Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Halloween Special #1 Review

 

Writers: Sina Grace, Meghan Camarena, Danny Lore, Nick Marino

Artists: Sina Grace, Zachary Sterling, Jodi Nishijima, Juan Romera

Colorist: Sina Grace, Ellie Wright, Joshua Jensen, Andrew Cramer, Juan Romera

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Cover Artists: Miguel Mercado, Nicole Goux, Nick Roche & Sketch Ellis

Designer: Madison Goyette

Editors: Tea Fougner, David Mariotte, Caroline Butler & Andy Schmidt

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $7.99

Release Date: October 22, 2025

 

What terrors threaten you on Halloween? Pumpkin Rapper wants you to know that Rita Repulsa is a schemer, and this spooky season’s a screamer. He is determined to make you think twice about what you eat, drink, and dig your knives into. Will Pumpkin Rapper make you regard this most howling of holidays in a new light? Let's put on our costumes, leap into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Halloween Special #1, and see!

 

Putty for Your Thoughts: Story

Our appearance influences our position in society. But it also affects how we see ourselves. In Sina Grace’s story, Rita Repulsa plays Mind Swap with Kimberly Hart. But instead of doing Freaky Friday with the Pink Ranger, Rita transports Kim’s mind into a Putty.

 

The first story in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Halloween Special #1 forces Kim to empathize with the life of a Putty. When Rita usurps Kim's place among her friends, she also leaves Finster free to pursue his whims. Kimberly must choose between playing it safe and risking everything to protect her friends.

 

Putty for Your Thoughts: Art

Sina Grace gives Pumpkin Rapper front-page honors as he introduces the first story in this collection. Then the art jumps to after Operation: Mindcrime. A putty looks into a vanity mirror framed with pink wood. The blue putty shapeshifts, adopting Kimberly's casual attire. But her arms and face, and then her entire body, revert to blue clay when others attack her. Sina Grace and Ellie Wright lavish bright colors on Putty for Your Thoughts. But blue, green, and pink dominate as Kimberly confronts the possibility of not just giving up her powers but leaving her Humanity behind.

 

Terror Toad’s Trick-Or-Treat Takeover: Story

In Meghan Camarena's story, Rita Repulsa's Terror Toad returns to Angel Grove on Halloween. Like all the trick-or-treaters, he's hungry for goodies. But his favorite treat is swallowing Power Rangers. This second story in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Halloween Special #1 puts Billy Cranston into the hot seat. As the other Rangers fall victim to Terror Toad's tongue, the Blue Ranger must find a way to attack the villain's weak spot.

 

Terror Toad’s Trick-Or-Treat Takeover: Art

In Angel Grove, children dress up not only as traditional ghosts and witches, but also as Rita Repulsa and Goldar. Zachary Sterling opens with Black Ranger as an Ooshies figure in a candy-filled Jack O’lantern. Then, as Blue Ranger runs off to rejoin the Power Rangers, a panel shows Terror Toad in his updated form. Joshua Jensen provides beautiful coloring to this endearing story set on Halloween. But most colorful of all is Terror Toad's new neck armor. The metal showcases a blue and pink sheen trimmed with gold.

 

Pumpkin to Sing About: Story

In Danny Lore's story, Zach and Jason take time off from college to chaperone a group of teens. After visiting Joe's Pumpkin Patch, Raina's pumpkin rings like a phone. When it leaps toward Jason, he tosses it out of the bus. The pumpkin sprouts a torso and limbs. Then, it chases after and attacks the bus.

 

Zach and Jason are no longer teens with attitude. Still, they are quick to comfort the teens in their care. Adhering to his responsibility inspires Zach to draw on his strengths and demonstrate leadership in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Halloween Special #1.

 

Pumpkin to Sing About: Art

Jody Nishijima contributes detailed pencils with an anime vibe. Jason leaps into action when danger threatens the teens. As the bus hurtles around a corner, Pumpkin Rapper springs off the ground in time-release images. Andrew Cramer's vibrant palette and lighting help this story stand out.

 

Candy Cornered: Story

In Nick Marino's story, Trini feels like an outsider. While she enjoys hanging out with her friends, she's not into watching scary movies. When they devour the candy corn in the large bowl, Trini visits the store. An attack by the Putties while filling her cart is just the start of the night's adventure.

 

This final story in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Halloween Special #1 doesn’t focus on Trini’s heritage. Still, it acknowledges that we may embrace some traditions while having a disconnect with others. Like all great Power Rangers stories, when her friends are in danger, Trini rises to the challenge to protect them from Rita Repulsa’s mischief.

 

Candy Cornered: Art

Trini looks bored while her friends sit rapt on the couch. Arising from her telescope, Rita exults as she raises her wand. Putties attack when Trini reaches the store’s Halloween decorations aisle. She smiles as she morphs into the Yellow Ranger. Juan Romera contributes a subdued palette that focuses on white, yellow, and orange. Blue, purple, and pink fill backgrounds, while green dominates the final portion of a story that urges readers to enjoy their favorite Halloween snack in moderation.

