The definition of insanity – to paraphrase the popular quote – is when you repeat the same things and expect different results. There are occasions where reviewing the ever expanding world of the IDW run of Sonic The Hedgehog feels like this. Where the same issues keep being run into, and it can feel as if it would be easier to copy and paste previous parts of previous reviews and they would still apply to the current issue.
The issue here with Sonic: Imposter Syndrome #2 is that the series still feels as if it’s both stalling or biding its time without making the build up exciting. Or to put it another way: the more exciting plot developments have been relegated to this spin-off. With the main IDW run, there’s the urge to want to tell more stories, but there’s something stalling. The series is building up to the 50th issue (there’s a small thing on the cover highlighting that the main run is reaching 50) but the comic isn’t making the road to it very engaging. If they are building up to something big to celebrate their next milestone, the hype machine hasn’t been turning as well as it should be.
READ MORE: Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #12 – Comic Review
The big realisation with this issue is that the comic is running overfamiliar beats with Starline. Appealing and intriguing at first, but now it feels as if the character is repeating the same thing over and over again. There’s a little bit too much posturing. Too much talking. Not enough doing. Walking through an Eggman museum of sorts, he once again reiterates his “I’m no longer a fanboy and I’ll be a better Eggman than Eggman” motivation. It feels as if this is something we’re constantly seeing.
As with the previous Starline centric special, Bad Guys, there’s the inevitable plotting of double-crossing that’s going on. Surge wanting to look into what Starline is doing. Admittedly they are using the fact that the aforementioned posturing will allow to work out what he’s planning. So there’s some element of self-awareness with this. It does give the character of Surge more agency alongside Kitsunami as they try to work out more about their origins and abilities.
READ MORE: Omega #4 – Comic Review
Despite the aforementioned issues as a whole, this is still the most interesting aspect of the ongoing story in the Sonic comic’s run at this moment in time. It also is the aspect that feels as if it’s going to be playing a bigger role in (hopefully) a few issues.
As always, there’s no fault with the art. Vibrant, sharp and clear – the characterisation shines through and it’s easy to tell what’s going on within the action scenes. It’s just a little bit of a shame that there’s a whole pacing issue overall.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #2 is out now from IDW Publishing.
