Archie Sonic X Issue 22

Archie Sonic X Issue 22 is the twenty-second issue of the Sonic X comic series published by Archie Comics.

Official solicitation

 * "Decoe and Bocoe's Not-So-Excellent Misadventure": After years of service the evil Eggman fires his loyal henchbots Decoe and Bocoe and replaces them with the deadliest ‘bots ever, Dukow and Bukow! These new bots won't take "lose" for an answer, and hand Sonic the fight of his life! If he hopes for even a small shot at victory, Sonic must team up with the last person anyone would expect!

Decoe and Bocoe's Not-So-Excellent Misadventure

 * Writer: Joe Edkin
 * Pencils: James Fry and Ian Thompson (robot designs)
 * Inks: Terry Austin
 * Letters: John Workman
 * Colors: Josh Ray
 * Editor: Mike Pellerito
 * Managing editor: Victor Gorelick
 * Editor-in-Chief: Richard Goldwater
 * Special thanks to SEGA: Robert Leffler and Dyna Lopez at SEGA Licensing and SEGA Studio USA

Synopsis
Piloting a giant robot, Doctor Eggman attacks Area 99, a secret government base where extraterrestrial artifacts are studied. During the attack, Sonic and Captain Westwood argue with each other about which attack strategies should be used against the mad doctor, and their efforts prove to be useless against him because they cannot agree on which strategies to use. Seeking to destroy the beetle ships attacking him, Eggman orders Decoe and Bocoe to fire a laser canon at the ships. However, because Decoe and Bocoe could not find out which button to press to fire the giant robot's laser canon, and due to pressure from Eggman, Decoe presses a random button which, instead of firing a laser canon, caused the giant robot's limbs to detach themselves from its main body, which in turn forces Eggman to flee. Captain Westwood, noticing the discarded limbs from the robot, sees them as an opportunity to be provided with "exploitable technology", to which Sonic commented "we've heard that one before...".

Later, at Eggman's Egg Carrier (which is hidden in a field nearby Station Square), Eggman angrily declares to Decoe and Bocoe that they ruined his plans "for the last time". Decoe and Bocoe argue that they "weren't labled" and asks Eggman why his giant robot had a button which detached its limbs, although this angers Eggman further and causes him to "fire" the two robots and banish them from the Egg Carrier. Bokkun then asks Eggman what he plans to do, to which Eggman replied that he will build "bigger, badder, better robots" which will be more loyal and obedient to him, and threatens Bokkun afterwards not to anger him, out of risk of being replaced as well.

A couple of hours later, on the streets of Station Square, Decoe and Bocoe wander the streets pondering what to do in their current predicament, while everyone else on the streets notices them (though not in a pleasant manner). Decoe explains to Bocoe that, based on his studies of human culture, humans get jobs in order to obtain currency, and they decide to get themselves a job at a milkshake bar that they come across, which has a "HELP WANTED" sign on one of the windows.

Days pass on the Egg Carrier (which are peaceful to Eggman) as Eggman works on his new robots while singing. Bokkun, who is secretly talking to Decoe and Bocoe on the phone, informs them on the doctor's condition, to which Bokkun says he's never seen Eggman the way he is acting before. After pondering if Eggman was sick, Decoe and Bocoe ask Bokkun if he and Eggman are okay, and Bokkun replies that he and the doctor are fine and in turns asks the two the same questions, to which Decoe and Bocoe reply that they too are fine and are going to start their new jobs soon. Bokkun is forced to hang up on Decoe and Bocoe as Eggman notices Bokkun was on the phone, and asks him if he was trying to order "another dozen cheesecakes". Bokkun, with a nervous smile, tells Eggman that was not what he was doing. Eggman, apparently convinced about Bokkun's answer, orders Bokkun to come with him to be introduced to the new robots he was working on, which he named "Dukow" and "Bukow", who Bokkun finds intimidating.

Meanwhile, Sonic and Tails congratulate Chris Thorndyke for winning a soccer match while on their way to the milkshake bar. Chris decides that they should get themselves a treat at the bar before they head home, and upon entering the shop they are greeted by Decoe, which shocks the gang and makes them suspicious about Eggman plotting another scheme at the milkshake bar. Decoe explains to Sonic and co. that Eggman had fired them and had to get themselves jobs, that day being their first day as "responsible citizens". However, Sonic and co. see the shop, which has various messes and damage located in every visible area. The manager of the bar then appears and says that he should fire Decoe and Bocoe because of the trouble they are causing him and his store, and the two robots beg him not to fire them. As this was going on, Sonic cleaned up the bar and showed the manager that he sees no issues with the store, which bewilders him as he did not notice Sonic clean up the mess (Sonic was moving too fast for anyone to see him move as he cleaned the bar). Convincing himself that he overreacted, the manager lets Decoe and Bocoe keep their jobs, which earns Sonic gratitude from the two robots. As Decoe was about to take Sonic and co.'s orders, a special news report appears on the television, in which news reporter Scarlet Garcia reports that Area 99 is under attack once again by Eggman. When Chris points out that he, Tails and Sonic need to do something about the situation, Sonic already reappears at Area 99 in order to deal with the doctor.

