IDW invites you to get to know our wonderful editors a little bit better. This week up, David Mariotte, Associate Editor of Sonic the Hedgehog!

Can you start by telling us a bit about which Sonic character you relate to the most, and why?

As many people know, my favorite character is Big the Cat, but I think that’s because he’s my ideal, not the character I relate to the most. I’d love to be able to take things slow and steady like Big, but I often find things going fast.

So, I guess I ultimately relate to Sonic the most. And I think that’s part of the appeal of his character. He’s cool, he’s smart, he’s confident, he works hard to win against Dr. Eggman. I think everyone can relate to Sonic.

When was the very first time you were introduced to Sonic the Hedgehog? Would you have guessed you would one day be editing it?

I had picked up some of the old Sonic cartoons on VHS from my local video store as a kid, but the first time I really got introduced to Sonic was actually because of IDW. Back in the early days of IDW, we had worked on some game guides and the like and IDW CEO Ted Adams had a spare Dreamcast and a host of games. My dad worked at IDW at the time and being the guy with a kid the right age, I got the Dreamcast and Sonic Adventure. From that point on, I was hooked.

I never really guessed that I would be editing it, but comics are a cyclical thing and clearly it was meant to be.

What would you say is the #1 thing about yourself that surprises people the first time they meet you?

Most people are surprised to find out that I minored in Gender and Women’s Studies in college. But having an understanding of intersectional feminism is incredibly important and informs all of my decisions.

What has your favorite part about editing the Sonic comics leading into the release of IDW’s series?

I loved the fan reaction to Tangle. When you have a devoted fan-base, it can sometimes be scary introducing a new character, but people just reacted so positively that it absolutely made my month.

What is the number one thing you’re excited for with the launch of the new IDW Sonic comic series?