Princess Sally Acorn

Superherobox|

caption=Sally Acorn as seen in "Sonic the Hedgehog" #177
comic_color=background:#8080ff
character_name=Princess Sally
publisher=Archie Comics
debut="Sonic the Hedgehog" television series
creators=DiC Animation
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Kingdom of Acorn, Freedom Fighters, Chaotix, King Acorn's Secret Service
aliases=
powers=
*World-class special ops tactician
*Able to wield the Sword of Acorns
*Experienced diplomat
*Formidable martial artist
*Capable of operating a variety of vehicles and aircraft|

Princess Sally Acorn is a fictional character appearing in the American saturday morning cartoon "Sonic the Hedgehog" from 1994 to 1995, as well as the ongoing "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic book series published by Archie Comics. In the television show, she is voiced by Kath Soucie. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0815718/ imbd.com - Kath Soucie] . Retrieved on 2007-7-21.] In the two-part episode "Blast to the Past", however, her younger self was voiced by the late Dana Hill. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384162/ Dana Hill (I) at the Internet Movie database.] ]

Sally is a female, anthropomorphic, humanoid squirrel.Fact|date=June 2008 Sally has brown/tan fur, with red hair and blue eyes. She is usually seen sporting a blue vest and knee-high boots.

Concept and creation

Princess Acorn

She was first introduced in an article in a 1993 issue of "Sonic the Comic". This article previewed two upcoming "Sonic the Hedgehog" television series: "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" and "Sonic the Hedgehog". Within the four pages of plot synopsis and concept art, a group of screen shots that greatly differ from the rest appear without explanation. [Harvard reference | Surname=Burton | Given=Richard | Title=It's Sonic the Hedgehog on TV! | Journal=Sonic the Poster Mag | Issue=1 | Year=1993 | URL=http://stc-archive.gue-network.com/spec_comics_poster_1.htm ] These screen shots include a character named "Princess Acorn", presumably a squirrel with yellow fur and blond hair wearing a red dress. [cite web | title=Before SatAM | publisher=SonicHQ | url=http://archive.sonic-hq.net/newsite/cartoon/before/ | accessdate=2007-01-09] She shows up alongside characters that have since been featured in "Sonic the Comic". This character bears little resemblance to Sally's current appearance, but it is possible that this was an early design of Sally.Fact|date=June 2008

Pink Sally

In the comic book Sally went through several design and color scheme changes when she first appeared. Sally's first appearance was in Sonic the Hedgehog, and appeared with pink fur, brown hair, and boots with white trim. [ [http://www.theemeraldstarpost.co.uk/Images/displayimage.php?album=18&pos=70 Heads or Tails screenshot] ] Before producing the rest of the series, Sally's design and color scheme was altered. She appears in all other episodes with her current design having brown fur, red hair, and boots without trim. In the second season, Sally starts wearing a blue vest which becomes her normal outfit in both the series and comic. In addition to these visual changes, Sally's voice changes in later episodes, a result of Sally's voice actress Kath Soucie using her normal speaking voice. In the comic, Sally at first had a red-furred and blond-haired color scheme. [Comic book reference|writer=Gallagher, Michael|penciller=Scott Shaw!|inker=Pacheco, Jorge|story=Don't Cry For Me, Mobius!|title=Sonic the Hedgehog|volume=|issue=0 (Mini Series)|date=February, 1993|publisher=Archie Comics|page=1|panel=1] , but Sally quickly adopted the pink design the very next issue. [Comic book reference|writer=Gallagher, Michael|penciller=Scott Shaw!|inker=White, Bill|story=Run, Sally, Run!|title=Sonic the Hedgehog|volume=|issue=1 (Mini Series)|date=March, 1993|publisher=Archie Comics|page=1|panel=2] Sally continued sporting the pink design until reverting to her current design around a year and a half later. [Comic book reference|writer=Kanterovich & Penders, Ken|penciller=Manak, Dave|inker=D'Agostino, Jon|story=Sonic Under Glass!|title=Sonic the Hedgehog|volume=|issue=16|date=November, 1994|publisher=Archie Comics|page=1|panel=1]

