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Sonic 20th: Archetype
Published: 2011-07-15 17:28:03 +0000 UTC; Views: 292808; Favourites: 7105; Downloads: 4296
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Sonic the Hedgehog, still running since 1991~I finally finished the Sonic 20th anniversary image which I started back in May. It was meant to be done for the 23rd June, but real life went and got in the way and after missing the deadline I sort of took my time over it.
I wanted to try something big and ambitious this time, and one of my first ideas was to draw something from each of the main games... but I decided on something different in the end. Because for me that's not all the Sonic franchise is about.
I became a fan of Sonic through Fleetway's Sonic the Comic. And ever since then it's struck me how diverse the series is. It's not just about the games, but the cartoons and the books and the comics and everything else- and almost every one of those spinoffs has its own distinct universe and story. Sonic the hedgehog spans so many different worlds and universes and concepts that there's pretty much something for everyone. And yet at the heart of it all is still the same little dorky blue hero.
And that's a large part of what I love about it.
So... I decided to bring together as many of those universes as I could in one image.
The foreground represents the games, while each background panel is based on one of the non-game official universes. I didn't include them all, since there are so many different publications- that would've been near impossible. There are probably some I don't even know about. So I just concentrated on the 'main' ones, i.e those I could find out enough about to actually draw, and the ones I thought were distinct enough from everything else to be classed as an alternate universe of their own. (though admittedly I did cheat a bit with the Sonic manga.)
I tried to get a bit of each universe's individual art stlyle into the image, be it physics-defying quills or ear placement or colouring. There's a fair bit of artistic licence used though, especially where there isn't any official artwork or what little there is doesn't match the description in the text (i.e novels)- or where the style changed a lot through the course of the series (Fleetway/Archie). The Modern Super Sonic and Shadow are in my personal style.
~
-Sonic the Hedgehog games- Modern and Classic- 1991-present
-Sonic Manga, Mega Drive Fan Magazine- 1991
-Sonic Manga, Shogakukan no Gakushuuzasshi/Corocoro- 1992-1994
-Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog & its spinoff series- 1993-present
-Egmont Fleetway's Sonic the Comic- 1993-2002
-Sonic the Hedgehog novels by Martin Adams- 1993-1994
-Sonic the Hedgehog Adventure Gamebooks- 1993-1996
-Sonic the Hedgehog, cartoon (SatAM) - 1993-1994
-Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, cartoon- 1993
-Sonic the Hedgehog OVA/Sonic the Movie- 1996
-Sonic Underground, cartoon- 1999-2000
-Sonic X, cartoon, comic & novels- 2003-2007
(can you tell which is which?)
~
Honourable Mentions- these aren't in the image, but still deserve a shout out. I haven't included them because I either couldn't find a copy to get an idea of what I was supposed to be drawing, or I didn't think I could make them stand out next to a similar universe I did include. Sadly I didn't have room for everything.
- That Infamous Disney Adventures Comic <.<
- Stay Sonic novel by Mike Pattenden- 199?
- UK Sonic publications: Sunday newspaper strip, Annuals- 1990s
- Ladybird Children's Books- 1990s
-Sonic the hedgehog novels by Michael Teitelbaum- 1993-1996
- Sonic Adventures: Dans Les Griffes De Robotnik, comic, 1994
- Dash & Spin; Super Fast Sonic, Corocoro Comics- 2005
-Various one-off comics and books
- It's semi-official but we can't forget STC Online
....And I know I missed some. @_@
Keep being awesome, Sonic. <3
*offers cookie to anyone who actually read this through*
Edit: Updated the honourable mentions list!
Edit 2: ....holy... a DD? o____O I don't know what to say!
Edit 3:
(pssst... I don't really post to DA anymore, but I'm in a few other places where you can find more art with less watermarks.
www.weasyl.com/~swirlything
www.furaffinity.net/user/lurky…
teapoweredart.tumblr.com/
I also have this image and my other two anniversary pics available as prints on Redbubble! www.redbubble.com/people/swirl… )
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Comments: 766
I will keep it in mind. I try to stay away from e-bay XD; At least until I can get a job. XP
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of couarse...if that one with the lizard-dude was an STC issue, that would explain why it's unfamiliar to me *facepalm* XD;
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this is spectacularly mind blowing! The details on all the different varients of sonic and the worlds he lives in look gorgeous. They are so lovingly crafted together and compiled it makes for one majorly epic picture. I don't have a favorite bit of this picture, the whole piece is my favorite.
