Welcome to the first installment of True Blue, our weekly recap of Archie Comics' crossover event between the Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man series, "Worlds Unite." Each installment, we'll recap the notable moments of the latest chapter in "Worlds Unite" with Archie Action Editor Vin Lovallo, and take a look at what lies ahead for the next chapter of the crossover event.

For those that have been out of the loop when it comes to Sonic and Mega Man, the first chapter of "Worlds Unite" takes place in Sonic Universe #76, and catches us up ever so briefly with the universes of our true blue heroes. Sonic has been dealing with the aftermath of the last crossover, "Worlds Collide," since it ended. He and his friends have been working tirelessly to put their fractured homeworld back together.

Though he's had some troubles of his own as of late, Mega Man has not had to deal with any direct problems from the previous crossover to this point. Still, Dr. Wily has continued to be a thorn in his side, and Mega Man has only just now had time to catch his breath with Roll and the rest of the Robot Masters after the whole ordeal with Break Man.

Things kick off in "Worlds Unite" Part One rather quickly, with Sigma, former Maverick Hunter of the future, now in full big-bad mode for reasons unseen. He escapes out of the 21XX timeline just as Mega Man X arrives to shut him down, and soon Sigma is inhabiting a new robot body in Eggman's lair on Lost Hex in the Sonic Universe. Apparently, Sigma's been scouting the alternate universe for new recruits and new digs, where he hopes to launch a massive attack against all realities.

Elsewhere, Sonic is enjoying a day exploring one of the many fractured segments of his home, when he's confronted by a member of the Deadly Six that's been compromised by Sigma's technology. The same goes for Mega Man back in his universe, where he's minding his own business as a Genesis Portal (rift in space-time) opens and drops more members of Sigma's repurposed Deadly Six in his path. Both heroes fall to their adversaries, and wind up in the clutches of Sigma, Eggman, and the displaced Dr. Wily.

With Mega Man and Sonic undergoing "rehabilitation" to be under Sigma's control, the Marverick now has the eight commanders (a key number in the Mega-verse) he needs to fulfill his plan to capture the energy of the Sonic and Mega Man universes. With all that power, and Sonic and Mega Man under his control, things are looking dire for the fate of both worlds.

 

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ComicsAlliance: Why was it so important for the Sonic Universe to have been impacted the way it was, versus Mega Man getting to continue on with few repercussions from the crossover event?

Vin Lovallo: The Sonic Universe has always been dealing with larger than life scenarios; the ending of "Worlds Collide" was definitely one of the larger challenges Sonic has ever faced. The change to Sonic’s world presented a good opportunity for us to introduce to new readers who have jumped on the Sonic comics bandwagon during the first crossover to the characters and locations. It was a fresh start for newcomers, while also maintaining the spirit and characters we’ve always had for long-time fans.

While Mega Man’s world did not shatter like Sonic’s did, there were still repercussions. The Blue Bomber faced a global catastrophe in our "Blackout: The Curse of Ra Moon" storyline in addition to his ongoing struggles with Break Man, as well as dealing with Dr. Wily’s ever continuing plots for global domination. He’s got a lot on his plate!

CA: Worlds Unite kicks off with us traveling to the future of Mega Man X, who we haven't seen for some time. The last time we visited that timeline, Sigma was still on the side of the Maverick Hunters, and hadn't yet become the villain many fans remember from the MMX game series. Yet now, here he is, ready to travel through time and space to conquer the world. What happened to the hero we knew?

VL: We saw a glimpse of Sigma’s more maniacal side in Mega Man #40, but in “Worlds Unite” he is a full-fledged villain, focused solely on becoming the most powerful being of all time! Sometime soon after the “Dawn of X” storyline in Mega Man #37-40, a virus within Sigma took over and switched his focus from protecting the human race, to ensuring their extinction. Sigma became obsessed with power, feeling that humans stood in the way of his potential.

 

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CA: Part of Sigma's grand plan includes converting the Deadly Six into new Commanders, which he's able to do thanks to harnessing the skill sets of Eggman and Dr. Wily. How is it Sigma has such an intimate knowledge of Sonic's world, and why does it make the perfect staging ground for Sigma's grand plan?

VL: Without spoiling it completely, Sigma actually had a means to spy on Sonic’s world before he began enacting his master plan. See the end of Sonic Universe #75 and you’ll be able to see what I’m talking about! As for using Sonic’s universe as his staging ground, the location he uses is the Lost Hex where the Deadly Six come from. Lost Hex is a well-hidden, secluded location. It’s the perfect spot for a villain to put plans in motion without being noticed.

CA: To fill out his roster, Sigma takes Wily and Eggman's advice to capture Mega Man and Sonic, and hopes to convert them to Commanders alongside the Deadly Six. How many different concepts for the "evil" versions of Mega Man and Sonic did you go through before settling on the final designs?

VL: It was a lot of fun coming up with the designs for Sonic Man and M’egga Man! We had about 10 or more designs before we settled on the final versions. Sadly, mustachioed M’egga Man did not make the cut

CA: Looking slightly ahead, Sigma's plan involves harnessing the power of the combined worlds through his Unity Engines. Archie's been teasing just how many worlds will unite under this event, but which worlds are you most excited for readers to visit in the coming weeks and months?

VL: I have a soft spot for Golden Axe. I remember playing it with my dad all the time when I was young. Seeing the characters and world in comic form is like a dream come true for me. All the worlds featured in this story are awesome, and I hope that everyone finds one that really gets them excited.

 

And now, get an advanced look at "Worlds Unite" Part Two with an exclusive preview of Sonic Boom #8.

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SONIC BOOM #8
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Dan Schoening, Tracy Yardley, Terry Austin, Jack Morelli and Luis Delgado
Cover: Patrick “SPAZ” Spaziante
“Happy fun-time crossover” Variant Cover: Ryan Jampole, Gary Martin and Steve Downer
Covers Unite Variant (2 of 12): Ben Bates
It slices! It dices! It joins line-wide crossover events: it’s SONIC BOOM! “Sonic/Mega Man: Worlds Unite” Part Two: It was just another day at the races—y’know, the ones with the giant spider-mechs? Things start to get weird, even for the lovable, paranoid Sticks, when X and the Maverick Hunters arrived! Meanwhile, the epic bromance of the century is rekindled as the captured Drs. Eggman and Wily are forced to turn their life-long nemeses—Sonic and Mega Man—into minions for the terrifying Sigma! After the history-making “WORLDS COLLIDE” crossover event, Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man unite once more—and this time Sonic Boom and Mega Man X are joining the fray! Featuring cover art from the legendary Patrick “SPAZ” Spaziante, a special “happy fun time crossover” variant by Ryan Jampole and part 2 of the epic 12-part connecting variant cover series by artist Ben Bates!
On Sale Date: 6/3 | 32-page, full color comic | $3.99 U.S

 

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