Archie's Mega Man - Discussion Thread

[Pearl98]

Sorry for the triple post... but anyway, MM #39's solicit and covers have come

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEGA MAN #39: (W) Ian Flynn (A) Jamal Peppers & Various (CA) Patrick Spaz Spaziante
The epic Dawn of X crossover reaches its penultimate chapter, and things are heating up in both Past and Future! 'A Hint of Things to Come', Part Three: Mega Man, Pharaoh Man and Bright Man-trapped and at the mercy of a long lost Wily Weapon! Can Dr. Light find a way to stop it, or is this the end of Mega Man's story? And what will robot-hating Xander do in a future filled with reploids? Featuring all-new cover art from the legendary Patrick 'Spaz' Spaziante and a 32-Bit-style cut scene variant from mega-artist Ryan Jampole!

 

 

 

I'm hoping Mega man, Pharaoh man and Bright man being trapped means the originals can take the spotlight again, I would love something like #12 again, and anyway, who else would save them?

[Mogtaki]

Oooh, I like the pixel variant.

[Pearl98]

Yeah, it's pretty cool. Also, Paul Kaminski posted this on his Twitter:

 

 

[Pearl98]

I find it hard to believe the best Mega Man artist is leaving the comics... He drew my favourite issue (#12) and some of the best covers! And of course, we can't forget he drew every single robot master... 

[Agie]

You mean Ben Bates?

Yeah, it is upsetting. Hopefully he'll be happy where he is regardless.

[Pearl98]

I can't get the photo I took of MM #36's variant ending here for some reason... but this is what the page is;

 

 

The MM3 robot master arrive at Wily castle 3
Quick Man: "Yo! Our victorious brothers are back! Somebody help Spark Man and Needle Man with their energy elements! ....Anybody but Crash Man!"
Quick Man's looking at the energy element Magnet Man got
Quick Man: "How'd it go?"
Magnet Man: "Flawlessly, the master got to act like a victim to earn the public's trust. We have the energy elements, and Mega Man was made to look like a fool.
Quick Man: "Ha! I wish I could've been there!"
Magnet Man: "How's construction coming along?"
Quick Man: "Right on schedule--- Which's too slow for me. but whatever. We'll be ready for the doc when he starts the kid on his wild goose chase
Break Man appears
Break Man: "Good." "I look forward to being there for Mega Man's FINAL CHALLENGE!"

 

 

 

 

Um... I don't know why the writings black... I copied it from when i posted it on Sonic SCANF...

[Mania Pipe]

Heh. I love Short Circuits.

 

Somehow, I didn't see this little panel... I would LOVE to see how that will turn out.

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

SDCC exclusive cover for Dawn of X part 1:

SHINY!

[Pearl98]

#37 has been delayed until the 28th... I was really excited to read it on Thursday Anyway, I'm guessing no subscribers have it yet?

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

You'd guess wrong, since I just got it in the mail! Expect full spoilers and some shots in a bit.

[Dejimon11]

You'd guess wrong, since I just got it in the mail! Expect full spoilers and some shots in a bit.

Ooooooh! Can't wait

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

It's the dawn of a new crossover! Get ready for some MEGA peeks:

And some X-cellent spoilers:

The issue opens in the future where X is being attacked by two humans calling him "the demon template." They shoot high-powered weapons at him, but the blasts miss and he's able to disarm one of them, telling them that they could've killed someone. In response, the other guy says that he won't miss again and takes aim at X, but Zero teleports in and relieves him of his boomstick in the nick of time. X thanks Zero for the save and he suggests that they turn them into the police. On the way, the goons are revealed to be members of the Emerald Spears, a name which X is unfamiliar with, but Zero knows only as "some kind of ancient cult of robophobes." X starts to wonder what could've happened back in the day that would've made them so afraid of his kind...

