Ian Flynn


James Ian Flynn, also known by his Internet pen name Ian Potto, is an American and Canadian comic book writer. He was chief writer for Archie Comics's Sonic the Hedgehog since issue #160, after the departure of the previous chief writer Ken Penders, until Archie's cancelation on the run at issue #290. As of April 4, 2018, he is the lead writer of IDW Publishing's Sonic the Hedgehog comic series. He is also known for Archie's Mega Man, New Crusaders, Archie , as well as IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Starting with Sonic Frontiers, Ian Flynn has contributed to the writing of multiple mainline Sonic games.

Early life

Flynn was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Career

Flynn was hired as a writer on Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog after sending in unsolicited proposals. He subsequently wrote Sonic Universe; the Capcom series, Mega Man; and New Crusaders, a superhero title published by the Archie Imprint Red Circle Comics. In the Sonic the Hedgehog series, he collaborated with Tracy Yardley, the penciller for the series since issue #160. Flynn made his television writing debut with the Sonic Boom episode "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Worse-er". In December 2021 he was reported to have been writing the script for Sonic Frontiers; he also wrote the scripts for the prologue comic and animation released in the lead-up to Frontiers' release. Flynn also wrote the story scenes for the Sonic Origins compilation. In 2023, a mobile game released titled Sonic Dream Team, which was another title Flynn was part of the writing team for. Flynn is also a host on a Q&A podcast, known as the Bumblekast, where he previously answered questions from fans concerning the Sonic franchise and his work on the series.
Although Sega canceled their Sonic the Hedgehog comic series, Archie Comics brought back Flynn, alongside collaborating colleagues Tracy Yardley and Matt Herms, to revive their Cosmo the Merry Martian intellectual property. The first issue of Cosmo was released in January 2018.

Personal life

As of 2018, Flynn lives in Toronto. He is married to Aleah Baker, who has worked as a writer and colorist on Archie books such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe. Flynn became a naturalized Canadian citizen in May 2023.

Works

Comics

Archie Comics

Source:
  • Archie #624
  • Archie & Friends #153
  • Archie Comics Double Digest #295, 339, 343, 345, 348
  • Archie & Friends: Blockbuster Movies
  • Archie and Friends: Level Up!
  • Archie & Friends: Superheroes
  • Archie Christmas Spectacular
  • Archie Halloween Spectacular ,
  • Archie Valentine’s Day Spectacular
  • Archie's Superteens Versus Crusaders #1-2
  • Betty and Veronica: Summer Spectacular
  • Cosmo #1-5
  • Cosmo The Mighty Martian #1-5
  • Josie Annual Spectacular
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2007, 2009-2011, 2012, 2013-2015
  • New Crusaders: Dark Tomorrow Special
  • New Crusaders: Rise of the Heroes #1-6
  • New Riverdale:
  • * Archie #28-32, 699
  • * Jughead vol. 3 #15–16 collected in Jughead Volume 3
  • Mega Man #1-55
  • Mega Man: Worlds Unite Battles #1
  • Sabrina the Teenage Witch #101-104
  • Sabrina the Teenage Witch Annual Spectacular
  • Sonic Boom #1-4, 6-10
  • Sonic: Mega Drive
  • Sonic: Mega Drive - The Next Level
  • Sonic Super-Sized Comics Digest #11
  • Sonic Super Digest #8-9, 12, 15
  • Sonic the Hedgehog #160-290
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Halloween ComicFest 2013
  • Sonic Universe #1-32, 37-54, 59-70, 71-74, 75-78, 83-90, 91-94
  • Sonic X #16-17, 23, 25-27, 30-32, 34-35, 37-40
  • Super Duck #1
  • The Mighty Crusaders: Lost Crusade Special
  • Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #305, 310, 312-314, 317-319, 324
  • World of Archie Double Digest #85, 97, 123
  • World of Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #21-24, 26-27, 31

    Dark Horse Comics

Source:
  • Free Comic Book Day 2018: All-Ages
  • ''Minecraft: Stories from the Overworld''

    DC Comics

Source:
  • DC X Sonic the Hedgehog #1-5
  • Superman Special #1

    IDW Publishing

Source:
  • My Little Pony: Feats of Friendship #1-3
  • My Little Pony/Transformers
  • * My Little Pony/Transformers: Friendship in Disguise! includes:
  • ** My Little Pony/Transformers: Friendship in Disguise! #1-2, 4
  • * My Little Pony/Transformers: The Magic of Cybertron includes:
  • ** My Little Pony/Transformers: The Magic of Cybertron #2, 4
  • Sonic Superstars: Fang's Big Break
  • Sonic the Hedgehog #1-32, 41-44, 50-51, 57-58, 62-66, 67, 76-80, 84-86, Annual 2019-2020, 2022, 2024
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Amy Rose 30th Anniversary Special
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Bad Guys #1-4
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter #1-4
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2022
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #1-4
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Knuckles' 30th Anniversary Special
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Tails 30th Anniversary Special
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper #1-4
  • Sonic The Hedgehog #1: 5th Anniversary Edition
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Special
  • Sonic the Hedgehog's 900th Adventure
  • Star Wars Adventures #23-24
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures #5, 7-8
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Macro-Series: Michelangelo
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #19-20, 25

    Udon Entertainment

Source:
  • Mega Man Zero Timelines #1

    Other publishers

  • Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal
  • Sonic Forces digital comic
  • Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Convergence
  • Sonic X Shadow Generations X Chao
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Blue Racer
  • Tales of Aether #1-4
  • Uncanny Valley High #1-4
  • Drogune:
  • * Drogune: Fortune's Lap
  • * Drogune: Outlaw
  • The Nine Lives of Klaws McGee #1-2
  • Eternal Quest
  • ''sparkFLAME: Comic Anthology''

    Books

  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Encyclo-Speed-ia
  • The Official Sonic the Hedgehog: Amy Rose's Fortune Card Deck
  • ''World of Warcraft Tarot Deck & Guidebook''

    Animation

Source:
Source:
  • Vay - Voice actor
  • DC Unchained - Localization
  • Indivisible - Writer
  • Rivals of Aether - Writer, narrative director
  • Sonic Origins - Story Mode script writer
  • Dungeons of Aether - Writer, narrative director
  • Sonic Frontiers - Writer
  • Love Pretend - Localization
  • Sonic Dream Team - Writer
  • Rivals of Aether 2 - Narrative director
  • Sonic X Shadow Generations - Writer
  • Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds - Writer

    Podcasts

  • ''Sonic the Hedgehog Presents: The Chaotix Casefiles''