Mega Man: Fully Charged #1
- WRITER
- Marcus Rinehart, A.J. Marchisello
- Artist
- Stefano Simeone
- Letterer
- Ed Dukeshire
- Cover Artist
- Mico Suayan, Miguel Mercado, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Peach Momoko, Ejikure, Inhyuk Lee, Toni Infante, John Giang, Jordan Gibson
- Publisher
- BOOM! Studios
- Price
- 3.99
- Release Date
- 2020-08-26
- Colorist
- Igor Monti
Capcom's iconic video game franchise Mega Man received a new animated television series in 2018, Mega Man: Fully Charged, running for an impressive 52 episodes. While the animated series may have to an end, it receives its own comic book adaptation from BOOM! Studios in a six-issue miniseries crafted by several of the writers behind the animated series, following the Blue Bomber, his father Doctor Light and sister Suna to defend humanity from nefarious Robot Masters that threaten their home of Silicon City. And while the first issue is a genuine thrill ride for fans of the video game character and the animated series, those unfamiliar with the franchise may want to look elsewhere for a jumping-on point to the video game.
As Doctor Thomas Light steps up as a negotiator and peacemaker between the robots and humanity, he quickly finds himself in over his head when a diplomatic mission goes wrong outside of Silicon City. As Mega Man leaps to his rescue, the young boy finds himself confronted with mysterious visions from his forgotten history that shakes him to his core. As Aki Light attempts to reconcile his strangely shattered memories, he finds himself on an adventure that could determine the fate of Silicon City as he sets out to rediscover his own identity.
Series writers A.J. Marchisello and Marcus Rinehart team up for the comic book adaptation, with series co-creator and executive producer Joe Kelly serving as a creative consultant for the miniseries. The writers continue to have a strong handle on each of the character's voices, transitioning seamlessly from animated television to the comic book medium, with Aki and Light each getting ample time to shine in the opening issue. Right from the opening, the comic is noticeably darker in tone than its animated source material, with Marchisello and Rinehart crafting a more action-packed take while Aki is much more serious than he had been on the animated series and it largely works as a continuation to the show.
This darker and hard-edged approach is evident with Stefano Simeone's artwork right from the jump. Joined by colorist Igor Monti, the visuals for the comic adaptation dials up its cyberpunk sensibilities while sequences taking place outside of Silicon City evoke a post-apocalyptic feel as Light and Mega Man navigate the wasteland. A major action sequence that serves as the centerpiece of the opening issue is definitely gripping, as Mega Man confidently charges into battle while his opponents feel like something out of Samurai Jack, robotic yet wholly menacing as they loom over Light and the Blue Bomber. Simeone's designs certainly feel like a continuation of the characters from the animated series, but there is more visible anime influence while Monti's choice in color palette plays up the shadow and light to ground the proceedings.
For those looking for the next step in the ongoing saga of Mega Man as he and his father maintain the fragile peace between humanity and robots, BOOM! Studios' comic book adaptation is fun, more mature ride for fans of the animated series. While the more familiar antagonists and supporting characters from the wider franchise have yet to play a major role, the creative team wastes no time in establishing the world and tone of their approach to the long-running video game franchise. As for those that have no real background with the Blue Bomber's adventures or younger fans of the animated series, Fully Charged may not be the place to delve into Capcom's franchise.