What I like about this picture is also the rush of nostalgia from all the different versions of sonic, that I grew up with. like the AOsth cartoon and fleetway
I have no cookies but can I gives you caek?
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Holy -- This is amazing! Wow, you did such an amazing job. Haha, same as Pokemongrl, I'm a big fan and some of these I haven't seen before!
Just- whoa, incredible job! Looks wonderful!!
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This is fantastic, easily the best Sonic 20th Anniversary picture I've seen yet! The level of detail here is stunning! You've captured the charm of each different Sonic universe perfectly, and it's nice to see some of the more obscure universes being represented (the gamebooks and the novels in particular, both of which I fondly remember). Awesome work
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Ok, that is way, WAY past cool.
..Despite being such a big fan, even I don't recognize some of these.
The games, and the Archie and Fleetway ones are my favorites here. The comics and games are overall my fav part of the series, but nothing will stop Sonic from being awesome in my mind.
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You'll have to give yourself a PRRROMOTION!!!
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Wow. Pretty amazing compilation filled with nostalgia. I'm sure it's also an eye-opener for many people too.
Thank you for creating and sharing this awesome work! It's been quite a while since art made me feel this way.
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HOLY SHIETTTTTTTT! This.....is......so.......WAY PAST MUDDAFUGGIN' COOOOOOOOOOOLL!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything here is absolutely FLAWLESS! The entire coloring looks marvelously beautiful! The lighting/shading and background (especially the Space Colony ARK BG and the Green Hill BG) looks amazingly cool! and everyone's poses and expressions really fit each other! This isgotta be one of the most Awesomely stunningly EPIC Sonic pics I have EVER seen EVER!!!!!! Very way past cool,very EPIC,Very Impressive job!
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Woot! Ya got down all the universes of Sonic! Now that's an instant win right their.
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Such a clever and striking composition, and even more personal are some very unusual choices of the many universes that have inspired over 20 years. Absolutely stunning!
T
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OMG This is freakin AWESOME!!!!!
I love you so much for including the Martin Adams novels! I can tell that panel right away. Most of the others I can tell as well but some of the Sonic Universes I'm not familiar with.
I could sit looking at this picture all night, there's so much detail. Absolutely a fantastic job on this!
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you own me a cookie
yes Sonic has different styles for differents people likes, clasic or modern, in an adventure or just sleeping, he stills the same blue blur.
"Sonic is the name speed is his game" c:
i love this pic, you actually cathed all the important parts of his life, all his changes, the adventures he has been in, etc.
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This is SERIOUSLY impressive and really made me smile ^_^b That's some damn fine attention to detail you have there. You have MADSKILLZ.
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Oh, wowowowowowoowow! All the different continuities, even the books...and your own! This is great. Congrats! :hearts:
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This must have taken you a while to finish this...
Back to the picture, this looks amazing. Kudos to going through the effort of drawing the different media Sonic has been portrayed in. Also liking how you tried to match the style of the panels' respective styles (if that made sense), but they still have your personal touches here and there and ended the picture with your own style. The colors and the details look awesome~
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This is just...this hands down is one of the most amazing, brilliantly presented and fantastically done tributes to ANY franchise I've ever seen. I will openly admit that finding the words to describe how amazing this is is incredibly difficult! I can totally relate with Sonic and Fleetway, I grew up with Fleetway so to see Johnny Lightfoot brings a tear to me (His death really shook me as a child) as well as Super Sonic (I always loved the crazy version far more than the hero) Also seeing Sonic Underground AND SaTAM is just nostalgia all the way!
Artistically, this is just superb! It really is! The colour, the composition, the emotion! I really truly think every Sonic fan, hell every SEGA fan should see this! I'm completely blown away by this, 100% A fantastic, mind-bogglingly amazing piece of work!
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I have never seen something this pieced together since I've been here 8D
GREAT JOB!
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Great as always!!, I thought u were gone cuz I haven't seen anything from u in a while now 
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Thanks! I haven't been posting much, no. Real life's been a little hectic this year. I'm still around, though.
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@-@...wow!
Talk about going nuts here, i don't think anyone here could think up something that MEGA 
I love the fact who you added all of the different stuff with Sonic all in one, it's insane but my god it's good
I did admit saw a bit of this on your blogger so i knew you were up to something good, but now looknig at the finished product, i didn't expect it at all ^^
Which it was a lovely surprise
Overall amazing work; full or colour and AWSOMENESS!!! x
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Thanks so much <3
I'll have to post the finished thing and some progress shots to my blogger later, since I've been neglecting it.
