The OG American Power Rangers make their return in the first volume of “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” from BOOM! Studios. Read on for our spoiler free review and let the nostalgia take you away.
Written by Kyle Higgins and Steve Orlando
Illustrated by Hendry Prasetya, Matt Herms, Corin Howell and Jeremy Lawson
Dive into the first collection of our best-selling, modern, ongoing Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series.
After escaping Rita Repulsa’s mind control, Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger, joins the Power Rangers to combat the onslaught of evil attacks plaguing Angel Grove. Any semblance of a normal life is gone for Tommy now, but with his newfound family there lies hope for a brighter path.
Collects issues #1-4, plus the prequel issue #0.
Depending on how old you are, you either loved the Power Rangers or they didn’t even register. For me, they were one of the first things I ever really got into as a little kid. Somewhere there exists a photo of me as a 4-year-old dressed as the Pink Ranger. After a not so great run at Papercutz, the property has found a new home at BOOM! Studios and thankfully so. “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” Volume 1 is a really fun and visually appealing book that’ll make fans of the property happier than they’ve been in years.
The first volume of “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” comprises the zero issue and the first four issues of the series. This first arc focuses on the Green Ranger, Tommy Oliver, as he properly joins the Power Rangers after being a tool for the evil Rita Repulsa. However, he’s not entirely free as Rita tries to get him back by playing literal mind games with him. It’s up to the Power Rangers to help him through this time and once again defeat Rita Repulsa, Goldar, and Scorpina.
As is the case with pretty much all comics based off an established TV series, movie, etc., this is most enjoyed by someone who’s familiar with this show and this incarnation. It’s probably the most popular and it’s why you keep seeing this group of Rangers and not later ones. This creative team clearly has a deep understanding of the property and the flexibility to do something more with it. The story is allowed to move up in time without losing the sense of fun the cheesy-but-awesome ’90s show had. One of the best things about this first arc are the voices and discernible personalities that are given to the characters. They get a little more room to breathe and be their own people even if it’s still a little settled in tropes. While it doesn’t get a full pass for it, Higgins embraces what the show did and then makes the entire group feel less like paper cutouts in cool costumes and actual teenagers.
The plot does a great job at bringing in all the things Power Rangers fans will enjoy. There are lots of battles, lots of quips, lots of Zord fights, and plenty of villains. The whole arc is paced like an episode of the television series but because it’s told over four issues, we again get those moments I mentioned earlier with the characters being more than what they were. The biggest problem with the plot is that it is driven by Tommy and (unpopular opinion incoming) I am a bit over the character as the core of this property. I really love that we have a Pink Ranger solo series but in future arcs (I’m trade reading), I’d like to see other Rangers take a prominent role.
Like Higgins, Prasetya and Herms get the room to do a lot of their own thing. Prasetya sticks to the things we need, such as the Zord designs and the color coordinated clothing of the Rangers are all here but with a little more. There’s a bit more modern style to the clothing and it helps bring the series into 2016. Angel Grove feels much more fleshed out than the television series and it helps make the story feel almost superheroic. When you have a sense of place, you as the reader feel a bit more connected. Prasetya is the one who really gets you to engage with these characters on a deeper level than their looks. Through expression, body language and individuality, the Power Rangers become people and heroes second. Praseyta’s action scenes are big and hugely dynamic in scale. Herms does solid work but I wish there was a bit more power behind the colors. I want more shine on the Zords and more of a pop to the scenes with Zordon and Alpha. It’s good work but there’s plenty of room to get better.
Final Verdict: 7.9 – A very solid and enjoyable book for fans who long for more stories with this Power Rangers squad.
