A: Having played almost every Mega Man game since his 8-bit original, it was a surreal experience to work so closely in person with a childhood video game icon! I had great pride in parting the sea of Comic Con attendees as we marched our way throughout the crowded Capcom booth and surrounding aisles.
“Excuse me folks! Mega Man COMING THROUGH!â€

Q: Is he as tall as you thought hed be?

A: He was exactly how I imagined he’d be, because Mega Man’s more of a boyish age/size and as a grown man, I’d be traumatized if he was taller or bigger than me. Standing about 5’4†from boots to helmet top, Mega Man still had tremendous stature and presence.

Q: Was everyone excited to see the “Mega Man†himself in person?

A: Surprisingly so. I knew Mega Man was popular – this being his 20th Anniversary and all – but HOW popular was still a pleasant surprise as people of all ages bolted over for pictures or shouted “Mega Man!†as soon as they saw a flash of blue.

Q: Did Mega Man get a chance to get out on the floor and make his rounds of Comic Con?

A: Definitely. Mega Man was a featured attraction for Thursday through Saturday of the show to meet and greet visitors to the Capcom booth, pose for pictures, and even sign an autograph or two. On Friday, he was accompanied by Harvey Birdman for joint photo-opps.

Q: Did he have to face off with Dr. Wiley or any other baddies?

A: We encountered tons of attendees in costume including Akuma, Freddy Krueger, and other villains, but fortunately no Dr. Wiley. Although there was a guy that looked a lot like the nefarious Nemesis, but he wasn’t wearing a costume so I don’t think the likeness was intentional! lol

Q: Was Mega Man signing autographs?

A: He definitely did sign a couple, but it’s quite difficult having only one free hand while your other is holding his Mega Buster. For the most part, everyone was just happy to take a picture. It was a nonstop wave of digital cameras and camera phones, but one old-fashioned hand-cranked film camera, too!

Q: We ALL love Mega Man, but did anyone attempt to get a little too close for comfort to MM?

A: For the most part, everyone was extremely cool and cordial, but there’re always a couple bad apples in every bunch. Some kids (who were old enough to know better) tried rattling Mega Man’s helmet or yanking on his gun. A lot of guys got a little “too†friendly in hugging or posing too closely, so I had to move in to keep things clear. One huge guy asked if he could pick Mega Man up to pose with him and I was almost too dumbfounded to reply to such a moronic question. Another guy tried to cop a feel of Mega Man’s blue derriere as he put his arm around him, so I grabbed his hand and pushed it away, he pushed back, and well… That’s another story altogether. I was willing to risk life and limb to keep the Blue Bomber safe! lol

Q: Did you spot any OTHER Mega Men on the floor?

A: No other Mega Men were seen. We did see another Harvey Birdman the day Harvey was with us and that created a very funny scene. The fan Harvey Birdman was actually quite peeved that we had a “commercial†Harvey Birdman to sully his name. All in good fun. 🙂

Thanks, Francis. I’m sure Mega Man and his safe blue derriere thank you as well.