Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 251

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 251
Publication Date: August 2013

Well, here we are, guys. Issue 251 is the final part of the “Worlds Collide” crossover I’ve been talking about all month. But the comic is even more loaded than that. This is the last issue of “Sonic” connected to the original continuity. Mecha Sally makes a cameo here, alongside a spiffy re-design of Mecha Sonic. I hope you enjoyed that becomes it’s the last time we see that particular iteration of that character. Say goodbye once and for all to the “Sonic” comic we knew and alternatingly loved and tolerated for twenty years, because it’s a completely different animal from this point on.

Flynn giving the last part the super awkward subtitle “Worst of the Worst” is, I guess, somewhat justified as this part is subtitled the complimenting “Best of the Best.” Things are looking grim for our heroes. Sonic and Mega Man are captured, their friends are held back by Wily’s robots, and the mad scientist are about ready to rewrite all dimensions into their twisted vision. Luckily, the friendly Robot Masters arrive on the battlefield, sent by Roll. Knuckles, Protoman, Dr. Light, and Rush are freed up to help the blue guys. Now free, Sonic and Mega Man grab the Chaos Emeralds and go Super Saiyan. But the battle isn’t over yet...

Though it had one hell of a rocky start, “Worlds Collide” does wrap up with a properly cinematic conclusion. A lot is going on in this comic book. Flynn successfully conveys the scope of this story, showing different characters in different locations struggling against the odds. The stakes started too low but they are properly elevated now. Watching the heroes come together to save the day is satisfying. It feels like the climax of a big action movie and that’s nice.

I also like that Flynn doesn’t have Sonic and Mega Man save the day alone. The good Robot Masters make their first appearance in the crossover here, rushing in to give Sonic’s posse assistance. The Mega Man readers probably appreciated that. Without Knuckles, Sonic’s ass would be cooked. Considering the echidna hasn’t been given much to do in this story, that’s a nice turn of events. The rest of Sonic’s supporting cast is sidelined but, considering Sega and Capcom probably would have been fine with just the stars saving the day, it’s nice to see them included at all.

Of course, Sonic and Mega Man are primarily responsible for stopping the bad guys. Inevitably, Sonic transform into Super Sonic. Equally inevitably, Mega Man transforms into a similarly chromatic super form called Super Mega Man. This is absolutely the stuff of fan fiction crossovers, so it’s not surprising. Truthfully, Sonic going Super aboard the Death Egg and crushing a giant robot piloted by Robotnik is something we’ve seen before. It’s almost the exact same ending as the “Genesis” arc. Another problem is, once Super Sonic and Super Mega Man show up, the story’s tension totally deflates. The hedgehog reminds the boy robot repeatedly that they are effectively invulnerable in this form. They can no longer be hurt. Which totally throws the question of whether the heroes will succeed out the airlock. Nothing can stop them now.

By this point, Eggman and Wily’s friendship has completely dissolved. They are now begrudgingly working together, often snipping at one another from inside their death machine. Which is a different dynamic than what we’ve seen up to this point. Equally amusing is the villains choosing to sabotage each other in such a way that it costs them both their victory. It would seem hubris are Eggman and Wily’s greatest flaw. If both weren’t so certain they could outsmart the other, they probably would’ve won this. (Okay, no, they wouldn’t have, because this is a kid’s comic and they’re the bad guys. But you grasp my meaning.)

In the final pages of the crossover, after Sonic and Mega Man send Wily and Eggman plummeting into the planet’s upper atmosphere, they each attempt to Chaos Control their worlds back to normal. Mega Man gets the handle of it immediately and is sent back home. Sonic, however, is attacked by Eggman just as he’s about to reset his world. Thus, the set-up for the reboot is put in place.

I have very mixed feelings about this. I guess if the comic had to be rebooted, this would be the smoothest point to do so. But putting the dividing line in a crossover, in a weird continuity neutral zone, still feels like a cheat to me. Essentially, a different version of Sonic, without any of the history we know, just tossed away the version we do know. And the manner in which it happens – Robotnik tackles Sonic, causing him to fuck up the Chaos Control pattern or whatever – still feels like a desperation, last minute decision.

As you can see, I continue to be way more interested in this crossover’s affect on the main storyline than on its actual plot. Taking “Worlds Collide” on its own, it’s a mildly entertaining event. It had a rough start, a tedious middle section, but came together for an okay ending. But I still have a lot of problems with how Flynn executed this one and still don’t find it to be very satisfying as a whole. I’m giving this specific issue a [6/10] and would probably rank the entire crossover as a [5/10.]

Sonic Universe: Issue 54

Sonic Universe: Issue 54
Publication Date: July 2013

Here we are at the penultimate part of “Worlds Collide.” I know it feels like we’ve been stuck in the Egg Skull Zone for a long time but I guess it’s only been a month. Compared to the year-long arcs Flynn usually employs, this was truthfully one of the shorter events. While the quality of Flynn’s endings waver, you can tell he enjoyed writing the last third of this story more than the preceding parts, which felt pretty routine in comparison.

Chapter 11 has the subtitle of “Worst of the Worst,” because Flynn was completely out of ideas for titles by now. Deep inside the Skull Egg, Sonic and Mega Man fight Metal Sonic and Bass. (Oh, and Bass’ cool robot wolf, Treble.) They prove to be formidable adversaries. Just beyond the blast-door, Eggman and Wily prepare the Egg-Wily Machine X. The final boss weapon is enough to blast an exhausted Sonic and Mega Man into unconsciousness, allowing the devious duo to prepare their complete rewrite of all universes.

