Marvel released a new trailer for The Rise of Ultraman comic due out later this year. Not many people would have guessed that 2020 would bring a comic book treatment of the popular Tokusatsu hero. The company's Twitter account heralded the rise of a pop culture icon with the new series. As an added bonus, Alex Ross will be delivering one of those gorgeous painted covers for Issue #1. Kyle Higgins (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and Mat Groom (Self/Made) are on co-writing duty. While Francesco Manna (featured in Jason Aaron's Avengers and Dan Slott's Fantastic Four) will handle artwork. The series is poised to reintroduce some fans to the hero, and a whole lot of younger Tokusatsu fans are absolutely stoked for their experience as well.
Higgins shared a statement when the announcement came down, "A few years ago, thanks to my time on Power Rangers, I was able to discover and learn more about Tokusatsu. With its wildly different conventions and inspirations, Tokusatsu — and Ultraman in particular — has been a huge source of joy for me." He continued, "It's a genre so ripe with possibilities, even down to what we conceive of in the structure of superhero storytelling. It's both an honor and a privilege to bring Ultraman to Marvel."
Groom also had to chime in on the new series, "Monsters in fiction have been embodying all that is dark and scary in our world for as long as we've been telling stories. But I don't think anybody understood the immense scale of our most pressing problems quite like Eiji Tsuburaya."
"He imagined the darkness looming overhead as tall as skyscrapers— alien and unknowable and ANGRY. But he also imagined us being able to stand up to those monsters, by rising above our worst impulses and embracing a nobler way of being. He imagined ULTRAMAN. What does that mean in this complex, contradictory world of lies? We're going to find out..."
Are you looking forward to the Ultraman series? Let us know down in the comments! Check out some fun responses below: