WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Sonic: Bad Guys #1, by Ian Flynn and Jack Lawerence, on sale now.
In Sonic: Bad Guys issue #1, the Sonic the Hedgehog villain Doctor Starline needs help. Committing an unforgettable act of jailbreak, Starline breaks into a prison to recruit help for his plans to recover Dr. Eggman. Using a mind control weapon to trick the warden of the prison, he gets access to some of the most dangerous criminals around.
These criminals are no strangers to Starline, however. Mimic, Rough and Tumble, and Zavok are all reunited with Doctor Starline as they plan to take over the Everhold Prison.
Doctor Starline is most known for his obsession with Eggman, and until recently served as his apprentice. Starline is Doctor Eggman's biggest fan, dealing with physical and verbal abuse from Eggman to help his idol succeed. In Sonic The Hedgehog: All Or Nothing, Starline blows up his relationship with his mentor. In trying to help Eggman by summoning the Deadly Six, Eggman becomes convinced that Starline is going to betray him. The Deadly Six attacks Eggman and Starline by controlling Metal Sonic. Starline manages to transport himself, Eggman, and Metal Sonic away from The Deadly Six.
The three crashland and are found by Sonic, Amy and Tails. Starline defends his initial plan, claiming that it was good but just poorly executed. This ordeal made the tension between Starline and Eggman stronger, and later they argue over how to kill the Metal Virus. After Starline refuses to follow Eggman's plans, Metal Sonic holds him down while Eggman takes the Warp Topaz from Starline. After doing this, Eggman fires Starline from being his apprentice. Metal Sonic disposes of Starline by throwing him through a Warp Portal, one that Starline had previously tried to escape through. Despite being abandoned by his mentor, Starline is still loyal to the Eggman Empire.
In Sonic: Bad Guys issue #1, Doctor Starline attempts to break into a nearly abandoned factory previously ran by Eggman himself. After realizing he cannot acquire all the weapons he seeks on his own, he ventures to a high-security prison. He pretends to be interviewing as a guard so he can talk to and try to persuade Eggman's enemies. In Everhold Prison, Starline reunites with Zavok, Mimic, and Rough and Tumble.
Starline is bitter and distressed at having been separated from his previous mentor. He is eager to help Eggman by any means necessary, still being the loyal fanboy he is. For his plan to work, he must recruit help from people who hate both Eggman and Sonic The Hedgehog. He persuades Mimic and Rough and Tumble to help him in exchange for personal favors. But Zavok remains skeptical based on his history with both Starline and Eggman. Starline responds by buttering Zavok and puts him in charge of the prison expedition. The newfound villain group has now broken out of their cells with Starline's help and has taken over Everhold. Zavok convinces Starline to release every prisoner, leading to complete chaos.