There’s always a strange balance of pacing with IDW’s Sonic The Hedgehog series. The parent series took a very long time in introducing everyone to the world, and new and familiar characters to the audience. Sometimes the weighting of exploration of some of the recurring cast gets lost due to plot – but ultimately leads to a pay-off. It’s currently being done very well in the main series run at the same time as this. But the two big original characters that writer Ian Flynn has created, Tangle and Whisper, are on their own mini-adventure.
There is a big feeling that both characters wouldn’t feel much at ease in the current Zombot virus arc, so instead we’re treated to more of Whisper’s past. After a year of silent, blatant “Whisper has a pained past” frames, we are finally at a point where she breaks and shows actual emotion.
It’s a bit of a shame it feels more like it’s because Tangle is constantly wearing her defenses down and being overly annoying, but it’s development at least. As mentioned in the previous issue’s review, the narrowed focus does mean there is a greater opportunity to explore the characters, but it also feels as if we’ve got Tangle being one-note against the tragic backstory of Whisper.
READ MORE: Sonic the Hedgehog #20 – Review
As for the issue itself, it feels more universal in its audience this time – even if you overlook the fact that both characters fall for the villain Mimic looking like the other trope. Mimic’s true form is teased – so the inevitable reveal works quite well, in all of his twisted… octopus(?)-like glory.
Other than that, there’s not much else to really talk about. It’s mainly set-up to tease the fact we’ll be getting the pay-off of exposition next issue over Whisper. It’s not the most exciting of cliff-hangers that the Sonic-series has produced, but it does it’s job.
Tangle & Whisper #2 is available digitally and from comic shops.
