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Marvel Comics is celebrating Ultraman Day – the day in 1966 when Tsuburaya Productions' classic cosmic superhero Ultraman debuted on Japanese TV – with an early look at several pages of artist Francesco Manna's interior art from The Rise of Ultraman #1.
The Rise of Ultraman #1 is the first comic book in Marvel's recently struck partnership with Tsuburaya to create Ultraman comics for the North American market. Written by Kyle Higgins and Mat Groom, the comic will re-tell the story of Ultraman's origin with an updated style. The pages here – five in total – are just the tip of the iceberg for the tale of Ultraman, which has spun-off numerous TV shows, comic books, and animated series (known collectively as the Ultra Series) in the decades since the original show premiered.
Ultraman centers on a race of beings known, appropriately, as the Ultramen – humanlike extra-terrestrial superheroes who protect the galaxy from destructive monsters under the auspices of the Space Garrison. They have powers such as firing energy beams, flight, super-strength, and invulnerability. Over the years, numerous Ultramen have been featured across various Ultra Series – which has even expanded into an Ultra Multiverse featuring different incarnations of Ultraman.
Marvel and Tsuburaya first announced their deal to bring Ultraman to American comic books in November, 2019.
"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," Marvel editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski stated at the time. "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."
Marvel's The Rise of Ultraman is due out September 9.
