You DON’T want to miss this on the shelves this week! From BOOM! Studios, Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers #28 takes a step away from current events to give us more Rita Repulsa back story!
Writer Ryan Parrott has delved further into Rita’s past than even the source material has dared to. The liberties he has taken with the villain far exceed expectations already. This issue gives us a look inside the dumpster, and what Rita did the whole time she was trapped inside.
The last time we even saw Rita was before “Necessary Evil” began, so it’s nice to jump back to her for this issue. And boy do we jump back to her! What Parrott has written in this issue isn’t too difficult to figure out from the beginning. Still, the impact it has is heavy.
Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers #28 is a lot more sci-fi than the previous issues, and yes the franchise is already very sci-fi at times. The issue begins with Rita being greeted by the A.I in charge of her sentence in the Dumpster. The A.I’s name is Moment. It explains to Rita that Eltarian (Eltar is Zordan’s home planet) law had called for her death sentence but Zordan intervened. What was decided on was an attempt at rehabilitation instead.
Rita is also not the only one granted this mercy. Finster, Goldar, Baboo, and Squat are also partaking. Next, we are shown, that Rita suddenly appears as a little girl in her bedroom. This little girl looks nothing like the young Rita we’ve seen in the past however so this isn’t a flashback for her. What follows after is something right out of an episode of Black Mirror, though it’s worth experiencing instead of hearing about.
Something worth noting is that the artwork in this issue is completely different from what we’re used to seeing in this series. Eduardo Francisco creates alien worlds and beings that set the stage for this issue well. At some points, you might even forget you’re even reading Power Rangers.
Raúl Angulo’s colors really bring the weird alien vibes home. From crazy hair colors to brilliantly pascal backgrounds embedded in crazy architecture and foliage. There’s a lot to wow at in these panels.
The lettering makes the end of this issue even more impactful. It creates this timing within the panels that makes it hit the note infinitely harder than without. Ed Dukeshire had a solid understanding of how the final scenes play out and feel. Again, it’s something to be experienced.
Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers #28 is something completely different from where this series has gone before. On the surface it doesn’t add anything directly to the “Necessary Evil” story, but that may be subject to change if Rita returns to the scene. With her recent absence this issue does feel well timed, especially with all of the lore we were given when she was creating the Green Ranger, it’s good to see she hasn’t been tossed aside entirely.
The fact that Rita can go through all of what she did, and still be the “Empress of Evil” does say a lot for her character. Ten thousand years in there to be exact. That gets even more thought provoking when you realize Zedd put Rita back in the Dumpster when he arrived in the show. So who knows what will happen when she returns.
What Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers #28 does is impressive. It tells a story that we would never think to see in this series, but for how different it is, still feels right at home. The only thing I want is an answer on is how Rita remained evil through everything, which unfortunately we don’t get in this issue. Though that can be done in a later issue and, as a whole, I don’t feel there’s much to improve upon for this story.
With all of the backstory for Rita, it’s fun to think about what other future villains from Power Rangers might get the same treatment down the road. Who would you like to see explored further? I know I would love Ecliptor or Darkonda, but you let us know what you think in the comments below.
