Time Man/Archie Comics


 * This article is about Time Man in the Mega Man series from Archie Comics.

Time Man is a character from the Mega Man comic book series by Archie Comics.

Time Keeps Slipping
Time Man is first seen on the final page of issue 4 with Oil Man, but makes his first 'official' appearance in issue 5. Originally, he and Oil Man were to be among Dr. Light's original set of Robot Masters, but Light thought they were too "powered up", and decided not to finish them. Unbeknownst to Light, Dr. Wily took the liberty to finish making them. His personality is like that of his game counterpart, as he is still strict and to-the-point, and obsessed with his schedules.

In Issue 5, Time Man led several of Wily's robots to the police escort containing Dr. Wily to free his master. He then used Time Slow on the vehicle to bust Wily out of the vehicle, also dispatching some of Wily's robots, including a Sniper Joe to hold off Mega Man long enough to succeed in his mission. In Issue 6, Time Man, arriving at Wily's new hideout (the workshop that Time Man and Oil Man were created at) gave Wily his old set of clothes to change into from his prison garb, while also apologizing for his lateness due to Oil Man holding them up, resulting in the latter, who heard this just as he arrived with Roll in tow, getting into an argument with him regarding uptightness and arrogance before Wily put them in their place. Wily then explained Time Man's history to Roll. He alongside Oil Man later appeared in Issue 7, where they ambushed the six Robot Masters without drawing attention to themselves by either Krantz or Mega Man. They then did battle with him with the Robot Masters appearing, apparently reprogrammed. However, Elec Man revealed that they had been faking their being reprogrammed due to Dr. Light proofing them from further hacking attempts from Wily by using his Thunder Beam to disrupt Time Man's Time Slow ability. Time Man, alongside Oil Man, then surrendered and joined Light Labs, using their abilities for more noble purposes.

The Return of Doctor Wily
Time Man also appears at the end of issue 11 and issue 12 along with Oil Man and the other Light Robot Masters, helping to save a reprogrammed Mega Man. In the latter issue, Time Man used his Time Slow to buy Elec Man and the other Robot Masters enough time to get into position while pinned down by enemy fire, with Elec Man, Ice Man, Fire Man, Bomb Man, and Oil Man taking out the Sniper Joes guarding the gate and Cut Man and Guts Man arriving at the main gate. They are later pinned down by the Mecha Dragon, and after the remainder of Mega Man's anti virus program was finished uploaded directly, Time Man explained what happened. Time Man, Oil Man, Guts Man, and Bomb Man aided Mega Man in infiltrating further into the castle, but took on the Guts Tank. He then narrowly escaped the castle in time when Wily set it to self-destruct alongside his "brothers."

Worlds Collide/Blackout: The Curse of Ra Moon/Dawn of X
Time Man was mentioned in Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 248 of the Worlds Collide arc, and appears in issue 251 as part of the cavalry among the original Light Robot Masters, holding off the Robot Master army while Light, Proto Man, Rush, and Knuckles the Echidna infiltrate the Wily Egg. In issue 31, Time Man was revealed to have also been supplied with the EMP coating shielding him temporarily from the effects of Ra Moon's EMP wave, and used his Time Slow ability to slow time down long enough to allow some doctors to complete surgery in light of the disabling of all other technology. He is seen briefly in issue 37, working in the Chronos Institute.

Prisoners of War/Worlds Unite
Time Man was also briefly mentioned in issue 49 by Flash Man while discussing his new position at the Chronos Institute. Flash Man was confident that the institute would be happy to have him helping them, given that his abilities were intended as an improvement upon Time Man's. Time Man himself would subsequently join the other members of the original line of Robot Masters and Concrete Man in helping to rebuild Light Labs following its destruction. Shortly thereafter, Mega Man disappeared and the villainous Sonic Man-Sonic the Hedgehog turned into one of the Roboticized Masters-began attacking Mega City. As such, Time Man and his brothers went into action to stop him, but to Time Man's shock, Sonic Man's speed was such that even with Time Slow in effect he was too fast for them. Sonic Man soon proved too much for them, forcing Dr. Light to call upon Quake Woman and Wily's "reformed" Robot Masters for help.

Future
Time Man also made a brief appearance in the beginning of issue 20, where he was evidently overpowered by Dr. Wily and his Mega Man Killers and the Genesis Unit inside the Chronos Institute, where Dr. Wily steals the Time Skimmer.

Short Circuits
Time Man also appears in the Mega Man comic's Short Circuits strips, his first appearance taking place in issue five. In it, he awakens a sleeping Dr. Wily by ringing like an alarm clock, but is then silenced by a punch from Guts Man, who is playing the part of "Snooze Man".