Category: Power Rangers

All posts relating to the ever-present Power Rangers franchise and all incarnations within.

BOOM Studios Changing The MMPR Comics Game Again… again…

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but BOOM Studios is doing another major arc in their long-running Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic book. And when all is said and done, things will never be the same again.

Again.

It seems like every time I write about the current line of Power Rangers comics, there’s almost always a negative slant towards it. I often wonder why I’m devoting much thought to a series that I do not actively follow or pay much attention to. Every once in a while, somebody asks my thoughts on the current comic and my only reply is to say that I don’t read ’em. Outside of the occasional graphic novel – which tend to be hit or miss – I largely ignore a series that left me with a sour taste.

For those wondering, I was on board with the series when it first started up back in 2016 and I thought, for the most part, it was promising enough. A new take on the original Mighty Morphin series, slightly reconfigured to fit in with modern times (but is still in line with the original continuity – or so they say…), and certainly the writing was a step above the Power Ranger comics that had come before, which were largely simplistic and sometimes inconsistent with the material it was adapting.

About eight or nine issues in, we’re dealing with alternate universes and evil versions of characters. Next thing you know, the focus is more on original characters that feel like they were pulled from the worst dreggs of the fanfic litter and less on the title characters – even then, it’s mostly on the Tommy worship because the guy who writes this stuff is good buds with JDF and that’s as far as I’ll go. Then Shattered Grid became a thing; the less said the better. And then we’ve digressed from the OG Rangers to this hodgepodge crossover group taking place in some alternate dimension and that’s when I decided, “I’m out.”

I’ve tried giving the comic a few more tries… but it’s the same rubbish as before. Hey, we’ve jumped ahead to the second season and we did our Ranger swap… LET’S BRING BACK EVIL TOMMY FROM THE DARK DIMENSION. Fuck off. Then they split the series into two… Mighty Morphin kept things on Earth, while Power Rangers followed our Omega Rangers (aka – the other half od OG Rangers who didn’t go that peace conference after all.) We have another game-changing event leading to issue 100.

And now we have yet ANOTHER major comic event coming up posed to change the game once again… and as I’m checking the previews for these things, I wonder whether they’re going to be upfront about this being its own thing rather than try to gaslight everyone into thinking that this is perfectly in line with the TV show canon, which is pretty fucking stupid at this point… because I fail to see how you’ve got this uber-Rita or Mister Vile or whatever she’s called having unlimited power, but she eventually gets defeated and her plot for revenge is having Zedd fall in love with her and marry her?

Like I’ve said, I tried… TRIED to give it another shot, because they got a new writer on board and I’m sure she’s talented and all, but I’ve read a couple issues and I don’t know what new thing she brings to the table. It’s a variation of what I’ve seen before. New threat on the table, more focus on the uninteresting OG characters than the people that this comic is supposed to be about, Drakkon is a thing once again, more shit about the multiverse, who else can we turn into a Ranger and whip up some shit design?

Is it really sad that the only Power Rangers comic that I’m looking forward to is the one that Pinky is writing up? And I’m waiting a whole year for that… and, by the way, if that thing ends up sucking, don’t think I’m going to shy away from that… but yeah, this current crop of Power Ranger comics… happy to see it still going, happy that it’s got a fanbase to support it, but I don’t care for it myself… do I really need to go back to the fanfic well for my PR fix until Cosmic Fury hits? Do I have to do this shit myself even? Let’s hope not…

Don’t get me started on Lord Zedd was done dirty post Z-wave. It’s embarrassing to even contemplate.

It’s Okay To Like A Franchise And Not Like Everything In It

You’re a big fan of a franchise. You like the movies they put out. Some of the TV shows were pretty good. You’ve even dabbled in some of the official novels and comic books.

But then something comes along and it isn’t quite as good… and much to your dismay, you discover that you not only don’t like this new thing, but you might actually hate it. You consider this an affront to the franchise you’ve grown to love over the years.

It doesn’t end there. Something else comes along and it’s even worse than the other thing. You come to realize that these new things are lesser products devised to set aside all the things you loved about that franchise in favor of trying to appeal that wider, casual audience… otherwise known as the “lowest common denominator.”

All of a sudden, the thing you loved ever since you were a young kid is slowly but surely becoming a thing that you don’t like. You get to that point where you’re becoming the old timer who shouts at the clouds about how everything was better back in the day when the franchise was in its infancy and now everything is just crap or worse.

Does that make you less of a fan?

Of course it fucking doesn’t.

Kids… it’s okay to be a fan of something and not like everything that comes out of it. I have enjoyed many franchises over the years – some of which have been a substantial part of my life in some form or fashion – and I can freely admit that some of the stuff coming from those franchises lately have been… let’s just say “less than stellar.” Does that make me less of a fan of this thing or worse, a “fake fan?”

Of course it fucking doesn’t.

First of all, someone not enjoying the thing you enjoy should not prevent you from enjoying the thing you enjoy. Some things I enjoy are not enjoyed by other people. That does not hamper my enjoyment of these things that some people don’t enjoy as much as I do, if at all. Your enjoyment of something should not be gauged by how many other people are or are not enjoying that something. If you like something that everybody else hates, then more power to you. On the other hand, if you don’t like something that is beloved by many others, that doesn’t make you less of a fan and if anyone else tries to convince you otherwise in a non-joking manner, that’s their problem, not yours.

