Why Archie Sonic is the Best Sonic - Character Analysis

Edited by Lowart: / @lowart
Wanna read the comic yourself?
READING GUIDE: docs.google.com/document/d/e/...
Spanish subtitles by: mobile. Tailsarchi...
Check out his Spanish translations for Sonic comics here: t.co/s42MhqM6KO
Birthday Boys - 00:23
Basically, Sonic is Really Cool - 02:38
The Kindness of Sonic - 7:24
The Ego of Sonic - 8:47
The Impatience of Sonic - 14:09
“The Kid Worships Me” - 16:17
Living by My Own Feelings - 20:57
Sonic and Sally - 25:48
“That’s Right! It Explodes!” - 32:32
Sonic the “Good Guy” - 36:03
The Freedom Fighters are Done- 40:34
A New Sonic - 42:05
Best Part of the Video - 44:59
Music Used
Cutscene: Trapped from Sonic Frontiers
Vandalize (Instrumental) from Sonic Frontiers
Wave Ocean (The Inlet) from Sonic 06
Sonic Appears from Sonic 06
Theme of Sonic the Hedgehog (E3 2006 Version) from Sonic 06
Cyberspace 3-2: Go Slap from Sonic Frontiers
Cutscene: Face-off from Sonic Frontiers
It Doesn't Matter (Acoustic Version)
Beyond the Speed Of from Sonic Runners
Theme of Dr. Eggman from Sonic Adventure
Live and Learn (Instrumental) from Sonic Adventure 2
Accordion Song from Sonic 06
Cutscene: Sealing from Sonic 06
Deeper (Death Chamber) from Sonic Adventure 2
Quartz Quadrant Present (JP/EU) from Sonic CD
Blacksmith from Sonic and the Black Knight
Gallery from Sonic Generations
Fighting Onward - Space Port from Sonic Forces
Go Quickly! from Sonic Runners
Fly Away from Sonic Runners
End of Summer from Sonic Runners
Final Boss (Death Egg Robot Phase 3) from Sonic Forces
Dr. Eggman Appears from Sonic 06
Event: Eggman's Plot from Sonic 06
Theme of Dr. Eggman from Sonic 06
Cutscene: Inextinguishable Doubt from Sonic Frontiers
We Can (Theme of Team Sonic) from Sonic Heroes
I'm with you from Sonic Frontiers

[@alfredade6389]

I’ve finally found my people and I’m about to cry

[@TheUnjust117]

awwh, aint no gettin ridda us sonic fans. and when i say that i mean the proper OG fans that wanted the Dystopian, post apocalyptic, attempt at Dominion of one Dr. Julian Robotmik... obviously as sonic sally and the rest of the freedom fighters do all they can to retake their planet, THIS IS THE STORY WE WANTED ALL THIS TIME!!!!

[@danep3082]

@@TheUnjust117 FAXXXXX!!

[@patrickbuckley7259]

Dude literally turned the "you could end up like me" around on the bad guy. I love that.

[@mcmistle9892]

Even if it’s a little more obvious than the Killing Joke, I like that it emphasizes the actual point of that story. “Even if you have one REALLY bad day, you are still capable of being a good person.”

[@nickthepick8043]

@@mcmistle9892 Exactly. It's common sense pointing out that one bad day doesn't automatically make you a rotten person. How you deal with it determines your character. Despite being a "rogue element in the cosmic state of things" Scourge still chooses to be what he is, when deep down, we wants what Sonic has.

[@Channel9001]

Bad people convince themselves that good people are only good because they are too weak to take what they want. But in reality, being bad is the easier path, and bad people are too weak to take the harder road.

[@mahlawn2808]

@@Channel9001 Debatable, there can be other reasons. Bad people can be bad because that's just how they are. Bad people can be bad because they convinced themselves that they are good. Bad people can be bad because they feel like have no other choice. Bad people can be bad because they are too weak to do what's right. Bad people can be bad because your own political alignment says so. Bad people can be bad because they got pushed to their limits. Etc.

[@danielbueno8474]

@@mahlawn2808 I think you mainly cited examples that prove Channel9001's argument. It's easier for bad people to convince themselves that they are good instead of admitting they're bad people. It's easier to convince yourself that you have no other choice instead of keep looking for other choices (plus, doing something bad when you don't want to do it, but you have ABSOLUTELY no other choice does not make you a bad person) It's easier to accept you're too weak to do what's right than to do the right thing (that is actually Channel9001's entire point) It's easier to let political views define your perception of good and bad than to think critically. I do agree that it can be debatable whether someone who's been pushed to the limit is good or bad. Snapping when you've been pushed over it doesn't necessarily mean you're a bad person. Everyone has a limit.

[@plasticlance9418]

Archie Sonic is him, plain and simple

[@Super-xs5gq]

He’s the guy

[@theonewhoiswafflehouse]

@@Super-xs5gq Nothing else to it, he’s just that guy

[@eggynuts7735]

Just a guy who loves adventure

[@JapanFreak2595]

It’s why I like seeing different spins on the character y’know. Main game universe will always be there, and the unique interpretations can offer something fresh without compromising the game’s canon.

[@SonicHedgehog1991]

Yeah, he's Sonic but from Archie.

[@napoleonbuonaparte8975]

The emphasis Sonic puts in his family make me think he's really the Fast and Furious.

[@FancyBreadSticks]

4 Months old, 216 likes, pinned, and hearted? But no replies? Let me fix that..

[@DavettaHenderson]

I wish people would stop sayin that

[@ILikeSoda229]

*sigh*

[@FancyBreadSticks]

*It was the perfect opportunity, I had to do it. Don't judge me*

[@adamshadow9881]

"He's way past cool." Fucking bars. No cap, all facts. He cooked, we ate. No crumbs left. Amazing.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Hahaha thanks man. Was there anything in particular you enjoyed?

[@adamshadow9881]

@@KirbySonicTeam Sonic's character arc.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Gotcha! Well I’m glad I could describe in a way you enjoyed then! Thanks for watching dude

[@kokayinewsome9308]

Sonic keeps beating Robotnik so much both on SatAM n comics the doctor went full straight jacket

[@lucidfantasia]

Your comment is actual fucking bars. Just wanted to say that :)

[@OldJohann]

Eggman's plan in this comic cannot be understated in it's brilliance. When he finally stopped worrying about Sonic so much, he got the closest he had ever been to finally achieving victory.

