Comic Reading Guide (Sonic the Hedgehog Archie Series)

[Skye Prower 386]

Hi there. I thought I’d post up this reading order for the comics, since we don’t have one already. It’s been designed to help newcomers around the comic section, and what order to read everything. But it’ll hopefully be useful to longer term readers to.

This is a guide I came up with myself, just by looking at the comics. As such there could be mistakes or error in it. Please let me know if you find any and I’ll correct them. And, of course, I’ll try and keep it updated.

Hopefully at least one person will find this useful.


Comics In the different Folders:

Sonic the Hedgehog: The main series. Referred to as StH in the Reading Order.

**Important Note** The main series has a major and controversial reboot beginning in issue #252, caused by events in the Mega Man crossover. Therefore, it is possible to begin reading the comics from there should you wish, and be as familiar as most regular readers.

Mini-Series: Short series of comics (normally 3 or 4 per mini-series) that run additional stories during the early comics.

Specials: Bonus issues that contain extra stories during the early issues. Most are stand alone, but some tie-in/are continuations of main series stories.

Sonic Super Specials: A continuation of the Specials, just with a unified name and issue numbers. Two are missing from the Reading Order. One because it only contains reprints of earlier stories. The other because it is a horrible, horrible cross-over issue!

Knuckles the Echidna: A spin-off comic series that sometimes interconnected with the main one. Referred to as KtH in the Reading order. Runs alongside the main series from around 52 to 78

Sonic Universe: A spin-off series similar to both KyE and the Mini-series. Like KtE these sometimes interconnect with the main series. Referred to as SU in the Reading Order. Starts around main series 197.

Free Comic Book Day Specials: Occasional Bonus Issues. Most are reprints of main comics, those that are original stories are included in the reading order.

Super Sonic Digest: A collection of story arc's from the comics. Issue 8 is the only included one, as it contains a background story for the reboot.

Mega-Man: A different comic series based on the Mega Man games. Included because there is a crossover with Sonic at around 247 to 252, and a second starting just after SU #75. Plus they’re fun comics as well. Note, only the cross-over issues are included in the Reading Order. The cross over is also the reason In-universe for the re-boot.

Sonic X: A comic series based on the Sonic X show. Only one comic intersects with the main series, and it is not required reading. (Though if you want to get some of the off-panel jokes you may need to read the series!)

Graphic Novels: Collections of comics printed together. As they are reprints they are not included in the Reading Order.

 

Sonic Boom: A short lived serise based on the Sonic Boom TV show.  Included during the second Cross-Over.



A note on game adaptions, spoiled so as to not clutter the order.

Pre-Reboot

Most game adaptions (Unleashed, Colours, Generations, Shuffle, Secret Rings, Black Knight, Chronicles, Dash, and any other’s I missed) have a short comic, normally an introduction based on the intro cutscene for the game. These comics are usually labelled ‘Another Time, Another Place’ putting them outside the main continuity, in some alt universe. Not all of these adaptions are in the main comic series. The exceptions to this are below.

Olympic Games/All-stars Racing Transformed: Both these games get a full issue as a complete story adaption, however neither are considered canon. Olympic Games is in the main series, while All-Stars Racing takes place in Sonic Universe.

The following adaptions are Canon.

Sonic Adventure: A full adaption taking place over several issues and a Sonic Super Special. It is a surprisingly faithful adaption on the game, the comic world is even altered majorly to fit it. However, some stuff has been cut. Why they cut Tails’ story but kept Big’s I’ll never know.

Sonic Adventure 2: Like most adaptions, this only has an intro-comic. However, it’s part of the canon. So you have the introduction, but no resolution, or even most of the plot. Despite the fact that the SA2 plot is kinda big and important in the series. As such, Shadow and Rouge do not get proper introductions, and the next time they’re seen, it’s assumed you know exactly who they are. Rather majorly mishandled.

Thankfully, if you’ve played SA2, or seen the Sonic X adaption, or read the plot on a wiki, you’ll have a good idea what’s happened. It’s basically as per the game, except the only hero around is Sonic (Tails and Knuckles were kinda occupied at the time.) The story would eventually be told (in a very rushed fashion) in SU2, but best not to skip ahead, as there will be spoilers for the comics at that time.

Sonic Rush: A single story introducing Blaze to the comics. However, while this is both an advert for Rush and part of the main Canon, it seems the game storyline of Rush itself does not take place in the comic.

Sonic Rush Adventure: At first this seems to be a similar advert to most of the other games, just an intro comic with no real ties to the main story. However, in SU #2 the events are mentioned as having happened, and a brief recap of the game’s plot given. Unlike the similar SA2 adaption, the rushed recap (no pun intended) doesn’t have as many negative implications, as the game events do not have a large impact on the comics stories, and the character of Marine is pretty well introduce.

Sonic Riders: This… is the most bizarre adaption. It’s a two part story with Eggman hiring the Babylon Rogues to attack Knothole. It ends with Sonic and Co meeting them in mid-air… then abruptly stops, saying to play Sonic Riders to find out who wins.

Except… Sonic Riders’ story is completely different. Playing the game won’t give any closure to the adaption story at all! Thankfully, it is a good introduction to the Rogues itself.

Post-Reboot

So, after the reboot everything changes. ALL the Sonic games are assumed to have occurred before the time the reboot begins, with the stories being as close to the games as possible, with the following exceptions.

Chronicles: Because it takes place slightly in the future, so hasn’t happened yet.

Unleased: For reasons that will become clear as you read the reboot

Lost World: Because at the time the reboot started, it hadn’t been released. Though it does have a comic adaption in the same way most games had pre-reboot.

And any other games that will be released after Lost World.

Reading Order

Mini-Series: Sonic

StH: #1 - #18

Special: Sonic In Your Face

StH: #19 - #20

Mini-Series: Sally

StH: #21 - #23

Special: Sonic and Knuckles

StH: #24 - #26

Special: Sonic Triple Trouble

StH: #27 - #29

Mini-Series: Tails

StH: #30

Special: Knuckles Chaotix (Also, the first story in the Super-Sonic Vs Hyper-Knuckles special should take place in the middle of these stories)

StH: #31 - #33

Special: Super-Sonic Vs Hyper-Knuckles

StH: #34 - #36

Mini-Series: Knuckles

StH: #37 - #39

Special: Sonic and Knuckles: Mecha Madness

StH: #40 - #41

Mini-Series: Sonic Quest

StH: #42 - #43

Special: Sonic Live

StH: #44 - #45

Special: Sonic Blast

StH: #46

Sonic Super Special: Issue 1

StH: #47 - #49

StH: #50 OR Sonic Super Special: Issue 6 (The SSS is a ‘director’s cut of StH 50)

StH: #51 - #52

KtE: #1 - #6

Sonic Super Special: Issue 2

StH: #53 - #55

KtE: #7 - #9

StH: #56

Sonic Super Special: Issue 4

StH: #57

KtE: #10 - #11

StH: #58

KtE: #12

StH: #59 - #63 and KtE: #13 - #18 and Sonic Super Special: Issue 5

StH: #64 - #67 and KtE: #19 - #21 and Sonic Super Special: Issue 8

StH: #68 - #72 and KtE: #22 - #25 and Sonic Super Special: Issue 9

Sonic Super Special: Issue 10

StH: #73-77 and KtE: #26-#28

KtE: #29 - #32 and Sonic Super Special: Issue 11 and 12

StH: #78 - #82

Sonic Super Special: Issue 13

StH: #83 - #87

Sonic Super Special: Issue 14

StH: #88 - #97 and Sonic Super Special: Issue 15

StH: #98 (Incomplete adaption of the Sonic Adventure 2 game. The story is covered more later in the series in SU #2, though badly. If you don’t know the story, reading a wiki on the game’s story, or playing the game, or watching the Sonic X adaption will cover most of what’s going on. And… is kinda necessary given it is Shadow’s introduction.)

StH: #99 - #174 (That was easy ;-p )

Free Comic Day Special: 2007 Issue

StH: #175 - #197

Sonic X: #40

SU: #1

StH: #198

SU: #2

StH: #199 - #209 and SU: #3 - #12

SU: #13 - #16

StH: #210 - #212

Free Comic Day Special: 2010 Issue

StH: #213 - #216 and SU: #17 – #20

StH: #217

StH: #218 - #224 and SU: #21 – #28

Free Comic Day Special: 2011 Issue

StH: #225 - #232 and SU: #29 – #32

SU: #33 - #36

StH: #233 - #234

SU: #37 - #40

StH: #235 - #240

SU: #41 – 44

StH: #241 - #246 and SU: #45 – 50

StH: #247

Mega Man: #24

SU: #51

StH: #248

Mega Man: #25

SU: #52

StH: #249

Mega Man: #26

SU: #53

StH: #250

Mega Man: #27

SU: #54

StH: #251

StH: #252 (This is where the reboot begins due to the crossover events.)

StH:253 - #255 and SU: #55 - #58

Free Comic Day Special: 2014 Issue and Super Sonic Digest: #8

StH: #256 – #267 and SU: #59 - #70

 

StH: #268 - #271

 

SU: #71 - #74

 

StH: #272

 

SU: #75

 

SU: #76

 

Sonic Boom: #8

 

StH: #273

 

Special: Worlds Unite Battles #1

 

Mega Man: #50

[Lena Stan Account 60]

Well....Wow. This is something. Good job on making this.

[Shadow 43]

Good job Skye! That's going to be very useful for newcomes (:

[Danny Felixe 330]

At last a true order newcomers can refer to. Well done

[HyperMetal50 17]

Great effort Skye. I must admit I've been stumped with how the order goes, but this will do more than nicely as a help ;)

[Skye Prower 386]

Thank's guys. I just hope it is useful.

(Odd, I was sure I posted that comment yesterday...)

[Centaur Man 25]

Great job!

I think you have to mention too, that after the Worlds Collide event there was like a "Reboot", so that the story after Worlds Collide is not depending on what is happening in the past. It can be confusing when you read StH and say: Nah I don't read the crossover.

[Skye Prower 386]

Good point. I'll add that note in once I'm back from work.

[Centaur Man 25]

StH: #98 (Incomplete adaption of the Sonic Adventure 2 game.

Aaaand StH 242. I think this was an adaption to Mario & Sonic at the olympic Games in London. (I will be so dead if I do something like the timeline for the wikia....I swear...xD)

[Danny Felixe 330]

Actually there are quite a few areas of the comic that bring up part of the games. Some of them are pretty brief but there are some, such as the Olympic Games and Sonic Adventure games which are bigger. I think I saw a list somewhere...

[Skye Prower 386]

The only reason I flagged up the SA2 adaption is because it is incomplete. It sets up the story, and that's it. Despite being part of the main plot.

A lot of the other game adaptations do so as well, but SA2 is the only one that is part of the main story line. The rest have 'another time/place' multiverse clauses.

Well... except for Rush Adventure, but that is summarized later. And isn't as important storyline wise as SA2.

[Zeyphor 0]

I just noticed myself; at the end of KtE:11, it explicitly says that the next part of that story continues in StH:58, and looking at #58, and it seems like it does after looking at the beginning of KtE 12 and seeing how little sense it makes

so it should be KtE: 10-11, then StH: 58, then KtE: 12, then the stuff you have afterwards

Don't worry, everyone makes mistakes; if I see any more as I keep rereading from start to finish I'll edit this post instead of making a new one.

