Mega Man: Issue 50

Mega Man: Issue 50
Publication Date: June 2015

Here’s a funny scenario: A big Mega Man fan who somehow never knew about Archie’s comic series stumbles into a comic shop or book store. He spies this issue on the wrecks and thinks “There’s a “Mega Man” comic?! And it’s been running for fifty?” He picks up the book, begins to thumb through it, and is immediately baffled as to why Sonic the Hedgehog is in this comic. Of course, this hypothetical person probably doesn’t exist, as we’re all plugged in and aware of everything all the time now. But we do know that the impenetrable world of comics is difficult to navigate for newcomers. Do you think comic publishers never consider that big crossovers utterly alienate casual readers? Probably, because comic publishers are dumb.

Anyway, back to “Worlds Unite.” Part four, grimly subtitled “Death and Destruction,” takes that title very literally. The Unity Engines activated, Sonic and Mega Man’s worlds are smashed together. This plunges both planets into chaos, the Freedom Fighters and Robot Masters scrambling to make sense of this event and save the people endangered by it. Silver and the Maverick Hunters, along with Sticks, also arrive, soon joining the rescue effort. Adding to the mayhem are Sonic Man and M’Egga Man, whose secondary programming to destroy each other kicks in. Luckily, the fight has the side-effect of returning them both to normal.

“Death and Destruction” is really about bringing all the plot points Flynn set up through the first three installments together. By the two worlds being smashed together, the two big threads of the story are united. I like that Flynn doesn’t waste any time on having the two teams of heroes fight, as they both immediately realize the other is good. Having Sticks and the “Mega Man X” team (oh yeah, Comedy Chimp and Fastidious Beaver too) drop in half-way through is sort of lazy but that’s just comic book crossovers for ya, I guess. By the end of the issue, the first act is thoroughly concluded: The villain’s scheme has rolled into effect and the heroes are working together for a common goal of undoing it. It’s satisfying to watch.

Plus, we also get some bitchin’ scenes of mass calamity. I’m a sucker for a good disaster movie and this issue provides the same sort of thrills. Sonic and Mega Man’s worlds are squished in a very literal sense. The Chemical Planet Zone pops up in the middle of a prison, allowing this Xander Payne guy – who has a magical robot eye now that can generate portals? –  to escape. A G.U.N. Command ship and the Mega City government building get fused, leading to both being destroyed. Buildings are wrecked, people are tossed around, Sally is nearly smashed by something generated right next to her. It's a pretty wild crisis, as far as these sort of things go.

There's so much going on in this issue that Sonic Man and M'Egga Man's fight really gets pushed to the sidelines. We see the corrupted Blue Bomber swing a hammer and throw some decoys at Sonic Man, who does some required spin-dashing and buzzsawing. But that's about it. And, honestly, I'm fine with this. We got to see Sonic and Mega Man fight last time. Only so much can be gained from watching them fight again, even in their corrupted forms. The only real bullshit with this is the way they are returned to normal. It happens without much explanation and the story is going so fast that you just kind of have to go with it. Eggman and Wily did it, apparently.

In between all the explosions and fighting, this issue even manages to sneak in some minor pathos. When the government building and the G.U.N. fuses, it explodes shortly afterwards. In the wreckage, Sonic discovers one of Shadow's inhibitor ring. Now, of course, Shadow isn't dead. Ian Flynn isn't even allowed to kill off Sega created characters. However, seeing Sonic stop and consider that one of his friends is dead is, indeed, a touching moment. We don't often see the blue hedgehog being stoic or conflicted, so even one panel where he feels bereaved is worth something.

Dan Schoening goes solo on the line art this time, apparently not needing Tracy Yardley's help. Schoening's work has improved with every issues he's done. He makes Sigma look especially powerful. The backgrounds are detailed. The action is dynamic. The comic generally looks flashy, dramatic, and a litle less static and pre-posed than last time. I will also say that Schoening has gotten a handle on drawing the Freedom Fighters, who are still a little overly tall but generally look better than they did last time he drew them on his own. Weirdly, Sonic and Mega Man still look kind of off. Sonic's body is still too elongated, in comparison to his head and feet. Mega Man also looks a little stretched out. It's sort of weird that Schoening is increasingly nailing the supporting cast but still doesn't quite have a grasp on the main heroes.

