Tag Goldar

Power Rangers Beast Morphers, “Making Bad” Review (Goldar Returns…sort of)

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

***As big a Power Rangers fan as I am, I must admit: I’m a little behind on modern PR. Here’s where I attempt to fix that, as I check out episodes of Power Rangers Beast Morphers!***

Goldar Maximus, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, Making BadSERIES: Power Rangers Beast Morphers
EPISODE: S27:E14 – “Making Bad”
STARRING: Rorrie D. Travis, Jazz Baduwalia, Jacqueline Scislowski, Abraham Rodriguez, Campbell Cooley (Voice)
WRITERS: Becca Barnes, Alwyn Dale, Maiya Thompson, James Collins, Cameron Dixon
DIRECTOR: Simon Bennett
PREMIERE DATE: June 17, 2020 (UK), October 17, 2020 (US)
SYNOPSIS: Evox’s forces debate which villain to revive to take on the Rangers.

New around here? Check out the Power Rangers review archive!

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

“Making Bad” is a strange episode. Not necessarily strange in a bad way. But strange nonetheless.

The premise is that Scrozzle, Robo-Blaze, Robo-Roxy, and the other villains are debating about which villains to bring back next with the Reanimizer. They watch old footage of villains like Koragg, Astronema, Lord Zedd, and Psycho Red before finally settling on their choice. As a long-time fan that’s really cool to see, even if the footage is “watered down” (more on that in a bit).

But from a storytelling perspective, it’s odd that the episode spends so much time teaching us about villains we ultimately won’t end up seeing.  The four villains mentioned above have no impact on Beast Morphers whatsoever. So what’s the point in talking about them? Simple fanservice?

Lord Zedd footage, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, Making Bad

Incidentally, seeing how much Lord Zedd is emphasized in this episode and the previous one, I can’t help but wonder if at this point they already knew what they were going to do with Zedd in Dino Fury…

Most of the retro footage we see in this episode has a “watered down” feel to it, as it’s all been re-dubbed by different voice actors. It’s not limited to actors inside suits, either. The “conventional” performances, where you can see the actors’ faces, are dubbed as well. For instance, in the footage we see from Power Rangers in Space, Melody Perkins (Astronema) and Christopher Kayman Lee (Andros) are dubbed over by new actors. And for the most part the original actors, like Perkins and Lee, weren’t used for the dubbing. (The only major exception is Koragg/Leonbow, whose actor Geoff Dolan does return).

According to research done by Linkara, this may have something to do with voice-only tracks for those old episodes not being available. Whether that’s actually the case or not, the effect is the same: It sucks. It really takes the punch out of seeing characters like Zedd and Astronema referenced in modern PR.

Trivia note: The actress who dubs for Rita’s voice, Susan Brady, also voiced the character during her brief appearance in Mystic Force.

After Robo-Roxy suggests Astronema be revived, Robo-Blaze says she should remember Astronema became a good guy from Ranger History Class. So wait, Blaze and Roxy took the class too?!? Who’s in this class, anyway? Did Nate take it too? Are Devon, Ravi, and Zoey still taking it as the series continues? I want to know!!!

Robo-Roxy, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, Making Bad

Robo-Roxy is batting a thousand in this episode, as she refers to King Mondo from Zeo as “King Mondu.” Whoops.

While the villains are debating about who to bring back, the Rangers spend some time hunting for a jewel thief who picks his targets in alphabetical order. It ultimately turns out to be a Robotron, who may very well be the stupidest jewel thief of all time.

Evox’s forces ultimately choose to revive Goldar, albeit an “upgraded” and enhanced version of Goldar. He’ll ultimately be referred to as Goldar Maximus, so that’s what we’ll call him here. Once again, Goldar’s original voice actor, Kerrigan Mahan, is not used. I’m not sure if it was a union issue (which Power Rangers has run into historically), an issue of not wanting to pay a certain amount to get him, or something else. Even more than the dubbed retro footage, that hurts the final product. No disrespect to Adrian Smith, who was ultimately picked to voice Goldar Maximus. But as a kid, a huge part of why Goldar had such an imposing presence, especially in season one, was because of the beastly and animalistic voice Mahan used. It just doesn’t feel like Goldar without him doing the voice.

