Archie Sonic Boom Issue 8

Archie Sonic Boom Issue 8 is the eighth issue in the Sonic Boom comic series published by Archie Comics. It is the second part of the "Worlds Unite" crossover.

Official solicitation

 * It slices! It dices! It joins line-wide crossover events: it's SONIC BOOM! "Sonic/Mega Man: Worlds Unite" Part Two: It was just another day at the races—y’know, the ones with the giant spider-mechs? Things start to get weird, even for the lovable, paranoid Sticks, when X and the Maverick Hunters arrived! Meanwhile, the epic bromance of the century is rekindled as the captured Drs. Eggman and Wily are forced to turn their life-long nemeses—Sonic and Mega Man—into minions for the terrifying Sigma! 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, a special "happy fun time crossover" variant by Ryan Jampole and part 2 of the epic 12-part connecting variant cover series by artist Ben Bates!

Worlds Unite Part Two: Broken Heroes

 * Writer: Ian Flynn
 * Pencil Breakdowns: Dan Schoening
 * Pencil Finishes: Tracy Yardley
 * Inks: Terry Austin
 * Letters: Jack Morelli
 * Colors: Luis Delgado
 * With Special Thanks to: Peppers, Amash and Herms
 * Assistant Editor: Jonathan H. Gray
 * Editor: Vincent Lovallo
 * Editor-in-chief: Victor Gorelick
 * President: Mike Pellerito
 * Publisher: Jon 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 & Consumer products and to 飛田栄実.

Summary
In the Sonic Boom World, Dr. Eggman's latest scheme has been thwarted by Sticks the Badger and Team Sonic. However, Sticks is sent flying, and after hitting a tree witnesses the opening of a Genesis Portal. She conceals herself as the Maverick Hunters X, Zero, and Axl emerge from it, the trio noting that they are clearly in a different world, but that they haven't reached the world that Sigma fled to. After briefly discussing their arrival at the wrong destination-and Silver the Hedgehog's involvement in their making the trip-Zero is hit by one of Sticks' boomerangs. Sticks is determined not to let them cause any harm, but X soon sets her straight, and the Badger claims that this occurrence is fulfillment of a vision she had that was dismissed as a dream by her friends. She then recruits Comedy Chimp and Fastidious Beaver to join her as the members of Team Sticks, and together with the Maverick Hunters they travel to Eggman's island base. While searching for a means of opening another Genesis Portal, they run into Orbot and Cubot, who challenge the invaders only to be faced with Zero.

"Persuaded" to help the six allies, Orbot and Cubot use one of their Eggman's devices to open a new Genesis Portal, which the heroes then travel through. Back on Sonic's World, Dr. Eggman and Dr. Wily are preparing to turn Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man into new members of the Roboticized Masters. During the course of their efforts, Eggman learns that Wily retains no memories of their previous alliance, which also took place in the Post-Super Genesis Wave timeline of Mobius. Through some cunning deception, he convinces Wily that they were previously broken apart through lies spread by Dr. Light, and their former bromance is restored. The pair then implement a plan to program Sonic and Mega Man to attack each other and restore each other to normal after they've undergone Roboticization, as well as convince them that Sigma was solely responsible for their capture and corruption. They then invite Sigma in to witness the transformation of the heroes, which is accomplished using technology from his future. Sonic and Mega Man struggle to fight the corrupting influence, but prove to be no match for the doctors' evil scheme.

Back on Mega Man's World in the year 20XX, Dr. Light and Roll grow increasingly concerned over Mega Man's prolonged absence, only to see a news report informing them that Sonic Man is attacking Mega City. The Light Robot Masters are quickly marshaled, as Sonic Man easily deals with the police department. On Mobius, the New Freedom Fighters are similarly concerned by Sonic's absence, only to receive word from King Acorn that Mobotropolis is under attack. The culprit turns out to be M'egga Man, who has decimated the Honor Guard and set his sights on Castle Acorn.

Appearances

 * Auto
 * Cubot (Sonic Boom)
 * Dr. Albert W. Wily
 * Dr. Eggman
 * Dr. Thomas Light
 * Egg Swat (multiple)
 * Honor Guard
 * King Acorn
 * Maverick
 * Sigma
 * Maverick Hunters
 * Axl
 * Mega Man X
 * Zero
 * New Freedom Fighters
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Nicole the Holo-Lynx
 * Sally Acorn
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Super Sonic
 * Orbot (Sonic Boom)
 * Robot Masters
 * Light Robot Masters
 * Cut Man
 * Elec Man
 * Guts Man
 * Roll
 * Mega Man
 * Super Armor Mega Man
 * Wily Robot Masters
 * Air Man
 * Stone Man
 * Top Man
 * Quick Man
 * Roboticized Masters
 * M'egga Man
 * Sonic Man
 * Team Sonic (Sonic Boom)
 * Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic Boom)
 * Miles "Tails" Prower (Sonic Boom)
 * Knuckles the Echidna (Sonic Boom)
 * Amy Rose (Sonic Boom)
 * Sticks the Badger
 * Team Sticks
 * Comedy Chimp
 * Fastidious Beaver
 * Time Eater