Oh yeah, there's a back-up story too. I initially assumed it to be an archived story, inserted to get this anniversary issue to double the normal length, but apparently it's a brand new story. “The Choice” is set at some point in the past, when Mega Man and X first met each other. While training in whatever Dr. Light's version of the Danger Room is, the two talk about their origins. How Rock was built for peace but chose to fight for love when the time came. How X was the first of his kind and saw Sigma begin a violent war, that he was soon drawn into it.

“The Choice” seems very deliberately inserted into this crossover, since it's essentially about the two Mega Men explaining their back story. That's the kind of thing regular readers of this series already know but “Sonic” readers, brought to “Mega Man” due to the crossover, may be unfamiliar with. As a basic rundown of the character's origins, “The Choice” is decent enough. X's past, what with feeling responsible for starting a war – being the first reploid, he's the prototype for Sigma and all his minions – is pretty meaty stuff. The sequence of X and Zero talking, just as the war begun, is quite grim. Which is fairly compelling stuff. Somebody named Powree does the artwork and it strikes me as very solid stuff that is representative of what the “Mega Man” comic normally looks like.

“Worlds Unite” continues to roll along at a decent pace. Aside from setting up the unified world and their respective heroes working together to save ti, this issue also ends on the cliffhanger of Sigma discovering Robotnik and Wily's treachery. I can't say I'm too emotionally involved in the proceedings but Flynn's plot work this time around is really strong, throwing more crazy stuff at us and keeping things balanced and well paced. That's worth a [7/10], I think, especially when compared to how much trouble “Worlds Collide” had with those same issues.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 273

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 273
Publication Date: June 2015

I love how this cover treats Sonic being turned into a villain like it’s a big deal, as if it’s never happened before. I guess it’s never happened in the rebooted timeline before, so it’s a big deal to the characters. What happens when the sun sets? Does Sonic Man turn into a robot Werehog? I’m sorry, I’m rambling off-topic, what with my reasonable questions and nerdy memory. I know it was obviously a scheduling thing but does anyone else think it’s a little weird that the Sonic/Mega Man Book crossover didn’t involve an issue of the main “Sonic” book until its third part? Just me? Alright, that’s cool. Let’s get on with the review.

“Clash of the Corrupted” – see, that’s a good subtitle, Flynn – begins with Sonic Man and M’Egga Man laying siege to each other’s world. Sonic Man quickly defeats Light’s first wave of reformed Robot Masters. (He says they weren’t built for combat, though Bomb Man seems to have few other practical applications.) He sends in re-enforcements, yet more reformed Robot Masters, but they are also easily stomped. On Mobius Sonic’s World, it doesn’t take M’Egga Man much longer to subdue the Freedom Fighters. They install Sigma’s Unity Engines, which will combine the two worlds and fuel Sigma’s transformation into a physical god.

Obviously, this issue is hoping seeing the heroes, even corrupted versions, wail on the good guys is shocking. For regular readers of the “Mega Man” comics, maybe the scenes of Sonic Man wrecking the Robot Masters are exactly that. For me, M’Egga Man crushing the Freedom Fighters is a little more effective. All of his abilities are taken from Eggman’s various boss vehicles. So he counters the heroes’ abilities with hammers, drills, wrecking balls, and explosive balloons of himself. Aside from him punching people with dinging bumpers, which is just silly, it’s surprisingly effective watching this guy take down the heroes with such ease. And, once again, just seeing the established Archie cast get in on the crossover action is thrilling.

Like I said, as someone not really interested in “Mega Man,” the Sonic Man sequences mean a lot less to me. Sonic Man draws upon the blue hedgehog’s own abilities. So he’s super fast, even for the robots that can slow down time. He shoots buzzsaws, homing attacks, and gold rings. Most of the Robot Masters don’t even get to use their unique attacks before Sonic Man disables them. Seeing an evil version of the hero best up people you’ve never meet before is kind of cool but doesn’t make me feel much. I wish Flynn spent a little more time developing the gang, such as a brief scene where Quake Woman, apparently a comic exclusive character, expresses a weird protective streak towards Roll.

