Sonic Teases a New Replacement Vehicle for His Beloved Tornado Biplane

The official solicitation and cover for an upcoming issue of IDW Publishing’s Sonic the Hedgehog comic suggest that Tails may actually be testing out a new transport vehicle that could replace the beloved Tornado biplane. Tornado has been present in the franchise ever since the level Sky Chase Zone in Sonic 2, but is more famously known for being featured in the opening cut scene from Sonic 3 for those who could never quite reach that particular zone in the series’ first sequel game.

This potential Tornado replacement in the comics is a “new extreme gear design” that the Sonic #68 solicitation implies to be capable of carrying two people as opposed to one like the original extreme gear. Sonic and Tails are described to be testing only one board, and when it malfunctions, both of them are said to plunge downwards.

Sonic the Hedgehog #68 (2024)

Release Date:

January 3, 2024

Writer:

Evan Stanley

Artist:

Evan Stanley

Cover Artist:

Min Ho Kim

Variant Covers:

Evan Stanley, Nathalie Fourdraine

When Sonic and Tails go to test out Tails’ new extreme gear design, they run into extreme trouble! The board malfunctions at just the wrong time, plunging them down into a deep cave. What’s waiting for them down there, and will it help them get out or keep them there forever?!

Interestingly, the Sonic #68 R1 cover by artist Nathalie Fourdraine shows Sonic riding only one extreme gear board while Tails is astride an unknown object. Nathalie Fourdraine

Tornado Plays a Major Role in the Sonic comics

Tornado has been featured in numerous continuities, including more than 35 games, and has undergone various variations throughout its tenure. Although the biplane in IDW’s series just says “Sonic” on the side and isn’t called out by name, it’s assumed to be Tornado. In issue #7, Sonic and Tails woudn’t be able to discover that Dr. Eggman’s mysterious replacement is none other than Neo Metal Sonic without Tornado during the Battle for Angel Island arc. Tails also saves Sonic when piloting the same legendary biplane during the hedgehog’s first run in with Neo Metal Sonic in the same issue.

With these stories alone, it’s hard to believe that Tornado could ever be replaced. Luckily, fans have past precedent to rely on that suggests the Tornado will stay for good, even if this new extreme gear passes the test phase. A few issues after Sonic and Tails’ flight on the iconic biplane helps them find and flee from Neo Metal Sonic, Sonic and Knuckles ride the original extreme gears during the final battle against Neo Metal Sonic. And yet, despite their usefulness, the Tornado still appears during the Test Run! arc to transport Sonic and the gang to and from Dr. Eggman’s mysterious tower.

No Vehicle Could Replace Sonic’s Tornado Biplane

So, with Tornado’s continued use throughout the comics, despite the team having to rely on the extreme gears, there’s a chance that this new model won’t replace Tornado, even if it can apparently carry more than one person at a time. Plus, there’s the fact that this specific test run in the upcoming issue obviously doesn’t go quite well since it does lead to Sonic and Tails plunging downwards and getting them stuck inside a deep cave. Even if the board does help them get out of the caves as the solicitation suggests it might, the test run’s dismal start doesn’t bode well for the new design but does quite well for Sonic the Hedgehog’s beloved and always reliable Tornado.