Sonic The Comic The Podcast
This podcast is a guide to the 1990s UK Sega comic Sonic The Comic. Hosts Dave Bulmer and Chris McFeely review each issue from cover to cover, including adverts, and discuss what it was like growing up with the comic as a piece of culture. They also occasionally tangent about other 90s UK culture like Woolworths and El Dorado. Listeners can read along on the podcast's website, and there is a Patreon for bonus content.
Episodes
#179 - Bash Your Nanna's Giggle Egg - with Gav Spence! (@gavtrdq.bsky.social)
We're rageing in ange this episode as we bring you a lovely pub quiz via the Kids Choice 2000 Awards, plus more Chewits than you could chew a stick of Chewits at, including some WORLD EXCLUSIVE stupid info nobody has ever sleuthed out before
#178.6 - Heroes and Menaces
Happy birthday Boomers! It's the anniversary of the release of STC, so here's its first mention, and elaborate contextual build-up, from the current draft of the Big Book of Bulmer Bollocks, in which we examine why the UK was ready for a comic like this.
#178.5 Knuckles the Anteater
In which Knuckles is pink, young Dave dawdles towards destiny, Timothy gets his own parade, and inspiration hits.
#178 - The That of This - with @abbydenton.com
Denton is here for the episode where Knuckles decides he has nothing left to live for and Amy knocks him out with a crowbar. I'm not even going to bother typing any more description. It's a silly one.
#177 - A WcDonalds of Judge Dredd - with Pete Murphy (@alkalineazel.bsky.social)
We see Sonic's bedroom for the first (and last) time! Are space more blokes than pirates? Are After Eights mints? Plus one of the funnier Diary Zones we've had.
#176 - A Stick In Me Hand And A Drop In Me Eye - with Michael Corker! (prettygeekyzone.bsky.social)
Everybody stop being silly, it's a very serious episode of STC. WHO is an armless, boneless, chickenless BIG EGG? And who is our guest this fortnight (it's the bloke who led the fan continuation of STC after it died!) Plus some other daft stuff.
#175 - We Don't Know What Black Beauty Is - with @faulerro.bsky.social
The first part of STC's epic finale begins this episode, so we're feeling all beginning-of-the-end-ey. So a string of guests begins this fortnight, starting with the creator of the POUND COIN animation. Any editing errors are because my computer explode
#174 - Tout à L'heure
We wave fond goodbye to Lew Stringer this episode. Then we get all silly in the back half. You don't want your back half to get too silly but sometimes it just goes off on its own.
#173 - Bamboozled by a More Prominent Eustace
Lew Stringer begins his final bow, and what a bow it is! Plus! Dave finally liberates a Squirtle, we all replace our Fresh Prince Fact File collection with the Fresh Prince wiki, Sonic's worst game comes out, and Diggle DELIVERS!
#172 - Tears of Orange
New Millennium, new world... new STC? The drama is back and we're in a good mood. There's a sincere chance that STCTP's whinge-phase might be over. That's all I can be bothered to write!
#171 - It's an Ip-Dip
It's the end of days and the start of days. From now on, this is not a 90s podcast, and it is not the 90s. Join Teen-Dave at the Big Y2K Bash, and adult Dave and Chris at the old men sitting around reading children's comics ward.
#170 - Pavlov the Dog
We're happy just to be proved wrong this episode as we uncover a forgotten blunder. STC Boomers watch a late cut of an early version of Sonic the Movie, and we sing along with an underrated citv banger
#169 - ...And Roblox
Good news for lovers of Meccano because that's what there's a surfeit of. We do a Hume Error, Set's got a wonky barcode, and Diary Dave unearths the very first wiki and plumps up his Pink.
#168 - Elephant's Got a PEN
It's a clippety-clop podcast, in which Robinson's fruit drinks give away a toy of a dismembered part of a Disney hero's parent with tokens collected from special packs.
#167 - I've Got a Chewit In My Mouth
This is a chewy and slobbery episode, but if you can get through that, it's quite a funny one. It's the beginning of a new era, and we get excited about batteries. I have mercifully cut an hour and a half of JUST reading wikipedia, we're getting worse...
#166 - Groundbreaking Turkey Technology
We're spluttering and gibbering this issue because this one probably shouldn't have happened. Chris sets about wringing some hate out of Dave, but Dave's attention is elsewhere. Also, we wild-westigate the graphic zone and revive an old dead Zone.