Cut to the present where Rock, Pharaoh Man, and Bright Man teleport into a mesa with a giant rocky cliff in the middle. Pharaoh Man then activates a secret entrance and they head in. As it turns out, this was the only lab of Wily's that wasn't impounded when he was banned from robotics and it's where he believes the rogue MM3 numbers escaped to. (He reasons that since Ra Moon built the Masters using his files, they might have that location as a fallback position.) Back at Light Labs, Thomas asks why this particular secret lab was left alone, to which Wily reveals that it was too dangerous to disassemble. Wily then reassures Thomas that everything in it should be too old to be of any danger to Rock and crew now while thinking to himself about it really being a deathtrap that he plans on eliminating Mega Man in using something called a "Wily Walker" (And even if it fails, the MM3 Masters should have his new base constructed by then.) Thomas thanks Cossack for lending him his RMs to which he slyly replies that it'd be great exposure for his science academy to "clean up a Wily mess." Wily then bites back by mentioning Kalinka's nightmares thanks to Ra Moon, which gets Cossack so mad that he accidentally breaks the handle off of his logo-emblazoned coffee mug that Roll gives him. Roll is able to catch the coffee before it spills to which Cossack thanks her and then he says that Kalinka sleeps better these days now that she doesn't have "monsters and mad scientists to worry about."

Meanwhile, at the Chronos Institute, Krantz and Stern meet with Dr. Kouin, one of the head researchers, who called them because he believes that a "Mr. Wells" that he took in a while ago is really "a wanted fugitive." It turns out he was right, as he's revealed to be none other than Xander Payne! Krantz and Stern try to apprehend him, but he activates the institute's prototype "Time Skimmer" and jumps in, hoping to go back in time to eliminate "the robot problem" at the source. He disappears in a flash of pink light.

Back at the mesa, after only dealing with false threats from a few Battons and a chasm so far into the lab, Mega Man reasons that the MM3 numbers probably aren't there and they should head back. However, the three are suddenly met by a HUGE robotic spider in the middle of another room. Pharaoh Man reveals that it's still on stand-by despite all the time it's been down here. Back to the lab, Wily reveals that the monstrosity is his "Wily Walker," a weapon that he built to get sponsorship from the military long ago armed with anti-personnel, anti-armor support, and a payload of decay-resistant chemical weapons. Cossack questions why ON EARTH he'd think to put chemical weapons in the thing, but Wily says it was just to show the versatility of his creation and that he planned on disarming it afterwards, but got arrested before he could. He says that they have to shut it down carefully and gives Mega Man and crew what "he believes" to be the shutdown code only for it to activate, causing it to attack. Rock and Pharaoh Man try to fight it, but don't make a dent. The creature tries to pierce a frazzled Bright Man, but Rock pushes him away, leaving himself to take the full attack.

Flash forward to the future where Dr. Cain has invited X to the very same mesa where him and his Reploids have unearthed a new discovery, revealing that they've found the antiquated remains of the Wily Walker, with Mega Man's helmet pierced under one of its legs. The issue ends.

Enjoy!

[Big Panda]

Oooh, love that ending

[Pearl98]

Oh, well that was perfect timing XD I think the Short Circuits is hilarious XD

 

 

And seriously, how many times does Rock need to get hurt in the comics? This is what? The 3rd time this year? I honestly would've let Bright Man take the blow... I don't hate Bright Man! Just Rock needs to stop getting hurt badly...

 

 

 

Also, what game is that big robot from? Mega man 3? I have never completed MM3....

[Pearl98]

Time for the solicit and covers for MM #40! 

 

 

 

 

The PULSE-POUNDING CONCLUSION to the latest crossover MEGA-event from Archie comics is here! "DAWN OF X" Part Four: The time-traveling adventure reaches its explosive finale as the mystery of Mega Man’s confrontation with the rogue Wily robot is revealed! X and the Maverick Hunters have their final showdown with the mechanical monsters! And Xander Payne’s fate comes to a startling conclusion! Don’t miss this crossover between iconic eras, with a SHOCKER-ENDING that will blow your mind! Featuring all-new cover art from Mega-artist supreme PATRICK "SPAZ" SPAZIANTE and a time-spanning variant cover by Colin Lawler!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can barely name any of the enemies on the cover XD Mostly only the robot masters XD 

[Eitarou]

Let's hope he stays lost in time.

[Pearl98]

Here's the preview pages (I'm pretty sure their the first 5 pages, they came from 2 different websites for both classic and X...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and the issues finally coming out this week. Sorry for this coming late, it did come on Friday, but i had no internet over the weekend.

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

How about some second part crossover peeks and spoilers?

The issue opens in 21XX where X and Dr. Cain have found the remains of the Wily Walker. While unearthing it, they discover that part of it is still active. The doctor wants to recover data from that part, so he starts fiddling with it. X warns him about activating possible defense systems, but Cain isn't afraid since the evidence points to the location CLEARLY being a research lab and no one would build such a massive weapon just to drop it down a hole. However, he's shown to be wrong when the thing reactivates and almost flattens him. X saves him in the nick of time, but has trouble fighting the monstrous mecha-spider off with just his buster. As the thing starts to make its leave, Cain orders X to get the excavation crew and tourists above ground out of harm's way. X agrees, saying that he'll also try to hold it off as long as he can, and tells the doctor to phone Hunter HQ so they can get someone on this. Cain says that he will and that he'll also continue his dig through the site, hoping to find something that will help in stopping it.

X heads back to the site's entrance where Samantha tells him that she pulled the emergency lever the instant she spotted the thing coming out, so the tourists should be able to get away safely. The Wily Walker then blows a hole in the entrance to make its escape and starts heading towards the city. X takes off after it. Back to Cain, he contacts Sigma and informs him of the situation. Sigma then puts Zero, Vile, and their units on the job and tells them to head out to meet X. Speaking of, X is having a hard time making a dent in the Wily Walker, which just drops explosion after explosion in his path. Zero and Vile come to X's rescue (Vile admiring the Walker's arsenal and Zero making a joke about it making the purple ego feel inadequate) and send the rest of their units to harass the behemoth from a distance, opting to leave the main assault to themselves. X wants to help, but Zero suggests that he let the pros handle it from here and go back to check on Cain at the mesa. Back at said mesa, Cain unearths a small capsule, but isn't sure what it is. He says that he has to figure out what exactly happened so long ago.

Back to the past, after Rock's helmet is pierced, Bright Man thinks that he's fallen, only to be surprised when the now helmetless Blue Bomber resurfaces completely unharmed and shoots the Wily Walker directly in the face. Since he survived Ra Moon, he's not looking to get taken out so easily by this thing, so he gets back in contact with Wily and informs him of what just happened. Wily gives him another code, but that just opens the lab's doors to the outside, giving the thing an escape route to reek some havoc. Wily apologizes and says that it's been SO long that he simply got the codes mixed up, but the Wily Walker completely destroys the command console before Rock can try any additional combinations. Back at Light Labs, Wily tells Rock to hang in there (Secretly thinking about it not mattering if the Wily Walker destroys him or not due to his back-up schemes) and Light tells him that they'll work as fast as they can to find a solution. Back to Rock and crew, after realizing that letting a robotic monstrosity armed with chemical weapons out into public isn't a great idea, the Blue Bomber causes a cave-in, trapping the three bots in the lab with the thing.

Meanwhile (I guess), Xander floats through the time stream in a daze. After being shown several events in the near future such as Wily taking over Gamma and Quint attacking Rock, he find himself in the exact point in the future where Rock and Bass shoot the time anomaly in Rock of Ages. After remembering making his little time escape, he tells them not to shoot the thing, but has no effect on the event and finds himself flung to another point in the future as a result. THIS point was when Rock fought a certain two-tailed robot with a certain Blue Blur's help. After being surprised by the talking animal helping Mega Man, Payne is flung to another time yet again, only this time, he's physically there rather than just viewing it. He finds himself on a highway overlooking the battle between Zero, Vile, their units, and the Wily Walker. Xander is in 21XX, which leads him to believe that he's in a time where the robot apocalypse has finally come.

Enjoy!

[DarkLight]

Kind of surreal to see Worlds Collide be referenced a whole year after it came out.

 

And who was that talking to a bandaged Wily in one of the time streams? The Stardroids maybe? Cause they'll surely come around at some point.

[Big Panda]

#41 covers and solicit. It's been a long time coming, but the comic finally jumps into Mega Man 3!

http://www.midtowncomics.com/store/dp.asp?PRID=MEGA+MAN+%2341+REG+CVR+%28NOT_1363017

(W) Ian Flynn (A) Gary Martin & Various (CA) Patrick Spaz Spaziante

The all-new storyline begins here! The epic adaptation of the legendary game, Mega Man 3, begins with 'Legends of the Blue Bomber' Part One: We've seen Mega Man battle Robot Masters plenty of times before, but now witness the mechanical madness unfold as only the Masters' masters see it! Get a birds-eye view of battle from the lens of the great (and not-so-great) Doctors that have created our heroes and menaces! But how is this all playing into Dr. Wily's hands? Find out in this battle royale you definitely won't want to miss out on! Featuring new cover art from Patrick 'Spaz' Spaziante, plus an awesome 'movie poster' variant from Vince Riley! Note price.

[Pearl98]

POWREE's doing the art, it's coming out 2 days after my birthday, it couldn't get any better for me XD

[Eitarou]

I think Wily should be terrified, like on the German box art.

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

Part 3 peeks and spoils!

The issue opens in 20XX at the hidden mesa lab where a cornered Rock is taking aim at the Wily Walker. Suddenly, though, Pharaoh Man blasts its head and Bright Man tells Rock that they can't risk a head-on attack. The Blue Bomber agrees and decides to work with his friends to keep the thing off-balance until they can figure something out. (Though, Bright Man is feeling a bit awkward since he has nothing to fight the thing with.)

Back at Light Labs, while Wily is secretly enjoying every second of Rock's turmoil, Thomas asks him if he was able to get in contact with any of the other Robot Masters. Unsurprisingly, the others are conveniently unavailable, according to Wily. Light tells his son to hang tight and that they're working on a counter-measure as they speak right before he sends Roll to get parts for something. (Her making a crack about bolts becoming more valuable than money these days.) Cossack asks Wily how he sleeps at night knowing that his legacy will consist of nothing but problems that he's caused, but Al brushes it off and suggests that rather than nagging at him, he could try to do something more constructive like actually help, unlike his unarmed Bright Man. Cossack assures that he's fine and that Wily only thinks he's useless because he isn't weaponized, but Al responds by calling him a hypocrite since he put a flame launcher into Pharaoh Man. Cossack says that it's different since it was meant to protect him, but Wily thinks otherwise, saying that they're all talking about self-preservation. Light tells Cossack that Al might have a point and they could just remove the modifications later and he reluctantly agrees, saying that he still isn't keen on the idea of weaponizing every creation that he puts out.