Continuity

 * The beginning of this story picks up from when Sticks sees the Maverick Hunters for the first time in Sonic Boom #7, "Everybody Super Sonic Racing Part 2", with the Maverick Hunters casing after Sigma following his escape in Sonic Universe #76, "Worlds Unite! Part One: Across Time and Space".
 * X recalls the Hunters' meeting with Silver in Mega Man: Worlds Unite Battles #1, "Worlds Unite Battles: Maverick Hunters Versus Vile".
 * Sticks joins the Maverick Hunters in their mission to stop Sigma which would end in Mega Man #52, "Worlds Unite Part Twelve: Last Rights".
 * Comedy Chimp comments at Fastidious Beaver's line at the end of Sonic Boom #7, "Everybody Super Sonic Racing Part 2", where he accidentally called Sonic's friendship speech corny when he was actually enjoying his snack.
 * Sticks and the Maverick Hunters create a Genesis Portal which they use to find Sigma. This portal would take them to Sonic's World in Mega Man #50, "Worlds Collide Part Four: Death and Destruction".
 * Sonic and Mega Man are still in captivity, due to the Deadly Six in Sonic Universe #76, "Worlds Unite! Part One: Across Time and Space".
 * Dr. Eggman and Dr. 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".
 * It is revealed that the events of Worlds Collide happened in the Post-Super Genesis Wave timeline, though with a different course of events leading up to it, specifically tying in with where Sonic Generations left off.
 * Dr. Eggman recalls the events of Worlds Collide, though lies about his attempt to kill Dr. Light in Mega Man #27, "When Worlds Collide Part Ten: No Holds Barred", to restore his friendship with Wily.
 * Eggman and Wily plan to betray Sigma by sneaking coding into the converted heroes so they will restore themselves when they meet. This plan would be set into motion in Sonic the Hedgehog #273, "Worlds Unite Part Three: Clash of the Corrupted" and come to a partial fulfillment in Mega Man #50, "Worlds Unite Part Four: Death and Destruction".
 * Sonic and Mega Man are turned into Sonic Man and M'egga Man, and attack the other's world. This attack continues into Sonic the Hedgehog #273, "Worlds Unite Part Three: Clash of the Corrupted". Both Roboticized Masters would later be restored to normal in Mega Man #50, "Worlds Collide Part Four: Death and Destruction".
 * Dr. Light sends the Light Robot Masters' to face Sonic Man, while King Acorn call for the New Freedom Fighters to face M'egga Man. Both parties would engage their foe in Sonic the Hedgehog #273, "Worlds Unite Part Three: Clash of the Corrupted".

Trivia

 * The first two pages of this stories are condensed versions of the last four pages of the previous issue.
 * Shortly before Sticks the Badger "recruited" Comedy Chimp and Fastidious Beaver into Team Sticks, she is seen hiding in the bushes in a manner similar to Knuckles the Echidna in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 box art.
 * Cubot complaining about "Seven-point-five paint jobs" for a single robot with his reasoning being "I need more variants," is a references to the eight different variant covers for Sonic Universe #75, which is the largest number of variant covers for any Sonic-related comic issue published by Archie Comics.
 * Dr. Eggman's flashback to how he first met Wily is stated to take place directly after the ending of Sonic Generations, leading to the current continuity's version of Worlds Collide. Silver was also in Sonic Generations, but according to Tails in Sonic the Hedgehog #252, he was last seen during the events of the Nintendo DS version of Sonic Colors; which led to Dr. Eggman's discovery of the Time Eater.

Off Panel

 * Script: Bill Freiberger
 * Pencils: Lamar Wells
 * Inks: Rick Bryant
 * Letters: Jack Morelli
 * Colors: Matt Herms

Synopsis
Sticks examines Sonic and asks him about his beige arms. She later irritates Knuckles by telling him he needs to work out. She then sees Amy marveling at a picture of Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic Boom version), and tells her to chill out. She then looks at her own picture, saying that the world was not ready for two Sticks' (though she has trouble saying her name in plural), and claims she is one of a kind.

Appearances

 * Amy Rose
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic Boom)
 * Sticks the Badger

Trivia

 * The picture of Sticks on the wall in the last panel is taken from the regular cover of Sonic Boom #2.
 * The Off-Panel title "Here Is (Are?) My Boomsticks" may be a nod to The Evil Dead franchise, based on one of Ash's lines from the third film, Army of Darkness.

Trivia

 * This is the first Sonic Boom comic series issue in which Sonic (from Sonic Boom) does not make an appearance on the front cover. In fact, Sticks is the only Sonic Boom character to appear on the cover.
 * This issue marks the first time an Archie-exclusive character from the main Sonic the Hedgehog comic continuity has appeared in the Sonic Boom series, with Sally Acorn, Nicole and King Acorn all making an appearance.
 * Despite appearing on the regular cover, neither Signas nor Alia appeared in this issue nor the actual crossover, except from a few mentions.
 * Dan Schoening released four Breakdown pages for the comic on his Twitter account. When asked about the final page, he mentioned that the writers used a different page for it.