Warning: SPOILERS for Sonic the Hedgehog #53One of the few good things to came out of the bizarre game Sonic Colors is finally gaining the recognition it deserves in IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog comic series – the introduction of the adorable little aliens called wisps.
These colorful, flying critters first went from the games into the realm of comics with the coming of Whisper the Wolf, who travels with a team of wisps that power her Variable Weapon. Their purpose has generally been to serve as adorable comic relief, fluttering about and getting into shenanigans as other characters talk. However, they have been known to show emotion during critical moments like when they rush and glomp Sonic upon meeting him for his past service to their kind (most likely a reference to Sonic Colors). Of course, they eventually gain more importance in the Tangle & Whisper miniseries when readers learn they are Whisper’s only remaining friends after she was betrayed by a former colleague who murdered the members of her former team. The wisps’ acceptance of Tangle, shown through their excitement at the prospect of Tangle helping Whisper on a solo mission, is therefore incredibly touching. This is why it’s so crucial that the first character Cyan the wisp speaks to (with the help of Whisper’s mask) is Tangle. That was the first time they ever conversed with anyone – until now.
Now Whisper’s wisps are playing a larger role in the Sonic universe as of Sonic the Hedgehog #53 by story writer Evan Stanely, artist Adam Bryce Thomas, colorist Reggie Graham, letterer Shawn Lee. As Sonic’s evil cyborg Surge the Tenrec begins to wreak havoc on Central City, Whisper and her wisps make a dramatic entrance to stop her. Almost immediately readers are allowed to see Whisper’s mask translate her wisps as they speak among themselves, which only makes things worse later on when Surge begins to violently capture and absorb their powers by “crushing” them in her hand. This only serves to anger Whisper with her swearing to get her dear friends back as her last remaining wisp, Cyan, looks upon Whisper worryingly.
Now Sonic Colors‘ Weird Amusement Park Matters
Whisper’s wisps now have a distinct purpose in the story rather than just powering up Whisper’s weapon and serving as extra fluff – though it’s been adorable fluff. They have now been humanized in that they aren’t just silent blobs or super “batteries,” but actual characters who have more of a personality that fans can connect to and relate with. Moreover, their subsequent capture in the latest issue causes readers to fear for them and worry how their current distress is affecting Whisper when, before, they just reacted to however Whisper was feeling at the time. Even in Tangle & Whisper, readers aren’t compelled to feel sorry for the wisps when the story reveals that Whisper lost her former team. All of those emotions are directed solely towards Whisper.
How effectively the comics are portraying the wisps now subsequently justifies the release of Sonic Colors, the game where a suspicious Blue Blur and Tails go to investigate Eggman’s new amusement park and learn that the evil tyrant has enslaved these cute aliens there. Besides its wise decision to avoid gameplay completely taking place from a 3-D perspective, Sonic Colors felt absurd because the story takes place in an amusement park, which was clearly a gimmick and excuse to incorporate more “fun” and dynamic acts. In the comics, fans undoubtedly always loved how the wisps altered the way in which the energy from Whisper’s weapon manifested, but they realize that this issue makes them better than they ever were before. And since Whisper wouldn’t have her wisps now if it weren’t for the weird amusement park game, fans can now fully appreciate Sonic Colors for how it’s influencing the Sonic the Hedgehog comics for the better.