Love Mega Man? Then you NEED the comics!

I have to admit, I didn't start collecting these from day one. I actually started collecting these just a few months ago with the launch of the Dawn of X arc... yes, Mega Man X is what drew me in. Surprisingly, this is a great addition to any Mega Man fans collection. I for one, am glad I'm collecting these!

For those who don't know, Archie's Mega Man's comics follow the original series of games and expands the story from it's simple roots. So far they've tackled the first 3 games in the comics and introduces some of the Robot Masters from the more recent entries like Splash Woman and Oil Man. The story in these comics even use the Robot Master's weakness in the battles too, which I personally find pretty cool.

Interestingly, these comic books flesh out the world of Mega Man very well by giving each Robot Master their own unique personality and even make Rock himself deeper than just the jump 'n' shot man we know him as. Characterisation is probably the comics strong point since it really does an excellent job in both respecting the source material, while still adding their own flare to the series. I seriously thought the crossover with Sonic The Hedgehog was a great use of their creative freedom.

The art style in these comics is usually faithful to the original designs but each artist tried to add their own flare to mixed results. The artist rotation seems to happen with each new story arc and each story arc consists of 4 issues. Personally I prefer when the artist is more true to the original designs over adding their own style, not to berate the artists but don't stray too far from the first artists designs.

I really find the writing in this comic series extremely well done. Unlike most comics these days, Mega Man's writers have actually written these for all ages and isn't talking down to kids or treat older readers like children. I actually find these comics are better paced and written then comics from DC Comics... that speaks volumes, trust me! I found the story very engaging, so much so that I read the trade paper backs in 2 days! that's 6 main books and 3 crossover ones, each containing 4 issues!

As of the writing of this, there are 40 issues and most are in TPB form. They aren't too difficult to get your hands on if you're interested and I recommend getting all the issues in the Sonic The Hedgehog/Mega Man: When Worlds Collide crossover event. Best thing about these comics is that you and your kids (if you have them that is) can enjoy it together and it makes the original games even more enjoyable then they already are. Even if you're not a comic book fan, these are a must read.