When it comes to electrifying, city-smashing, monster-bashing action, nothing can touch the adventures of Ultraman Tiga! Of course, when it comes to campy monsters swinging around on wires and karate-fighting a guy in rubber tights action, Ultraman's cornered that market, too.
But to leave it there would be selling Ultraman short. Sure, Ultraman's camp-factor has always been a barrier for some, and I'd be lying if I said that my undying adoration for the high-flying, high-tech hero has blinded me to those cringe-inducing moments. But there's more to Ultraman than meets the eye (to borrow a phrase from another property I grooved on when I was a kid), and once you get past the ostentatious surface it's not hard to see why fans internationally have locked on to the character with passion and intensity.
Since his creation at the hands of Eiji Tsuburaya (who is also known as the father of Godzilla!) in 1966, Ultraman has changed significantly. Different TV and comics series over the years have spawned different incarnations of the character, every time adding a new spin to the mythology and a new layer to the Ultraman legacy. Unlike the endless stream of knock-offs, copycats, and clones that have followed, Ultraman has a rich history in play, a compelling continuity that's complex without being convoluted, and an organic evolution that's still unfolding.
Which brings us to Ultraman Tiga, the latest version of Ultraman to make it stateside. The familiar dramatic patterns are still there--horrifying gigantic beasts terrorize the planet, a reluctant hero accepts an otherworldly call to become the ten-story sci-fi superhero, and soon he finds himself in over his head as he tries to defend the Earth from the intergalactic menace. The story remains the same, but the delivery has been amped up and super-charged.
Perhaps more so than any Ultraman series thus far, Tiga pushes hard to break away from the light tone of previous versions. Make no mistake, there's an edge to this series. The spectacular man-on-monster melees are still a major part of the action, but the difference lies in the sensibility and execution of those scenes (and the rest of the story for that matter). There's a fierce energy surrounding Tiga's adventures, owing more to contemporary manga like Hiroaki Samura's Blade of the Immortal and films like The Matrix, than to the hokey Hong Kong movies of yesterday.
It's no wonder when you look at the creative team on the book. Writer Tony Wong has been dazzling Hong Kong audiences for years with his gripping tales of battling deities and human frailty. His work on books like Weapons of the Gods and Legendary Couple have earned him international praise and have brought him to the attention of all the major American comics publishers. Meanwhile, artist Khoo Fuk Lung's star is about to go super-nova in Asia. Inspiring wave after wave of imitators, Khoo's kinetic art style and dead-on action sense are setting fan fires everywhere he goes. Rounding out the Ultra-team is the ubiquitous UDON, who provides a set of spectacular covers for the series.
Whether you're a long-time Ultraman devotee or have yet to experience the all-out excitement of the series, it's hard not to get swept up in the energy and enthusiasm of Ultraman Tiga. You want knock-down, drag-out action? Check! Cool characters and intriguing stories? You got it! Some of the best writing and art to come out of Hong Kong? Here it is! Obvious wire lines and guys in rubber monster costumes? You're gonna have to look somewhere else, kid.
-Jeremy Barlow
UltraEditor