Previous Issue ←—→ Next Issue

Sonic the Hedgehog Publication Details Issue  38 Date Published  June 1996 Publisher  Archie Comics Production Staff Cover Artist Patrick Spaziante Harvey Mercadoocasio First Appearances Characters Fly Fly Freddy Robotnicus

Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 38 was the thirty-eighth issue of the main Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.

Summary

Story One

"The Rise of Robotropolis - The Fall of Sonic"

Following a devastating earthquake, a team of Freedom Fighters led by Sonic travels to Robotropolis to investigate the city's condition. Antoine, worried by the raging storm in which the group has been caught, suggests turning back, which Sonic agrees to since they have all the information they were looking for. Unfortunately, the group is then attacked by a squad of Combots, all of whom were previously thought destroyed. The Freedom Fighters engage their foes in a difficult battle, which is then interrupted as one of the Combots is destroyed by a bolt of lightning, creating an explosion that knocks Sonic unconscious. Antoine remains behind to watch Sonic, sending Tails to get the other Freedom Fighters.

Sally and the others arrive to find Sonic apparently recovered, and they quickly discuss the situation. Sonic attempts to speed off, but stumbles and then finds that he no longer possesses his super speed. Rotor theorizes that the explosion of the Combot must have caused the change, and NICOLE deduces that gathering several Power Rings might restore Sonic to normal. The group departs for Knothole, but are ambushed in the Great Forest by another group of Combots using cloaking devices. While his teammates are quickly subdued, Sonic is able to knock out one Combot with a Power Ring he already had, though the explosion knocks him into the nearby pool. The other Combots depart, convinced that Sonic has been destroyed.

Fortunately, Penelope Platypus and the other future members of the Substitute Freedom Fighters saw the battle on a spy camera, and arrived in time to fish Sonic-and another Power Ring he collected-out of the pool, which is revealed to be the Lake of Rings. Determined to help his friends despite his still absent speed, Sonic leads his new team into Robotropolis. Meeting up with Fly Fly Freddy and the Robotropolis Spy Network, the group learns of a way to reach the trapped Freedom Fighters. After making their way along a narrow ledge, they make it into the lab where the Freedom Fighters are being held, only to find Robotnik and his Combots waiting for them. With the Combots easily overwhelming Sally's trainees, Sonic pulls out another Power Ring he had kept in his backpack, but is still unable to regain his speed. He then spots a destroyed Combot torso with the Power Ring he previously discarded embedded in it, and grabs it in order to regain his speed. Thus restored, he defeats the Combots and frees his teammates before challenging Robotnik, only for the tyrant to escape and set off a bomb in an effort to wipe out his enemies. The Freedom Fighters make it out without difficulty, determined to finish their struggle on another day.

Story Two

"Bedtime Tails"

Quotes

• Sonic: Fire in the hole!
• Antoine: Where ees thees hole?
• Tails: It's going to be in your head if you don't move!

Key Events

• The Freedom Fighters learn that Robotnik has rebuilt the Combot models.
• Sonic loses his speed when lightning strikes a nearby Combot, but regains it when he obtains three rings.

Background Information

• This is the first issue penciled by Manny Galan whose portfolio consists of comic work for Marvel Comics and Cartoon Network, as well as illustration and animation work for Nickelodeon. His artwork style compared to others is noticeable through more cartoonish status indicators such as x-ed out eyes and stormy clouds over people's heads.
• Sonic is briefly seen singing his theme song in the Saturday morning cartoon and is pondering where he heard it before.
• Fly Fly Freddy makes his first appearance.
• Sonic's use of three Power Rings to recover his speed is similar to how he used three rings to overpower Robotnik's Roboticizer in the final episode of the animated series.
• Robotnicus is similar in appearance and size to Robolactus from the Galaxy dimension, while the Fantastic Freedom Fighters and the plot of the comic in the second story is obviously based on that of Marvel Comics Fantastic Four and Galactus characters. The "Twinkles" snacks are also an obvious reference to Twinkies.
• Sonic's comic book is a obvious parody of Batman.
• For some reason,Arlo is not with the others for some panels.