INFO BURST
Format: Book
Initial Release Date: 1993
Feature character: Sonic the Hedgehog
Villain: Doctor Ivo Robotnik
Other Characters: Badniks (SWATbot, Caterkiller, Burrobot, Cluck), Antoine, Sally Acorn, Miles “Tails” Prower, Boomer
Locations: Mobius, Robotropolis (Robotnik’s Factory), Knothole Village
Items: Sega Mega Drive, Egg-O-Matic, Power Sneakers
Continuity: Golden Books
Synopsis:
Sonic awakens with plans to harass Robotnik and the Badniks. Unfortunately, he can’t find his Power Sneakers anywhere he looks. Tails tries to assist Sonic in searching the hedgehog’s bedroom, but Sonic’s room is in such an untidy state the search proves fruitless. Deciding one of his fellow Freedom Fighters must have swiped the shoes, Sonic accuses his friends and then turns out the lantern lighting their secret base to allow the thief to return the stolen shoes no questions asked. Unfortunately for Sonic, when he relights the lantern he finds his friends, insulted by his baseless accusations, have left to take on Robotnik without him. The remaining Freedom Fighters arrive at Robotnik’s factory in Robotropolis, where they intend to use an oversized cork to block an enormous smokestack which is filling the skyline with thick smoke. Tails trips a trap and the group are captured, with Sally, Antoine, Boomer and the cork all wrapped up in a big net attached to a tree. Before Robotnik can show up, Sonic arrives to apologise to his friends and give them gifts to make up for his bad attitude, including a microscope and moustache trimmer for Antoine. Robotnik arrives to witness the Freedom Fighters captured and Sonic in his socks, but the wily hedgehog uses the moustache trimmer to cut his friends free of the net, which bends back upright rapidly, hurling the cork directly into the smokestack. Robotnik and his Badniks retreat to save the factory as Sonic and his friends head home. Come the next day, Sonic has tidied his room thoroughly – and found his beloved shoes under his bedsheets. Sonic gives Tails the shoes as a gift, telling him that if anyone could fill his shoes it would be Tails. Unfortunately, Sonic’s worn through three pairs of socks during the ordeal so now finds himself needing a new pair of shoes.
CREDITS
Story: John Michlig
Illustrations: Art Mawhinney
Review
Come the early 1990s, it was clear Sonic was going to be a smash hit sensation with children of all ages. Golden Books published a number of Sonic books primarily aimed at a younger audience of reading age children and this first attempt sets the tone for the series nicely.
The series is largely adjacent to the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon and the Archie Comics, and its tone certainly fits nicely alongside early issues of the latter, with plenty of fun gags and dialogue designed to get a chuckle. One key point of divergence is the less sinister character design for Doctor Robotnik being the one seen in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, which suits the tone of the book more than the slightly more threatening design from DiC’s other Sonic series at the time.
The story is about as challenging as one might expect for a book for young readers, with a pretty straightforward sort of plot in which Sonic learns not to leap to conclusions, as well as some other decent moral lessons for younger readers such as not rushing into action before you can think a situation through and a lesson no doubt echoed by many a parent the world over, that being you should keep your bedroom tidy. The story never feels preachy as it manages to deliver these beats through some good characterisation on the part of Sonic and Tails.
The real fun comes from Art Mawhinney’s illustrations. Mawhinney draws the cast in a bold style, managing to remain on-model but also give a “cartoony” feel to the images through his use of posing and expressions. Considering an awful lot of the story takes place against brown or grey backgrounds, it never looks boring, which is a testament to Mawhinney’s skill at making the characters visually appealing.
While Sonic’s Shoes Blues is unlikely to set alight the imagination of older Sonic readers, it remains a nice little story for his younger admirers who will likely enjoy this shorter adventure.
 RAVES |  GRAVES |
| Mawhinney’s art is bursting with character. | Why does Sonic blindfold himself with his sock, again? |
| THE VERDICT | RANK |
| A charming story for younger Sonic readers with a nice message and lovely art. |  |
The Kintobor Computer 