View CommentsSonic IDW Facebook Q&A Highlights
IDW has been communicating a lot with Sonic fans on their Facebook page. Case in point, they just concluded a Q&A, and there was some interesting things to come from it. Here’s what we learned.
Q: Has their been any discussion about a new equivalent of Sonic Universe, a series of Classic Sonic, mini-series, etc?
A: This might sound wild, but tons of people want to work on Sonic! So we’ve definitely been talking about ways to let more great creators have a chance to tell some cool stories, but nothing concrete yet.
Q: Can we expect the comic to touch on other games in the main franchise?
A: There are definitely references to some of the games, but we’re trying to keep them light enough (at least, at first) so if you know what we’re talking about, awesome, but if you’re new to Sonic, you aren’t lost. Can’t say much more than that.
Q: Which parts of the overall Sonic franchise are open for usage within the new IDW series? Are you limited to games only, or are elements from things like the various cartoon series available to be incorporated within the upcoming comic?
A: As far as limitations, Sega has given us a lot of leeway in creating the new series. I can’t answer things specifically — I know being vague is incredibly frustrating, and I’m sorry about that — but as issues come out, you’ll get a better understanding of where we’re going with the story in Year One, and the kinds of stories we’ll be telling in this series and beyond.
Q: Some of my favorite Archie Sonic artists were Patrick Spaziante and Diana Skelly, will we see them or any other unannounced Archie Sonic creatives back?
A: There are definitely more creators to be announced. One of the coolest things about working on this book is that there’s already a huge pool of talent to pull from that knows how to write and draw Sonic. It’s great and we want to bring some of those people back. But…we also want to give some new folks to contribute and make this new version distinct from anything that’s come before.
Q: Will Tails be a wimp (like he was in Forces) in this comic?
A: Tails will be battling right alongside Sonic in the very first issue!
Q: Will the Sonic comics be getting anything similar to Sonic Grams?
A: We’ll have a letters/fan art column, yes! Feel free to send letters, photos, or fan art to letters@IDWpublishing.com, include your name, and mark it “ok to print” to maybe see it in the comic!
Q: Will IDW be at Comic Con this year with the team that is working on Sonic the Hedgehog?
A: Which Comic Con? John Hughes and I will definitely be at the SDCC (because IDW is a San Diego based company and we’re always there). But he and I will be at other conventions as well. When it comes to other creators…well…stay tuned to this very page if we have an announcement like that.
Q: Will IDW be giving Sonic a Free Comic Book Day issue like Archie had?
A: No FCBD issue this year! Each year IDW chooses two titles to release Free Comic Book Day offerings of and since we launch with 4 issues in April and FCBD is the first saturday of May, we felt like it might be approaching too much Sonic all at once. But…maybe in the future!
Q: Should everything from all the games currently released be considered part of the canon you’re working with? Or will things differ from the SEGA lore in any way other than stuff like adding characters like Tumble? Are any games off limits or terms of what you’re able to draw from?
A: No games should be considered canon, but our goal is to draw upon the many stories and games featuring Sonic as inspirations for the new series and part of the backstory. So, none of the events of the games are canon, but something similar might have happened.
Q: How cocky and sarcastic can we expect Sonic to be?
A: He’ll have some swagger. I think you’ll enjoy how he’s portrayed!
Q: Will each Sonic IDW issue have a new addition to past Sonic game characters? I already know confirmed are Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Blaze, and the Chaotix. Now will we see Rouge, Big, Cream, Vanilla, Mighty, Ray, Shadow, Silver, Honey, and Stick in upcoming issues?
A: Before 2018 is out I can confirm we’ll see some of those characters in the comic. Can’t say which ones though. As well as at least one new face!
Q: This book is planned to be more long term cohesive, right? I loved Worlds Collide and Worlds Unite, but both events (and Genesis, and…) just cut off the ongoing story. In some cases blocking resolution entirely. I would love to see event arcs and/or crossovers in IDW Sonic, but I would be much happier if other arcs could complete prior to those events.
A: We are definitely looking to make long term cohesive stories! This is a big universe, and we’re looking to explore it as much as we can and as best we can.
Q: Are the Chaotix going to be in issue 5?
A: They’re in the issue!
Q: Do you plan to include elements from Sonic Mania into the comic?
A: The comics focused more on the “modern” Sonic, but we’re inspired by everything. And I know I loved Sonic Mania!
Q: Will Tyson Hesse be a regular for the Sonic series or is he only going to do a limited number of art for the comics?
A: Tyons’s a super talented, but very busy guy! We’re so glad to have him on the covers for the first 4 issues and we really love working with him, so we’d like for him to come back and do more, but he isn’t scheduled for anything else right now. We gotta wait for him to be a little less busy.
Q: Are there plans to introduce a large diverse cast of new characters and characters from older Sonic game titles? Is the series set to be an ongoing mainstay or set to end at a certain point? With the Archie series over, are the Archie specific characters gone forever, or could they one day be involved in future Sonic works?
A: We’ll definitely have an interesting cast of both new and old characters. It won’t be Transformers big, but we’ll have a lot to work with. Right now the series is planned as an ongoing and we don’t have an end point set.
Q: Had anyone at IDW read or were familiar with Archie’s Sonic comic, or were they only familiar with the games/tv show/ not familiar at all?
A: I’d consider myself a Sonic fan. I watched the cartoons as a kid, played the games, read some of the old comics. I consider myself pretty familiar.