Waves In Greeting From Across The Internet

*Waves in greeting from across the Internet*

(Don't know if you've gotten questions like this before but wanted to see what you'd think, considering how much you seem to like Shadow.)

Q: Concerning Shadow's title of Ultimate Life Form, do you think that it is something empowering he should wear with pride, or a curse/burden to be freed of which, among other things, shackles him to horrific and unrealistic expectations?

I feel like this question is kinda like a litmus test for why a person may like Shadow.

Personally, I think there's nuance to be found here. To me, Shadow feels both those ways about being "The Ultimate Lifeform," but how he feels about it bounces between one or the other depending on his mood. He is The Ultimate Lifeform, a being of great power that demands respect when he's trying to intimidate someone or achieving his goals -- Goals only he is capable of achieving, with what he is and all that. Obviously. He's the Ultimate Lifeform, so of course he should be the one to step in and solve the problem. He was designed to be an unstoppable force...

... So when he fails, he has to mentally come to grips with that failure in a way that, I feel, is more difficult for him than, say, if Sonic fails. Sonic is natural. His failures are natural. Shadow is unnatural. His failures. Are. Unnatural. They are not meant to happen. It's arrogance until it's not. His status is just as much a rope he holds to climb a mountain as it is a noose around his neck. A source of confidence, and Gerald Robotnik's judgemental gaze.

He's proud. He's an achiever. He's a pillar of strength. Until he slips.

So, how he (may) feel is how I feel. Depending on his mood, Shadow's Ultimate Lifeform title is both a boon to him and a great and terrible weight. He draws strength and self-loathing from it in equal amounts. That's simply how I interpret it, anyway.

sparkFLAME Announced by Scrapnik Island Writer Daniel Barnes

excited to announce an all-new project from the IDW Sonic Comics Crew: sparkFLAME -- a black & white, Shonen Jump-flavored, comic book anthology featuring 11 all-new, original, 5-page stories created by the writers and artists of IDW Sonic! this project was started as a way of forcing all of us to develop and work on all of our original, non-Sonic concepts and ideas. all of us, on the book, love Sonic. but, we wanted to take this chance to really flex or comic booking muscles beyond just the blue hedgehog! more details to come, in the very near future! get hyped!

Currently known stories include:

Endless Fantasia: written by Daniel Barnes, art by Mike Luckas, screen tone by Reggie Graham

Drogune: written by Ian Flynn, art by Adam Bryce Thomas

The Nine Lives of Klaws McGee: written by Ian Flynn, art by Jonathan Griffiths (@greliz)

Ensouled: from Evan Stanley (@spiritsonic)

Virtuablu: from Aaron Hammerstrom (@aaronhamm)

Evalla: from Reggie Graham (@ziggyfin)

as well as stories from Miles Arq, Gigi Dutreix, Rik Mack (@rikdraws), Natalie Haines (@lightningstar1389), and Mauro Fonseca (@maurofonseca).

Logo Design by Tracker_TD

sparkFLAME is an independent project with no involvement from IDW

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aftermath-machine1984

1 week ago

Mecha Sonic from Scrapnik Island

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aftermath-machine1984

4 weeks ago

Chaos control trend 🫡

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aftermath-machine1984

8 months ago

Say thank you to people who make free stuff you can use however. Thank you repeating pattern artists, thank you texture artists, thank you background artists, thank you royalty free music artists, thank you font designers, thank you thank you thank you mwah mwah mwah

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aftermath-machine1984

2 years ago

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aftermath-machine1984

8 years ago

Open to Improvement

DeviantArt has never really been a parade of good advice for growing artists, but some particular “words of wisdom” are way more bothersome than others.

(Right-click and open in new tab or right-click ‘view’ to see the comic properly)

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aftermath-machine1984

2 months ago

My favourite alternative news resources for staying informed:

Garbage Day — As an internet user, you are affected by the state of the internet — I’ve long read this newsletter for its analysis of culture through the lens of internet ephemera, but in recent weeks Garbage Day has also become one of the very best sources of breaking news and analysis about the ongoing coup. Even if you subscribe to nothing else in this e-mail, you are certain to discover a variety of journalists and news publishers via this publication (many of the independent journalists linked below I originally found via a link in Garbage Day.)

404 Media — As a reader of my work, you are affected by US anti-pornography laws, which limit freedom of sexual expression online — Sam Cole (ex-senior editor for Motherboard) at the independent news publication 404 Media does the best reporting on news related to these topics of any individual journalist I'm aware of. 404 Media is an internet and technology news platform that was co-founded by four journalists: a writer, two senior editors, and the editor-in-chief of Motherboard.

What the Fuck Just Happened Today? — As a person who lives in the world right now, you are, unfortunately, affected to some extent by US politics — WTFJHT delivers an extremely lucid, concise, once-per-day summary of US political news.

Law Dork — As a person affected to some extent by US politics, it is in your interest to understand US law. Chris Geidner (US Supreme Court expert and ex-BuzzFeed legal editor) is the best source I can recommend for informative, detailed reporting + analysis of, in particular, LGBTQ+ political and legal issues in US news.

Erin in the Morning — Erin Reed (trans rights activist and ex-digital director for TheAmerican Independent) is one of the best sources for all news regarding the fight for trans rights in the US; in-depth coverage of the wave of anti-trans legislation and how people are fighting back. Very difficult and vitally important work.

Notes on the Crises — Nathan Tankus (economist and self-taught monetary policy expert.) This is a finance-focused publication that has pivoted to full-time coverage of Elon Musk's activities within the treasury. It has been one of the first places to break news of Musk's activities and has been cited in the lawsuits against him.

Popular Information — Judd Legum (founder of the now-defunct ThinkProgress.) Highly influential investigative reporting; also publishes the newly-minted Musk Watch, focused on Elon Musk’s activities.

Public Notice — Aaron Rupar (ex-Vox journalist.) Notable reporting on the activities of the US right wing for a progressive audience.

WIRED — Believe it or not, the tech-focused magazine WIRED has been consistently publishing what is universally considered to be some of the best reporting on all breaking news WRT Elon Musk’s ongoing bureaucratic coup.

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aftermath-machine1984

2 years ago

INKtober Day 26-DR NAZO

Japanese pop-culture’s first modern supervillain, Dr Nazo has been either a disfigured human scientist or an evil alien tyrant! However, no matter the origin, this costumed clawed madman left a infamous legacy of evil schemes, from creating monsters, to building many a death ray, to trying to hurl a rouge planet right at Earth, Nazo’s misdeeds would go to inspired many a villain in both anime and manga! Only the legendary GOLDEN BAT, the super-mummy from Atlantis, has the power and means to stand in his way!

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aftermath-machine1984

3 months ago

If you played Sonic X Shadow Generations, how well (Or not) do you think Shadow was written as a character in his own campaign?

i think that Shadow Gens gave us the best written Shadow we've had since 06

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aftermath-machine1984

3 months ago