Mega Man Issue 34 (Archie Comics)


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Mega Man #34 is the thirty-fourth issue in the Mega Man comic book series by Archie Comics, released in February 2014. It includes a story from the Mega Man X series.

Publisher's Summary
(W) Ian Flynn (A) Gary Martin & Various (CA) Patrick Spaz Spaziante

''This is it! The issue every Mega-fan has been demanding! The debut of Mega Man X! But first, in 'Shadow of the Moon' Part One: Mega Man joins a research team seeking the truth behind Dr. Wily and Ra Moon. But how far will they get when Shadow Man goes on the attack? Then, in 'The X Factor' Part One: jump 100 years into the future as Dr. Cain discovers Dr. Light's final, greatest creation - Mega Man X! Featuring pencils by the returning Mega Man art legend Patrick 'Spaz' Spaziante! The road to the next big mega-crossover starts here, featuring an exclusive Mega Man X variant cover by superstar artist Ben Bates! ''

Shadow of Ra Moon - Part One: Wayward Son
Mega Man narrowly avoided one of the Lanfront Ruins outskirts's traps: a pair of spiked pillars, although he destroyed it in the process. Pharaoh Man later arrives and tells Mega Man that the "priceless artifact" was dead and to calm down. Mega Man mentioned it was a trap, with Pharaoh Man telling him that he was built to spot traps and should lead the expedition before telling Mega Man that he has already done his fair share of work and leave it to the rest of the group as Plant Man, Dr. Light, Dr. Pedro Astil, Dr. Cossack, Rush and Roll are catching up. Roll then checks up on Mega Man regarding whether he was hurt, had stiff joints, or any need for on-the-spot adjustments, before Mega Man tells her that he's fine, just that the trap surprised him. Dr. Astil then told him that he understands Mega Man's reaction as the area was dreadful and even now it spooks him to return. Mega Man denies being scared as he was rebuilt, before Astil reminded him that the last time he visited the ruins, he technically returned alive and "fine," pointing out the scars are more than simply the physical. Plant Man then questioned whether Astil should be present due to his bad memories of the place, before Astil confirmed he was fine and just needed closure by seeing for himself what had happened. Dr. Cossack then interjected that it will also be nice to prove Dr. Wily's lying once again, with Light asking whether Cossack doesn't believe that Wily was another of Ra Moon's victims. Cossack then pointed out that he never trusted Wily from the start, and wonders why Light's going out of his way to help Wily after all he did. Light explains his belief that all people have good in them, even Wily, stating that all people deserve second chances, and sometimes a third chance. Cossack thinks Light is hopeless but drops the subject so they could at least find the answer and make sure the blackout never happens again, lamenting that his daughter Kalinka is still having nightmares from the episode.

Roll expresses concern for Mega Man when he reacts oddly, which Mega Man responds that he senses that someone is watching his movements. His suspicions are proven correct as a Search Snake is hidden among the trees. It then cuts to the third generation of Robot Masters (Gemini Man, Hard Man, Top Man, Needle Man, Snake Man, Magnet Man, and Spark Man) and Break Man elsewhere, where Snake Man reports that Mega Man is in the area, and accompanying him are Rush, Roll, Dr. Light, two bearded doctors, and two Robot Masters. Break Man is briefly excited when he learns Roll is well before stopping himself and deduced that the two other doctors are most likely Drs. Astil and Cossack, and that the Robot Masters are thus most likely Plant Man and Pharaoh Man. Snake Man then jokes that Break Man must have been snooping through Dr. Wily's files before Break Man corrects him and states that he was "researching" through them. At the same time, Gemini Man plays a practical joke on Hard Man with Top Man laughing, and Spark Man repairs the back of Magnet Man. Break Man then asks Snake Man about whether he's found their target, with Snake Man confirming that he remains elusive. Break Man then reminds his fellow Robot Masters that they not engage Mega Man or the others, as they aren't targets, and with that said, Mega Man and the others may flush out their target for them, before telling Snake Man to keep an eye on them. Break Man then reveals that Shadow Man is their target and he is as dangerous as they come just as Shadow Man's eyes are seen.

Outside the Temple of the Moon, Shadow Man is angry with Mega Man as he killed his master and now is desecrating his grave, and a Search Snake spots him. Shadow Man advances in Mega Man's direction, but Break Man appears and tackles him away. Mega Man turns around, but as he doesn't see them, he believes he is hearing things and goes inside the temple. Shadow Man is a tough opponent, but Break Man and the Robot Masters work together and Hard Man manages to hold him. Feeling disgraced for being defeated by a group of unworthy ronin, Shadow Man tells Break Man to finish him, as he failed Ra Moon and now has no purpose. Break Man tells Shadow Man that he has a master and purpose, and asks him to serve Dr. Wily. Surprised, Shadow Man asks if they hunted him to ask for his allegiance. Magnet Man says that he would not talk with them, so they had to get through him somehow. They would repair him as they did with each other, and they didn't want to lose him to Mega Man. Shadow Man says Mega Man cannot defeat him, but Magnet Man reminds him that it was Mega Man who destroyed Ra Moon. Shadow Man says he can't be one of them as he wasn't designed by humans, but the others say that Wily redesigned him, so that's close enough, and he is basically one of their brothers. After considering what they said, Shadow Man decides to join them and they have a friendly moment. With the mission to recover Shadow Man complete, Break Man orders the robots to teleport to the building site of the new Wily Castle and finish it. Magnet Man asks if Break Man isn't coming with them, and he says he must find some answers for complex, personal things.

