Mega Man (Free Comic Book Day 2015)

The Sonic the Hedgehog/Mega Man Flipbook 2015 is a Free Comic Book Day exclusive released by Archie Comics in May 2015.

The Sonic the Hedgehog portion was to originally debut in #14 of the magazine Sonic Super Special, while the Mega Man material is a flashback using panels from past issues, with new narration from Mega Man added. The flashbacks center on the comic exclusive villain Xander Payne.

The Sonic story is later reprinted in the back up portion of Sonic the Hedgehog #275.

Publisher's Summary
Publisher: ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS (W) Ian Flynn (A) Gary Martin & Various (CA) Evan Stanley & Various "Worlds Unite: PRELUDE" - It's TWO free comic books in ONE! Just in time for the start of the ALL-NEW epic Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man crossover event, "Worlds Unite," comes a primer issue exclusively for Free Comic Book Day! The road to "Unite" began in the history-making "Worlds Collide" storyline, continued in 2014's "DAWN OF X" storyline, and once again our heroes must meet-Mega Man's journey chronicled on one side, and Sonic the Hedgehog's on the other! This is the must-have primer for the biggest comic book event of 2015-as two video game icons must come together... or risk dying alone! Featuring art from both Sonic and Mega Man comic book fame!

When Worlds Unite: Prequel

 * → Next Part

Sonic Comic Origins: Into the Unknown
The story starts with Doctor Eggman (with some Egg Swats in tow) pursuing Sonic the Hedgehog in the Blue Coast Zone.

Their fight is interrupted by the arrival of the previously banished Ifrit. Sonic engages the creature and is aided by Silver the Hedgehog who recently returned to the past.

After a brief struggle, Silver manages to send the Ifrit in the portal that it arrived in and seals it. He then informs Sonic of the Genesis Portals which has been discovered 200 years from now.

Unknown to either of them, Eggman eavesdrops on them and plans to exploit the Genesis Portals to his own end.

The World of Payne
The story starts with Mega Man describing the Emerald Spears leader Xander Payne to be about as dangerous as Dr. Wily, while being informed that he became crazier. The flashback starts with Xander carving out images into his prison wall, while declaring that "Worlds will Collide again".

Mega Man recaps how Xander was one of the soldiers fighting against Wily when he began his first assault and that it resulted in him being given an artificial eye to replace the one lost during the fight. The event led to Xander joining the Emerald Spears and soon after taking over the terrorist group when he felt they don't go far enough.

He then mentions that Xander, along with his brother Theo and Simone escaped capture and attempted to bomb the town during New Years, but was finally arrested.

The recap concludes with Xander entering a time machine at the Chronos Institute and ended up traveling into the far future, with whatever he saw messing him up.

Characters
Sonic the Hedgehog Mega Man
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Silver the Hedgehog
 * Doctor Eggman
 * Egg Swats
 * Professor Von Schlemmer
 * Ifrit
 * Xander Payne
 * Theo Payne
 * Simone Miller
 * Harvey Greenleaf
 * Dr. Light
 * Dr. Noele Lalinde
 * Dr. Shou Kouin
 * Mega Man
 * Roll
 * Rush
 * Elec Man
 * Bass
 * X

Locations
Sonic the Hedgehog Mega Man
 * Blue Coast Zone (Apotos Region)
 * Mega City
 * Chronos Institute

Trivia

 * Despite "In the Unknown" being describe as a prelude to Worlds Unite it is chronologically followed by Sonic the Hedgehog #272 and Sonic Universe #75.
 * As such, this marks the first appearance of Silver the Hedgehog in a new story since Worlds Collide.


 * The Mega Man side story is made up of reprinted panels and pages from various Mega Man issues. The reprints included, in order:
 * Page one: Issue 43
 * Page two: Issue 2
 * Page three: Issue 16
 * Page four: Issue 14, Issue 16
 * Page five: Issue 14, Issue 15
 * Page six: Issue 16
 * Page seven: Issue 21
 * Page eight: Issue 37, Issue 38
 * Page nine: Issue 39, Issue 40
 * Page ten: Issue 40
 * "The World of Payne" story retconned (again) Xander Payne's first appearance in Mega Man #2 (in opposition of Mega Man #13). The art adds a mustache to Unknown Soldier Blue and slightly changes his hair, giving him the likeness of Xander.