It’s a fairly serious issue but Flynn still has to include some comic relief, most of which comes off as horribly out-of-place. Such as when Big the Cat bodyslams M’Egga Man. It’s literally a scene of a big fat guy sitting on a skinny dude. If even shouts “Hoo-Ray! I’m helping!” as he does it, furthering his image as an annoying simpleton. Then there’s Eggman and Wily sharing an “Silent bro-fist” while plotting behind Sigma’s back, a moment that’s simply embarrassing. Sonic Man and M’Egga Man probably should’ve been kept silent characters, as their quips really don’t add much to the story.

This issue does make me like Gemerl way more than I did previously. An obscure villain-turned-hero from an underplayed hand-held title, I never gave the guy much thought before. A powerful robot, he seems to mostly act as Cream and Vanilla’s caretaker and briefly appeared right after the reboot started. Here, he’s called in as the last resort against M’Egga Man, which he fails spectacularly at. What makes the robot amusing is how he acts like a perturbed suburban dad. He calls the invader “buddy,” doesn’t like it when people cause “a fuss,” is obsessed with firewood, and cracks lame puns. I bet he has strong opinions about the local softball team, charcoal vs. propane, and those teenagers playing their music too damn loud. Can IDW use this guy? Flynn, please find room for “Not Mad, Just Disappointed” Stepdad-Bot in the new comic.

Once again, Dan Schoening does the breakdowns while Tracy Yardley finishes it up. It proves to be an even more fruitful combination than before. The scenes of M’Egga Man attacking Mobotropolis are dramatically drawn, with the Freedom Fighters looking great. The scenes set on Mega Man’s world aren’t as sharp, as the Robot Masters all look pretty silly. I don’t know if Schoening is getting used to these characters or if Yardley is just handling the action scenes but they’re feeling a little livelier and less pre-posed than before.

Still, “Worlds Unite” is rolling at a decent clip. It’s already better paced than “Worlds Collide” was at this point. Honestly, having more characters and jumping between more worlds is keeping the story energized in these somewhat awkward beginning chapters. I'm going to be talking about some other bullshit for the next two updates but we'll get back to “Worlds Unite's” actual story line soon enough. [7/10] 

Sonic Boom: Issue 8

Sonic Boom: Issue 8
Publication Date: June 2015

I still have mixed feelings about “Sonic Boom” being rolled into the “Worlds Unite” crossover. On one hand, it seems really unfair to the short-lived series to devote three issues, a third of its run, to a storyline that’s practically unrelated. Shoving this farcical comedy book into a fairly serious crossover crisis was also weird. (Issue 8 of “Sonic Boom” address this tonal inconsistency several times, in a typically a Boom-ian way.) On the other hand, spreading this crossover over four series, as opposed to “Worlds Collide’s” three, seemed to help with the story’s pacing. Most importantly, Sticks is goddamn delightful and her absurd humor was exactly what this big event needed. So I guess including “Boom” in the crossover was good for “Worlds Unite” but bad for “Boom.”

Part two is subtitled “Broken Heroes,” a phrase that doesn’t become significant until the final pages. On Sonic’s world, Eggman and Wily continue to scheme behind Sigma’s back. They intend on transforming Sonic and Mega Man into especially powerful henchmen... But include a secret command for the two to fight each other, hoping to muck up Sigma’s plan. At which point, they will seize control. Meanwhile, the Maverick Hunters from “Mega Man’s” future – X, Zero, and Axl – arrive in the “Sonic Boom” dimension, following an encounter with Silver that we'll talk about sometime next week. They run into Sticks, who is soon convinced to help the heroes track down Sigma.

A big issue I had with “Worlds Collide” was how it simplified everyone, boiling them down to their Sega approved elements. The previous crossover lacked a lot of personality, I thought. By introducing Sticks into “Worlds Unite,” and letting her be her crazy self, that problem is already solved. Contrasting the wacky Sticks with the serious Maverick Hunters makes for some great comedy. Within minutes of meeting X, Sticks is already rambling about laser bees. She helps them primarily because it validates her insane beliefs. When asked to assemble a team, she grabs Comedy Chimp and Fastidious Beaver, who are obviously unprepared for a dimension hoping adventure. By the time they’ve successfully opened a bridge between worlds, Sticks has already forgotten what their mission is. She’s running on pure adrenaline and it’s adorably hilarious.

