Mega Man Issue 38 (Archie Comics)


 * Previous Issue: Mega Man #37 ←—
 * —→ Next Issue: Mega Man #39

Mega Man #38 is the thirty-eighth issue in the Mega Man comic book series by Archie Comics, released on June 2014.

Publisher's Summary
(W) Ian Flynn (A) Jammal Peppers & Various (CA) Patrick Spaz Spaziente

The epic MEGA MAN / MEGA MAN X crossover event continues in "DAWN OF X" Part Two! We travel one hundred years into Mega Man's future, where an ancient Wily weapon threatens all defenseless humans! It’s up to X and Zero to combat the lumbering metal monstrosity! Meanwhile, Emerald Spears terrorist-on-the-run Xander Payne tumbles through time—and sees something that will change him forever! Don't miss the event that everyone will be talking about, featuring brand new cover art from PATRICK "SPAZ" SPAZIANTE and an extra special character-packed collector cover from BEN BATES!

Dawn of X - Part 2: The Hunters and the Hunted
The story picks off where Issue 37 left off, where Dr. Cain and Mega Man X stumble upon the remains of the Wily Walker in the Mesa Dig Site. X and Dr. Cain initially speculate the downed mech was some sort of ancient Mechaniloid, although Dr. Cain stated they needed to unearth it first, being excited at the prospects of discovering all the contents under the Mesa. It then cuts to an area deep under the rubble showing Mega Man's broken helmet. X then noticed a shine underneath and determined that there's some part of the machine that was still active. When Dr. Cain sees it, he also determines, based on other samples from the dig site, that it was active for more than a hundred years, although X determined that it may run out of power soon. Dr. Cain then tries to remove the power cell in order to salvage any information from it. X then warns the archaeologist to be careful, as he might inadvertently wreck the device or otherwise inadvertently set off an ancient weapons system. Dr. Cain is certain the latter possibility isn't the case, as the Mesa was a research lab, and thus there wouldn't be much of a reason to leave a weapon there. He then removed the power source and stated they should return to the surface. However, rumbling is heard and the seemingly deactivated Wily Walker's eyes slowly open...

As the Wily Walker attacks, X gets Dr. Cain to safety, and the doctor is quick to blame himself for the incident, but X encourages him to contact the Maverick Hunters for help while he attempts to deal with the machine. Cain agrees, and adds that he'll search for a means of stopping the Walker amongst the artifacts while X works to protect the dig team and any nearby tourists. X soon reaches the upper levels, where he grabs a Reploid worker named Samantha. She informs him that most of the tourists should be evacuated, but the Wily Walker-some of its weapons still functional-blows out the side of the mesa in its attempts to get free. The Wily Walker ignores the tourists, and X informs Dr. Cain that it is going to the city. Dr. Cain calls Sigma, who orders Zero and Vile to assemble their units and rendezvous with X. X is having trouble with the Wily Walker when Zero, Vile and several other Maverick Hunters arrive to provide backup. Zero directs X to help Dr. Cain, who has unearthed a small capsule of some sort, to find a way to control the robot.

In the past, Mega Man has successfully avoid the Wily Walker's attack, though he lost his helmet in the process. He, Bright Man and Pharaoh Man continue to fight it while Wily pretends to help while secretly sending another wrong deactivation code for it, opening the facility doors to set the Walker free. He tells Mega Man to try other code, but the terminal is destroyed in the battle. In Light Labs, Dr. Light, Dr. Cossack, Roll, and Auto are working as fast as they can on a machine while Wily talks with Mega Man. Wily feels confident, musing that even if Mega Man survives the Wily Walker, he still has his Robot Masters to take care of him while his newest castle is finished, and Doc Robot if the Robot Masters fail him. Dr. Light tells Mega Man to hold on and buy time while they work to help him. As the Wily Walker prepares to leave, Mega Man destroys the entrance to keep it contained, leaving them trapped in the room with the dangerous machine.

Meanwhile, Xander Payne is in a time stream and sees several events in rapid succession, including Mega Man fighting Gamma and Quint, and an injured Wily talking with someone. Unable to handle it, he escapes through an opening and sees Mega Man talking with other robot and firing at a time anomaly (issue 20), causing Xander to go to a time where Mega Man and a talking animal are fighting against a robot attacking the people (Worlds Collide). He than finally arrives dizzy in a tall highway from 21XX, seeing several cars in the streets below and the Maverick Hunters fighting the Wily Walker in the distance. By seeing the conflict, Xander believes it to be the time of the robot uprising.

Short Circuits
Mega Man and X go out in an adventure, and Roll sighs. Zero puts a replica of his helmet on her and invites her to go out in a fun adventure too.

Trivia

 * Originally, the Cast Combo Variant cover depicted Oil Man with a yellow scarf or yellow lips (his edited Western appearance). However, this was fixed with the final version of the cover, his red scarf covering his lips.
 * The code 1755-8187-6486-2322, which Dr. Wily gave Mega Man in the battle to open the doors of the mesa, is a password for Mega Man 7 for unlocking the eight Robot Masters initially.
 * Although the events of Worlds Collide are referenced during Xander Payne's time travelling excursion and Sonic is heard and Xander describes him as a talking Hedgehog, Sonic himself is never actually seen.