[@JoshRiolu]

"We can't remove the coconut from TF2's source code, but we can sure as hell mod everything else"

[@wildfire9280]

This is what Sonic Forces should’ve been based on. If you’re going to go as dark as “le torture for no reason”, might as well show something dark (if not that dark because well… besides electrocution and other things that can be played off cartoonishly, no).

[@matthewgallaway3675]

Didn’t he already win in a different reality?

[@user-zu8dw1ox1q]

​@@sonicsucks20What message? To give up ?

[@BeaglzRok1]

@@matthewgallaway3675 Yeah, the later Robotnik is *technically* a roboticized version from a different zone who, upon being inspired by a brief appearance of "Prime" Robotnik (who is effectively dead in the series) in his zone, nukes his Freedom Fighters, and takes over the world. He then got so bored from having no one to fight that when he learned that Prime Robotnik died, he figured that taking his place would be the perfect way to fill the void in his life. Prime Robotnik had basically been out of the picture since Issue #50 back in '97, after Snively rigged his own machine to atomize his DNA specifically. Considering their alternate-timeline histories were almost identical, he was easily slotted in as an Eggman villain in a Sonic the Hedgehog comic when games were still coming out with Eggman as the villain, without having to retcon much of anything.

[@daltooinewestwood6380]

Eggmans elation at finally managing to kill one of Sonics friends (Antoine) is even more disturbing and evil when you remember that Eggman has already killed Tommy the turtle at this point in the timeline. Meaning that Eggman cares so little about the lives of the mobians, that he didn’t even REMEMBER having already killed one of sonics friends

[@ILikeSoda229]

@@sonicsucks20Eggman took it too far, not Sonic

[@ManicFiction]

​@@ILikeSoda229THEY KNOW, They literally say it's because EGGMAN thinks so.

[@ILikeSoda229]

@@ManicFiction No they don’t? They just blame Sonic for Eggman killing someone because he (the HERO) apparently “took it too far” (?).

[@ManicFiction]

@@ILikeSoda229 Oh, Wait, I misunderstood their reply. Sorry about that.

[@ILikeSoda229]

@@ManicFiction No worries. It happens.

[@CalebRazzleberry]

There needs to be more Archie Sonic content online, because this video blew everything I’ve ever seen about it out of the water. No stupid fixations on “sOniC hAs tOo manY friendS” or knuckle’s family line or the romantically obsessive tabloid plot era. You wrote this to purely be fixated on the tragic, comedic, Shakespearean literature that is Archie Sonic. And every second of this video had be grinning from ear to ear. Thank you for this, and I mean it.

[@sintanan469]

There are bad points to Archie Sonic, and when they're bad they are _bad._ But there are some amazing aspects to Archie Sonic, too. And those amazing and great aspects outshine the bad.

[@Memelord1117]

@@sintanan469 Yeah! Looking at you, penders.

[@nickthepick8043]

Hell yeah. Let's pull some STC Online stuff here.

[@kristaparrett4684]

Exactly! Those of us who have read it already know all of the bad and have shared all of our thoughts on it. We need more content on the good. The reason why we continued to read through the bad.

[@ChangedMyNameFinally69]

It's also just repetitive at this point, I think everyone knows about Penders and his many..."quirks".

[@kingbash6466]

Archie may have it's little quirks, but their version of Sonic remains one of my favorites. He has all the typical behavior you'd expect from the blue blur, but he also has some shockingly potent emotional scenes you wouldn't get elsewhere. Like seeing Sonic get so genuinely irritated at Eggman that he broke his own speed limit in the Egg Grape arc will forever stick in my mind as one the rawest moments in the franchise.

[@PotatoVoid255]

Wait really? Which Volume?

[@emlyashlrou2546]

I remember this. He ran to the other side of the continent just to get enough room for the run up, it was crazy.

[@Akarui135]

@@PotatoVoid255 I think it was volume 175

[@BlackmanHD]

@@Akarui135the "limit" one right??

[@mlgamings6110]

And *spoiler alert* the feeling of horror and shock when it still wasn't enough to beat Eggman and Sonic lost. That's something I still haven't forgotten.

[@spinceiling7442]

Whenever I say that Sonic is my favourite character of all time, I know it's mainly because of this interpretation. Thanks for reminding me why I was so obsessed with these comics. Great video

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thanks! What specifically stood out to you?

[@spinceiling7442]

@@KirbySonicTeam The editing, music, writing and use of comic panels

[@rimzaaah5892]

To me it was how you covered his attitude, I think you got down everything that made it feel genuine and not excessively one note like almost every other interpretation of this icon. This was succinct and persuasive.

[@zev2x762]

Sonic's the goat!!!

[@pcalix17]

Our only hope is that this version of sonic will get its day in the sun.

[@thatboi_nugget9342]

“You better hope you can run faster than me” that’s a cold ass line

[@jessiebell6884]

Sonic doesn't make threats. He makes _promises._

[@DragonStar524]

That arc with Silver after Antoine nearly bit the dust. Oh, man. I don't blame Sonic for acting this way. After all the crap the team just went through, this just showed his breaking point.

[@rayvenkman2087]

Had Johnny Lightfoot been apart of the Archie Sonic verse and shared the fate of his STC counterpart, one of three things would happen. 1. Dark Sonic. 2. Fleetway Super Sonic. 3. Werehog Sonic. No matter which is which, an angry Sonic is not something you want to be the target of his wrath. The equivalent of Superman or Spider-Man deciding to bring on the pain when pushed to a breaking point.

[@Hypershell]

Yeah, that moment where he spindashes through his own house was awesome. For all their fights, Sonic respects Antoine's commitment to the cause, and he WILL NOT tolerate Silver calling that into question.

[@itscznben8728]

@@rayvenkman2087 combine them.

[@SamBeta20]

I get the argument that "sonic isn't supposed to cry because thats not his character" in the videogames, but I just really enjoy that for a character that lives in the moment is shown as vulnerable when he is faced with situations that he can't outrun or has to work with others and realizes how bad he can mess up. IT actually makes me want to see him turn everything around himself or with help from his friends and be heroic. I also just really enjoy the Freedom fighters and all the archie sonic characters giving a complex tree of character relationships beyond just the "teams" that the games tend to keep. I'm also Glad IDW has been exploring sonics interactions with more character though he still feels too close to his modern videogame counterpart.