This issue is also “Sonic” readers proper introduction to the “Mega Man X” crew, since the action-packed opening last time didn’t really give us a chance to get to know them. Despite their grim ‘n’ gritty appearance, they seem good-natured. X seems as mellow and gentle as his present-time counterpart. He makes sure to reassure Sticks that they mean well. Zero, meanwhile, is rougher and more to the point. He threatens Orbot and Cubot when they won’t cooperate, for example. Then there’s Axl. His design can’t help but remind me of “Kill la Kill’s” salacious super suits. Which makes his habit of giggling like a school girl or holding his chin in his palm more noticeable. Is this guy supposed to be one of those effeminate bishonen that the Japanese love? That certainly makes him a character type this comic doesn’t have.

The Eggman/Wily side of the plot is less interesting. There’s more scenes of them hashing out the details of their plan, which we had plenty of last time. It seems odd to me that Sigma isn’t accounting for these two inevitably trying to betray him. (I don’t know, maybe he does, I don’t remember that far ahead.) These scenes are mostly there to push the plot further along. However, there’s one little moment I really like. Eggman realizes Albert has no memory of “Worlds Collide’s” events. Right before launching into a monologue that catches up any reader that doesn’t remember the last crossover, there’s a small panel of Eggman looking a little hurt that his friend/rival doesn’t recognize him. I don’t know, I thought it was cute.

The second half of the issue is devoted to Eggman and Wily setting up their scheme. It all leads to the issue’s cliffhanger. Sonic and Mega Man are turned into Roboticized Masters, named Sonic Man and the hilariously punny M’Egga Man. Sonic Man is sicced on Mega Man’s world while M’Egga Man marches towards Castle Acorn. The latter also has Sally and King Acorn making their first appearance in this crossover. It’s a decent moment to leave the reader on. It’s also super gimmicky. As with the Roboticized Masters from the last crossover, this feels a lot like an excuse to make very toyetic new characters that no one will make toys of. (Though I probably would’ve bought them if someone had.)

While Dan Schoening handled all the artwork last time, this time he hands his layouts over to Tracy Yardley to finish. It proves to be a good combination. It looks like the Mega Man characters are largely Schoening’s work, which his anime-style artwork is a good fit for. Yardley seems to handle the Sonic crew and the crossover does appear to have energized him some. Everyone looks crisp and animated. It’s a good looking issue, the artist complimenting each other nicely.

I enjoyed the second part of “Worlds Unite” more than the first and I think that’s primarily because of Sticks being goofy, making sure this epic event doesn’t take itself too seriously. Flynn still has a lot of balls floating in the air, so we’ll see how swiftly he can juggle things going forward. [7/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 76

Sonic Universe: Issue 76
Publication Date: May 2015

It’s time for another crossover, boils and ghouls. The year was 2015 and Sonic and Mega Man were going to meet again. I thought “Worlds Collide” kind of sucked but it was successful. It sold well and, perhaps more importantly, it allowed both comics to survive. The crossover created a scenario where the “Sonic” book could be rebooted. The boost in sales also helped “Mega Man,” a beloved series that never sold that well. So it made sense for everybody to do it again.

While “Worlds Collide” functioned under a simple – way too simple, if you ask me – desire to see these guys fight and then team-up, “Worlds Unite” was a far more ambitious project. In addition to the mainline “Sonic” and “Mega Man” books, the crossover also introduced elements from the “Sonic Boom” and “Mega Man X” continuities. (While also giving the up-to-now neglected Zetis, the “Sonic: Lost World” villains, a prominent role.) Later on, the story goes even further and has Sonic and Mega Man teaming up with dozens of other heroes from various Sega and Capcom properties.

Even as someone who disliked “Worlds Collide,” the idea of Sonic and Sticks eventually teaming up with Guile and Gillius Thunderhead was pretty exciting. Another big improvement was, unlike “Worlds Collide,” this crossover would actually take place in-universe. Sally and the Freedom Fighters would play a role in the story, even if it was a small one. So I went in a skeptic but ended up enjoying “Unite” way more than “Collide.” This was, once again, at odds with the fandom’s overall reaction, as readers seemed a little disappointed in this one. But I’m used to feeling that way. I swear I’m not intentionally a contrarian.

