Archie’s “Worlds Collide” arc (pairing up Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog with Capcom’s Mega Man) is up to Part 7 and we’re nearing the end of Act II. As I mentioned in my last “Worlds Collide” review, the gimmick of seeing Sonic and Mega Man together on the same page is rapidly wearing off and the story is gradually being exposed as… kinda shallow. That isn’t to say there aren’t enjoyable qualities, as author Ian Flynn finds funny gags to share between the franchises, but damn, I’m just repeating myself again, aren’t I?
Keeping Track?
Worlds Collide Part 6: Sonic the Hedgehog #249 Review
Worlds Collide Part 5: Sonic Universe #52 Review
Worlds Collide Part 4: Mega Man #25 Review
Worlds Collide Part 3: Sonic the Hedgehog #248 Review
Worlds Collide Part 2: Sonic Universe #51 Review
Worlds Collide Part 1: Mega Man #24 Review
Mega Man #26 (Archie Comics)
In this installment, Sonic, Tails, Mega Man and Rush continue their trek across the Skull Egg Zone to rescue Dr. Light and those of Sonic’s friends who have been turned into the Roboticized Masters from Doctors Robotnik and Wily. This time around, they encounter the Shadow Man duo (Robot Master Shadow Man from Mega Man 3 and Shadow the Hedgehog roboticized), Blaze Woman and Silver Man. Meanwhile, Dr. Light receives unexpected assistance from Rouge the Bat.
Act II of “Worlds Collide” has basically just been a series of boss battles, one issue after another. And while that’s “neat”, you can imagine that it’s starting to grow rather tedious. I don’t have much hope that Part 8 will be any improvement on Parts 5 through 7, but I do have faith that Act III won’t be quite such a bore.
Still, repetitive thought it may be, to speak to the issue’s strengths, I got a few good smirks at the metatextual references. Sonic and Mega Man getting confused over which “Shadow Man” they should split up and fight, Robotnik mocking Dr. Light for looking like “Santa Claus in a lab coat” or Mega Man having to teach Sonic to time his jumps correctly so he can get past the disappearing blocks section of the level. And thus far, really, all those metatextual references have been the entire draw of “Worlds Collide”, so it’s still doing what it set out to do.
6.5
- Yardley’s art is still fun
- Lots of action
- Inside jokes!
- The same old stuff is getting tiresome
- You can’t carry an entire 12-part arc on nothing but inside jokes
- Rouge the Bat
Is it Good?
Well, that depends on how much you can put down the same ole, same ole. If you’re still thrilled to see Sonic and Mega Man together and making wink-wink, nudge-nudge inside jokes, then you won’t get any less out of this issue than you have the previous 6 parts. But if you’re expecting the plot to evolve into anything other than a string of boss battles… Not yet.
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