Other-M, "Of the Fittest" issue #3, 28 pages Review written by Matt Johnson, a.k.a. Tergonaut Summary: Sonic challenges Antoine to a sparring match, which promises to be one of the best spectator events the rebellion will ever see! Credits: Cover: Sarah-Le Story: Ian Potto Art: Anime ABYS, pages 1-9; Fei Kisaragi, pages 13-28 Lettering: Same as above Other-M logo design: Jeffrey "Z-Kara" Houston Plot: The scene opens with a view of the mountain where the rebellion's hideout is located, but quickly switches to the inside of Antoine's living space. Sonic comes in and hangs at the door as he watches Antoine practicing moves and maneuvers with his sword, and only when Antoine notices him does he speak up. Sonic's current living quarters (read: a hole in the wall, with a leak no less) are just about intolerable, and so he's come to Antoine to ask whose idea it was to stick him in such a miserable situation. Antoine's response again brings up Sonic's past incompetence (which Sonic has no memory of at all), this time as the reason he was not given a better bunk. Apparently, Bean decided on a system of resources according to what an individual does. If someone is contributing to the cause, then they get better living conditions and more rations. If they're just hanging around for the free food, then they get treated as such. But this is a different Sonic who hasn't deserved such a punishment, and his way of getting better living conditions is challenge Antoine to a duel. It then becomes a double wager, and the prizes are bunks and names: if Sonic wins, then he gets Antoine's spacious room with a proper light (and no leak), and he gets to call Antoine anything he likes. If Antoine wins, then Sonic has to stick to his bunk, AND has to call Antoine "Mr. Antoine, sir" forever. Antoine, allowing his sense of pride to blind him, accepts this challenge, and ten minutes later Bark is called upon to be the judge while the other rebels look on as witnesses and spectators. The second the match begins, Sonic begins by pulling some fast moves, and at first Antoine is so surprised by Sonic's competence that he can barely react. But then he begins to duel in earnest, and even Sonic's speed doesn't save him from a few blows. As the match continues, Bean walks by and notices the match going on. His first reaction is to stop it, but Bunnie comes up and tells him that this is exactly what they've needed after all the fighting they've done. The rebellion has been fighting practically nonstop ever since it was organized, and this match is an opportunity for everyone to enjoy a simple display of skill without worrying about getting shot. As for the match, Antoine and Sonic have traded several blows, and both are getting tired out. But Sonic throws a kick with one of his roboticized feet that gives the finishing blow, and he is proclaimed as the winner! Later, Antoine has just finished packing his things and is about to leave when Sonic makes him an offer to be roommates. The first one to get to the room gets the mattress. This offer opens up a conversation that brings up the fact that in this world, things happened differently. Apparently, Kodos in this reality is the vassal-lord of the Mobotropoline Province, appointed there by the Guardian, and King Robert O'Hedge is the vassal-lord of Mercia. These conflict with Sonic's past realities, but he does not have much time to think on it when Fiona comes to tell them that Bean is planning for the next mission. After they gather with the rest of the core members of the rebellion, Bean asks if they have finally settled their disagreement. A joking reply from Sonic and an egotistic one from Antoine are his answers, and so Bean thrusts a knife into the map on the table as he proclaims, "Alright then. Listen up, folks, 'cause this is the plan for the next strike!" Analysis/Opinion: The plot section above is considerably shorter due to the brawl sequence between Sonic and Antoine, just to let everyone know. Sonic's challenge to Antoine is somewhat typical for our Sonic, and shows that he's fed up with his hole in the wall. Can we blame him? All things said and done, the match was executed well enough, and I was only confused about the perspective and/or the placement of the fighters in a few places. Many brawls aren't done as well as this. And Sonic's swift move to block Antoine's sword may seem a little impossible (sword swing + hedgehog = two halves of hedgehog), but remember, Sonic has already been proven to be capable of cutting through SWATbots using his buzz-saw technique. The reason Antoine's sword was not chopped was partially because his blow against Sonic was strong enough to give the hedgehog a headache, and partially because the sword is obviously constructed of a more durable material than the SWATbot design. If you take a quick look at pages 25 and 26, we can see Antoine's pleasant reaction to Fiona, and then strangely enough she speaks to Sonic directly as opposed to answering Antoine's question. Is this just a mistake? Or is this a foreshadowing of things to come? Warning: the next paragraph was written by an anal-retentive grammar freak. Anyone who doesn't like it can just skip it and got to the Final Word. You've been warned. GAH! Go to page 3, first panel, "who's" should be "whose". Don't think so? "Who's" is a composite of "who" and "is", and if you just fill out the sentence again, then it reads "To know who is idea it was to stick me in the worst bunk in the world." Then go to page 5, last panel, Antoine says "loose" when what was meant is "lose". Next, page 14, first word of the first paragraph should be "Wait," not "What". Page 19, bottom panel, Bark's sentence of "I proclaim the winner as Sonic!" would be less awkward if rewritten as "I proclaim Sonic as the winner!" Page 21, Antoine's half panel, the saying "Quote the speed-daemon" is wrong! It's "Quoth", or even "Quoted", but not the present-tense "Quote"! *soul-rending scream of agony with simultaneous heartbreaking sigh* Final Word: Now, I've saved this part from the section above for the last word because I think it's that important. I am referring to Bunnie's conversation with Bean about the spirit of the rebellion. Comparing the rebellion to Bean's arm was well done, and it shows Bunnie's sensitivity to matters of the heart. The fighting's been going on for quite a while, but it doesn't seem to have been going on for the eleven years that Sonic's Freedom Fighters had been fighting through in his original reality. The Freedom Fighters were completely for the cause of goodness and freedom to enjoy the bounty of Mobius. Things would get hard, but their goal itself was grand enough to keep them going. But this rebellion is worn out from constant fighting, and their efforts are drawing attention to themselves. So Sonic's challenge ends up proving that, once again, he is an alien to this alternate reality, for his soul shines bright with the light of hope.