MEGA MAN #37 & 38 by Ian Flynn and Jamal Peppers
I often have reviewed multiple comics in one article here at CBM, but I'm doing something a little different this time. Since I received both of these books for review in the same package and they are parts one and two of a new arc, I'm posting them as one review, but will score them separately at the end. As for the new arc, it's titled "Dawn of X"; a timespanning crossover featuring Mega Man in the present and X a hundred years in the future.
The creators working on this book are really firing on all cylinders. Ian Flynn balances the ensemble cast well and it's not as intimidating of a read for newcomers like the previous arc. That was a problem I had with the last arc - there were just too many characters to take in for someone like me who is largely unfamiliar with the Mega Man universe beyond the early 1990s. The scripting is actually quite mature for an all ages title. Jamal Peppers delivers some great manga-like art and colorist Matt Herms is definitely the creative team's secret weapon.Last but not least, Patrick Spaziante's covers provide some extraordinary eye candy.
Issue #37 is the one I preferred more of the two. It serves as a great introduction to such an ambitious arc and features some great character focus. Issue #38 is more frantically paced, but still finds the time to move the story along with so much action going on as the same threat is being dealt with in the past and future. The parts featuring X were more enjoyable for me and I think he deserves a spin-off title. Mega Man and X have yet to actually work side by side and I do hope to see that in the coming issues. Whether they do or don't, this is a crossover fans of the franchise have likely been dreaming about for years and is not to be missed.
Scores: Mega Man #37 - 8/10; Mega Man #38 - 7.5/10