Archie Sonic Universe Issue 76

Archie Sonic Universe Issue 76 is the seventy-sixth issue in the Sonic Universe comic series published by Archie Comics. It is the first part of the "Worlds Unite" crossover.

Official solicitation

 * THE SONIC/MEGA MAN CROSSOVER EVENT BEGINS HERE! It's the epic first chapter of the biggest story in Sonic/Mega Man comic book history with "Worlds Unite" Part One! Get ready for cross-world treachery as the wicked Sigma escapes the world of Mega Man X and arrives in Dr. Eggman secret Lost Hex base! When Sigma promises new power to the Deadly Six, how long do you think they’ll stay loyal to Dr. Eggman? We’re not betting for long! And just where exactly are our heroes during all this? Looks like Sonic and Mega Man are right in the middle of an ambush! The sense-shattering sequel to “Worlds Collide” starts right now! Featuring cover art from the legendary Patrick "SPAZ" Spaziante, Rafa Knight, and part 1 of the epic 12-part connecting variant cover series by artist Ben Bates!

Worlds Unite! Part One: Across Time and Space

 * Writer: Ian Flynn
 * Line Art: Dan Schoening
 * Colors: Luis Antonio Delgado
 * Letters: Jack Morelli
 * Assistant Editor: Jonathan H. Gray
 * Editor: Vincent Lovallo
 * Editor-in-chief: Victor Gorelick
 * President: Mike Pellerito
 * Special Thanks to: Eddie Muzuno, Patrick Riley & Stacy-Arnold Strider at Sega Licensing Department of Sega Corporation.
 * Special Thanks to: Francis Mao, Noriko Matsunaga, Susan Suarez & Hiromi Iwasaki at Capcom media & Consumer products and to 飛田栄実.

Summary
In the year 21XX in Mega Man's World, X and the Maverick Hunters head to Sigma's fortress, taking Axl and Zero with him, claiming that they stop the villain here and now. He dodges an attack by Vile, one of the ex-hunters, and Vile tries to hit him again, but Zero blocks his shot. X thanks Zero, before heading inside the fortress. Meanwhile, the virus Sigma is underneath a Genesis Portal, noting how Dr. Eggman had set things up for him by abusing the Zeti. X arrives to stop him, but Sigma escapes through the Genesis Portal.

In Sonic's World, the Blue Blur is running in Green Hill Zone searching for the Chaos Emerald, but runs out of land to run due to the Shattered World Crisis. He still runs down though, and finds a Flicky, and one of the Master Emerald's shards. As he climbs back up, he notes how they cannot tell from Chaos Emeralds and the shards from a long range, and realizes they need to hurry and fix the planet. He is unaware of the Genesis Portal appearing above.

In the year 20XX in Mega Man's world, Mega Man and Elec Man are restoring power to one of the generators in Light Labs. On Elec Man's mark, they restore the power, much to Roll's delight. Cut Man notes how fun it was to see Ice Man and Fire Man tag teaming as the heating and cooling units. Mega Man notes that after dealing with several crisises, things may be back to normal. Just then Guts Man and Concrete Man arrive, and Guts Man tells that they were almost done repairing the east wing of the lab, and asks Mega Man to get more materials, since they ran out of some of them. Rock agrees to go into town and fetch supplies for Gutsman. Roll suggests he should take someone with him, but Rock questions why. Roll says that she just worries and Rock gives her a hug, reassuring her that Dr. Wily is dead and the Emerald Spears are in jail, so she has nothing to fear. She says that she knows, but it is still hard to let her guard down after so much has happened. Rock says that he understands and promises to head to town and come back as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in Sonic's world, through Dr. Eggman's audio logs, we learn that he recently conquered the Lost Hex to "gain a new perspective on the shattered world problem" and enslaved the Zeti using the Cacophonic Conch. After they finished building him a base, however, Orbot shattered the Conch, leaving him defenseless against the Deadly Six. Before he can get angry at Orbot for the betrayal, though, he discovers that it's not actually Orbot, but Sigma controlling him. Sigma says that he has been watching Eggman for a while and that he is in need of his expertise. He orders the Doctor to construct him a new body first of all. While in the process of the construction, Eggman learned that Sigma was from another, future world and that he has somehow gained power over the Genesis portals. Eggman finishes work and Sigbot transfers to his new body, becoming Sigma-1.

Eggy tells Sigma that he can handle the rest of his plans by himself, but the mad Reploid says that he is no builder and that the Doctor has more work to do. Eggman starts to refuse, but Zavok brings him back in line, causing him to change his mindset and suggest that he's exhausted and cannot do everything by himself. He requests some assistance. Sigma says that he has just the man for the job, pulling Wily out of a Genesis portal, much to Albert's own confusion. Eggman's recognizes him from their previous encounter and laments his misfortune. Sigma has Zavok throw them into Prison Eggs so Eggman can rest and Wily can gain his bearings. Wily expresses frustration over being kidnapped into forced labor again, but Eggman tells him to quit his whining and that he has a plan that, if executed correctly, can allow them to make a fool of Sigma, taking adventage of Sonic, and Mega Man and their abilities. Hearing the words "fool" and "Mega Man" in the same sentence is all Wily needed to jump on board.

The two Doctors begin construction together, transforming Eggman's Badnik assembly into a Mechaniloid factory (Much to Eggman's own disgust) and building special armor for the Deadly Six to enhance their powers. Eggman also reveals in his log that Sigma's installed a trap in the armor, so the Zeti will get theirs in due time. He also says that they will need Sonic and Mega Man's power to oust Sigma, but they also do not need the blue duo in their way.