#165 - Non-Copyright-Infringing Blue Fast Rat
It's Shanazar's swan song - perhaps that should be Frog Song. Dave's frustrated about one game's release while everyone else is excited about another, we learn how not to use a whoopee cushion, use a 4-letter word for Timmy & make Mark Morrison noises
#164 - Grinking and Shrowing
In this episode, we have gone a bit bonk-nanas. We'll contemplate middle-aged pickles, the best way to have diarrhea and learn what the people of the Bronx did before anyone else, and there's teenage Sonicey beef in the Diary Zone
#163 - A Multiplicity of Mambos
Sonic meets one of those Medusas and as usual we slam into something we were not looking forward to and actually it makes a bit more sense than we thought. Oodie-boodie!
#162 - Sonic Fans: Not Even Once
Teen drama this fortnight as the early Sonic fandom are stupid enough that the grownups have to step in. Plus: A new enemy for Action Man, Mark has the last Word, and we choose our own adventure (and it's blithering on)
#161 - The Wretched Use of the Computer
It's bits n' sticks at the seaside this fortnight as Sonic gets stuck (like a stuck bird) into a race in space. But what else have we got, ooh, we've got buckles that mutate, Buckles and his mate, and a lot on Deborah's plate.
#160 - Poke Its Head Out The Back End Of Itself
Horses ride dinosaurs, monsters are real but Mulder & Scully are fake, we have a cow, and we go from knights to rookes!
#159 - Slush Puppy Experiences
Nothing cools yer hole like it! This episode we answer the question: how is the podcast still the same length?
#158 - A Hatch Leading To Some Udders
A bag in the shape of a splat, fey gentlemen, what's custard and how many are a "supply", what killed the Jetsons, and a new tape - it IS gonna be a good podcast!
#157 - Bob Monkhouse Condemning the French
Everybody get up, it's the start of the FINAL YEAR of STC, and what an episode it is. Grotesque desirable triangles, ideas from the Fun Factory, incredibly sexy insects, a suss six, a sunny seven and two familiar fives.
#156 - The Jingle For Paint
Some thumps and bumps on the banjo this fortnight, and a couple of tearful farewells as the Nord taketh away.* But they're not taking away the podcast!
STCTP the movie THREE! - The Time-Traveling Wilburys - with Jehan!
It had to happen, and it did, several months ago. Now it's been turned into an episode! Yes: Jehan joined us for another round-table natter about the third Sonic movie, and a very pleasant natter it was too. Here it is!
#155 - A Certain Understanding of What Happens in the Torso Area
Here's a band of boys you can really enjoy! Dave mistakes Macaulay Culkin for himself, the rat has a name, everybody waits by the phone and a meet Judge...... just judge. Yoww baybeh! Wishes what we like!
#154 - A Preponderance of Jim Cummings
They made a vow their comic would be sound, so here's another podcast about it. Sonic proves he's faster than a man's fingers, Action Man hasn't got any fans, we hear Plato's Allegory of the Funkopop, and Chris reads Dave's day-one Underground review
#153 - The Pretention of Coolness - with Mark Hughes (@thesketchsector.bsky.social)
Where does Sonic keep his ear muffs? What's more annoying than Doop?* When is it wrong for Sonic to rescue children? Join a professional Sonic artist, a socks fiend, and Chris, and drop dead! I mean - find out! *(It's Doop again)
#152 - Pulsing Dog Parcels
You know what we've been telling you happened to UK comics after STC? We get a couple of disturbing glimpses of it this issue. Bags of tat, three poundsworth of hail Marys, and what happened to Dave when Jasper Carrott came on.
#151 - Cuddling La Vida Loca
It's a lovely day, and you know what that means (you soon will, anyway), it's time to grab your etheric beam locators and enjoy another STCTP! We've got the return of Robotnik, the end (whew!) of Sonic & Tekno, a polar bear, da wurx!
#150 - The Lowest Form of Cake
Cool, a worm! Time for a fun, safe and LEGAL time in our *150th* episode of this NONSENSE. And what a party STC have thrown to celebrate! I'm sorry, I'll read that again: What party have STC thrown to celebrate? That's right boomers, NONE. Oh well!
