Sonic The Hedgehog #28 by Ian Flynn, Evan Stanley, Adam Bryce Thomas, Matt Herms, Elicia Unger, and Shawn Lee delivers the climax of the Zombat saga. This is the last issue before the final battle with Sonic and his friends facing off against an army of their former friends. It’s going to be hard to top the previous issue in emotion but this issue still achieves some impressive victories.
Summary
“All or Nothing,” Part Three! Sonic’s allies continue their missions against the Deadly Six, attempting to reclaim the Chaos Emeralds. Who will return from their final stands? And will they make it back before Sonic has to face Zavok?
Writing
Taking this issue by itself, the fights here seem a bit rushed. The previous issue’s battles were much more drawn out and emotional but here the opponents are beaten without any difficulty. Though it feels like the creators are in a hurry to get this story arc has been going on for over a year and it seems like an acceptable aspect to gloss over.
The writing by Ian Flynn is plotted well overall. The ploy to take the chaos emeralds was laid out in a previous issue so here it seems like just a natural continuation of what was set up. The issue also takes the time to touch on how Silver being from the future is the deciding factor to help turn the tide in the upcoming battle. It will be interesting to see how the story wraps up and what it will setup for future plotlines.
Artwork
The artwork by Evan Stanley and Adam Bryce Thomas helps to sell just how intense the fight scenes are. One panel particular stands out where Whisper waits for her shot against Zor. It’s easy to feel how intensity from the look of concentration on her face as she knows she’s only going to have one opportunity to make her shot count.
The use of color by Matt Herms and Elicia Unger helps to add to the action elements of the issue. A prime example of this is when Whisper finally takes her shot on Zor (seen below). The use of color and direction helps to make the page feel alive with action.
The letter work by Shawn Lee makes sure to use the careful placement of effects to add to the scene without distracting from the action. The error of using large lettering effects in an effort to showcase intensity happens too easily and usually has the opposite effect of being more distracting than helping with the story. The lettering work by Lee makes sure to always have a focus on the characters and action and only add to the overall aspect of the reading experience.
Conclusion
Sonic the Hedgehog #28 feels like the creators are rushing to finish a bit and sadly lacks the emotional impact of the previous issue. Still, when looking at it as a whole storyline, this was only accomplished by proper setup and tight storytelling. While it lacks in-depth, it makes up for in solid plot development. Next time, the battle to end the Zombot plague will commence.
