Not so mega, man?

The lid was recently lifted on the new Mega Man cartoon, due to air in 2017. To say fan reaction was mixed would be an understatement, with many online commenters strongly criticising the look of the new hero, a robot boy named Aki Light who turns himself into the titular Mega Man to fight crime.

The response to the new show could have been better, and writer Joe Kelly - who co-created the phenomenally successful Ben 10 franchise and has worked on the X-Men and Deadpool comics in the past - has taken to Twitter to allay fears regarding the direction of the new show:

I want to thank everyone for loving MegaMan and having such strong opinions. That's really cool...

Even cooler when you express them with care and thought. Nothing I can say will counteract the shock you may feel when...

An image released doesn't match the one you had in your head. Same with a storyline. A name. A set up. All I can say is what I said b4--

We always set out with our partners to create the best show we can. That's all creative people do. All day. Every day.

Some of what we create will suit your taste. Some will not. I only ask, as I did before, that folks wait until a show is on the air...

Before assuming that their favorite thing is ruined forever. The whole reason I engaged folks last time was BECAUSE we respect fans...

Just because our collective approach doesn't match your ideas is not an attack on you.

That's all I have on this. I can't answer questions or get into specifics for legal, personal and creative reasons...

But I hope you give the show a chance when it airs. Thanks for your passion and thoughtfulness. Best to you!

It's true that a series cannot be adequately judged on one single image, and for Kelly and his team it must be frustrating to see such a negative reaction before a single frame of animation has been watched. However, these are the kind of dangers you run into when you're adapting a series with 30 years of history and a massive, demanding fan base with its own set of expectations.

Will you give Kelly and his new Mega Man the benefit of the doubt next year? Let us know by posting a comment.

[source twitter.com]