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This issue's second story continues in Sonic In Your Face

Sonic the Hedgehog Publication Details Issue  18 Date Published  October 1994 Publisher  Archie Comics Production Staff Cover Artist Dave Manak Jon D'Agostino Writer Ken Penders Mike Kanterovich Pencils Dave Manak Art Mawhinney Inks Harvey Mercadoocasio Jon D'Agostino Letters Bill Yoshida Colors Barry Grossman Editor Scott Fulop Managing Editor Victor Gorelick Editor in Chief Richard Goldwater First Appearances Characters Willis Slicer Roller Rosie Julayla

Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 18 was the eighteenth issue of the main Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.

SummaryEdit

Story OneEdit

"Wedding Bell Blues"

The Knothole Freedom Fighters are in an old barn preparing for an previously unannounced event: Sonic's wedding to Sally Acorn. As Sonic assists Antoine D'Coolette in preparing for the event and Bunnie helps Sally with her dress, they are unknowingly observed by a Motobug. The robot speeds back to Robotropolis, where it delivers its report to a Crabmeat who approaches Dr. Robotnik with the news while the doctor is throwing darts at a picture of Sonic. Robotnik can't believe it at first, only for Crabmeat to point out similar news in the Robotropolis Times. Calling for Bat Brain, he dispatches the robot to investigate the barn and confirm the news. Back at the barn, Sally and Sonic have a bit of a squabble as to whether they actually want to go through with the event, but Sonic quickly expresses his willingness. However, they then notice a shadow on the ground, and see its source-Bat Brain-flying outside the window. He then throws a book through the window at Bat Brain, who heads off to report to Robotnik.

Robotnik quickly assembles a force of Badniks, and announces his plans to finish off the Freedom Fighters once and for all. Shortly thereafter, the wedding ceremony-being presided over by a Penguin named Willis-is underway when the Badniks-led by SWATbots-invades the barn, forcing the Freedom Fighters and other participants to take cover. Crabmeat then charges in, accompanied by Coconuts, a Buzzbomber, a Slicer, a Newtron, and a Roller, who set out to secure the barn until Robotnik arrives. Snively Robotnik and other Badniks-including Bat Brain, a Caterkiller, a Splats, and a Burrobot-join the doctor as he arrives. However, Sonic quickly proves to be a nuisance, taking down various robots-including a Ballhog-with his speed, but quickly realizes that the close quarters fighting is too dangerous to continue. He grabs Sally and rushes her outside, only to run into Snively's force.

Rushing back inside, the pair save Antoine from a SWATbot, and Sonic then swoops down on a group of other SWATbots, using an arm ripped off one of them to club the others. He then hurls the appendage at another squad of Badniks, just as Robotnik is walking into the barn. The doctor finds Sonic up on the wedding platform, and questions where Sally is, only for her to bring a curtain down on him. To Robotnik's shock, the others begin applauding as Sonic takes a bow, and is then informed that the "wedding" was in fact a play, one of the few forms of entertainment not prohibited by Robotnik's laws. Robotnik groans over his embarrassing defeat; the next day, the Freedom Fighters learn that their play was a hit. Having decided not to repeat the performance, Sally nonetheless considers Sonic her "leading man," and suggests that the barn would be a good place for their real wedding. To her surprise, Sonic takes off, informing the readers that while he's all for marriage, Sally will "have to catch [him] first."

Story TwoEdit

"Sally's Crusade - Part Two: In The Still of the Night"

In Freedom HQ, Rotor announces that his efforts to penetrate the strange orb that Sally found previously have failed, and that he has exhausted all options. Sonic, Sally, and Tails have all been watching his attempts, when Rosie Woodchuck enters and calls for Sally. As Sally goes to speak with Rosie, Rotor reveals that his theory is that the orb is actually some sort of force field, and until they can deactivate it they have no way of knowing what it contains. Sally then takes off unexpectedly, and Rosie stops Sonic and Tails from going after her, saying that "there are some roads which must be taken alone!" Sally's road takes her to her ailing mentor Julayla Chipmunk, who informs her that their time is short. She brings up Sally's royal status, her studies in both academic and physical fields, particularly her oft-repeated attempts to claim an ancestral acorn from her mentor.

In response to Sally's remark that she has pushed her pupil, Julayla replies that it was because of the love she felt for her charge. The Chipmunk recalls with fondness Sally's commencement ball, where she danced with a young Sonic, and then with sorrow her father Maximillian Acorn's disappearance. She then pulls out the acorn again, saying it is time to see just how far Sally has come since her youth. The princess regards the acorn briefly, and then uses her knee to tap the bottom of Julayla's hand, sending the acorn into the air where she snatches it. Julayla praises her student's wisdom, which she was not taught but rather gained through her experiences, and then bids her a final goodbye. Later, Sally sits on a tree stump and looks up at the moon, where Sonic finds her and asks how she is doing. When she sadly expresses that the night has been difficult, Sonic puts a hand on her shoulder and mentions that the night is past and that "there are many more tomorrows ahead!"

QuotesEdit

Key EventsEdit

• Robotnik leads his Badniks in an attack on the supposed wedding of Sonic and Sally, only to discover that the event is actually a play.
• Sally obtains the Royal Signet ring from the acorn Julayla guarded, though this won't be revealed for at least another 100 issues.
• Julayla passes away after her final conversation with Sally.

Background InformationEdit

• Story one shares it name with a Sonic Underground episode.
• A silhouette of Bat Brain in the light of the full moon creates an image obviously intended as a reference to the Bat Signal of Batman fame.
• Julayla's challenge to Sally to snatch the acorn from her hand is a reference to the 1970s television series Kung Fu, in which the main character proves his prowess to his mentor by snatching a pebble from his hand.