The Marvel Comics family may be growing by one (at least), now that the Japanese superhero Ultraman will be the star of a new alliance between the home of the Avengers and his own creators, Tsuburaya Productions.
Marvel Entertainment has officially announced a partnership with Tsuburaya Productions that will bring new Ultraman stories to comics and graphic novels beginning in 2020. Announced during Tokyo Comic Con, the new collaboration will launch in 2020. The details are slim to begin with, but it sounds as though Ultraman fans can look forward to new stories paying special tribute to the earliest days of Ultraman, and the larger lore of the Ultras. With six decades of success behind him, and having emerged as one of the most successful fictional heroes of the late 20th century, there's no question the kaiju-fighting cosmic hero has earned the exposure. But where Ultraman goes from here... is anyone's guess.
"As one of the world’s most popular franchises, Ultraman has brought together some of the most passionate fandoms in pop culture today, and we can’t wait to bring his story to even more fans around the globe,” said Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski. “Like Marvel, Ultraman captivated generations by telling spectacular stories grounded in the real world, and it continues to be a beloved classic through its television shows, movies, toys, games, comics, and more. We are so thrilled to introduce new chapters to the Ultraman Multiverse next year.” Fans can also take a look at the first official artwork for the new collaboration below:
“We are delighted to announce the partnership with Marvel, one of the leading entertainment companies that has produced fascinating characters and stories loved by fans across the globe for over 80 years,” said Tsuburaya Productions CEO Takayuki Tsukagoshi. “We can’t be more excited to explore and create new stories for the Ultraman franchise with Marvel and bringing them to both Marvel and Ultraman fans all around the world.”
The most devoted fans of Ultraman may not need any more details, beyond the confirmation that Marvel Entertainment will be expanding the universe with new stories. The assumption is comic books for now, but with the dominance of Marvel Studios and its continued growth around the globe -- even before Kevin Feige took over Marvel's comics, too -- it may be hard to keep hopes in check. That's still advisable for the short term, at least, but if Ultraman's clout gets a boost from Marvel exposure, who knows what the future may hold?
Stay tuned for more updates on Marvel's new Ultraman stories as they arrive.