[@yungmuney5903]

What pisses me of about that "sonic isn't supposed to cry" shit isn't necessarily that I think it would out of character otherwise, it's that I always get such an aura of your typical "boys don't cry" misandry.

[@Ponch126]

It’s actually a really good thing that Flynn took over as lead writer for the games. Already, with Frontiers, we can see everyone’s character getting a complete tonal shift. Sonic and Knuckles finally have the rivalry that feels earned, reminding everyone that they originally weren’t friends in the beginning. Tails is actually upset about how he’s been acting for a while, and wants to have some time alone to create his own way. Amy isn’t a complete lovesick girl who’s always fawning over Sonic, but has shown maturity and wants to share her compassion with the world. And even Sonic himself has taken a major change going from the Meta-Era to Frontiers. He’s no longer making poor jokes that are just awfully timed and in general, but he’s actually showing character traits from both, Archie and IDW. Even Eggman is showing traits from the Adventure era of his thinking, speech, and even patterns. It’d be great if the Sega Mandates were finally lifted after being in place since ‘07, but that’s not going to happen for a while.

[@skyray16]

IDW Sonic is Sonic from the games but getting more and more explored as an actual character

[@drifter402]

It's just typical corporate Marketinf stuff

[@UnifiedEntity]

Long as they don't have Sonic crying or mopping/complaining so damn much like his Sonic Prime counterpartt then yeah it's not a problem. But That's why Sonic crying is a big deal cause he doesn't do it alot, nor should he. Then it wouldn't be special.

[@sth5697]

The fact that Sonally had all these adorable moments and the fact that there’s no slowing sonic but the fact that he WANTS to for Sally and him to run side by side makes me support the ship even more and if they bring her back in IDW, and they get right back to having those adorable moments, im gonna shed tears

[@bowserbreaker2515]

If that happens, then I will go back to IDW. Perhaps one day that comic will actually be good.

[@SkullSkill912]

the comic is good if you remove your guys's ships 💀@@bowserbreaker2515

[@sonictheknuckles]

@@bowserbreaker2515 its not a bad comic at all man, segas reallly controlling about the comics now, archie just had more freedom, dont hate the writers hate sega

[@bowserbreaker2515]

@@sonictheknuckles I know that Sega is to blame, but the thing is, while I didn't like reboot Archie outside of most of the Universe stories, Sonic was still way better than he is in IDW. It feels like Ian Flynn has just lost his touch.

[@stuffjuststuff6067]

@@bowserbreaker2515 or sega is limiting what he can do.

[@thomashutchings1122]

"Are you him? ARE YOU HIM?" Archie Sonic "I'm him"

[@bowserbreaker2515]

As long as at least one fan of Archie Sonic exists, he always will be Sonic.

[@kiramedifoundfaker398]

i really like this Sonic because he's an imperfect teen a lot of the time. He has emotional outbursts, he can be a total dork, he gets sad, empathetic, he cries, in a way that "evergreen" Sonic doesn't usually. I really love his relationship with Sally because it felt like they were helping each other through the worst the world (and themselves) had to dish out. One thing I always loved about the "americanon" is it's focus on smaller character moments, it's part of why post reboot Archie wasn't appealing to me, sure it was the freedom fighters, but they weren't fighting for their freedom.

[@supersonicfan7514]

When is he ever a dork? I mean, one of his most basic personality traits is that he’s cool. He’s a cool guy stereotype.

[@Z3ROPLUS]

I don't like the whole sonichaving a family thing. It disrespects of sonic staying true to his adventurous and free self. I can see either sonic being into Amy romantically both believing in the same as sonic does with adventuring and having freedom.

[@supersonicfan7514]

@@Z3ROPLUS how is it “disrespectful” to give Sonic a family? And giving him loved ones doesn’t make him any less free and adventurous.

[@Z3ROPLUS]

@@supersonicfan7514 sonic is about freedom.

[@supersonicfan7514]

@@Z3ROPLUS again, having a family wouldn’t make him less free.

[@HeroesRiseUp]

While I don’t exactly agree on Archie Sonic being the best Sonic, I have to say you’ve opened eyes to appreciating Archie Sonic in a new way. Wonderful analysis!! :D

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Hahaha understandable. There’s many Sonic’s to love. What in particular did the video make you appreciate

[@dantemitsoyu977]

What would you say best sonic is

[@HeroesRiseUp]

@@dantemitsoyu977 Basic answer but I really love his character in Black Knight. Just that era of Sonic in general really. I didn’t read much of Archie besides watching his videos, so this has shown me sides of his character I didn’t know existed.

[@3X3LR8]

yea, in archie i really think its earned.

[@eggynuts7735]

​@@dantemitsoyu977 sonic from 06 to Unleashed

[@JBoehmGames]

You can see Flynn's influence through the back half of the Archie comics, and he 's clearly trying to do something similar with IDW Sonic. The only problem is he's kind of hampered by the "canon" of the games and dealing with the outlines he's been given by SEGA. But he's still doing his best. He legitimately wants to help even his enemies, including Eggman and Metal Sonic. And during the end of the Mecha Virus arc, you get to see his frustration with Metal, wherein Metal had a chance to reform, but chose to go back to Eggman, but Sonic gets a bit of catharsis with Scrapnik Island. I guess the biggest flaw is that IDW has only been running for not even a quarter of the time Archie Sonic has, so they haven't gotten to build up that rich history and rapport with the readers that makes Archie Sonic so endearing. I'm hoping we get to see more of it in the future and that SEGA loosens the leash on Flynn, because he's far and away the best Sonic writer.

[@kristaparrett4684]

Ian Flynn is an incredible writer, and if he had his way, he would have brought back so many elements from the past! The freedom fighters being one of many. As a reader of both Archie and IDW, I have to say I love both of them. They both have flaws, but excel for different reasons. I refuse to pick either one as a favorite :)

[@GlicheGaming]

So glad the hard work Ian Flynn and the other crew put into fleshing out these characters is being recognized in such a way. I’ve always thought it was so damn impressive how complex and interesting these characters could be.