 

Lettering

Ed Dukeshire fills white balloons and colored narrative boxes with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation. Sound effects often accompany enlarged, colored dialogue. Pumpkin Rapper insists U Can't Touch This as white dialogue in orange balloons. Zordon’s instructions appear in blue balloons, while white letters in a green balloon signify lip-smacking flavor. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Zordon gave Kimberly Hart, Billy Cranston, Jason Scott, Zach Taylor, and Trini Kwan great power. But while protecting people from Rita Repulsa's menacing magic, they care for others. Zordon’s first Teens with Attitude empathize with others and work together to confront danger. Alongside Tommy Oliver, they inspire the next generation and sacrifice for others' happiness in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Halloween Special #1.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

For another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #1 Review

 

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #1 Review

Writer: Ryan Parrott

Artist: Vincenzo Federici

Colorist: Raúl Angulo

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Cover Artists: Alessio Zonno; Dan Mora; James Stokoe; Declan Shalvey; Paulina Ganucheau; Mateus Santolouco; Kevin Easterman; Freddie E Williams II & Francesco Segala; Tula Lotay; Francesco Tomaselli; cMv; DefShogun; Freddie E Williams II & Andrew Dalhouse; Ivan Tao; Björn Barends; Frank Uzan; Jimbo Salgado; Leno Hernandez

Designer: Madison Goyette

Editors: Caroline Butler, David Mariotte & Andy Schmidt

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 13, 2025

 

The Turtles and the Power Rangers have teamed up to confront their enemies. But Shredder and Lord Zedd have also joined forces, and they’re making life difficult for our heroes. Can Splinter and Zordon keep the teams focused on defeating their enemies? Or will Shredder and Lord Zedd's constant attacks shatter the Turtles and Power Rangers' faith in each other? Let’s grab our weapons, leap into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #1, and see!

 

Story

The heroes are frustrated and no mistake. But they’ve got cause. Lord Zedd has put his Putties at Shredder's disposal. And Shredder has powered them up. Now, the Putties require more than a blow to the center of the chest to take them out. Tommy and Raphael argue that their combined teams are barely hanging on. And while Lord Zedd and Shredder's agents pop up across the world, the Turtles and Power Rangers are treating symptoms when they should be seeking out a cure.

 

Despite Zordon and Splinter's urging to remain patient, Tommy, Raphael, and their compatriots have a right to worry. Up on the moon, Shredder is starting to think that he's running the operation. Frustrated, Lord Zedd threatens to destroy his world if Shredder elbows him aside.

 

Before Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #1 transports us back in time, Ryan Parrott begins his story at the end. Leonardo and Tommy combat the super-powered Putties after they’ve destroyed Billy’s Radbug. There’s some irony here, as Billy and the Power Rangers used the Radbug to reach the Command Center when Tommy prevented them from teleporting.

 

Tommy is no longer under Rita Repulsa's spell. While fighting alongside Leonardo, he hopes to return to the Command Center he attacked as the evil Green Ranger. But Leonardo holds little hope that they can defeat their foes and reunite with their friends and brothers.

 

Art

Vincenzo Federici shows Billy’s modified Volkswagen Beetle falling from a tornado. But instead of flying off in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #1, the Radbug crashes. Dust rises, obscuring the rock formations that evoke the locale surrounding the Command Center. As Putties climb over the damaged car, Tommy and Leonardo emerge in a splash page. But they don't offer the Putties a pizza.

 

As Vincenzo Federici moves his camera to Paris, he brings Trini and Donatello into focus. The heroes battle a larger opponent before the Arc de Triomphe. Like Billy's Radbug, smoke rises from an overturned vehicle as the Eiffel Tower rises in the distance. Trini and Donatello leap into the air, delivering kicks, hits, and stabs while avoiding their opponent's mighty hammer.

 

Raúl Angulo enhances a fight atop a speeding locomotive. While snow falls through the blue sky, their purple and gray opponents summon red fireballs with their hands and wield red and yellow flaming weapons. Zordon gazes down upon the combined teams from his blue pillar in the purple command center. As the sun’s light reflects off Earth, green combats purple in Lord Zedd’s Moon Palace. While his red suit and head form a link with Karai, the Putties wear purple like their new leader.

