Flynn Explains Sega Directives on Metal Sonic in SU #50

Sonic comics writer Ian Flynn remains mostly mum on the fate of what were mostly disputed characters that appeared to have been written out of the main series’ concluded Endangered Species arc.  But on Friday night, Flynn had no problem talking about how Sega, the series licensor to Archie, directed him on how to portray Metal Sonic in Sonic Universe #50, which has just begun hitting subscribers’ mailboxes.

“A point I’d like to make from the get-go: SEGA was very direct in how they wanted Metal Sonic portrayed,” Flynn said on the Bumbleking forums.  “I originally was going to move Metal Sonic in the direction the fans have been asking: more character, more menace, more dialogue. However, SEGA’s notes were to move him right back to the soulless, nearly mute version.”

Flynn says in this instance, he fought hard to push the original Metal Sonic story, which complements a truncated republication of the Go Ahead, Mecha my Day! story from the main series’s issue #25.

“I’m putting this out there because I was going to cater to the fans. I heard you, I did, and I was going to act accordingly,” Flynn said.  “But it’s a licensed book, and I’ve got to portray the licensed characters as the license holder dictates.”

In a wider context, it does make one wonder whether the events seen in Endangered Species were in part Sega’s influence, on top of the litigation Archie initiated and, at last check, is trying to settle with former Sonic writer Ken Penders.