Captain Westwood, who is about to be shot by Eggman's new robot (wjich is being piloted by Bokkun, with Dukow and Bukow as passengers), is saved by Sonic who proceeds to tell the captain that he thinks Eggman has come back for the limbs of the robot he used for his last attack at Area 99, and asks Westwood where the limbs are located. However, Westwood refuses to answer Sonic's question and accuses him of possibly working with the doctor. During Sonic and Westwood's argument, Dukow and Bukow detect the previous robot's limbs and leave their current one and fly towards the base. By the time Sonic and Westwood notice the robots, they crash through the roof of one of the base's buildings, which happens to be where the giant robot's missing limbs are (as Westwood reveals). Sonic, however, sees the situation as a challenge and rushes into the building to battle with Dukow and Bukow. The two robots don't see Sonic as a threat however, which irritates Sonic as the robots charge him, leading them to do battle. Sonic underestimated the robots' strength and lost the fight, and Dukow and Bukow leave Area 99 with the giant robot's limbs.

Shortly after the successful attack at Area 99, Dukow, Bukow and Bokkun return to the Egg Carrier with the limbs, which in turn gives Dukow and Bukow praise from Eggman. However, Dukow unexpectedly start calculating Eggman's success rate with his plans (which, according to Dukow, has a probability of 2.468 decimal points) and deem that removing Eggman himself from "the equation" would ensure that his plans will have a much greater chance at succeeding. Eggman, shocked that his new robots are rebelling against him, demands that they release him as they haul him off to a cell, but his orders are ignored by the robots, who claim that they are their own masters and will "succeed where he (Eggman) failed". Bokkun flees unnoticed, and determines that he has to find help from someone.

Back at the milkshake bar, Sonic meets back up with Chris and Tails, who are concerned with his condition. While commenting to Chris and Tails that he was not gone for very long, Sonic reenters the store and sees that it was quickly destroyed once again, which shocks Sonic who proceeds to comment that Decoe and Bocoe must be almost as fast as he is. Decoe and Bocoe meanwhile try to cheer up the manager of the store, who is crying because of the further damages being caused by them and yells at Decoe and Bocoe that he never wants to see them again. At this very moment, Bokkun enters the store and shouts to Decoe and Bocoe that Eggman needs them, who say they cannot help him because they now had jobs. However, the bar's manager sees Bokkun's words as an opportunity to get rid of the two robots and pleads with them to go help their "old boss", convincing the robots to quit their job at the bar and leave. Before Sonic leaves with Bokkun, Decoe and Bocoe to go to the Egg Carrier, Tails gives Sonic a power ring.

Back at the Egg Carrier's hanger, Dukow and Bukow rebuild the giant robot and improve it to make it stronger than before, which makes Bukow claim that no one can stop them. Eggman, with a determined look on his face, determines that if Bukow's words were not a cue for Sonic to show himself, then he is Santa Claus, and then remembers that he disguised himself as Santa once in issue 15. Eggman then proceeds to tell Dukow and Bukow that if there's one thing that he learned, "its that Sonic the Hedgehog can foil even the most cunning of plans", although this information does not impress Dukow and Bukow. At that instant, Sonic and co. show up in the Egg Carrier's hanger, who challenges the robots to another battle while Bokkun, Decoe and Bocoe decide to go free Eggman from his cell. Dukow activates the giant robot when Sonic attacks Bukow, and proceed to tell Sonic that they have modified the robot into a bomb which will detonate when it reaches the heart of Station Square, forcing Sonic to choose either to stop Dukow and Bukow while letting the city be destroyed, or stop the giant robot and let Dukow and Bukow proceed with their plans for world domination. Sonic chooses to go after the giant robot, but promises to come back for Dukow and Bukow. After a moment, the two robots notice their counterparts, Decoe and Bocoe, unlocking Eggman's cell and begins chasing them through the hanger. Decoe slips on a banana however, and he and Bocoe slid through the hanger until they crash into a control panel, which unlocks the door to Eggman's cell. Once freed, Eggman tells Bokkun to toss him a remote, which Bokkun does with a satisfied grin on his face. Eggman then proceeds to tell Dukow and Bukow that they had forgotten something in their plan, which was that Eggman had created them and can destroy them just as easily. He then pushes a button on the remote, which destroys Dukow and Bukow, and then disposes of the robots remains.

Sonic, chasing the giant robot, absorbs energy from the power ring Tails gave him earlier and flies into the robot, which sends it flying back to the Egg Carrier. But before the robot could actually collide with the Egg Carrier itself, the remains of Dukow and Bukow fly out of a hole from the hanger and crash into the robot, causing it to explode and not leave any serious damage to the Egg Carrier, Eggman or his henchmen. Afterwards, Eggman compliments Decoe and Bocoe by sayin that "for once" they saved the day and offers them back their old jobs if they want them, but with less pay. Decoe and Bocoe then argue amongst themselves that Eggman had never paid them any currency to begin with, while Bokkun wonders if Eggman has another remote that can make them lose their limbs. Eggman then tells his robotic henchmen that they need to move the Egg Carrier to another safe location before Sonic returns, and make repairs to the Egg Carrier once they find a new location while creating his next scheme.

Appearances
Characters:
 * Bocoe
 * Bokkun
 * Bukow
 * Captain Westwood
 * Christopher Thorndyke
 * Decoe
 * Doctor Eggman
 * Dukow
 * Gun Beetle (multiple)
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Santa Claus
 * Scarlet Garcia
 * Sonic the Hedgehog

Locations:
 * Earth
 * Area 99
 * Station Square
 * Station Square State Park

Items:
 * Ring

Vehicles:
 * Egg Carrier

Trivia

 * The owner of the milkshake bar bares a striking resemblance to Pop Tate, the owner of "Pop Tates Chocolit Shop" in the Archie Comics series (which is of course published by the same company).