The pink Sally design is used in "Sonic Spinball", where she appears as as a non-playable character alongside other "Sonic" characters in a bonus level.Fact|date=June 2008 Pink Sally made a brief return in "Sonic Christmas Blast", part of the "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" syndicated series, although her general design matches her blue-clad, brown-furred appearance.Fact|date=June 2008

Even Sally's trademark vest has undergone several color variations; in the "Fortress of Fear" book, Sally can be seen wearing a pink vest on the cover. In the Archie Comics' "Sonic Adventure 2.5: Ώmega" storyline, Sally can be seen wearing a black vest at the funeral of Sonic the Hedgehog when it was thought he had perished saving Mobius from the Xorda aliens. In the Princess Sally miniseries, the fake Sally can be distinguished by her purple vest as opposed to the real Sally's blue one.

Television series

Sally is one of the main characters in the 1993-1994 "Sonic the Hedgehog" television series. In this series, her goals are to overthrow Doctor Robotnik and free her father, the King. In the first few episodes she normally stays around Knothole and helps the rest of the team. Later on in the series, however, she takes more of an active role in missions.

Sally also made a cameo appearance in "Sonic Christmas Blast", a Christmas episode of "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog", in which Sonic tries to get her a gift for Christmas. She is not given a speaking role, and is also in her original pink fur.

Printed media

Sally's first comic book appearance was the Archie comic book series "Sonic the Hedgehog"Fact|date=June 2008, which took the character and partly the storyline from the "Sonic the Hedgehog" television seriesFact|date=June 2008. The storyline involving Sally is different from the television series, and changes are made to appeal to the broader audience.Fact|date=June 2008

Sally appears briefly in early issues of Fleetway's "Sonic the Comic" starting with issue 3. Unlike her Archie counterpart, Sally is a minor character that appears alongside other villagers in the Hill Zones. [comic book reference|writer=Millar, Mark|penciller=Casanovas|story=Mayhem in the Marble Zone| title=Sonic the Comic|issue=3|date=June 1993|publisher=Fleetway Editions Ltd.| page=4,9]

Sally has also appeared in UK media - the "Stay Sonic" guidebook, and associated novels.Fact|date=June 2008 The Sally in this book does not reflect the more known versions of her, and is essentially unchanged from the video game sprite which inspired her.Fact|date=June 2008

Character

Abilities

Sally is known for her intelligence and quick-thinking, as well as her gymnastic and martial-arts abilities. Prior to its destruction in the comic, Sally is also able to wield the Sword of Acorns. Among the sword's mystic abilities is the power to heal, and also to allow its bearer to control minds at will. [Comic book reference|writer=Bollers, Karl|penciller=Lim, Ron|inker=Peroy, Andrew & Eklund, Pam|story=Reunion|title=Sonic the Hedgehog|volume=|issue=100|date=October, 2001|publisher=Archie Comics|page=9, 14-15|panel=1-6, 4-9] [Comic book reference|writer=Bollers, Karl|penciller=Lim, Ron|inker=Peroy, Andrew & Eklund, Pam|story=Family Dysfunction|title=Sonic the Hedgehog|volume=|issue=102|date=December, 2001|publisher=Archie Comics|page=2, 3, 4|panel=2-6, 1-2, 1-7] Sally has also been shown throughout the comic to be proficient in the operation of various types of vehicles, from air bikes such as Nack the Weasel's "Marvelous Queen" to Robotnik's Hover Units. [Comic book reference|writer=Flynn, Ian|penciller=Yardley, Tracy|inker=Amash, Jim|story=Round Up|title=Sonic the Hedgehog|volume=|issue=173|date=May, 2007|publisher=Archie Comics|page=14|panel=1-3]

Character biography

Reception

The character of Princess Sally proved to be popular enough to appear in the SegaWorld theme parks.

References

External links

* [http://www.archiecomics.com/sonic/allabout_sonic.html Archie Comic Character Information]