In May 2011, Archie Comics debuted a comic series featuring longtime Capcom favorite Mega Man. Based on the "classic" Mega Man setting of the original games, the first four issues present a competent retailing with Impressive artwork and a handful of new twists and details to embellish the basic plotline.
Story
Issues 1 through 4 of this comic make up the first story arc, entitled "Let The Games Begin." This arc retells the plot of the original 1987 Mega Man game, with the only important characters being the 8 Robot Masters, Doctors Light and Wily, Rock/ Mega Man, and his sister Roll. It covers a lot of ground very quickly and, as a result, sacrifices the chance to fully present some of the material or add substance to what was a fairly spartan plot. The few enhancements that are included, such as the origin of the term "Robot Master," the relationship between Light and Wily, and how the robot masters' pairs are found are done well, but end up being too few and far between to really impact the overall quality.
Mega Man begins with brilliant innovator Dr. Thomas Light unveiling his newest inventions, utility robots created with the help of disgraced roboticist Albert Wily, to an impressed public. The powerful machines escape the next say to wreak havoc on an unprepared society, reprogrammed by Dr. Wily to aid in his world domination. The only hero brave enough to challenge them is Light's housekeeping robot Rock, who is rebuilt as a super fighting robot with a Mega Buster energy cannon and the ability to copy his foes’ techniques. The newly-christened "Mega Man" embarks on a mission to put an end to Wily's schemes.
From that point (the end of the first issue) on, the comic proceeds at a breakneck pace, with Mega Man dispatching each Robot Master with little difficulty and barely a mention of the complex and challenging levels that comprise most of the game's experience. The story proceeds almost exactly as one would expect, with very little deviation or depth, through the end of Wily's plot. The fourth issue concludes with a hint of interesting things to come, as characters from the game’s PSP remake are shown In a post-game sequence leading into the next story arc.
Art
The art in the Archie Comics rendition of Mega Man is unequivocally impressive, carrying over the stylized cartoon designs of the original games with a modern flair and fitting amount of detail. Each of the characters looks and feels right when compared to the game spruces, and the exaggerated and youthful features that have characterize most representations of the original MM series are intact. It’s a real shame that Archie isn't providing wallpapers of some of the beautiful cover art.
Action sequences, which make up a large portion of the series so far, are drawn fluidly and offer a powerful sense of motion. The movement and action appear natural and accurately translate the feel of the video game series.
Whether illustrating characters, action, or background settings, Archie presents a consistent and thoroughly styled world, with
Conclusion
Let The Games Begin Is an adequate start for the new monthly comic, but is ripe with missed opportunities to explore and expand on the source material. In its apparent haste to get through the first game, the series has failed to capture the challenge and length of Mega Man's adventure. Complaints aside, it definitely isn't a bad comic-- the writing is fine and the art is excellent. If the team can get the pacing right in the next arc and give the plot a little more depth, readers may be in for quite a treat. As it stands, this comic is a good place to introduce younger readers to the series and a nice recap with pretty art for longtime fans.