Issue 22

Issue 22 is the twenty-second edition of Sonic the Comic. Released on the 19th of March 1994, at the price of £1.10, the issue contained four original stories (one of them new), several features and a free gift of the STC Titanic Tattoo Collection.

Strips

Sonic the Hedgehog

Girl Trouble is a 2-part Sonic story written by Nigel Kitching with art by Richard Elson and letters by Ellie de Ville. In the Egg Fortress, Doctor Robotnik has finally revealed his new form and heads to the laboratory to meet Sonic and Johnny Lightfoot. Sonic has been trying to convince Grimer that Amy Rose is not his girlfriend, but that "trick" isn't going to fool Grimer into letting her go. Robotnik begins plans to force Amy into a new Super Badnik, so Sonic begins to charge his bubble cage into several Troopers. Another one accidentally frees the Freedom Fighters, allowing Sonic to (reluctantly) save Amy. After the adventure, Amy is forced to become a Freedom Fighter and Grimer puts the finishing touches on Operation Metallix.

Eternal Champions

Eternal Champions is a 6-part story, this part by Michael Cook, Brian Williamson, Bambos Georgiou, John M Burns and Steve Potter. The Cyber Challenge is underway, with Larcen Tyler sppn falling to Jetta Maxx. The cat-burglar is terrified of dying again, so RAX Coswell needs to come up with a plan, with the fight between Midknight and Xavier also now over. As he heads for his bout with Trident, RAX thumps his foe in the face, using it as a distraction to destroy the controls and free his friends. Unfortunately, their way to the Ammo Store is blocked by real Cyber-fighters eager to do battle. In 1994 Tokyo, Shadow Yamoto gains entry to Nakano Industries' Computer Operation and Jonathan Blade hacks into the database. Slash is left to guard the protesting employee on duty.

Shinobi

The Art of War is a 6-part Shinobi story written by Alan McKenzie, with art by Jon Haward and letters from de Ville. The fight between Joe Musashi and the Neo Zeed ninjas continue, with Musashi narrowly avoiding shurikens on his way to a ventilation shaft. Whilst hiding, he has time to remember the words of his sensei who told him about his own sensei and a technique called The Chicken Step. In the present, Musashi steals the clothes and identity of inept ninja Kenjei, before unwittingly falling into a Neo Zeed trap.

Wonder Boy

Wonder Boy in Ghost World is a 6-part story directly following on from Wonder Boy in Demon World. Written by Mark Eyles, drawn by Bojan Djukac and lettered by Potter, Shion has travelled to Skyrock Mountains after hearing of ghost troubles. Sure enough, the area is beset by ghostly pterodactyl dinosaurs and Shion can only get rid of them by setting fire to his sword. A cosmologist named Lukout arrives and takes Shion, via giant bird, over the void to the Light Tower, explaining that dinosaurs have been rampaging on the mountains for some time. The old woman leads Shion down to the troublesome steps, just in time to see a dino invader!

Features

This issue's Control Zone, hosted by Megadroid, informs Boomers that there'll be no hijinks this issue, instead offering great new free gifts, Robotnik's new look, the arrival of the new Wonder Boy story and a mention for the Eternal Champions Special in stores. Megadroid can't resist and pretends that a new Sonic film is being made, with Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman competing to get the starring role by dying themselves blue and sticking spikes on their head. He also urges you to read that before 12pm, or he'll look stupid... The Sega Charts is largely the same this week; Aladdin leads the Mega Drive chart, Lethal Enforcers is top for the Mega-CD and Sonic Chaos returns to the head of the Game Gear chart, as it is for the Master System.

New reviewers Jenny Fromer and Nick Protz arrive for this Review Zone, with both awarding 68% to Winter Olympics (MD). David Gibbon sticks to both 8-bit consoles this week, giving Dino Basher 76% and Jungle Book 85%. News Zone talks about the Video Jukebox (allowing you to load 6 Mega Drive games without swapping them) and a Multi-Function Joystick, as well as previewing The Lost Vikings and Normy. Short Bursts has brief information on Mega Race, Sensible Golf and Cool Spot. This is all followed by Don't Kiss Just Talk, an interview by Deborah Tate and Steve Cook with band Right Said Fred. The article talks about their involvement with Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

This week's Q Zone is a "Sonic Q&A Special", with Gibbon helping out on games for all three consoles. Although the majority of content is cheats, there is also help with the final Robotnik Mecha in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the tricky hang-gliders in Sonic 2 for the Game Gear, and how to find the Chaos Emeralds in certain Zones of Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit). Finally, Speedlines presents letters about Back Issues (coming next issue), free gifts, "Sonic 3 for the Master System", the return of Wonder Boy and the 1994 schedule for the Sega Bus. All published letters and drawings received a Tomy Sonic the Hedgehog Water Fun Game.