Was sonic a character in comic book before he became the hedgehog?

No, Sonic the Hedgehog was never a different character before he became the blue blur we know and love.

He was created as a hedgehog from the very beginning by Naoto Ōshima, who was inspired by Michael Jackson and a desire to create a character who could move fast on screen.

There have been many iterations and versions of Sonic over the years, but he's always been a hedgehog.