 

Ed Dukeshire opens with black uppercase narration in white/orange narrative boxes. Alpha 5 speaks with a less relaxed font than his Human, Turtle, Rat, and Eltarian companions. Amid the white and blue balloons, giant colored dialogue accompanies the flurries of sound effects. Raphael's off-camera dialogue appears as white letters in red boxes. But while Tommy's responses appear in white-gold boxes, Thomas Covenant doesn't join the fight against Shredder and Lord Zedd in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #1. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

The Turtles and the Power Rangers share a camaraderie that lets them work, fight, and share rarely spoken insights. Still, not everyone trusts Zordon and Splinter’s leadership. And that can get both teams into trouble when they take on the Foot Clan and Lord Zedd in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Revenge #1 Review

 

Writer: Zoe Tunnell

Artist: Tango

Colorist: Adam Guzowski

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Cover Artists: Tango, Steve Gregson & Jack Lawrence

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $7.99

Release Date: August 6, 2025

 

When Billy Cranston accidentally revives Rita Repulsa, she ranges far and wide, defeating Power Rangers in different places and eras. Billy and his team chase her down in 2023, but Rita escapes to 1993 to battle the teenagers with attitude before they can become a permanent menace. Can the Power Rangers pursue her through the time portal? And might meeting their younger selves create a paradox that disrupts space and time? Let's grab our morphers, leap into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Revenge #1, and see!

 

Story

In Zoe Tunnell's story, the Rangers decide the rewards outweigh the risks. Despite Minh Kwan's desire to avenge her mother's death, Billy and Zach convince her and the team that they must play backup to the team in 1993. So, the 2023 team intercepts threats and menaces before they reach the teenage Power Rangers and uses their fists and feet rather than their Power Ranger suits and weapons.

 

While Billy's team battles familiar foes, older Rita tries to command her younger self. But even though Robo Rita has more experience, her younger self is a ten-thousand-year-old space witch. The fact that Robo Rita has become a cyborg doesn’t help Rita Repulsa trust Robo Rita in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Revenge #1. Likewise, the original members, Billy and Zach, replacements Katherine and Rocky, and their recent addition, Minh, are still finding their places in the newly shaped team.

 

Minh Kwan suffers in Zoe Tunnell's story. Billy's accident led to her mother's death. So, the newest Ranger tests the boundaries of her role among the original Blue and Black Rangers. While Billy leads with his head, Zach backs him up with his heart. Zach wants to ensure that Minh can handle her new role and that she's prepared, should Minh meet her mom at this earlier point in Trini's life.

 

Art

Tango energizes action scenes while revealing the characters’ emotions in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Revenge #1. A blast from Robo Rita's wand sends the Rangers flying. When they remove their masks, Billy's maturity shows, while Minh evokes happy memories of Zordon's original crew. The Rangers strut down streets in '90s fashions and battle Finster's creations in back alleys. Robo Rita makes an indelible impression, appearing more powerful than Rita Repulsa, yet thinner and more reliant on her magic wand than her 1993 counterpart.

 

Adam Guzowski often paints the brightly colored Rangers against pink and purple backgrounds. The rainbow-like portal welcomes them back to the yellow, orange, and brown shore where the Rangers often fought Rita's monsters. Bandora Palace glows yellow while Robo Rita, Rita Repulsa, and Goldar share a gold bond. This forces white-furred Finster, clad in his blue-green work clothes, to withdraw to his laboratory. Still, even as he digs his hands into his gray clay, golden shirt sleeve cuffs and gold-rimmed spectacles shout his loyalty.

 

Ed Dukeshire places black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons. Robo Rita's words frequently grow bold, her font lacks curves, and she speaks into rectangular balloons with lightning bolt arrows. Colorful dialogue and frequent sound effects emphasize the danger Robo Rita poses and foretell the 2023 team's pain after battling monsters without their powers. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When Robo Rita leaps through a time portal, she unleashes an unintended battle of one-upmanship on the moon, while the 2023 Rangers discover that the '90s were a very different age. Interpersonal drama, unexpected meetings with their counterparts, sparkling dialogue, and explosive action will help Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Revenge #1 grow on you.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Ranger Academy #11 Review

 

Writer: Maria Ingrande Mora

Artist: Jo Mi-Gyeong

Colorist: Joana Lafuente

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Designer: Madison Goyette

Editors: Kenzie Rzonca, Allyson Gronowitz, Bryce Carlson & Matt Gagnon

Special Thanks: Dafna Pleban, Tayla Reo, Linda Lee & Ed Lane

Cover Artists: Miguel Mercado, Jo Mi-Gyeong & Yoshi Yoshitani

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 2, 2024

 

Evil has a name, and that name is Dark Specter. Billy Cranston shattered the Morphin Grid to banish the rampant infection. But when the Blue Ranger reassembled it, Dark Specter slunk back inside. When memories of its malevolence waned, Dark Specter emerged from the shadows and used a toddler to kill Junior Rangers and her parents. Sage’s brother Zilan died while using a device he built to cure her. Can Sage and her friends return from Vaela before more tragedies rock Ranger Academy? Let's grab our Power Coins, leap into Ranger Academy #11, and see!