[@bowserbreaker2515]

"What you see is what you get, just a guy that loves adventure!" That would've been the perfect line to end Archie with. Great job, yet more proof for why Archie is not just my favorite Sonic, but my favorite comic ever. He really is way past cool.

[@donathan2933]

I like how different Archie Sonic is from the other versions of Sonic. I like how has the basic traits of Sonic, but he feels more human and fleshed out with more quirks due to all the adventures and events he witnessed throughout his life

[@elementallobsterx]

Archie Sonic personifies "the wind" better than any other iteration. He's pain, happiness, change; he's Jouissance.

[@bowserbreaker2515]

I have never seen a comic that put this much love into a character. Sonic grows and matures, but he still manages to feel the same throughout the entire comic. Even if it's sad this comic will never come back, what we got was amazing. Also, the Sonic Runners music really fits.

[@starboythelitone1503]

Ivd heard about the Legendary Archie Sonic but seeing it Was a true Honor..

[@bowserbreaker2515]

It really is legendary. It was special.

[@deboraluz27]

15:44 I feel like I'm seeing through the eyes of someone having a stroke here

[@LucasHopkins2006]

While Sonic in Unleashed or his line in Black Knight “I just gotta do what I gotta do, that’s all” are always what I think of when I think Sonic, Archie Sonic and his universe feels like lightning in a bottle, something that we may never get again but we definitely should

[@kieranstark7213]

Even though most 2000s Sonic games (and late 2000s - 2010s Sonic comics) kick ass, it was not what we wanted at all for Amy Rose to hatefully chase Sonic in Black Knight (was a lot of fun until the ending) just like in Sonic X (mainly in episode 42 although got good in season 3) with a Piko-Piko Hammer as if he intended to miss their date and come back at him in the evil Sonic Free Riders for it (he wasn’t lying to her about his story. It’s just too bad that he gets so much hate even though he’s more three-dimensionally neutral-to-good than one-dimensionally evil)! I know it was a different time, but still! Also how dare the rest of their friends not defend him! He didn’t deserve that slap from Sally in issue 134 nor that breakup with Fiona Fox in issue 172 (which was intentional to make her the bane of Sonic’s love life).

[@LucasHopkins2006]

@@kieranstark7213 I think how Amy acted there mainly had to do with how she seemed to have more of a short fuse at that time but yeah she did kind of overreact (but hey this was the same era where Amy said she’d still choose Sonic even if he would willingly destroy the world so take that how you will). With the whole Sally thing and his friends not defending him, it might be because well for one they might have been in too much shock with that and Sonic practically coming back from the dead to do anything and plus Sonic and Sally clearly needed to resolve that themselves but I do think Sally was written pretty badly there just for the excuse to break them up but I think they made up for it later mainly with Sally admitting at one point she took it too far

[@kieranstark7213]

Yes

[@BrazilianDreemurr2008]

This Sonic is the type to say "Nah, I'd win" and automatically be correct anyways.

[@MikeJoe-jy5kp]

More or less

[@yharu_hasaiko]

As a massive fan of both Archie Sonic AND Sonally, I just really wanted to say thank you for making this video! Not only is it incredibily well done with the passion pouring from any montage of the various panels from the comics to your very fun (and extremely talented) ability in voice acting some of them, but it also showcases why we Archie fans love this interepretation of Sonic so much. He is a confident, cocky bastard and sure he can be a jerk sometimes but that only has the merit of making him feel more real and grounded somehow, cause at his core, Sonic is still himself and never loses himself, despite making mistakes. Instead he tries to learn from them to be better everytime and this is shown so much through the comics if one pays attention. And most of all, he cares! He cares so much about his friends, his family, and of course Sally. These two have been through a lot and I always thought that the main reason why they work so well as a couple is that they've always been friends first and lovers second. They know each other so damn well that they both know exactly what the other needs most of the time and most importantly, it is clear that they are probably the only ones who allow to be vulnerable with each others, as a sign of how much trust is put between them two. And just how much they actually do love each other, especially when you mentioned how Sally is a constant stress fur-ball while Sonic just wants to protects her from all of that and make sure she just... has a good day is enough for him. It's been a long time coming since I've met someone understanding these two so, so well.

[@bowserbreaker2515]

I totally agree.

[@sth5697]

As a Sonally fan I think I’d enjoy Sally being a ally with Sonic in the IDW comics

[@captainkatagon5112]

It's so nice seeing some positivity go towards the Archie Sonic comics! It feels like recently everyone's been worshipping the IDW comics and either completely ignoring or discrediting Archie for various superficial reasons, and, as someone who grew up with and LOVED the Archie comics, this really makes me sad. But this video perfectly puts into words everything I love about Archie Sonic's character. He felt real. Or at least, as real as an anthropomorphic, talking, blue hedgehog who can run at the speed of sound can feel. I loved seeing the range of emotions he showed, I loved seeing him tease his enemies, I loved seeing him lift up his friends, and I loved seeing him make mistakes. The run wasn't perfect, but by the end they managed to take pretty much all of the negatives the comic had and recontextualize them to elevate the stories, characters, and world to levels other Sonic media can only dream of reaching at this point. There were so many layers that added so much depth to everything, and you didn't necessarily have to have read everything to understand what was going on, but you wanted to because you wanted to know what stories you were missing out on. I also love how you brought attention to the artstyle of the comic. The stylized fluidness of the linework and the overly expressive facial expressions not only made everyone feel right at home in Sonic's world - regardless of whether or not they were designed with Sonic's world in mind - but also made the comics just a joy to read. The Archie comics nurtured my love of Sonic growing up. They showed me what it means to live freely the way you want. They showed me a world unique and beyond what I knew from the Sega games. And, most importantly, they - no, Sonic showed me what it means to be a good person - a hero. And I wish more people would acknowledge that.

[@Tabarnthebrave]

I think Archie Sonic is easy to hate. With all the stuff ken did the OC’s that some people have an issue with. How wild and crazy it is and how different it is from the games. I think all of those reason are why it’s so easy to hate on it. But as this video proves Archie sonic has a lot of good stories and a lot of good character moments. While yes I prefer IDW I still love Archie sonic. Because of this video I’m planning on going back and reading Ian Flynn’s era on Archie sonic as well as his Megaman run.