Inside the Temple of the Moon, Pharaoh Man leads the group inside, and as he wonders how Mega Man managed to pass by so many traps, Plant Man notes that he had several robots help him destroy everything in front of them to get inside. Pharaoh Man laments the inelegance of eliminating the traps, but realized it was nonetheless effective. Plant Man then gets nervous as he realized the temple tunnel might be unstable, although Pharaoh Man, in irritation, reminds him that it isn't going to collapse. Pedro then comments that he's still nervous, but is going through with the trek for the rest of his team, with Roll offering to hold his hand. Mega Man proceeded to catch up, explaining to Dr. Cossack that he felt like he was being watched, and also commented that if Quake Woman were present, it would have been easier getting through the tunnel, and suggested making more Robot Masters like her, with Dr. Cossack agreeing and suggesting that he will build such a Robot Master when they get back, before someone tells everyone to be careful. As they reach the entrance to Ra Moon's chamber, Mega Man proceeds with the two Robot Masters and Rush to ensure that Ra Moon won't be causing anymore harm. Meanwhile, in the Geoworks International HQ, Dr. Noele Lalinde asks Quake Woman to get inside their home and finish her work tomorrow as it is getting dark. Quake Woman says to her "mom" that she will go shortly, and she hears someone quote her "mom". Break Man appears and asks her what means to call someone "family".

The X Factor - Part 1
A comic version of The Journal of Dr. Cain. 100 years into the future, Dr. Cain is searching the ground for fossils. He writes in his journal that he hasn't found anything since he started the expedition in March, although he later manages to located an oddly metallic signal underground. He eventually digs it out and discovers what is apparently Dr. Light's Laboratory. He then investigates and finds a capsule containing Mega Man X, and a recording from the long deceased Dr. Light explaining who X is and that he should not be removed from the seal until 30 years have gone by and X is determined to be safe for operation. Realizing that more than thirty years have gone by and that the tests came up green, Cain debates whether he should release X or not, as well as whether X would still function after being sealed all this time. Cain releases X, and with his help he manages to create Reploids.

The Reploids become popular and start being massproduced, and they work together with humans. Dr. Cain is proud to have played a part in fullfilling Dr. Light's dream of humans and robots living together. However, X is worried if maybe the world is moving forward too fast, as Dr. Light thought it would be decades before robots like him were ready to the world, and now Reploids are being produced by the hundreds every day. The story ends with a human chef arguing with his Reploid employees, with one of them holding a cleaver in an ominous way while looking to the chef. This implies that the Reploid intends to murder his human boss, and is likely to be one of, if not the first, Mavericks to be reported.

The Unforseen Variable
X and Zero are happy to appear in the comic. However, Mega Man and his friends aren't, as they haven't even gotten to the Mega Man 3 story yet, and tells them to leave and get their own comic book.

Shadow of Ra Moon - Part One: Wayward Son

 * Mega Man
 * Pharaoh Man
 * Roll
 * Rush
 * Dr. Light
 * Dr. Cossack
 * Plant Man
 * Dr. Pedro Astil
 * Gemini Man
 * Hard Man
 * Top Man
 * Needle Man
 * Snake Man
 * Break Man
 * Magnet Man
 * Spark Man
 * Shadow Man
 * Quake Woman

The X Factor - Part 1

 * Dr. Cain (First appearance)
 * Ball De Vouxs (First appearances)
 * Dr. Light (Hologram)
 * X (First appearance)

Shadow of Ra Moon - Part One: Wayward Son

 * Lanfront Ruins
 * Temple of the Moon


 * Geoworks International HQ (First appearance)

The X Factor - Part 1

 * Light Labs ruins

Shadow of Ra Moon - Part One: Wayward Son
Shadow Man: (thinking) Disgraceful filth! First they kill my master, then they dare desecrate his grave? I will not allow it!

Shadow Man: Disgraceful... defeated by these unworthy ronin... Finish it! I failed Ra Moon! I have no purpose! End my shame!

Shadow Man: To serve a new master... to have a purpose again... and not be alone... Yes. I will be one of your... brothers. Hard Man: Ha! There we go! I'm built to be hard-headed, but this guy...!

Magnet Man: Break Man? You coming? Break Man: ...Later. I need to find some answers. Magnet Man: About what? Break Man:...Personal things. Complex things. Magnet Man: (Should've called you Melodrama Man.) Suit yourself.

Trivia

 * The X Factor - Part 1 story depictes events of Dr. Cain's journal, from Mega Man X english instruction manual, even quoting some entries as narration captions.
 * Dr. Light's warning message is a straight transcript from the first Mega Man X game introduction.
 * The red female Reploid that appears on the same page as the chef Maverick bares an uncanny resemblance to the female Maverick Hunter in one of X's endings in Mega Man X5.

Free Comic Book Day 2014 reprint
In May 2014, The X Factor - Part 1 and Part 2 story was reprinted for the Free Comic Book Day using two new covers by Tristan "T. Rex" Jones (Mega Man X) and Tracy Yardley! (Sonic the Hedgehog) for this special double-sided flipbook. The issue also includes two Archie's Sonic Comic Origins stories : Sally—The Exiled Leader and Rotor—The Exiled Inventor.

Publisher's Summary
''It's TWO free comic books in ONE! Hot off the heels of the ultra-successful Sonic/Mega Man crossover event, "Worlds Collide", comes a showcase issue of the hottest new storylines in both characters' universes - exclusively for Free Comic Book Day! Sonic stars in "Blast to the Past" and the origin of his Freedom Fighters! Then, on the flipside of this issue, get ready for the "Mega Man X" crossover event with this primer story!''