- Not to be confused with the 48-page Sonic Super Specials
Sonic Super Special Magazine is a quarterly series published by Archie Comics, featuring various reprints of Sonic the Hedgehog. The books also included extra information such as timelines for the Sonic the Hedgehog series, behind-the-scenes information and previously unpublished artwork. The magazine was launched in November 2011, partly to coincide with the Sonic franchises 20th anniversary.
Overview[]
The magazine contains various comic stories, most of which are reprints from old issues of the ongoing titles. The reason of why certain stories appear varies from promoting an arc currently running in one of the comics or a new graphic novel release, or showcasing a theme, when other times there is no reason. On some rare occasions, new comic stories are printed in the book, such as the video game tie-ins to Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II and Sonic Dash.
Regular features in each issue include a "News Flash" page, which usually talks about major events that have just happened in the most recent issues of the ongoing comic titles. Other things that are likely to appear on the page were short announcements on upcoming storylines, and even snippets on upcoming Sonic games. From issue 3 onward, a two page section written by then-current Sonic Off-Panel artist, Jonathan Gray, became a regular feature. The most prominent part of this section was the Graphic Novel Showcase, which informed readers of upcoming titles in the Sonic graphic novel library, along with their comic shop release date. Other elements of this section usually included such things as write-ups on current happenings and upcoming events about the comic, among other things.
A semi-regular feature is the review section which, as the name implies, features a review of the most recently released Sonic game.
At the back of every issue is an interview with one of the comic creatives, interviewing such people as head-writer Ian Flynn, to several of the current artists.
In its first eight issues, when the ongoing comic titles were still in the Pre-Super Genesis Wave Timeline, the magazine would print data files from The Complete Sonic Comic Encyclopedia, most times ones that were relevant to the featured stories. It was also, initially, the first place to see installments of the Mobius Timeline feature that was later printed in its entirety in the aformentioned encyclopedia.
There have also been special issues of the magazine, featuring such things as a selection of pullout posters and sheets of stickers.
Background Information[]
- Most of the art work that was originally exclusive to the magazine, including the Mobius Timeline feature, was eventually published in the Complete Sonic Comic Encyclopedia, while the first story of Sonic Super Special Magazine Issue 3 was reprinted in Sonic Super Digest Issue 2, and the first story of Sonic Super Special Magazine issue 10 was reprinted in Sonic Select vol. 9. Meaning that now, the only exclusive art that the magazine contains are the covers and the artwork of other sega franchises in issue 12.