Archie cancels the Sonic comic before Megadrive gets a chance to become its own series

>Archie cancels the Sonic comic before Megadrive gets a chance to become its own series

Fuck.

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I wouldn't be surprised if SEGA gives the license to another publisher just to keep making Mega Drive or something similar.

>oh no I can't believe something that had a straight 24 year run won't get to see yet another spinoff

Wait, the sonic comics were canceled? Shit, there goes my childhood, did they even give it a proper ending

It hasn't been confirmed, but that's the big rumor.

>did they even give it a proper ending

They're right in the middle of a flashback arc. And after the arc, they would've done some stories before the big 300th issue.

Archie pulled subscriptions off their store. Someone on SonicStadium called to see what was happening and got a response indicating that there is a chance they could be cancelled.

>did they even give it a proper ending
The Archie rep the person spoke to said 290 would be the last to hit shelves, so if nothing else comes out, it will have ended in the middle of an arc.

This will be two unresolved endings to continuities, as the reboot occurred mid-arc as well.

>a 24 year run

You forgot the comics just finished setting up the new universe.

>>Archie cancels the Sonic comic

Wait, fucking what?

The subscription page on Archie's site for Sonic is down, & someone on SSMB said they called Archie this morning & was told that until they have more information, no one can subscribe to the comics. And that they could be getting cancelled with 290 (the issue that came out a few weeks ago) probably being the last one.

>Mega Man is dead
>X never took off
>Sonic is done for
>They'll have to keep publishing issues of the Predator Archie trying to adjust to life in Riverdale to stay afloat

I HURT MYSELF TODAY

they wont even try to hit 300? what a shame

>Predator Archie trying to adjust to life in Riverdale
Not going to lie, I'd read that

Don't you worry, sweet Sup Forums, for Ken will rekindle your hope with his own magnum opus...

...eventually.

This bit of info might be relevant.

if he understood the appeal behind sonic designs he wouldnt be so bad

A) I wouldn't use Penders as a source on anything.

B) If that's true, then we probably won't have anything to worry about, since it's unlikely Riverdale doesn't bomb.

Pretty sure everything at Archie Comics is dependent on the success of Riverdale. The company is on the road towards going under, so they're betting everything on this prime-time series being a hit.

If true, how many other succesful all-ages comic book series are there beside that-which-must-not-be-named?

Didn't Archie's financial troubles start with them using Kickstarter for something?

And now they're in a downward spiral, they may or may not have lost the Sonic license & everything is hanging on Riverdale, which probably won't be a success.

>Pretty sure everything at Archie Comics is dependent on the success of Riverdale.

For a while I wondered how on Earth was Ken Penders capable of making Archie Comics into his personal bitch even after getting the boot.

Now I know why.

glad to know that mindwiped all the 2 decades of story you read permanently from your mind and your collection

Again, the rebooted universe just got finished being set up, & a lot of people were interested in seeing where it goes.

No need to be a dick about it.

IF Archie Sonic was cancelled, it had nothing to do with sales.

1) Archie was their number 1 selling comic series, bar flash in the pans like Sabrina horror

2) If Sonic was having sales issues, Sonic Universe would've been cancelled long before the main title

3) Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe are doing better than Sonic Boom, which was explicitly not cancelled because of sales.

4) They wouldn't just abruptly drop the comic like this. A few issues away from TWO major milestones that could generate big sales.

5) They have fully completed comics that would have gone on sale in only a few weeks. Why wouldn't they at least release them digitally, with no publishing costs associated.

The idea that this has anything to do with sales or "focusing on Riverdale" is laughable.

IF Archie Sonic was cancelled (and that still seems like bullshit fear-mongering) it would be due to legal issues. Either due to the new lawsuit that was filed months ago, or SEGA randomly revoking their license for no reason (unlikely as they are still selling Sonic comics, and SEGA has no benefit from doing so)

I honestly don't understand how they're still running. If anyone ever says to you that staying in business in America is tough, show them Archie comics.

The best case scenario is that the book gets transferred, full-continuity, to some actually competent publisher.

Full continuity and with the current creative team to a new publisher, that is the absolute best case scenario

I think if another publisher picks it up, I think it'll just be Mega Drive style comics. Game characters only.

Probably won't use any game characters outside core 4 and Eggman. Maybe Shadow IF we're lucky. But unless they get Ian/Aleah/Evan they'll probably be written like the current games

>IDW picks it up
>Sonic X MLP¨crossover

What even is this "riverdale"?

>let's take a group of characters that have been PG for 50 years and make a live action edgelord tv show with murder and sex with them

>Didn't Archie's financial troubles start with them using Kickstarter for something?
They were already having issues before that, but the Kickstarter definitely didn't help. Especially since they paid for all the comics in advance because they thought the Kickstarter would be a guaranteed success. Then, to their surprise, the public reacted extremely negative at the thought of a major (name-wise) publisher doing crowd funding, and were forced to pull the Kickstarter to save face. So ultimately, they sunk $350,000 into a PR disaster.

