Mega Man 2: Time Keeps Slipping

Mega Man Volume 2 - Time Keeps Slipping is the second Graphic Novel of the Mega Man comic book series by Archie Comics. It collects the entire "Time Keeps Slipping" story arc.
 * This article is about the graphic novel; you may be looking for the game Mega Man 2.
 * Previous Volume: Mega Man Volume 1 - Let the Games Begin! ←—
 * —→ Next Volume: Mega Man Volume 3 - The Return of Dr. Wily

Direct Market On-sale: 3/20/2012. 112 pgs, $11.99 US, Full-Color.

Publisher's Summary
Mega Man'' is one of the most beloved video game characters of all time (29 million units sold), which explains why the debut of the Mega Man comic book was Archie’s bestselling video game title in the comic shop direct market in over five years! The evil Dr. Wily has vanished from jail, Mega Man’s sister Roll has been kidnapped, and Dr. Light is in federal custody! What’s Mega Man to do? Collects issues #5-8.''

Part One: Reasonable Doubt
Mega Man, Roll, and the Robot Masters are cleaning up Downtown, where Bomb Man had been stationed at, having offered themselves to clean up the mess they created while under Dr. Wily's programming. Watching over them is Dr. Light, who is currently being interviewed. The interview is interrupted by a pair of detectives, federal agent Gilbert D. Stern and federal agent Roslyn Krantz. Stern questions Dr. Light on his offering to help clean up, as if he had a guilt conscience and how he so happened to have the only thing that could stop the Robot Masters. Dr. Light explains that Dr. Wily's decisions were his own, as were Mega Man's selfless acts. Sensing the heat, Roslyn intervenes and takes over the questioning, asking the whereabouts of two missing robot models, DLN00A and DLN00B. Dr. Light explains that those two were still experimental and had been left in Albert's care before the Robot Master's unveiling and that he did not know where they were.

A Blader sneaks into jail and receives a message from Dr. Wily about his time of being moved. Dr. Light reveals that he and Mega Man will be attending the convoy moving Dr. Wily shortly, in hopes to have Wily reduce his sentence by cooperating. Mega Man accidentally causes an accident in the quarry, resulting in an argument between him and Roll in front of the agents. Luckily, the convoy is preparing so Dr. Light takes Rock with him while Roll goes out shopping for their groceries. On the ride, Dr. Light and Mega Man discuss prison, which Rock concludes is a place for "localized errors." They also touch on the "x-factor" of free will in robots, which Light has hopes of cracking one day. As the convoy is moving, a Sniper Joe attacks from a bridge, to which Mega Man responds by attacking. During the diversion, Time Man appears, freezing time and freeing Dr. Wily.

Agent Stern immediately puts the blame on Dr. Light and Rock, saying the diversion was their plan to free Wily. Back home, Roll has finished shopping and is approaching the front door. As she touches the doorknob, her hand comes away covered in oil, and she wonders if she ruptured a joint. Oil Man steps up from behind and kidnaps Roll.

Short Circuits - "Denied": Proto Man learns he's not in this issue.

Part Two: Unresolved Issues
On Time Man's rescue of Dr. Wily, Agent Stern accuses Dr. Light. His partner, Roslyn, steps in and says that there is no evidence to decide Dr. Light's innocence or guilt. Light puts himself in police custody, believing that justice will run its course and prove him innocent and tells Rock to return home and look after Roll. At Light Labs, Rock finds a large amount of oil and a letter on the door from Wily, announcing that Roll has been kidnapped and that interfering or contacting the authorities will result in her being dismantled. Mega Man starts to rush off to help her, but can't because Roll would be destroyed if he did. In Wily's new hideout, set up by Time Man, he is offered new (his old set) clothes to replace his prison garb. Time Man then apologizes for being late, explaining that he was held up by Oil Man, who comes in at that moment with Roll. Time Man and Oil Man get into a small fight about Time Man being too uptight and Oil Man being too arrogant, but Wily puts them in their place. Roll asks and Wily explains who Time Man and Oil Man are and how they came to his ownership. Time Man and Oil Man were originally going to be part of Light's line of Robot Masters, but he thought they were too "powered up", and decided not to finish them. Wily secretly finished them behind Light's back, and put them on standby just in case he was beaten by anybody.

Rock returns to the quarry downtown and explains everything to the Robot Masters, who were cleaning up. Elec Man thinks that Wily was bluffing on dismantling Roll, as he would then have nothing to bargain with. They want to help, but are obligated to finish cleaning. Cut Man and Ice Man offer to join Rock in their search for Wily and Roll as the others stay to fix everything up. They return to Wily's fortress and destroy some walls and Fleas to quickly return to the robot copy room where Rock fought the Copy Robot. Mega Man points out a new hole in the wall that drops down far into a secret passageway. The three of them jump down, landing in a tunnel filled with sleeping robots. The robots wake up and begin to shoot at them but they escape down an off tunnel, resulting in them falling even further. They want to teleport out but can't get a clear signal. Rock quiets their arguing, listening to something. A flood of water comes at them, which Ice Man tries to freeze but can't fast enough. They are pulled into a new room where a large, round aquatic robot stares at them.

Short Circuits - "Time Out": Time Man the alarm clock and Guts Man the snooze button.

