Rumor: Archie To Drop Sonic the Hedgehog By End of Year.

[Myetche]

To me, the Sonic comic ended at #50 when the original Robotnik died. Everything since then has just been a drag at best (the convoluted character redesigns, the soap-opera-level plots) and a waste at worse (the Echidna obsessions, the reboot caused by Ken Penders throwing a legal hissy fit), so I will not miss this.

[GreenLanternRanger]

I contacted Archie Directly about the issue and they said that they had no information to release at this time and we're waiting for the issue to be resolved which was aggravating, however,

They said they would update Subscribers and comic shops when they are able and that the new previewsworld comic shop release dates for STH#291 & SU #95 most likely will be honored.

I asked the rep about STH #292 & #293 as well and she said she had no idea and again said that they will release information to subscribers when avalible, the rep apologized and acknowledged that alot of fans and even some comic shops were nervous about the situation, but as a customer service rep there was little they could do about it. I thanked her for her time and help and that was the end of it.

So yea, until Archie April Solicitations come out it looks like we will be bare on any solid info.

[Digifiend]

STH 294 and SU 97 have been solicited.

[GreenLanternRanger]

Yep, looks like the rumor is false after all.

Although Subscriptions for Dark Circle & Sonic are still down. Honestly at this point I think Archie just did it to get people to subscribe to their mainline books instead.

Oh well, I buy all my comics at my LCS anyway, so no big deal for me, but sucks for those that have no other way of getting them.

[MajorHoy]

Yep, looks like the rumor is false after all.

Just because there are solicitations for issues in April doesn't mean the rumors are necessarily false, though.
There could be work that was previously contracted for that Archie Comics will still print before ending those titles.

[GreenLanternRanger]

According to one of the freelancers that works at Archie, the book isn't canceled. What actually went down we may never know.

[Inversed]

According to certain websites and people who have been in contact with others, supposedly Sega of Japan (or one of the affiliates of Sega) ordered a temporary Cease & Desist on the releases of issues for the book, while they're dealing with the lawsuits from Ken Penders (aka probably the most egotistical writer on the planet). They're probably seeing if they can end this as soon as possible, so it won't keep being a problem for them like it has the past 4-5 years.

Sonic 291 is still scheduled for March 1, however some sites I noticed have since pushed back the release of Universe 95 to April, so the dates are just a problem we'll have to wait and find out when exactly. I don't think the book is going to get cancelled, and honestly they'd be stupid to cancel it right before 300 and 100, as well as in general since, like you mentioned, they got very few non-actual Archie stuff left, they'll just have it on this temporary hiatus before going back into doing more issues.

Which, after following these Sonic books for over a year, I should be used to Archie's constant bullshit, but it's still really annoying how bad they've been treating Sonic. They had a 3 month hiatus last year, in which they never explained why or even let people know the dates were pushed back. Same with the Super Sonic Digest. Plus their complete incompetency with releasing trades and flat-out abandonment of Mega Man even though it's "just on hiatus". And on top of all of that, you dare to ask them a question, you get the same "We have no new information for you at the moment" answer over and over.

I would love it if they could make a deal with like IDW, so they can continue the book with the same continuity and creative team, so it can finally get the treatment it deserves, but I just wanna be able to read them without it being a chore to find when they're actually released.

[Chrysalis_Changling]

who even subscribes directly through the publisher anyways? they tend to be terrible i used to subscribe directly to dc during early days of the new 52 and it took forever to get issues mailed to me

[Inversed]

To be fair, from what I heard, Archie does have a fairly big amount of people who use their online site to order to the books, though in Sonic's case is moreso individual issues and packages than full on subscriptions anyway. Probably just don't want to bother keeping that around and having people who want the books get them some other way.

[Digifiend]

So Penders is to blame? What the hell is that guy's problem, they already excised the characters he claimed ownership of!

[Inversed]

So Penders is to blame? What the hell is that guy's problem, they already excised the characters he claimed ownership of!

He wants royalties for any reprints or sales, though I'm not sure if he means royalties for his stories or anything with characters he created. It's probably the latter, which is why they had to cancel the rest of the Saga Series and Universe trades.

Plus there's still some stupid things he's trying to claim ownership over, like he still believes the current Dr. Eggman is his "Robo-Robotnik", or still trying to use for his own project both Knuckles and the term echidna because "he defined them."

[Digifiend]

Well, that's just bull. Knuckles the Echidna was called that in Sonic 3's instruction manual, and in-game in Sonic Adventure. Eggman's current design and personality also originates from Adventure - adopted by the comics in issue 75. Both belong entirely to Sega.

[Inversed]

Well, that's just bull. Knuckles the Echidna was called that in Sonic 3's instruction manual, and in-game in Sonic Adventure. Eggman's current design and personality also originates from Adventure - adopted by the comics in issue 75. Both belong entirely to Sega.

Yeah...he doesn't seem to learn, anything even remotely touched by him, or which he claims he "defined", is his. He also loves to go off saying how he's the saviour of the whole Sonic franchise, and is the greatest writer the book has ever had (even though Ian Flynn is 10 times the writer he thinks he is).

[macattack]

Well, that's just bull. Knuckles the Echidna was called that in Sonic 3's instruction manual, and in-game in Sonic Adventure. Eggman's current design and personality also originates from Adventure - adopted by the comics in issue 75. Both belong entirely to Sega.

Ken Penders is an insane old man who can't quit when he's ahead... Or behind. He's responsible for gutting a rich backstory for the comics and is why Sonic can't even have parents anymore. Its ridiculous and he should understand work for hire one of these days.

[comewithme_golem]

I hope Archie keep sonic the hedge hog.