Behind the scenes, the decision to use Goldar was dictated by the Sentai source material they’d been using for “Finders Keepers,” this episode, and the next episode, the movie Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters: The Great Dinosaur Battle! Farewell, Our Eternal Friends. (Yeesh. That’s a title…) The film sees Goldar’s Sentai counterpart, Grifforzer, return in the altered form we see here. So to a large extent, if they wanted to use Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters, they had to use Goldar…

Goldar Maximus, image 2, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, Making Bad

Or did they? Would it have been too lame to make the altered Grifforzer suit Goldar’s son, or some kind of relative? That would solve the Kerrigan Mahan issue.

On Evox’s order, Goldar kills Sledge for his insolence. That’s a nice little feather in Goldar’s cap, as Sledge was, of course, a lead villain. And I have no doubt Sledge will be back somewhere down the line. Beast Morphers was the third consecutive series he’d appeared in, after Dino Charge and Ninja Steel. The guy is hard to keep down, that’s all I’m sayin’.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Power Rangers Beast Morphers, “Finders Keepers” Review (Dino Charge Team-Up!)

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

***As big a Power Rangers fan as I am, I must admit: I’m a little behind on modern PR. Here’s where I attempt to fix that, as I check out episodes of Power Rangers Beast Morphers!***

Devon, Tyler, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, Finders KeepersSERIES: Power Rangers Beast Morphers
EPISODE: S27:E13 – “Finders Keepers”
STARRING: Rorrie D. Travis, Jazz Baduwalia, Jacqueline Scislowski, Abraham Rodriguez, Jamie Linehan (Voice)
GUEST-STARRING: Brennan Mejia, James Davies, Yoshi Sudarso, Davi Santos, Camille Hyde (Voice), Michael Taber (Voice)
WRITERS: Becca Barnes, Alwyn Dale, Denise Downer
DIRECTOR: Oliver Driver
PREMIERE DATE: June 16, 2020 (UK), October 10, 2020 (US)
SYNOPSIS: A scramble ensues for possession of Ryjack’s villainous artifacts.

New around here? Check out the Power Rangers review archive!

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Keeper (who we know from Dino Charge) arrives to search for Ryjack’s villainous artifacts amid the wreckage of his ship, and Ravi remarks that he recognizes him from “Ranger History Class.” They have to take a class?!? Who teaches said class? Presumably a Ranger alum, right?

Actually, you know who’d be a really fitting teacher? Alpha 6. Or if they really wanted to go old school, Alpha 5.

This episode doesn’t do Zoey any favors. Granted, part of the story is her learning a lesson about rushing into things. But she still looks pretty stupid running headlong into a strange spaceship. Then you’ve got her slapping Keeper with the compliance collar. Didn’t she take Ranger History Class too? Wouldn’t she know who Keeper is, what he looks like, etc?

Among the objects in Ryjack’s collection are: Lord Zedd’s staff, Goldar’s sword, and Sledge’s blaster. Mind you, those are merely the items I immediately recognized. How Ryjack got these various items is a question for fanfiction. For instance, one could reasonably make the point that Zedd’s staff and Goldar’s sword were destroyed by the Zordon wave at the end of “Countdown to Destruction.” But one could just as easily assume that Zedd had more than one staff, Goldar had more than one sword, etc. Remember, a lot of these guys had been around for millions of years…

This episode leaves something to be desired as far as telling us who the Dino Charge Rangers are. It more or less assumes the viewer knows them coming in. As someone who, as of this writing, has not seen Dino Charge, that kind of sucks. It does a disservice to the characters. I had no idea, for instance, that the Dino Charge Gold Ranger is apparently a knight from the 13th century. I can only imagine certain people’s confusion as to why the Blue Ranger is talking like a cave man…

Though in all fairness, “Finders Keepers” has a lot to accomplish for one episode. So there’s not necessarily time to explore character dynamics with the Dino Charge team. However, it would have been nice to at least formally get their names. I’ve had to do a little bit of background research just to get them myself.

On the subject of returning Rangers, Camille Hyde (who plays Shelby, Dino Charge Pink) and Michael Taber (Riley, Dino Charge Green) were apparently unable to return in person for this episode, but did do voice cameos. That’s really nice, and not something to be taken for granted. As we’ll see in the next couple of episodes, it’s a luxury we won’t always have.

During the truck chase sequence, which consists mostly (if not entirely) of Sentai footage, we briefly see a street sign in Japanese (shown above). That isn’t a big deal to me. But that kind of thing is usually edited out of Power Rangers episodes. I’d be curious to know why they didn’t do it here.

This episode also features the unheralded, and not even acknowledged return of the Triptoids from Dino Thunder. They’re simply there for no apparent reason during the fight scene when the Dino Charge Rangers show up. A line or two introducing them would have been nice. But again, there isn’t necessarily time in this episode. 

