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| The USA had a decent selection of Sonic the Hedgehog books, although not as many as the UK. These are mostly mini-books with vaguely original stories. They were not adapting the shows at this time. These are not too difficult to collect, with a few exceptions. A lot of these rely heavily on recycling stock art, so if you're expecting a lot of original illustration, most of the time you'll be dissapointed. Also, the USA book selection seems geared for a much younger audience than the UK, which had puzzles and complex games as a focus. These are more along the lines for anyone under 10 perhaps, (a mistake by marketing...in most opinions)
More books are being produced! Check here for the great new Sonic X book selection!
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Sonic Gear Main Page |
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4 small Sonic books. Most of these are by Michael Titlebaum. The activity book has mazes and the expected easy crosswords/ connect the dots, etc. These had a SatAm continuity basis for the stories, and some inside art. |
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Sonic's Shoes Blues. Alliteration and rhyming all in one, a typical kiddie-style book. You already know the plot. This had a more Archie-Sonic Comic style base to the story. Interestingly enough, this was created in the breif "Pink Princess Sally" period. It is by Golden Books. Every so often, you can find it on Ebay. |
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The Sonic X series of books. These appear to be a summary of an episode of the show that you can read. These are smaller then comic books, but about the same shape. They have nice glossy covers and pictures inside. Naturally, the words are big for easy readers. The books are around $4.00, one was mysteriously 3.99 the other 4.99 although they're the same size. Amazon.com will ship them to you if you can't get them in stores. There is a third one on the way "Aqua Planet by Charlotte Fullerton" |
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As you can see, the books have a design-style that will run through all of them. The back covers are the same, except the summary. The inside pages are all quite similar to the one shown. If you see this one, then you've pretty much seen them all, except for the stories. |
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Here's an interesting one.
This book has a bit of mystry to it, so you can expect higher prices when you do find it. It's also flimsier then the others with no hard cover or decent spine. (more like a thick pamphlet) This makes it somewhat easier to ruin or bend, so be careful when buying.
As you can see, this is a Sonic X-Treme book, so named for the now-infamous failed game. Predictably, Sonic is doing something 'xtreeme' on the cover, which seems to be boarding while wearing a backpack. The art is some shadowed neon, so you can't really "check out Sonic's new look" unless you actually open it up and look inside.
Not a whole lot is known about this. Interior art? What was the story? What is the fake new look? This is another Titlebaum, but by TROLL books this time.
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Look and Find Sonic the Hedgehog
If you havn't guessed, this is a "Where's Waldo", but with Sonic. You can find other characters mixed around in it as well. Someone who worked on the Archie Comics did the art. There isn't really any text much, just complex large art. This is a LARGE format hardcover book, keep that in mind when buying. Sonic Gear once owned this, but it was stolen by....the Mail Man!
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Sonic Paint N Marker Book
Not sure if this counts as an activity book, it just says it contains 'paper' for activites. Is there any Sonic art inside? Why is this themed? This isn't very common, because it's an item to 'use' rather than to collect.
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Here, someone has collected several Sonic book titles. (Ignore the Pokemon one and Sega PC game for now) You can see "How to Draw Sonic & Freinds", Up Against the Wall, Sonic Shoes Blues, Sonic (no subtitle), Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic Friend or Foe. Some of these are on this page already. |
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"Sonic the Hedgehog Friend or Foe"
This one follows rather cloesly the plot of an episode of SatAm Sonic, almost like a semi-adaptation. It's rather odd, as it's the only one that does that. As you can see on the cover, it features Robotnik's Pinball Trap but with some stock arts supplied on the bumpers. The yellow bit says how you can win something, with details inside. |
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"Sonic the Hedgehog: The Secret Admirer" (A Golden Book by John Michlig)
The cover may say "Sonic 2" (around the time when this was published) but it has nothing at all to do with the games. From the front, you can tell the plot right away. Obviously Sally is Sonic's Secret Admirer, and the old strange pinkish with black hair proto-princess who happened before they settled on her style. If you liked the early Archie Comics series of stories, you're likely to like this as well. And if not...well you can still collect it.
Secret Admirer & Friend or Foe- all photos by mAtt Pieper
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This is a "Play-a-Sound Book"
Illustrated by Rod Vass * Written by Raymond MacKemp *Sounds designed by Kristan Nordine
The story is about Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Sally on a scavenger hunt/race against Robotnik. Robotnik of course has all kinds of tricks up his sleeves. They go through many zones to find clues (Emerald Hill, Marble Zone, Chemical Plant, Mystic Cave, Sandopolis, Death Egg, and finally Metropolis). The prize is an ancient coin called The Cool Blue Baloo worth 6,000,000 Mobiums. at the end Sonic wins and buys 1 million chili dogs, and one for everyone else... and the Mobius Hospital gets to keep the change.
All Play A Sound Photos and Plot facts by SonicEmerald
Sound facts by mAtt Pieper
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It is a special book with plastic battery powered edge of buttons. The story inside is sprinkled with pictures instead of words in some of the sentances. When you see a picture show up in the sentance you're reading, you're supposed to push the corrasponding button to enhance the story with noises. |
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Stock art runs rampant on the buttons and cover because they probably couldn't get anyone to illustrate the thing. A strange and common problem. I bet you want to know what sorts of sounds the buttons make. SonicGear is very thorough: Whooshing run, punching noise, skidding sound, helicoptering, a spring, Robotnik laugh, ?,?,?,?.
To the right, you can see obvious Stock Art Knuckles, floating like an artifact in a sand whirlpool! They didn't change the art at all! Unfortunately "wonky tails" the cross-eyed mistake is spammed in here as well. |
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Better individual photos and summaries are pending for most of these, do you want to contribute? Email me! |
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