Ranger Academy starts a wondrous mystery within a school setting, with nostalgic Power Ranger teases in the latest issue, available now from Boom! Studios.
Ranger Academy #3 is the latest release from Boom’s new Power Rangers comic series, which introduces new characters and a fantastic new setting. Sage’s journey as a Ranger in training pulls in the audience as a mystery is discovered, with even deeper secrets unveiled the more she digs. Fans are treated to a magnificent new concept within the Morphin Grid, as we witness the new student’s journey to discover the secrets surrounding her.
Ranger Academy is the latest Power Rangers comic series written by Maria Ingrande Mora, with art by Jo Mi-Gyeong and Fabiana Mascolo. The series was published by Boom! Studios was a part of the Free Comic Book Day event for 2023, which featured the first set of pages from the starting issue. The new story is also featured in the pages of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Special #1, which featured Billy as he is contacted by the Academy’s headmaster. The first issue, Ranger Academy #1, was released on October 4, 2023, followed by issue 2 on November 1st.
Warning: The following content may contain spoilers for Ranger Academy issues 1 to 3.
Ranger Academy Begins a Lighthearted Tale with a Shadow of Drama
Ranger Academy currently consists of three issues as the latest issue released on December 6th, 2023. The series introduced Sage as a first year student who enters the Academy without her father’s permission. The character takes viewers on an introductory route as Sage has no knowledge of the Power Rangers, aside from the vague stories her father has told. This route allows the old and new audience to enjoy the unravelling of lore and story, creating an excitement for both to share. From a young shepherd girl on a moon to a Ranger cadet, the issues cover her introduction to the school that trains the next generation of heroes.
Beautifully Introduced Characters with First Two Issues
Both Ranger Academy #1 and Ranger Academy #2 bring in the reader, straightaway, with the array of characters that play major roles. This includes Sage’s backstory and the introduction to Tula and Mathis, followed by the next issue that introduces Theo and Lindy. These key characters are among the students but other key characters include Rhianth – Sage’s father, the headmaster, and librarian, Nika. Tula and Mathis mainly feature in the first issue as second year students but a better involvement with the campus is granted with Theo and Lindy as Sage joins them as first year students.
Major aspects of the lore and the environment are introduced in the first two releases, including the Academy Orientation Brochure that outlines the academic terms, key locations and key events. They also bombard the audience with many exciting features about the campus as viewers discover the various colour coordinated campuses, plus experience the first set of lessons. Sage is often directly impacted by the overwhelming pressure as a new and fresh student, followed by the drama of discovering a connected history to her father.
Range of Cameos and Characters From #1 to #3
The new series from Boom! Studios manages to provide a fresh take on the Ranger universe but reminds you instantly of the world it’s in, with the amazing characters that cameo. This includes Leo Corbett from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy and Time Force Pink, Jen Scotts, as lecturers that appear in a campus class. However, the biggest cameos feature in the latest issue as Sage encounters Nika with Omega Ranger Yale and SPD’s Doggie Cruger. The dots are also connected from the 30th Anniversary graphic novel as Billy, Mighty Morphin Blue, appears as a teacher in a Blue Campus classroom for first year students. These cameos are perfectly positioned since they are used to etherise the story, rather than take the attention away from the plot.
Answers Eluded as Sage Struggles with Fellow Students
Sage is the centrepiece of events in Ranger Academy #3 as she struggles to keep up with the other students in the class. This is made even harder by the mysterious history of her father, whom Nika confirmed he knew during their Academy days. Sage’s defiance to attend turns to frustration and thoughtlessness, as she causes an uproar and upsets Lindy due to her sheltered reason for joining the school. Seeing Sage’s journey in the issue creates a full circle of emotion as she works toward a resolve.
The air of mystery is also heightened by Sage’s discovery of Tula sneaking into a hidden area of the Academy. The discovery of a hidden campus adds a brilliant layer of mystery to the whole story, making every following page even more immersive. However, the events shock Sage into action as she continues to study with her friends, leading up to preparation for the Ranger Trial. The most impactful page was certainly the last as it teased the first trial, followed by the wall of names that also featured Sage’s father. This led to a moving event as Sage wrote her name next to Rhianth’s while promising to make him proud.
Drama and Joy Within the Academy
Sage’s interactions with Mathis and Tula demonstrate how she looks up to her upperclassmen but she also shows an attitude toward accepting the status quo. Seeing her interactions with iconic characters from the Power Rangers universe created humorous and gleeful moments in the story, especially with Sage labelling ‘Professor Yale’ a cat until corrected. There is an instant connection between Nika and Sage due to their history and, although they don’t reveal Rhianth’s past, their developing relationship could easily be compared to an uncle and Niece.
Most of the drama and tension featured Sage with Tula and Lindy. The lack of severity in Sage’s commitment to the school opens the door to Lindy’s tragic past, which leads to Sage comforting her new friend. Finding out about Lindy losing her parents added a deeper drama to the story, keeping a theme of darkness to the new Ranger story. However, the existence of a hidden Green Campus added amazing tension as Sage did her best to stay hidden from Tula. The shock of finding a hidden campus and lecturer tube hosting someone looking like Sage added a great deal of anxiety towards Tula and the Academy itself, which invoked tears as Sage wished to go home.
Key Locations Featured at the Academy
The audience is treated to a variety of locations in all the issues so far, as more areas of the Ranger Academy are encountered. Teases have already been seen about the colour allocations through the cover arts, but the Blue Campus and library add a further tease. The library is a core location for the third issue of the comic series, which highlights the amount Sage has to learn. The observation deck seen in the previous issue also appears to be a common ground for Sage, since she uses the location to study before noticing Tula.
However, the best locations in the latest issue include the mysterious and abandoned Green Campus, along with the Opalescent Dome that features the return of Time Force Pink, Professor Scotts. The location looked overgrown and derelict but features an amazing ambience that leaves many questions unanswered as Sage can enter, and not Tula. Featuring the return of Jen Scotts was a great addition to the scene that marked the last class before the first trial. Along with the ceiling of names, this moment and classroom marked an important transition as the group of first years will soon take a huge step forward.
Overview of Academic Progress
The levels of excitement from each issue have just increased over time, with Issue #3 heightening the anticipation even more. It’s brilliant how the series manages to add a mix of iconic features to the original storyline. By just adding cameos, the focus can purely be placed on characters and bring greater definition to the independent drama that is unfolding. The latest issue has created an even bigger need to continue reading as the lore slowly unfolds with Sage’s journey to the first trial. With so much still to uncover, it will be exciting to see all the layers evolve into a momentous story within the Power Rangers universe.
For such an engaging and tense installment within its own part of the Morphin Grid, we give Ranger Academy #3 a score of 9 out of 10.
Ranger Academy #3 is available now at local comic book shops or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers like comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.
For more Ranger Academy, Power Rangers and Boom! Comics content, keep an eye out for more updates and reviews from The Toku Source.
Pingback: Review: Lies and Secrets Begin to Overwhelm in Ranger Academy #5 - The Toku Source