REVIEW: ‘The Mystery of Ultraseven,’ Issue #4

The Mystery of Ultraseven #4 is written by Kyle Higgins and Mat Groom, illustrated by Davide Tinto, colored by Espen Grudentjean, and lettered by VC’s Ariana Maher. It’s published by Marvel Comics. Ultraman must fight a raging Ultraseven, torn between his duty to protect the Earth and his love for his brother. But a third combatant has entered the fray. Or rather, combatants: the adoptive children of industrialist Katsuichiro Kato, who form the Monster Attack Team!

This issue can be boiled down to one big fight scene, but the creative team’s approach makes things way more interesting. Tinto alternates between Ultraman and Ultraseven throwing blows and the Monster Attack Team halting collateral damage with their specialized attack vehicles. So on one page, you’ll have Ultraman grabbing Ultraseven in a headlock and slamming him to the ground. Then on the next page, you’ll see one of the MAT vehicles swooping down and using its gear to grab a wrecked plane, landing it safely on the ground. It’s the kind of massive action that only seemed plausible in big-budget blockbusters, yet Tinto illustrates it with ease.

The colors in the book also make for some striking images. Red and white are the most prominent, both in the uniforms of the dueling Ultras as well as the color of the MAT attack vehicles. And that same color scheme filters through Maher’s lettering whenever Ultraman speaks. But the standout is the bluish-black sky that serves as the background for the final fight. Bolts of white-hot lightning lance throughout the sky as the rain pours down in sheets, a harbinger of the chaos unfolding. Part of any good Tokusatsu story is the environment in which the characters are fighting, and the fact that the environment ties in thematically to the story is gold.

Finally, Higgins and Groom deliver some heavy emotional moments. Ultraman seems to be pulling his punches throughout the fight—he knows that if push comes to shove, he’ll have to take out Ultraseven, and that’s a task he’s not willing to take on. Likewise, the MAT team sees themselves as Earth’s best line of defense and is ready to do whatever it takes to protect it. That duality has been a core part of both writers’ works, so I’m glad to see it continuing here. And in one of the issue’s best reveals, yet another piece of the Ultraman mythos gets a revamp in a moment that doubles as a homage to another tokusatsu franchise both writers have been associated with. It’s enough to overlook the fact that the series has yet to wrap up the plot point of the USP being infiltrated, which only gets a cursory mention here.

The Mystery of Ultraseven #4 delivers blockbuster action from beginning to end, setting the stage for a cataclysmic conclusion. When the dust settles, only Ultraman or Ultraseven will remain standing. The only question left is: what will Higgins and Groom think of next when it comes to this new Ultraman Universe?

The Mystery of Ultraseven #4 is available wherever comics are sold.