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Mega Man Volume 4: Spiritus Ex Machina is the fourth volume in the Mega Man trade-paperback series published by Archie Comics. This volume contains reprints of stories from the "Spiritus Ex Machina" story arc from Mega Man #13-#16.
MEGA MAN is the hit new action-adventure series from Archie Comics!
Having sent the evil Dr. Wily scrambling yet again, Mega Man joins Dr. Light and others for an advanced robotics convention. Up for debate: in the development of future robots, should human-like artificial intelligence be pursued or prevented? The event is interrupted when a human extremist group takes over, with the intent of destroying the robots present. It's up to Mega Man and his new canine-robot companion, Rush, to save the day! Meanwhile, the fugitive Dr. Wily discovers an ancient, evil, alien intelligence just waiting to be awakened... and also encounters Dr. Light's estranged first Robot Master.
MEGA MAN VOL. 4 collects issues #13-16 of the Mega Man comic book series.
Reprinted stories[]
Spiritus Ex Machina - Part One: Shaping the Future[]
Beside the reprint of issues 13-16 and Short Circuits (with their titles revealed), the graphic novel also includes:
some cover sketch/concept galleries;
some script and pencil selections;
Dr. Lalinde's, Quake Woman's, Xander Payne's character concept art; and
character profiles of Pharaoh Man, Dr. Cossack, Kalinka, Dr. Lalinde, Quake Woman, Harvey Greenleaf, Xander Payne, Ra Moon, Lanfront Ruins, Needle Man, Magnet Man, Gemini Man, Hard Man, Top Man, Snake Man, Shadow Man and Spark Man.
This volume marks Ra Moon's first appearance in the comics.
Emerald Spears' name is based on Ruby-Spears, an entertainment company which produced the Mega Man cartoon in the 1990s.
In the Short Circuits segment of issue 13, Auto's song is modeled after the opening of the Mega Man cartoon.
Xander Payne is possibly a nod towards xXx movie protagonist Xander Cage, played by Vin Diesel.
Despite the fact that Pharaoh Man is allied with Mega Man, Archie labels him as a "menace to society" on the cover of the first comic in the story arc and portrays him as an ill-tempered and menacing character throughout. Although he never uses any weapon besides his fists, the "evil" variant cover shows him charging up a Pharaoh Shot.
Pharaoh Man's mugshot on the standard cover of the same comic heavily resembles his artwork for the Mega Man Anniversary Collection. However, starting from the second issue, his eyes are smaller and less anime-styled, likely a result of the fact Archie was the first to model him in a different expression than anger.
Archie's first original Robot Master, Tempo (a.k.a. "Quake Woman"), debuts in Issue 13 and is shown on the cover of Issue 15.
Comic BomBom Special #118 cover
Quake Woman's Robot Master serial number is provided in her biography to be DLLN-001, but writer Ian Flynn has stated at the BumbleKing Forums that this is incorrect. According to him, it is actually LMN-001.
The background in the panel where Mega Man copies Quake Woman's weapon resembles the schematic drawings that are present when Mega Man copies a weapon in the cartoon series.
The cover of Issue 16 is an homage to the cover of the Comic BomBom Special #118 - Rockman 10 Years History Book.
