Mega Man: Issue 51

Mega Man: Issue 51
Publication Date: July 2015

“Worlds Collide” has been a fairly solid crossover up to this point and certainly an improvement over its predecessor. However, part eight is when the fun really starts. Archie, Sega, and Capcom perhaps realized that getting Sonic and Mega Man back together would not generate sufficient hype. Not even throwing in Mega Man X would do that. They had to go bigger. The crossover would delve into other Sega and Capcom properties, creating a truly wild collection of characters and worlds. Archie further generated fan buzz by slowly revealing what other franchises would be involved, a classic tactic to ramp up excitement. With part eight, we reach the point in the story where those outside franchises begin to appear. While I had some qualms about this, which I’ll rant about later, needless to say it’s still pretty fucking cool.

Part eight of “Worlds Collide,” “Holes in Reality,” begins with our heroes in a pretty low place. Exhausted after fighting off their mind-controlled friends and the Deadly Six, they are totally unprepared to handle Sigma's army of Mavericks. The villain's plans continue to progress, as he opens Genesis Portals to countless worlds, sending many of his henchmen after them. Just as things look at their grimmest, help arrives. Sticks returns with Chun-Li, Ryu, Ken, and Guile by her side. The Street Fighters quickly turn the tide of the battle. The United Army realize journeying to other worlds and recruiting more heroes might be what they need to do to save all the worlds.

Seeing our heroes pushed to their breaking point does lead to some compelling moments. Axel and Zero are somewhat shaken, seeing some familiar faces in the army of time displaced Mavericks. Sonic and Mega Man are forced to save Eggman and Wily, as the Mavericks close in. Wily is surprised that his greatest enemy would choose to save him but Rock insists that he doesn't want to see anyone die. Awww, what a nice guy. Seeing the good guys continue to fight even though they are exhausted and beaten is just good comic book writing. These guys never give up, even in the face of insurmountable odds.

The United Army being pushed to the edge of destruction makes their eventual come back even more triumphant. The two page rush depicting the Street Fighters decimating the remaining Mavericks is such a satisfying sight. Watching Sally go back into tactician mode, barking orders and formulating a plan, is also awfully nice to see. This kind of push and pull – between crushing defeat and earned victory – is the way to keep these fight-fests stories balanced and entertaining. There's even a kernel of emotion here, when Sally gives Sticks a big hug upon the badger's victorious return.

As well paced as this particular issue is, it's really devoted to one thing. Holy shit, the “Street Fighter” cast is fighting alongside Sonic. Yes, once the fighters appear on the page, the comic devotes several pages to the established heroes standing back, oooh-ing and awww-ing over the new guys' amazing abilities. Whether or not Chun-Li and her friends could tear through a collection of killer robots within several minutes is a question I'll leave you nerds to answer. For me, there's a definite rush in just seeing these characters interact. No, we don't get a clear beat on anyone's personality. Ryu and Ken have a short exchange about how weird this is, like they are in a kid's cartoon. I'm not even sure Guile has a single line of dialogue, outside of shouting his attack names. But who cares? Just based on the novelty factor, this sequence gets a pass.

Of course, any long-winded crossover is going to have some shaky plotting moments. There's a little plot hole here that bugs me slightly. Once Sigma opens the other Genesis Portals, he apparently becomes too distracted to pay attention to the heroes. He sends most of his army off, leaving only a few Mavericks behind to crush his enemies. After the Street Fighters appear and save the day, Sigma just allows Sonic and the crew to explore the other Genesis Portals. There's a line from Sally about how “they are beneath Sigma's notice” now or something. Which sounds like a shaky justification to get the good guys out of a bind and set up the next chapter of the crossover. I guess I'll allow it, what with the story being knee-deep in things right now, but there was probably a less sloppy way for Flynn to justify this. Letting the heroes slip away while the bad guy is right there doesn't make Sigma look very creditable.

The artwork has been excellent throughout this crossover. Edwin Huang continues to provide the pencils. Huang's work is still energetic and highly expressive. The fight scenes remain extremely fun to look at, everyone brought to life wonderfully. However, Huang might've been getting a little tired or rushed on this one. There's a few panels that are a little hard to follow, such as Mega Man's interaction with Dr. Wily. Occasionally, Sally and Zero's facial expressions veer towards dull surprise territory. Still, not really complaining. This book looks awesome.