Unsurprisingly, “Worlds Collide” has been pretty heavy on the fight scene. This is, after all, a crossover partially built on the old “who would win in a fight” debate. Having previously devoted whole issues to Sonic and Mega Man’s fight and Sonic’s friends fighting the Robot Masters, Flynn centers nearly this entire issue around the four way fight between Sonic/Mega Man and Metal Sonic/Bass. It’s definitely one of the harder fights in the story, as both robots are just as powerful as their matching heroes. The usual strategy of switching dance partners is not enough to slow them down.  So I’m not entirely opposed to Flynn having the fight take up most of this issue.

Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Moreover, it looks pretty cool. Ben Bates continues to be the stand-out artist in this story. He manages to keep the fight fast-paced and furious without slipping into incoherence, like he did last time. As Mega Man cycles through the various abilities he’s gained over this story, Bates illustrates Sonic’s friends floating over his shoulders. That’s a nice touch. He even incorporates some humor, like the ridiculous face Sonic makes when he receives one of Bass’ giant boots to the gut.

It’s tempting to say Metal Sonic and Bass are just pawns in the plot. Metal Sonic, by design, has no personality beyond wanting to eviscerate his organic counterpart. Bass, however, shows a little more gumption. When Treble gets clipped by Mega Man’s lemon shooter, Bass flights into a rage, yelling “Don’t touch my dog!” It seems his rivalry with Mega Man is, like Ash Ketchum, driven by a desire to be the very best. So he has more in common with Shadow than Metal Sonic. I also think Bass switches sides at some point in the games, another thing he has in common with Sonic’s darker furred rival. See, a villain with some humanity is more interesting, even if they’re a robot.

On the Eggman/Wily front, there’s not too much to report. The two continue to work together while secretly plotting against each other. However, Flynn incorporates some little interactions that are cute. Such as the two sniping at each other, like an old married couple, as they put the purely aesthetic finishing touches on their latest death machine. My favorite bit comes when they’re explaining their evil plan to the captured Sonic and Mega Man. The two are so wrapped in their evil glee that they go to high five one another, forgetting they hate each other now.

And that brings us almost to the end. Flynn has finished putting all his pieces in their places. Robotnik and Wily are on the verge of winning, their plan to cosmic-reset-button Sonic and Mega Man out of existence nearly completed. Of course, in their arrogance, the bad guys have stuck the heroes right there in the final chamber with them. I have mixed feelings about this. It’s a cliche we’ve all seen many times before and there is something satisfying about the familiarity. At the same time, it’s hard to take the bad guys seriously when they set themselves up for defeat like that.

It’s true that this event is picking up speed as it nears its end. I have my qualms. Bass is interesting enough here that I wish Flynn had given him a bigger role throughout the crossover. He would’ve been preferable over the various faceless Robot Masters we encountered. Still, this is a pretty good comic book. I had fun reading it. [7/10]

Mega Man: Issue 27

Mega Man: Issue 27
Publication Date: July 2013

“Worlds Collide” is quickly nearing its conclusion. Only two more of these left to go! This is the last issue of “ Mega Man” I’ll be reviewing, at least until the next crossover. It’s a bit of a mixed blessing. The crossover improves a lot in its last third. Yet the event’s end also means the “Sonic” reboot - and all the complicated feelings it brings with it - will properly begin soon. Let’s get through this together.

Part ten of “Worlds Collide” is subtitled “No Holds Barred” and, sadly, features no Hulk Hogan cameos. Dr. Light plummets from the Skull Egg but is rescued by Shadow. Rock’s dad implores him to get on the floating battle station and stop the villains’ plan, as the fate of the multi-verse depends on it. The two blue heroes face off against new threats inside the ship but also receive help from old friends.

Ben Bates’ artwork really continues to be the star attraction here. There’s a dynamic sense of motion here to rival Spaz, while Bates also keeps the cartoony facial expressions that characterize Tracy Yardley’s work. It’s the best of both worlds. While the issue looks great, some times the action scenes are a little too dynamic. A fight between the good guys and a trio of evil robots known as the Mega Man Killers is a little hard to follow. There’s lots of spinning and dashing and it’s tricky for the reader to keep up.

But at least Flynn is continuing to raise the stakes in the crossover’s last third. During the battle with the Mega Man Killers, Tails takes a blaster right to the face. Considering a problem I’ve had with this book is general lack of danger, seeing one of the Sonic franchise’s most beloved characters pushed to the edge of death at least lets us know that things are serious. Flynn also continues to emphasize that Eggman and Wily are threatening the entire universe. Which helps solve another problem I had: The crossover having no repercussions on either series’ on-going plots. (Of course, we now know that Sonic essentially sacrifices his own universe to save all the others, but we’ll get to that later.)

Another thing making this issue a little more compelling is Wily and Eggman’s friendship disintegrating. Wily does not take Robotnik’s attempt to murder Dr. Light well. Apparently, he wants to see his rival humiliated, not killed. Which might explain why Wily constantly gets his ass kicked by the good guys. He’s another one of those types that has the resources to just carpet bomb his enemies out of existence but weirdly refuses to do so. Sadly, the schism between the villains isn’t given room to breath here. Wily and Eggman have to put their differences aside for now, so the showdown can continue. It would’ve been cooler if Flynn had incorporated a fight between the two into the actual plot.