#149 - A Longish Thin Point And A Sturdy Build - with Zak Simmonds-Hurn! (@monstrouscomics.bsky.social)
Comic artist & OG Boomer Zak joins us, and he's brought a letter from 1999 written by... well, you'll find out. From one old pal to another, it's a mythic issue as we travel to Shanazar and meet the genie of the bloke's face and Amy punches the Minotaur.
#148 - It's Worse Than I Thought, It's Epic
Why is this the whole comic's weirdest opening strip? How do you make a citizen's arrest? How do you disappear flour? What is a deeper way to hate? What are the drawings of Super Sonic drawings of? Are YOUR oranges gay? Who should sleep in an alley?
#147 - Percy-Having - with Tom McGrath
How far is it to Scotland, and what do they do there? How sinister is British meat? How crunchy do you like your orange juice? What is the latest in, and opposite of, sex? Also why doesn't Super Sonic destroy Mobius? Join us for some Big Beats once again.
#146 - Oi Luv Custerd Oi Do
Welcome to the Big Ride, Boomers! WHAT is Sonic doing in France? HOW do you get a Big Egg? WOULD you walk around in a custard T-shirt? Well cosh me with a black pudding, it's time to have a fern nernty-nern! .....*sigh* just, we read another STC ok?
#145 - The Equivalent of Sticklebricks - with Jack Lawrence
It's Christmas 1998, and what did you get? We got IDW artist (and personal Windsor bodyguard) Jack. Chris guesses correctly, gets computerised and throws videos in the bin, and we all have our development arrested. Also, who made this issue? Who knows!
#144 - To Stop The Sausage Rolls
Who is worthy to break the Seven Seals and open this issue of Sonic the Comic? Who cares!? And it's come to this: the inevitable Garlic Bread conversation and Leygo argument. Also, the Sonic comic is still going on! If that interests you!
#143 - The Old "Robins and the Reindeer" Conversation
Can you imagine an evil version of Kintobor? What goes down in this issue? What does Dave go down in the diary? How did He-Man melt? What's Life? What's So-Called Life?? And what friends will unexpectedly appear to say hi? Find out! With listening!!
#142 - Milk Bottles with Airs and Graces
Crash! Bang! There goes another one! That's right, it's gunfire season and plot this episode with the art surprising us in multiple ways, an All-New advert, and insight into what dads shouldn't watch and what sort of computers they have in Heaven
#141 - Everbody Has To Pile In, And @%#! off!
This episode stops existing at midnight, so hurry! We have multiple stupid arguments this episode, perhaps because we're cross about the Ctrl Zn being gone. There are two awooga moments, and only one involves an army general's top getting ripped.
#140 - The Most Unkindest Cut Of All
Welcome to the saltiest episode of STCTP yet, in which we become noodle-armed and squiggle-bent about the loss of two important chambers of the beating heart of STC to nefarious drone-punchers. PLUS! @SubsonicSparkIe reads STC's Sonic CD adaptation!
#139 - The Most Famous Warthog of the 1990s
Knuckles Metallix drawn by Bob & Dobbyn, what else do you want? How about hoop ignorance? A breaded Man shape? A topic so serious that we probably shouldn't have covered it except STC and the format of the podcast forced our hand? You get all that!
#138 - A Simple Question of Biff
Dave fails to turn pages or edit out the ding-dongs as we learn Root's secret and wave goodbye to an important old friend. Sort of.
#137 - Frontload the Grumpery
Spice up your cheese! Would you like to do that? Well now you can, as the Spice Girls launch the career of Cheetah the Cheetah the Cheetah. ALSO: We recontextualise "Tuesday" and collect our GCSEs, and worlds converge as me & Chris' memories sync up.
#136 - Tall The Gentleman
In which we do not go on a tangent at the start. Straight in, we are. Sonic's fighting Putties, Knuckles can fly but not fly, Mulder misses the action, you can't even handle toffee any more and Diary Dave gets a new obsession... but will you join him??
#135 - Pachinko the Wombat
Imagine you were obsessed with introducing a popular American product to the UK, but the problem was that we already have it, and love it, just by a different name. What do you do? The answer will surprise you this issue as we find out all about Cheetos.
#134 - The Agony of Being Sonic
WE'RE BACK! Why were we away? Because Dave moved house and also his PC died. But we're back! Or, if you're listening later than initial release, we're still here and it's normal! This episode: Dinosaur! Queer rep! Gormenghast! Good Amiga tunes!