“Finders Keepers” sees the Reanimizer revive Sledge, Snide, and a few other villains from Dino Charge. And they’re still around at the end of the episode. And yet, after the immediate threat has passed, Keeper and the Dino Charge Rangers hightail it back to their dimension, saying they’re needed there. From an in-story standpoint, I call BS on that. Keeper, Tyler, or somebody from the Dino Charge side of things could have stayed behind to help or advise the Beast Morphers team. Thanks for the help, ya jerks…

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Toy Chest Theater: Goldar by Anthony Mattea

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Goldar returns to “Toy Chest Theater” once again, as Anthony Mattea allows the character to quite literally spread his wings.

The timing of this image is interesting, as I just watched the “Grid Connection” episode of Power Rangers Beast Morphers for an upcoming review. That episode sees an “upgraded” version of Goldar return to menace the Rangers. But as Mattea’s photo demonstrates, there’s nothing about the classic Goldar design that needed upgrading.

Goldar, Anthony Mattea

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #101 Micro-Review – A Fresh Start?

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 101, cover, 2022, Mateus ManhaniniTITLE: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #101
AUTHOR: Melissa Flores
ARTISTS: Simona Di Gianfelice, Raul Angulo (Colorist), Ed Dukeshire (Letterer). Cover by Mateus Manhanini.

RELEASED: October 26, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I’m coming back to BOOM’s MMPR stuff after being away for a little while. I was hoping for a fresh start. I’d say I got about half of one, which I’ll take.

Simona Di Gianfelice takes to the Rangers and their world very well. Her fight sequences have a nice energy to them, and her villains look suitably menacing. Except in the case of Goldar, who in this issue we see in a terrified state. Now that’s something different.

Two other things in this issue that are different: Dragonzord in flying mode, and the Rangers paintballing. I dig both.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Power Rangers Dino Fury, “Morphin Master” Review

Rob Siebert 2 Comments

Green Morphin Master, Power Rangers Dino Fury, Morphin MasterSERIES: Power Rangers Dino Fury

EPISODE: S29:E15 – “Morphin Master”
STARRING: Russell Curry, Hunter Deno, Kai Moya, Tessa Rao, Chance Perez, Jordan Fite
WRITERS: Becca Barnes, Alwyn Dale, Maiya Thompson
DIRECTOR: Chris Graham
PREMIERE DATE: September 29, 2022

SYNOPSIS: The Green Morphin Master aids the Rangers against Lord Zedd.

New around here? Check out the Power Rangers review archive!

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This episode drops a couple of big-picture bombs on us in terms of the larger PR universe. Let’s start with the Green Morphin Master saying that without the Morphin Grid, life cannot exist. That’s a pretty big proclamation. I was always under the impression that the Grid was something the Morphin Masters built themselves eons ago. It was once described to me by a superfan as: “The Force, if somebody built the Force.” Heck, back in Operation Overdrive we saw someone actually go in to the Morphin Grid.

So…something that sustains life in the universe? I don’t get it.

Moments later, we get the revelation that the Green Morphin Master was responsible for contacting Jason in “Grid Connection,” as well as summoning all the past Ranger teams in “Legendary Battle.” First of all, the fact that the episode spends so much time diving into continuity details like this speaks volumes as to the care being put into Dino Fury, and the affection its creators have for PR as a whole. I’m blown away.

Power Rangers Super Megaforce, Legendary Battle

Secondly, it’s awesome to get an explanation for how/why the past Ranger teams were summoned in the Super Megaforce finale. The added detail of the Rangers teleporting in balls of light in “Rafkon Revealed,” just as all the former Rangers did in “Legendary Battle,” is an attention to detail we rarely see on this show.

But one question remains…did the Green Morphin Master permanently restore all their powers? Or was this a one-shot deal? It seems like the latter is the case, otherwise she wouldn’t have needed to send the Tyrannosaurus Power Coin to Jason in “Grid Connection.” That notion is a little bit of a downer for me, as my own little head-canon had it that she restored all their powers. That would have easily explained how some of the past Rangers we saw in the show’s 25th anniversary episode, “Dimensions in Danger,” got their powers back…

It’s implied in this episode that the Green Morphin Master has interfered at a bunch of points in Power Rangers history, providing aid to teams who’ve needed it. I like that…to an extent. It could potentially explain some plot holes.

