Over the past few years, Archie Comics has been doing a spectacular job of re-issuing oldSoniccomics via compilation books. Not only do they help recent fans catch up on the series’ long (and often obtuse and confusing) history, each book sports new cover art exclusive to the collections.
Archie has sent me the covers of five books that won’t see release until spring of 2013.Sonic Universe 4collects the “Journey to the East” mini-series from theSonic Universespin-off;Sonic Saga Series 2collects issues #168-172 of the main series, starring the team of Super Sonic, Super Shadow, and Turbo Tails; andSonic Select 7collects the “Princess Sally” mini-series, plusKnuckles#29 andSonic#222.
But my favorite covers belong toSonic the Hedgehog Archives 20(Sonic#75-78) andKnuckles the Echidna Archives 4(Knuckles#16-21). Compared to the scattered nature of the otherSoniccompilations, theArchivesare straightforward collections that follow the comic’s chronology to the letter. Best of all,Archivecovers typically emulate the style of theoriginal Japanese Mega Drive art. Kinda makes you wish the entire comic looked like that, no?
