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After a smash hit and second printing of the first issue, Amy Jo Johnson keeps delivering it on the page! Two down and Two to go!
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, Written by Amy Jo Johnson & Matt Hotson. Illustrated by Nico Leon. Colored by Dono Sanchez-Almara. Lettered by Ed Dukeshire. From BOOM! STUDIOS
Did someone say ACTION!!
The book starts off twenty-two years ago. The Rangers just witnessed the death of Zordon (reminder different universe). While Rita and Zedd are celebrating on the moon, the Rangers take the fight to the moon! In a serious NO F’s Given mission, they are smashing and bashing through the z-putties and overgrown Goldar and Scorpina. But not all six rangers are present for the distraction, I mean assault.
Kim and Tommy are infiltrating Bandora Castle with a BOMB! Yes, not one of those happy-go-lucky afterschool special episode confetti kind. NOPE, a straight-up experimental prototype developed by Billy to use Grid Energy to “incapacitate” all the Baddies on the moon and with a remote detonator, too!
Well before the team of two could get the weapon situated and teleport away, Rita finds them and starts leying it down with her own squad of Z-putties. Tommy is knocked back onto the device just as Rita is about to put a finishing move on her former rangers. Kimberly takes a shot—straight through Rita!
Kim is distraught, and Squat is the one to find that his Mistress is slain. Unfortunately, the Benevolator (because Billy has to name things) is damaged, and the remote won’t work. So it’s gone from an attack and distract mission to a kamikaze mission.
Kim and Tommy go through all the emotions quickly, fast, and in a hurry, as a MARRIED COUPLE in a war can. Yep, they got hitched! Tommy is stalwart at Kim’s promise to ditch the mission if it got too hairy. Did Billy mention that the Benevolator’s output is equal to all the Dark Energy around it? nope. With those last, I love yous and a kiss, the team is teleported back to the ruins of the Command Center.
Everyone is static except Kim, and Trini asks, “Where’s Tommy?” as 2 CHUNKS of the Moon break off.
Stories in the Woods
We cut back to Emma (Kimberley’s new identity), who recapped everything for Trini’s young niece. Who starts asking some rather peculiar and dare macabre questions. Kim gets a sense that something ain’t right as the girl transforms into a silver-haired woman who looks like Rita but isn’t. Kim reaches for her Morpher, and just as we see that classic morph cut scene, Rita’s staff breaks through, knocking Kimberly out.
The Nefarious Neice hears someone coming and disappears with Kimberly. The cabin door opens to a young lady saying………Mom?
Thoughts from THE GRID
Teenagers with attitude, in deed! Now, I would guess that if Pink and Green are able to get hitched, then they have to be at least 18 years old.
Can you imagine the rage the Rangers must have had to devise a plan so ill-advised that it could shatter the moon? I even had to go back to the first issue to double check if the Moon was messed up and yes it was! Secondly, I do appreciate the moment Tommy made the ultimate choice, it wasn’t drawn out! The pacing was just right! Just rip off the spandex bandaid!
Who is this Silver-Haired Sorceress? A relative of Rita? Or is it the next generation of evil akin to Kim & Tommy’s kid being the next possible ranger.
MMPR THE RETURN #2 gets 8.25 out of 10 Power Coins
Knowing that we are painted into a certain amount of issues, certain things have to get cut. Having said that, did we really need 10 pages of a fight scene? Yes, I know it was on two fronts. But if they cut two pages and put it somewhere else, could that have affected the payoff at the end of the book?
Or was it done that way so the heavier stuff is going to be in issue 3?
Come on back to see my OFF THE CUFF REVIEW here on Nerd Inititave. Where do you think the story could go? Leave your comments below. Please consider following me personally at OFF THE CUFF TOM on social media. Don’t forget to support your LCS and return to the Nerd Initiative for all your Ranger Reviews!
