IDW Publishing's Sonic the Hedgehog line of comics is officially shaking things up with the announcement that illustrator Evan Stanley will be taking over the ongoing, main Sonic the Hedgehog title as both writer and illustrator beginning with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog #33. Stanley is set to pick things up after the conclusion of the ongoing Metal Virus plot in what IDW calls "an action-packed, friendship fueled new arc." But if you're a fan of longtime Sonic writer Ian Flynn, never fear as IDW and Sega also announced that Flynn and artist Jack Lawrence are set to produce a new spinoff miniseries called Sonic: Bad Guys.

"Sonic the Hedgehog comics have been a constant source of joy and inspiration for me for well over ten years, and the truth is, this opportunity is a dream I didn’t believe could come true," Stanley says. "The world of Sonic has a truly amazing creative legacy, and I've always pushed myself to make my contributions as meaningful and worthwhile as they can be -- and that’s more important than ever now. I hope I can deepen the world of IDW's Sonic The Hedgehog comics, exploring new places and characters while continuing to deliver exciting adventures about Sonic and his friends!"

While IDW did not provide exact release dates for either comic, one assumes that they will debut once everything settles with the whole ongoing coronavirus pandemic going on and comics shops can actually operate once again. In the new main title arc -- "Chao Races and Badnik Bases" -- "Tails and Sonic try to solve how to fix their damaged ally, Omega," according to IDW's description. "Elsewhere, Rouge and Shadow team up with Cream to win replacement parts for Omega through... Chao races!"

(Photo: IDW Publishing / Gigi Dutreix & Reggie Graham)

As for Sonic: Bad Guys, the title sort of explains it all. The four-issue miniseries focuses on Dr. Starline in the aftermath of the Metal Virus and what happens when the evil assistant and Dr. Eggman devotee sets up in one of the good doctors abandoned bases. The announcement teases that fans can expect "some familiar and not-so-friendly faces" to show up as recruits as well, though it's unclear exactly which characters might feature beyond Starline himself.

"It's been a thrill to see fans embrace the comic's original characters, and one of those fan-favorites is Dr. Starline," Flynn says. "We've known him up until now as a die-hard Eggman fanboy, but what happens when your idol outright disses you? After exploring the power of trust and friendship in Tangle & Whisper, Bad Guys is going to be a completely different type of adventure."

"Actors often say they most enjoy playing villains, and I have to be honest: I feel the same way about drawing them!" Lawrence says. "There's just something so fun about drawing a sneaky look or evil grin, hands rubbing together in greed or anticipation of some nefarious deed. Sonic's villains are some of the worst people you can possibly imagine, so I'm super excited to show just how vile some of them can be!"

What do you think of the new Sonic the Hedgehog comics? Are you excited to check out the new main title arc? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!

Keep scrolling to check out covers for Sonic the Hedgehog #33 as well as Sonic: Bad Guys #1!