[@zephon6745]

I grew up reading the Fleetway's STC(Sonic The Comic) and I think that Archie does not deserve the hate.

[@mariotheballer362]

dont worry, all the power scalers are still in love with archie sonic

[@crushersbutlessedgynow]

Ken penders wrote this

[@wannabeyakuza]

​@@mariotheballer362 Depending on which ones you ask they actually hate it lmao

[@RealHyperHedgehog]

The Archie Sonic comics are really underrated. People always ignorantly cherry pick the worst stuff in the series to make it look bad (plus, 90% of the time, I’m convinced the people hating on Archie Sonic have never read a comic in their life). It’s a shame people don’t dig deeper to find the gold. The good outweighs the bad.

[@rayvenkman2087]

It’s the same problem with James Roberts fans dunking on John Barber’s TF works. Always zeroing in on the bad but forget the good. I never got the praise for the IDW stuff.

[@graycat7704]

It’s kinda hard to get into because it can be inconsistent at times both in art and story.

[@rayvenkman2087]

@@graycat7704 That can be said for a lot of long-running comics, even Batman and Spider-Man has this problem depending on the era. IDW Transformers before John Barber was actually worse in the inconsistencies with All Hail Megatron, Mike Costa’s Transformers run and Heart of Darkness being particularly bad in that regard. The inconsistent art and story primarily is a problem with the period between the Ken Penders Era and Ian Flynn Era we call the Karl Bollers Era; the same era that produced the infamous OOC Sally Slap panel. Once Ian came in, that wasn’t such a problem anymore as Tracey Yardly became the main artist and the designs started staying on model more or rather the official designs had been properly standardised for artists to follow.

[@graycat7704]

@@rayvenkman2087 nah maybe for marvel but DC is pretty easy to get into. For DC you just need to know what era to read from. Archie sonic starts off entirely different from where it ended. With the crazy ideas of Ken penders it's hard get into if you wanna jump into the Ian Flynn era because alot of it is still tied to Ken. I'm sorry I'm not about to read all that. I would even say marvel is easier to get into because at least all the core stuff with characters is known outside of the comic books as the characters are icons. The Sonic universe in itself isn't really set up right so going to Archie's sonic universe is just confusing. Entirely different tones compared to the games. Everything feels unfamiliar if you did not grow up with classic sonic. It's a mess.

[@allstardawn6062]

@Gray Cat If you're looking for a good place to start read the sonic universe comics

[@Mister86TV]

My very first Sonic comic was issue 179, the one with Sonic tearing up the wanted poster. I had no idea what to expect, but as risky of a concept as it was, and despite my complete lack of knowledge of characters like Scourge and Fiona, it exceeded my expectations. The art and dialogue blended together so beautifully. I hope to one day write and draw a comic of my own that will be as well-made and inspirational as these ones were to me. Plus it was the issue that cemented the image of Bean as a lovable psycho in my mind, so that was fun.

[@Couch_Banana]

I'm pretty sure Bean wasn't in that issue.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

He’s in the prison cells making fun of sonic as he fights

[@Couch_Banana]

@@KirbySonicTeam Oh yeahhhh, thanks for reminding me! BTW this video rocks!

[@Scorpionspear77]

Heh, my first issue was 150, where it was actually following Scourge for most of the comic. I had zero idea what was going on.

[@Segaman456]

I wish sega would let IDW write the characters a little more loosely. It's led to things like shadow being an edge lord and most characters being one note. But with the recent news that they were given updated character guidelines they can be more expressive with them and I hope we get more like how sonic was portrayed in Archie. I do like how they gave sonic sympathy since he realized that even someone as evil and downright cruel as Eggman can be good, he tries to bring out the good in the foes he faces

[@tonyhakston536]

Reminder that the mandates are only an issue under IAN FLYNN’s pen. Every other writer can make it work.

[@linkums28]

​@@tonyhakston536Are you blaming Ian?

[@th3legendarygizoid652]

Flynn's Archie run is so goated. I wanna re-read Archie now.

[@ManderCultist]

You can really feel the passion behind this video, and overall the video flows extremely well. It also has a quality I can't name, it's inspirational, yes, but it's something greater than that, it radiates a feel good energy that's infectious. Even though I just finished it, I want to rewatch it. Major thumbs up. Keep doing what you love.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thanks for the kind words

[@alternatelifee]

Scourge needs wayyyy more attention than he gets now a days, his and sonics bouts in the comics and just him as a character are so slept on and some people don’t even know he exists

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Agreed! Thankfully Ill be covering him on Lowarts channel during our Archie Sonic Retrospective.

[@Pogbirb]

You might not sound the most like sonic but your voice acting, protrayal of his attitude and confidence captures his elements so well I was genuinely convinced. The voice acting was incredible, despite you not putting on a special voice for sonic, I can still perfectly differentiate when you're reading lines or going back to the commentary.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Awww, thanks so much! I had a blast playing him

[@ThePonderer]

Having now finished…yuuuup definitely reading these. For Sonic and Sally being absolutely adorable if nothing else. I love retrospectives like these and your narration plus the editing makes for incredibly compelling stuff.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thanks man! Really appreciate it. There’s a reading list in the other sonic video if you wanna start

[@dragenfire68]

Where can i buy these?

[@sirius_raspberry]

Fantastic video! This is such an excellent showcase of what makes Archie Sonic such a fantastic character, and really helped me put into words how this comic solidified Sonic as my favorite fictional character to a degree that no other Sonic media really has.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Absolutely agree! This video has been stewing in my mind for literally 5 years and it finally burst. Because there’s always like 3 different things going on in the main comic, let alone universe, it’s hard to really conceptualize a throughline

[@MyNamesNoah]

Watching this again, just cause of how amazingly it's made. Keep up the good work!

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thank you! I really appreciate it

[@Yes-dr2gl]

33:16 I like to think that, when Eggman first started dealing with sonic and tails, thought of removing the outside variables (Tails) first but then decided to see if he *could* get rid of the x-factor.

[@giovanet2850]

You've done such an excellent job at showing how multi faceted Archie's Sonic is that I struggle to believe this video is true. Absolute masterful editing and script writing, sound mixing and the such. Everything transitions smoothly like butter and I can't get over it. I can't wait for more. A small thing i'd like to point out i just noticed is, after Sally is robotized, Sonic kinda picks up her role, it's not just that she rubbed off on him, but that he's making a genuine effort to fill in her boots as best as he can manage be it out of necessity or honest to god respect for what her role achieved in a team. I love this version of the spiky blue rodent.

