Previous Issue ←—→ Next Issue

Sonic the Hedgehog Publication Details Issue  70 Date Published  February 1999 Publisher  Archie Comics Production Staff Cover Artist Patrick Spaziante Harvo Mercadoocasio Writer Karl Bollers Paul Castiglia Pencils Steven Butler Chris Allan Inks Pam Eklund Jim Amash Letters Jeff Powell Colors Frank Gagliardo Vickie Williams Editor J.F. Gabrie Managing Editor Victor Gorelick Editor in Chief Richard Goldwater First Appearances

Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 70 was the seventieth issue of the main Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.

Summary

Story One

"Saving Nate Morgan"

Sonic tosses Sergeant Simian's grenade (thrown at the end of the last issue) into the skylight of the juice bar, where it explodes harmlessly. Sonic and his friends go to King Max to tell him that Nate Morgan was kidnapped by the escaped convicts from Devil's Island Gulag (Flying Frog, Sergeant Simian, Lightning Lynx, Predator Hawk, Drago, Sleuth Dawg, Uma Arachnis, and Kodos, under the orders of Snively). Geoffrey St. John insists that the escaped prisoners perished, while Doctor Quack provides information showing they may still be alive. With evidence, Sonic and the freedom fighters proceed to plan a rescue mission but are stopped by King Max, who instead disbands the Knothole Freedom Fighters and assigns the Secret Service to rescue Nate Morgan. However, when they arrive at the escapee's hideout at Big Kahuna Island, they find Sonic already there with his bi-plane.

After an argument between Sonic and St. John, Sonic is allowed to join the mission on the condition that he cooperate with St. John. However, Geoffrey's plan is to order the felons to surrender, thus making Morgan a hostage and placing him in further peril. Sonic protests, and fights Geoffrey, when Prince Elias, who came along in disguise, steps in. Kodos then gives one last chance for Morgan to join the group or face execution, and Nate chooses the latter. Kodos then prepares to execute Nate, but Elias, Sonic, and the Secret Service confronts the escapees, and a battle ensues. Meanwhile, in an orbiting satellite, Robo-Robotnik activates the R-Sat, causing a gigantic squid mutate to rise through the floor and attack both good and bad on Big Kahuna Island.

The mutate grabs both Snively and Bomb, but is vanquished with Bomb going off (Bomb is unharmed, as he simply transfers to a new body), and Snively is presumed dead. Most of the criminals are captured, but Kodos and Uma Arachnis escape in Sonic's bi-plane with the remains of Crocbot, with Predator Hawk shown flying alongside.

Story Two

"Statue Of Limitations"

As the story begins, Sonic narrates that this is a dream. He is flying his bi-plane over Sand Blast City, when it dissolves into nothingness. He falls towards the giant statue of himself, which is cackling madly at him. He falls through the mouth of the statue, and lands in a world where even the leaves on the trees are shaped in his image. Surrounded by obsessed fans, he is taken to the Sonic Adventure Archivists, who catalog his adventures. The Archivists discuss some of their differing viewpoints, but agree that Sonic "can do no wrong." Sonic then wakes up, and invites Tails over to talk to him. Sonic expresses feelings of failure over leaving Sandblast City open for the Robians, and Tails comforts him, saying he doesn't have to be perfect, but that it's just about being there when you're needed.

Quotes

Key Events

• The escaped Convicts, under the orders of Snively, abduct Nate Morgan to Big Kahuna Island.
• The Knothole Village Freedom Fighters are disbanded by King Max, who orders the Secret Service to rescue Nate instead.
• Sonic invites himself as a free agent to rescue Nate with the Secret Service, whom all proceed to ambush Snively and the convicts.
• A fifth satellite activates a mutate below Big Kahuna Island, disrupting the battle and Snively is seemingly killed in action.
• Nate Morgan is rescued.
• Kodos, Uma and Predator Hawk manage to escape in Sonic's bi-plane while the rest of the escapees are sent back to the Devil's gulag.

Background Information

• The title of the first story is a parody of "Saving Private Ryan". The title is also written in all lowercase letters, just like the promotional material for that film.
• Wombat Stu has his Secret Service coat on for a couple of scenes, but in the fight with the future Destuctix, he doesn't have his coat. Also, when he is blasting Sgt. Simian he is back to in his regular clothes.