot lackeys. This issue focuses on some of Cubots musings, having him recount his worth as a hench-bot and some of Eggman’s other prized creations. Amusingly, all of the characters he alludes to were lost in the Penders lawsuit that Archie Comics was a part of, but it amusingly takes it in stride, showing the insight of the yellow cube.

While the story appears to be evolving for the better, the art seems to have taken a step backward. Even though Jampole and Sonic Boom #3 Full PageHernandez create many interesting panels, such as the entirety of Page 3 and the hammer-search montage sequence, the art is rather stiffer than Evan Stanley’s. Actions rely on an abundance of motion-lines more than the previous two issues. The colors still pop and are not distracting nor displeasing to the eye. Overall, the art team lends itself, in this issue, to more of a visual humor than motion-filled battle.

As a special feature, Eggman reads some of the fan mail in Archie Sonic’s returning feature, “Off Panel”. Even though this ends up being him reading a pre-written letter, he certainly brings up several jokes from the fandom. While Knuckles’ work out regime is still in question, and a killer cyborg has yet to be seen, Hawaiian Shirt Shadow is one of the better known jokes from the Sonic Fanbase, and certainly merits looking up.

Even though the “Logo Joke” is starting to go stale, Sonic Boom issue #3 deals with a never before seen topic and the thoughts of a lovable comic relief character in a comedy comic.

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