Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 273

Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 273 is the two hundred seventy-third issue in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series published by Archie Comics. It is the third part of the "Worlds Unite" crossover.

Official solicitation

 * The ALL-NEW Sonic/Mega Man Crossover sequel explodes onto the shelves with "Worlds Unite" Part Three: It’s a cascade of cross-dimensional chaos! On Sonic’s World, the Freedom Fighters are battling with the terrifying arsenal of M’egga Man! On Mega Man’s World, the Robot Masters can’t keep up with the super speedy Sonic Man! Who can possibly save our heroes? The answer is sure to surprise you! After the history-making "WORLDS COLLIDE" crossover event, Sonic The Hedgehog and Mega Man unite once more—and this time Sonic Boom and Mega Man X are joining the fray! Featuring cover art from the legendary Patrick "SPAZ" Spaziante, villain variant by T.Rex and part 3 of the epic 12-part connecting variant cover series by artist Ben Bates!

Worlds Unite Part Three: Clash of the Corrupted

 * Writer: Ian Flynn
 * Pencil Breakdowns: Dan Schoening
 * Pencil Finishes: Tracy Yardley
 * Inks: Terry Austin
 * Colors: Luis Delgado
 * Letters: Jack Morelli
 * Assistant Editor: Jonathan H. Gray
 * Editor: Vincent Lovallo
 * Editor-in-chief: Victor Gorelick
 * President: Mike Pellerito
 * Publisher: John Goldwater
 * Special Thanks to: Eddie Muzuno, Stacy-Arnold Strider, Patrick Riley and to the Character business and at Licensing Department of Sega Corporation.
 * Special Thanks to: Francis Mao, Noriko Matsunaga, Susan Suarez and Hiromi Iwasaki at Capcom media and Consumer products and to 飛田栄実.

Synopsis
In 20XX, the Light Robot Masters are fighting a losing battle against the Roboticized Master Sonic Man, with Guts Man and Ice Man already taken out of commission, while Fire Man, Elec Man, Bomb Man, and Time Man are still active and fighting. Sonic Man proceeded to use the Spin Dasher to take out Elec Man. Fire Man attempted to have Sonic Man "burn in the fires of justice", but unfortunately, the Roboticized Master effortlessly blocked the hit with the robot's Energy Shield. Bomb Man tries to get Time Man to use his Time Slow so they can get a shot at him, only for Time Man to reveal that he actually was using his ability all this time just as Sonic Man rushes at Fire Man and uses Spin Slash to take the Robot Master out, and then lift him up. Time Man explains that Sonic Man was far too fast for the Time Slow to have any significant effect on it, much to Bomb Man's disbelief. Sonic Man then proceeded to use Fire Dasher and Thunder Dasher to take out Bomb Man and Time Man, respectively.

Meanwhile, at Light Labs, Roll rushes in and explains that the news showed that Light's robots were defeated, with Dr. Light sadly realizing what she was about to say, explaining he sent them in despite knowing full well they weren't equipped to be combat robots in the hopes that it would buy time, and admitted that he really didn't want to go back on his promise of giving Wily's robots peace, but the circumstances forced him to do so. However, the Wily Robot Masters (Flash Man, Wood Man, Spark Man, Hard Man, Air Man, Bubble Man, Snake Man and Shadow Man), plus Quake Woman (who mostly joined despite herself not being a combat-oriented Robot Master due to not wishing to see Roll upset), mentioned that they're equipped to do combat thanks to Wily and thus will try to take out Sonic Man. Back at Mega City, a Genesis Portal opened up, with Sonic Man confirming that the Unity Engine has arrived, and stating he is going to now oversee the anchoring and activation of it. However, before he could do so, he is hit and knocked down. Sonic Man then changes his objectives to thwart more resistance before he can allow himself to activate the weapon, with Hard Man and Flash Man already being present and the rest teleporting in. Flash Man then tells Sonic Man that, although he doesn't know who sent him or his origins, he will make sure that the robot will regret coming to this world when they're through with him.

Meanwhile, at Mobotropolis on Sonic's World, Tails and Amy, alongside Antoine and Bunnie D'Coolette of the New Freedom Fighters, are fighting against Sonic Man's counterpart, M'egga Man. M'egga Man proceeded to use the Egg Wrecker, only for Antoine to jump out of the way. Amy then attempts to whack M'egga Man on the head with her Piko Piko Hammer, only for the Roboticized Master to counter with the Egg Hammer Mk. 5. Sally Acorn believes they cannot handle it even if Sonic was with them, and asks Omochao to tell Cream the Rabbit to "make the call". Miles away from the area, Vanilla the Rabbit receives a call from her daughter, asking for Gemerl's help, requiring the robot to abandon his current task. Back in the battle, M'egga Man uses Egg Bumper to hit Knuckles the Echidna and Rotor the Walrus. Bunnie starts firing at him, but M'egga Man defends with Egg Bumper and retaliates with Egg Flame Cannon. After Bunnie gives the signal, Big the Cat jumps on M'egga Man and smashes him. Sally orders the team to regroup while the robot is pinned and asks Tails to analyze the device (Unity Engine) it brought, but he can't do anything with the energy shield protecting.

Back in Mega City, Sonic Man easily dodges the attacks from the Robot Masters, mocking them by asking why to waste ammo if they can't hit him. While distract by the majority of robots attacking, Air Man lifts Sonic Man with Air Shooter and tells Flash Man to get ready. As Sonic Man falls, Flash Man uses Time Stopper to stop the blue menace, bragging that his weapon is superior to Time Man's Time Slow. However, Sonic Man stands up and says that he is too slow, kicking the perplexed Flash Man away. Sonic Man then uses his Ring Launcher to trap all Robot Masters and finishes them with Homing Shot. With no one left to disturb him, Sonic Man prepares the Unity Engine, but is interrupted by a whistle followed by a shot on his back. Break Man appears to face Sonic Man, first teleporting out Dr. Light's robots.

