Pardon me if I communicate my particular disposition concerning the potential for the further development of Shorty the Squirrel's, or alternatively Shortfuse the Cybernik's (when he is incarcerated within his lethal and nigh-impregnable articulated megatel exoskeleton), yet I would gradually incline towards conceding to the assertion that this particular character's period of tenure as a primary and substantial constituent within the realm of
Sonic the Comic has been largely exhausted.
Consider - what precisely is Shortfuse capable of attaining within the comic? This unfortunate specimen possessed little scope for expansion and elaboration even when the comic was proceeding with its conventional commercial publications. Although when he was initially conceived of, Shortfuse may have been appreciated as an ingenious, engrossing and unique entity in the realm of Mobius, his figure, mentality and purpose are now largely enervated, and his reservoir of appeal that accompanied his gestation has now, I think most would agree, been exhausted of most of its dregs of worth. My apologies again if I am unnecessarily blunt, yet throughout his life Shortfuse has constituted little else save your standard, typical, unvarying, staid, stagnant and opportunely convenient
deus ex mechané, the "Sentient Firearm". Shortfuse exists to perform little else other than annihilate, brutalise, rend and devastate badniks in those portions of white space on the page that the script-writer was too slothful to occupy with any actual activity, and because he's effectively invulnerable he is perhaps the only character who can be shot (for the sake of creating
some minute degree of tension in the strip), and yet not create a torrent of wailing pre-adolescents (and a stampede of ravenous, insatiable, litigating solicitors) as he won't even be injured! The new
Sonic the Comic - Online shall certainly not profit from resorting to this limp and wearied plot device any more.
I would also endorse Lakit's earlier assessment that, bereft of his characteristic armour, Shorty the Squirrel constitutes little else save a slightly more regularlry-recurring background 'extra' to the
dramatis personae - I would agree entirely with the judgement that he would serve little purpose than a 'supporting' constitutent who requires to be rescued occasionally, and is sparingly more agressive than most conventional components of the
mise en scéne.
I would susbtantiate this with an exposition of my analysis of the psychological situation that afflicts Shorty's volatile and critically unstable mentality (I suppose I may be capable of summarising it here by declaring that he is a
schizophrenic psychotic, whose emotional restraints are quashed when he dons his intoxicatinghly potent armour), yet unfortunately time constraints compel me to relegate this to a future post.
If it was demanded, you could probably extrude a meagre measure of storyline from Shorty with some desperate and agonising wringing of the context. Perhaps installing himself within the Mk. III
Adjudicator-model Cybernik armour (with his Mk. I being the
Executor-model, and Vermin's now-expired armour constituting the Mk. II
Repressor-model) would inspire him to engage on one final, and ultimately fatal rampage?
Alternatively, Shorty has - in various capacities - comprised a companion of Tekno the Canary for several years, now... I suppose that you could prolong Shorty's presence over several issues by encouraging him to involve himself in some form of relationship with Tekno (Madhair60, cease salivating, not
that type of relationship... not on-page, anyway...
), with it ultimately collapsing in an acrimonious row and the pair forsaking each other - I doubt sincerely that Shorty's frequent tantrums (in the very first panel in his inaugeral
Sonic's World adventure, he was attempting to engage in a brawl with someone!) constitute the most stable and resoundingly resilient basis for a marriage. Again, however, what precisely would Shorty
do in this situation? Call his spouse 'dear' instead of 'Tekno', or hand her a soldering iron in odd panels in her laboratory? It's hardly very varied...
If Shorty is to return, then it should only be as a single, individual adventure (although it could be prolonged over several parts), and I would highly reccomend that it concludes in a final closure for his character, preferably by death (it seems appropriate for a character who has for much of his life been an engine of destruction). This would also be useful because it would provide a 'partition', encouraging scripts to develop unique extensions to the background rather than reviving old characters continually.
), with it ultimately collapsing in an acrimonious row and the pair forsaking each other - I doubt sincerely that Shorty's frequent tantrums (in the very first panel in his inaugeral Sonic's World adventure, he was attempting to engage in a brawl with someone!) constitute the most stable and resoundingly resilient basis for a marriage. Again, however, what precisely would Shorty do in this situation? Call his spouse 'dear' instead of 'Tekno', or hand her a soldering iron in odd panels in her laboratory? It's hardly very varied... 
