Earlier this year, Archie Comics announced that two iconic video game characters would have their own crossover series. Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man have had their own series of comics for quite some time now, but behold! Two worlds will soon become one. This is definitely an epic collision that no one saw coming. And, of course, many were sad that the announcement wasn’t a game, and that Mega Man hasn’t had a game to call his own in quite some time. (I can’t really blame people for being upset, but it’s better than nothing…right?)
In an interview with Kotaku, artist Patrick Spaziante who has worked on numerous comic book series throughout his career, talked about the ever-so-hyped crossover, plus gave us a glimpse of the issue cover art. This particular cover oozes with nostalgia; it’s a nice throw back to Marvel Vs. Capcom’s character select screen. (I still believe the first one was the best in the series!)
Here’s a portion of the interview that caught my eye:
Kotaku: Have you had the freedom to diverge from the way the characters have been visually presented before? What kind of changes have you made?
Spaziante: Yes and no, minor artistic interpretation on my part is allowed here and there, but each company has a set guideline for their characters, and I try not to deviate too far from that. We want to remain as respectful as possible to the Japanese designs, while delivering solid American comic book storytelling. It’s a fine line to walk, but Archie has been doing it for quite a while now, with Mega Man for the past few years, and with Sonic for twenty years come 2013!
For the full interview, be sure to check out the link below. Archie Comics have always been known for not only creative story lines, but keeping the source material from being unrecognizable to fans of these particular characters. They know when to diverge from the path to stay interesting, but they also know when to steer clear of anything that would raise eyebrows in confusion. Much respect for the folks at Archie! I personally cannot wait!
How do you all feel?