Sonic comic series welcomes in artist Evan Stanley as new writer

A little bit of a shakeup happening the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series. The longtime artist, Evan Stanley, is set to take up writing chores as well.

Consolidation

Comic book publisher IDW is set to make a pretty big change as goes their Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series. Penciler Evan Stanley will be doing more than illustrating the comic as it continues its run, he’ll also be writing the tales to come as of issue #33.

The change comes as the comic kicks off its newest arc, “Chao Races and Badnik Bases!” The new storyline stars Sonic and Tails of course, but also Omega, Rouge, Shadow, and Cream. The latter three have a whole tale to themselves, following them as they enter into “Chao Races” to win the parts needed to rebuild a damaged Omega.

“Sonic the Hedgehog comics have been a constant source of joy and inspiration for me for well over ten years, and the truth is, this opportunity is a dream I didn’t believe could come true,” says Stanley. “The world of Sonic has a truly amazing creative legacy, and I’ve always pushed myself to make my contributions as meaningful and worthwhile as they can be — and that’s more important than ever now. I hope I can deepen the world of IDW’s Sonic The Hedgehog comics, exploring new places and characters while continuing to deliver exciting adventures about Sonic and his friends!”

Evan Stanley, Sonic artist and writer

Bring on the bad guys

Aside from the above news, IDW is also sharing news of Sonic: Bad Guys, a special four-issue miniseries. Unlike the aforementioned, Sonic: Bad Guys follows none other than “Dr. Starline, former evil assistant and life-long fanboy to Dr. Eggman”.

Taking over a base that Eggman has abandoned, Starline is ready to recruit some of his own evil henchmen. The mini will be penned by Ian Flynn, who longtime fans should be familiar with, and drawn by Jack Lawrence.

“It’s been a thrill to see fans embrace the comic’s original characters, and one of those fan-favorites is Dr. Starline,” says Flynn. “We’ve known him up until now as a die-hard Eggman fanboy, but what happens when your idol outright disses you? After exploring the power of trust and friendship in Tangle & Whisper, Bad Guys is going to be a completely different type of adventure.”

Writer Ian Flynn

“Actors often say they most enjoy playing villains, and I have to be honest: I feel the same way about drawing them!” says Lawrence. “There’s just something so fun about drawing a sneaky look or evil grin, hands rubbing together in greed or anticipation of some nefarious deed. Sonic’s villains are some of the worst people you can possibly imagine, so I’m super excited to show just how vile some of them can be!”

Artist Jack Lawrence