Knuckles the Echidna #4

Knuckles the Echidna #4
Corner Box: No. 4 Aug. $1.50 (no picture)
Cover: Knuckles has a fighting pose and images of Archimedes and the Chaotix are in the background

Book Four: Lost Paradise (Part One of Three)

"The Phantom City"
Ken Penders - Writer
Manny Galan - Penciler
Andrew Pepoy - Inker
Barry Grossman - Colorist
Vickie Williams - Letterer
J. Freddy Gabrie - Editor
Victor Gorelick - Managing Editor
Richard Goldwater - Editor-In-Chief

(Introduction page)
Knuckles endured his first encounter with the Dark Legion, a group of echidnas with advanced technology. Knuckles also learned about the actions of his ancestors, which both helped save the Floating Island and place it in grave danger. Now Knuckles must find the truth behind what his father once taught him.

Vector swims in a stream until he notices a shadow near the riverbank. Having the element of surprise on his side, Vector jumps out of the water and heads toward a Dark Legion member. The hooded echidna dodges Vector's attack and punches him, sending Vector backwards. Meanwhile, Knuckles tries to meditate. Archimedes scolds Knuckles for not taking his training seriously. Suddenly, Archimedes notices a member of the Dark Legion approaching Knuckles. When Archimedes gives a signal, Knuckles jumps backwards and kicks the figure. The figure fights back with an electric zapper, and Knuckles hits it out of the figure's hand. The figure dives for the weapon, but Knuckles pins him to the ground. The hood falls off of the figure, and Knuckles realizes that it is a girl. The girl punches Knuckles and picks up her weapon, ready to stop Knuckles. Archimedes breathes fire at the girl's hand as Knuckles picks up the weapon and removes the batteries.

Knuckles demands to know where Kragok's troops are, and the girl says she doesn't know. After saying that her name is Julie-Su, she explains that Kragok was the one that activated a self-destruct sequence. As Knuckles escaped from the building, she tried to follow him, but she lost him along the way. She barely managed to escape with her life. Julie-Su planned on rejoining the Dark Legion, but she realized that she couldn't do it. Suddenly the Chaotix appear, and Vector is upset about his earlier defeat. Knuckles tries to keep Julie-Su and Vector from fighting and then asks why the Chaotix are here. Espio and Vector explain that the ground was shaking in the Marble Zone (near the area where Vector lives). Knuckles wonders why he didn't feel the ground shake as his father watches the conversation at Haven. Julie-Su suggests that the Dark Legion may be testing a new device. Vector does not believe Julie-Su since she is still wearing her cloak from the Dark Legion. Julie-Su removes the cloak as Knuckles tells Vector that they should trust her for now.

Knuckles Fan Art - 1 page

Find Your Name in Print Page! - 1 page

Knuckles' father knows that Julie-Su will be the end of Knuckles. He continues to watch as Knuckles says Archimedes and himself will figure out what is going on while everyone else stays behind in case something goes wrong. Julie-Su demands to go with Knuckles, who decides to let her come with him. A figure walks into the room and stands beside Knuckles' father. As he watches Knuckles and Julie-Su, Knuckles' father mentions that nothing ever prepared him for Lara-Le. The other echidna tells Locke (Knuckles' father) that the situation will be disastrous. Locke responds that they must be ready for anything.

Knuckles, Archimedes, and Julie-Su walk for hours without finding a tremor or signs of the Dark Legion. Suddenly a tremor knocks them to the ground, and a city appears in front of them. The other echidna worries that their plans will be ruined as Locke says it may not since Archimedes is also there. Knuckles is upset and thinks that it is a trick by the Dark Legion. Archimedes stands on Knuckles' arm and says that they must continue forward to discover the truth. Knuckles and Julie-Su walk forward and disappear. Once inside, Knuckles realizes that they must be inside Echidnaopolis. Archimedes confirms Knuckles' thoughts to be true as Julie-Su remarks that nobody is noticing them. Suddenly a voice calls out Knuckles' name and is shocked that he didn't recognize his mother. Knuckles is in shock and says he thought she was dead since his father was the only echidna he knew. The image of Knuckles' mother disappears and soon Knuckles realizes that the city also disappeared. Knuckles demands answers from Archimedes, who tells Knuckles not to ask any questions. A tremor splits the ground in two, and Knuckles finds himself falling into the crack. Julie-Su grabs Knuckles by the foot and helps him back to the ground. Knuckles is not thankful for Julie-Su's efforts.

Echidnaopolis returns once again, and the three walk into the portal. The citizens are running and panicking, so Knuckles stops one of them. The citizen explains that it is judgment day and runs off to find his wife and child. Knuckles decides to find his mother since Archimedes will not explain anything to him. Julie-Su points out a statue and a plaque. The plaque says that the statue is dedicated to Guardian Hawking, who created the Hyper Zone Projector. Knuckles decides that they need to discover what happened to Hawking and the projector. An echidna appears with a team of echidnas wearing hats with the letters "EST" appear. The echidna says that Knuckles and his friends need to find some answers now.

(To be continued.)

Post Cards from the Hedge of the Floating Island highlights:
~ The next issue features General Stryker
~ There is a contest to come up with a new name for the Knuckles letter page. The winner will receive a pin-up of Sonic & Knuckles, the first 50 people to respond will win a Sonic & Knuckles mini-poster and a Sonic 3 game button, and the next 200 people to respond will get the poster (deadline was July 31, 1997)
~ Enerjak/Dimitri will return in Knuckles 7-9
~ Menniker is Knuckles' great-uncle, 15 generations removed
~ Kragok is the descendent of Menniker, just as Knuckles is a descendent of Steppenwolf
~ Being a guardian is harder than it looks
~ Knuckles' doesn't have a girlfriend yet

(Summary by Silver Starr)

Read the next issue

Back to the Knuckles the Echidna Comic Information page
Back to the Comic Information page
Home

E-mail

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws