Sonic the Hedgehog Vol. 1: Fallout! Review!

I am sure many of you were as delighted as I was when editor, David Mariotte, made the surprise announcement that the first collection of IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog entitled “Fallout!” would be hitting the shelves of local comic shops early and that fans could get their hands on it August 23rd!

Since I have already reviewed each of the issues contained, all of which you can look at individually below, in addition to an overview of the entire arc, this review will be focused on what volume 1 has to offer specifically.

• Issue #1 Fallout Pt. 1
• Issue #2 Fallout Pt. 2
• Issue #3 Fallout Pt. 3
• Issue #4 Fallout Pt. 4
• Fallout’s Fallout: Reviewing the First Arc

Overview

Sonic the Hedgehog Vol. 1: Fallout! collects the first four issues of the series in a sturdy paperback format and constitutes the first arc of the new run, Fallout! It is the perfect jumping on point for those interested in the book, and at $15.99 it costs approximately the same as purchasing the 4 issues individually.

Each of the 4 stories is exciting and action packed, featuring Sonic’s tour of the countryside after defeating Dr. Eggman once again in their latest battle. As he goes from town to town, he teams up with one of his classic allies each time to clean up hordes of Badniks still roving across the world! Tails, Amy Rose, Knuckles, Blaze, and a brand new character, Tangle, all make appearances, as well as two new villains, Rough & Tumble. While Eggman has not been seen since his defeat, Sonic and friends begin to surmise that the Eggman Empire is not as aimless as it may seem, and that something or someone devious is pulling the strings from the shadows.

Focusing on action and strong character establishment, Fallout! brings Ian Flynn‘s signature style back to the world of Sonic with nothing holding him back. This book has something for Sonic fans of all ages, with a dynamic, accessible story, yet characters and interactions that have depth and consequence. Flynn’s encyclopedic knowledge and seeming arcane mastery of Sonic trivia is manifested throughout, as the most avid fans will discover Easter eggs and references strewn across the book.

Likewise, each issue is illustrated by a different Sonic comic veteran: Tracy Yardley!, Adam Bryce Thomas, Jen Hernandez, and Evan Stanley, respectively lend their talents along with inkers: Jim Amash and Bob Smith; colorists: Matt Herms, and Heather Breckel; and letterers: Corey Breen and Shawn Lee.

Beyond being an ideal introduction to new readers, this collection is a great addition to collectors who might want to preserve the quality of their single issues or are just competitionist like myself!

Features

While the advertised art has gone through a series of placeholder images from the original promotion art by Tyson Hesse to Kieran Gates’ #1 RI-C cover, and finally to Hesse’s A cover; the final product features his A cover with a tasteful blue border.

The back features a synopsis of the creative team and premise for the series as well as the art of Sonic and Tangle from issue #4 previously used to tease her.

Join the Blue Blur for brand-new adventures

as he and his friends race around the world to defeat the evil Dr. Eggman’s robotic forces! By writer Ian Flynn and artists Tracy Yardley, Adam Bryce Thomas, Jen Hernandez, and Evan Stanley!

The evil genius Dr. Eggman has been foiled–but the work of Sonic the Hedgehog isn’t over yet! In the aftermath of the latest epic battle, rogue robots continue to attack small villages around the world. In order to succeed, Sonic will need the help of his friends Tails, Knuckles, and Amy, along with some new and surprising allies. This new collection from acclaimed writer Ian Flynn features the Blue Blur like you’ve never seen him before. Gotta go fast!

The first few pages feature some lovely full-page art and a well designed credits page before launching directly into the 4 stories. Each is book ended by the virgin versions of Hesse’s A covers with a gallery-like placard denoting the artist on one end and the B cover on the other.

After the final story there is a cover gallery featuring similar full-page artwork with artist placards underneath. All the variants from the first 4 issues are shown minus the coloring variations such as Yardley’s B, WonderCon, and C2E2 variants for example. It includes artwork by various Sonic alum and newcomers alike, such as: Tyson Hesse, Tracy Yardley, Nathalie Fourdraine, Rafa Knight, Kieran Gates, Devin Kraft, Edwin Huang, Adam Bryce Thomas, Jonathan Gray, Jamal Peppers, Jen Hernandez, and Evan Stanley

Beyond that there is a final page featuring the Sonic the Hedgehog logo and the new villains Rough & Tumble. There are no behind-the-scenes looks, no letters from the editors, nor sneak peaks at things to come included. While I greatly appreciate the cover gallery, I was really hoping to see something that made it worth buying for more hardcore collectors. Perhaps character model sheets, early designs, unused art, or creative team interviews.

Nonetheless, that is my only gripe and hopefully the editors will add some of that into the next collection due out in February. The first four issues were rife with variant covers, taking up significant space within the collection, perhaps the far fewer number covers for issues #5-8 or a more consolidated cover gallery will allow space for more extras!

Conclusions

Editors Joe Hughes and David Mariotte put together a great team, and it shows in this testament to the start of a new era of Sonic the Hedgehog comics! A full complement of Sonic veterans along with a handful of talented newcomers have helped Sonic get a huge lead straight out of the gate. If you consider yourself a Sonic fan, and you slept on this new series, now is the time to amend this  grave error! You can pick up a copy in your local comic shop today or snag a copy at major book retailers in just over a week on September 19th! You will not be disappointed!

I hope I have persuaded you to check out this new series if you have not already. If I succeeded in piquing your interest, I would encourage you to check the ever-growing backlog of posts here at Sonic Source that chronicle everything related to the IDW Sonic series from announcements, reviews, covers, speculation, and discussion! Look out for the sales breakdown for August and issue #8, the release of the Sonic Crash Course board game by IDW Games along with it’s exclusive #1 variant, a review of issue #9, the start of the Battle for Angel Island, and previews of the final issue of the year #12, all in the coming weeks!