Mega Man Issue 41 (Archie Comics)


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Mega Man #41 is the forty-first issue in the Mega Man comic book series by Archie Comics, released in September 2014.

Publisher's Summary
''(W) Ian Flynn (A) Gary Martin & Various (CA) Patrick Spaz Spaziante The all-new storyline begins here! The epic adaptation of the legendary game, Mega Man 3, begins with 'Legends of the Blue Bomber' Part One: We've seen Mega Man battle Robot Masters plenty of times before, but now witness the mechanical madness unfold as only the Masters' masters see it! Get a birds-eye view of battle from the lens of the great (and not-so-great) Doctors that have created our heroes and menaces! But how is this all playing into Dr. Wily's hands? Find out in this battle royale you definitely won't want to miss out on! Featuring new cover art from Patrick 'Spaz' Spaziante, plus an awesome 'movie poster' variant from Vince Riley!''

Legends of the Blue Bomber - Part One: With Grace, Without Fear
Outside Earth's orbit, Mega Man, using the Rush Space function of Rush, calls in stating the launch to space was successful (accidentally making a pun on Rush's name with the expression "what a rush"), as well as going en-route to the first missing asteroid.

Back on Earth at Light Labs, Dr. Light, Roll, Dr. Wily, and Auto receive Mega Man's message. Roll expressed relief that the modifications to Rush worked, with Dr. Light telling his son they got his message before wishing him a good journey, and Auto cheers him on and jokingly warns against accidentally landing on the moon. Dr. Wily tells Dr. Light that he's certain that Mega Man will be fine, due to triumphing over many Robot Masters beforehand, before stating all the same to Mega Man that he have good luck there. Privately, however, Wily hopes Mega Man will either fall to one of the Robot Masters or otherwise get the Energy Elements and ensure Wily's master plan is enacted, although he realizes that it will be extremely close even in the best scenario, even with his new fortress, the Robot Masters, and Break Man's mission.

Mega Man then arrives at the Hydroponics asteroid, where an alarm is blaring and Top Man, hearing the alarm, is pleased due to it meaning Mega Man's arrival. Top Man then had his forces placed in their positions, extremely confident that his planning will have Mega Man at the very least challenged if not destroyed, even though he knows Wily wanted Mega Man to ultimately get the Energy Element from him. However, he breaks down when he notices that Mega Man is bypassing, if not outright demolishing the traps he laid out. Finally Mega Man arrives in his lair, and he tries to settle things peacefully, noting that Ra Moon is dead and can't control him, and asking why he went rogue. Top Man circles him, disappointed and questioning how Mega Man defeated the Light Numbers and Wily's first line of Robot Masters given his apparent lack of finesse. The two then battle, with Top Man thwarting Mega Man's every attack-until Rush latches onto him, allowing Mega Man to fire the finishing shot. Calling Mega Man's technique a "simple elegance", Top Man shut down, allowing Mega Man to copy his weapon data and remove his Integrated circuit chip.

Recovering the first Energy Element, he prepared it for transport, with Dr. Wily requesting that Mega Man send back Top Man's weapon data and I.C. Chip along with the Energy Element. Light and Roll look at Wily, and he explains that's only for them to properly catalogue it and to not give Mega Man the burden to carry it. Mega Man declined, as the small teleporting device he had been given was made specifically for the Energy Elements; he would instead have Rush carry the I.C. Chips and keep him out of the fighting to avoid damage. With the Energy Element transported back to the service, Wily left to install it in Gamma, only to be stopped by Roll and informed by Light that only he could install them due to special protocols. After being reminded about the ban on his robotics work, Wily volunteered to take the element to Gamma's hangar instead (although not before Wily shot a dirty look at Roll, who simply looked at him smugly, implying that she suspected what Wily was up to). Auto questions Roll regarding her actions, as Light and Mega Man thought Wily was helping them now, but Roll asked him to keep an eye on Wily and investigate some strange signals she had detected coming from the lab.

On an abandoned mining asteroid, Snake Man lies in wait for Mega Man, eager to hunt the hero and finish him off for Dr. Wily. Using his Search Snakes and Snakeys, he instigates fear and soon drove Mega Man where he wanted him and attacked. However, Mega Man and Rush managed to take him by surprise and defeat him--in part using Top Man's Top Spin to repel his Search Snakes-leaving the hunter feeling like the hunted. Recovering Snake Man's weapon data and I.C. Chip, Mega Man then sent the next Energy Element down before heading to the next asteroid.

Short Circuits
Top Man repeats his taunts to Mega Man from the main story, then Mega Man grabs him by the head and causes him to spin into the ground and then surrender while repeating his realization of Mega Man having a "simple elegance".

Characters

 * Mega Man
 * Rush
 * Roll
 * Dr. Light
 * Dr. Wily
 * Auto
 * Top Man
 * Tama (First appearance)
 * Fleas
 * Komasaburos (First appearance)
 * Big Snakey (First appearance)
 * Snake Man
 * Petit Snakeys

Special Weapons

 * Top Spin (First appearance)

Locations

 * Wily Station (First appearance, cameo)
 * Light Labs
 * Hydroponics Asteroid (First appearance)
 * Abandoned Mining Asteroid (First appearance)

Events

 * Mega Man confronts Top Man and Snake Man, defeating them both.
 * Dr. Light informs Dr. Wily that he is the only one who can reinstall the Energy Elements in Gamma.

Trivia

 * This issue begins the uninterrupted adaptation of Mega Man 3.
 * The main cover is based on the European box art of Mega Man 3. A few variations exist, such as Snake Man looking at Mega Man with amusement while Shadow Man is angry, and Proto Man being depicted in his Break Man form.
 * This is the first Mega Man comic to be printed in the "Archie Action Series" style.
 * The Convention Exclusive variant cover is from the 2014 New York Comic Con.
 * Snake Man and Top Man were the only Mega Man 3 Robot Masters not mentioned in the solicits for this story arc; as the other six were mentioned in the solicits of the other three issues, it became obvious that they would be fought in this issue.
 * The Wily Station from Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge made a cameo appearance in the first page of the comic.
 * Auto's caution to Mega Man about not getting stuck on the moon is a nod to the cliffhanger ending of the Mega Man Legends series.
 * During his fight with Mega Man, Top Man tells him to "show him some moves". This may be a reference to his liking of dance or Captain Falcon's taunt "Show me your moves" from the Super Smash Bros. games.
 * The Comic Con variant cover for this issue includes a poster of Dr. Cossack with the words "Doctor Whom?", an obvious nod to the Doctor Who science fiction series.
 * In addition, Archie Andrews (the main character for the flagship series of Archie Comics, Archie) makes a cameo in the same issue, being at the Archie Comics stand, as well as some Comic-Con people dressed up as Mega Man, Proto Man, and Bass; Mega Man X helming a Meet-and-Greet table with Roll preparing to see him, and the Maverick logo is seen on one of the displays.