Mega Man Issue 49 (Archie Comics)


 * Previous Issue: Mega Man #48 ←—
 * —→ Next Issue: Mega Man #50 (Worlds Unite - Part 4)

Mega Man #49 is the forty-ninth issue in the Mega Man comic book series by Archie Comics, released in May 2015. It's also the final Mega Man issue before the premiere of the Worlds Unite crossover arc.

Publisher's Summary
''On the eve of SONIC/MEGA MAN: WORLDS UNITE comes "Prisoners of War": Dr. Wily built his Robot Masters as tools of war—but when war is over, what happens to these mechanical servants? Mega Man has hopes that they can become tools of peace! Of course, not everyone agrees with Mega Man’s positive point of view. Will his optimism lead to his destruction? Meanwhile, who is the mysterious Mr. X, and what connection does he have to the past, present and future of Mega Man? This story leads into the next mega cross-title crossover “WORLDS UNITE” so don't miss a moment of the action! Featuring cover art from Mega Man rising star Edwin Huang and a "Renaissance Man" variant cover from Jason Piperberg!''

Story

 * —→ Next: FCBD 2015
 * —→ Next: Worlds Unite - Part 1 (Sonic Universe #76)

Prisoners of War
The story opens up with Quick Man being booted up, with his weapons systems disabled. It then shows Mega Man on the HUD, stating that he is awake, as well as inquiring whether Quick Man recognizes him. Quick Man responds by trying to slug him and calling him a "patronizing punk", with Mega Man dodging and arming himself with the Mega Buster and Auto expressing shock at his speed. While attacking, Quick Man admits he doesn't know how he was rendered back online, but that he won't waste a second trying to kick Mega Man's behind now that he is, although he interrupted himself after noticing his Quick Boomerang launcher isn't working and demands to know what is going on. Mega Man then proceeded to explain that they had disabled his weapons systems during the repair work in the event that they hadn't fully purged Wily's programming from him. When Quick Man demanded to know what Mega Man was alluding to, Mega Man jokingly stated that he thought Quick Man would be "quick" on the uptake, causing Quick Man to become incensed at the remark. However, before he could retaliate, Wood Man tells Quick Man to calm down as he's making a scene with his behavior. Quick Man then expresses shock that Wood Man had been restored as well, with Wood Man explaining that, in point of fact, all of their brothers had been fully restored. It then shows the restored second and third generation Robot Masters, specifically Air Man cooling down Heat Man, Snake Man trying to step on Bubble Man, Dr. Light working on Hard Man, Rush and Roll attempting to forcibly separate Magnet Man and Metal Man after an accident occurred where they were magnetized, to Gemini Man and Top Man's amusement; Spark Man and Crash Man doing a "high-five" with their "hands", a moody Shadow Man is in a dark corner as Needle Man glares at him, and Flash Man just looking on while Auto talking to him.

Quick Man is surprised that Mega Man preserved their I.C. chips and repaired them despite them being enemies, but Roll and Dr. Light point that they are not evil, they only did what Dr. Wily created them for, and they are being repaired and reprogrammed to get a second chance. Wood Man likes the idea, but Quick Man doesn't and asks where is Dr. Wily. Everyone present gets sad or serious, and Mega Man tells Wily's fate to him.

Meanwhile, in the Wily Castle 3 island, the X Corporation took full control of the island. Agents Gilbert D. Stern and Roslyn Krantz attempt to get inside, but Madam Y refuses to let them in as they don't have a warrant, much to their annoyance. While leaving, the agents comment about Gil being after the corporation for a long time. Stern also attempts to apologize to Krantz for "flying off the handle," before Krantz admits that she's actually the one who needs to apologize. She then admits that she initially thought alongside everyone else at the office that he was simply chasing "ghosts and conspiracies", but then she realized that he may be on to something after she noticed that the "security" at the island was actually a private military group rather than actual security, which meant they were most likely covering up for Dr. Wily, and that the X Corporation was most likely real. Stern then decides with Krantz to keep a lid on it for the time being, realizing that this cover up was definitely sloppy on the X Corporation's part, but they still need to actually wait for them to slip up, and for other reasons. Somewhere else, Dr. Wily awakens and meets Mr. X. Wily finds him campy and theatrical, but Mr. X says that he finds he has less inhibition in his old age. Wanting to discuss with Wily, he tells him to follow him. Wily doesn't want to due to his condition, but Mr. X tells him that he now works for him and should take the crutches, or his henchmen will make him require a wheelchair. After some chat while walking, Mr. X says he wants Wily to take over the world so humanity can see how bad robotics it, also noting that he saw the future and doesn't like what he saw. Mr. X supplies Wily with everything he needs to build more Robot Masters.