But at the same time, I’m not necessarily a fan of all Power Ranger teams having a “big brother” figure who can swoop in at the last minute as a deus ex machina. It lowers the stakes considerably if she can just wave a magic wand and save the day, just as she does with Zedd in this episode.

Rafkon destroyed, Power Rangers Dino Fury, Morphin Master

In stealing the Sporix Generator for himself, Zedd’s forces disrupt Rafkon’s planet core, causing it to explode. Granted, the planet is uninhabited at the time. So there’s no loss of life. But still, Zedd blows up a planet!

And not for the first time! Way back in “The Power Transfer,” Zedd used Serpentera to destroy the unnamed “deserted planet.” That planet, as the name suggests, was also uninhabited.

Lord Zedd, destroyer of (deserted) worlds! It does have a certain ring to it…

Zayto’s to Zedd: “Couldn’t let you destroy two planets today, Zedd.” I don’t like that line. It hits wrong. It almost makes light of the fact that Zayto just saw his homeworld blow up. Bad form.

Come to think of it, Dino Fury, and modern PR as a whole, has a problem with inappropriately placed humor. The best example of that you’ll ever find is in that same scene Zayto has the “two planets” line. Aiyon calls Zedd a chicken, and then goes “Moo.” It supposed to be a dramatic confrontation, as they’re coming face to face with Zedd after he friggin’ blew up their home planet. But it’s punctuated by a weird joke about animal noises.

As I make this comparison, I understand that Dino Fury isn’t Mighty Morphin, and that kids shows are done differently all these years later. But remember in “Return of an Old Friend, Part I” when Goldar blackmails the Rangers into giving up their Power Coins in exchange for their parents? And then he doesn’t live up to his end of the bargain? That’s a dramatic, scary scene. Especially for kids. It’s well assembled, and well performed.

Aiyon, Izzy, Javi, Power Rangers Dino Fury, Morphin Master

Now, imagine that same scene with a random animal noise joke. It would have killed all the tension. That’s what Aiyon’s line does to this confrontation with Zedd.

The Rangers’ new Dino Master Saber allows Aiyon to shift into Dino Master Mode, complete with a spiffy black cape. Considering they’re superheroes, it’s kind of amazing we haven’t seen more capes in almost 30 years of this franchise. Mystic Force notwithstanding, of course.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Astonishing Art: MMPR by Raptor Ranger

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I’m not really a fan of “dark” takes on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Certainly there’s a portion of the fandom that enjoys it, but it’s never really been my cup of tea…

Still, great art speaks for itself. And that’s exactly what we get from Raptor Ranger here. I’ve got a soft spot for season one Goldar, and the dark look definitely suits him. Especially with the glowing red eyes. Raptor Ranger definitely depicts him as someone you wouldn’t want to run into in a dark alley.

Also, note the little Easter egg on the far right. That little “Broom Beetle” poster is a nod to the season two episode, “The Beetle Invasion.”

MMPR, Goldar, Raptor Ranger

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Toy Chest Theater: Goldar in the City

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

There’s just something about Goldar. The gold armor, the fierce face, the broad wings, the big sword, that scary voice from Kerrigan Mahan. When you put it all together, it made for one of the most intimidating and formidable villains in Power Rangers history. And he wasn’t even one of the main villains!

Panoramic Toys presents us with this great shot of Goldar making his way through (presumably) Angel Grove as the sun sets over the city. That lighting is what really makes the image. It sets a sort of mood and tone one might not normally associate with Power Rangers.

Goldar, Panoramic Toys

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Toy Chest Theater: Goldar by Josh Wentworth

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Depending on where in the world you live, Goldar (or at least a rough imitation of Goldar) recently popped up in Power Rangers Beast Morphers. The footage is available on YouTube, for those of you who haven’t seen it. Austin St. John makes a guest appearance as Jason, the original Red Ranger. So it’s worth it for that alone.

Goldar’s re-emergence of sorts inspired me to post this shadowy image from Josh Wentworth. If they’d had the means, or even the desire to make Goldar look this cool on the original series, I imagine this is how he would have entered the Dark Dimension. You know, that enclosed smoky setting out in space? A setting in which we originally saw him fight, ironically enough, Jason.

Very much worth noting is the fact that this is a customized Lightning Collection Goldar (see the above image for reference). I hate to say it, but Wentworth’s paint job actually makes the original figure look that much more…well, plastic. In our little world, that’s not always an insult. But in this case, a darker Goldar is definitely an upgrade.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Weekly Comic 100s: Power Rangers Double Feature, Spider-Woman #1, and More!

