Despite the popularity of Japanese media in America, Ultraman never made quite had the same impact in the west as other Tokusatsu franchises. Marvel comics is looking to change that by partnering with the owners of Japan's oldest superhero and releasing The Rise of Ultraman. With an all-star team of writers and artists working on the book, including cover art by Alex Ross, Marvel is sparing no expense in presenting the character to a new audience.

The new series will be a reboot of the first Ultraman series from 1966. Set in a world plagued by Kaiju, the Earth's only defense against the monsters is a team of scientists known as the United Science Patrol. Where the new comics seems to differ from its source material is with its main characters. While the original series had its main character, Shin Hayata, start out as a member of the United Science Patrol, this new comic series will have Shin investigating the team. Shin becomes Ultraman in the 1966 series after crashing into an alien spacecraft and having its pilot merge with him. Though the new series might not follow the exact plot of its source material, it is a safe assumption that Shin will gain the power of Ultraman once more.

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Though Ultraman never obtained much popularity in the west, the franchise was wildly popular in Japan. Between more than forty television series based around the character, dozens of films, and countless videogames, Ultraman is one of the most prolific Tokusatsu franchises. First appearing in the self-titled 1966 series, Ultraman outdates similar Tokusatsu heroes such as Super Sentai and Kamen Rider. The character and series were so popular that Ultraman was even the third highest-grossing franchise of the 1980's. With the recent release of Netflix's 2019 anime adaptation of Ultraman the franchise's western audience grew somewhat. Marvel comics seem primed to expand that audience even further with the talent behind The Rise of Ultraman.

Whether it is internal art, or just cover art, the lifelike paintings of Alex Ross always bring prestige to any comic they grace. The two pieces of Cover Art posted by Ross go a long way in presenting the groundbreaking scale of a giant character like Ultraman. Crouching down, the hero appears cramped by the cover's dimensions, as though he is bigger than the page can contain. In addition to Ross' work on the cover art, a team of writers and artists are bringing the character to western audiences. According to Marvel's press release, "Storytelling masters Kyle Higgins (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Winter Soldier) and Mat Groom (Self/Made), together with superstar artists Francesco Manna (Avengers, Fantastic Four) Michael Cho (Captain America) and Gurihiru (The Unstoppable Wasp) will take fans back into the days of darkness, where the terrifying Kaiju lurk."

All of this gives fans of Ultraman and comics a good reason to be excited about the new title. While the Netflix series has fans, many who are more familiar with the classic character lament the new series' darker tone and story. By returning to the classic Ultraman design and showing the character in broad daylight amidst blue skies, Marvel may be signaling that this Ultraman is going back to the franchise's roots. Only time will tell whether The Rise of Ultraman can bring Japan's oldest hero to a new audience.

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