 

Story

As Mathis, Tula, Lindy, and Sage prepare to depart, Rhianth arrives. Sage’s father doesn't want to return to the Academy where Zilan died. But he feels he should. Rhianth once frightened Mathis, but they snap at him to decide quickly. Mathis is receiving worrying signals from Ranger Academy. What has Dark Specter done in their absence?

 

While Maria Ingrande Mora often points the spotlight on Sage, Rhianth gets a chance to shine in Ranger Academy #11. He lost Sage when she stowed away with Mathis and Tula. Now, her adoptive father catches up on what he missed out on. Returning to the Academy also lets him reunite with his friend Nika. Still, Rhianth fled Ranger Academy after Zilan’s death. Can his return bring hope to his alma mater?

 

Mathis and Tula must also reforge their relationship. Tula hid things from Mathis and dragged them into her web of deceit. But like Lindy, Theo, Kartyr, and Maev, Mathis and Tula have become Sage’s family. They must accept each other’s faults and concentrate on what binds them together.

 

Like Zordon, the school’s Headmaster inhabits a tower of light. That glowing face brought hope to the Junior Rangers who studied and trained to become Power Rangers. But it also expelled the infected, closed the Green Campus after Zilan’s death, and forbade any search for a cure. In Power Rangers #11, Dark Specter has corrupted the Headmaster. The school’s ultimate authority taunts students and teachers. Using its connection to the Morphin Grid, the Headmaster spreads fear throughout Ranger Academy.

 

Art

Mathis, Tula, and Sage look wary as they study Zilan’s machine. But Lindy's face glows as she regards the device. Dressed in his long brown coat, Rhianth evokes Captain Malcolm Reynolds as he stands outside the shuttle. Little, goatlike Nugget is a reminder of Rhianth’s responsibilities and the way Captain Mal often transported livestock to struggling farmers on isolated worlds. As Sage regales Rhianth with her adventures at Ranger Academy, he peers out of the corner of his eyes, where an echo of his childhood lurks behind his shoulder. Up front, Mathis and Tula look small as they stare out the cockpit viewscreen at the domes built on an asteroid. Rhianth, Sage, and Lindy fade to shadows as Mathis and Tula seek to rebuild their shattered trust in Ranger Academy #11.

 

A red storm swirls around the school’s Opalescent Dome as Joana Lafuente’s purple shuttle descends toward an asteroid mottled with a black blight. Palms and plants look dark and gray as the Headmaster’s pink face swells above Rhianth and the students. Black, brown, and red shadows reach toward them like grasping hands. Yet, in a school dominated by red and gray, Sage and her friends find hope in a luminous place that sparkles and glows with gently colored light.

 

In addition to Jo Mi-Gyeong's evocative characters and dramatic settings and Joana Lafuente’s restrained and textured palette, Ed Dukeshire fills Ranger Academy #11 with black and red uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons and shares Sage's thoughts in green narrative boxes. While the Head Archivist’s off-camera dialogue fills a white narrative box, a yellow border reminds us which campus Nika attended as a Junior Ranger. Giant red letters herald an act of bravery, while yellow sound effects trumpet a new danger threatening Sage's family and school. Thanks to Boom! Studios and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

As Sage, her adoptive father, and her friends return to their infected school, the hope of curing the corrupted students and faculty lies with Lindy, the first-year student who cannot morph, in Ranger Academy #11.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1 Review

 

Writer: Ryan Parrott

Artist: Shawn Daley

Colorist: James Fenner

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke, Stan Sakai & Emi Fujii; Takeshi Miyazawa; Jared Cullum; Goñi Montes

Designer: Madison Goyette

Editors: Kenzie Ronzca, Allyson Gronowitz, Bryce Carlson & Matt Gagnon

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $7.99

Release Date: September 25, 2024

 

Miyamoto Usagi protects a rare treasure. Usagi works on behalf of Mizuki and her people. As fighters regularly attempt to steal the glowing green orb, Usagi’s skill as a former samurai allows him to deflect them. But the Wadokei is ticking. Can Mizuki enlist more help before they lose the Dragon’s Eye forever? Let’s grab our katanas, leap into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1, and see! 

 

Story

Like Mizuki and her people, Angel Grove faces constant attacks. Today, Hogwash roots through the town, and only the Power Rangers can stop it. Yet, like the three attackers Usagi chased away, each Ranger fight as they see fit. Like Starlord in Avengers Infinity War, Jason wishes they would follow his orders. So, as they banter, Jason uses his Power Sword to banish Hogwash. But then, as if summoned by Zordon, the Rangers disappear amid colored light.

 

Hogwash was not unique. Rita Repulsa's monsters often resemble animals and plants. When the Rangers materialize in a Japanese temple surrounded by humanoid animals, they prepare to fight. Tomotsu Ogasawara calms the Rangers. The Human introduces them to the people he protects. As in Angel Grove, monsters continually attack nearby homes and farms. The locals have gathered in the Temple of the Eternal Spring for safety. Tomotsu may be a rare Human foundling, but he safeguards the community that raised him. Like the gods in Jason And The Argonauts, Tomotsu sought visions of heroes in the temple waters. Then he prayed that the Masters would send the Rangers to drive the monsters away.

