Horror or humor? One of these rules the day in this Halloween one-shot!
Written by Mark BouchardCover by Jack Lawrence and Gigi Dutreix
Illustrated by Jack Lawrence
Inked by Matt Froese
Colored by Gigi Dutreix
Lettered by Shawn LeeTrick o treat, it’s Charmy Bee…t! It’s “A Very Chaotix Halloween” as Vector and Espio take their little buddy out in search of sweet rewards. Little do they know, there’s a monster stealing candy from all the kids! Fortunately, there’s no mystery the Chaotix Detective Agency can’t solve, especially when they’ve got a little help from Sonic and Tails!
Halloween specials tend to fall into one of two categories: scary stories about monsters, and heartwarming ones about candy and sharing. They can be cautionary tales or just for fun. These plots around All Hallow’s Eve are not unique to comic books by any means, being included in television, film, what have you, but are often representative of a story being released in or near to October, if nothing else. Depending on where you look in the overall canon of “Sonic the Hedgehog” or its video game source material, either of these types of plots could be relevant, from the horror of the Metal Virus, ghosts, or Project Shadow to the kindness of the average child. With the typical holiday special underway, how does writer Mark Bouchard bring the Chaotix Detective Agency (also known as Team Chaotix, or just “the Chaotix”) into focus?
Though initially seeming to be a more serious, scary take, Bouchard’s writing on the “Sonic The Hedgehog: Halloween Special” #1 is instead of the brighter, more lighthearted type. By having the section primarily focused around younger children, such as Charmy Bee and Miles “Tails” Prower (both of whom are perpetually in the single digits of age), the stakes feel lower by comparison. Generally, these younger characters would just be sidekicks or the weaker partners, especially compared to their older friends (in this case Sonic being the counterpart for Tails, and detectives Vector the Crocodile and Espio the Chameleon having the role for Charmy). Under Bouchard’s pen, these usual leaders deliberately take a backseat, making a story about a holiday celebrated for its candy by children into a far more joyous romp. While they are not the ones in charge this time (for the most part), these mentors do not entirely fade into the background, instead providing support and their own forms of encouragement.
There is a shift in tone present across Bouchard’s story. The case is not too dire, but Charmy treats it as such, to somewhat humorous effect. The antagonists are something of a fake-out, potentially leading readers to believe one villain is responsible for very petty reasons (even for him), but ultimately are revealed to be a “threat” that is much more down to earth. Rather than pure evil, they are more a case of just being rude and disrespectful, in ways to which a young audience might relate. In the process, the tone shifts almost to comedy, more generally entertaining than engrossing or horrific. Due to how relatable the antagonists are, the lessons of helping others, of sharing, and of charity are on full display. While many stories may make such a moral overwrought or tiring, the presentation here is earnest enough, patient enough, that it is more fun than pedantic, all without needing any prior knowledge about the cast or plot beyond this one-shot to enjoy it.
Jack Lawrence is no stranger to IDW’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comics, having illustrated several issues of the main series in 2019 along with the “Sonic the Hedgehog: Bad Guys” limited series in 2020. Similarly, Matt Froese has inked “Sonic” before, be it in one-shots, miniseries, or the main series. However, the two have not worked on the same issues before, each inking or penciling different parts of the overall story. With their disparate experience, one might think that the result would be unusual, but on the contrary, their styles merge into a cohesive whole that fits perfectly into the other Sonic stories. The facial expressions, though not the focus, are effective at showing the mood of the various characters. The presentation of the antagonists is helped by the fiercer, sharper way their apparent leader is drawn, a status that falls away a little as the story is revealed to be far less dire than it appears. The artwork, both pencils and inks, is tight on the action, but loose enough for exaggeration and visual humor.
Gigi Dutreix’s colors are dark, but mostly due to the story taking place at night. On the whole, the choices are rather vibrant, adding a lot of life to the characters and a lighter tone to the story as a whole. Even in the night, the behavior of these characters feels more relaxed as a result.
Final Verdict: 7.0– A fun story brings Team Chaotix to the October holiday season.
