Special Guests

Please note: All guests are giving up their free time to attend and in many cases are coming from great distances so this list is naturally subject to change.

 

TAKASHI IIZUKA (SONIC TEAM)

Summer of Sonic is pleased to welcome back the head of Sonic Team, Takashi Iizuka! Iizuka-san has a career spanning three decades within Sonic Team, as multi-time Producer and Director on titles such as the Sonic Adventure, Sonic Colours and the recent smash-hit Sonic Generations, along with the original NiGHTS into Dreams game. Iizuka-san will be flying in from Japan especially to join us once more, to answer your questions live on stage and sign autographs at a meet and greet session!

 

 

 

JUN SENOUE (CRUSH 40, SONIC TEAM)

Rocking back to Summer of Sonic this year is legendary Crush 40 guitarist and Sonic Team music director extraordinaire, Jun Senoue! Composing music for Sonic titles since Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Senoue-san took up the director’s reins for Sonic Adventure in 1998 and has since worked and directed on a host of titles including Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes and Sonic 4: Episode 1 to name a few. Senoue-san will be taking to the stage with Johnny Gioeli to perform your favourite Crush 40 hits!

 

 

 

JOHNNY GIOELI (CRUSH 40, HARDLINE, AXEL RUDI PELL)

Considered by many as one of the great voices in rock, singer-songwriter Johnny Gioeli will be returning once more for the second UK Crush 40 performance at the end of the show! Forming Crush 40 with Jun Senoue back in 2000 after their collaborative work on Sonic Adventure and an album under the name of Sons of Angels, Gioeli has provided the definitive voice of Sonic music, writing and performing tracks to the present day.

 

 

 

STEVE LYCETT (SUMO DIGITAL)

Steve Lycett is a veteran of the videogames industry, and has worked on a host of hit titles such as Outrun 2, Virtua Tennis and the Broken Sword Series. As Executive Producer at Sumo Digital, Lycett has overseen work on SEGA & Sonic All Stars Racing, and is currently involved with the development of SEGA & Sonic All Stars Racing: Transformed, scheduled for release in the fall of this year. Steve will be joining us at Summer of Sonic to introduce the next instalment of this awesome racing title!

 

 

 

NIGEL DOBBYN (SONIC THE COMIC)

We are delighted to see strong representation from the Sonic the Comic cohort once again, and give a warm welcome back to Nigel Dobbyn. Nigel has worked on many popular comic strips and has been involved with many Beano and 2000AD publications, but is best known by us for his work on the UK Sonic the Comic. Nigel will once again be offering tips and interacting with fans, and will have original STC art pieces available for purchase.

 

 

 

NIGEL KITCHING (SONIC THE COMIC)

Nigel has been a regular since the first Summer of Sonic convention back in 2008, and it is fantastic to have him back again after a year of absence. As the longest serving and arguably one of the most prolific writers for Sonic the Comic, Kitching was responsible for developing many of the comic’s unique plots, held by many fans as some of the most involving and highly regarded over the comic’s long life span. Nigel will be available to meet throughout the day!

 

 

 

 

FEATURED FANARTISTS

 

MIRANDA L KETCHEN (RANNYLK)

Miranda’s influences span a huge range of sources from anime to videogame and cartoon franchises, with art pieces created through a plethora of different media. Ranny’s talents even extend into the physical realm as her deviantArt account will tell you… beware of the Tails Doll at Summer of Sonic! You can also check out Miranda’s impressive range of original commissions on here website too.

DeviantART | Mirandalketchen.com

 

 

KIERAN GATES

Our youngest featured artist, Kieran has received recognition for his artwork, with pieces featuring as winning entries in both the S&TBK and Sonic CD Art Contests. Gates’ eye for Uekawa style-pieces in unparalleled, with his original takes on the classic style racking up nearly 100,000 page views on his deviantART account. Kieran makes his first appearance as featured artist at Summer of Sonic this year, with a collection of new works to show off.

DeviantART

 

 

JESSICA FINDLAY (F-SONIC)

Winner of 2010’s Summer of Sonic art contest, Jessica joins our featured fan artists corner this year with a host of fantastic original works! F-Sonic has already gained notoriety on DeviantART having clocked over 200,000 pageviews, with demonstrations of her skills in creating pieces with classic and digital media, plush making and even in fursuit construction! Be sure to make F-Sonic an artist you check out at SoS!

DeviantART

 

 

SONIC THE COMIC ONLINE

Continuing the Sonic the Comic universe since May 2003, STCO have published over 30 issues containing contributions from an incredible array of fan community artists, as well as from former STC staff including Nigel Kitching and artist Richard Elson. STCO have had a presence at Summer of Sonic for several years, and we are delighted to announce they will be returning once with an army of involved artists to display the latest STCO issues.

Sonic the Comic Online | STCO Facebook Page