Mega Man (Volume 1): Let the Games Begin

A metal man in a wooden sea...

Flynn, Ian and Spaziante, Patrick. Mega Man (Volume 1): Let the Games Begin. Mamaroneck, N.Y. : Archie Comic Publications ; London : Turnaround, 2011.

Plot: A re-telling of the first Mega Man game in comic form, the title consists of the first four books in the series. The story begins with the opening of Light Industries, a new robot development facility. While Dr. Light eagerly reveals his newest creations, the Robot Masters, his assistant and fellow roboticist, Dr. Wily, remains frustrated outside the limelight. Determined to make the world recognize his genius, he reprograms the Robot Masters and threatens to take over the planet. Rock, a small housekeeping robot offers to fight the evil doctor and restore the Robot Masters. With the help of a creative upgrade and supportive family, Rock becomes Mega Man, the fighting robot.

Genre: Comics, Video Games

Reading Level: Intended for younger readers, but the nostalgia will tempt older ones as well.

Similar Titles: Sonic comics, Super Mario Adventures comics

Personal Thoughts: Archie Comics, longtime producers of the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series, branches out to an older video game. Working with games from the eight-bit era often presents problems, since most of the plots of such games displayed limited plots and loose, if any, characterization. As such, comics from such games often add a variety of details that do not always correspond to player experiences. This series, though, manages to effectively build on the basic story of Mega Man while branching out in a believable manner. The idea of Dr. Light and Dr. Wily's original relationship, for example, is explored, and explains why the doctor suddenly became a megalomaniac. Some additions to the original story are also given, such as characterizations for the Robot Masters and Rock's struggle with his new powers. Bright illustrations consistent with the original game designs also enhance the story. Some of the pacing seems unnecessarily quick, but for the first four books in a series, the collection manages to establish characters, plots, and settings for future titles.

This will be the last Mega Man title I will review.