Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Special Announced by IDW and Sega

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog, and SEGA of America and IDW are planning a celebration of the character with an 80-page anniversary special. Set to release in June, the Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Special will feature three stories starring the blue blur and his supporting cast. The special will feature stories written by longtime Sonic scribe Ian Flynn, Gale Galligan (The Babysitter's Club) as well as Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy (The Adventure Zone podcast). On art, readers can expect to see Mauro Fonseca, Reggie Graham, Aaron Hammerstrom, and Thomas Rothlisberger.

In a press release from IDW, Ian Flynn discussed the upcoming special.

"Sonic has been central to my creative career for fifteen years," said Flynn. "I've had the pleasure of writing the little blue hedgehog in a variety of media, and he in turn has introduced me to an army of artists and editors who have helped me grow as a professional (and made me look good). I've had a long run with Sonic, and I hope that continues for years to come!"

The special will include at least four different cover variants: Cover A will be illustrated by Sonic Team, Cover B will be illustrated by Christina-Antoinette Neofotistou, and there will also be two retailer incentive covers with art by Patrick Spaziante and Tyson Hesse. The one-shot will retail for $8.99. An image of Cover A can be found below.

In addition to the standard release, fans can expect to see the Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Special Deluxe Edition, which will release on October 5th. This hardcover version will retail for $19.99 and feature the same content from the standard release alongside a number of extras. These will include a bonus story by Galligan (no word on art team yet), a cover gallery, and additional bonus features.

All in all, this sounds like an exciting celebration of the character! SEGA had previously teased a lot of content for the character's anniversary, and this certainly seems to fit nicely. Hopefully Sonic fans will have much more to look forward to in the coming months.

What do you think of the Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Special? Do you plan on picking up the issue when it releases? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!