Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #1 (2024) Comic Book Review

 Hey everyone, how's it going? I'm doing really well, though it's super hot out today, so I'm staying indoors all day. Which gives me the opportunity to work on this blog post. I'm doing a comic book review on the first issue of the recent Power Rangers mini-series published by BOOM! Studios, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, which came out earlier this year. There will be some spoilers, just so I can talk about the issue, but nothing major. Like, I won't spoil the ending the issue. So let's get into it!

Written by Amy Jo Johnson, who played the first Pink Ranger, Kimberly, on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers from 1993 to 1995, The Return #1 was published in February, 2024. The premise of the story is that in an alternate timeline even outside of the continuity established by the main BOOM! Studios Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic book series, in 2001 the Rangers finally defeated Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd, saving the world once and for all, and then the team broke up. For reasons not revealed in this issue. It's implied that Tommy was killed in the final battle against Rita, and that Trini died of an illness that Billy was working on a cure for. Jason has kinda done the rogue vigilante thing that Raphael has done in various iterations of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Zack has revealed his identity as the Black Ranger to the world, leaving the rest of the team's identities out of the mix, Zordon and Alpha are gone, Billy is using his power coin's connection to the Morphin Grid to look for ways to use teleportation on a wider scale, and Kimberly has moved to Canada and changed her name to Emma Phillips, for some reason. Again, it's not revealed in this issue (probably in issue #2 or issue #3).

This is kinda what I was afraid BOOM! Studios was going to do with the original comic when that began publication back in 2016. Mainly because alot of things were getting darker, more adult takes in comics at the time, like Scooby Apocalypse and the weird take that DC took on both The Flintstones and The Jetsons at the time. Though the original BOOM! Studios Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series felt more like a CW teen drama than anything else.

What makes this comic work though is that it isn't written by a Power Rangers fan or by a writer from the show. Amy Jo Johnson played Kimberly for two and a half seasons AND two movies, from 1993 to 1997. Not only does she know the characters, she knows the world of Power Rangers. Plus, her history as an actress makes her the perfect person to tell this tale, with her co-writer, Matt Hotson. 

While I'm glad this wasn't the direction the main comic went for back in 2016, I honestly think that this is the perfect time to tell this story. Even though there's been so much emphasis on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers over the last fourteen years, from when the 2010 version of the first season was airing on ABC Kids to the anniversary seasons featuring characters from the original series, I understand why. MMPR was what started the franchise. It's what people think of when they think of Power Rangers. Especially if they watched it in the '90s but didn't keep up with the franchise from Zeo to Cosmic Fury. And with it being a better seller than the modern seasons in terms of toy sales, Saban, and now Hasbro, would want to focus on it in merchandise.

I can't seem to find any info on whether this story was something Amy Jo and Matt came up with and pitched to Hasbro and BOOM! Studios, or if it's something that BOOM! went to Amy Jo and asked her to write it. Given that Amy Jo chose not to be involved with the Netflix special, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, I'm assuming that this mini-series was her way of contributing to the 30th anniversary of the franchise rather than appear as Kimberly in the Netflix special. Which is fine, if that's true. 

The artwork is pretty good in this issue. I'm not familiar with the artist, Nico Leon, but he does a good job at drawing the characters. He's also pretty great at the backgrounds as well. I think his style works well with Amy Jo and Matt's story.

The one thing I'm a bit iffy about, is that it opens with the tired cliche of the hero, in this case, Jason, arriving in his base of operations, the abandoned, damaged, Command Center, and being attacked by an unseen enemy. It happened alot in the CW DC shows, and other superhero movies, that it was kinda, well, unnecessary in a way.

Overall, this was a pretty good first issue. I love that Amy Jo Johnson is the one writing it, even if she has a co-writer. Mainly because, well, she hasn't been in Power Rangers since Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie back in 1997, and hasn't been a series regular since 1995. So to have her involved on the creative side is pretty cool. With the TV show ended and no idea what Hasbro's plans for the franchise are, beyond selling the toy license to Playmates Toys, if these comics are the way the franchise will continue for the forseeable future, then that's pretty cool. Though I'd recommend picking up the individual issues and then reading them all together as the series is only four issues, and the fourth issue just came out last week (I have the first three). 

And that my friends is it for me for today. I'll be back soon with more posts. Until then have a great day, stay cool, and I will talk to you all later. Take care.