It seems like this crossover continues to follow up slightly weaker issues with somewhat stronger ones. It's not just because the introduction of the “Street Fighter” cast perks things up, though that's a big factor in this issue's success. Seeing the words “Hadouken!” in a “Sonic” comic is fucking amazing. But I actually think Flynn does some decent character work here in-between the hitting and punching. Let's see if he can keep it up, as “Worlds Unite” heads into its last act. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 274

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 274
Publication Date: July 2015

I guess comic book companies putting out misleading covers is a trend that will never stop. Issue 274 of “Sonic,” part seven of “Worlds Unite,” has a cover that suggest the “Sonic” cast and the “Mega Man” cast will be fighting. This is technically true but it only happens due to the influence of the Deadly Six, the robotic heroes fighting it all the way. In this day and age, covers and solicitations of comics come out several months in advance. So, sure, if you had just read the last part of “Worlds Unite,” you know how misleading this cover is. If you’re looking at it several months before hand, you might really assume Sonic and the Megas will fight it out for any number of reasons. I guess that’s a pretty smart marketing tactic.

So, anyway, “Worlds Unite, Part Seven: Gears and Wills” does begin with the Zetis turning Mega Man, X, and all their buddies against the Freedom Fighters. (Bunnie is disabled as well.) Though the heroic robots do everything they can to fight the psychic influence, they are still trying to kill their allies. Sally is forced to leave the bridge and fight alongside the other Mobians. Ultimately, Eggman and Wily arrive with a big weapon that breaks the spell. However, this still gives Sigma time to evolve into his deadliest, largest form yet.

After the extremely satisfying sixth part, part seven of “Worlds Unite” starts to feel a little sluggish. One comic book devoted to a massive battle was awesome. A second issue at that same break-neck pace, composed of a somewhat contrived conflict between friends, starts to feel exhausting. Seeing so many divergent characters fighting together against a common foe was fun. Seeing them fight among themselves feels more like typical comic book bullshit. I know this was inevitable, what with the Zetis’ superpowers (and the rule that all crossover events most contain fights like this), but I wish Flynn had sneaked this stuff into an earlier part of the narrative.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s some bad-ass moments here. Sonic and Sally working together to kick some ass, for the first time in what feels like forever, sure is nice. The scene where she orders a thoroughly drained Zavok to surrender is probably the issue’s best. Knuckles, who hasn’t been given much to do in this crossover, gets to deliver a big upper cut to the mind-controlled Gemerl. Eggman and Wily appearing to save the day is somewhat contrived, as they bust out a huge gun that instantly disables all the robots, but it’s also sort of funny. Even the villains get an impressive moment, when Zeena runs along the exterior of the ship, taking over all the cannons installed there. As it did last time, Edwin Huang’s excellent artwork goes a long way towards selling these moments.

Maybe one reason why part seven feels so much more hollow than part six is the lack of personal moments among all the fighting. The focus is much more on clashing factions, instead of establishing a heart in the heat of battle. Still, Flynn does try. Sally insisting on joining the fray, putting her own life in danger to protect her friends, is the exact reason why so many of us still love this character after so many years. After the battle pauses, there’s an adorable scene where Cream puts a band aid on Sally’s arm. There’s a sort of cute moment, where Rotor is attacked by Snake Man and not convinced he’s doing this totally against his will. I just wish there could’ve been more of this stuff.

These little humanistic moments stand in contrast to the tedious in-fighting that occurs in the last third. After the Zetis are captured, Zero insists they keep on fighting, continue to march on Sigma. Sonic agrees with this. Sally and the Mega Men think they should probably take a breather, which doesn’t seem like an unreasonable request. It all ends up being a moot point, as Sigma soon emerges from Lost Hex in a new kaiju-sized body along with an army of roughly fifty thousand “Mega Man X” bosses. The argument between the heroes feels like Flynn filling page space before he can cram in that cliffhanger.

In the middle of all this, there’s a scene devoted to Sticks. She’s still stuck in the “Street Fighter” world, being interrogated by a still-obscured Chun-Li. This scene is obviously setting up the further cross-overs that will soon occur in this storyline. She begins with a rambling, incoherent story about pasta. After some urging, she then explains the business about Sigma and the Genesis Portals. What’s funny about this is Sticks’ nonsensical blabbering is totally indistinct from the actual plot relevant information. (I’m not sure why Chun-Li takes one theory more seriously than the other.) I guess describing the plot of comic book crossovers really isn’t any less convoluted than real world conspiracy theories.