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

***”Weekly Comic 100s” keeps it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

No comic shop for me this week. These were strictly digital purchases. Thank God for Comixology.The irony in all of this is that it feels like the prologue for a story you’d read in a comic book…

TITLE: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 (of 5)
AUTHOR: Ryan Parrott
ARTISTS: Simone di Meo, Alessio Zonno, Walter Baiamonte (Colorist), Igor Monti (Color Assistant), Ed Dukeshire (Letterer). Cover by Dan Mora.
RELEASED: March 18, 2020

You knew it was inevitable. You can’t have this story without somehow getting the Turtles into Ranger costumes. That being said those outfits are pretty goofy. Granted, the premise itself is goofy. And they look about as good as they were ever going to. But even by Power Ranger/Ninja Turtle standards…goofy as hell.

As I’ve said previously, pretty paint-by-numbers team-up stuff here. The TMNT characters do Power Rangers stuff, and vice versa. Shredder and Rita are still the best part. I’m guessing they’re already planning on a sequel, as we get a pretty obvious hint.

TITLE: Go Go Power Rangers #30
AUTHOR: Ryan Parrott, Sina Grace
ARTISTS: Francesco Mortarino, Raul Angulo (Colorist), Ed Dukeshire (Letterer). Cover by Eleonora Carlini.
RELEASED: March 11, 2020

A solid issue. But why is Finster creating monsters for Zedd? On the show he was pretty much on the shelf until Rita came back. Why isn’t Zedd just doing it himself?

I’m liking these Goldar, Squatt, and Baboo scenes we’ve been getting in both the main book and in Go Go. It brings back fond memories from season one.

As we move closer to the end (*sniff*), I can only assume Rocky, Adam, and Aisha will pop up soon. If for nothing else than a cameo in the final issue.

TITLE: Spider-Woman #1
AUTHOR: Karla Pacheco
ARTISTS: Pere Perez, Paulo Siqueira, Oren Junior (Inker), Frank D’Armata (Colorist), Travis Lanham (Letterer). Cover by Junggeun Yoon.
RELEASED: March 18, 2020

I’ve never read Karla Pacheco before. But in this book I’m getting a Bendis type vibe from her. That’s not a bad thing. As I recall, Bendis did alright in the Spider-Verse…

Our main story is about Jessica fighting a mysterious illness as she’s trying to protect a rich socialite from being kidnapped. It’s a lot of fun, though I’m partial to the back-up, which goes into how she got the job, and why she’s wearing a different costume for it. Why? Because she goes to a store called “Big Ronnie’s Custom Battle Spandex.”

That. Is. Brilliant.

TITLE: BANG! #2
AUTHOR: Matt Kindt
ARTISTS: Wilfredo Torres, Nayoung Kim (Colorist), Nate Piekos (Letterer)
RELEASED: March 18, 2020

BANG! was definitely the most fun book in my stack this week. What we have here is a series that isn’t afraid to revel in action movie tropes and cliches. But beneath the surface there’s something more serious with a lot of intrigue. I’ve officially got high hopes.

This month we meet a new hero, John Shaw, who’s looks like he’s based off John McClane. He gets in the middle of a massacre on a speeding train masterminded by a would-be Bond villain with a disfigured face and a speech impediment shamelessly played for laughs. Yup. I’m all in.

TITLE: Batman #91
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Rafael Albuquerque, Jorge Jimenez, Carlo Pagulayan, Danny Miki, Tomeu Morey (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)
RELEASED: March 18, 2020

Amidst all the chaos in this issue, the most interesting exchange is between Batman and Deathstroke. Our hero talks about the stakes in his war on crime constantly being raised. He’s almost pleading with Slade, saying that “you people,” i.e. supervillains, need to step aside so he can save Gotham.

Deathstroke gives the correct response, which is ,”You escalated first.”

This is an interesting scene to juxtapose with everything happening with the Designer, the Joker, Catwoman, etc.

We’re six issues into Tynion’s run, and Batman is still firing on all cylinders. Lord knows, I’m still along for the ride…

TITLE: Something is Killing the Children #6
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Werther Dell’Edera, Miquel Muerto (Colorist), Andworld Design (Letters)
RELEASED: March 18, 2020

As we close this issue we get another glimpse of “the Order,” a bunch of folks in suits who all wear bandanas like Erica. I nice, cryptic little scene with a little glimpse into Erica’s past.

