Why Sonic the Hedgehog Fans are Flipping Out Over an IDW Comic Preview

By Marc Deschamps

A preview for Sonic The Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island #4 was released by IDW, and it has fans of the blue blur buzzing on social media. In the pages, we can see Mecha Sonic attempting to transfer Sonic's mind into his body. However, before the process can be completed, Mecha Sonic is stopped by the Scrapniks, causing a massive explosion. As a result, Mecha Sonic screams "I'll crush you!" before chasing after the Scrapniks. That one line has resulted in a lot of excitement from fans causing "He said the thing" to trend on Twitter over the last 24 hours.

For those that might not understand why this is such a big deal, the line is a clear reference to a fan made animated series called Super Mario Bros. Z. The 2006 series featured Mario and Luigi teamed up with Sonic and friends, with Turbo Mecha Sonic as the central antagonist. "I'll crush you" was one of the villain's central lines in the series, though Mecha Sonic has never used it in any official Sonic media. The lighting on Mecha Sonic on the preview page even seems to mirror his yellow coloration when he says the line in the fan series, so this was clearly an intentional decision by the comic's creative team!

Twitter user @Zange217 offered a side-by-side comparison of Super Mario Bros. Z alongside the image from Scrapnik Island #4. The two images can be found in the Tweet embedded below.

Sega has always had a unique relationship with unofficial media; in perhaps the greatest example, Sonic Mania director Christian Whitehead got his start making unofficial Sonic fan games. In 2021, Sega of America influencer manager Katie Chrzanowski also stated that the company is okay with fan material, provided that it isn't monetized. Sega clearly sees the positive impact that unofficial media can have on the brand, and it's interesting to see elements become canon as a result. While most readers probably wouldn't have picked up on Mecha Sonic's line from Scrapnik Island #4, it's clear that this moment means a lot to a certain group of Sonic fans!

Are you a fan of the Sonic comics from IDW? Did you pick up on this reference? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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