Mega Man 1: Let the Games Begin

I'm going to first start this review saying that lately I have been obsessed with revisiting my past. I'm a kid who grew up in the 90s, one of the best decades ever to grow up. It had its toys, games, Disney movies, and mostly its cartoons. One cartoon I vaguely remember watching is Mega Man. Now I'll be honest and say that I have never played a Mega Man title in my life. However, with the Marvel vs. Capcom games Mega Man is always my top player I choose. Something about the guy makes me like him. Either his powers, his looks, the fact he's blue, or just cool character. Just recently, I was looking up his history and found out his first appearance was in December of 1987. He’s my age, which made me excited to find out a favorite character is 26. With all that said, I had to buy this comic book. Now for the actual review of this comic book. First off, I keep reading and hearing people say this is a kid’s comic? Yes, it read like a kid’s comic, but it really is an all ages comic. Ian Flynn knows his audience well enough to not only write a Mega Man comic just for kids, but for anyone who likes Mega Man. Sure there's part of it that seem childish, like Flynn side noting what A.I. means, but there's parts of it he makes Mega Man more humanistic then I remember. You could say this is a kid’s comic book with some heart. Overall, Flynn knows how to write a comic book based on a video game. The other part that appealed to me with this book is the artwork. As most kids comics these days, they really pick out good artist. Not only does it look like a fun Saturday morning cartoon, but the coloring is well done as well. This might be a quick read, but the art makes to want to stay for a little while. One thing I should mention is that I always did love the robot designs in Mega Man. Something about the designs just makes me like the robots. I'm happy this comic uses that and makes me happy again. Love the fact this is done in an anime style too. In conclusion to my nerdgasm review, this book is flat out fun and entertaining. If you like comic books, Mega Man, and don't mind an all ages book, then search no more. Good thing I bought the other trades, because I seriously want more Mega Man!

I was hesitant when I heard that Archie Comics was going to make a Mega Man series. I was all: Seriously, Capcom? You couldn't find anyone better? Then I read the first issue and thoroughly enjoyed it. And I also enjoyed each and every issue to come out after. So, okay, Archie Comics. I'm sorry for doubting you. The artstyle is very reminiscent of the games: Cute, colorful and cartoony, with a good level of detail in the machinery bits. Unless you have a particular disdain for manga art styles, you'll enjoy the lightheartedness of the simple cartoon drawings. Story wise, the plots are simple and straightforward. This is not a slight against it. Like Mega Man himself, the story's are earnest and nice and can be enjoyed by all ages. I didn't know how they were going to go about it. Previous attempts were seriously lacking (Like the previous series attempted by Dreamwave Comics, at least, I think it was them) and tried to make Mega Man a kid going to school or something. Heck, they even called him Mega for his normal, everyday name. So, I am happy that this one succeeds where others failed. If you like Mega Man, then you'll like this. I mean, it's not like Capcom's gonna make another game anytime soon.

I'm not a big comic book guy, but I knew when I saw the cover of Archie Comics' new Mega Man comic series that somehow it would end up on my bookshelf. The combination of awesome artwork - some of the best associated with the character in eons, and authentic to the video games - and Ian Flynn's writing just absolutely can't be beat. Essentially retelling the events of the original 1987 NES game, this collection of the series's first four issues takes the character back to his roots. We are reminded that Rock, the lab assistant android who volunteers to become the super fighting robot, Mega Man, is mentally and emotionally just a little boy trying to cope with his sudden influx of firepower and we are witnesses to his struggle to do so while taking down the six Robot Masters stolen and reprogrammed by his creator's jealous and greedy ex-partner, Dr. Wily. Anyone who's a fan of the classic Mega Man video game series and is even remotely into comics owes it to themselves to pick this up if they haven't already.

The original Mega Man, we all know the story, two doctors built a bunch of robots, one of the doctors hijack them to take over the world and the other one upgrades and sends his helper-bot in to save the day. This comic adaptation starts off on a strong impression with its clean and colorful art, but what about the story? How does one go about to make a fully fleshed out Graphic Novel with such a simple plot? Well, they kind of don't. The focus isn't so much on what was going on in the game as much as it is used as a means to flesh out Mega Man and his family. So while we get some quick action scenes, the focus is really on how the young and kind Rock reacts to all these new sensations he is exposed to. We see him move from nervous, to depressed, to confident, to overwhelmed and finally to a more cool-headed individual by the end, And it is for my money, done wonderfully especially because both Doctor Light and Roll get to have some nice touching heart-to-heart moments with the hero that really does hit the right notes.