 

After the Rangers choose to aid Tomotsu, Jason shares his concerns with the lone Human in Usagi's world. Later, in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1, the Rangers help Mizuki and her people. Usagi shares his experience to cast Jason's dilemma in perspective. Ryan Parrott's story then hurls the Rangers and Usagi into battle with the man who brought them to this world and an ancient evil that could destroy it.

 

Art

Shawn Daley hurls Usagi into battle. Usagi looks lean, lithe, and agile as he deflects their attacks. Usagi favors a two-handed grip with a single katana. But he often uses his hands and feet to deliver telling blows amid flying leaps and spectacular acrobatics. Zach comments that Usagi is the toughest bunny he has ever seen in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1. Yet Daley’s portrait of all the Rangers emphasizes their youth. They may be teens with attitude, but they have much to learn. While they look up to Tomotsu, the Rangers stand eye-to-eye with the residents of Usagi's world. Jason and his team wear traditional costumes and summon their zords when they fight. Yet, in the final battle, their attire changes to honor the civilization they protect.

 

While Shawn Daley applies lines and dots to shadows and foreground characters, James Fenner enhances these with color. The ever-changing color palette brightens scenes as Hogwash exhales florescent acid, the Rangers become a comet that whizzes through a vibrant circle of energy as it orbits Earth, and the teens arrive in the yellow and brown temple. Tomotsu becomes a silhouette as he stands before a gray fountain pouring turquoise water into a splashing pool that evokes Koura standing beside the fountain of destiny in The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad. Yet Tomotsu’s purple attire shines as he grasps the green orb and unleashes a torrent of yellow, orange, and red destruction.

 

Ed Dukeshire casts uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. Lines of text are well-spaced, and words rarely shrink. But dialogue swells and changes color when characters introduce themselves, morph, and fight. Sound effects enhance a hammer slipping from the hand of an unworthy wielder, Usagi sending the Rangers flying, and zords charging through the pastoral landscape threatened by Tomotsu’s actions. While Zach realizes Usagi has some tricks up his sleeves, the creators team up to unleash theirs and make Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1 a unique and enjoyable read. Thanks to Boom! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

When the Rangers stumble, Usagi helps them find their feet. Jason and Usagi bolster each other’s worldviews in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1. The ronin may lack a Power Sword. Still, he proves a welcome ally as the Rangers battle fire-breathing ninjas and a man bent on bringing Usagi's world to its knees.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Ranger Academy #10 Review

 

Writer: Maria Ingrande Mora

Artist: Jo Mi-Gyeong

Colorist: Joana Lafuente

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Designer: Madison Goyette

Editors: Kenzie Rzonca, Allyson Gronowitz, Bryce Carlson & Matt Gagnon

Special Thanks: Dafna Pleban, Tayla Reo, Linda Lee & Ed Lane

Cover Artists: Miguel Mercado, Jo Mi-Gyeong & Audrey Mok

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 4, 2024

 

The Headmaster told Sage that her father had killed another junior ranger. Head Archivist Nika was friends with her father and Zilan. Nika knows Rhianth pursued Zilan into the Green Dormitory but doesn’t know how Zilan died. Perhaps Rhianth won't tell his friend what happened, but Sage wants to learn the truth behind the shuttle accident that killed Tula's sister and closed the Green Dorm. Can Sage pierce this conspiracy of silence, get Tula reinstated, and prove that it's okay to be a Green Power Ranger? Let's grab our Power Coins, leap into Ranger Academy #10, and see!

 

Story

The Ranger Academy teaches the value of high ethical standards. Yet, it abounds with well-intentioned saboteurs. Sage’s fellow First Years organize a diversion at the Training Grounds. Mathis uses her digital mischief to deactivate the Loading Bay sensors, and Head Archivist Nika leaves the shuttle keys on his desk. Even Lindy breaks school regulations and stows away on Mathis and Sage’s shuttle. Now they’re heading to Vaela, where Sage must apologize to her dad for abandoning him without leaving a note.

 

Mathis is frightened of Sage's dad, but they have more important things to worry about in Ranger Academy #10. The last time Mathis and Tula traveled here, they crashed in the rainy planetoid's low gravity. Worse, Mathis only gets radio silence from Ranger Academy. At least after they land the shuttle, Mathis reunites with Tula. Their friend visited Sage's scary dad instead of returning home. Rhianth is expecting them. And boy, does he have a story to tell!

 

Rhianth explains the mystery surrounding the shuttle accident that killed Tula’s sister and why Ranger Academy closed the Green Dormitory. Her father's tale gives Shay much to process. Tula finds Sage in her treehouse. Mathis isn't far behind. They're concerned about Sage. But Mathis also worries about what may happen at Ranger Academy in their absence.