Part Three: Reinforcements
The aquatic robot CWU-01P attacks Mega Man, Ice Man, and Cut Man in the sewers of Dr. Wily's old hangout but is defeated with teamwork. An elevator takes them to the same room they had fallen from before and had no clues to the whereabouts of Dr. Wily, which watches them with a Telly. Somewhat defeated, they return to the quarry where the Robot Masters are rebuilding. There they discuss what to do when Agent Krantz joins them with news that, after Dr. Light requested her to see how Roll and Rock were doing, she wants to help. They call Dr. Light in Agent Stern's office who tells them about Oil Man and Time Man and the location of the place Dr. Wily was most likely located--a retired workshop used to test Oil Man and Time Man. Stern sends a vehicle to transport Rock, the Robot Masters, and Krantz to the workshop. In the vehicle, the Robot Masters give Mega Man their powers again, just in case.

Once there, Time Man and Oil Man take out most of the Robot Masters before Rock and Krantz even notice. All six of them are defeated easily as Mega Man and Krantz find Wily holding Roll captive. Time Man and Oil Man appear. Mega Man fights Time Man while Krantz tries to save Roll. Time Man instructs Oil Man to stop her but he ignores the order and disrupts Time Man's fight so that he has a chance to face Mega Man.

Mega Man gets off a few hits to Oil Man but is stunned when the Robot Masters appear, once again reprogrammed to fight against him.

Short Circuits - "I Don't Like It": Agent Stern's history of machine distrust.

Part Four: Duplicity
Mega Man and Agent Krantz are surrounded by the eight Robot Masters. Dr. Wily applauds himself for his plan going so well and retells how he re-reprogrammed the Robot Masters and finished building Time Man and Oil Man. Mega Man and Krantz talk to each other, devising a plan while Dr. Wily expects them to beg for mercy. Mega Man offers to sacrifice himself distracting the Robot Masters while Krantz rescues Roll.

Mega Man tries to quickly disable some of the Robot Masters with Ice Slasher and fight Oil Man. Oil Man is about to be burned with Fire Storm when Time Man freezes Mega Man. He starts to attack Mega Man but the original six Robot Masters turn on him, using Elec Man's static ability--which disrupts Time Man's time freezing ability--to keep him in check. They reveal that Dr. Light had proofed them against being reprogrammed again and they defeat the two evil Robot Masters.

Krantz rescues Roll and is pinned down momentarily by a gun turret from Wily's saucer. She takes it out. Rock and Roll reunite. Roll has to remind Mega Man that Dr. Wily is still nearby and needs to be stopped. Mega Man easily destroys Wily's saucer but it is revealed that Wily himself--standing on top of it--is actually a hologram. Oil Man reveals the saucer is actually a hologram projector with a turret, and is unable to fly as it doesn't even has an engine. Mega Man angrily starts to break the ship further with the Super Arm but Krantz stops him as it is evidence.

Krantz calls in her partner Stern who releases Dr. Light and takes a van and inhibitor collars to the scene to pick up Time Man and Oil Man, sending them to Light Labs. Stern says that he doesn't trust Mega Man--that he doesn't trust anybody--and that he did good. Krantz mentions that, to Stern, that was a high compliment. When Stern sees Rock and Dr. Light embrace he mentions that it's both sweet and creepy.

Rock and his family return to Light Labs where Rock puts away his armor and is happily repairing robots instead of fighting them. Dr. Light mentions that Wily is still on the loose and Mega Man may be needed again one day. Rock says that he would hate to leave Light short handed, but is countered more helper bots can be built and Auto wouldn't mind helping splitting his time between the lab and the shop.

Dr. Light announces that he has several ideas for new support devices to help stop Wily. Roll is worried about becoming obsolete but her father reassures her that they are most precious to him. From the rooftop window, a figure watches. Meanwhile, Dr. Wily is building a new castle, fueling his anger against Dr. Light. In his mind he tells Dr. Light to keep the old Robot Masters and that he would perfect new ones with Mega Man in mind. He is seen creating a new set--some brand new, some by combining the older models. With eight new Robot Masters: Metal Man, Air Man, Bubble Man, Quick Man, Crash Man, Flash Man, Heat Man and Wood Man by his side, Wily prepares for his next scheme.

Short Circuits - "Natural Gas": Oil Man acts crudely.

Trivia

 * Beside the reprint of issues 5-8 and Short Circuits (with their titles revealed), the graphic novel also includes:
 * some cover sketches;
 * some script and pencil selections;
 * Roslyn Krantz's, Gilbert D. Stern's concept designs; and
 * character profiles of Time Man, Oil Man, Gilbert D. Stern, Roslyn Krantz, Sniper Joe and CWU-01P.
 * This arc features the debut of Oil Man and Time Man, two Robot Masters who were added in Mega Man Powered Up, a remake of the first Mega Man game. Dr. Wily makes a small reference to this, stating that, since he finished the last two robots, they are more "Powered Up" than the others.


 * This arc marks the introduction of two comic original characters, federal agents Gilbert D. Stern and Roslyn Krantz.


 * Issue 7 is the first of the series not to have an alternate cover released.
 * In the end of issue 8, Proto Man and the eight Robot Masters from Mega Man 2 are seen, and a part of Rush's incomplete head.


 * Issue 8 also depicts Ice Man as having a crush on Roll; this could be a reference to Team Nekokan's song, Iceman's Crush (DRN 005's Unrequited Love).
 * In the game Mega Man: Battle and Chase, it's also hinted that Ice Man has a secret crush on Roll.


 * In the mail-in questions at the end of issue 8 it is revealed that the 4-issue arc style will be switched up from time to time.