SEGA and IDW Publishing have announced a partnership to produce new comics based on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise as soon as 2018. The news follows the recent termination of SEGA's contract with Archie Comics, which housed several Sonic comic book titles over the last 20 years.

"Creative teams are currently being formed," teases an official press release, "and a publishing plan is now underway with more details to come at a later date. Writers and artists will be bringing their considerable talents to the comic book world of Sonic."

“We’ve been speaking with beloved Sonic fan-favorite creators and new creators alike, and are excited to be able to spread specifics about our plans for the comic in the near future,” Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer, said upon the announcement.

RELATED: Sega Ends Sonic the Hedgehog Publishing Partnership with Archie Comics

“We are ecstatic about this partnership with IDW,” Ivo Gerscovich, Chief Brand Officer for Sonic the Hedgehog, said. “We know they’ll serve as a good home for the new adventures of Sonic, his friends, and foes.”

Archie Comics’ Sonic the Hedgehog series ran from November 22, 1992 to July 19, 2017, first under the pen of Michael Gallagher, then Ken Penders, and eventually Ian Flynn. The comic book series was originally envisioned as not only an adaptation of Sega’s popular action-platformer franchise starring a speedy blue hedgehog, but also as an extension of DiC Entertainment’s cartoon adaptation by the same name. The series added a great deal of story to the otherwise lore-stoic game series, casting the main characters from the Sonic games as freedom fighters set on defeating the sinister Doctor Eggman who wants to turn Mobius’ wild animals into cyborgs who will do his bidding.

Stay tuned to CBR as new details surface surrounding IDW's Sonic comics.