After a few issues of build-up, this one also brings two major characters into the fray. Sonic and Mega Man actually do fight the Chaos Devil here and find him to be quite difficult to defeat. His eyeball is his weak point but it’s surrounded by water that can be reshaped. Luckily, Duo appears to hold the monster back, so Sonic and Mega Man can progress towards the final boss battle. I have zero familiarity with Duo but he’s a super powerful, slightly spacey robot obsessed with maintaining a balance between good and evil. So that’s cool.

As strong as Duo is, he can still only hold-off the Chaos Devil, not defeat it. Which creates a plot hole of its own. If the Chaos Devil is so powerful and neigh indestructible, I don’t know why Wily/Eggman didn’t just drop him into the battlefield to crush Sonic and his friends. Yeah, I know they can’t control him but a battlefront situation would be ideal for a beast like that. Just point him the direction of what needs to die and let him loose. But that would also end the story way too soon and I guess we can’t have that.

Flynn does incorporate some cute humor into this one. Sonic and Mega Man banter while navigating the Skull Egg, causing Tails and Rush to give each other an exasperated, knowing glance. Flynn also has fun depicting a confrontation between Rouge and a Robot Master named Jewel Man. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a cameo from Big the Cat. This seems to make the Off-Panel strip canon for once, as that depicts Eggman and Wily realizing Big would make a useless Roboticized Master. Which is pretty funny.

There’s definitely some flaws here but by keeping the action lively and letting us know the heroes are actually in danger, Flynn creates a pretty entertaining comic book. [6.5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 250

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 250
Publication Date: June 2013

With its 250th issue, Archie’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic had officially been in print for twenty years. That was a major accomplishment in the precarious world of comics, where even major superhero characters can’t go more than a few years without being rebooted. Even more so for a silly licensed book based on a video game series that was, let’s face it, way pass its peak popularity and cultural relevance. Take that as a lesson, kids. If you can cultivate an obsessive fandom partially composed of autists and furries, your comic book will run for decades too.

Sadly, the comic’s porcelain anniversary did not come during the smoothest time. The book was wrapped up in the back half of the “Worlds Collide” crossover, meaning Sonic had to share the spotlight with Mega Man. The book was also two issues away from having all its continuity wiped out. It’s kind of hard to seriously celebrate a comic’s success when the book is busy boosting another series and about to throw its entire history in the trash.

But never mind all that. We’ve got a crossover to sell! Part nine of “Worlds Collide,” subtitled “All Out War,” begins with Sonic, Mega Man, and their friends stationed under the Death Egg. Inside, Wily and Eggman are preparing another Genesis Wave that will completely reshape both of their worlds. The villains send a massive army, composed of every Robot Master Wily has ever built, to stymie the heroes. Sonic and Mega Man try to fight their way through the forces, so they can rescue Rock’s dad and stop the bad guys.

Last time, I said I had the feeling that Flynn was just wasting time in the middle act and really wanted to get to the big fight scene. This issue holds that out. Flynn is so eager to get to the violence that he doesn’t even properly introduce Shadow and Omega. They, along with Silver and Blaze, show up at the beginning without an immediate explanation. We couldn’t get a panel or two showing them teleporting under the Skull Egg? It seems a little sloppy, adding to a comic story arc that already seems a little sloppy.

It seems this issue is mostly about luxuriating in the literally hundreds of Robot Masters that Wily has built over the many “Mega Man” games. The issue opens with a two page spread showing off a few of them. Some of them have more general purposes, like spraying water or generating walls or concrete blocks. Others are way more specific. Over the years, Wily has created clown, vampire, water pump, pirate, flying saucer, sheep, magician, mosquito, electric plugs, centaur, swami, Indian Brave, and pineapple I think themed robots, among many others. No, we never get much in the way of development for any of these bots. However, one thing Capcom is really good at is designing visually appealing characters. So all these weird robots are neat looking, if nothing else.

Flynn seems to delight in contrasting the various Sonic characters with similarly themed Robot Masters. Napalm Man’s countless fireballs are met by Omega’s equally impressive fire power. Blaze faces off against six separate pyromaniac robots. Vector fights Snake Man. Charmy fights Hornet Man. Espio fights the ninja-themed Shadow Man. Tails flies against a trio of flying Masters. Sonic races against a cadre of fast Masters. Amy faces off against Splash Woman, seemingly the only female member of the Robot Masters. There is, admittedly, some minor fun in seeing so many different variations on the same sort of archetypes.

The business aboard the Skull Egg proves a little more compelling than the battlefield. There’s a tense conversation between Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. This moment gives us a look at Wily’s neurosis. He really, really resents Dr. Light. He’s obsessed with what he perceives as Light’s lack of vision and the belief that Thomas is jealous of his genius. Dr. Light silences him by pointing out both doctors’ tendency to try and control things they can’t handle. It feels a bit like an asshole kid trying to stand up his dad and failing spectacularly.

All that’s well and good but Eggman’s approach is more direct. Upon realizing Dr. Light is a serious threat, that he’s aware of their plan and has been feeding information to Sonic and Rock, he decides to just straight-up murder him. Coldly and calculating, he grabs Dr. Light, drags him to the Egg Skull’s port, and tosses him out. And he’s smiling as he does, cutely waving as Light falls to his doom. That’s how you make an intimidating villain, by showing them wiling to do anything to further their goals. Sort of wish he had done this a lot sooner.

