Mega Man 5: Rock of Ages


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Proto-Type is the fifth story arc of the Mega Man comic series by Archie Comics. It is a two-part arc detailing the comic's take on the origins of Proto Man and his life before separating from Dr. Light. This arc is the first to use a two-shorts style for its issue, as well as being the first arc not divided into four parts.

Part One: Father and Son
While cleaning out the Light Labs database one day, Rock asks Dr. Light about an entry for DLN-000, Blues. With a heavy heart, Dr. Light tells Rock that Blues is his older brother as well as Dr. Light's "first triumph and greatest failure".

Flashing back to years ago, Dr. Light and Dr. Wily have just finished Blues to serves as the prototype for their contracted military robot. Blues demonstrates self-awareness shortly after awakening and Dr. Light takes him out into the world for culture, acquired the scarf and sunglasses that would later become emblematic of him. He grows into a happy young boy, even eager when it's time for the combat tests. The tests initially go well, but Blues soon suffers a short in his system due to his solar core. The test is cut short, but the military is pleased enough to order a simplified version for future use.

Later, Blues awakens and hears Light and Wily arguing over remodelling Blues, as the change carries a risk of wiping his personality. Dr. Light later chats with Dr. Lalinde about it and begins to wonder if giving Blues a personality was the right thing to do. Devastated his own father would think such, Blues packs up and flees into the night.

Back in the present, Rock suggests they go looking, but Dr. Light figures it a waste of time since his faulty core would have failed by now, unaware Blues is alive and well under the name Break Man.

Construction Derby
Guts Man is working on a dam construction project when Dr. Light arrives. Due to heavy rain, he has brought a new Robot Master to help named Concrete Man. The two bicker about who can do the job better, but when the rain pours on, the two work together to complete the dam in time and prevent a flood. Deciding to work together instead of fight, they relax with some karaoke.

Short Circuits: Dr. Wily creates Origami Man.

Part Two
Blues, having just left Dr. Light's care, sets off on his own. As he travels, he finds himself struggling to adapt with robots of lower intelligence than himself and humans unsure of him.

Back at Light Labs, Dr. Wily attempts to cheer up Dr. Light, encouraging him to finish the Sniper Joes for the military and to start work on their goal of Robot Masters. Dr. Light eventually agrees to get back to work while still considering how to make robot children.

Blues continues on his way until he notices some street thugs terrorizing a family. He fends them off at the cost of a strain on his power supply and, realizing how good it feels to help others, make his way through the cities helping as best he can. Finally, his energy level dangerously low, Blues decides to go back and give Dr. Light another chance to see if he can help him. When he arrives, he finds Dr. Light hugging Rock and Roll, the scene from issue #8.

Believing himself replaced, Blues hears a report about the Lanfront Ruins. Deciding it is a good place to die, he makes his way there. Content with how he lived his life, Blues whistles his tune one last time as he shuts down...just in time for Dr. Wily's Robot Masters to find him.

Cold Feat
Ice Man, assisting an arctic team with glacier research, has Guts Man called in to help with remodeling and expanding the research center. An overeager Guts Man only makes it worse, and an exasperated Ice Man freezes him and calls Dr. Light to send him back.

Short Circuits: Bass believes he's set to appear in the comic.

Trivia

 * "Origami Man" in Short Circuits issue 17 is likely to be either referenced from a line said by Rock in issue 2 ("Why couldn't you make Origami Man or Pillow Man, Dr. Light?"), or a reference/play to the game Rock, Paper, Scissors, provided that in Japan, Mega Man's name is originally Rockman, and Cut Man's Rolling Cutter is based on a pair of scissors.
 * The tune Blues is whistling in the first issue is the first few notes of his iconic theme.
 * Quint and Enker both cameo in issue #18's Short Circuits strip.