Mega Man Issue 17 (Archie Comics)


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Mega Man #17 is an issue in the Mega Man comic series by Archie Comics released in September 2012.

Publisher's Summary
''“Proto-Type” Part One: The story of Mega Man's long lost brother, Blues (a.k.a. Proto Man), starts here! What was it that drove a wedge between the first self-aware robot and the benevolent Dr. Light? Then, in "Construction Derby," Guts Man gets some not-so-friendly competition in the form of Concrete Man!''

Proto-Type 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 prototype solar core. The test is cut short, but the military is pleased enough to order a simplified version for future use, which is presumably the Sniper Joe series.

Later in Light Labs, Blues' recharge finishes and he awakens hearing Dr. Light and Wily arguing over remodelling Blues. Blues enters the room and the doctors say that his power generator is flawed and the imbalance will eventually destroy him if it is not fixed. Dr. Light must redesign his core to save him, but by doing it there is a chance that his personal coding will be erased, making he lose all his personality traits. Later in the same night, Blues listens Dr. Light chatting with Dr. Lalinde in a computer about him and hears Dr. Light say "Honestly, it would be easier if I did rewrite that rebellious streak out of him...". However, Dr. Light didn't mean it and planned to repair him the next day, but Blues is devastated his own father would think such and leaves Light Labs carrying a bag full of E-Tanks.

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, there is a risk of the dam collapsing and flood the town downstream, so Dr. Light has brought a new Robot Master named Concrete Man to help Guts Man finish the dam sooner. The two began competing during the job, and when they were about to start fighting, the rain pours on and the two work together to complete the dam in time and prevent a flood. After the work the two become friends and decide to relax by sharing some E Tanks and karaoke, singing Brandnew Way together.

Short Circuits
Dr. Wily creates the Robot Master Origami Man, but his plan folded as all Origami Man can do is transform into origami.

Characters
Proto-Type:
 * Mega Man
 * Rush
 * Blues
 * Dr. Light
 * Dr. Wily
 * Dr. Noele Lalinde
 * Gilbert D. Stern (cameo)

Construction Derby:
 * Mega Man
 * Roll
 * Dr. Light
 * Guts Man
 * Concrete Man (First appearance)
 * Bomb Man
 * Oil Man

Trivia

 * The Karaoke song that Concrete Man and Guts Man were singing, Brandnew Way, was the ending song for Super Adventure Rockman and the Japanese version of Mega Man 8.
 * In the montage where Dr. Light has Blues observe human civilization, one of the images shown is Blues and Light looking at Michaelangelo's The Creation of Adam.
 * Even though Concrete Man debuted much later in Mega Man 9, he appeared here. The reason given was so the audience can know what he was like so that his eventual turn to villainy will become more poignant. A similar reason was cited with Splash Woman's appearance in Issue 19.