We’re at the half-way point of “Worlds Unite,” right before the other Sega/Capcom properties are brought into the fray. Which might explain why things are starting to drag a little. It’s certainly not a bad comic book. It’s only when compared to the excellent previous issue that it feels a little tired. Hopefully, the introduction of more universes will perk things up a little next time. [6/10]

Sonic Boom: Issue 9

Sonic Boom: Issue 9
Publication Date: July 2015

We are six issues into “Worlds Unite.” At this junction, Archie saw fit to introduce a character guide at the start of each issue. This is because the already expansive cast is about to get even bigger. A helpful reminder at the start of every issue probably is necessary or will be soon. So, right now, the cast is broken down into Sonic and the Freedom Fighter, Mega Man and the Robot Masters, X and the Maverick Hunters, Sticks’ gang, and the temporarily aligned bad guys. They’re up against Sigma’s army and the Deadly Six. Got all that? It’s kind of important you do.

Part six is subtitled “Fire in the Sky,” despite not featuring D.B. Sweeney being abducted by aliens. The Sky Patrol has arrived at Lost Hex and all hell breaks loose. The heroes, who are now going by the catchy name The Unified Heroes, face off against Sigma’s army. They hold their own but are dangerously close to being overwhelmed. Meanwhile, during the heat of battle, Sticks is knocked through a suddenly appearing Genesis Portal, possibly stumbling upon the good guy’s salvation.

Cue up the battle music because we are going to war. This entire issue is devoted to one epic-ass showdown. Normally, I complain when this book sacrifices everything in the name of action but... You know what? This is awesome. Maybe it’s because Flynn leaves just enough room for little character moments – Sonic and Mega Man trading banter, Wood Man offering a confused Knuckles his leaf power-up – to prevent this from being a totally bland fight fest. Or maybe so much colorful stuff is going on that it’s impossible for the reader to become bored. Either way, Flynn accurately captures the chaotic feeling of being in the middle of combat.

Moreover, the comic continues to do an excellent job juggling its enormous cast. Flynn gives almost everyone something to do. Rotor pilots a turret and later body-slams a Zeti. Robotnik and Wily scheme among themselves in the bowels of the ship. In a likely “Star Trek”-inspired moment, Sally, Nicole, and Cream sit on the Sky Patrol’s bridge, anxiously overlooking everything. My absolute favorite moment has Antoine slaying a robo-dragon with the stab of his sword. Even Big gets in on the action, hooking an enemy robot with his fishing rod. I guess not everyone gets a scene, as the Robot Masters are underserved. But I don’t care about them so I’m fine with that.

Through it out, “Fire in the Sky” remembers that this is technically a “Sonic Boom” comic. Sticks is the de facto main character here. She’s front-and-center on the first page. Throughout the issue, she’s given plenty to do. She’s chased by bees. She’s smashes shit with her boomerang. In a hilarious series of panels, Comedy Chimp and Fastidious Beaver flee from battle, forcing Sticks to chastise them while more important fights go down in the background. As before, Sticks’ irrelevant side-quest lends some wonderful levity to this epic battle.

Granted, there’s a pretty big plot hole here. It’s well-established by now that the Zetis can psychically control robots. There’s really no excuse for the Deadly Six not to immediately take over Mega Man and X’s gang, leading to a swift victory by making half of the heroes crush the other half. Instead, Flynn saves that for the issue’s cliffhanger. Which is pretty silly but I guess totally fitting for a big, melodramatic, comic book crossover event. (The issue’s other crossover has Sticks stumbling through a portal and immediately running into an off-panel Chun-Li. This is also somewhat sloppy but absolutely necessary because it gets the “Street Fighter” cast into the book.)

Edwin Huang returns to illustrate and, holy cow, does it look nice. Huang’s complete mastery of action could not be more apparent. Everyone is detailed and energetic. The action beats are fast-paced, drawing the eye. Such as when Sonic leaps around to smash Badniks or Master Zik kicking Rotor in the face. Or, another fantastic moment, Amy and a Bunnie knocking out Zeena. His character work also remains excellent. The panels devoted to Sticks falling through the air, being indigent that no one will recuse her, are hilarious. Overall, inviting Huang onto the crossover might be the best thing Archie did for “Worlds Unite.”