They did a nice job of spreading the layouts over two pages this month. The panels go left to right, then down, then left and right, almost like words in a paragraph. It’s not necessarily a rare thing. But I really dug the execution here.

TITLE: Marvels X #3
AUTHORS: Alex Ross, Jim Krueger
ARTISTS: Well-Bee, Cory Petit (Letterer). Cover by Ross.
RELEASED: March 18, 2020

There’s a line in here about Reed Richards being blamed for a global pandemic. That one hits home right about now…

They apparently felt the need to re-emphasize David’s importance. They hammer the whole “He could save us all!” thing home so much in this issue it becomes grating. I would also argue David’s plucky fanboy shtick is getting old.

Still, a fairly enjoyable outing. Well-Bee draws a hell of a Spider-Man. I also noticed the touch of gray he added to Peter Parker’s hair. Ironically, it makes him look like Reed Richards.

TITLE: Hotell #1 (of 4)
AUTHOR: John Lees
ARTISTS: Dalibor Talajic, Lee Loughridge (Colorist), Sal Cipriano (Letterer). Cover by Kaare Andrews
RELEASED: March 18, 2020

Hotell feels like a horror book with self-contained stories, a la Tales From the Crypt or The Twilight Zone. I’m not quite sure if that’s what it’ll end up being, especially with only four issues. But that’s what it feels like.

While it tends to suffer from the kind of awkward dialogue you often get in newer indie comics, Hotell surprised me with its ability to create a genuine sense of fear and dread that few comics do. If this is your cup of tea, I highly recommend it.

But be warned. It earns its Mature rating in spades.

TITLE: Star Wars #4
AUTHOR: Charles Soule
ARTISTS: Jesus Saiz, Arif Prianto & Rachelle Rosenburg (Colorists), Clayton Cowles (Letterer). Cover by R.B. Silva and Guru-eFX.
RELEASED: March 18, 2020

In regard to Luke, Leia, and Lando returning to Bespin, the solicitation for this issue tells us, “Things did not go well for the trio the last time they visited this place.”

You mean a few days ago? Hell, Luke is basically wearing the same clothes. Because for some reason the heroes in this book are complete idiots.

Luke digs through mountains of garbage to find his lightsaber. Leia has gotten herself frozen. But don’t worry! If you’ve only been frozen for a little while, you can be thawed out and be completely alert with no side effects!

Friggin’ stupid.

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Panels of Awesomeness: Go Go Power Rangers #9

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

CREATORS: Ryan Parrott (Author), Dan Mora (Penciller/Inker) Raul Angulo (Colorist), Ed Dukeshire (Letterer)

THE SCENE: The Power Rangers morph into action to take on Goldar and the Putty Patrol.

WHY THEY’RE AWESOME: Go Go Power Rangers is always near the top of my stack. That’s due in large part to the work of Dan Mora and Raul Angulo. I don’t even know if we deserve a team of artists as good as they are…

To wit, I’ve pulled two selections from this week’s Go Go Power Rangers #9. The first is the  five-way shot you see above. I like the concept of this one more than the actual execution. The center point for the gutters is in between the eyes. Thus, the way the image is framed you get a lot more of Zack and Billy than you do the others. Jason is almost boxed out. But it’s still a neat way to play with the page layout and spice up the morphing sequence.

The second is a close-up shot of the Red Ranger and Goldar in battle. Firstly, Mora’s take on Goldar has been spectacular from the get-go. He emphasizes the character’s simian side without making him look like a big hulking gorilla. I love the emphasis on the fangs. Goldar always looks much more agile when Mora draws him. That approach makes sense, as he’s supposed to be a warrior.

(Also, don’t skip on the level of detail Mora puts into the Red Ranger helmet, including Goldar’s reflection in the visor.)

This issue is tied into the big “Shattered Grid” crossover. That story has no shortage of life and death stakes. But Ryan Parrott nonetheless takes time to inject levity into the proceedings. He pokes a little fun at the standard Power Rangers “monster attack” formula in this issue. This panel gives us the most notable instance, not to mention the funniest. Of course, it’s a reference to the cliche that the “definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” Keep in mind how many times we saw Goldar and the putties attack the Rangers over the years.

If you’re picking up this issue (and you should), look for MMPR‘s resident school teacher Miss Appleby early on. Parrott gives her a couple of funny lines.

Go Go Power Rangers #9 is out now from BOOM! Studios. It’s also available online via Comixology.

Email Rob at PrimaryIgnition@yahoo.com, or follow Primary Ignition on Twitter.