Par for the course, whenever I make a list of upcoming material I always miss something. In this case I literally missed a GODZILLA comic, which is nigh heresy on my part, however the other series I neglected to mention was the new IMAGE series Ultramega. If the name doesn’t give it away this is an American take on Ultraman using a body horror twist. The result is a gore filled romp that is sure to bring in fans from both camps.
At the end of the issue there’s a letter by writer James Harren and artist Dave Stewart. In the letter Harren admits to not knowing much about the genre of Tokusatsu and was drawn in mostly by the images held within it. This is actually a huge benefit towards Ultramega as it isn’t trying to make a commentary on the genre and is more interested in looking at the genre through a different lens. The iconography of Ultraman is also on clear display throughout this first issue; with the horror coming from the aftermath and the creatures they are fighting. Seeing a bright green ultra hero get his arm ripped from his sockets by a horrific creature is instantly shocking.
In a traditional Ultraman episode we normally operate under the assumption that most of the people in the area are evacuated so when our hero decapitates the villain and he explodes in dramatic fashion you think little of it. Ultramega uses the things that we equate with the norm to show us the boots on the ground; boots that are drowning in rivers of blood. The world of Ultramega involves three individuals who have been granted the power to combat a kaiju virus that will soon be sweeping their world. Our main hero is a retired boxer who has been using this power for years to defend the populace. The horror does not undercut that heroism, which is usually the point where American versions of the story falter. The Ultramega are heroes and they do save as many people as they can.
The art of Ultramega is outstanding. It will hold your attention each page; supplying some truly horrific visuals that shall burn themselves into your memory. A monster fighting story really does live or die on the designs of its monsters and Ultramega does not disappoint. People throw out the term Cronenbergian often but I assure you the monsters in this film are very inspired by Cronenberg and are possessed by appendages are right out of The Thing. Dave Stewart utilizes vibrant colours to depict the world of Ultramega including the beam that no giant hero would be complete without.
The main criticism on Ultramega is probably an unfair one given that this is a first issue but we don’t get a lot of time with the characters or the world. Even though this is a mega sized first issue (66 pages!) it still has to rush through to set up its world. We will get more of this world as the series goes on and I expect that this criticism will look ridiculous in hindsight.
If you are into either the world of horror or the world of Tokusatsu then you will not be disappointed by Ultramega. It takes a familiar framework and builds upon it. This is not a take that thinks it is better than Ultraman or Tokusatsu, it very clearly comes from a place of love for the genre. The story is off to a great start, with bigger, and darker things on the horizon.