EDIT:

I notice now, StH #217 comes before SU #21, now that I got to them

cream's non-off-panel debut is in StH# 217, where amy says cream and her mother can live at Freedom HQ after snivley demolished cream's (estate?), then SU #21 picks up from after that story, with SU #21 starting in freedom HQ with amy, cream, cheese, and her mother

so it'd be STH 217 then StH: #218 - #224 and SU: #21 – #28

EDIT EDIT: a typo

StH: #217 - #224 and SU: #21 – #28

Free comic Day Special: 2011 Issue

StH: #225 - #232 and SU: #19 – #32

it should say StH: #225 - #232 and SU: #29 – #32 at that third line

I'm surprised nobody caught on until now, thats just as silly as making that typo

Edited 17 Oct 2014 by Zeyphor

[MotoBug 0]

I'm not new to the world of Sonic comics (though it's been a while), but I am new to this site!

Excellent guide Skye, it's definitely helped me re-orient myself. I will add that Sonic #27 should probably go before Triple Trouble, as it contains an introduction to that Special.

Thanks again!

EDIT: on second thought...it's not much of an introduction. And the continuity between 27 and 28 is probably best served by leaving Skye's order as he set it.

Edited 21 Sep 2014 by MotoBug

[Skye Prower 386]

Just updated the reading order.

Centaur Man: Added in the reboot information to make it clear.

Zeyphor: Thanks. I've corrected that mistake.

MotoBug: That was done deliberately. #27 and #28 are two partners, so Triple Trouble in the middle doesn't work. It can't go AFTER #28, because Tails gets the Sea Fox in Triple Trouble for the first time, then uses it again in #28. Plus, the advert in #27 is obviously non-canon! :P

[Skye Prower 386]

I've added an extra section talking about some of the game adaptations in the comics. It's inside a spoiler, so it doesn't clutter the main order.

[Chosen One 4]

Wow...this is awesome! Good job son!

[Skye Prower 386]

Heehee... *squeeze tail* T-thank you Dad.

[Centaur Man 25]

Mega-Man: A different comic series based on the Mega Man games. Included because there is a crossover with Sonic at around 247 to 252. Plus they’re fun comics as well. Note, only the cross-over issues are included in the Reading Order. The cross over is also the reason In-universe for the re-boot.

Note: After Xander Payne made a time travel, the Crossover is canon! He is remembering all the actions from the fight Mega Man and Sonic Vs. Tails Man and write that in jail down.

[Blue Comet 11]

I wish someone like you made this list when I got into the sonic comic universe lucky for me I already know what`s going on thanks to sonic satam, and the power of the internet but I do like how they execute sonic adventure, and the rush series perfectly yet sonic adventure 2 was incomplete in rush so bad they forgot about a lot of things like the appearance of tails, knuckles, amy, and they forgot about eggman`s and rouge deal and did they forget knuckles and rouge were fighting over who gets the master emerald. And also why the comics telling us to play sonic riders of the game and the comic are completely different that sound like a waste to me.

[Shinomi-chan 294]

good thing you can read at least half of them right here. and Mega Man.

[Skye Prower 386]

Half of them? All the comics are here.

[ozmakaba 0]

Hello! And thank you for this amazing entry! Since I understood about Sonic Comics, I really couldn't understand "where to start"! This helps and explains a lot! Thank you for your efforts!

[Skye Prower 386]

No problem. I just hope you find it useful. And enjoy the comics.

[zackepic22 0]

So, were you guys aware that Sonic Super Digest #9-With Bunnie's PSGW backstory- apparently came out in late October? http://www.comicvine.com/sonic-super-digest-9-sonic-comic-origins-belle-in-/4000-468957/

[Danny Felixe 330]

Uh... couple things I'm gonna say

Firstly, not syre if this is the right place to be posting it. Second, I don't think SCANF does the digests. The one we've seen might have been a one off. It may be the case they'll add it in the future but for now... I don't think you'll be seeing it

Staff are free to correct me if I'm wrong