Mega-Man Fully Charged. Mega-Man by way of Blade Runner and Dune. Why not. We already had then Scooby-Doo Apocolypse.
Full disclosure before this review. I have not watched Mega-Man Fully Charged. So this review is coming from someone only reading the comics. For those unaware Mega-Man Fully Charged takes place in a place called Silicon City. Mega-Man has a secret identity, robots have full rights, Skull-Man is a terrorist, and the world is on the brink of human robot war.
Issue #2 opens with Mega-Man having dreams about the Hard Age War. He goes to his father for answers but Dr. Light refuses to give them to him. With little recourse, he decides to visit Dr. Wily. The only man who knows as much about the Hard Age as his father.
The seminar where Wily is set to give a speech is interrupted by a bomb. Forcing Mega-Man to visit the doctor at night. After a brief fight with Wily’s security, Wily invites Mega-Man inside.
The Robot War Begins
Wily explains that Dr. Lights’ belief in peace between war and robots is a pipe dream. A war is coming and humans will lose. Wily says he plans to be on the winning side by submitting to the new robot overloads, but that he also believes Mega-Man should be the leader of the robot uprising. Offering to upgrade his systems to prove his loyalty.
Mega-Man leaves and then runs into Namagem. Yes, you read that right. Now going by Daini. He is Mega-Man’s brother and near as I can tell he is this universe’s Proto-Man. The two fight and afterword Mega-Man confesses he is unsure about what to do about the coming war. Daini simply replies that he has done best being on his own. He advises Mega-Man to do the same.
In the desert, Skull-Man gives a speech to hos robot fallowers. Telling then the age of robots has come and kicking off the second hard age.
On it’s own Fully Charged is a good comic. Various Mega-Man properties have taken a darker look at the kid-friendly series. Most notably the X series. A more adult and mature take on a world steeped in a war between humans and robots has loads of potential. As I read, I was legitimately interested in what was happened and in the backstory of the world and its character.
Who Is This For?
However, therein lies the problem. As someone who has not watched the Fully Charged cartoon I could tell that was missing key plot points. Daini, the Hard Age, Mr. Obsidian, Dr. Light being a soldier, Skull-Man. All are things I could tell had a long and involved backstory to them. Ones I sadly know will never be explored in this comic.
For fans of the child-friendly cartoon who do know the answers. I am unsure if they will embrace the much darker and mature tone and art style.