#133 - Bobby Wobby
Goalll! Off siiide! It's a football special! And actually it's fine and we don't mind. What's the best ice cream? Did you ever LOSE a pound coin? And as the reprints begin, we use them as time-wormholes in a coo-el new feature from Spanky!
#132 - Puffy Vest - with Abby Denton
We find out the many (many) things going on with Johnny, Bucky can't find his ears, Decap ends, another boy trips over another pet, and we switch Abbies for a Diary Zone special. Abby's show: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/10813?tab=tickets
#131 - Solve For Eggs
Are YOU yellower-ey? Are you crunklier? Do you want to go to bed, but want to listen to STCTP? Well why not listen to STCTP, THEN go to bed! This fortnight we get into a tiff over Tails again, go to Somerfield for a kiss, and Dave honks the horn of Maths.
#130 - Big Danglers - With Tracy Yardley!
It's our BUMPER like a sonic's bumper FIFTH BIRTHDAY EPISODE! So we brought in arch-Archist Tracy to help us celebrate, along with YOU LOT. One big huge Sonic story to end the year-long saga (and a Decap), plus Tracey's brought a bag of japes with him.
#129 - Terry Wogan's Long Shadow (and other titles)
Sonic fights Robotnik across every reality, Decap's got bats in its basement, and we go on such a flight of whimsy across the Diary Zone that it takes up an unconscionable amount of the show, but you'll like it, because it's funny.
#128 - Porker Lewis Is A Liability
Birds, like a bird's birds this issue as we enjoy a world without Sonic the Hedgehog. Plus! Why are Chris and Dave having a big barney about what "free" means this fortnight? Look back exactly one STC ago with us and find out.
#127 - A Surprise Nut
Amy's origin story! Jelly Tots For Men! Everyone's eyes are kindof bonkers-googly about this exciting episode! Robotnik returns, and in the Diary Zone, we find out what Dave did between diaries, and you'll have to get your anti-cringe coat on because ooff
#126 - Sonic's Inevitable Bulge
Welcome, Residents, to the Digital Age! Degauss those screens and wac 'om on the computer desk because it's time for a bit of binary finery. ALSO: Equinox! The Good Folk! Belching with rage! Secret poo! How to speak zombie! And VIOLENCE in the Diary Zone!
#125 - Buttocks the Echidna
A thrilling conclusion brings Robotnik back and he's got all the Emeralds! Oh great! Plus in Decap this ish they just get a dog and it's funny, also there's a horrible bat in Amy & Tekno, and we are offered practical jokes (long as they fit in a sachet).
#124 - An Ooshy-Gooshy Material
It's CHAOS EMERALD STUFF this episode as Grimer gets his asterisk out. It's Porkenheimer time as we learn Porker's secret shame: he used to be in the nud. And: Suddenly Sey-less!
#123 - Porker's Steamy Secret - with @RikDraws
Is Sonic dead? Is he sexy? Is Porker sexy? What is and is not sexy - look, this is a rude one, ok? Parental guidance recommended. Why is this episode stupidly long? Nobody knows! But it's full of funny bits so who cares? Rik Mack joins us.
#122 - A Certain Joy to the Hammering
You gotta pop this ep in, because we find out *everything* that's going to happen with Hobson & Choy all at once, we learn who can beat up Knuckles, and we manage to get into arguments about burgers AND typewriters and we play pocket tricks with Dicky.
#121 - Eating Just One PEZ
Join us in the Sexy Zone this episode as we delve into a proper good little issue full of: SONIC! Hobson & Choy! KNUCKLES! Oscar the Pig! DIARY! Dave listens to a phone-in! STUFF! ...I can't think of anything misc.
#120 - Hedgehog Puberty
With a new year comes a new old year, as STC enters 1998. A solid little parcel of goodies. The Emerald Hill folk join the Manosphere, Decap gets its best* page (*we are not in agreement about this), and Shorty escapes his cozzie! And Teen Dave has a Plan
#119 - Reuniting With Their Pants
Elson draws two pages of Sonic beating up Santa this issue and if you want ANYTHING else in your Christmas special then you're just being greedy. But we've got MORE for you, as a surprise is dropped on Chris. Also: Rednex! BEADLE! I mean come ON!!
