Ultraman x Avengers #3 wastes no time getting into the main conflict between the Ultra Guards and the Avengers fighting to stop Galactus from eating the Earth. But the World Devourer isn’t the only threat our heroes have to face. Hordes of monsters roam around Tokyo, putting civilians in danger. This led the creative team of Kyle Higgins, Matt Groom, Francesco Mana, Matt Milla, and Ariana Maher to take a unique approach by splitting the team and dedicating a section to each individual’s accomplishments.
It’s an approach that prevents this manga from being just a long battle scene. Each hero has a unique skill to utilize, whether it’s Spider-Man rescuing passengers from a bullet train or Ultraman and Jack fighting monsters with the help of Captain Marvel and Iron Man. Higgins and Groom have thought a lot about how the dynamics work. That shows it.
But Higgins and Groom’s script also continues to explore the character dynamics that made Ultraman x Avengers stand out from other crossover comics. Small moments, such as Ide and Iron Man sharing their wits or Captain Marvel telling Hayata about the importance of victory, are just as powerful as battles with larger monsters. Both Higgins and Groom have written character-driven works in the past, so I’m not surprised.
Credit: Marvel Comics
However, when it comes to battle scenes, Mana continues to perform well. Ultraman delivers earth-shaking punches and kicks while blasting monsters with specium rays. He also receives assistance from Captain Marvel and Iron Man, who have their own energy beams, and Miles Morales. Web fluid turned out to be a great monster deterrent. Even the first page, which depicts Captain America swooping into action, is big, bold, and in-your-face.
Rounding it all out are Mira on color and Maher on text. Not only can Maher give each character a different voice (Iron Man and Ultraman in particular have speech bubbles that match their color scheme), but Milla can also give each character a unique color scheme. This extends to the environment, especially the Land of Light, where Ultraman is from. It was illuminated by a gold-reddish light that, for lack of a better word, felt alien.
Ultraman x Avengers #3 not only features some great monster battles, but it continues to put character work first, setting the stage for an intense finale. It looks like that finale will also feature another fan-favorite Ultraman, and to be honest, I have faith that this creative team will nail the landing.
Ultraman x Avengers #3 is available wherever comics are sold.
Ultraman X Avengers #3 is an action-packed, character-driven read
Ultraman x Avengers #3
Ultraman x Avengers #3 not only features some great monster battles, but it continues to put character work first, setting the stage for an intense finale. It looks like that finale will also feature another fan-favorite Ultraman, and to be honest, I have faith that this creative team will nail the landing.
Higgins and Groom value character work above all else, and that’s part of what makes this crossover so great.
Mana’s artwork never slows down the action, especially when he punches giant monsters in the face.
Colors and text that match the toku/superhero atmosphere.
The ending hints at another fan-favorite Ultraman.
The wait for the finale will be painful.