 

Maria Ingrande Mora's story resounds with the benefits of acceptance and mutual support. Ranger Academy #10 also reminds us how fear isolates and paralyzes us. Sage and her friends must convince the school administrators to forsake fear to defeat Dark Specter. Ironically, Lindy is the first to act. The First Year Cadet is as sensitive as an empath and the only member of her class who can't morph. But she won't let that stop her from taking risks and doing what she believes is right.

 

Art

As the shuttle descends through Vaela’s thick cloud layer, Lindy molds herself against Sage’s side. Sage’s muscles are tense as she cringes while strapped to her chair. Despite Mathis' determined expression, the shuttle clips the trees before it slides to a stop in the mud. As Mathis, Sage, and Lindy emerge, Lindy presses her hands to her face. Her arms drop, and she smiles when a golden bird with long tail feathers flies overhead. Then she interposes herself between Mathis, Sage, and the approaching shadows. Tula appears in a rain jacket, her hands on her hips, as a flock of goatlike animals rush in, and little Nugget leaps up to embrace Sage.

 

Joana Lafuente paints the ground maroon, and the distant trees merge with the blue sky. When sunlight pierces the clouds, Jo Mi-Gyeong's eggshell rock formations turn from gray to brown, and the land beneath them from blue to yellow. An orange and brown structure rises in the epicenter of one such crater that suggests the planet's crust formed bubbles as it cooled. Rhianth waits before his chapel-like home. As he presses Sage against his orange-red shirt, her reddish-brown mop appears brown in the cloud cover, the tousled ends show more blue-green than ever, and the green pack Sage wears declares her choices.

 

Ed Dukeshire fills the pages of Ranger Academy #10 with large black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons, shares Sage's thoughts in green narrative boxes, and Rhianth’s story in white narrative boxes. Sound effects enhance a rough shuttle landing, Mathis respecting Sage and Tula’s need for privacy, and an explosion that isn’t thunder. Thanks to Boom! Studios and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Sage cast fear aside when she stowed away aboard Mathis and Tula’s shuttle. Yet she insulated herself from friends and shied away from her destiny at Ranger Academy. In a take-charge endeavor, Sage returns home to learn the truth about herself. What her father reveals has repercussions for Sage and could pave the way forward for her school’s fearful administration in Ranger Academy #10.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 Review

 

Writer: Melissa Flores

Artist: Simona Di Gianfelice

Colorist: Raúl Angulo & Jose Enrique Fernández

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke; Björn Barends; Goñi Montes; Trevor Hairsine & Jordan Boyd; Santa Fung; Dan Mora; Mateus Manhanini

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $7.99

Release Date: July 31, 2024

 

Billy violated his fellow Rangers’ trust and shattered the Morphin Grid. Mr Ashford led an attack on the Rangers at Angel Grove. The last power egg is cracking. And Earth relies on Lord Zedd's Serpentera Zord for protection. Can the Power Rangers cure Dark Specter’s infection, restore their corrupted friends, and rebuild the Morphin Grid? Let’s leap into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 and find out!

 

Story

Zordon can’t stop Dark Specter’s unloving feeling. Chloe Ashford fights her evil dad in Angel Grove. Tommy watches Kimberly march off to war. Rocky and Adam wonder if they have one last fight in them. Melissa Flores gets Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 off with a bang, weaving numerous plotlines into this double-length finale in Boom's 8-year saga.

 

Amid the leave-taking, fighting, and drama, the big story is the assault on the Void. Ari reopened that area of space to the Morphin Grid. Now, the Zeo Crystal planet is up for grabs. The Good, the Bad, and the Infected all want to get their hands on this immense power source, so they forge paths through the Shattered Grid to reach it. The planet the Morphin Masters didn't want people to visit becomes the battleground for the health of everyone everywhere.

 

While friends and lovers depart for the Void, those left behind protect the homefront. Not all who fight are Rangers. Some wish to become Power Rangers. Others were Rangers but lost their superpowers. Lord Zedd protects Earth against the man who took Rita away from him. While Ari mourns her lover’s loss, Remi fights for Dark Specter. She realizes her partner loves her and remembers her feelings for Ari. In Remi's corrupted state, it's just a fact, nothing more.

 

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 hums with power as Rangers and their friends battle their foes on many fronts. Yet, at its core, Melissa Flores' story is about generational change. Angel Ashford fights against the Rangers. His daughter Chloe became one. Billy ignored the advice of his friends and elders and shattered the Morphin Grid. Children will forge different paths than their parents. Teachers impart the wisdom of their years, but students embrace different beliefs, values, and outlooks than their mentors. Flores' story reminds us that conflict is inevitable and love is eternal.