But, hey, it’s a pretty looking comic. Ben Bates comes aboard for this crossover and does stellar work. He’s the first artist to work on this crossover that feels like he knows how to write characters from both franchises. The Sonic and Mega Man cast not only look like they can co-exist but also looks awesome together. The action sequences are beautifully executed, with a sense of motion and speed. Everyone looks awesome, with lots of funny facial expressions.

Oh yeah, there’s a reprint shoved in the back too. In order to celebrate the “Sonic” comic reaching 250 issues, half of issue 229 is reprinted after the cover story. I guess this story was chosen because both this one and that one deal with the Genesis Wave rewriting the world. However, I really don’t understand the intention behind reprinting half of a story. Is this supposed to drive people to the back issues? Because it really feels like Archie wants to prestige of a double-length issue without actually writing a double-length issue. I do like the little “yearbook page” included, which features some pithy remissness from a few of the artists and writers.

So it’s a nice looking book that’s packed full of action and one or two decent character interaction. Eh, I guess I’ll take it.  [6.5/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 53

Sonic Universe: Issue 53
Publication Date: June 2013

Let’s talk about misleading covers again. You know I love to do that. The cover to issue 53 of Sonic Universe depicts Sonic and Mega Man about to fight the Chaos Devil. That’s a combination of Chaos, the watery god of destruction from “Sonic Adventure” that I’m sure you all know, and the Yellow Devil, a weird yellow cyclops monster Mega Man fights in the first game. (I wish the crossover indulged in more Amalgam Universe shenanigans like this, as they’re always fun.) However, our two blue heroes never fight that monster in this issue. You wouldn’t think Archie would need to lie to people to get them excited during a big crossover event.

Anyway, part eight is subtitled “Liberation.” Sonic and Mega Man encounter Knuckles Man and Rose Woman in the desert, defeating them and returning them to normal before they can self-destruct. This gets Eggman and Wiky nervous, as their evil plan seems to be falling apart, so they get to work on their final boss contraption. Meanwhile, Rouge attempts to sabotage the Skull Egg while Protoman and the Chaotix attempt to enter from the outside.

The formula from the last few issues continues here. Sonic, Mega Man, Tails and Rush fight two more Roboticized Masters, who are more powerful than the previous ones. Mega Man uses the powers he pilfered from the other Masters they’ve fought to disable the robots, changing them back and stealing their strengths. Perhaps aware that the readers are fucking sick of this by now, Flynn does attempt to shake things up slightly. During the fight, Knuckles Man and Rose Woman announce their intention to self-destruct in a few minutes. That raises the stakes a little, as now Sonic’s friends’ lives are on the line. The battle otherwise hits all the expected beats but at least Ian was trying to make things more suspenseful.

As for the action scenes... Eeh, they’re okay. Sonic later references Knuckles being tougher than leather. Accordingly, Knuckles Man can easily deflect Mega Man’s various blasts. Rose Woman is super good at smashing shit. While the heroes definitely get wailed on for a bit, it’s just a matter of time before Mega Man deduces which specific power they are weak to. This sort of pattern is fine in a video game but, in a comic book, things quickly get tedious. Even the aftermath of the fight, were Sonic teases a thoroughly humiliated Knuckles, is easy to predict and provides little pleasure.

The stuff aboard the Skull Egg is more compelling. This crossover has really exacerbated Eggman and Dr. Wily’s villainous weaknesses. They’ve basically employed the same flawed strategy over and over again, being shocked when it failed in the exact same way each time. However, seeing the evil BFFs crack up as a result might be worth it. After realizing the heroes are closing in, Wily and Eggman both begin to plot their betrayals. What’s amusing is they feel a little bad about it. Awwww. Villains gotta villain but these two really do like each other.

The encounter between Rouge and the Chaos Devil is entertaining just because it’s something different than the action we’ve been seeing in this crossover up to this point. Rouge turning the doctors’ own creation against them, as the Chaos Devil blindly attacks everyone, is a nice mix-up. It also puts Rouge in a tight place, as now she has to escape the giant rampaging monster as well. We also see Metal Sonic and Bass re-deploy, who the Mads have been keeping benched for some reason. It’s a solidly entertaining sequence, full of some tension, humor, and surprise. Why couldn’t the whole comic be like this?

But we know the answer to that question, don’t we? “Liberation” concludes act two of “Worlds Collide.” Instead of using the second act as the meat of the story, as you’re suppose to, Flynn has just used this extended series of action scenes to move everyone into place for the big showdown. Sonic and Mega Man’s friends are all free, giving the heroes a small army. The good guys are marching on the Death Egg. Wily is ready to deploy every previous Robot Master he’s built on his enemies. (He could have done this before but is choosing to do it now seemingly because he’s kind of an idiot.) Even that weird Duo guy is back from outer space, presumably ready to fuck shit up. All the pieces are in place and, presumably, the real fun can finally begin now.

This is making me want to take back everything nice I’ve said about Flynn’s grasp on structure. You know, Ian, old buddy, old pal, if the climatic final battle was all you were interested in, why not just go straight to that? Why waste our time with a repetitive, laborious middle act? It’s increasingly looking like our writer knew he had twelve issues to fill but only had enough story for half that number. I’ve suspected this all along but “Worlds Collide’s” middling, time-wasting middle section really makes it apparent.