Anyway, let’s get on to talking about the actual comic book. “Worlds Unite,” first part subtitled, “Across Time and Space” begins in Mega Man X’s future. Supervillain Sigma has somehow gained control of the Genesis Portals and plans to take over the multiverse with them. He teleports himself to Sonic’s world, takes over Orbot’s body, and turns the recently conquered Zetis against him. Eggman is put to work building Sigma a new body and army. When he tires, Sigma pulls Dr. Wily – presumed dead on Mega Man’s world – out of the dimensional gyre. The two mad scientists soon convince the super android to use the Zetis to attack and capture Sonic and Mega Man, who were otherwise just going about their business.

While I eventually enjoyed the crossover, the first issue of “Worlds Unite” is exhausting. It’s devoted almost entirely to setting up the baddies’ convoluted schemes. Yes, I said schemes, as Sigma, Eggman and Wily, and the Zetis all have competing plans. The monsters attempt to betray Sigma immediately but he quickly overpowers them, bending them to his will. Eggman and Wily, meanwhile, are playing the long game and plan to backstab Sigma eventually. Eggman narrates most of the story, which at least makes the reader more accessibly privy to his plan.

It’s a lot to set up and, inevitably, some plot points get lost in the haze. Wily has no memory of the events of “Worlds Collide,” seeing no reason to distrust Eggman. For reasons I can’t remember now, Sonic’s foe does know who Wily is. Flynn hasn’t gotten around yet to explaining how or why Sigma can control the Genesis Portals. The conquest of the Zetis was hinted at in the main “Sonic” books but mostly happened off-panel. Which may cause some less obsessive readers to wonder where the hell these Pokémon-looking motherfuckers came from. (I guess the “Lost Worlds” one-shot adaptation can be slotted in roughly before this.) I guess such a loaded first issue is inevitable for a crossover that will have so many elements to juggle.

I will say this much. Sigma makes a fairly positive first impression on me. (I have no idea if he appeared previously in the “Mega Man” book.) The beefy android is boisterous in his speech and absolutely convinced of his superiority to everyone around him. Yet he’s not treating comically like Eggman and Wily frequently are, allowing him to be amusingly hammy and intimidating. He’s certainly a more interesting bad guy than the Zetis. They spend the whole issue lurking in the background, before they attempt to rebel and get brainwashed. It’s evident Flynn just plans on using these guys as henchmen, which is all they’re probably good for anyway.

With everything going on in this issue, Mega Man and Sonic feel like supporting characters. Despite appearing in “Sonic Universe,” this is very much a Mega Man comic. Aside from the the opening on X’s world, the only moment of real emotion we get is with Rock and his pals. With Wily presumed dead, Mega Man and his buddies can get down to rebuilding their city. Yet the conflict has left emotional scars. As Rock leaves for the store, his sister Roll stops him, worried something bad will happen while he’s out on the errand. She’s right, as that’s when the Zetis attack. This lends a tragic quality to Roll and Rock’s heartfelt conversation.

Compare that to the Sonic scenes. It’s just him running through an empty green field, grabbing a Master Emerald shard out of a lava-filled cravas, and rescuing a little bird. It feels like an utterly generic Sonic sequence, like out of a hastily written fanfic or one of Sega’s more forgettable video games. (Or an even-more-forgettable comic adaptation.) The Mega Man scene makes it apparent Flynn is in invested in those characters and their world. You’d never know that was the case from looking at the Sonic scenes.

The artwork is provided by Dan Schoening. An artist that is well regarded for his other work, including a long-run on IDW’s various “Ghostbusters” titles, he is making his “Sonic” debut here. Schoening’s anime-esque pencils look flashy and detailed. However, his action scenes feel a bit pre-posed. As if they were primarily drawn to look cool, instead of conveying a story. He’s also seems a bit more comfortable drawing the humanoid “Mega Man” cast than the furry “Sonic” characters, something we’ve seen before with guest artist. Still, it is a nice looking issue.

So “Worlds Unite” gets off to an overstuffed start. I guess that shouldn’t be a surprise, considering all the characters and events that will soon be introduced. I remember it evening out into something fun soon. Still, by actually acknowledging the comic book stories around it, I already like this a lot more than “Worlds Collide,” with its weird insistence on not having any effect on either book. [5/10]