You now realize that the creative team was likely told of this around Christmas

>They'll have to keep publishing issues of the Predator Archie trying to adjust to life in Riverdale to stay afloat

to be honest, I'd read that. Archie vs Predator was a grand time

>Penders uses a lawsuit to obliterate Archie Sonic Universe so hard that Genesis 2.0 has to take place almost immediately

>Now it turns out that Pendercaust had been holding back its punches this whole time

Penders, you magnificent bastard.

Never underestimate the power of autism.

Meh, give it to IDW.

The important thing is: keep the SatAM cast dead and buried. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Could you please kill yourself?

Shut up, Boco.

>Marvel picks it up.
>Introduces racially diverse furries and replaces the main characters with furry minorities.

on a bright side, maybe Ian will start working for Boom cartoon

No, it'll be the environmentalist message. It'll be bashed in our skulls.

Besides, the comic already has racially diverse furries

>still bitter over "not muh sonic", 24 years later

Can't say you're not persistent.

>racially diverse furries

How the hell would that work?
Sonic's Archie world already is as diverse as humanely possible.

Not to mention Ken Penders managed to shoehorn MUH HOLOCAUST there as well for bonus progressive points.

So aside from Sonic, what else does Archie actually sell?

He already has written for them and has a second episode coming up at some point.

Archie and Archie related products.

You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.

Archie can go rot if they lose this comic. I'm just hoping the creative team and the continuity survive.

Archie.

store.archiecomics.com/series

>Doesn't like SatAm cast
>Doesn't like Amy
What do you like about this franchise, Boco?

>MY FANFICTIONS

see

lol

>Rocket Raccoon crosses over

I'd buy that issue

So someone from /vg/ called, and:

>I just called in and spoke to Subscriptions and Sales.

>Archie Sales, how can I help you?
Yes, I've been a subscriber to the Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe titles and wanted to renew, but the option no longer appears on the website. Would you be able to help me renew?

>I'm sorry, but at this time we are no longer taking orders for those titles. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Ah, okay. Would you know why subscriptions are on hold?

>Unfortunately we don't, we're waiting until we know more but for we're unable to process any more subscriptions.
Really? There's not a chance it's because they're cancelled, is it?

>I'm sorry sir, I don't have any information one way or the other at this time.
Ok then. Thank you for your help.

>My pleasure. Is there anything else I may be able to help you with?
No, that's all. Have a good day.

>I don't know if the first source was bs or if they've clamped down on the info they're giving out, but that's all I got.

Is it a normal thing for representatives to "not know" if a comic is cancelled?

Like, if it was cancelled why would they pussyfoot around it?

If it is getting canceled it's probably because Sega got tired of all the lawsuits it's causing from old writers and then pulling the plug on it. I doubt it's something Archie decided themselves.

I want to fuck that Tails.

Chances are, SEGA pulled the license. I mean, why would solicits for issues that may never come out be released by Archie, if they were planning on ending the comic? SEGA probably got tired of the legal bullshit that's been going on, & told Archie to piss off.

This could strictly be a higher-ups only situation.

They might be told to not take in anymore subscriptions and not be told why.

This. The creative team deserve much better than this.
Also I'm convinced that if Ian has to abandon another continuity without being able to give closure he will have a nervous breakdown

If the license was pulled then why would Archie still be allowed to sell individual issues??

He's literally just guessing.
He's been saying the comic's days are numbered for nearly a decade.

>Like, if it was cancelled why would they pussyfoot around it?

Vidya gaem company NCSOFT only confirms cancellation when they are about to hit the "DELETE EVERYTHING" button.

Archie Comics is seemingly as professional as they are, so I kinda expect them to dance around the issue until it finally explodes.

Ian announced a Let's Play channel and refuses to quell the rumors.
You bet your sweet bippy it's done.

Usually when a license is pulled/expires, the company can at least continue selling their backstock until they run out since those items were printed before they lost the license. They just can't print anything new.

How does Archie even run? Does that crazy lady still call the shots at the end of the day?

>comic has been spending the better part of the year advertising the hell out of Sonic with GENESIS

>going to advertise Sonic Mania

If sega pulled the license now of all times, they are fucking idiots.

>I doubt it's something Archie decided themselves.

From what I understand Penders-Archie lawsuit only became an issue after Archie tried to sue Penders in a knee-jerk reaction once they saw him trying his best at suing Bioware.

Had Archie been fitted with a halfway competent legal team that would check if it is possible to hold such a case against Penders before rushing in for the kill, none of this bullshit would have happened.

