Comics Membership: Ultimate Combat #1 (UDON)

Haggar, Cody, and Man take to the imply streets of Metro Metropolis on this new comedian guide miniseries from UDON!

Comics Membership is the place we check out online game manga and comics to supply our impressions and insights. Half assessment, half reflection, Comics Membership is a good way to seek out one thing new to learn primarily based on all of our favourite pastime: video video games!

Author: Matt Moylan

Illustrator: Matthew Weldon

Colorist: Espen Grundetjern

Writer: UDON | 07.31.24

Spoilers Forward!

UDON is again with one other sequence primarily based on a preferred Capcom IP. This time round it’s Ultimate Combat, a miniseries written by Matt Moylan and illustrated by Matthew Weldon. One of many extra charming facets concerning the sequence even earlier than it got here to outlets was seeing the homage variant covers primarily based on well-known film posters. Ultimate Combat #1 embraces the sequence ’80s roots and begins issues off in 1989 with Mayor Mike Haggar taking workplace for the primary time. As he sits down at his desk he discovers a VHS tape (keep in mind these?) after which will get a mysterious telephone name telling him to look at it. Lo and behold, Haggar’s daughter Jessica has been taken captive by the nefarious Mad Gear Gang. If Haggar agrees to allow them to stick with it with their legal dealings, they’ll let Jessica go. Haggar, after all, is having none of that, and calls upon Cody Travers (joined by his good buddy, Man), Jessica’s boyfriend, to assist him rescue her.

Let’s be frank: Ultimate Combat will not be a sequence identified for having a wealthy, deep narrative. The identical may be stated right here, because the premise is primary and follows the unique sport’s to a T. And you recognize what? I’m glad that it does. I don’t want nor desire a radical reinvention of who these characters are, the world of Metro Metropolis, the Mad Gear Gang—none of it. I would like what I loved from the video games, which is strictly what Moylan offers us. On the similar time, Moylan additionally gives simply sufficient further depth to assist begin fleshing these characters out as folks. It’s a carryover from a number of the work achieved with Cody in Road Fighter vs. Ultimate Combat #1 again in Might, the place we obtained to enter that character’s head for the primary time.

For this situation, Cody and Man don’t get numerous exploration, however we get a way of how feisty Jessica is early on. She’s no mere damsel in misery, as she delivers a swift driving knee into the intestine of Poison regardless of being tied to a chair. Haggar additionally will get to shine, with Moylan portraying him as a person who takes the struggles of Metro Metropolis very personally. An assault on Metro is an assault on him, and he’ll do what it takes to maintain town and its folks protected. In an period the place superhero comics can’t determine the fundamentals, Moylan shortly establishes Haggar as a powerful, noble chief, somebody that’s straightforward to root for. Conversely, villain Thrasher Damnd is a formidable enemy. The pair’s brawl is so highly effective that it causes the road to crumble beneath their ft, sending them tumbling down onto and right into a shifting subway practice! The problem ends on a cliffhanger, with Thrasher’s thugs prepared at hand Haggar his head.

Once more, Moylan’s writing is strong. The characters really feel distinct, their motivations are clear, and the precise sequence of occasions manages to imitate the video games with out feeling braindead. There’s some effort that’s being put into bringing Ultimate Combat the sport to life as a comic book guide. By the tip of the difficulty, I used to be genuinely excited to see what occurs subsequent. Positive, Jessica and all the good guys will probably reside, however I’m having enjoyable seeing how all of them pull it off.

On the artwork aspect of issues, Matthew Weldon and colorist Espen Grundetjern do a elegant job. In a departure from UDON’s normal fashion, which skews in the direction of a extra exaggerated, manga-like look, Weldon’s line work is expressive however not overtly Japanese influenced. There’s nice interaction with skinny traces and bits of shadow all through. Weldon is adept at giving characters distinguishable builds, with Haggar towering over his opponents because the standout. I’d be remiss if I didn’t level out some exceptionally cool composition work, too, together with a shot of Cody and Man that, in a single panel, appears like a easy closeup of the 2, however within the subsequent, it’s revealed to be their reflection in a mirror, which Cody’s prolonged arm is smashing. One other shot of Cody and Man dashing on bikes above the subway practice they’re making an attempt to catch is equally eye-catching.

Grundtjern’s coloration artwork brings the entire bundle collectively. I actually appreciated how the motion appears to be going down throughout the golden hour, which units a cool temper for the backdrop of the struggle. One thing about it helped promote me on pondering of this story going down in ’89 (the yr the Oakland A’s swept the SF Giants within the World Collection, I would add—however I digress). If I’ve any complaints, it could be that the aforementioned scene of Jessica kneeing Poison took me a second to grasp. After a second viewing I noticed Jessica’s knee rising up. There’s additionally one occasion the place Thrasher’s title is misspelled, which is simply price mentioning as a result of it’s at a pivotal second when Haggar is about to take the baddie on.

Past these small gripes, it is a excellent introduction of Ultimate Combat into comedian guide kind. I feel that followers of the sequence will get probably the most from it, however Ultimate Combat #1 is only a enjoyable, easy comedian guide with conventional heroes and villains to root for and towards. It’s going to be robust ready a month for the following situation, however in the intervening time I strongly recommend hitting up your native comedian guide store for a duplicate for your self.