Later, while the two Doctors discuss how exhausting constructing someone else's conquest is, Sigma looks upon the Deadly Six and gloats about his upcoming plan to consume the two worlds. Zavok, however, has objections. He says that he had rather the Zeti be in charge and says that with his powers enhanced by the armor, he can even control Sigma. He tries to do just that, but it does not work, Sigma saying that they may be able to control his body, but his will shall never succumb to anything. He says that the same could not be said for the Deadly Six, though, as their eyes begin glowing in a mind-control fashion thanks to the armor. Sigma says that he was not planning on playing his trump card that soon, but organic beings are so treacherous. He warns the Doctors that they should begin work on the "Unity Engines" or they will suffer a similar fate. Eggman and Wily then put their plan into action, telling Sigma of the heroes of their worlds and that unless they do something about them, they are sure to get in the way. Sigma asks the two for suggestions on dealing with them, to which the Doctors say that they should nip them in the bud with a preemptive strike: Attack the heroes with the Deadly Six when they least suspect it through the Genesis portals and capture them to convert them into evil minions.

The plan goes into action as Rock is attacked on his way to the store and Sonic is ambushed at the Green Hill Zone. Back to the villains, Sigma gloats about his upcoming plan yet again and says that if X could only see what he will become when he harnesses the power of both worlds to fuel his evolution with the Master Engine. He asks the Doctors how their work is going and the issue ends with them presenting a captured Sonic and Mega Man unconscious in tubes while teasing about what they plan on doing to them.

Characters

 * Cubot
 * Deadly Six
 * Zavok
 * Zazz
 * Zomom
 * Master Zik
 * Zeena
 * Zor
 * Dr. Albert W. Wily
 * Dr. Eggman
 * Robot Masters
 * Light Robot Masters
 * Cut Man
 * Elec Man
 * Guts Man
 * Mega Man
 * Roll
 * Mavericks
 * Sigma
 * Vile
 * Chill Penguin
 * Maverick Hunters
 * Axl
 * Mega Man X
 * Zero
 * Mechaniloids
 * Disk Boy 08
 * Gun Volt
 * Ray Bit
 * Snow Shooter
 * Orbot
 * Sonic the Hedgehog

Continuity

 * In the Year 21XX of Mega Man's World, Sigma flees through a Genesis Portal to the Lost Hex in the Prime Zone to put the finishing touches on his plan. This would set the events of Worlds Unite into motion.
 * Axl and Zero engage in battle with Vile. This battle would be elaborated upon in Mega Man: Worlds Unite Battles #1, "Worlds Unite Battles: Maverick Hunters Versus Vile".
 * In Mega Man's world, Mega Man and his Robot Master siblings repair Dr. Light's lab after it was previously destroyed by one of Dr. Wily's creations.
 * Dr. Eggman is revealed to have allied with the Deadly Six, whom he got to build him a base on the Lost Hex. This base would be prominently featured throughout Worlds Unite.
 * Sigma reveals himself to Dr. Eggman, and uses his control over Orbot's body to smash the Cacophonic Conch relinquishing Eggman's control over the Deadly Six.
 * Dr. Eggman is enslaved by Sigma and is forced to build a new body for him. Eggman would eventually escape Sigma with Wily in Mega Man #50, "Worlds Unite Part Four: Death and Destruction".
 * Sigma abducts Dr. Wily (whose memory of Worlds Collide had been completely erased) so that he and Eggman can work together again. Wily would eventually escape Sigma with Eggman in Mega Man #50, "Worlds Unite Part Four: Death and Destruction".
 * The doctors build armor for the Deadly Six, which Sigma uses to control them.
 * Sigma uses the brainwashed Deadly Six to capture Sonic and Mega Man. The two blue heroes' respective battles would be elaborated upon in Sonic the Hedgehog: Worlds Unite Battles #1, "Sonic the Hedgehog vs. Three of the Armored Deadly Six!", and Mega Man: Worlds Unite Battles #1, "Mega Man vs Deadly 3".
 * Dr. Eggman and Wily create the Unity Engines. They would be deployed in Sonic the Hedgehog #273, "Worlds Unite Part Three: Clash of the Corrupted".
 * Eggman and Wily prepare to change Sonic and Mega Man into Sonic Man and M'egga Man, which they accomplish in Sonic Boom #8, "Worlds Unite Part Two: Broken Heroes".

Trivia

 * Sigma's statement about having "traditional eight commanders" under his control is a reference to the amount of Mavericks he commonly recruits in each game title.

Off Panel

 * Script: Bill Freiberger
 * Pencils & ink: Jonathan H. Gray
 * Colors: Matt Herms

Synopsis
With Sigma inside his body, Orbot is now an evil genius mastermind, but it does not last long as Sigma leaves his body to the new one created by Dr. Eggman. Cubot asks Orbot if he is still an evil genius mastermind, who replies by throwing a pie in his face. Ashamed, Orbot believes that he needs to step up in the evil game, but Cubot finds it impressive.

Characters

 * Cubot
 * Dr. Eggman
 * Sigma
 * Orbot

Trivia

 * Despite including Sonic Boom in the crossover, none of the characters appear in the issue (cover or interior story) at all.
 * Despite appearing in the first variant cover, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Sally, Shadow, Rush, Top Man, Spark Man and Quake Woman are nowhere to be seen in the actual issue.