Like what you like and be done with it. If you like the old stuff, just watch the old stuff. If you like the new stuff, watch the new stuff. If you like everything, then have at it. And if you’d rather spent your time doing something else, then that’s cool too.

I’d tell you not to be a dick, but it seems like every time I hear someone tell people not to be a dick, they eventually become one themselves.

I don’t know what compelled me to type out this piece of business, but hey, it’s something, I suppose.

Same Shit, Different Writer…

I picked up a copy of the latest issue of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic book from Boom Studios. I was a little late to the game, but apparently they’re in the middle of a major ground-breaking, history-defining storyline.

Again.

Let me guess; new take on an old villain, so let’s make a pre-existing character into a new Ranger form, take our old Rangers on an interstellar journey, and then for shits and giggles, let’s bring back that Drakkon character.

Sure enough, that’s what I got in this particular issue.

Apparently, this series has a new writer – Melissa Flores. I don’t know if she did any prior Power Rangers comic stuff in the past – as in, I genuinely don’t know because I haven’t bothered to check – but if her aim was to simply regurgitate what was produced by the previous two writers of this series, then mission accomplished.

People keep telling me that this stuff is better than it was before… but I just see the same shit that drove me away from this stuff in the first place. There isn’t anything that I’ve seen here that I probably haven’t read in someone’s fanfic years ago. Hell, there’s a couple story bits that were even conceived when I was writing fanfics years ago… and some of that stuff hasn’t even seen the light of day.

I’ll give Boom some credit; I’ve enjoyed a couple of their one-shots from their Power Rangers Unlimited line-up and graphic novels. Those are good, quick reads. Hell, I even enjoyed Kyle Higgins’ Tommy-centric one-shot, Soul Of The Dragon, and gave it a hearty reviews – even if I kept messing up the name of the title.

But as far as the mainline comic series is concerned, I’m sorry, but it’s still no buys for me. Maybe the Pinky-penned series coming out next year might change my tune, but for now… morphin time is some other time in some other place.

Dismemberberries

Yesterday, I watched the MMPR: Once And Always special on Netflix and in a few moments, I’m going to be taking in the final drop of sour mead, otherwise known as Star Trek: Picard. For what it’s worth, yes, I’ll be writing on both pieces, though you’ll have to wait a while before those get posted.

There’s a term that the kids like to toss around the interwebs – memberberries. This has origins in the South Park show, referring to a fruit that, when consumed, will evoke feelings of nostalgia, remembering things from happier, more innocent times. This is apparently the slang used for any show that uses nostalgia and whathaveyou to prop up its worth.

It’s safe to say that there’s going to be a healthy helping of that… but I can’t help but feel that what’s actually being served is a bowl of dismemberberries. You eat the thing, you’re minded of nostalgic things that made you happy, and then you wonder how long it’ll be before it gets FUBARed.

Anyway, we’ll see if that happens to be the case.

OG Pinky To Write New Power Rangers Comic

Source: https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/amy-jo-johnson-power-rangers-comic-series-1235569122/

For the TLDR crowd, Amy Jo Johnson is writing a Power Rangers comic book due next year. And also, her not doing the reunion has nothing to do with money. Strangely, she didn’t mention anything about beeswax.

Well, she might not be doing the special, but she’s there in spirit.

Original Pinky Not In Power Rangers Special… Get Over It

So in case you haven’t heard, they announced the upcoming MMPR 30th anniversary special to be airing on Netflix in April. The special, Once And Always, will feature David Yost, Walter Jones, Steve Cardenas, Johnny Yong Bosch, Karan Ashley, and Catherine Sutherland reprise their roles in a special that we see them don the spandex again and fight off against a new incarnation of Rita Repulsa to be voiced by classic Rita voice actor Barbara Goodson.

One name that won’t be coming back for the special is the one name most folks were hoping for. On a Twitter post shortly after the video teaser was posted, original Pinky Amy Jo Johnson had stated that “For the record, I never said no. I just didn’t say yes to what was being offered.” You can take this so many different ways, but the gist of it was that they made an offer for her to comeback and she wasn’t keen on what they were offering. Is there more to it than that? Probably, but it is what it is.

Naturally, people are going to be upset about AJ not coming back. I’m somewhat disappointed, but on the other hand, I understand and respect her decision. And the people egging on her for not showing up… yeah, get over it. Yeah, the show gave AJ her start and was, by her first admission, a great first job, but acting like she owes this franchise something after all this time makes you come across as one of those creeper fans that gave her nightmares in the first place. Her decision, her choice, get the fuck over yourselves and enjoy the show when it comes out.

Servers Dressed As Power Rangers Save Woman From Getting Choked By Man… No, Really

Even Lord Zedd frowns at this.

Source: https://abc7.com/power-rangers-save-woman-ranger-servers-noka-ramen-oakland/12338959/

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/19/power-rangers-ramen-oakland-restaurant/

Imagine a themed day at your new restaurant where you’re all dressed as superheroes and suddenly, you actually have to play the parts and keep some dude from choking one of your customers… all I will say is that I hope that those Rangers got some mighty big tips because they earned it after that showing. Kudos to Noka Ramen; you may have gotten a honorable mention on the Winners List of 2022.

Honestly, this is more newsworthy than what I usually watch on Wednesday nights these days.