Well, anyway, hopefully the real fun can start now. I like the scenes with Rouge and watching Eggman and Wily scheming against each other is fun. Otherwise, this issue is more of the same, despite some noble attempts to mix it up. [5/10]

Mega Man: Issue 26

Mega Man: Issue 26
Publication Date: June 2013

These inter-title crossovers are fucking confusing some times. “Worlds Collide” played out through “Sonic,” “Sonic Universe,” and “Mega Man” as the books were being published. This meant jumping back and forth between the three titles if you wanted to keep up. Archie did a lot to prevent confusion, putting the numbers of each part on the covers and distributing plenty of check lists. But, inevitably, I skipped ahead one, picked up the next part of the crossover by mistake, and was very confused for several minutes. Jesus, these comic book companies ask for a lot from their readers.

Part seven, “Evening the Odds,” focuses on Sonic and Mega Man as they continue to battle their way through the Egg-Skull Zone. They continue to defeat Eggman and Wily’s Roboticized Masters. After rescuing Shadow, who promptly teleports away, memories of their original worlds begin to filter back into the heroes’ brains. Meanwhile, a new (to this crossover, anyway) face sneaks aboard the Death Egg to rescue Dr. Light.

“Evening the Odds” more-or-less continues the story template set up by the previous installment. Sonic, Mega Man, and their respective sidekicks encounter a Roboticized Master. Using the powers he acquired from his previous victory, Mega Man defeats the new attacker. He then absorbs the new Master’s powers, reverting them to normal. Rinse and repeat, apparently. Flynn seems to think the novelty of Mega Man’s new powers and seeing Sonic’s Sega-approved friends as robots is enough to keep the reader’s interest.

Part seven is also surprisingly incoherent at times as well. I don’t know if this is Flynn’s fault or Tracy Yardley’s fault, whose artwork is fine otherwise. On an early page, Rush swerves in flight, tossing Mega Man off, to catch one of Shadow Man’s giant shurikens. That’s what I think is supposed to happen but, instead, it looks like Rush is shot out of the sky and then catches the projectile responsible. Shadow teleports away in a panel that’s so small, I missed it entirely and was wondering where he went. Am I being slow on the uptake? Or was Flynn/Yardley rushed by the crossover’s release schedule and started to slip?

Having said that, there are a couple funny moments in this issue. While exploring a jungle stage and fighting a large robot snake, Sonic and Mega Man trade some banter that made me chuckle. Later, Robotnik and Dr. Wily criticize Dr. Light’s beard, as both believe mustaches to be the superior facial hair. At the issue’s very end, we see Protoman quietly putting up with Vector’s ignorance, which made me chuckle. Flynn sometimes pushes the humor too far though. The confusion between Shadow Man – the Roboticized version of Shadow – and Shadow Man – Wily’s ninja-themed robot master – made for a funny little gag last time. This time, the comic repeats its enough times that the joke looses its luster.

This issue does bring some of Sonic’s friends into the fold. Some better than others. After Shadow is reverted back to his organic state, he growls, destroys the other Shadow Man, and then teleports away. It seems Flynn is saving the so-called Ultimate Lifeform for a later appearance in the crossover but had no idea what to do with him in the mean time. After Silver and Blaze are rescued, they’re at least polite enough to stick around. More interesting is the sudden appearance of Rouge. She apparently got drawn into the Genesis Zone without being captured and is now looking to save Dr. Light. Though her appearance comes out of nowhere, Rouge always a little life and color to stories every time she shows up.

This is also the first part of the crossover to acknowledge consequences for the characters’ home worlds. Shadow’s teleporting causes memories of the Prime Zone to flood Sonic and Tails’ head. While I think Flynn’s intended affect was to clue the characters into more of what’s happening, he just ends up reminding the reader that they are stuck with shallow, history-less versions of the cast until the crossover is over.

After picking up a bit at the end of its first act, “Worlds Collide” is starting to drag again during its middle portion. It really feels like Flynn is just moving everyone into place for the final act and just spinning his wheels on everything else until he gets there. The result is a somewhat dull comic with some weirdly hard-to-follow moments. [5/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 249

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 249
Publication Date: June 2013

Welcome to part six of “Worlds Collide!” That means we are halfway through this crossover. Which also means we are only six issues away from nearly everything I love about the comic’s original continuity vanishing out of the book. Oh boy, I can’t wait to start bitching about that! But I digress. Let’s talk about Sonic and some robots playing smash-smashy some more first.

Part six of “When Worlds Collide” is subtitled “Friends or Foes” because Flynn was seriously not even trying to come up with good titles anymore. Anyway, the fight in the Skull-Egg Zone goes on. Our heroes face off against the new batch of Roboticized Masters. Once they remember that the combination of Sonic’s spin dash and Mega Man’s mega-buster are enough to disable the robots, and that Mega Man taking their abilities reverts them to normal, the tide of the fight starts to turn. Meanwhile, Protoman sneaks aboard Eggman and Wily’s base, in order to rescue Dr. Light.

As a huge nerd, I’ve known plenty of other huge nerds in my time. When it comes to superheroes, video games, anime and the like, a lot of the dorks I’ve associated with have been most preoccupied with characters’ superpowers or special abilities. I’ve always thought a character being interesting or well-rounded was more important but many share this “But what can they do?” mindset. And it would seem Ian Flynn is one of them. Part six of “Worlds Collide” primarily deals with the new Roboticized Masters, what they can do, and Mega Man’s ability to steal these powers from them.