Superbe livre de original avec toute l'histoire narrée du jeux video, le robot bleu, Le plus cool et original de tous les temps.

Als Mega Man Fan der zweiten Stunde (dank der Serie Captain N), habe ich beinahe alles gespielt, was mit dem Blue Bomber zu tun hatte. Insbesondere natürlich die Original Reihe, mit der auf dem NES alles begann. Zum 20igsten Geburtstag erschienen dann bei UDON zahlreiche Manga und Artbooks zu Mega Man. Die Manga waren gut inszeniert, sahen aber Mega Man hier und da nicht immer ähnlich, zu mechanisch wirkten die Figuren mitunter. Und natürlich, bei einem Manga ja Standard, war alles in schwarzweiss. Nun hat Archie Comics die Lizenz und die haben was daraus gemacht, was dem Original wirklich gerecht wird: Die Figuren sehen so aus, als wären sie aus dem Spiel bzw. der Anleitung entnommen! Komplett in Farbe und richtig gut inszeniert. Detailverliebte Zeichnungen, eine kleine Portion Humor, ernste Momente, eine Covergalerie und Hintergrundwissen sind hier vereint. Dieser erste Band umfasst die ersten 4 Comichefte von Mega Man und schildert dabei die Storyline aus Mega Man 1. Wer das Spiel kennt, weiß, das Mega Man stumm ist, im Comic erlebt man eine ausführlichere Geschichte und Mega Man's Konflikt, gegen die Robot Master, seine früheren Freunde, zu kämpfen. Was ich sehr lobenswert finde, Mega Man wechselt die Farbe bei den verschiedenen Waffen, die er von den Robot Mastern aufnimmt, Dies wurde Farbgetrau auch im Comic übertragen. Super! Ausserdem sind einige Easter-Eggs versteckt, wie Original Bildschirm Fotos aus dem Spiel. Bleibt unterm Strich zu sagen, der von Tokyo Pop veröffentlichte Mega Man Manga war die falsche Wahl, sie hätten den Original Mega Man wählen sollen. Und nun dieser von Archie Comics ist das, was Mega Man wirklich verdient: eine Liebeserklärung zum nunmehr 25igsten Geburtstag. Glückwunsch!

If you played the games on classic Nintendo then you would definitely enjoy this comic series! Well-made and fun to read. Hope the story keeps going on.

2011年5月から継続発行中、アクションゲーム "Mega Man（日本名ロックマン）"のコミカライズ版。アメリカは Archie Comic Publications, Inc. （以下アーチー社）の、文字通りアメコミです。 もちろん全編英語なのですが、原作の流れさえ分かっていれば解読は決して難しくありません。 結論から言うと、買い。原作とアメコミのいいとこ取りです。 絵も物語も、原作を骨組みに、独自展開で肉付けし、様々な小ネタをちりばめた上で、全体をきっちり馴染ませた印象。 ポップで生き生きしたアクションと、軽快かつ考えさせるストーリー運びで、最初から最後まで退屈させません。 旧来のファンには美味しく、初めて「ロックマン（メガマン）」に触れる人も問題なく楽しめる、丁寧な構成になっています。 シリーズ第一巻となる本作は、原作ゲーム1作目「ロックマン」を丸ごとカバー。悪の天才科学者Dr. ワイリーの手によって暴走したロボットたちをメガマンが止めに行く、お馴染みの展開。 そしてさらに、もう一歩踏み込んだ演出がなされます。心優しいお手伝いロボットだった少年が、ある日突然強大な力を手にし、あまつさえ世界の命運を背負わされたらどうなるのか？ 原作をメインに据えつつ、ゲーム本編ではあえて描かれなかった「力を持つことのマイナス面」が、今作のもう一つの流れを作ります。 登場キャラも、メガマン（ロックマン）、ライト博士、Dr. ワイリーと、お馴染みの面々。ボスキャラ6人も見覚えのあるステージで待ち受けます。 その脇で要所要所、他シリーズ・他作品からのキャラクターがこっそり（あるいは堂々と）カメオ出演しており、ファンなら隅々まで探したくなること請け合い。 今回作画担当はPatric Spaziante氏。 カナダ版メガマン （現在打切り絶版）でも最終話の作画を担当し、実績は折り紙つき。CAPCOM原作イラストを思わせる可愛らしくてダイナミックな絵柄は健在です。