>Option A: Tangential Marketing
>Option B: Being dragged into a lawsuit

I wonder which you would pick, user.

Advertising is the comic's biggest problem.

Ever since the first Genesis Wave in the 220s, the story has been constantly getting interrupted with advertisements and crossovers.

>DC picks it up
>Robotnik killed Sonic's mother and blamed it on his father, because he learned that was destined to become Sonic's archemeny in a possible future.

>run out of backstock

>digital library

I can still buy any Sonic comic on Comixology or Google Play

Oh, parts of it.

The gameplay in MOST of the series. The music. The nostalgia of Sonic 2 being my first ever video game.

Ah, not sure then. I was thinking of their online store.

Have you read anything they've done in the last five years? Afterlife with Archie exists and rules

>DC picks it up

Doesn't Sonic Comic kida mirror DC's approach anyway? Not even the edgiest Sanic game had as much relationship drama and plottwists as even the calmest Archie Sonic issue.

And how many issues of that came out last year? Two?

You know, it IS kinda weird that Sega's never rubber-stamped any of the goofy company crossover miniseries that seem to be in vogue right now. I guess they sort-of tried that with When Worlds Collide, but that was entirely in-house, and the sequel was just Archie execs throwing spaghetti at the wall

Todd MacFarlane makes Sonic the first licensed comic at Image, let's fucking go

Legalanon from /sthg/ here.

They were forced into it because he was copyrighting their stuff. If someone applies for copyright on stuff that is your property, you have an obligation to take it to court or the property defaults to the person copyrighting after a time.

Judging from the briefs after the fact, Archie had Penders dead to rights, but they would need to go to trial and put some things in front of a finder of fact. That's a risky move, but Archie would most likely have won. The problem is, Trial is HELLA expensive.

It got rid of the relationship drama with the reboot but there is still some drama

OBJECTION!

From 1996 to 1999, Image had the license to TMNT!

Clearly in order to save the Sonic comics Archie needs to do Sonic vs Predator

Maybe SEGA had an issue with Archie printing a big fat advert for Riverdale on top of the comic covers?

Boco
I'm really happy for you
But shut the hell up when grown ups are talking

Yes sir...

>They were forced into it because he was copyrighting their stuff.

His claim was based on an 'agreement' (agreement supposedly stating that every character created by him is his own property) that was thought to have been lost in Archie's document storage fire. Noone saw that paper (hell, it most likely either no longer existed or argued against Ken's claim!) and it only gained weight with Archie suing Penders over it, as he stalled the case with it for as long as he could.

Oh, that paper is in the Public record if I'm remembering correctly (though, since it's a Federal Court of the SD of New York case, you have to pay for a copy through PACER)

The contract you're talking about existed only as a copy, and you're right that he used it to stall. His claim was that not all the pages were initialed, so therefore they could have put anything before the signature page. Courts look down on this type of argument for many reasons, especially without any corroborating evidence, which Penders had none of.

However, it was still an issue of fact, and therefore, Archie couldn't win on Motion to Dismiss or Summary Judgment...Penders' lawyer was a smart cookie. He played Sega off Archie by suing EA (not even bioware) first, getting EA pissed at Sega and asking them to get them pulled out of the case. Sega got EA out of the case by arguing that there was a second case between Archie and Penders.

The second legal realized much too late that the real argument was between Sega and Penders. But by then, pleadings had already been made and memos had already been submitted. The court wasn't interested in hearing a whole new theory of the case and re-deciding summary judgment.

So, at the risk of trial, Sega finally came in and basically sold Archie down the river for some assured peace.

>arguing that there was a second case between Archie and Penders that needed to be decided first.

>The second legal team realized much....

Fixed that for myself.

Diana Skelly chipped in

I don't know what you are talking about

I've been following this mess for years. I used to respect Ken because of the work he put in back in the day. But all this effort to fuck over his old employer and then spray shit in the faces of all the kids and fans who used to love some of those characters and stories.... GEEZ! I feel like if Andrew Dobson ever had a chance he would have ended up like Penders maybe. Fucking washed up cut throat hacks. Sad for everyone really.

I wanna see Dobson vs Ken Penders

So does this mean he's won?

Not fully. He'll never get SEGA to work with him again or use Sonic characters for his work.

But this is a major victory for him.

If 'winning' means destroying everything, then yes.

I mean hopefully IDW picks it up
He was REALLY after Archie, right?
Does this mean he will fuck off from Sonic if it gets picked up by someone else?

Some men just want to watch the world burn

Yay. Now the Archie comic can be cancelled so now people can forget it ever happened, essentially erasing any legacy I may have once had into basically nothing.

No user. He's like a mad dog now. He bites and he wont even let go after he's dead.

Any reason why its cancelled user?

Are you speaking as Penders or someone else?