#118 - Hologram Like A Bird's Hologram
A big bumper-sized issue to celebrate... nothing, actually, it just happens to be one. Lots of stuff happens in this episode, but I'm late uploading it, so your special covert task is to listen and find out what they are. Merry December!
#117 - To Be Normal
It's a comic of two halves this issue, ygot Sonic runnin' about wallopin' a big sentinel, got Biohazard trashing a coffee shop, frisbees everywhere, and worlds collide in the Diary Zone
#116 - Mr Burns' Hole
A real return to the full power for STC this issue. Emeralds, Drakons, Metallixes, you name it. Sonic dips his nose in someone's birthday cake (not his!) at Hamley's! And in the Diary Zone, a discussion of this very issue arrives from the distant past.
#115 - Toilet Is Timeless
Sometimes we might be accused of being two old men going on and on. Lots of those times happen in this episode. While Sonic revisits Megatox, the lads revisit what you should spread on what, what should be on telly when, and what to write on a poster.
#114 - Real Old People Stuff - with @RuairiColeman
We're joined by comics hume Ruairí Coleman who was worried he'd get a rubbish issue, but he didn't! Also: When rulers are exciting, how many Rangers is too many, and can you imagine the excitement of installing Internet Explorer?
#113 - The Fred Is Throgs
Sonic goes on a minor tour through Tails' imagination, Tails gets framed, Chuck talks a big game, the boomers force-femme everyone, and Amy makes no bones for the jelly-boys. Plus! 15-year-old Dave talks to A Woman and starts writing a musical
#112 - Subversive Lion King Nonsense
An experimental issue of STC leaves us worried and confused this episode, as the comic pivots to aim at a new audience that doesn't include us. Still, we get to talk about some toys and think about newsagents and remember when things were a little rosey.
#111 - His Eggy Heartbeat
Sonic picks up a fish, Dave describes an ice cream, we say goodbye to an old friend, Nigel brings the Deep Lorre, we mistake budgies for mistaking budgies for parrots, Dave is surprised into summoning the Lilt Man, unsafe rod-sticking, AND click for MORE!
#110 - Kinda Floppy Now
It's Sonic vs Knuckles Metallix in tria-by-combat! Tails fights the mob (seee) and both Chuck and Young Dave have a tooth removed! We disagree strongly about a strip and get into a big fight and are now enemies irl, and then we go on about KFC for ages.
#109 - If They're not Fffpphss, They're Wubblblblullups
An alien empire puts Sonic on trial, Tails encounters the worst possible spelling error, Wales gets the rumble-oohs, Amy & Tekno meet a man who knows what he wants. Also, in the past, young Dave's hormones finally get the better of his so-called life.
#108 - The Notion of Poo
Yes, it's a Long One, but that's because we got distracted by DINOSAURS, so. Also! KNUCKLES METALLIX! The final Plunder! Plus nostalgic robots: good or crap? You'll be surprised which one of us says which. And! Smushy feelings about the STCTP community!
#107 - It Gave Us The Language of the Gibbon
Summer starts here, with a surprise from Sonic's ancestor, Bravehog. Back luck for the Spice Maidens, Stein joins Dave in reliving his childhood, Sonic blasts Portmeirion, Chris talks about Batman Forever, and Dave talks about Fanfics Incessantly.
#106 - I Appreciate the Dangle
A bumper episode this fortnight (because Dave's been on holiday and had half the usual time to trim it down), but it's bumping with goodies: Sonic meets a Drakon and goes to Portmeirion, spinner toys, Action-Men, Doozers, and adolescent woes.
#105 - Sega of Scandinavia
We're all plunged into some classic STC game adaptation at the moment with more Flickies' Island. Plus! Igor goes nice in Decap, Amy & Tekno become scouse mums, and it's a close shave with the bigger boys in the Diary Zone!
#104 - Something Interface Something Interface Interdiction Vehicle
FLICKY'S ISLAND! Another game adaptation begins this fortnight! Also! The Spice Maidens set sail, the Decappers watch footy (don't even play it!) and what's that falling out of the sky? It's Dick! PLUS! Young Dave figures out how to write music on PC.
#103 - The Testicular Stand-Ins
A butler tries to pour a tea and explodes, the Spice Maidens are actually quite good, Robotnik's got sycophants kissing his "nose", Tails is a cool dude, and something lovely happens in the fanart page, but you won't find out what 'til the end of the ep!!