 

Art

Like Godzilla and Kong, Serpentera leaps atop Rita’s former Space Skull, but the spaceship escapes Lord Zedd’s zord and hits back with laser fire. Angel Ashford transforms raging thralls into stretchy claws, but his daughter Chloe sprouts wings and dives toward his chest. As Power Rangers battle their corrupted kin, thralls surround aspiring and former Rangers. Rocky and Adam stand before a window, watching Kimberly and Tommy embrace. The wood frame of the paneled window evokes the bars of their cell in Safehaven.

 

Raúl Angulo & Jose Enrique Fernández ground bright, attractive colors with grays and browns on Simona Di Gianfelice’s art in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1. Ari blazes a white zigzag through the purple Void. Blue unites Billy, Zordon, and a holographic globe in a purple control room. Gray soldiers guard gray buildings amid soft green trees in the Bermuda Triangle. A green and purple kaleidoscope bathes Billy, Phantom Ranger, and Dr Kendall Morgan in its Spirographic light. While Billy watches morphed Rangers run into a swirling blue and purple vortex, a cracked white egg rests on a gray pedestal in a similarly colored room surrounded by brown pyramidal pillars.

 

Black and colored uppercase lettering inhabits white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Lowercase black letters on parchment scraps reveal journal entries. Ed Dukeshire’s enlarged colored dialogue accompanies morphing, while sound effects enhance the battle for Earth and Ari’s attack on her corrupted lover’s spaceship. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 reminds us that healing may leave complications, things and people shattered can be rebuilt but not necessarily restored, and children often forge different paths than their elders.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my reviews at Comic Book Dispatch.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #121 Review

 

Writer: Melissa Flores

Artist: Hendry Prasetya

Colorist: Matt Herms

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke; Björn Barends; Mona Finden; Goñi Montes; Mateus Manhanini; John Giang

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $4.99

Release Date: May 26, 2024

 

Billy Cranston can't sleep. Dark Specter's infection hasn't reached him yet, but it's only a matter of time. Soon, the shield protecting Earth will fail. Can he find a way to defend Earth and repel the corruption that has swept through the Morphin Grid? Or will he go crazy from lack of sleep? Let’s leap into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #121 and find out!

 

Story

Grace Sterling died, but her influence lives on. She haunts Billy’s rare hours of sleep and stays beside him as he works. He still admires her, even if others don't. This morning is no different. She accompanies him as he meets Dr Kendall Morgan and the Phantom Ranger. The two wrack their brains for ways to prevent the shield protecting Earth from failing. Their latest proposals hold no more promise than all the rest. Truisms like "We'll get through this" are comforting. Yet the Solar Rangers foiled their most promising proposal by severing access to the Void. No one considers curing the Morphin Grid anymore. Their best ideas can protect Earth for a few more days. But eventually, the infection corrupting all other areas of the Grid will break through the shield and overtake Earth.

 

Billy isn’t usually so pessimistic. Dr Morgan sees how stress and insomnia affect Billy in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #121. She suggests he take a break and clear his mind. Aisha cleansed Rocky and Adam, so Billy visits them. Dark Specter's infection is gone, but they're reeling from feelings of violation and haunted by what they did under his influence. Perhaps someone like Tommy, who also fell victim to Dark Specter and found his way back to them, can help. But Billy can't understand what they went through.

 

Everyone else casts the battle with Dark Specter's infection as good combating evil. Their history teaches them that good must triumph. Yet Death waits at Earth’s door, and no one can prevent it from opening. So Billy visits Kiya. The discredited ranger regards him from behind the energy bars of her cell. “You’re coming to me?” her expression says. “You must be desperate.” Billy wasn’t ready to contemplate her radical approach to curing the Morphin Grid when she unplugged one of the Power Eggs. But in Melissa Flores’ story, Billy has tried every conceivable remedy to heal the infection. Billy asks her to run her reasoning by him again. In Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #121, Billy is finally willing to listen to the woman who killed Lord Drakkon and tried to blow up the Morphin Grid.

 

Thank goodness Billy's not infected by Dark Specter's infection!

 

Art

An inset panel magnifies the bedside clock as Billy turns off the alarm. His untamed hair and drawn expression suggest rapid aging. The cracked eggs project sparks instead of a pillar of light before the damaged arch. Rocky throws up a hand at Billy. Panic etched into his features, his muscles poised to run away. Kiya's arms uncross and fall to her sides as she speaks. Billy's takeaways from their conversation dot a double-page spread showing a villain's efforts to become a god.

 

Matt Herms lavishes a loaded palette on Hendry Prasetya’s art in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #121. Grace Stirling appears in red. Even her white slacks hint at red. Red energy bars protect Billy from Kiya's influence. Yet her story leads Billy to Jason, who exercises in a red tank top. Grace’s red ghost counsels Billy as he sits on a black iron bench. The brownish-yellow air obscures the distant green trees while Billy gazes at the sky. The pink and green aurora are beautiful, even amid the foul haze. Yet they remind Billy that the shield protecting Earth is weakening and destined to fail. Think, Billy! What does the color red signify?

