Tommy Oliver and Frank, the actor who plays him, is arguably one of the most recognized cast members of the Power Rangers franchise, some may say THE Power Ranger. Given that Frank portrayed Tommy in most of the early seasons, two movies, and later returned to the franchise with Dino Thunder, it’s no wonder why Kyle Higgins uses an alternate version of Tommy, under the mantle of ‘Lord Drakkon,’ as the main antagonist of the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” ongoing. Frank recently starred as Lord Drakkon in a teaser for BOOM!’s ‘Shattered Grid’ story line, that was directed by Kyle Higgins.
The book will take place after Dino Thunder, when the S.P.D. Rangers defend the world. However, when Tommy’s son goes missing, he’ll have plenty to discover and new surprising allies at his side.
“It’s rare that we’re able to tell stories about pop culture heroes at this critical juncture in their lives – and there’s few who’ve been as big a pop culture phenomenon as Tommy Oliver,” Kyle Higgins told Comicbook.com. “As a fan of the original sixth Ranger, it’s an incredible honor for me to explore this untold chapter of Tommy Oliver: Power Ranger.” Given the stories he’s already written, it’s clear that Higgins has an affinity towards the character, so fans should delight in seeing this unexplored era of Tommy’s life. That excitement is shared by artist Giuseppe Cafaro, who said, “My favorite was always been Tommy, so it’s amazing to be illustrating this story!”
Dafna Pleban, Senior Editor, BOOM! Studios added, “Tommy Oliver has one of the most fascinating journeys in Power Rangers history – from villain to hero to mentor… but we’ve never seen what happened to him in his later years.” Saban seems to be fully behind the project as well, as Brian Casentini, Executive Producer, Power Rangers Franchise for Saban Brands, tells Comicbook.com, ”For the first time in the graphic novel medium, we are exploring Tommy Oliver in his later years, delving deep into his identity and legacy as a Power Ranger and as a father.”
So what does the Green/White/Red/Black Ranger himself have to say about the project? Jason David Frank says “Tommy Oliver has been part of the Power Rangers for the past 25 years.” He also shares his excitement about this untold story saying “We’ve seen him morph into so many different Power Rangers… we get to see an in-depth story of the life of Tommy Oliver as a Power Ranger and person.”
If you are a fan of Power Rangers and Tommy Oliver in general, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Soul of The Dragon” will hit comic book stores some time in December. Go check it out and enjoy a character design below:
