Sonic & Megaman: When Worlds Collide [Archie]

[Soniman]

Kinda cool to see this being fulfilled once and for all.

[Your Vest Friend]

Erm, who is that next to Shadow, anyway?

[DarkLight]

Bass.

Debuted in Megaman 7, but has yet to appear in the comic.

[Linkabel]

Now I have the sudden urge of collecting the Megaman comics......pretty sneaky Archie.....also digging the art on the promotional ads, hope that is how the actual comic looks like.

[Your Vest Friend]

Well, he's in this crossover so eh.

Edit: There's also this art of Knux and Proto-torpedo Man that was simultaneously released, I just posted the other one first because I genuinely didn't know him.

Edited July 10, 2012 by VEDJ-F

[Autosaver]

Kotaku Interview

Kotaku: Sonic and Mega Man represent different approaches to video game play mechanics, and those approaches shape their characters. How will you show off their personalities during this crossover?

Flynn:We've pretty solidly established who the characters are in their respective comic series. All that's left is to transplant them into the event and see how they react. The action will be intense, the stakes will be high, but all that razzle-dazzle wouldn't mean much if we didn't have endearing characters to cheer for. We've got them interacting with each other and their supporting casts from start to finish. The lasers and explosions are icing on the (blue) cake.

Kotaku: How involved have Sega and Capcom been in the terms of story notes and approvals?

Flynn:They've both been very supportive. Kudos to Capcom for getting the ball rolling and Sega for being so quick to join in. They've both seen the entire story arc and approved every bit of it. They'll also be keeping tabs on everything throughout production.

Kotaku: What brings Sonic and Mega Man together in this storyline? Will we get the typical "heroes meet then fight" moment?

Flynn: Like any good Sonic and/or Mega Man story, it all starts with a mad scientist—two in this case. And we can't very well have two of the most iconic, powerful videogame icons meet and not measure them up! For all the details, though, you'll need to read the story.

Kotaku: Will there be any animal/human kissing in the crossover?

Flynn: Yes. Hot Amy-on-Wily action. Haha – no, no, none of that.

Kotaku: These are characters that could seemingly never crossover in their native medium. What are you hoping to do with them that game designers could never get away with?

Flynn: A game designer's first priority is to make a game that is fun to play. It's about the level structure, the physics, the art direction, etc. For a comic, our first priority is telling a fun story. And between all the time travel, dimension-hopping, sci-fi tech and magic totems, getting the two of them to meet was the easiest part! Our medium is comparatively easier in terms of production demands, so comparing the two is apples to oranges. But not robots and hedgehogs. Those go together great!

http://kotaku.com/59...mance/gallery/1

Edited July 10, 2012 by Autosaver

[KHCast]

I was right! Yeah baby! oh yeah! Anyway pics look amazing! I want these comics now dang it!

[DarkLight]

They had to ask about any human/animal kissing interaction....

[Soniman]

Amy on Wily.....

Fuck you Ian for putting that horibble thought in my head.

[KHCast]

For some reason I can't help but feel that sonic has a better chance at being in the namco x capcom x sega game. Probably me just dreaming though.

*Imagines turning the page and seeing "PAY 5 DOLLARS TO CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY IN THIS COMIC!"* I'd laugh so hard at that.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Will there be any animal/human kissing in the crossover?

Kotaku... It's been SIX (going on SEVEN) FUCKING YEARS ALREADY! Drop the damn thing, will ya?

Edit: There's also this art of Knux and Proto-torpedo Man that was simultaneously released,

Uh, Protoman?

Edited July 10, 2012 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[Your Vest Friend]

I was making a joke on the fact I know hardly anything about Megaman and more readily pronunciate something similiar when talking about photon torpedoes (since dad's a Trekkie).

*shrug*

[sonfan1984]

Kotaku... It's been SIX (going on SEVEN) FUCKING YEARS ALREADY! Drop the damn thing, will ya?

Especially since they're referring to the games and this is a completely different series.

[goku262002]

OK I can't tell weither people are just joking around or whos really asking who the hell protoman or whoever is, theres wikis for information you don't know about. in fact just like the Sonic News Network Wiki Megaman has its own popular wiki, the Megaman Knowledge Base:

http://megaman.wikia...i/Mega_Man_Wiki

Bookmark that and anything Megaman related your not sure about just wiki it.

Edited July 10, 2012 by goku262002

[Ekaje]

God, this image always irked me. It just shows how ugly the American artstyle really is. I mean, both characters are smiling, they're shaking hands, yet they look like they actually wanna kill each other. Seriously. Dem eyebrows.

And Noodle, I think this was when Capcom partnered with SEGA or something?

It's from when Wily Wars came out, a compilation of MM1-3 for the Genesis with improved graphics, plus a bonus game with three original bosses. And I don't think American Sonic looks bad at all here, it's that Mega Man that's the abomination here.

Edited July 10, 2012 by Ekaje

[Soniman]

I'm assuming Mega Man was still in his phase where no one in the west knew a fucking clue on how to draw him, if his old box arts were any indication.

[Sonictrainer]

Kinda cool to see this being fulfilled once and for all.

I have to agree.

[Jeffhog]

Just a thought: How awesome would it be if the crossover introduced a Badnik/Robot Master hybrid?

...I... kinda want to see a Sonic/Megaman fusion...

Don't kill me.

[Soniman]

Robot Master: Metal Sonic Man

[Komodin]

...I... kinda want to see a Sonic/Megaman fusion...

Don't kill me.

Hm... having a MegaHedgehog would be all kinds of awesome...!

[Jeffhog]

Hm... having a MegaHedgehog would be all kinds of awesome...!

I can imagine Megaman's armour coding itself around Sonic or something, then both of their minds become one! An ultimate showdown against Eggman and Wily in an unparalleled mech!

[Soniman]

Mega Man is.......not that complex of a robot, lol.

[Jeffhog]

xD; Right... I haven't played anything in the Megaman series, so forgive me if I come off as an idiot in that regard.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Mega Man is.......not that complex of a robot, lol.

[Illuminous_Orb]

A new interview:

http://geek-news.mtv...mics-crossover/

SDCC 2012: Mega Man Meets Sonic The Hedgehog For The First Time In Archie Comics' Epic Crossover

For the first time ever, in 2013, Sonic The Hedgehog is going to smack right into Mega Man, spilling rings everywhere. Archie Comics will be launching an epic, twelve part crossover running through Mega Man, Sonic, and Sonic Universe, written by Ian Flynn, and edited by Paul Kaminski that will include, well... Everybody. To find out more, we chatted with the duo about the upcoming event, what it takes to bring two universes together, and whether Dr. Wily and Dr. Eggman went to evil medical school together:

MTV Geek: Big question of course is, how do the Sonic Universe and Mega Man Universe come together?

IAN FLYNN: I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I will point out both Sonic and Mega Man have to deal with brilliant (if mad) scientists. Dr. Eggman has a history of messing with stuff like ancient gods and Chaos Emeralds. Dr. Wily has tampered with the time stream. Between the two of them, they could cause some shenanigans.

PAUL KAMINSKI: As Ian mentioned, we wouldn't want to give the surprise away just yet, but Wily and Eggman are evil genius' with a real knack for manipulating the forces of nature to their whims! It was only ever really a matter of time *ahem* before they stumble upon the forces that will make this crossover event possible!

Geek: What's your take on each of the main guys, and how do they work together - or not?

IF: They’re both selflessly heroic characters, and I think that shared trait is what makes them so endearing and could be a foundation between them. On the other hand, Sonic is a show-off and all about doing things in a big, flashy way without thinking it through. Mega Man isn’t as trigger happy, so to speak, but can be single-minded in his missions to make things right. There’s a lot of potential there for them to be great heroes together, and just as much potential they’ll read each other wrong and clash.

PK: Mega Man is your straight-laced, polite, super-powerful hero. Sonic is a hero too, but he's also got a power set that makes him more inclined to do his own thing, away from the straight-and-narrow. That means that there's the potential to be fireworks between these two characters when they meet, and I assure you that first meeting is EXPLOSIVE!

Geek: How about supporting characters... Who do we see in the mix here?

IF: Just about everybody. What happens when you put Dr. Light and Tails in the same room? Do Roll and Amy Rose mesh? Who is more stand-offish and red: Knuckles or Proto Man? And that’s the tip of the iceberg.

PK: Ummm... Does EVERYONE work for you? This event is so big that its going to involve nearly all of the Mega Man and Sonic supporting cast. And because of the circumstances in which these two universes are brought together, we'll be able to see a bit more of the Mega Man cast then has been introduced yet in the comics!

Geek: And villains? I have my fingers crossed that we get a flashback to Dr. Wily and Dr. Eggman both going to evil medical school together...

IF: The good doctors don’t have a history together, but they certainly mesh well. They’re both all about presentation, grand schemes, killer robots, and amazing mustaches. They’re a ton of fun together.