Of course, most of these abilities boil down to different types of projectiles. Vector Man shoots big green sound waves shaped like musical notes, Charmy Man shoots metal stingers. So the individual powers are not especially unique or intriguing. Once the good guys remember what the Roboticized Masters’ weakness is, the story quickly becomes repetitive. (And why do they have such obvious weaknesses? Mega Man dismisses this blatant plot hole as a subconscious compulsion on Wily’s behalf.) The heroes struggle a little at the start but it still seems like they win too easily. There’s little consequences, personal or bodily, to Sonic’s friends undergoing their transformations. Once again, this self-declared epic crossover is seriously lacking in high stakes.

Having said all that, there is some entertainment value to be gleamed from the action scenes. A lot of the Roboticized Masters look pretty dorky but the Wilyized version of the Chaotix are sort of neat looking. Except for Charmy Man’s weird puppet mouth. The robotic bee does provide a high speed enemy for Tails, which is more than canon Charmy has contributed recently. Espio Man’s cloaking ability gets the drop on Sonic once, the only time he actually seems threatened in this fight. So at least the smashing and punching is, occasionally, mildly diverting.

My favorite moment in this issue deals with one of Mega Man’s supporting players. Protoman continues to be surprisingly awesome. After grappling with Shadow Man for a minute, he decides there’s no point in participating in the mindless fighting. He jumps on his shield, surfs away, and focuses his energy on saving his dad. In other words, Protoman is the only character here thinking like the reader, wanting to see the plot progress, instead of just punching everybody. He does this while saying little, being a silent and stern man of action. Shit, does this guy have his own comic book? Because I’d be interested in reading that.

I’ll give Flynn some kudos for including some funny moments too. Tails describing Vector’s attributes as being big, annoying, and “owing money” made me laugh. See? Even the other Sonic characters know he’s useless! After realizing the “Sonic” world and “Mega Man” world both have robots named Shadow Man, Eggman and Wily decide to send them on a mission together. Another cute detail is Eggman and Wily drinking out of mugs that share their skulls and yellow-stripes-on-chrome aesthetics. Less funny is the blatant way Flynn points out this Vector Man sharing a name with a cult favorite Sega Genesis shooter. (I would have preferred it if Flynn just included that Vectorman in the next mega-crossover but Sega likes to pretend that series doesn’t exist for some reason.)

By the way, Tracy Yardley’s artwork is improving. The Mega Man cast look a little less awkward here. Many of the problems I’ve had with “Worlds Collide” continue with this issue. Prioritizing action over plot, reducing characters to multi-colored action figures, and a general lack of tension continue to plague the crossover. However, there’s one or two amusing moment here that makes me give this issue a very light recommendation. [6/10]

Sonic Universe: Issue 52

Sonic Universe: Issue 52
Publication Date: May 2013

I’ve complained about Ian Flynn’s pacing in the past but his structure is usually pretty solid. He may draw shit out for too long but his dramatic beats usually hit at the appropriate times. Showing that he actually took some storytelling classes, “Worlds Collide” is evenly divided into three acts. Act two of the crossover begins in issue 52 of “Sonic Universe,” which is subtitled “Into the Warzone.”

The actual story contained in this comic book is subtitled “The Advance Guard.” Flynn must really love subtitles. Anyway, the team of Mega Man, Sonic, Tails, Protoman, and Rush enter the Egg Skull Zone. They begin a march toward the floating Egg Skull base, to confront the madmen responsible. The villains send a team of old enemies of Mega Man’s, led by Copy Robot, to block the heroes’ progress.

“The Advance Guard” is mostly devoted to introducing a new batch of fucking weirdos for the good guys to fight. Minutes inside the zone, the Genesis Unit attacks them. These guys are bosses from “Mega Man: The Wily Wars,” a Japanese exclusive re-release for the Sega Genesis of “Mega Man” 1-3. They’re based on that beloved cornerstone of Asian literature, “Journey to the West.” Buster Rod G is a monkey-like robot who wields an extending pole – that’s the second Sun Wukong expy to appear in this comic book – while Hyper Storm H is a giant pig robot based on Zhu Wuneng. They are accompanied by Mega Water S, a kappa-inspired robot based on Sha Wujing. (The jagged plate on Mega Water’s head is meant to represent the traditional water-filled carapace of the kappa but it looks more like a fried egg.) Mega Man has apparently tussled with these guys before.

Each of these weirdies has, as is typical of Mega Man bosses, a special superpower. The monkey droid can generate some sort of energy field around his extended staff, as well as having the generic ninja ability of casting illusions of himself. The pig guy can project powerful gusts of wind from his mouth. The kappa bot has hydrokinesis and can shoot harpoons. You'd hope these special abilities would lead to some inventive action sequences. Honestly, the scenes of Sonic mocking Buster Rod, by comparing him to previous monkey-like robots he's fought in the past, or the direct way Protoman deals with the Mega Water, are more entertaining. The battle is mostly just the characters showing off their different abilities until Mega Man turns the tide by using the special ability he stole from Tails Man. We don't even see the pig robot get defeated on-panel.

