Japanese pop culture icon Ultraman is making his way to the world of Marvel Comics in 2020.
Announced at Tokyo Comic Con, Marvel Entertainment has joined forces with Tsuburaya Productions in order to create new comic books and graphic novels centered around Ultraman -- a bevolved superhero who got his start on Japanese television in the 1960s.
Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, Tohl Narita and Akira Sasaki, Ultraman was the first tokusatsu hero created for Tsuburaya's Ultra Series. He made his first appearance in Ultraman -- a follow-up to Tsuburaya's Ultra Q -- which aired on TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) for 39 episodes from July 1966 to April 1967. He has gone on to inspire various spinoff heroes and continuations, including a Netflix series.
The character became quite the a pop culture phenomenon in the years following his debut, with the Ultraman brand generating $7.5 billion in merchandising revenue from 1966 to 1987 (over $16 billion when adjusted for inflation). Moreover, in the 1980s, Ultraman was the third top-selling licensed character in the world. He has also transcended mediums, appearing in manga, novels and video games over the years. Now, as we enter the 2020s, he's making his way to American comic books thanks to Marvel.
"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 Comics 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."
"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,” added 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."
Marvel's Ultraman comics are slated to arrive in 2020, though a specific launch window has not been set. Moreover, information regarding creative teams and story details is being saved for a later date. That said, Marvel and Tsuburaya have released a piece of promotional artwork by Alex Ross (Marvels, Kingdom Come) featuring the hero himself -- which can be viewed below.
