Writer: Melissa Flores
Artist: Jo Mi-Gyeong
Colorist: Ellie Wright
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Designer: Madison Goyette
Editors: Caroline Butler, David Mariotte & Matt Gagnon
Cover Artists: Dan Mora; Nimit Malavia; Keyla Valerio; Alessio
Zono; Miguel Mercado; Erica D’Urso; Bon Bernardo; NRG; Smunchy
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Price: $4.99
Release Date: April 30, 2025
Ryan is an enthusiastic member of the Eltarian Youth Corps.
As a VR Trooper, the young Human boasts more firepower than the Eltarian Guard.
When Rita Repulsa’s space dumpster crashed into a dumpster in Angel Grove, Ryan’s
squad wanted to pursue the Space Witch. Then, Valentina gave him a lead on a
Power Ranger.
Mark is a half-Aquitan refugee. After spending time in an
Eltarian Detention Center, he got accepted by Angel Grove University. Mark
rescued his dog Doobie and the Power Ranger Lauren from an Angel Grove dumpster.
His roommate Orion and his new Eltarian friend Jun praise his bravery. But even
after he grasps a Zeo Crystal and becomes the Blue Power Ranger Prime, Mark
remains paralyzed by fear. How will he fare when Ryan’s VR Troopers capture
him? And will Ryan take his bad day out on Mark? Let's grab our Morphers, leap
into Power Rangers Prime #6, and see what happens!
Story
Ryan has everything he wants. Jun’s mother, an Eltarian
Admiral, esteems him. He has a glamorous job that many Humans would kill for.
But then his girlfriend becomes the Yellow Power Ranger Prime. So when he takes
Mark into custody, Ryan asks Mark to tell him everything he knows about the
Power Rangers. The Admiral may be able to protect Jun, but Ryan needs to
apprehend the other Power Rangers to keep Valentina out of the Angel Grove
Detention Center.
Ryan tries hard to bond with Mark in Power Rangers Prime #6.
But the refugee doesn’t buy it. The Aquitan has lost his family and his world.
It’s hard to imagine the Eltarians letting Mark resume his studies at Angel
Grove University or his internship at Angel Grove Natural History Museum. So,
what does Ryan have to offer Mark?
He may be in custody, but Mark isn’t powerless. In his
earliest memories, his mother shared her fears with him. She also instilled a
belief that freedom was more important than submission. His mother chose to
live on Aquitan because the Eltarians ruled Earth. Mark has lived with fear all
his life. But in Power Rangers Prime #6, Mark remembers that fear is a choice.
Art
Jo Mi-Gyeong portrays Mark as a youngster swimming in the
ocean. Mark breathes with neck gills while his mother wears a scuba suit and
regulator. Amid Ryan’s interrogation, Mark’s childhood memories interweave with
his mother’s stories. The Eltarians who welcome him to Earth appear concerned
for his wellbeing. As Ryan questions Mark, the VR Trooper exemplifies strength,
resilience, and caring. Yet Ryan’s eyes hint at his fears for Valentina, and
his frown suggests that he blames Mark for her plight.
Darkness hangs over Mark's future in Power Rangers Prime #6.
Yet Ellie Wright brightens Mark with purple gills. She links Mark with the
magenta and lavender sealife on Aquitan and a fellow alien refugee at Ellis
Island. Blue proves the dominant color, portraying Aquitan’s oceans, Mark’s
cell, the rain falling when he arrives on Earth, the city where he was born,
and the Eltarian Guards who rescued him. Given all the blue in his past, it’s
easy to understand why Mark chose the blue Zeo Crystal over the others Rita
Repulsa offered Lauren’s friends.
Ed Dukeshire communicates this story about how we relate to
our government by placing uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons
and narrative boxes. The letters grow bold, swell, change color, and rarely
shrink as Mark faces his damaged past and present. Sound effects help us hear
launching missiles, explosions, an alien scream, and a chair pleading for oil.
Thanks to Boom! Studios and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
Like Mr Spock, Mark is a man of two worlds. He possesses a
childlike innocence and helps those in need. Yet when he gets frightened, he
relies on an inhaler to restore calm. Becoming the Blue Power Ranger Prime was
the beginning of a journey. In Power Rangers Prime #6, Mark must fight for the
freedom his mother valued or accept the subservience the Eltarians demand.
Rating 9.2/10
For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
