Elsa Charretier |

TITLE: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink #2
AUTHORS: Brenden Fletcher, Kelly Thompson
PENCILLER: Daniele Di Nicuolo. Cover by Elsa Charretier.
PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASED: July 27, 2016

***WARNING: Spoilers lay ahead!***

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Well this was unexpected. To not only get the return of Kimberly Hart as the Pink Ranger, but two additional returns! The intrigue level just went up. But at what cost (if any) to our main character?

Kimberly is in trouble. Goldar has captured her mother and turned her into a ghastly monster. Though her powers have been temporarily returned to her thanks to Zordon, the Pink Ranger needs help. It comes in the form of two old friends: Zack and Trini. But will they be enough to save her mother and defeat Goldar?

Zack and Trini came completely out of left field, and I’m not sure their presence is a good thing. We spend a large portion of this issue catching up, giving them their powers, etc. But isn’t this book supposed to be about Kimberly? At what point does the novelty of having these heroes back distract from Kim’s story? That’s not to say they aren’t important. But how about a book featuring Jason, Zack, and Trini as a trio? They all went to the same peace conference, after all.

Speaking of which, in this issue we hear Jason “has his own mission to attend to.” Uh…what? I assume they wanted a reason to keep Jason out of the book, for fear of even more focus shifting away from Kim. But with a line like that, you’ve got to assume they’ll tell us where he is eventually. Either that, or they’re wetting our appetites for a future MMPR: Red story.

Kimberly gives Zack and Trini their powers back by sharing her temporary power from Zordon. They both get makeshift costumes as well. Only instead of having strictly black accents, their suits come with traces of pink as well. It’s a nice representation of their power coming from Kim’s “pink energy.” Also, for whatever reason, Zack’s has a hood.

The past rears its head yet again when Goldar debuts Typhonis, a new war zord made from the hacked up limbs of the Thunder Megazord and Tigerzord. It conjures up memories of the zords falling apart on the show, which was somehow hysterical. So intentional or not, Typhonis is funny by association.

This issue also gives us our first in-story appearance of the White Ranger. Kim has a very brief exchange with Tommy, reaffirming the necessity for them to have a reunion by the end of this story. After Amy Jo Johnson left the show, the only closure we got on the relationship was a Dear John letter received by Tommy during the events of Power Rangers Zeo. It wasn’t even addressed when Johnson returned for Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie. What I’d like is a scene that helps bridge the gap between MMPR and Zeo. Give us some insight we didn’t have before. Show us where their relationship is. Perhaps this is the last time they’re together before the break up…

Daniele Di Nicuolo gets to flex her “acting” muscles more in this issue. Much of it is very animated, i.e. Trini’s face exploding with jubilation at the sight of her old friend. That’s something we wouldn’t see in one of Hendry Prasetya’s issues over in the main series. That’s not a knock, just a difference. This book should look different than MMPR proper. Both books are fun, which is what matters. I look forward to seeing another of Di Nicuolo’s explosive, high energy action sequences next issue.

The return of Zack and Trini is a pleasant surprise. But Fletcher and Thompson need to be careful. The book isn’t about the dynamic between Kimberly, Zack, and Trini. It’s about Kimberly. Yes, the Power Rangers have their foundation in teamwork and camaraderie. But let’s remember where our focus should be. This is the Pink Ranger’s much-deserved spotlight. Let her shine.

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TITLE: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink #1
AUTHOR: Brenden Fletcher, Kelly Thompson
PENCILLER: Danielle Di Nicuolo. Cover by Elsa Charretier.
PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASED: June 1, 2016

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

It makes sense that Kimberly is the first Power Ranger to get a solo story from BOOM! Studios. That character had a special connection with the audience. She was spunky, athletic, strong, and feminine. On a show that was primarily for boys, she gave young girls someone to look up to. In many ways, she was the most interesting character on the show. So it’s all the more natural that Brenden Fletcher, renowned author of books like Batgirl, Gotham Academy, and Black Canary, would find his way to her. He obviously knows his way around strong female characters, which bodes well for Kimberly’s fans.

Some time after Kimberly left her Power Ranger days behind her to compete at the Pan Global Games, she finds herself in St. Moineau, France. Her mother and stepfather, along with all the town’s residents, have mysteriously gone missing. Suspecting foul play, she contacts Zordon. While she may be a bit rusty, Kim is about to dust off her helmet and bow for another round as the Pink Ranger!

In contrast to the ongoing series, Pink arguably appeals to an older audience that’s more familiar with the TV show. This issue is full of fan service. We get very specific callbacks to names and events from the show, not the least of which are the Pan Global Games, and a magic sword Zordon uses to give Kim her powers back. It would have been very easy to simply separate the Pink Ranger from the rest of the team, somehow. For instance, perhaps the other Rangers get sent to another planet, and she’s left to defend Earth herself. The fact they didn’t do that says a lot about this team’s respect for the character and her world. While those less familiar with the show may be left in the dark a bit, it’s worth it for those of us who watched all those years ago.

The Kimberly we meet here has a bad ass streak that the one we knew did not have. She wears a leather jacket, rides a motorcycle, and has a bow and arrows if needed. It’s a bit like Arrow meets The Hunger Games. But Fletcher and Thompson make sure there’s enough of the bubbly Kimberly that we remember. You can believably hear Amy Jo Johnson’s voice in her dialogue.

Our villain winds up being someone we know from the show, who has long deserved a crack at being a solo villain. Seeing how he and Kimberly match up one-on-one should prove intriguing for (again) long time fans of the show.

Danielle Di Nicuolo draws a hell of a Pink Ranger. Though the costume she wears in this issue (shown above) is slightly different than the one we’re familiar with. Most conspicuous are the traces of black, which I interpret as a mark of Kim’s experience and veteran standing. I imagine if there were to be a Power Rangers version of Marvel’s X-Factor, reuniting the original team members, these are the kind of costumes they’d wear.

Di Nicuolo’s strengths lie with action scenes. Her Kimberly is best when she’s kicking, flipping, or using her bow and arrow. She show’s us a fighting style that makes sense for Kimberly. Her inclusion of a classic Pink Ranger pose toward the end of the issue was much appreciated.

I never imagined we’d have two Power Ranger comics on the stands at the same time. Much less two that seem to value and appreciate the source material so much. It’s a testament to how much of an impact Power Rangers had on ’90s kids, that they’d grow up and create such awesome comics featuring those heroes. I, for one, can’t wait to see more.

Images from readcomics.net.

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