 

Black and red uppercase lettering inhabits white dialogue balloons, while Billy’s thoughts appear in blue narrative boxes. Ed Dukeshire’s letter size, line spacing, and contrast between print and backgrounds make Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #121 easy to read. The surging electricity he provokes may shatter readers' perception of Billy in Melissa Flores’ story. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Driven by insomnia and desperation, Billy Cranston takes a leaf out of Dr Gregory House’s book, stops listening to his friends' treatment options, and contemplates a dangerous cure for Dark Specter’s infection in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #121.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Ranger Academy #8 Review

 

Writer: Maria Ingrande Mora

Artist: Jo Mi-Gyeong

Colorist: Joana Lafuente

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Cover Artists: Miguel Mercado, Jo Mi-Gyeong & Crystal Kung

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 5, 2024

 

Sage is a fortunate first-year cadet at Ranger Academy. She passed her trial on Chromia. Her spectracite crystal helped her morph. Yet Sage hid her ability because her friend Lindy couldn't morph, and everyone associates Green Rangers with evil. Sage also feels responsible for the death of Tula's sister, Tashi, and the evil that swirls within the closed Green Dormitory, even though Sage didn't attend Ranger Academy when those events occurred. Can Sage fight the evil inside her and protect her friends when Dark Specter invades the Academy? Let's grab our Power Coins, leap into Ranger Academy #8, and see!

 

Story

Sage wants answers, so she interrupts Tula during a battlefield simulation. The nearby trees in the dark forest decide to reach out and touch someone, but they’re not offering a relaxing massage. Then Lindy wanders inside the room, and Sage can't hide her abilities anymore. She morphs into the Green Ranger alongside Tula’s Red Ranger and battles the angry trees.

 

With Lindy's help, Sage and Tula fight off the trees and end the program. But victory brings fallout. Lindy wants to know why Sage hid her abilities. The teachers want to know what caused the Battle Matrix to simulate Mirkwood and the Whomping Willow.

 

In Ranger Academy #8, Lindy knows more about being a Power Ranger than her fellow first-year cadets. Yet Lindy couldn’t morph. Lindy is a gentle soul that Sage and her fellow first-year cadets have tried to protect. But now Lindy feels betrayed by Sage’s deception.

 

Sage has had her doubts about third-year cadet Tula. Along with Mathis, Tula is responsible for bringing her to Ranger Academy. But in Maria Ingrande Mora’s story, Tula used Sage to gain entry to the closed Green dormitory. Tula was desperate to learn the mystery behind her sister's hushed-up shuttle accident and why the Academy closed the Green dormitory after Tashi’s death. Was Sage ever Tula's friend, or just a tool to get what Tula wanted?

 

Sage must mend fences in Ranger Academy #8. The headmaster orders her to control her violent emotions. Sage must also find a way to heal the rift between her and Lindy before her betrayal leaves delicate Lindy scarred and their friendship in ruins. And amid the fallout from Dark Specter’s attack, someone must pay for the damage to the Battle Matrix and breaking the seal on the Green Dormitory.

 

 

Art

Jo Mi-Gyeong enhances the frantic fighting as Tula rips Lindy from a limb's embrace. Green Ranger wields a double-bladed staff at the pummeling branches. Lindy hugs Green Ranger before returning to Tula. But when a branch gets too friendly with Sage, Tula transforms into Red Ranger and matches her sword against the crazed cellulose.

 

Energy swirls around the door controls. When Lindy requests aid, Red Ranger’s triangular sword slashes through the controls. Lindy smiles as she peers into the opening and grabs the wires. Red Ranger grips Green’s shoulder while fighting at her side. When Red leaps into a desperate lunge, Green crouches while Lindy hugs her from behind.

 

Joana Lafuente paints the ferocious forest blue and green. Sage's staff sweeps a light green arc through the Battle Matrix, while Tula's sword leaves a red trail. Lindy's maroon hair shines in the dark as she frowns at Sage and suggests they attack the glowing white swirls in Ranger Academy #8. Yet nothing shines as brightly as the Infirmary, where Sage and Lindy sit together without regarding each other. Their tan and brown uniforms stand out from the glowing pink and yellow walls as Sage drinks from a juice box the same shade as her green-tinted hair. Then, the room darkens as the red-haired headmaster appears in a pillar of light.

 

Ed Dukeshire supercharges Ranger Academy #8 with black uppercase letters in white and colored dialogue balloons and shares Sage's thoughts in green narrative boxes. Energetic sound effects convey the breathtaking battle. The Rangers' colored grunts and cries burst free of their entrapping balloons. And white block letters, followed by an ellipsis, hint at the tragedy or triumph to come.

 

Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Evil refuses to die, infections to the Morphin Grid linger, and Sage learns why her father turned his back on the Power Rangers in Ranger Academy #8.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.