Archie Sonic already had a big cast, and even bigger one with the characters created through the years of different writers. The ages of history put together made it hard to even add in game elements without retconning everything (this is why the humans are "overlanders" and not just humans).
So unfortunately, some characters just weren't quite right...and Blaze the Cat was hit pretty hard.
Archie Blaze
Blaze is an awesome character. A princess from another dimension, Blaze is often seen as "the female Sonic" for her speed and quick attacks. But in the comics...
Pyro stuff and other abilities:
One the things that bug me right away about Archie-Blaze is the way she throws her fire around like it's nothing. In the games, she defeats Eggmans robots and has flames as she boosts or jumps. It was sort of a last resort--or at least something she preferred to do alone--since Blaze is sort of shy about her powers.
The way Archie portrays her, Burning Blaze is obsolete because it already seems like she has unlimited power.
I think part of this is that Flynn wanted a make-shift Team Rose, combining Blaze, a cool character, and axing Big, a not-so cool character. The problem? Blaze is a speed type, and can definitely run faster than Amy. But can Amy--who always has a giant hammer--be a power character? No, because she chases Sonic all the time. So there's this awkward double Speed-but-Power in this little team.
Speaking of unused skills: Blaze's speed is acknowledged like, once, the entire time (with her running like once or twice). And even then she had to openly admit Sonic was faster than her. I mean, duh, he is, but the way it was worded just seemed out of character...which brings us to:
Personality
Then her attitude just seems a bit off. In the games, Blaze is fairly calm unless the Sol Emeralds or someone she cares about is threatened. Then she's super angry. She's also a bit judge-y (Cream is too out-going, Silver is naive, and Marine is a nuisance), and a clear-cut introvert.
In the comics she's always making rushed decisions, falling for traps, and scolding herself over it.
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| This is Blaze not Cosmo. |
And then other characters step in or add their two-cents.
She just seems too [insert word here].
Too formal:
Too angry:
Too bossy:
Too obvious:
Now minus "obvious," Blaze is all these things. However, it just feels off. I guess Flynn is trying too hard? All the characters (especially PSGW) have been transitioned to be like their game counterparts, and in a good way. But Blaze's dialogue feels heavy or forced. It just doesn't match Rush or 06.
Design
Blaze's design just looks a little bulky. I'm perfectly aware that in Blaze's Sonic Channel art her shoulders have sort of a squared look to them...
But in the comics it looks unnatural. Boxy.
She also will have weird looks with her side fur/hair. Unnatural.
And everyone knows: Burning Blaze doesn't have the dark edges on her ponytail.
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| Archie |
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| Rush |
And while we're complaining about that design, I always figured the area around her gloves was like fire, not a recolor of her normal fur-like gloves.
And don't get me started on her original appearance:
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| Does this not look like a fan comic? |
Luckily, with the exception of those small details, Blaze didn't look too bad. I mean, Sonic himself got the weirder phases.
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| Sonic you might want to see a dentist about those jagged teeth. |
Interactions with Other Characters
Sonic
Speaking of Sonic, Blaze hardly sees him. In the games, there was Sonic Rush, where they saved the world from Eggman and Eggman Nega. Adventure--same thing but in her dimension. Those are big events, and although Adventure did happen, Rush was different. It was like, "see you in my dreams, yeah, you too." Lame. And otherwise it's been Shadow or Amy--Sonic himself barely says a word to her.
Now I'm sure part of this problem is Sally. Sonic already has a strong, princess, sorta-girlfriend. So shifting the focus on Blaze, an equally capable character, would take away from the Sonic-Sally will-they/won't-they (when, plus, Sonic's already had Fiona, Mina, or whoever, it's too much).
I guess it's also easy to shove Blaze into spin-off territory (Universe) because she's in another dimension, and Sonic jumping over there or vise-versa would call for a bigger plot. Eggman Nega not being available (Dr. Nega!) probably also limited the plot (which is why we see lots of pirates and the Southern Island more than anything else).
Marine
While in the games Blaze found Marine to be a nuisance and only warmed up to her in the game's end, they seem like BFFs in the comics.
It's like they're always together. Seriously? I'd expect them to be friends/to go on adventures together, but Blaze is a princess over there. I'm pretty sure she doesn't live with the girl.
Cream
Blaze and Cream are nice to each other, but they don't have the same warm friendship like in the games.
It seemed like Cream was more attached to Amy.
Amy
They help each other and I guess they're friends, but it feels like Amy's always coming to the rescue. Talking Team Dark down, going after robot-pirates...
She's like 12 (oh wait, this is the comics) or 8-ish--Blaze is 14, and more powerful than Amy--so why isn't it the other way around?
Shadow
In the games, Blaze has never said a word to Shadow (I don't think...well...Percival). Anyways, since Sonic was busy (I guess?) having Shadow stand in made sense (I guess?). But it's this awkward, boarder-line girlfriend-boyfriend relationship.
In SU 1 it was okay, but Treasure Team Tango? Akwkard. Seemed out of character for both parties. And then Flynn was (comically) shipping Blaze with Omega at the same time, which just hurt the whole idea more. I think it could have worked out, maybe. Both of them are loners, and they could have gotten stuck with each other or something...but that didn't happen. I don't know, it just wasn't done properly.
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| The most awkward hold ever. Sonic doesn't hold Sally/Elise/Amy/character-of-your-choice that way. |
Other Characters
It's weird to see Blaze with the Hooligans, but whatever. Seemed to work in a funny way I guess. In addition, there aren't many interactions with Silver. I'm not super crushed by this (more crushed by the absence of Sonic), but it's surprising since they usually wind up together...
Absent Characters
Again, no Nega, so it's hard to see Blaze without a major enemy (I guess it's pirate-Metal-Sonic now?). Talks even less to Tails than in the games.
I actually think it would have been interesting do something with Sally (since they are both "please don't call me princess" princesses). There would have been good contrast between Sally's leadership/work-in-teams philosophy and Blaze's responsible/I-work-alone point of view.
I guess had the comics continued, she would have met up with Bunnie, and there would be some kind of new villain. That would have been cool, but too bad. It'll never happen now.
Also, as a Sonaze fan, it was pretty disappointing to see this:
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| I ship Sonaze! |
Come ON?! It's bad enough you'd have to zigzag or break the lines to get to Sonic, but they default Blaze to Omega?! Come on! Nobody can take that seriously! And why is Big there? And Nicole, for that matter? Oh, because it was Spark of Life? In that case, there's only 3 characters from that arc even there, so why...UGH.
Blaze is one of my favorite characters, and her Archie appearance was disappointing. It was better than nothing, but it wasn't great. I have hope for IDW, but considering Flynn already had her firing away the moment she's introduced...
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| Come on, the fire-tornado move was never so explosive. |
Well at least the art's better...but lets see that last for nearly 25 years.
