Comics really are too negative these days.
Ultraman #-1
Nemesis (March, 1994)
Nemesis is another Harvey imprint, just not one exclusive to Ultraman. Otherwise, this continues from the “Ultracomics” miniseries.
WRITER: Larry Yakata PENCILER: Ernie Colon INKER: Alfredo Alcala COLORISTS: Clydene Nee & Victor Navone LETTERER: Dand NakrosisAn evil being is causing monsters and disasters to pop up all over Earth. Ultraman tries to stop him but gets captured. He sends out for Jack to help him for a change, but also a man named Yukio “Ace” Kimura, a martial arts instructor with a bad leg. While suffering partial amnesia, he appears to have ended up on the homeworld of the Ultras. Since Jack must sacrifice himself to save Ultraman (despite a jerk UMA chief in the Japan branch), Ace will become the new host for Ultraman.
What they got right: I do like the idea of the threat involved, one that requires Jack to save Ultraman. (I assume at the end of the Ultracomics miniseries Jack and Ultraman separated again.) The art was not as good as the mini but only by a little so it was still pretty decent.
What they got wrong: What reason did Yakata or Nemesis have for eliminating Jack Shindo? (Ultraman tells Ace they might meet again so I guess they left his fate ambiguous.) Who is this new guy and why should we care? I don’t think Ultras had more than one host in any of the other continuities and if they didn’t want to use Jack, why not bring a new Ultra to Earth? America has had three other Ultra shows by this point (original, Ultra 7, and Ultraman:The Adventures Begins) so it isn’t unlikely. Also, Ace gets powers in human form none of the others had, like his injuries suddenly disappearing during a fight or firing laser blasts against bears.
Fan-based nitpicks aside, there are problems with the presentation as well. The threat is unnamed and does nothing for most of the story. That’s because most of the story is Jack and Ace just happening to meet, having hotel issues, trying to deal with UMA Japan’s jerk of a CO, and relaxing in a hot tub. There is no urgency for these supposed disasters the jerk uses to try and ground Jack or the fact that Jack’s friend and a guy Ace is barely aware of is in deep trouble by the force who is attacking Earth because…actually, there’s no reason given. He’s just doing because he’s evil or something.
Other notes: Yes, I do know there was an Ultraman Ace. I can’t promise the writer did, though.
Recommended: If the reviews of the few ongoing issues I have convince you to pick the books up and you’re a fan of Ultraman: Towards The Future then you will need this comic to bridge the gap. However, I can see where fans would be unhappy with the unnecessary change in the status quo Yakata and/or Nemesis made to the series and you may want to pass it up then.
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