By Ian Flynn, Jamal Peppers, Matt Herms

For the past several issues, Mega Man and Mega Man X have been on a path to their inevitable team-up. Flynn has worked his magic and laid all the groundwork for what is sure to be an epic clash of Capcom awesomeness. However, it looks like we might have to wait another issue before we start seeing any sort of payoff. It’s cool, though, because every issue feels like a treat. This issue is no different.

Mega Man, Bright Man, and Pharaoh Man are searching an old lab of Doctor Wily’s, searching for the evil robot masters responsible for the ruckus from last issue. Instead, what they find is a powerful machine of Wily’s creation that is still operational. Needless to say, things don’t end well.

Meanwhile, Flynn weaves little plot threads together, including how X will eventually meet the Mega Man of the past. Or present? This gets confusing. There’s also the story of an anti-robot hate group, which involves time travel. To make matters worse, Xander Payne, a character who has appeared in earlier issues, is a member of the group and plans to eradicate robots by any means necessary.

In just a few pages, there’s quite a bit going on. It’s a good thing that Flynn has a proper grasp and puts everything in its proper place. Despite the massive ground being covered, not once will you feel overwhelmed.

Jamal Peppers returns to Mega Man art duties and doesn’t skip a beat. Unlike other Mega Man artists, Peppers has a more cartoonish style that is a lot less manga/anime influenced. That doesn’t make the work bad, though. Mega Man still looks as great as it has been, so unless you’re an art nut, you might not even notice the change in artists. Also, a special shout-out is in order for Matt Herms, who knocked it out of the park with his color work. This is such a bright and fun series to read.

With plenty going on, you are not going to want to miss an issue of Mega Man. Flynn moves forward with this long-awaited crossover, placing the story together like a true pro. We really can’t recommend Mega Man enough.