[@alwayzsilent]

A cool character that started from the near beginning of the franchise. The character evolved into a good series and kept going until certain circumstances intervene and cut off the story unfinished. Nevertheless to this day still feels like the superior version of Sonic that was able to grow having family members and a good synergy love interest.

[@ForeveraBoss117]

Another thing about Tracy’s work is the way he draws the spin dash. That has been a staple in the comics since he started it I wish the games would adopt it as well

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Oh? What about it did he set the standard for?

[@ForeveraBoss117]

The art style, the closest I’ve seen to it in 3D is from Sonic Prime, Going for more a wheel than a ball

[@supersonicsinger2275]

I cried at the end of this. My sibling who I've converged to being a sonic fan over the years is while a sonic fan isn't a SONIC fan. They find him arrogant in in every show I've witnessed him be...more dash than we see in the comics. The Sonic I believe to be true, the one o saw in frontiers that I loved. I love Sonic for many reasons and in one video you've managed to remind me, that while things are tough now, and that things get hard...always hold ur head up high and have HOPE. It's why I've been with Sonic since I was 4 years old. As somebody that thinks to fast and leads with my emotions I try my best to remember who I'm living for...my friends, my family...anyone who I have in my circle. I know thats off topic but I hope you know you've given me more hope in the Sonic franchise than I think you realize. To anyone deciding to read this....keep moving forward, hold your head high and hold those you care about close...Archie Sonic is infact, the best Sonic.

[@shadamyandsonamylover]

I’m crying. I miss Pre GW Archie sonic so much. I hate that they nuked his relationship with Sally. I hate that the lawsuit ended everything for good. Thanks for doing this video, I loved seeing the characters I loved and adored being talked about again. RIP archie sonic.

[@mmjm932]

Try Archie Sonic Online comic. It changes plot where SGW didn't happened. Personally i liked it, but it's always up the reader who read it

[@shadamyandsonamylover]

@@mmjm932 I LOVE ASCO! I havent read it in a long time, I need to look it back up and see if they have new volumes.

[@damianwilliams6446]

Love the video, I'd say it's a really good in-depth look at Archie Sonic, especially his personality. One thing I get from Archie Sonic whenever I look back at some of the later issues that involve Scourge is how Sonic reacts. I don't get the feeling that Sonic just finds Scourge a nuisance to take care of like some other antagonists, but someone that Sonic borderline loathes. Another universe's "Sonic" that has all the Prime's worst traits amplified. Harder to be kind to someone who's almost just like you than it is someone who is very different.

[@rayvenkman2087]

In a way, Scourge feels like a dark mirror of STC Sonic where he’s just an Right sociopathic asshole rather than a Sonic that’s got a real attitude and a deep-rooted sense of guilt. Scourge would be the one to treat the loss of a close friend in the STC Sonic Adventure Arc as just collateral instead of how that Sonic took it.

[@Gencinnamon245]

When you realize that Sonic vs Tails conversation at the end when they reconcile hits hard after playing through Sonic Frontiers Sonic is just that one person who doesn’t fully realize that Tails has matured and still thinks of him as a little kid. I know the two are completely separate, but it still hits hard.

[@mystic.4371]

I'm glad that you have reminded this fanbase of how actually well written the characters in the archiee comics were Of course the stories overall aren't really anything amazing but the characters are just fantastic and people should come to realize this by now It's sad that the archie comics have such a bad rep amongst the community nowadays due to it's convoluted stories, weird random oc's and overall not that we'll written story plots most of the time But where these comics excel is always the characterization and the interactions which are impeccable

[@commentsgalore1549]

I read some of the Archie comics when I was younger, and this fascinating analysis and interpretation of the character arc gave me a sort of catharsis with the series that I've been lacking for the past decade. Definitely subscribing.

[@samiai8905]

I absolutely adored and agree with this video. I just love how it wasn't afraid to make Sonic look bad and show how he didn't have everything under control, that he needed his friends. Also, that last portion of with the music and panels 45:09 gave me chills and i so hope you can release that as its own video because it was so well put together!

[@Bubblegob]

Archie Sonic is really having its time in the sun on youtube recently! I never read this myself as it wasn't edited in my country but I remember being a teen and finding a list of those comics online with all the covers and so much characters I had never seen in the game. It was obviously an episodic story and from what I could see too it left me very intrigued at the time so I'm here for this kind of video all day long.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thank you! If anything in particular stood out about the video definitely let me know

[@larrythehedgehog]

The intro dub sequence literally convinced me to read the comics.

[@RaijinRain]

24:46 I wouldn't blame him for literally making someone who's 2x the IQ of Einstein literally have a psychological breakdown instead of a tantrum as usual. I would be pretty freaked out because after this Eggman was basically just a wild animal, kinda literally, he would just make grunts and even punched Sonic directly in the face. I mean Sonic has no choice because Eggman is ruthless in this comic. Despite being a human himself, he's quite evil by human standards

[@zbazza6978z]

Incredible video. Summarises everything I love about these characters. I came back to Sonic through SatAM and Archie last year. I never bothered with these gems. But when I decided to, I loved it. They made me care about the characters and their relationships. It was truly special. You've made that abundantly clear here. Thank you

[@smugbugunderarug7038]

this was stunning! thank you for articulating what i wish i could put into words as to why this version of sonic and the archie comics mean so much to me! i don’t know how long you’ve had this video in the works, but it paid off beautifully. thank you so much, and well done! 💛

[@shadowelii]

OFJDKSNSNSKNSJSJSJDISJDJDHJDHDJD I HAVE JUST FINISHED WATCHING THE FOUR RETROSPECTIVE VIDEOS THAT YOU AND LOWART ARE DOING I didn’t realize that technically this video came first and I watched this one a while ago and I remember thinking I wanted another one like it but going thru the whole series and TADA!!! anyways, thank you for this video, and thank you so much for the retrospectives!! it really brings back memories, cause Archie Sonic was more or less my introduction to sonic in general cause I didn’t have any of the consoles to play the games. So thank you. Really truly.

