by Ian Flynn, Ryan Jampole & Jamal Peppers

This Wily Walker is causing all sorts of trouble. Both Mega Man and Mega Man X are battling the same Wily Monster in different time periods which, when you think about it, is pretty freakin’ awesome. There has yet to be a meet and greet between the two Mega Mans and at this point and we’re wondering if there will even be one. Maybe that will be in the next issue (the last part of Dawn of X)? Either way, this arc is at least introducing the X universe and is doing so in style.

As stated above, the Wily Walker being in both time periods is a wonderful idea. The stories can bounce off each other, creating a smooth transition between the numerous plot threads being addressed. Flynn has done a fantastic job with juggling numerous concepts in the air and still managing to tell a cohesive story.

Last issue, Wily suddenly dropped his crisis of conscience and reverted back to his usual evil self. Unfortunately, this issue continues this old pattern, so it’s probably safe to say that the most interesting character arc in the entire series has come to an end. It doesn’t take anything away from the otherwise solid writing; it’s just a tad irritating and a bit of a letdown.

The art in this issue is not terrible, but the shared duties of Ryan Jampole on breakdowns and Jamal Peppers on finishes somehow caused a slight lack of detail. Intricate backgrounds and characters are a strong suit of the series, which is why it’s odd to see that suddenly disappear. This is nitpicking more than anything, though. The issue still looks great, so don’t let this deter you from picking it up.

Despite just a few complaints, the current Mega Man X crossover is still a worthy read. It’s going to be very interesting to see where this series is headed. Hopefully, it’s headed to your pull list.