It’s Morphin’ Time! The teenagers with attitude return in a new chapter of the BOOM Comics Rangerverse, taking a look at a what if story from Amy Jo Johnson.
What’s up Ranger fans? It’s finally here! The 30th anniversary story from the veteran ranger herself, Amy Jo Johnson. For those in the dark of MMPR: The Return, the story is as follows:
In an alternate universe, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers defeated Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd, but at a terrible cost … and in the wake of that tragedy, the team went their separate ways.
Twenty-two years later, the long-disbanded team reunites to mourn the losses of beloved friends, but Zack and Billy have some unexpected information to share: Jason — the Red Ranger, who has long been operating as a lone vigilante — has disappeared,” it continues. “Will the remaining Rangers be able to track him down, especially with a mysterious figure in pursuit?
MMPR: The Return was written by Amy Jo Johnson & Matt Hotson, illustrated by Nico Leon, coloured by Francesco Segala and lettered by Ed Dukeshire. With their powers (or talents) combined, they present to us with Part 1 of this four part series! I was blessed by the Morphin Masters and given the honour of reviewing this issue and below you will find out the pros and cons of this alternative universe tale that is “MMPR: The Return”. You know what time it is rangers? It’s Morphin Time!!!
WARNING: Potential story spoilers ahead! Read at your own risk!
The Pros
While I feel the beginning of the story is nothing to write home about, the overall plot of part 1 was thoroughly enjoyable. In such a short amount of time, we get a glimpse of Angel Grove in this alternative timeline; we get to see Zack, Billy, Kimberley and Jason as matured adults (with attitude?) and we get some cameos here and there from the likes of Ernie as well as the comedic duo of Bulk & Skull. It’s enough to give any 90’s kid a smile and a warm feeling inside. The interactions from the core Rangers makes for a good read and their personalities feel perfectly personified from their TV counterparts, albeit with some finesse.
Subjectively, I feel the story has some minor similarities and an overall feel to Hasbro’s “Once and Always” Netflix special, despite this being Amy Jo Johnson’s personal take on a 30th anniversary special. The similarity is nothing to knock on, though, as I thoroughly enjoyed it and, likewise, MMPR: The Return looks to be an enjoyable special of its own, with more unique twists and turns. The likenesses of the Amy Jo, David Yost, Walter Jones and more are impressively well recreated on the page; props go to Nico Leon for not only capturing their faces perfectly but aging them all like fine wines!
The Cons
This one is very likely a subjective take but I feel the way the story opens is rather barebones; it feels like an excuse to fill up a word count on top of some gorgeous art panels, to then fast forward to today. It just feels like an unnecessary page. Once in our contemporary era, the story opens up with Jason facing off against this silhouetted mysterious character and I just wasn’t pulled into it at all. I wasn’t asking who this character was or what their motivations were. I’ve seen this thread one too many times and the reveal has usually been disappointing. I hope in the case of MMPR: The Return, I’ll be surprised. Until then, I’ll remain sceptical but it sets up our antagonist for the story which, I understand, is needed.
Conclusion
Overall, the debut issue of MMPR: The Return is a strong one, showcasing Amy Jo Johnson’s chops for writing; having previously proven herself to be a proficient actor, singer & songwriter and director. It has an lukewarm beginning with an enjoyable and earnest story at the heart of it all. Amy Jo and Matt Hotson’s alternative take on our favourite rangers makes for a great jump in point to the BOOM Studios’ Rangerverse and lays the ground work to a story that has the potential to be one for the ages!
For it’s first issue, I’d give MMPR: The Return a seven out of ten. An otherwise bumpy start that leads down an interesting road. I’m hopeful and excited to see where the journey eventually leads. An enjoyable debut.
MMPR: The Return #1 releases February 7th, 2024 at your local comic book store. This and more Power Rangers Boom! Studios series are also available as a digital copy from content providers like iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.
What did you think of Part 1? Looking forward to more? Any predictions on upcoming issues? Let us knows in the comments below! We look forward to seeing them. Stay tuned for more reviews of MMPR: The Return and other awesome Power Ranger news & reviews here at The Toku Source!