[@demodisco]

Great video, man! You've really opened my eyes to sides of Soinc I never knew existed. My experience with the Hedgehog is pretty limited, but you've articulated a depth and nuance that I didn't know the charecter had.

[@yeeo]

This was a great watch! I love how passionate you are about Sonic's character. Keep up the good work!

[@elementallobsterx]

EXCELLENT video for the BEST Sonic personification ever.

[@robrobrobot6867]

Can’t get over Dr. Eggman facts and logicing his way out of a complete mental break

[@explodingegg123]

this video was wonderful! I've never read the comics before, but this gave me a whole new perspective on sonic as a character. I already love him, but this gave me a whole new appreciation for sonic.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thanks! What specifically stood out?

[@explodingegg123]

@@KirbySonicTeam well, probably the amazing music choices, the editing, just you gushing about how good sonic is in the comics. idk I just really liked it. (I'm not good at articulating things very well sorry)

[@KirbySonicTeam]

No worries! I’m glad you enjoyed it

[@rene3669]

When you said "why is archie sonic so good? beacouse he is way past cool" i cried, wonderfull video. thanks for reminding me why I love this sonic comic serie and I keep reading it up until now.

[@rene3669]

PS: I got a question for you: Is there anything that you would change in the archie sonic comic serie? If so what would you change? If you could

[@KirbySonicTeam]

I’d probably just completely revamp everything up to the Flynn era in some sort of remake. I love the whole comic but I enjoy pre Flynn stuff as a sort of weird curiosity that’s fun to laugh at, and sometimes with. So if I was doing like a show about it I’d love to try and tie together the later Flynn era style into the earlier stories. Making it all more cohesive

[@rene3669]

@@KirbySonicTeam cool, back than I had an idea that there would be one more last archie sonic comic, where sonic would change everything back to the original universe (pre Genesis wave) of course thanks to the chaos control beacouse he wanted to save everyone who lets say were "vanished" from the comic series.

[@rene3669]

It would be something like the end something like "Dragon ball end of z" if you know Final ep. Of the saga

[@victorortiz8777]

Dude that ending is just so damn good. Man, I hope you continue to do more of these in the future. Also, love how you ended the closing montage with "I'm With You".

[@crassweller11]

The passion you have when talking about these comics finally made me decide to read them.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Did you enjoy them?

[@thechangamire3495]

God, I miss Archie Sonic. The first comic I ever bought with my own money, and my first foray into the pre-SGW run was Covert Chaos, and I will never forget the sheer and utter confusion at what I was reading. I miss it a lot.

[@ajbanimatedstudios5014]

I cannot believe I sat through 3/4 of an hour listening to a man pour his heart out over sonics charecter in the Archie comics. I am glad I did :3 FANTASTIC WORK DUDE! I HAVE SUBSCRIBED TO YOU AND DO NOT REGRET A SINGLE BIT!!!

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thank you so much! What did you enjoy about the vid?

[@ajbanimatedstudios5014]

@@KirbySonicTeam specifically the relationship between sonic and Sally. It feels... real. Too real... (side eye)

[@mcmistle9892]

So I just finished the video, and I gotta say that it opened my eyes to some things about Archie Sonic that just make me love his character more. Your talking points from House of Cards really opened my eyes on some things, and made me tolerate that story a lot more. I’m loving this series of Archie Sonic videos that you and Lowart have been releasing, and I think it’s a genuine chance to change the general perception of the comic from ‘Penders weirdness video #345’ to actual discussions and video essays about the comic, for good or for worse. Legit makes me wanna start making my own videos on Archie Sonic to add to the pile. Really great stuff!

[@leslieledle4825]

This has to be one of the best and emotional vids to me This is what every YT video strives to be I really needed this This was amazing, thank you ❤

[@grass_enjoyer]

I remember loving reading this when I was younger, even when I didn't understand what was going on, like one moment I was wondering why nicole had a whole body and then why sonic was hanging out with megaman the next, this not only cleared everything up for me, but made me love the series all the more with how sonic grows, almost hand and hand with the video game sonic we know, but so much better, thanks for this video man, have a good day.

[@jedibattlemasterkos]

Thank you for this. As someone who frequently followed and read Archie Sonic I was heartbroken to hear that it ended in such a way... This is an amazing tribute video and it brings back so many memories. I just wish there was a resolution to everything.

[@c0v3rt59]

As much as I'm enjoying the IDW comics this was a nice reminder of how good Archie sonic still was, excellent analysis!

[@vivimoji]

Thank for making this video! I have so many of the Archie issues of these from growing up reading them and love and miss these characters so much! This video captured things from those comics perfectly!

[@NinjaV_Editz]

Archie is just another whole beast

[@toanuva6178]

That but about his speeches also doubling as insults kinda reminds me of how that’s gone in Forces at least. Would love to see a version of the “You got no friends” thing be made if it was Archie Sonic saying it to him

[@kieranstark7213]

Ngl, as much as I love Sonic as a character (and as a franchise when it’s in the right hands) like in the Archie Comics and 1990s - 2000s games (mainly the Adventure series and Unleashed), he’s gone downhill (not quite as hard as his friends, but still) in the 2010s games for being a grave misrepresentation of the franchise (mainly Forces).

[@EchoPixel01]

That little speech from Sonic at the start... it's reasons like that that're why I want to read the comics.

[@ashooaway]

The effort and editing placed onto this was top tier man a brilliant brilliant brilliant video and essay. Greatness is coming your way I know it

[@thesilverace01]

No lies detected. Great video bud!

[@n.jsukitte9999]

Bro, I'm so glad more people are talking about the Archie Comics and finally getting the praise they deserve. Amazing work you made.

[@patrick_sandlin252]

Seriously dude, thank you for putting one of my first exposures to the blue blur and everything I ever loved and cared about it into a very well edited and heartfelt video!

[@The3GTeam]

Good video my man, I've been apart of the Sonic fandom ever since I was a wee little boy watching the TV shows playing the Genesis games to the newer 3D games and I never once actually sat in read a comic except for what was on the Sonic Mega Collection. This whole video has helped me see what Sonic has always been truly about and I really appreciate it. Even though it's ending is abrupt we can all agree that it's still way past cool

[@___8241]

absolutely brilliant video. archie sonic may not be game sonic, but i was always okay with that. as his own separate take on sonic, i thought he worked greatly alongside the freedom fighters with his own unique flaws and growths and parallels as a character. he wasn't perfect, but he was very human. this video made he appreciate all the clever details i never noticed before like how eggman's breakdown mirrored sonic's loss but without any friends to back him up. such fantastic writing.