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you're welcome X3
just happy to see such wonderful work...and plus just happy to see you're alive
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Aww crap. I just wrote something huge but I accidentally navigated away from the page. WHOOPS. D:
A-Anyway, there are seriously no words that can help me express my love for this.
The obvious amount of effort you put into this seriously was seriously worth it.
...I actually don't recogise what two of the panels are. Oh, the shame! I'm not a Sonic genius! xD
But you've perfectly captured the spirit of the ones I do know, and I'm sure you've done the same with the two I don't. c:
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...seriously was seriously worth it.
ASDFGHJKL NICE JOB OMOCHAO D:
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On the one hand, yay I got a cookie!
On the other hand, blast it all nothing will ever top this! Ever.
Ah well, I just gotta say that not only have you provided us with the most awesome piece of Sonic art ever, but you've also gotten right to the heart of the matter in your comment. A big part of Sonic's awesomeness is that he's been portrayed in so many variations of the same basic story. I salute ye!
Also, which serieses are the panel on the far right and the one with the lizard and white hedgehog based on?
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Thank you!
Those are both from UK-published book series. The one with the white hedgehog (Cinos) is from a series of four novels by Martin Adams, and the other is from the Sonic Adventure Gamebooks which were Fighting Fantasy style choose-your-own-adventure books.
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Alrighty then, thank you!
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I am glad that I recognised over 50% of the non-game references. I love Sonic as well, which is why i've been so nervous about the future for him. I'm not looking forward to the Generations game coming, the demo was so BORING. : C
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Best fanart I've seen in a while. This is my new wallpaper. Fantastic job, Thalia. Thanks for this beautiful picture.
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I have no other words than this is fantastic, late it my be. But I'd love this up on a wall it's so awesome.
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Hi there
Wow! There sure is alot of detail in this pic ^^ Awesome work!
Euan
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Thalia, this is some seriously awesome work. This is really worth every effort made, and apart from the obviously great visuals, there's clearly a lot of love that's gone into this.
The colouring as well is of note, as each scene is so vibrant and wonderful without being overbearing.
A fantastic job.
*Eats cookie*
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Since I cannot fave this ENOUGH, I'm going to gush completely and utterly all over the comments. Holy crap, where do I begin in talking about this fantastic piece. For starters your technical prowess is just proven completely by this pic, in how you've rendered each and every sonic, retaining your artstyle while still adhering to what made the other sonic's iconic : O and ooooh the way the space scene transitions into GHZ, it really pushes the boundaries on INTENSE NOSTALGIA.
Also I love how you put the OVA strip next to the STC one, that's like mah childhood right there :'D I would really love to see a massive version of all this, I don't care if it just blows up my screen XD I really want to zoom into the OVA panel and stare at it in awe.
Wonderful job :'D
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I've pretty much been there since the beginning with the games, SatAM, AoStH and the Archie comics, watching Sonic grow and evolve, even the different interpretations of the character leading up to a multiverse.
for the life of me, I don't know what the panel with the white hedgehog and lizard is all about as well as the one in the far right...
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XD those are pretty obscure ones, yes. They're both from British book series. The one with the white hedgehog is from a series of novels by Martin Adams, and the other is from the Adventure Gamebooks (choose your own adventure books).
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ah, of course, me being in the US would've had me miss those XP but I HAVE heard of Sonic the Comic thanks to the early days of the internet and I've been meaning to read that~
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It's worth a read! I wish I could have got hold of some of the Sonic books you have over there,too.
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I believe Archie exports their comics worldwide and some import shops have them there in the UK. They started compiling their older issues into graphic novels as the Archives and Selects, hopefully the UK gets those as well to have you guys catch up to us. (or download online if you're impatient, lol)
...admittedly, the writing was kind of terrible between issue 50 and 160 before Ian Flynn came in and made sense of it all... it's a miracle the comics went on for this long.
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Oh I follow the Archie comics ^_^ when I can, anyway. The books I meant were the Sonic X and various other children's books/novels that were published over there. I find that stuff really interesting.
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Wow, this is really mind blowingly awesome. You did such an amazing job with each drawing. From the ones that I know, I can easily tell what they're from. My favorites are SatAM and the Movie. The way you made the two games transition into each was also creative and well done ^^ Even if this is late, it's probably the best piece I've seen!
Also I think you forgot Sonic SatAM, Sonic Underground, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sonic X in the list? Perhaps I'm wrong.
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