Ian Flynn Interview (Sonic the Hedgehog Archie & IDW Comics) — That’s Interesting…Tell Me More

On the first episode of That’s Interesting…Tell Me More I was privileged to speak to Ian Flynn, the chief writer of the Sonic the Hedgehog comics for both Archie and IDW comics.

1. When did you know you wanted to be a comic book writer and what was the first comic or series you latched onto?

2. I remember growing up and becoming obsessed with Sonic through Sega Genesis and the SatAm series. You were a Sonic super fan before being involved in the series. How did you get into Sonic and what was it like when you got the call that said “You’re the guy?”

3. What was your plan for work if you didn’t become a comic writer?

4. When you took over Sonic for Archie, what’s it like having to create stories off of someone else’s established lore? Also, did you feel pressure to match the previous tone or did you try to be different from the start?

5. When Sonic ended for Archie, did you think that was it? And what was it like getting to start over fresh at IDW? Do you ever get stuck because of the previous catalog?

6. You have also written for iconic franchises such as TMNT, Star Wars, MegaMan. How different are these fan bases from each other and do you have a different mindset when approaching these stories?

7. Is there a certain template or checklist of how you create stories? Like this character needs to this, every issue needs one of these, etc

8. What would you say is your biggest success working in comics?

9. What is your biggest failure or regret if any, in the comic business?

10. What’s a series you’d like to work on and what’s an original series you’d like to create?

11. I know you have the Sonic Encyclopedia coming up, the Cosmo Comin, New Crusaders, you’ve done some writing for TV, what’s coming next, and what’s on the bucket list to accomplish?

Fast Questions

Most underrated Sonic character and most overrated?

Can you beat Sonic 3 with just Tails?

Did you ever beat Sonic 06?

If Shadow got a game, why can’t Knuckles?

If Knuckles went one on one with a ninja turtle, who would win?

Do you think it would be awesome for Super Sonic to fight Super Saiyan Goku?

Favorite place to write?

Worst storyline you ever wrote?

A character in any series whose death impacted you?

What does the 13-year-old Ian Flynn think about the 2021 Ian Flynn?