The Rise of Ultraman — Series 1

The 2D Cover Art NFTs Drop Thursday, 22 April 2021 at 8 am PST only on the VeVe Android & iOS Apps

6 min readApr 21, 2021

Only on the VeVe App, Tsuburaya Productions’ The Rise of Ultraman Series #1 drops Thursday, 22nd April at 8 am PST on the VeVe iOS and Android apps.

VeVe is excited to offer the first range of 2D artworks available on the platform, and what better introduction than the official comic art of The Rise of Ultraman, with artworks from world-leading artist such as Alex Ross, John Tyler Christopher, Ed McGuinness, Yuji Kaida, Skottie Young, Adi Granov, and Olivier Coipel.

This series is the first of five The Rise of Ultraman comic cover art releases, and the first 2D artworks offered as digital collectible items on VeVe.

The Jet VTOL’s fueled, the K-Ray is operational, and the Beta Capsule is primed: The Rise of Ultraman series #1 is ready to go! Let’s celebrate with Ultraman’s iconic battle cry: “SCHUWATCH!!!”

This series is available globally — outside of Japan and Mainland China.

The Rise of Ultraman- Alex Ross

This is the flagship cover, and with art by the inimitable Alex Ross, it’s no wonder! Featuring a realistic, gorgeously drawn Ultraman standing over a throng of astonished civilians, the style and scale promise the reader that a momentous occasion is waiting for them just a page turn away!

Name: The Rise of Ultraman #1 — Alex Ross
Drop Date: 22 April 2021
List Price: 39.99
Rarity: Common
Editions: 7,800
License: Tsuburaya
Brand: Ultraman
Series: The Rise of Ultraman — S1
Available: Globally — outside of Japan and Mainland China

The Rise of Ultraman- Ed McGuinness

Next up is a colorful and eye-catching action pose by artistic titan Ed McGuinness! Fittingly, this pose, taken of Ultraman as he transforms from his host and partner, Shin Hayata, is called “The Rise.” McGuinness is a self-avowed Ultraman fanatic and has drawn a hero ready to take on whatever may threaten planet Earth.

Name: The Rise of Ultraman #1 — Ed McGuinness
Drop Date: 22 April 2021
List Price: 39.99
Rarity: Common
Editions: 7,800
License: Tsuburaya
Brand: Ultraman
Series: The Rise of Ultraman — S1
Available: Globally — outside of Japan and Mainland China

The Rise of Ultraman- Yuji Kaida

Yuji Kaida is a legendary Japanese artist, known for his gorgeous, near-photorealistic art of various famous entertainment franchises such as Gundam, Godzilla, and, of course, Ultraman. One of two artists currently living in Japan to be selected to create special covers for The Rise of Ultraman, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief is a big fan and has stated that he is honored that Yuji Kaida accepted the assignment.

This cover has a dark, moody feel: fitting, considering the subject matter. Fans are taken back to the burning ruins of the Classic-era SSSP headquarters, where Ultraman fought his final, desperate battle against one of the most powerful monsters ever to menace the universe, the dreaded Zetton. The sense of scale is immense, equally depicting danger and excitement.

Name: The Rise of Ultraman #1 — Yuji Kaida
Drop Date: 22 April 2021
List Price: 49.99
Rarity: Uncommon
Editions: 5,800
License: Tsuburaya
Brand: Ultraman
Series: The Rise of Ultraman — S1
Available: Globally — outside of Japan and Mainland China

The Rise of Ultraman- Skottie Young

Skottie Young is known for a hyper-emotive, expressive style that’s often mixed with high-octane action. He’s successfully applied his skills to a number of different series and genres, from Marvel superheroes to comic book adaptations of the Oz series, and even his own (not for kids!) series, I Hate Fairyland.

Here, that manic approach has brought to life a pitched battle between Ultraman and Gomess, the very first kaiju to appear in the Ultraman Series (or more accurately, its predecessor, Ultra Q.) Gomess looks a little… bigger than his most recent appearance (in episode 1 of this year’s Ultraman Z), but Ultraman is clearly undeterred, rushing forth to combat the destructive beast in front of the setting sun — a classic tableaux in the Ultraman Series.

Name: The Rise of Ultraman #1 — Skottie Young
Drop Date: 22 April 2021
List Price: 49.99
Rarity: Uncommon
Editions: 5,800
License: Tsuburaya
Brand: Ultraman
Series: The Rise of Ultraman — S1
Available: Globally — outside of Japan and Mainland China

The Rise of Ultraman- Adi Granov

Adi Granov is responsible for one of the most distinctive superhero designs in the modern age, having been the man who designed the eponymous suit for the 2008 Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, Iron Man.

When he’s not helping to usher in multibillion-dollar movie franchises, he lends his talents to astonishing comic series…like this one, with a scene of terrible destruction — the flooded ruins of a city devastated by the dreaded Alien Baltan. Hues of dark blues and greys threaten the end of everything, but front and center, Ultraman, resplendent in silver and red, strikes at the Space Ninja to return light and hope to the world.

Name: The Rise of Ultraman #1 — Adi Granov
Drop Date: 22 April 2021
List Price: 59.99
Rarity: Rare
Editions: 4,800
License: Tsuburaya
Brand: Ultraman
Series: The Rise of Ultraman — S1
Available: Globally — outside of Japan and Mainland China

The Rise of Ultraman- Olivier Coipel

Olivier Coipel is a French artist who is no stranger to drawing heroes. He’s responsible for the critically acclaimed Marvel mutant series House of M, as well as parts of Avengers Vs. X-Men.

Perhaps that was why he was chosen to bring together two titans of the superhero genre for the first time, with Spider-Man himself sitting on the shoulder of his newest neighbor in the Marvel Comics line, Ultraman himself. Unfortunately, this meeting is just a what-if, as Spidey does not appear in the issue, and there are no plans to bring the Giant of Light into the main Marvel universe. At least, not yet…

Name: The Rise of Ultraman #1 — Olivier Coipel
Drop Date: TBD
List Price: 69.99
Rarity: Ultra-Rare
Editions: 4,500
License: Tsuburaya
Brand: Ultraman
Series: The Rise of Ultraman — S1
Available: Globally — outside of Japan and Mainland China

The Rise of Ultraman- John Tyler Christopher

This cover variant is an Ultraman-style spin on the classic Marvel Action Figures cover, drawn by John Tyler Christopher. In this 2D cover art, this Ultraman has the fourteen points of articulation, a swappable Color Timer, a Spacium Beam, and an Ultra Slash: if only this toy could be found on shelves…maybe someday!

Name: The Rise of Ultraman #1 — John Tyler Christopher
Drop Date: 22 April 2021
List Price: 1.00
Rarity: Secret-Rare
Editions: 3,800
License: Tsuburaya
Brand: Ultraman
Series: The Rise of Ultraman — S1
Available: Globally — outside of Japan and Mainland China