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Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 14 was the fourteenth issue of the main Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.
Summary[]
Story One[]
- "Tails' Taste of Power" - Part One
Tails finds Sonic in Rotor's greenhouse, apparently being attacked by one of the plants. Tails tries to save him, but it turns out to be a harmless passion flower trying to kiss the hedgehog. Sonic offers to let Tails "take over" for him. Tails thinks Sonic means he can lead the Freedom Fighters, but Sonic corrects him, saying he meant "take over...watering the plants". Sonic tells a disappointed Tails that he isn't ready to be a leader yet and leaves. Tails ponders what Sonic said while looking for a snack. Later, Rotor and Sonic arrive to find all of the plants have grown huge.
Tails reveals that he's responsible, babbling about the formula he used to accelerate the plants' growth. Rotor asks how he learned so much, and Tails responds that he figured it out while eating a fruit he noticed earlier. Rotor realizes that Tails has eaten the only fruit he's managed to grow on the Tree of Wisdom, which he found years ago in the Great War. The fruit gives its eater super-intelligence, meaning that Tails is now a genius. Antoine rushes in calling for help, and reveals that Sally and Bunnie are at the mercy of Dr. Robotnik's Shredbot. Sonic runs off and offers to help them, but Tails flies in and confronts the Shredbot, tricking it into destroying its own saw blades. Sonic is shocked to realize that Tails is moving as quickly as he can, and Tails gives him an extensively long explanation before stating that he should become the new leader of the Freedom Fighters.
- "Tails' Taste of Power" - Part Two
Back at Freedom HQ, Rotor is terrified by the appearance of a robot in the base. Sonic attempts to destroy it, but is unable to, and Tails then reveals that it is his own creation, the Vacubot. Created to do housework, it is made of a special alloy that is not only impossible for Sonic to destroy, but also undetectable to Robotnik's sensors. Tails also reveals a "badge of leadership" he made for himself out of the material. Sally tries to reason with him that his intelligence isn't enough to make him a leader. Determined to prove himself, he takes off for Robotropolis in order to defeat Robotnik himself. His smarts enable him to evade Robotnik's minions and defenses and reach the doctor's control room, but suddenly his super intelligence wears off, allowing Robotnik to easily capture him.
Back in Knothole, Rotor discovers that the fruit's properties only last for twenty-four hours, and Sonic rushes off to save his young friend. He gets into the control room and warns Robotnik not to do anything to Tails unless he has a death wish. Bluffing, Sonic informs Robotnik that Tails was sent on a mission to destroy Robotropolis at any cost, claiming that Tails' medal is in fact a bomb with enough power to level the city. Doubting Sonic's words, Robotnik orders Snively to scan the medal, but Snively is unable to identify it. Sonic threatens to activate the "bomb" unless Robotnik releases Tails, and the doctor buys his ruse and agrees. Tails realizes that Sonic's a great leader and they head home. Back in Knothole, Antoine gives Tails a stern lecture on leadership. Tails throws the "bomb" at him, scaring Antoine so much he ends up clinging to the light bulb on the ceiling.
Story Two[]
- "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!"
Robotnik plays with a set of defective Freedom Fighter dolls. The sexist stereotypes the Bunnie and Sally dolls play give him some inspiration. Robotnik reveals his new scheme: to divide and conquer the Freedom Fighters, starting with their two female members. That night, the girls notice spotlights in the sky, and upon investigation discover a tiny "shopping mall", which is in fact a trap set by Robotnik. The doctor has the captured pair brought to him, hoping to use them as bait to draw in Sonic and eliminate him. Insulted at the idea that they need to be rescued, the pair break free and quickly decimate the SWATbots, tying up Robotnik and Snively. They return Robotnik's dolls, which have been modified with "political corrections," spouting out girl-power phrases. The pair return home to find Sonic clipping coupons to buy video games, and have a private joke at his expense over men thinking only about "fun, games, and shopping."
Bonus Features[]
Activity Pages/Short Stories[]
- "Do-It-Yourself" Sonic
- This story has no dialogue. See Background Information for more details.
Sonic and Tails are fishing in a boat when Dr. Robotnik and Crabmeat, riding in a submarine, spot them. Tails manages to catch a fish, but Sonic pulls up a giant whale-robot, which is revealed to be Robotnik's submarine. Robotnik tries to sink their ship, but Sonic quickly paddles away. Sonic and Tails end up on the beach while Robotnik's whale-bot gets stuck on the shore. Tails takes a picture of Sonic's great catch.
Gag Strips[]
- Sonic-Grams Preface
Editors Scott Fulop and Paul Castiglia, along with Sonic, attempt to escape their office while Angelo DeCesare tries to break open their door, enraged that he wasn't given proper credit for "Bold-Headed Eagle" in StH #12. Art by Bill Golliher.
Quotes[]
- Sonic: "Shut up Tails! You're crowding us out of the panel!"
Key Events[]
- Tails eats a fruit from the legendary Tree of Wisdom, giving him increased intelligence.
- With Tails' increased knowledge, the FFs are able to defeat Dr. Robotnik's Shredbot.
- Tails' increased intelligence fades away and Sonic rescues him from Robotnik.
- Sally and Bunnie single-handedly defeat Robotnik.
Background Information[]
- "Do-It-Yourself" Sonic is framed by Sonic explaining to readers that Archie Comics was holding a contest. Fans were to submit dialogue for the story, and three winners and their submissions were revealed in StH: #23. Prizes included subscriptions, original artwork from issues 21 and 22, and autographed copies of issue 25. Reprints of this story come with a disclaimer on the final page that the contest is void.
- The Shredbot that ambushes Sally, Bunnie and Antoine looks almost identical to the Shredder robot from the SatAM episode "Hooked on Sonics," although the colouing is different.
- The Complete Sonic Comic Encyclopedia suggests that, while Tails lost his advanced intelligence by the end of the issue, some lingering effects of the Tree of Wisdom may have caused him to develop advanced intuition. This could explain how, years later, he became a capable mechanic and scientist.
- The title of the second story is a reference to the Cyndi Lauper song of the same name.
Reprint History[]
This issue has been reprinted in the following places:
- Sonic Archives Vol. 4
- Sonic Legacy Book 1
- "Tails' Taste of Power" was reprinted in Sonic Super Special Magazine #7
External links[]
- Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 14 at Sonic Wiki Zone, the Sonic wiki.