Still very much a relevant comic book villain, Ultraman’s most recent appearance in “Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent” (by Tom Taylor, Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire, and Wes Abbott) saw him become the ultimate Superman killer. The Kryptonian powerhouse jumps dimensions and tries to murder every alternate version of the Man of Steel in the multiverse, while successfully siphoning their powers and using them for his own nefarious gain. Jon Kent’s Superman fights to stop him, even though he fears the man who previously kept him imprisoned and away from his family for years.
Despite Kent nearly defeating Ultraman, his father’s evil doppelganger comes close to killing the young hero before the “Injustice” version of Superman shows up and saves Jon, believing he is the son that he lost — which initially put in motion the dark alternate Superman of Earth-49. “Injustice” Superman makes sure to end Ultraman’s reign with pure violence, snapping his neck and ruthlessly killing him, showing how far the “Injustice” villain will go in his quest to save his “son.”
It takes one of the most powerful Supermen in the multiverse and numerous deaths of Superman across space and time to stop Ultraman, which shows why he’s so feared in many different realities. His return is inevitable, as the character is too frightening to leave dead in the comics. If he does show up in “Superman,” as the new reports suggest, it’s safe to assume Ultraman’s popularity will spike, and there will be plenty of renewed interest around his potential return on the page.