Over its lengthy run in the US, Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog comic was well-known for putting its own spin on the Sonic story, long before the games were more consistent about their settings. Even those unfamiliar with the specifics have probably heard of Sally Acorn, Antoine, and Knuckles' confusing family tree.
Meanwhile, fans in the UK had their own Sonic the Hedgehog magazine known as Sonic the Comic. It initially took cues from Sega of America's "Sonic Bible," with concepts such as Robotnik originally being a benevolent scientist called Ovi Kintobor. However, it didn't take long for it to veer off into uncharted territory as well, accumulating its own stable of bizarre heroes and villains along the way.
10 Super Sonic
Instead of being a powered-up form of Sonic like Dragon Ball's Super Saiyans, STC's Super Sonic was more like a cross between the Hulk and Mr. Hyde. After absorbing energy from the Chaos Emeralds or being put under emotional distress, Sonic's crazed alter-ego would surface and go on a rampage against friend and foe alike.
At one point, Sonic and Super Sonic were even split into two separate entities, eventually resulting in Super Sonic's powers fading and him losing his memory. He was taken in by a kindly old woman and her grumpy husband to recuperate until he left to go and find himself again. He would play a very important role during the confrontation with Chaos near the comic's end.
9 The Drakon Empire
An ancient and all-powerful galactic empire introduced during STC's adaptation of Sonic 3D Blast, the Drakons turned out to be the linchpin of various important parts of the comic's lore. It was they who created the Chaos Emeralds, which turned the kindly Ovi Kintobor into Doctor Robotnik and Sonic into the malevolent Super Sonic.
Despite their highly advanced technology, they had one major weakness: underneath their armor, they were actually nothing more than oversized fish that were completely helpless on land. After absorbing Chaos Energy while submerged in water, one of these fish would go on to become the comic's version of Chaos.
8 Bravehog
Much like the Sonic games themselves, STC wasn't afraid to completely disregard a character's backstory to tell a different kind of tale, with this Braveheart spoof being a prime example. After rescuing a cloaked figure from some Badniks, Sonic told him the story of his ancestor Bravehog, who brought the scattered animal clans of Mobius together against an army of tyrannical hyenas.
After hearing the tale and how proud Sonic was of his ancestor, the figure removed his hood to reveal that he was actually a hyena, admitting his shame toward his heritage. Sonic assures him that he is not to blame for the actions of his ancestors and the two leave amicably.
7 Hobson & Choy
A bulky manatee and a manic-looking beaver, Hobson and Choy were introduced as fugitives from the Drakon Empire who Robotnik later hired to capture Sonic for him. Hobson was the muscle of the group while Choy was supposedly the brains, but, typically, he just ordered Hobson around and made cowardly excuses to avoid fighting himself.
The pair made a brief attempt to subdue Sonic before fleeing at the first sign of adversity. Sonic was left to wonder why Robotnik hired them and if he had bigger plans in store for the two. Apparently not, as Hobson and Choy completely vanished with no mention of their ultimate fate.
6 Simpson the Cat
Captain Plunder, leader of the Sky Pirates, was one of STC's commonly recurring original characters. While he was popular enough to branch off into his own story arcs, his crew was rather nondescript and generic. His most noteworthy henchman was his first-mate Filch, a ghost pirate with a perpetual hole in his head after Plunder shot him for eating his last biscuit.
Then there was Simpson, who was heavily based on old "rubber hose" cartoon characters like Felix the Cat. Like his inspirations, Simpson could casually break the laws of physics with cartoon logic, like pulling objects out of thin air or surviving otherwise fatal injuries. His abilities are never explained and he spent the rest of his tenure with the Sky Pirates as a constant nuisance to the rest of the crew.
5 The Spice Maidens
With the number of pop culture references present in STC, it should be no surprise that they also parodied the Spice Girls when they were at their peak. Introduced as temporary allies to Captain Plunder, the five didn't actually do very much despite the build-up toward their introduction. They essentially became background characters in their own self-titled story.
The strangest thing about them is their naming convention, as they are all named after spices except for the Baby Spice analog, Tarragon. According to the story's artist, the late Nigel Dobbyn, she was originally named Vanilla, but their editor claimed that vanilla wasn't a spice and insisted on a different name. Of course, vanilla is indeed considered a spice, while tarragon is actually a herb, but these were the days before you could do a quick fact-check on Wikipedia.
4 The Marxio Brothers
A parody of the Super Mario Bros. and the Marx Brothers, the Marxio Brothers were three con-men who worked for Robotnik during his rule of Mobius. The trio was in charge of both Casino and Carnival Night Zone, where they attempted to siphon off money from the locals. They also had their own video game, which Sonic was not impressed by: "I mean who cares about the adventures of three electricians?"
After Robotnik was deposed, the three seemingly tried to go straight and vowed to clean up the Chemical Plant Zone, with some assistance from their old foe. Sonic wasn't convinced that they had truly turned over a new leaf, but readers wouldn't get to find out as that story was the last they would see of the three brothers.
3 The Zed Monkeys
While stuck in the Special Zone, Sonic encountered various parodies of other popular superheroes, such as the X-Men pastiche the Zed Monkeys: Cycleclips, who tossed his namesake at his enemies; Chimpoline, whose metal claws have corks stuck on them; Snow Monkey, a seemingly inanimate pile of snow; Armpit, and his weaponized body odor; and Greyjeans, who has no powers other than her trendy legwear.
The team didn't have much time to stop any villains though, as their mentor Professor Zed taught them to stop each day for a mandated "Hero Hour," in which they had to do nothing but pose and flex. When Sonic discovered that Professor Zed was actually their nemesis Madmeano in disguise, they swapped their "Hero Hour" for an "Agony Hour," where they stood around feeling sorry for themselves instead.
2 Forelock
Forelock was a mysterious unicorn who was involved in one of the comic's most infamous moments. After being rescued by Tails, he offered him a single wish as a reward, so he asked for Mobius to be freed from Robotnik's rule. Forelock took him to a building in the Metropolis Zone overlooking a parade with Robotnik in attendance. Tails was then given a rifle and told that he now had his chance to make his wish come true.
In the end, Tails decided not to become the next Lee Harvey Oswald, prompting Forelock to reveal the entire scenario was an illusion he had created. He was simply testing Tails' resolve and was pleasantly surprised that he didn't go through with it. With that he vanished, cryptically mentioning that if Tails stuck true to his beliefs, then Robotnik would be defeated in due time.
1 The Channel Hoppers
Of all the characters to get solo stories in STC, Tails tended to get the less dignified ones. Case in point, his encounter with the Channel Hoppers, a not particularly loving parody of the Teletubbies and their perceived lack of substance. Tails doesn't understand their popularity and the viewers' parents aren't too enthusiastic either.
Tails discovered that the Channel Hoppers were actually members of D.R.A.T. (the Doctor Robotnik Appreciation Tribe), who were brainwashing Mobius' young with subliminal messages to turn them against the Freedom Fighters. After a rather convoluted turn of events, they were unmasked and their absurd scheme fell apart.