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We are back in the hallowed halls of spandex clad teenagers with attitude and the teenage angst is well in the green!
Ranger Academy #4 by Maria Ingrande Mora, artist Jo Mi-Gyeong, colorist Joana Lafuente, and letterer Ed Dukeshire
Not so Sage Self-Help
Sage is having a really hard time. Keeping her Glowing Green secret and trying to figure out her dad’s story are really eating her up inside. She’s distracted so much that she’s in her own head and not with reality happening all around her, even the fact that her other classmates, who seem standoffish, are now in the friend group.
The worst of it is that while she’s hiding her secret, she has to go to remedial therapy to come to terms with her emotions because as much as you’d like to hope what color ranger you are, The Grid chooses for you! You can also go into a communication tube thing that’s tied to the grid, and it will find you a mentor for what you’re going through—GRREAT IDEA!!
Except when it backfires for Sage, and she sees her dad…
History with a Hint of Red
Tula, Sage’s senior and the one to “let her stow away,” has been doing morning workouts with her in a simulation room, hoping to unlock her potential. I have a lot of thoughts on this (SEE BELOW), but we finally get to see a fully Morphed Ranger Academy Junior Ranger in this series, and it works!
On the flip of the Power Coin, Tula is always asking about Sage’s dad; let’s just say it’s suspicious.
Well it worked and Sage spilled and begged Tula for help!
Thoughts from THE GRID
WOO, we get a full morph. And I mean with a Morphin call and everything! I see a bunch of design choices from various seasons. So let’s break it down with my Power Scope and, of course, the amazing variant cover by Jo-mi Gyeong!
From Top to Bottom
- The Helmet:
- The visor has a big Mega Force vibe for me. Honestly, I think PRMF had the largest visors of any team.
- The jewel in the forehead goes right back to MMPR Tommy.
- Speaking of MMPR, the mouth plate is another call back to the OG team.
- The Upper Torso:
- SCREAMS Hyper Force!! I, for one, support this 1000%. As you know, the Hyperforce rangers were cadets themselves, so this works beautifully as a nod to their design.
- Boots, Gloves, and Pants: They’re “there,” but there’s not too much to write home about from the Pan Global Games.
Let’s also acknowledge the cadet uniform too! As I mentioned, you can see a great throughline of the various cadet uniforms. But we didn’t mention SPD?! Until now, in their unmorphed form, they get a color piping on the torso and on their sleeves to denote what year they are. which is a kin to the uniform change of the SPD rangers in the early episodes!
One other thing is I perceive differently are the bolt design on both uniforms in cadet form, it’s upside down with the point going towards the shoulder but down to the hip when Morphed, kinda like Powered Up and Down.
The Morpher works well on both outfits, BUT THE LAZY LIGHTNING BOLT. I know Hasbro is banking on nostalgia, but come on! Make it tasteful. They even chose to make the specterate bolt shape and color-coded! But it does give a Toquger train pass vibe!
Back to the Review
I appreciate the idea of going to a remedial therapy session. The Grid, as much as it is a force of power still is something that I don’t believe we will ever fully understand (Making it an easy out for writers IF they get painted into a corner.)
Getting to see other members of BOTH Doggie Cruger and Supreme Commander Birdie species is a great idea to remind us that this story isn’t on Earth and both civilizations still thrive “today.” Speaking of history, what’s the deal with Tula always asking about Sage’s dad? I have a feeling she didn’t “let her stow away” as opposed to “Oh no, we crash landed right where a former ranger dude and their kid live, OH NO!”
It was also dropped that Family Day is coming up on campus. Without sugarcoating it, there are several cadets who are Jr Nepo-Rangers. I’m not knocking the idea I think its a great to carry the legacy. But narrowing it down to what parents show up will narrow down WHEN this story takes place.
Ranger Academy #4 is a 7/10 Power Coins
You have to take this review 2 ways:
- As a coming-of-age teenage story, it does just fine with all the typical teen tropes you’d expect
- As a Ranger Comic, it works in continuity but pales to the Teen Drama on the paneled pages.
Don’t get me wrong. The Story is solid and full of interesting characters, but it skews toward more Teen Drama and sprinkles in the Rangerness of it all. Remember the target audience. Hopefully, Parents Day will give us some deep cuts to bring us back around.
So what are your theories? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and please consider following me personally at OFF THE CUFF TOM on social media. Don’t forget to support your LCS and swing back to the Nerd Initiative for all your Ranger Reviews!