Meanwhile (I guess), in the future, Zero, Vile, and their troops continue to bombard the Wily Walker. At first, the WW doesn't retaliate against Zero since it identifies him as a Wily creation, but after the red bot demands that it not ignore him while firing, it changes its mind and marks him as hostile. Back to X and Cain at the digging site, the future Blue Bomber comes in at the nick of time to save the doc from a bunch of rocks falling from the ceiling. X asks if he's okay and suggests that he needs to get out of here, but Cain refuses to leave until he can find a way to right the mistake that he unleashed. He shows X the capsule he unearthed, which suddenly plays a damaged audio log of someone (Presumably Dr. Light, I would think) warning of the Wily Walker's chemical weapons and telling that a module will interrupt its systems before it fails and something happens. (The message ends before the something is revealed.) Cain realizes the true horror he's let loose with the chemical weapons and X goes to warn the Hunters not to blow it up. He makes it back to Zero and Vile, who aren't any better off than when they started against the thing, and warns them about what the log revealed. Zero realizes that they can't endanger any humans within its blast radius since it's heading towards a highway. Vile, on the other hand, sees an opportunity and blasts all over said highway until pieces of it land on the Walker, paying no mind to the innocent humans who are still driving on it. (And Xander.) Zero asks if Vile's lost his mind and gone Maverick and X asks how many humans he just outright killed with that crazy tactic, to which the purple ego says that whatever damage he just did, the Walker would've done a lot more if they had just let it waltz on. Zero asks X to join their troops and see to the safety of the civilians while telling Vile that Sigma WILL hear about this.

While Zero and Vile continue to box in the rubble-rocked Walker, X and the troops see to the rescue mission, saving trapped and injured humans and Reploids. Xander, meanwhile, is hanging by a thread off of a piece of highway which gains X's attention who quickly saves him. Once they're on the ground, Payne notices the uncanny resemblance X has to a certain blue pain in his neck from his time and goes wild on X, thinking him to be Rock who survived and started this whole robot rebellion. X notices his eye patch and realizes that he's one of those Emerald Spears nuts. Xander is shocked that his people still exist and celebrates over the fact that "humanity's fight isn't over!" After telling Xander about Mavericks ("The savage machines turn on each other?!"), X brings the nutball to a transport where he's cuffed and seated. The Reploid officer tells X that they should have the survivors accounted for shortly, which he's happy to hear about. However, he starts to consider why no one even spares a thought for the people that Vile might've killed and why it seems like HE'S the only one who thinks of these things. He then tells himself to focus on the situation at hand first. Back on the transport, Xander starts to spark with the same pink chronal energy that brought him to the future and he tells the other humans on board that he will NOT fail them again and will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to stop the robot threat before he suddenly disappears, much to the shock of everyone on board.

Back to Cain, he and Sigma meet up. The doctor reveals that he was able to extract more info from the capsule, but he's unable to read it, needing Sigma's more advanced optics to help. He reveals that it appears to be a complete rundown of the Walker's systems and exactly where the chemical weapons are housed. Right after they decrypt that bit of interest, however, the capsule fizzles out. Cain shows remorse over losing their only insight to the madness that he unleashed, but Sigma assures him that he's gotten all of the info he needs to stop it. Back to Zero and Vile, after not getting an inch on the thing even with it all covered in rubble, Vile threatens to blow one of its legs off, to which Zero completely denies for obvious reasons. X quickly joins them, informing them that the situation at the overpass is under control (Much to Vile's chagrin. "Bite me, X."), and then Sigma teleports in, giving them yet another aid. The issue ends with Sigma ordering the three to divert its attention so he can disable it once and for all right before the Walker itself starts to arm its chemical warheads.

Enjoy!

[DarkLight]

Already foreshadowing Vile's douchebaggery and dislike for X.

 

Speaking of which, maybe it's just me, but it's kind of a missed opportunity to maybe have him first be named Vava (his Japanese name for those who don't know) and then have him named Vile after he goes Maverick. Kind of like how they handled the whole Blues/Proto-Man name alteration depending on the placement of story.

[SoundBunnie44]

Honestly Archie's Mega Man comics is one of my favorite books to pick-up each month, and I'll admit there's times I think I might like it a teensy Weensy bit more then the Sonic comics *don't hurt me!*

That said, I have mixed feelings about the current arc, it's not so much a crossover yet as it is just alternating between present & future. But I'm still looking forward to parts 3 & 4! Can't wait to pick up issue 39 at my LCS on the 23rd!