Power Rangers: Green #2 – The Last Ranger

Tommy Oliver is out of retirement from being a Power Ranger after an old foe reunites with him. But Tommy is struggling with his identity now more than ever before. Will this old foe be able to snap Tommy out of this funk…?

Creative Team

Pallie “Paul” Allor (Writer), Gustaffo Vargas (Artist), Ed Dukeshire (Letterer)

Madison Goyette (Designer), Ari Yarwood (Assistant Editor), Tea Fougner (Executive Editor), Andy Schmidt (Editor-in-Chief)

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

The Last Ranger

Issue two of Power Rangers: Green continues from issue one. For a full review of issue one, please follow the link provided at the bottom of this review! For a quick catch-up, Tommy Oliver is the last Power Ranger left on the planet. He has gone into hiding in what seems to be “retirement.” That is till an old foe (Goldar) tracks Tommy down in hopes of teaming up to put a stop to a potential planet-ending threat.

Within this second issue readers will get a lot more action than in the first issue. Tommy has crafted a make-shift Ranger suit giving off a rugged nostalgia to the character for fans. Tommy and Goldar working together will take some getting used to for original Power Ranger fans. But this team-up brings out very different sides of both characters that I for one was not expecting to see.

Goldar gives off this persona of “The Cowardly Lion” from The Wizard of Oz. For the newer generation, Goldar was Rita’s second in command within the original Power Ranger story arc. This newly transformed version of this character brings much confusion to me. I can remember Goldar being this evil and ruthless character. But within this new series he is timid and almost scared. An example of what I am trying to explain is when Hulk gets beat down for the first time by Thanos in Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War film. Goldar is very cautious within this issue, and is almost overly protective of Tommy.

Tommy Oliver in this issue goes through a lot of emotional development. Readers will see a mentally drained Tommy. Someone who has been through so much and seen even more. It is within the narrative and dialogue from Tommy that readers will express remorse for Tommy as he struggles with the notion of if he’s able to be the same Ranger he was in the past. Which is going to be a constant battle for him I feel like throughout the remainder of this series.

Even though Tommy may feel alone during this period of time, he has help. Alpha-5 is still bee bopping around as an assistant for Tommy. This issue shows a completely different side of Alpha that fans should be excited to see. By that I mean that readers will witness Alpha fighting! That’s right, our favorite robot takes up arms and defends the campsite of his team while they are away trying to protect a neighboring town.

One other individual Tommy has within his make-shift team is Mirella. She is a teenager who is deaf. Within this issue, she holds nothing back and proves to be very valuable to Tommy and Goldar! Sneaking into their transport vehicle and jumping into the fight without any hesitation at all leaves Tommy and Goldar stunned and in amazement. I’m not completely sure that she comprehends just how valuable she truly is to the team!

At the end of this issue, you will be introduced to a potential villain who is the daughter of a previous Power Ranger villain. Taking up a new name, The Unmade, this character is giving off the same vibes as Goldar. Once a villain who notices that there is a new major threat that could ruin the world she wishes to torment. Offering to assist Tommy, and gives him an offer of her help. Tommy doesn’t give an actual answer, but I feel that fans will see this character again within future issues.

The Writing

Pallie “Paul” Allor provides different and emotional character profiles for these characters from my childhood. And now that I am older and have a better understanding of emotion, Pallie’s writing hits differently. Showing an emotionally and mentally struggling Tommy goes to show that even the strongest heroes fight internal battles. The narration and dialogue offer emotion as well as a little comedic undertone. Readers will find this story easy to follow while the plot gradually expands into more and more.

The Artwork

Gustaffo Vargas gives readers the visuals they need to capture the feel and tone of this story. Being based within the jungle, the art is rigid and coarse. The pencil work is rough adding to the texture of the story. While the coloration and shading add to the rough tone of the issue. The attention to detail within the characters and their outfits and expressions help to place you within the environment as the characters. Love the artwork for this series!

Ed Dukeshire provides the lettering for this issue as well. The different text styles and coloration of dialogue boxes is a great aide for readers to distinguish who is speaking. The added texture to the font for Alpha-5 is fantastic! It adds to the persona of Alpha being a robot. The placement of the dialogue/narration boxes is perfect as well! The boxes do not take up anymore space than is needed, and do not take away from the artwork within the panels. They are cleanly placed so that there is no confusion on the order of reading.

Variant Covers

Final Thoughts

This issue gives a different outlook on classic characters who never fully expressed these emotions they do within this story. This will give adult Power Ranger fans a way to connect with Tommy in a way they may not have been able to before as a child. Amazing storytelling and story development throughout this issue! Pallie gives readers just enough to keep them wanting more at the end of the issue, which is a needed touch for a continuation story. I am still hooked on this series and look forward to what the next issue has to bring! Get your copy of Power Rangers: Green #2 from your local shop today!

Overall Grade: 10/10

Links

Comic Book Reviews & Entertainment News: Nerd Initiative
Previous Power Ranger Green Review: Power Rangers: Green #1 – The Dragon’s Grave
Travis’ NI Portfolio: TravisComicHaven – Nerd Initiative
Travis’ Personal Content: Travis’ Comic Haven

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