PK: Eggman and Wily are so alike that we're going to see a delightfully evil BFF-type situation emerge - or maybe EFF, for Evil Friends Forever? - that'll be ready to explode at any moment! They're my favorite part of Ian's story, and I think the fans are gonna dig what we've got in store.

Geek: Obviously there's big fan expectations from both perspectives... How do you make sure you service two fan communities at the same time, while not ticking off the other?

IF: That’s the big question, and it was forefront in my mind when approaching the project. I boiled it down to this: the fans want to see their heroes be awesome and true to their roots. So ultimately it became throwing the biggest, wildest adventure I could at them and letting them do their thing to save the day. The rest wrote itself.

PK: We've got a story here that won't disappoint. One thing that remains true for both series, is that the fan communities are awesome. We love hearing all the response to the issues online, and believe it or not, we listen!

Geek: And twelve issues is BIG. That's, and I'm sure you know this, like a years worth of comics... How do you tackle something so huge, and what makes the story worth telling over 12 solid issues?

IF: It’s a year’s worth, but we’re constraining it to four months. This way the fans of the regular stories won’t be derailed from the present storylines too long, but we still serve up a heapin’ helping of awesome. As for why – c’mon now! This is the crossover event. Sure, we could boil it down to something smaller, but then we’d miss out on all the cameos, character moments, and the epic scope of the adventure. An event this big cannot be done small.

PK: Since this story is such a unique event in the span of these 3 comic titles, we really need to give it the space it deserves. This is also a big pop-culture event, as this is the first time these two franchises have crossed paths, so we want to make sure that no matter where you look, you find this story! Plus, the event spans 12 issues, true, but it's over a 4 month period, and as Sonic Universe or Mega Man comic fans will tell you, a 4-issue story arc can go by in a blink!

Geek: So I have this friend who doesn't know a ton about Mega Man, a little bit about Sonic, and only occasionally reads all ages comics. What would make this crossover a must read for my friend? I'm asking for him.

IF: Because it’ll be, in a word, fun. It’s high adventure kept up-beat with comedy and driven forward by action. It’s bright, easily accessible characters on a cross-world quest to save multiple realities. It’s built to be accessible to any fan – casual or hardcore – and be just as entertaining. And to that end, your friend can share it with anyone. Younger siblings or relations? Older acquaintances that were around when videogames first became a thing? Everyone can love this story.

PK: For the Sonic fan, we've got that kind of break-neck action-pace that they've come to expect from the franchise. For Mega-fans, you've got over-the-top robot-blasting action and insurmountable odds (and believe me, those games sure seemed insurmountable to me as a kid!). And all of this is told by the writer who knows these two franchises like the back of his hand - and who's sense of humor and respect for the games really binds it all together. What's not to love?

Geek: Beyond the bombastics of a crossover, what would you say the emotional heart is? Or is it all bombastics?

IF: The heart comes from the smaller moments. Sonic and Mega Man will each have a highly personal stake in the fight, and how they deal with that is part of the story. The larger goal is to save both their worlds and stop the bad guys, but there will be plenty of smaller, inter-personal moments that remind you that they aren’t just blue heroes, but people too.

PK: Ian is great at striking to the heart of any character he's writing, and we've had a range of really great emotion from these characters in all 3 of our video game titles over the years. Whether it be from Dr. Light debating the ethics of humanoid robotics to Sonic toiling over the mistakes he might have made inadvertently caused the love of his life to be turned into the robot-slave of Dr. Eggman. This crossover has pathos like that, from the perspective of two different universes - bottom line is we're here to tell the story and tell it well. With lots of action and explosions to boot!

Geek: Any final thoughts? Things you can't wait for either section of fan to see?

IF: This event is going to touch milestone issues for two of the titles - #250 for Sonic the Hedgehog and #25 for Mega Man. (and miss Sonic Universe’s fiftieth by one issue – drat!) And as a fan of both series, I sorta wrote this for me. How many fun team-ups could I make work? When the stakes are high, how do we raise them further? I’m aiming to make this the end-all, be-all crossover that cannot be topped.

PK: Be prepared for all-out war between the blue blur and bomber and the ultimate evil!

The crossover begins in 2013, in MEGA MAN, SONIC and SONIC UNIVERSE, from Archie Comics!

So all twelve issues are going to be released within a 4 month period instead of spreading them out a bit? I hope they are able to accommodate within the release schedule because keeping up with all three books in chronological order for this even is starting to sound like a nightmare.