Ultraman x Avengers #3 does not waste any time diving into its major conflict, namely, the Ultra Guard and the Avengers racing to stop Galactus from eating the planet! But the Devourer of Worlds isn’t the only threat that our heroes have to face – there are legions of Kaiju stomping around Tokyo, and its civilians are in danger. This leads the creative team of Kyle Higgins, Mat Groom, Francesco Manna, Matt Milla and Ariana Maher to take a unique approach: they split up the teams and dedicate a section each to their exploits.
It’s an approach that keeps this comic from being just a prolonged fight scene. Each hero has a unique skill that they put to use, whether it’s the Spider-Men rescuing passengers from a bullet train or Ultraman and Jack taking on Kaiju with the help of Captain Marvel and Iron Man. Higgins and Groom have put a lot of thought into how the dynamics would work, and it shows.
However, Higgins and Groom’s script also keeps exploring the character dynamics that made Ultraman x Avengers stand out from other crossover comics. Whether it’s Ide and Iron Man pooling together their considerable intellects or Captain Marvel giving Hayata a talk about how his victories matter, the little moments have just as much oomph as the big monster fights. Both Higgins and Groom have written character-heavy work in the past, so I’m not surprised.
Credit: Marvel Comics
When it comes to the fight scenes, though, Manna continues to deliver. Ultraman delivers earth-shaking punches and kicks while also blasting Kaiju with specium rays. He even gets assists from Captain Marvel and Iron Man, who have energy rays of their own, and Miles Morales – it turns out web-fluid is a great Kaiju deterrent! Even the first page, which features Captain America swooping into action, is big, bold, and in your face.
Topping it all off is Milla on colors and Maher on letters. Not only is Maher able to give each character a distinct voice (Especially Iron Man and Ultraman, whose word balloons match their respective color schemes), but Milla also gives each character their unique color scheme. That extends to the environments, specifically the Land of Light, where Ultraman hails from; it’s cast in a golden-reddish light that feels alien, for lack of a better word.
Ultraman x Avengers #3 doesn’t just feature some great Kaiju fights, but it continues to put character work first – setting the stage for an intense finale. That finale also looks to introduce another fan-favorite Ultraman, and I’ll be honest: I trust this creative team to stick the landing.
Ultraman x Avengers #3 is available wherever comics are sold.
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