In Memory is a complete Sonic the Hedgehog story in Issue 261 of Sonic the Comic Online. The strip marked the full return of creators Nigel Kitching and Nigel Dobbyn.
Staff
- Nigel Kitching - script
- Michael Corker - B&W art
- Nigel Dobbyn - inks, colours and letters
Story
Sonic and Tails are in the Metropolis Zone, admiring the repair work done on Johnny Lightfoot's statue (although Sonic jibes Tails that it took too long), when Tails recognises a build-up of energy behind them. To their shock, another version of Sonic, joined by Johnny himself, appears, seemingly sent to the wrong location by the Kintobor Computer. The present Sonic and Tails are taken aback to see Johnny alive and well, but the past Sonic starts quizzing his future self about his green eyes and the statue of Johnny. The rabbit is curious about it, but Tails simultaneously tries to keep him away from it whilst warning Sonic not to reveal any information about the past.
Present Sonic becomes increasingly worried about the meeting of the two Sonics, concerned by what Porker Lewis once referred to as causality (or continuum). Johnny remains curious, but his Sonic knocks him down, believing him to be a "professional sidekick". The older Sonic is furious about his past self's lack of praise for Johnny and attacks him. The visiting Sonic loses his cocky demeanour, believing his older and wiser self to be an imposter from either an alternate reality or an evil clone.
With Johnny inching towards the statue, the two Sonics begin to fight viciously, distracting Johnny. Tails insists that Johnny can't know what is going on but they are interrupted by the destruction of the statue - due to present Sonic "nudging" himself into it. Unfortunately, the scattered remains sent the plaque towards Johnny, where he reads the words "Johnny Lightfoot - Gone but never forgotten".
Suddenly, the portal reopens and the voice of Kintobor tells them both to hurry back. Before he goes, Johnny tells Future Sonic not to worry about what happened (or will happen) to him, as it is his choice. Johnny's Sonic drags him back in time, warning him to forget everything that happened here. As Tails realises Johnny may have learned his fate years before he was meant to, he and Sonic vow to build an even bigger statue to remember their old friend.
Trivia
- This is the Nigels' first full strip since their days on the print STC. Both of them had some brief input on "Good Luck Chuck" but truly collaborated on this strip. Dobbyn had also previously drawn the cover to Issue 254.
- The story is implied to take part in the middle of "Girl Trouble", with Sonic and Johnny's opening lines mirroring the ones in that strip. However, whereas the two were transported to the Special Zone via Star Post, Sonic and Johnny appear here (and leave again) thanks to a portal created by the Kintobor Computer. This implies the Kintobor computer is hooked up to the Star Post at their base in order to control it, as it was in Running Wild.
- If this story did run in the middle of "Girl Trouble", there was no hint that Johnny had ever met Amy Rose before. However, he insists he'll tell Amy about this story once they've rescued her, suggesting they were friends.
- The statue was destroyed during The Battle For Mobius but had been partly repaired by War of the Rose.
Reception
The revelation that Johnny had known about his ultimate fate long before his death was voted as "Best Shock" in the STC 50 awards feature in Issue 273, beating out Knuckles the Echidna's death and the apparent murder of Set at the hands of Tekno the Canary.
Timeline
The previous Sonic the Hedgehog story was Libra. This is the current story.