Mega Man Issue 44 (Archie Comics)


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Mega Man #44 is the forty fourth issue in the Mega Man comic series by Archie Comics, released in December 2014.

Publisher's Summary
The blue-BOMBastic conclusion to LEGENDS OF THE BLUE BOMBER is here! The battle is about to reach its shocking conclusion—or will it? Based on the legendary game Mega Man 3 comes “Legends of the Blue Bomber” part 4! Hard Man is all set to destroy Mega Man—so why is he offering his enemy a free recharge? Spark Man won’t hold back as he sets out to avenge his fallen brothers! Meanwhile, Dr. Wily puts the finishing touches on his greatest creation to date, meaning this isn’t the end of Mega Man’s battles! Featuring new cover art from Mega Man art legend Patrick "SPAZ" Spaziante and variant cover by Ben Bates!

Summary
In Light Labs, Roll goes looking for Auto, only to find the room she expected him in to be dark. Upon flipping a switch, she notices that the lights aren't working. She then calls out for Auto and asks where he is and why the lights aren't working. Growing more terrified, she looks in a broom closet that was ajar, saying in a quivering tone that this isn't the time for hide and seek. To her shock and horror, she discovers her friend inside the cabinet, viciously disassembled.

Meanwhile, in a deep underground mine, Hard Man awaits Mega Man's arrival, and is informed of his presence by a Monking. Thanking the robot, he then tells it to resume its regular functions. Mega Man then bursts in and exclaims that he found him. Hard Man then surprises Mega Man by offering him an E-Tank, citing that he seems exhausted. Mega Man, after hesitantly accepting, then asks if it's a bomb, with Hard Man replying that he wishes to fight Mega Man honorably. After recharging both himself and Rush, Mega Man questions the directing power behind Hard Man and his brothers' actions, noting that while Dr. Wily claimed to be under Ra Moon's control, the actions of the Robot Masters seemed like one of his plans, citing that he had done something similar in the past. He then offers Hard Man the chance to come with him peacefully, but the powerhouse robot responds that he intends to fight despite his previous kindness, also telling Mega Man that he should not mistake his honor for kindness. The two begin to battle, and Mega Man quickly discovers that Hard Man is stronger and that his armor is too hard for an ordinary attack to penetrate after trying to punch him, only for Hard Man to look at him ominously without even flinching from the punch. He than tries to attack from distance with his Mega Buster, but Hard Man hits him with Hard Knuckle. Mega Man then turns the tide with his Magnet Missiles, with Hard Man's bulk making him too big to dodge them.

At the lab, Roll rushes over to Dr. Light with tears in her eyes, with Light expressing concern. Roll tells Light that she had Auto investigate Dr. Wily and that he went missing. Light interrupted her and stated that there's probably a reasonable explanation regarding Auto's absence, but Roll informs Dr. Light by finishing up, stating that she managed to find Auto disassembled with all his memory boards ripped out. Realizing it was Wily's doing, and thus the implications of Wily being very likely to be behind the Robot Master attacks, Light locks down to the lab to only allow family members access. Roll then inquires whether they should inform Rock of this development, but Dr. Light refuses, stating that he doesn't want to distract him in case he's fighting a dangerous Robot Master, and also reasons that Dr. Wily doesn't have anything he can use against them in there anyways before pressing the lockdown button.

True to Light's predictions, Dr. Wily is initially trapped in the room containing Doc Robot, with alarms blaring. Wily realized from the lockdown being activated that the others managed to find Auto, and deduced Roll as being the one who found him, expressing irritation at Roll for being as "problematic as her brother." As such, he is unable to activate Doc Robot without the IC chips or weapon data, comparing its completed body to an overglorified paperweight in its current situation. However, Break Man proceeded to teleport in and inquired Dr. Wily about his status, as everything but his personal transport module was blocked and thus couldn't contact him via comm link. Dr. Wily then proceeded to laugh and refer to Dr. Light as a sentimental old fool, realizing that Light's allowing security protocols to Blues in the event of his desired return proved to be Light's undoing.

Back with Mega Man, he and Rush reach Spark Man's lair. At this point, Spark Man is a broken-down mess at the loss of his brothers, remembering the moments they spent together. Spark Man promises to avenge his brothers and attacks Mega Man wildly as soon as he enters his room, threatening to kill his family. Mega Man disables him with the Shadow Blade and promises that Spark Man will see his brothers again, also clarifying that he means they'll be rebuilt so they'll have a second chance due to saving their IC chips when Spark Man replies that robots don't have an afterlife due to their robotic status. When Spark Man asks whether that meant they'll be together again, Mega Man, already in tears due to stress from the entire ordeal, snapped that he was going to explain that to him beforehand, but Spark Man insisted on fighting. When he demanded to know why they did needed to go through the misery and violence, Spark Man only answers that "he" commanded it before shutting down. Mega Man teleports the last Energy Element to Light Labs, but is unable to contact Dr. Light.

At Light Labs, Dr. Light and Roll are confronted by Wily, Break Man and the fully-operational Doc Robot, with Roll bracing a broom to defend herself. Dr. Light then asks Dr. Wily why he is doing this, with Dr. Wily responding that he is doing it because he is the best, and fully intended to ensure Dr. Light learned this.

Short Circuits
Dr. Wily introduces Dubstep Man, who confronts Mega Man and threatens to "drop the bass!" His head is then blasted off by Bass.

Trivia

 * In the variant cover, the Robot Masters have their sprite poses from Super Adventure Rockman, and Mega Man's pose is taken directly from the "Weapon Get" screen of Mega Man 3.
 * This is the fourth Mega Man comic to be printed in the "Archie Action Series" style.
 * In the Short Circuit there is a Robot Master named "Dupstep Man", which has a hairstyle like the electronic dance music DJ Skrillex. "Drop the Bass" is a song from Skrillex and also a famous internet meme. This leads to the joke with the Robot Master Bass.