One of my favorite things about this issue is the Egg Wily Zone. Allowing Robotnik and Dr. Wily to build their own zone creates a very surreal landscape. First off, the location seems to fuse together aspects from both stock “Sonic” and “Mega Man” levels. Rolling hills, checkered loops, and giant mushroom caps stand alongside floating platforms, electrical grids, and giant gears. The blazing flamethrowers from Scrap Brain Zone run right into the infamous disappearing blocks from the “Mega Man” games. There are also really cute little details. Like the flowers having skulls in the center of the petals or a snowman shaped like Eggman in the distance. At the end, we even see a sun and moon in the likenesses of the mad scientists. It's a twisted reflection of their mutual obsessions.

Of course, this issue is the first time we get an indication that not all is well in Eggman/Wily land. Their egos are beginning to get the best of each other. When Eggman's two newest Roboticized Masters – Silver Man and Blaze Woman – bring him another Chaos Emerald, he suggests that his plan is greater than Wily's. They end up resolving their conflict by deciding to let the surviving heroes decide which world is superior. However, I like the idea that their seemingly perfect friendship has some cracks forming in it. Which makes sense. You never expect villains to really tolerate each other for too long, no matter how friendly they are.

For the last few issues, I've been commenting that Jamal Peppers' artwork has started to look a lot like Tracy Yardley's. Well, Yardley actually draws this issue and I take it back. Peppers' work is a lot stronger than this. While the Sonic cast mostly looks fine, Yardley was clearly adapting to the Mega Man cast. Mega Man's little blue super-shorts frequently look like a full diaper. His limbs are a little too spindly, his hands and feet too big, and his face a little too cartoony. Rush's face looks really silly in a few panels. Then again, the action scenes are fairly well drawn so Yardley is still doing some good work. Still, it's definitely the weakest looking issue of the crossover so far.

Flynn sets up some future story points here. Dr. Light contacts a giant robot out in space called Duo, who seems to be meditating in orbit around Saturn. I have no idea what that is all about. We also meet the rest of the Roboticized Masters, showing what the Chaotix look as robots. As an individual issue, part five of “Worlds Collide” is mostly just an extended fight scene and it honestly feels like a minor step towards a bigger, more important fight. I seem to recall the rest of the crossover being taken over by massive fight scenes and I'm not sure how tedious it'll be on this re-read. [6/10]

Mega Man: Issue 25

Mega Man: Issue 25
Publication Date: May 2013

The Archie’s way of doing things had change a lot by 2013 but one thing remained consistent: Their need to give their series an anniversary issue every two years. Most comic companies barely acknowledge the 25th issue or even the fiftieth. Then again, “Mega Man” reaching 25 issue was kind of a big deal for this series. According to Flynn, “Mega Man” was on the verge of cancellation before the “Worlds Collide” crossover. Afterwards, it would run for another two years.

Part four of “Worlds Collide” is subtitled “Through the Looking Glass,” which is presumably a reference to Lewis Carrol and not “JFK” or “The Simpsons.” Sonic and Mega Man’s fight continues through Mega City. However, the two quickly realize they are both heroes and that they are being duped by their greatest enemies. At that point, Eggman and Wily order Tails Man to attack. After Mega Man and Sonic return the fox to normal, the villains change their strategy and kidnap Dr. Light.

From the cover on down, it really seems like part four of “Worlds Collide” is going to be about Sonic and Mega Man fighting, continuing the brawl that started in the previous part. The issue even begins by declaring this the start of round two. And the fight goes on for a few pages. Mega Man evens the odds a little with the help of his robotic pets: Rush the dog, Tango the cat, and Beat the weird bird thing. (Sonic still doesn’t seem that endangered though.) Those hoping for a definitive answer to the “Who Would Win?” debate are going to be disappointed. This issue marks the part of the crossover were the heroes cease fighting and begin teaming up

Naturally, there’s a tedious element to this revelation. While running through a traffic jammed intersection, the two begin to talk. After a minute of conversation, Mega Man learns that Sonic isn’t linked to the bank robbery and Sonic learns that Mega Man didn't kidnap his friends. That they’ve both been tricked. Gee, if only they had taken the time to ask each other one question before they started blasting away. However, Flynn puts a little more work into it than that. After Tails Man attacks, some innocent bystanders get blown away. Both heroes notice each other saving civilians, realizing neither can be all bad. That’s a much more natural way of the two learning both of them are good guys. I wish Flynn had led with that instead of the two just getting over their jocko need to punch each other.

Flynn also brings both characters’ supporting cast together in this issue, which leads to some amusing humor. Roll’s reaction to seeing Sonic and Tails is quiet bafflement, which got a chuckle out of me. Sonic continues to tease the more straight-laced Mega Man throughout the issue too, which is definitely in keeping with his personality. Tails even apologize for his friend’s hyperactive nature. This even leads to some character development, when Sonic is too flippant about Dr. Light’s kidnapping and realizes he was being a dick.

The book still delivers the action though. As the silly as the idea of Mega Man having a SWAT team of animal sidekicks is, they do shake up the conflict. Tango rolls into a buzz saw, prompting Sonic to say that’s his move, and Rush gives Mega Man the ability to fly. Once Tails Man attacks, he reveals he can shoot huge gusts of wind. That also leads to some cool panels of the heroes leaping around scattering cars. Sadly, Tails Man is too easily defeated. One blast from Mega Man’s lemon shooter is enough to destabilize him.

