I never realised Sonic the Hedgehog comic covers were this weird

Ever since his debut in the early 90s, Sonic the Hedgehog has been one of the most iconic video game characters of all time. Like all gaming greats, he's received a number of offshoots, including figurines, merchandise, (controversial) movies and even numerous comic book spinoffs – many of which don't get the recognition they deserve.

With such an iconic character design, Sonic makes the perfect comic book protagonist, so naturally, he's featured in some truly brilliant and bizarre cover art over the years. From moody Metal Sonic art to intricate anniversary illustrations, fans have been reminiscing on the best Sonic comic book covers, and quite honestly, it's hard to pick a favourite.

The debate began on X, when @128bot_ posed the question: "What's the most iconic cover from the Sonic comic?". Fans soon flocked to share their top picks, with a diverse range of comic covers cropping up. The resounding response was this issue #252 of the Sonic The Hedgehog comic released in 2013, which shows our fast friend poised for action. Featuring illustration by legendary comic artist Ben Bates, for many, the design is quintessentially Sonic the Hedgehog at his best.

But let's be honest, that's not what I'm here for, so I scoured the thread for some of the most bizarre covers I could find. Some of my favourites include issue #64 featuring a frazzled-looking conspiracy theorist Silver The Hedgehog, and 'Sonic the Hedgehog: Love Stinks!' which sees our protagonist dealing with the hardships of relationship drama. Ironically, he looks pretty hard done by in Issue #155 of the Archie Sonic the Hedgehog comic, which shows a solemn-looking Sonic crying alone.

An honourable mention goes out to this 75th anniversary comic, which features a stunningly detailed illustration of Sonic and friends. For any Metal Sonic fans, issue #12 of IDW's Super Comics: Sonic the Hedgehog is an ultra slick design that also deserves the hype.

For more creative inspiration, take a look at our interview with legendary comic artist Dave McKean. If you're after more character design news, check out The Thing's comic-perfect character design in the new Fantastic Four trailer.