This is exactly the kind of fun insanity I hope for from a big crossover. There’s something fun or interesting happening on every page of this book. The artwork is amazing. The cast’s personality is not lost among the madness. It’s been way too long since Ian Flynn and his crew has delivered something this well done. Fuck it, I’m throwing out a [9/10]. I’m in a good mood.

Sonic Universe: Issue 77

Sonic Universe: Issue 77
Publication Date: June 2015

That’s a good cover, isn’t it? At least, half of it is. During any big crossover, inevitably there will be an image of all the heroes lined up together. Seeing the four divergent groups pose together, dramatically starring down the bad guys, sure is cool. The bottom half lacks some zap though, doesn’t it? Instead of just having Sigma and his various sub-bosses opposing the heroes, Spaz or whoever dictated the image should’ve included the Deadly Six or something. A collection of differing heroes deserves a collection of differing villains, right? Am I nit-picking again?

Part five of “Worlds Unite,” comically entitled “Everybody in the Same Boat,” begins with our heroes gathering on the Sky Patrol, looking down at the world in turmoil. X informs the others of what a bad bitch Sigma is. Meanwhile, Eggman and Wily are being chased through the Lost Hex base by the Deadly Six, Sigma having discovered their betrayal. That’s when Xander Payne – and his new, portal generating eyeball – appears to rescue them. They are taken to the Sky Patrol and begin an uneasy truce with the heroes. The Sky Patrol is pointed towards Lost Hex, where Sigma awaits with an army.

Part five of “Worlds Unite” is very much a transitional issue. The chaos of the first act has brought everyone together. They are unified against a common enemy. The beginning of the story has wrapped up. Now, it’s time to move all the pieces into place and get ready for the second act. This is all too evident in the way “Everybody in the Same Boat” ends, with the good guys flying off to confront the more-than-prepared villain.

The blatant mechanics of the narrative showing is not a problem, for once. Flynn patches over that stuff by mostly making this story about the cute interactions between the integrated cast. Sonic makes chili dogs for everyone for lunch, which Sally bemoans. Sonic assures Mega Man he won their last fight, which the robot is skeptical about. X makes Cream his navigator, in a cute touch. Nicole and Quake Woman bond over their mutual status as machines learning to be more human. Zero and Antoine compare swords. Comedy Chimp tries to crack jokes around Break Man, who’s having none of it. Eggman and Tails admire the Robot Masters. Little touches like this makes our cast seem more alive, making us care more about the war they’re heading into.

Sticks, of course, steals the show. Her ramblings about “spy brooms" – set-up for Sonic’s half of the “Battles” sub-series – annoys and baffles Sally and Zero. She immediately develops a rapport with Xander Payne, the two soon comparing conspiracy theories. (I never thought I’d see the Freemasons and the Illuminati referenced in a “Sonic” comic.) Equally amusing is her tendency to confuse the main Sonic-verse characters with their “Boom” counterparts. She wonders where Sonic’s sports tape is and insist Knuckles can be buffer. As I’ve said before, Sticks’ kookiness adds a nice touch of comic relief to the crossover, which otherwise might’ve been too serious. Moreover, Sticks can totally get away with this stuff, as it’s one hundred percent in-character for her.

Really, the only complaints I have with this issue involves the villains. Xander Payne randomly dropping in to rescue Eggman and Wily feels like a bit of an ass-pull, albeit a necessary one. While the heroes are getting to know each other, Sigma is building his army, recruiting his various bosses  –including a giant, robot penguin, which is not exactly intimidating – from across time. I like Sigma when he’s gloating villainously but but I’m less invested when he’s just showing off his various superpowers.

This issue also brings a new artist onto the book. Edwin Huang came to prominence for his fantastic work on UDON's “Street Fighter” books. Unlike other big-ish name artists, who sometimes struggle to adapt to the “Sonic” house style, Huang has no problems. This is a fantastic looking comic book. Everybody is on model, with Huang's Sally looking especially expressive and excellent. This is not an especially action packed comic book, being devoted mostly to people standing around and talking, but still looks hugely dynamic. Huang gives everyone little physical quirks, their personality showing in their body language. Just the way Xander Payne holds his shoulders or what Sticks does with her hands tell us so much about who these characters are. It's awesome.

I know I've harped on this point but, really: “Worlds Unite” is just so much better paced than “Worlds Collide.” The last crossover felt like it took forever to get going and then rushed through everything after that. This story is hitting most of the beats on time, making us care about the cast, and showing the consequences for what happens. I'm glad Flynn can learn from his mistakes, at least some times. [7/10]