I’ve been somewhat critical of the artwork in the crossover and I want to clarify that. None of the art has been bad, thus far. There are no Ron Lim or Many Hands level eyesores here. Mostly, I’ve been critical of the art because I know Jamal Peppers can do better. Peppers draws the first ten pages here. While his artwork is fine – energetic even, as in the panels were Sonic leaps on Beat’s head or when Wily and Eggman are freaking out –  I still thought it was Yardley at first. The rest of the book is illustrated by Ryan Jampole. Jampole’s work is also totally acceptable but it’s clear he’s still learning to draw the Sonic characters. A few times, it looks like Sonic has no neck, his head just resting on his shoulders, and his arms are awkwardly jutting out of his torso, instead of having shoulders.

Well, “Worlds Collide” is getting better. After a very shaky start, the crossover is finally finding a more entertaining rhythm. Getting through the boring set-up and to the two casts actually interacting improves things considerably. I just wish Flynn could have found a more natural solution to getting these buys to fight. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 248

Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 248
Publication Date: May 2013

After two issues of stalling, we have finally gotten to the brawl between Sonic and Mega Man. I’m not sure what Ian’s method was here. Maybe he just really wanted to get that setup out the way, even though violence is the only reason we’re here. Maybe he intentionally scheduled things so that the fight would begin in the next issue of “Sonic,” so that Sonic-only readers wouldn’t miss the most exciting part. I don’t know. I just know that I would’ve led with the mindless violence and gotten to the other stuff later.

“When Worlds Collide: Part Three” is subtitled “No Holds Barred” and, indeed, there are no holds in this issue. With all prefaces out of the way, Sonic and Mega Man’s battle in Green Hill Zone can commence. While Eggman and Dr. Wily gleefully watch their greatest enemies wail on each other, the Roboticized Masters arrive with a pilfered Chaos Emerald. Mega Man’s family, meanwhile, finds a way to send help to their robotic hero.

Maybe there’s a third possibly I didn’t consider in the first paragraph. Maybe Flynn is just trying to pad this thing out so it’ll take up the entire summer. Whatever the reason, we are finally allowed to see the fight between Sonic and Mega Man. And it’s pretty cool. Sonic happily uses the environment against Rock. He tries to crush him with one of those floating platforms. He springs off the stage’s bumpers, to tackle and slam the robot. He runs into the loops to avoid fire. Mega Man does keep Sonic on his feet and gets in one good punch. And, yes, the sheer novelty value of seeing two video game icons beat the crap out of each other goes a long way.

Flynn can’t overcome a big problem hero-on-hero fights frequently face. Namely, these guys never try to talk things out or reason with one another before the fisticuffs begin to fly. Now, Sonic’s natural cockiness and impatience gives him something of an excuse. But what about Mega Man? At one point, he even thinks to himself how odd this situation is, how his opponent talks about fighting his own evil scientist and how he’s clearly not a robot. Rock shakes off this uncertainty, strictly so the fight can go on longer. Again, Flynn could have avoided these contrivances if he just had the Genesis Wave predispose both heroes to fight each.

While the writer has to push believablity to get the heroes to duke it out, the mad scientists’ reactions to each other are more likely. Eggman and Dr. Wily are best friends. They spend most of the issue flattering each other. Honestly, the constant praise is so ebullient, that I expect the villains to go down on each other at any point. They even share an “evil bro-fist!”

Allow me to read too much into shit. Eggman and Wily are amoral would-be tyrants that want to recreate the world in their image. Which suggests a certain narcissistic sociopathy. The two don’t actually know each other that well but see one another as kindred spirits because they reflect their narcissism back at each other. They’re so similar that they cease to be two people, united in their goal of world domination. Or maybe Flynn just thought it would be funny.

While the crossover has, thus far, been focused on the bad guys and main heroes, part three takes the time to develop Mega Man’s supporting cast. Dr. Light and Roll get more to do, while we meet Auto, who seems to be some sort of mechanical assistant to Light. When Protoman return to the lab, battle damaged, Light goes in for a hug. Proto steps back, showing that these two still have some issue to overcome, even in this idealized universe. There’s also a cute moment when Roll sternly talks Protoman into getting some repairs. It’s always cute when the stoic badass takes orders from the little girl, just because she’s that fucking persuasive. I’m getting a real Wolverine/Kitty Pride vibe from these two.

After two issues that seemed a little uncertain, Jamal Peppers’ artwork finally evens out. The two casts finally seem to go together. The Sonic characters are Sonic-y, the Mega Man characters are Mega-Man-y, but they both seem like they can coexist. The action is fluid and fun, though it stops just short of being truly dynamic. (Imagine what Spaz could’ve done with this fight.) Peppers’ facial expressions are also very strong in this issue, especially during that panel where Roll’s stern face is reflected in Protoman’s visor. That gives the mindless fighting some emotional resonance, even if just a little.

By the way, Mega Man totally gets his ass kicked. Sonic’s natural speed allows him to deliver numerous blows before the robot even has time to react. If his friends hadn’t intervene, Mega Man would’ve been toast for sure. I’m sure Ian is just playing up Sonic’s home field advantage this time. The issue concludes with Mega Man teleporting the hedgehog to his home city, suggesting that the Blue Bomber will dominate the next round of the fight. But I’m pretty confident that, in a straight-up gladiatorial match, Sonic still would’ve won.

Anyway, part three of “Worlds Collide” is easily the best so far. It’s still pretty silly and thin but at least the crossover is finally delivering on its promise of hot hedgehog-on-robot action. [6/10]