Review: Ultramega #2
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer/Artist: James Harren
Colors: Dave Stewart
Lettering: Rus Wooton
Reviewer: Tony Farina
Summary
Rising out of the carnage of our debut issue, a new hero emerges to beatdown the kaiju scum! Fists fly and blood is spilled. Fight monsters. Stand with humanity. Stand with the ULTRAMEGA!
Positives
Ultramega #2 is a hot, bloody mess. I know, I know that seems like it should be a bad thing, but honestly, it is very, very good. This is the movie I wanted to see recently on a certain streaming service where giant monsters go crazy and punch. I am sure the timing of the release of this comic was not accidental. This is steeped in lore that reveals itself in a slow, but deliberate manner. There is never a time when the exposition weighs the book down. The characters say just what they need to say, right when they need to say it. We learn about the technology and how it is used and more importantly, how it should NOT be used. The stakes are real. The tension is high. It is just perfectly done.
The art by Harren is once again breathtaking, but I have to throw some love to Stewart, who may be the best colorist working today, and Rus Wooton on the letters. There is a LOT going on both with words, but with sound effects. They are excellent additions to this book. They make it more immersive and, again, perfect.
Negatives
This issue is bloody. It is not for kids. It is not safe for work. Characters die. Blood is everywhere. It would get a high risk rating on common sense media. I don’t think those things are problems. Lots of people will.
Verdict
Ultramega #2 is so damn good. It is long. Longer than most books are these days, but that is a good thing. I still found myself disappointed that it was over and went back and read it again the next day. I suspect I will visit it over and over until issue 3 comes out. When a comic compels you to read it again, that means it is either spectacular or a huge mess and you are lost. This book, is a huge mess, but I am not loss. It is a big, violent, bloody mess and I can’t get enough of it. If you, like me, were totally bugged by how bad that other monster punching thing was, you should get this. It makes it all better.