In Mobotropolis, M'egga Man uses Egg Bubble Trap to trap Big inside a bubble and get him off from him, and follows with a Egg Drill Launcher that nearly hits Bunnie and Antoine. Sally orders Tails to help Big and everyone else to attack the robot, who activates Egg Decoy Barrier. Knuckles thinks the floating eggs are not dangerous and hits them, but the eggs change into a big M'egga Man head and they start exploding, knocking out all of M'egga Man's opponents. With the "inferior organics" down, M'egga Man contacts his master and says he will now activate the Unity Engine, but is suddenly attacked by several missiles. He notes that someone else wants to get shot, but the robot that appears, Gemerl, says that all he wants is live peacefully, but due to the chaos the intruder was causing, he will make him rest in peace.

Two battles take place in two different worlds. Sonic Man and Gemerl are too fast for Break Man and M'egga Man to hit, and Break Man and M'egga Man can't be easily hit due to their shields. Sonic Man pushes Break Man to the Unity Engine with his Spring Shield, causing him to touch its energy barrier, and M'egga Man grabs Emerl and uses his Egg Laser on his face. With all opposition down, Sonic Man and M'egga Man proceed to activate the Unity Engines. Sigma is pleased that his plan is comming to fruition, and Drs. Eggman and Wily whisper that once Sonic Man and M'egga Man return to the base, their plans will come to fruition too. The two worlds start to merge, and the Roboticized Masters, seeing each other, start their secondary objective.

Characters

 * Dr. Albert W. Wily
 * Dr. Eggman
 * Dr. Thomas Light
 * Gemerl
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Maverick
 * Sigma
 * New Freedom Fighters
 * Antoine D'Coolette
 * Amy Rose
 * Big the Cat
 * Bunnie D'Coolette
 * Cream the Rabbit
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Omochao
 * Rotor the Walrus
 * Sally Acorn
 * Roboticized Masters
 * M'egga Man
 * Sonic Man
 * Robot Masters
 * Light Robot Masters
 * Bomb Man
 * Break Man
 * Elec Man
 * Fire Man
 * Guts Man
 * Ice Man
 * Time Man
 * Roll
 * Quake Woman
 * Wily Robot Masters
 * Air Man
 * Flash Man
 * Hard Man
 * Shadow Man
 * Snake Man
 * Spark Man
 * Wood Man

Continuity

 * Sonic Man and M'egga Man press on with their attacks on their worlds which started in Sonic Boom #8, "Worlds Unite Part Two: Broken Heroes."
 * The Light Robot Masters and New Freedom Fighters lead their charge against Sonic Man and M'egga Man respectively, as Dr. Light and King Acorn call their respective parties out to in Sonic Boom #8, "Worlds Unite Part Two: Broken Heroes."
 * The Light Robot Masters, reformed Wily Robot Masters, Quake Woman and Break Man are defeated by Sonic Man, while the New Freedom Fighters, Knuckles the Echidna and Gemerl are defeated by M'egga Man. Both parties recover from this beating in Mega Man #50.
 * Sonic Man and M'egga Man deploy the Unity Engines which were made by Drs. Eggman and Dr. Wily in Sonic Universe #76, "Worlds Unite! Part One: Across Time and Space," and the Prime Zone and Mega Man's World begin to merge.
 * Drs. Eggman and Wily are still in Sigma's captivity, which began in Sonic Universe #76, "Worlds Unite! Part One: Across Time and Space." They would eventually escape Sigma in Mega Man #50, "Worlds Unite Part Four: Death and Destruction".
 * Eggman and Wily mention their plan to betray Sigma, which they lay out in Sonic Boom #8, "Worlds Unite Part Two: Broken Heroes."
 * Sonic Man and M'egga Man begin targeting one another due to Eggman and Wily's programming, as revealed in Sonic Boom #8, "Worlds Unite Part Two: Broken Heroes."

Off Panel

 * Script: Bill Freiberger
 * Pencils & Inks: Jonathan H. Gray
 * Colors: Aleah Baker

Synopsis
The off panel shows M'egga Man, who says that he is ready to take on the Freedom Fighters and Sonic Man, who says that he is ready to take on the Light Masters, and then the off panel questions why there isn't a 'Comedy Chimp Man' (shown holding firey bananas). Comedy Chimp notes not to pick his nose with that thing.

Characters

 * Roboticized Masters
 * M'egga Man
 * Sonic Man
 * Comedy Chimp

Trivia

 * The Lost Hex from Sonic Lost World can be seen on the variant cover.
 * Several of the Roboticized Masters' weapons are call-backs to elements of the Sonic franchise:
 * Sonic Man's weapons are references to several of Sonic's abilities and items he can acquire:
 * Spin Dasher is a reference to the Spin Dash
 * Spin Slash is a reference to Spin Slash
 * Energy Shield is a reference to the Energy Field
 * M'egga Man's weapons are references to several of Dr. Eggman's vehicles and robots:
 * Egg Wrecker is a reference to the Egg Mobile-H
 * Egg Hammer Mk 5 is a reference to both the Egg Hammer Tank series and the enemy Egg Hammer enemies.
 * Tails and Amy don't seem to recognize Mega Man despite having memories of Worlds Collide.
 * This issue marks the first time an Sonic Boom-exclusive character from the main Sonic Boom comic continuity has appeared in the Sonic the Hedgehog series and its spin-offs, with Comedy Chimp appearing in the Off Panel.