Out this week from BOOM! Studios, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #47 brings our Ranger team back together for their first real reunion.
Having lost the fight with their ex-teammate Kiya and the other Empowered beings she’s enlisted, Zack and Trini had no choice but to return to the command center and hand over the injured Jason to Zordan’s care. With the reveal that their old team members are the Omega Rangers, and in fact NOT attending a world peace conference, Kimberly, Billy, and Tommy give them a far from warm welcome.
Before the Rangers can talk about this situation further, Goldar’s attack on Angel Grove appears on the Viewing Globe and the six Earth Rangers leave to confront it. With all of the plot progression in “Necessary Evil,” it’s refreshing to still get a “Monster of the week” in this issue. Especially when this series hashes out solid, old school monster designs.
From fun campy monsters to some very clean panels of the Rangers, Goldar, Dayne, and Kiya, (who is now wearing the Blue Emissary’s cloak like a trophy and is admittedly rocking it) there’s a lot to enjoy form Daniele Di Nicuolo’s art and Walter Baiamonte’s colors this issue. The artwork, colors, and the lettering by Ed Dukeshire come together BEAUTIFULLY in the Morphin sequence this issue.
fights the Rangers un-morphed, cloak flowing in the wind I’ll be perfectly OK with that, even though I LOVE the Omega Ranger designs.
Time and time again, Ryan Parrott proves he has a strong understanding of the deeper side of Power Rangers lore. Each issue in “Necessary Evil” expands upon the universe and concepts created from the original series. I’ve mentioned in previous reviews that this arc has felt like a send-off for Trini, Zack, and Jason. To be honest, with the inception of the Omega Rangers, and the story arc revolving solely around those three, I don’t want to see them go at this point.
BOOM! Studios’ Ranger comics have always felt like a love letter to the fans. I’ve previously described it as a “pay off” for years of devotion to the franchise. While this issue is very much an “in-between” story, setting up events to come, there’s still so much to enjoy.
Without going too deep into it, this issue gives a lot in just its character interactions. There’s a lot in both the dialogue and emotions presented. When Trini speaks to Zordan for the first time since she left the team, and isn’t quite sure what to say, Zordan’s trust and reassurance in her is wholesome and sincere.
It wasn’t that long ago that Zordan was angry with the Omega Rangers for taking Zedd out of the equation. This was because Zordan feels that something more powerful and terrifying will be taking Zedd’s place and the Rangers are unprepared for it. Showing that Zedd was, in fact, a “necessary evil.” (found it!) The sheer fact that Zordan is immediately forgiving of the Omegas upon learning it’s his own team and putting all his faith into their judgment speaks volumes of his trust in them, and understanding of their situation.
Things continue to heat up as we inch closer to the end of “Necessary Evil.” Recently it’s been revealed that this will also mean the finale of Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers as well, but Mighty Morphin Power Rangers will continue after. For fans of the franchise, it’s easy to get emotional with each new development as it feels like the end of a generation.
Before “Necessary Evil”, the series still felt in its early stages. We still had the Green Ranger as well as Jason, Zack, and Trini. Now that the comic has reached a redefining milestone that happened in the show, it feels like anything could change at any time.
Though this uncertainty may make us anxious, it is exciting not knowing what will happen next. With all of the good that has come from these stories, I, much like Zordan to Trini, have faith in any direction the BOOM! Studios team is ready to take with this franchise. Especially if this means we might be moving towards Power Rangers Zeo after all.
