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Knuckles the Echidna Publication Details Issue  5 Date Published  July 1997 Publisher  Archie Comics Production Staff Cover Artist Patrick Spaziante Ken Penders Writer Ken Penders Pencils Manny Galan Inks Andrew Pepoy Letters Vickie Williams Colors Barry Grossman Editor J. Freddy Gabrie Managing Editor Victor Gorelick Editor in Chief Richard Goldwater First Appearances Characters General Von Stryker Hawking

Archie Knuckles the Echidna Issue 5 was the fifth issue of the spin-off Knuckles the Echidna comic series.

SummaryEdit

Story OneEdit

"Lost Paradise" Part Two of Three: "Fallout"

Knuckles, Julie-Su and Archimedes are captured by the Echidna Security Team and are taken by Constable Remington to the briefing room. Remington recognizes the Guardian, but Knuckles prefers he is called by his name. Remington sees that as disrespectful to one's superior. Knuckles tells him that he's just a ordinary Joe doing his job. Remington presses a button, which sends Julie-Su, Knuckles and Archimedes through a trapdoor, when he mentions that someone's most anxious to meet Knuckles.

Knuckles and Archimedes are sent down by a chair, while Julie-Su is nowhere to be seen. Archimedes and Knuckles explore the area but none of them are sure where they are. Knuckles ask if they can get a hint if they're dealing with a friend or foe. from the shadows Hawking addresses the question as hardly a foe, and definitely more than a friend.

Meanwhile, an explosion is heard in Echidnaopolis, where the Echidnas fear the sight of the Dingoes. Elsewhere, the Dingoes in their base are shocked at the sight by Echidnas all around them. Gerbil rushes to report the disturbance to General Stryker, thinking it's always top priority when Echidnas are involved. General Stryker is aware of the disturbance and feels that he must deal with the cursed Echidnas and their experiments. Stryker commands that Gerbil assembles a team of commandos to prepare for attack.

Elsewhere, Knuckles and Archimedes are greeted by Hawking, who announces himself as a Guardian. Knuckles realizes that they must be related and Hawking tells Knuckles that he's Knuckles' Great-Grandfather, seven generations removed. Hawking because of Knuckles' presence believes that something has gone wrong so, he leads Knuckles and Archimedes to a place that should've remained a memory for him. Hawking takes them to his inner sanctum, and explains that he'll explain everything. Hawking tells Knuckles to put in the first disc in the oblong box, which as recorded his logs as a Guardian almost 200 years ago.

Knuckles watches the log entry as a young Hawking fights off a Dingo invasion, Knuckles impressed of how Hawking managed the situation. Hawking explains that the Dingoes were warlike because that is how they survived and learned from others. Hawking puts in another disc explaining that the Dingoes nearly destroyed Echidnapolis and themselves because of their attitudes, with the Echidnas missile technology.

Knuckles watches as a young Hawking and another Guardian try to handle the situation. Knuckles asks if he was another Guardian, but Hawking doesn't see that as important. Archimedes tells Knuckles to pay attention to what had happened. As Knuckles watches the Guardian deal with the missile attack, Knuckles thinks to himself that everyone knows everything that's going on except him. On the screen, the Guardian activates the cities energy shields deflecting the nuclear debris. The report goes on that the radioactive dust would spread throughout the island, so young Hawking uses Dimitri's research to prepare the Hyper-Zone Projector. His plan was to transport Echidnapolis to the safe environment of another zone temporary, until the waste was cleaned up.

Knuckles is amazed, but Hawking points out that it took a lot of work to restore the island to what it was. Hawking then takes Knuckles to a statue of Edmund and Dimitri holding together the Floating Island. Hawking explains that the statue is symbolic to both Knuckles' heritage and his responsibility. Knuckles has no idea about the statue and his ancestors and pleads to Hawking to tell him more. Hawking tells Knuckles that he's the most special Guardian and he isn't ready to know. The conversation is soon interrupted by an earthquake.

At the Echidna Security Team headquarters, the alarm sounds. Remington asks Julie-Su to come with him, after Julie-Su had been kept in a room for security reasons. Remington walks as JulieSu follows, explaining that there's been an attack and that the Dingoes have taken hostages at a housing complex on the East Side. Julie-Su explains that she was just visiting, but Remington seeing Julie-Su with the Guardian wants Julie-Su to accompany his team as the Guardian's representative. Julie-Su confused as she accepts a team helmet, Remington orders her to get in the van and that he'll explain as they go. Remington tells Julie-Su that some of the hostages include Lara-Le and her consort. Julie-Su asks if that's Knuckles' mother, Remington tells her its true and that's why it was best to have her with them. Julie-Su tells him that he makes the Guardians sound like royalty. Julie-su, Remington and the team prepare their positions.

Knuckles comforts Hawking, who has fallen down off his wheelchair. Hawking awakes and uses his powers to lift himself back on his wheelchair. Knuckles is amazed how he did that, but Hawking mentions that he'll know someday, but knows there's Dingo trouble. On the monitor at Hawking's base, shows the dingoes at Echidna Towers with Lara-Le hostage. Hawking is about to explain a paln of action and asks Knuckles if he's ready to handle it.

QuotesEdit

• Hawking: Those discs contain my logs made during my tenure as guardian almost 200 years ago! As you can see, I was a bit more youthful in those days.

Key EventsEdit

• Knuckles meets Hawking for the first time.
• Hawking tells of his days as a Guardian.
• The Dingoes are holding hostages at a housing complex in Echidnaopolis. Lara-Le is among them.

Background InformationEdit

• Helmut Von Stryker, leader of the Dingoes and the father of Kage Von Stryker makes his first appearance.
• The other Guardian seen with Hawking in his recording discs is believed by many fans to be his father Mathias.
• As Locke and Hawking are discussing about Lara-Le, the page of the book that Hawking is reading says "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away." This quote is from the film series Star Wars.
• This issue's cover is the second part of a three-part image.