Back in Light Labs, Roll convinces Bubble Man to work as a ecosystem manager, Air Man decides to oversee the reconstruction of the meteorological array that was destroyed some time ago, and Flash Man considers working in the Chronos Institute. As Dr. Light had a hand on the designs of eight of them, they can all serve their original purposes, including Snake Man, who scares Dr. Light. However, not all like the idea. Quick Man says that he was built to destroy and be fast enough to defeat Mega Man, and a weapon like him becoming a mail man or something else is not what he wants. He also points that he doesn't want to be reprogrammed, asking Mega Man if he liked when Dr. Wily did the same with him. Mega Man tries to change his mind, asking Crash Man to help him, but he says that he isn't interested in blowing stuff up and letting everyone else do the work, grieving Spark Man. Heat Man says he is thankful, but agrees with Crash Man. Metal Man says that as he was created for combat, becoming a lumberjack doesn't hold any appeal. Gemini Man says that some of them are too experimental for practical use, and Magnet Man adds that they may also be too specialized, Top Man and Needle also feels the same way.

Mega Man and Roll are shocked, and Dr. Light steps in noting that their reconstruction came with a proviso. If they can't serve a practical purpose, by federal law they are to be decommissioned. Quick Man and the others are fine with going offline, and Quick Man asks Shadow Man what he will do, who decides to "stick around". Quick Man is happy for his brothers, but they made their decision, shut them down. Mega Man and Roll start crying and the former is enraged and devastated say that they are letting themselves go to waste and the latter say they can preserve them with a Robot Museum, but Quick Man says to The Blue Bomber, that not being the real him is what would be a waste. And with all 8 of their minds made up, Quick Man is shut down, along with Crash Man, Heat Man, Needle Man, Metal Man, Gemini Man, Top Man, and Magnet Man, and Mega Man is heartbroken and devastated over the loss of the 8 Robot Masters, Dr. Light tells the sad Mega Man that one of the hardest lessons to learn is that they can't save everyone, and not everyone wants to be saved.

Somewhere, Wily is quite happy with his situation and starts creating robots and plotting. Suddenly, a portal appears behind Wily. Mr. X says that Wily's first assignment begins now, and a mysterious entity pulls a scared Wily into the portal.

(The ending continues directly into Sonic Universe #76, while the main story will resume in Mega Man #53.)

Short Circuits
This issue has a gallery of poorly conceived Robot Masters: Mega Man from Captain N: The Game Master cartoon makes a cameo appearance.
 * UGH-001 I Can't Find My Keys, Man! - A robot slightly similar to KeyMan that isn't able to find his keys.
 * ICK-002 Itch Man - A very itchy robot with multiple arms, which he uses to scratch himself.
 * ACK-003 Motion Sickness Man - A robot with several spirals in his body that doesn't feel well.
 * MEH-004 Fragile Man - A very fragile robot that appears broken in pieces.

Characters

 * Mega Man
 * Mega Man? (Flashback)
 * Auto
 * Quick Man
 * Wood Man
 * Crash Man
 * Spark Man
 * Snake Man
 * Dr. Light
 * Hard Man
 * Shadow Man
 * Needle Man
 * Heat Man
 * Air Man
 * Gemini Man
 * Bubble Man
 * Flash Man
 * Rush
 * Magnet Man
 * Metal Man
 * Roll
 * Top Man
 * Madam Y
 * X Corporation henchmen
 * Gilbert D. Stern
 * Roslyn Krantz
 * Dr. Wily
 * Mr. X (First appearance)
 * Gamma remains
 * Sigma (Cameo)

Locations

 * Light Labs
 * Wily Castle 3 island

Events

 * Dr. Wily meets Mr. X and the two of them agree to have a partnership.
 * Half of Wily's Robot Masters (Bubble Man, Air Man, Wood Man, Flash Man, Snake Man, Hard Man, Spark Man and Shadow Man) agree to settle with new jobs, new lives and, reprogramming, but the other half (Quick Man, Crash Man, Heat Man, Metal Man, Needle Man, Gemini Man, Top Man and Magnet Man) allow themselves to be shut down and decommissioned in the Robot Museum.
 * Just as Mr. X is about to give Wily his first assignment, Sigma emerges from a mysterious portal created in the aftermath of an event Wily forgot about, and takes Wily hostage for his own plan.

Trivia

 * Both covers feature the countdown timer: Worlds Unite crossover in 1 issue. The same happens with Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 272, Sonic Universe Issue 75, and Sonic Boom Issue 7.
 * The variant cover is based on the Vitruvian Man.
 * While Quick Man was brought back online, the bootup screen featured a cameo of his NES sprite from Mega Man 2 as well as a blurred NES sprite of Mega Man.
 * When Quick Man swings a punch at Mega Man, he avoids it while striking his jumping pose from the NES games.
 * The scene of an injured Dr. Wily meeting Mr. X was seen before by Xander Payne during his time travel in the Issue 38.