[@shanejohnson1606]

Man, I am so glad this came in my feed. I've been telling folks for years to put some respect on Archie Sonic's name. You earned my support.

[@19h1n9p]

AUGH fuckin' great video, always loved watching character based in depth videos but this takes the absolute cake, the way you edit, the writing you put into it, the analyzing, the way you rock those lines god! So cool man. Watched the whole thing while finger knitting my scarf and I am so glad this was the video I clicked out of everything I was watching, hell that title drew me more then a TMNT Michelangelo video! This is one of those videos my brain is not gonna let go for a MONTH! Great work man!

[@dregomangaming6384]

Man this was incredible content I look forward with whatever you have planned next

[@_knucklehead]

This is just incredible. I’ve always wanted to read Archie yet I never knew where to start. This just makes me want to read it even more! Lovely points were made here and Lots of captivating moments with the editing had me wanting more. I have *no clue* why this doesn’t have more likes. 758 is ridiculous! Great work, man!

[@iblobliboo8501]

I recommend reading them from the beginning, even if it's not that great, it becomes really rewarding and the later issues are peak Sonic for me. You can find the comics easily, even here on youtube and there are lists of the reading order online.

[@kevinpeixes3735]

this video shows so much passion and care, i cant help but love it. I hope you get huge amounts of traction from this, you deserve it.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thank you so much! What in particular stuck out to you? Are you a sonic fan?

[@NewSparky97]

Seeing this video reminded me of all the time I spent reading and re-reading my small collection of out of order, middle run Archie sonic comics when I was in middle school. I think I'll dig those back out again. Thanks man

[@lorilynne571]

You've literally convinced me to the read the comics. Kudos to you. Anyways, this was a really fun watch and it's clear your passionate about it. It's a literal love letter to the series and you made me fall in love.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

thats so awesome to hear! Thank you! What specifically stood out?

[@lorilynne571]

Specifically your character analysis of Tail's and Sonic's fight. Super entertaining and well structured.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

@@lorilynne571 awesome thank you! I hope you really enjoy the comic

[@brendanmadeley4633]

30:47 That part actually had me in tears and I know I needed it. Looking back at things in my life I can see how shitty a guy I can be. I know a lot of it is a reaction to things that have happened to me, but though it all I've had my own Sally supporting me and I really don't think I appreciate it that much. If I'm being even more honest she's more like my sonic in the sense she's taking life so fast but slowing down for me cause she wants me there. really appreciate the video man...

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thanks for sharing! That’s awesome to hear you have someone to support you. Thanks for watching and for the comment

[@DimitriMonroe]

Usually I only get really absorbed into slower paced videos but you hit it out of the park with this one dude. Best I've watched in a long while and made me genuinely interested in reading through the Archie run at some point 🙏

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Oh hey! Ive seen some of your videos before! Thanks so much for watching and I hope you do check out the comic! What in particular kept you invested if I may ask?

[@DimitriMonroe]

​@@KirbySonicTeam The presentation both visually and with your delivery. It's a bit hard to describe the specifics but often times the essays I both recently find the most impressive and wish to learn from are ones able to "channel" the work themselves within it. Using sfx/music/lines from the orignal peice often help a lot in achieving this, your kh2 video was very effective with this too. However, this one was extra impressive because you had to rely on your own voice acting for one of those elements. Of course, that would all mean nothing if the script itself wasn't good, so that's not to say it wasn't a big part of its success but the way it was elevated further by its execution, stands out.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thank you! That means a lot

[@KirbySonicTeam]

@DimitriMonroe by the way if you’re a fan of this style then go to the channel “Lowart.” He and I have been working on a retrospective of the entire Archie sonic comic and since he edited this video and I help write those videos, then the style is exactly the same! We even still voice the characters together. So I think you’d really enjoy that!

[@Gaboxf]

This is such a great video analysis, reminding me why I love Sonic and every version he has

[@asuna5701]

Wow this was an amazing video. I loved Archie comics but watching this video made me see Archie sonic in a whole different light! The way you went in depth with his character, mannerisms, relationships, etc. It was such an eye opener because you helped me catch some things that I’ve missed when I read the comics! When you started talking about the ending to Archie my heart swelled and I felt so sad but your optimism made me smile as well as you closing the video with the iconic “way past cool line.” I can tell you’ve worked so hard on this video! Thanks so much for making this! I’d be cool if you did a similar video with Scourge!💚

[@vaxlogam]

Archie Sonic is the true sonic🤩

[@SoranotRoxas]

Great coverage dude 👏. Always good to hear about *Sonic's Archie days*

[@VariousSounds4]

This video was both wholesome heartwarming and inspiring this is a top notch video if i ever seen one, i not a big sonic fan boy but this puts sonic in a whole new spotlight his personality his desires and caring this character was very well written and you did a good job on putting these effects to their top gear

[@spiderbhyd3]

I honestly love this video so much, It’s really just brought back the love I used to have for the Archie sonic comics, great job 👍

[@Larrythecoyote]

Every good youtuber has that one video that's better than the rest, this is it.

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thank you! What did you think stood out about it?

[@Larrythecoyote]

@@KirbySonicTeam tbh, it would be how you worded Archie sonic, and adding the voice acting added to the character it really makes people think more about the character, and when you add the amazing editing,you have the perfect video, and to finish it off, you earned a sub

[@KirbySonicTeam]

Thank you! I really appreciate it a lot

[@Excalicore]

You perfectly explained why I love Archie Sonic so much and why he’s my favorite interpretation of Sonic. The stories told there not only expand the games’ lore in such a unique way but also the characters and how they grow. I was lucky to even grow up with these comics. Thank you for making this video.

[@chenierderrick]

Awesome video dude! I love how you added in the songs from the new game soundtrack. Of course after watching this I had to go play the soundtrack on Apple Music!

[@thelegendarydarkknight585]

THIS IS PEAK VIDEO ESSAY LOVED EVERY SECOND!!!